tHe SkY iS mY HoMe~

2008-01-11T20:49:00.001+08:00

2007-12-25T10:18:00.000+08:00

I saw this at the busstop where i take my bus home from biopolis everyday. Just like any other notice advertising for room rentals and such, the end of the notice was cut into strips with a phone number written on it. Only difference is that the title of the notice read: Marriage.

'Looking for a sigle (sic) white aged between 42 to 60 as a mankind (sic) partner, please contact ms zhang.' is what i saw. I wanted to take photos of the notice, but i didn't have my camera with me that day. Didn't expect to see this on the news! haha..

"One woman from China knows exactly who she wants as a husband - a Caucasian - never mind that she doesn't speak a word of English.

And she's going about it in her own way. No more match-making agencies for her, thank you very much.

After she failed to get results through a match-making agency, Ms Zhang Xue Hong, 42, opted for a do-it-yourself (DIY) 'manhunt'.

For the past two weeks, she has been sticking up notices on lamp-posts along Taman Warna and other streets in Holland Village.

Bemused residents have been seeing - alongside the usual notices for garage sales and lost pets - her handwritten personal ad, titled 'Marriage'.

It reads, in broken English: 'Looking for a sigle (sic) white aged between 42 to 60 as a mankind (sic) partner, please contact ms zhang.'

It lists a Singapore handphone number, a China telephone number and address, and her e-mail address.

When contacted, Ms Zhang, who lives in Tianjin, said that she has been to Singapore twice in search of her elusive 'white knight'.

She revisited Singapore last month after her first attempt five months ago through a local match-making agency was unsuccessful.

She returned to China on Monday as her social visit pass was about to expire.

Ms Zhang, who does not speak English, painstakingly used an electronic dictionary to translate the words..."

full article from here

2007-12-20T22:25:00.000+08:00

2007-12-19T22:19:00.000+08:00

2007-12-11T20:58:00.000+08:00

Sherwin Nuland, the surgeon and author, talks about the development of electroshock therapy as a cure for severe, life-threatening depression. Midway through, his story turns personal. It's a moving and deeply felt talk about relief, redemption, second chances.

2007-11-25T15:58:00.000+08:00

Hans Rosling debunks myths about the so-called "developing world" using extraordinary animation software developed by his Gapminder Foundation. The Trendalyzer software (recently acquired by Google) turns complex global trends into lively animations, making decades of data pop. Asian countries, as colorful bubbles, float across the grid -- toward better national health and wealth. Animated bell curves representing national income distribution squish and flatten. In Rosling's hands, global trends -- life expectancy, child mortality, poverty rates -- become clear, intuitive and even playful.

2007-11-13T22:02:00.000+08:00

** it's GIS day tmr! **

I happened to check my Earth Calender today, and i found that tmr is GIS day!! What a cool day!! haha.. And i managed to trick alot of pple abt it.. hehe.. what fun~

2007-11-09T23:22:00.000+08:00

** Demonic Visitation explained **

I used to hear about such things called gui3 ya1 chuang2 or demonic visitations, especially on Taiwanese variety shows. They make it sound so scary, but i never knew what they meant, until i experienced it for myself--not so coincidentally in Taiwan. It was scary.. really.. but i am not one who believes in such things, but prefers to take things from a scientific point of view. Indeed, there is a scientific explanation behind what many cultures have long thought to be a demonic/spiritual attack.

For those who dunno what i am describing, "Sleep paralysis is a condition characterized by temporary paralysis of the body shortly after waking up or, less often, shortly before falling asleep. Sleep paralysis occurs when the brain awakes from a REM state, but the bodily paralysis persists. This leaves the person fully aware, but unable to move. In addition, the state may be accompanied by hallucinations.

More often than not, sleep paralysis is believed by the person affected by it to be no more than a dream. This explains many dream recountings which describe the person lying frozen and unable to move. The hallucinatory element to sleep paralysis makes it even more likely that someone will interpret the experience as a dream, since completely fanciful, or dream-like, objects may appear in the room alongside one's normal vision. Some scientists have proposed this condition as a theory for alien abductions and ghostly encounters.

Sleep paralysis occurs during REM sleep, thus preventing the body from manifesting movements made in the subject's dreams. Very little is known about the physiology of sleep paralysis. However, some have suggested that it may be linked to post-synaptic inhibition of motor neurons in the pons region of the brain. In particular, low levels of melatonin may stop the depolarization current in the nerves, which prevents the stimulation of the muscles, to prevent the body from enacting the dreamt activity (e.g. preventing a sleeper from flailing his legs when dreaming about running).

Several studies have concluded that many or most people will experience sleep paralysis at least once or twice in their lives.

During paralysis episodes, patients may be advised to try moving the facial muscles and moving eyes from one side to the other. This may hasten the termination of the attack."

For more information, visit wikipedia

2007-11-05T22:20:00.000+08:00

** Sleep more to stay slim!! **

More excuses to sleep more! Not only do early nights help in the rejuvenation of your skin (and thus make you prettier.. that's where 'beauty sleep' comes from), sleep also keeps you slim! Now now, isn't staying pretty easy after all? Just lay in bed!! ^_^

"In experiments by Van Cauter and others, sleep-deprived adults produced more ghrelin, a hormone that promotes hunger, and less leptin, a hormone that signals fullness..." Get the full article here.

2007-11-01T14:34:00.000+08:00

** AACR **

Woot~ My first real conference.. hope the pre-conference workshop would be fun too! ^_^

2007-10-30T18:32:00.000+08:00

** Eat your Cutlery!! **

I chanced upon this website, on G-living. Green-living, the new age way of living.. to save the earth!

The website has information of various items that can help you do your part in saving the environment, ranging from cars to hand dryers to edible cutlery! Yes.. my favourite.. edible cutlery!! ^_^

A whole lot of parties, a whole lot of plastic cutlery.

Cutlery? Not exactly what you’re focused on this time of year, but when you consider all the events on all the calendars around the world and all the guests that will probably nosh on various holiday goodies (a party without food is not a party worth attending), it adds up to a lot of disposable silverware. The plastic kind, while convenient – you buy it, use it, then throw it away – is disastrous for our planet. Once it goes into the earth in the form of a landfill, it stays there for hundreds of years.

That’s why I was excited to discover SpudWare™. Just in time for all of your holiday events, this heat tolerant disposable silverware is completely compostable. These fully functioning forks, spoons and knives come are made from 80% potato starch and 20% soy or similar vegetable oils. They’re just as durable as the plastic stuff, but they biodegrade in 180 days.

It’s a cool stustainable alternative to petroleum based cutlery. It can even be washed and used again if you’re a frugal party planner. But you needn’t worry. Twenty bucks can buy you a party pack of 50 forks, 50 spoons and fifty knives.

The full article can be found here.

2007-10-29T17:37:00.000+08:00

Office of Life Sciences, NUS, together with Baden Wurttemberg, will be holding the NUS-Baden Wurttemberg Joint Scientific Conference in Life Sciences in the fields of Immunology, Cancer, Tissue Engineering and Translational Research. Location: Centre of Life Sciences (CeLS), NUS.

2007-10-22T17:01:00.001+08:00

** Methane Burp--the end of human kind? **

In response to Al Gore's film, my prof brought out a point that CO2 is not exactly the main greenhouse gas that we should be wary of. The scariest greenhouse gas is methane, which is 20 times stronger as a greenhouse gas as compare to CO2. However, where does methane come from? They're all hidden quietly, a ticking time bomb buried in the Arctic tundra. When global warming has caused the earth's temperature ot rise above the threshold for these hidden time bombs, a sudden emergence of methane called a 'methane burp' will occur. Then.. will humans survive that episode?

Read the full article on Methane Burps: Ticking Time Bomb. A follow up article is also available here.

2007-10-21T17:20:00.000+08:00

A highly recommended film by Al Gore. I watched this during a class on a saturday morning. (Hey, i know this sounds pathetic, but it was coz my teacher got stuck in China due to some plane delays, and we had to rearrange our class time.) It was a class on ethics, and the show was to pose us the question: is it ethical to ignore environmental problems and allow future generations to suffer because of our negligence? Al Gore is indeed a very good lecturer, and i thoroughly enjoyed this 90minute film featuring him. Go watch!! ^_^

2007-10-12T20:51:00.000+08:00

** For the biologists only **

I was browsing through some NewScientist magazines (they're so much easier to read, like Newsweek.. rather than those dense scientific journals!) and i came across this really exciting piece of news! We all know that siRNAs are widely used to silence genes.. but.. did you know that they've been discovered to be able to OVEREXPRESS genes as well??? here's an abstract of the article..

Turn genes on, turn diseases off

07 April 2007
Bob Holmes
NewScientist Magazine issue 2598

THE experiment should have been straightforward. Long-Cheng Li was employing the hottest new technique in biology to turn off genes in cells growing in a dish. The trouble was that the opposite was happening. Instead of blocking production of the protein he was targeting, his RNAs seemed to be revving it up. In fact, levels of the protein shot up fivefold - a massive increase.

"At first I thought there must be something wrong with the samples, that we'd mislabelled them or messed up," recalls Li, a molecular biologist at the University of California, San Francisco. So he had his technician do it all again from scratch - with the same result.

That pulled Li up short. RNA interference, as the technique is called, is supposed to turn genes off, not on. All over the world researchers were using RNAi to turn off almost any gene they wanted, and its ...

I'm so sorry i have no access to the full online version of this article. But the magazine info is there.. so u can still find it at libraries ^_^ It's mainly saying that siRNAs that target promoters instead of the gene itself have a chance of having the opposite effect, i.e. overexpression. This phenomenon has been observed by multiple labs, but some scientists remain skeptical over this issue. There has also been no definite 'fool-proof' method for creating such siRNAs as yet. But think about it. if one day siRNAs can be used to overexpress tumor suppressor genes.. there goes cancer!! ^_^

2007-10-04T13:34:00.001+08:00

I love the optical illisions offered at the end.. ^_^ (i did those before in Penn.. and got paid! hehe~)

Philosopher Dan Dennett makes a compelling argument that not only don't we understand our own consciousness, but that half the time our brains are actively fooling us. As he puts it, our bodies are made up of 100 trillion little robots, none of them with an individual consciousness. So what makes us feel we have one? Or that we're in control of it? Dennett's hope is to show his audience that "Your consciousness is not quite as marvelous as you may have thought it is." He uses thought experiments and optical illusions to demonstrate to the TED audience that even very big brains are capable of playing tricks on their owners. taken from TedTalks

2007-10-01T23:20:00.001+08:00

2007-09-30T17:57:00.001+08:00

What Mary Didn't Know.** Mary is confined to a black-and-white room, is educated through black-and-white books and through lectures relayed on black-and white television. In this way she learns everything there is to know about the physical nature of the world. She knows all the physical facts about us and our enviroment, in a wide sense of 'physical' which includes everything in completed physics, chemistry, and neurophysiology, and all there is to know about the causal and relational facts consequent upon all this, including of course functional roles. If physicalism is true, she knows all there is to know. For to suppose otherwise is to suppose that there is more to know than every physical fact, and that is what physicalism denies.

Physicalism is not the noncontroversial thesis that the actual world is largely physical, but the challenging thesis that it is entirely physical. This is why physicalists must hold that complete physical knowledge is complete knowledge simpliciter. For suppose it is not complete: then our world must differ from a world, W(P), for which it is complete, and the difference must be in nonphysical facts: for our world and W(P) agree in all matters physical. Hence, physicalism would be false at our world [though contingently so, for it would be true at W(P)].¹

It seems, however, that Mary does not know all there is to know. For when she is let out of the black-and-white room or given a color television, she will learn what it is like to see something red, say. This is rightly described as learning--she will not say "ho, hum." Hence, physicalism is false. This is the knowledge argument against physicalism in one of its manifestations.²

**[ Excerpt from Frank Jackson's, "What Mary Didn't Know", in The Journal of Philosophy LXXXIII, 5 (May 1986):291-95.]

2007-09-30T17:55:00.001+08:00

The MIT Media Lab's John Maeda lives at the intersection of technology and art -- a place that can get very complicated. Here, he talks about paring down to basics, and how he creates clean, elegant art, websites and web tools. In his book Laws of Simplicity, he offers 10 rules and 3 keys for simple living and working -- but in this talk, he boils it down to one simply delightful way to be.

2007-09-28T22:40:00.000+08:00

** Illusion of That Shrinking Feeling **

Was doing some research on the brain, when i came across this. So fun! haha.

The researchers, led by Dr. H. Henrik Ehrsson of University College London, fooled 17 people into feeling as if they were getting skinnier by outfitting them with gadgets that stimulated a tendon in each wrist to create the false sensation that both hands were moving inward.

The subjects wore blindfolds and placed their hands at their waists, and then the stimulators were turned on, while an M.R.I. scanner measured activity in different parts of the brain. For the subjects, the feeling that their wrists were flexing inward was so powerful that they felt their waists had to be getting smaller.

Dr. Ehrsson said he had tried the tricks on himself.
"It's a very funny sensation," he said. "The nose is my favorite. It really feels like your nose is getting longer. You start giggling."

The first time people feel the illusions, "they're very surprised and shocked," Dr. Ehrsson said.

"The illusion happens as a result of a conflict between senses," Dr. Ehrsson said, explaining that the wrists feel as if they are moving, but the palms of the hands, resting against the waist, do not. "The brain has to interpret the conflicting sensory information. The brain hates ambiguity. It always tries to come up with an explanation."

"It's a little bit of a forgotten sense," he said. "We know about touch, pain and position, but the sense of size of body parts has been a mystery. There are no receptors in skin or muscle that tell the brain the size of body parts, so the brain has to figure it out by comparing signals."

He said the research might shed light on anorexia, in which people can be wasting away, and yet still see themselves as fat. Shown body images on a screen and asked to adjust them to match their own size, people with anorexia often overestimate and create images that are way too large.
"They seem to have a perception deficit," Dr. Ehrsson said. "We don't know if it's the cause of anorexia, probably not, but it's clearly part of the problem."

Dr. Ehrsson's finding was not surprising, since other studies had shown that people with brain injuries in that area had sensations suggesting that the sizes and shapes of parts of their bodies had changed.
Also, in rare cases, people with migraine headaches suffer from the "Alice in Wonderland syndrome," in which they feel as if parts of their bodies are shrinking.

The full article is taken from the NY time here.

2007-04-30T23:27:00.000+08:00

** I have moved **

Due to problems with this current blog, i have moved to my new blog.. being the sentimental person i am, i have chosen to stick to the same name.

2007-04-29T22:05:00.000+08:00

** Warning: extremely long post **

2 weeks of no timbre due to exams, and I was really excited to go back again on Friday. Timmy was due to play, after a week of break since they were performing in NewYorkCity for Singapore Day. ChiefFoodie booked our ‘dream seats’ online, and I reserved a separate table for Footprints, as they had expressed a desire to chill out there after exams. However, upon arrival, CF was not assigned the seat we had requested for. Being the 2nd best seats, we were fine with it. Then, D (whom CF finally introduced to me) dropped by, and we found out that we weren’t given our desired seats as we needed 5-6 people to take that counter. Thus, we got out bookings for 5 pple the following night. YAY!!~ Then D told us that Timmy would not be playing that night, as they had just returned from NYC and needed rest. Boohoo! >.< (ah, just as well.. so a 2nd best seat is fine since timmy’s not playing).

I had to hop between the 2 tables to entertain the few of them who were punctual, before the rest arrived. Unfortunately, it ended up that other members of Footprints who had originally wanted to go timbre had backed out last minute. Thus the 2 of them decided to leave even before the live music started. How disappointing for them. Bong arrived soon after, and I was happy that I have these 2 super onz FSC members who do not cancel anything last minute. ^_^

The replacement band wasn’t too fantastic, and the 3 of us weren’t really pleased. Though D managed to shift us to our desired seats later on (where we got a preview of what we’d experience the next night when Timmy would be playing again), we decided to leave in search of better entertainment. We ended up at Harry’s bar@boatquay. My first time there! It was crowded, thus we got seats outside, away from the action. I was fine with it though.. the music was good, and I preferred being outdoors. However, the other 2 insisted on shifting in when people left. Just as well, coz we would have missed out on all the REAL action if we hadn’t!

I quote bong’s blog:
“it got quite exciting later on - there was a brawl, and the bouncers had to drag (literally! His head knocked onto the legs of a stool - ouch) some drunk troublemaker out the bar, and laid him on the street in the alley. He moaned and tossed around abit before attempting to enter the bar again by the side door (near where we sat, so we were quite nervous about it!). The bouncers kept shuffling back and forth, and eventually the police came and the girl whom the guy's with made a statement. Exciting stuff, although not TOO heartstopping!”

Whoa.. it was really scary for me, coz I was directly in the line of action. When the 4 bouncers were dragging that guy out, I was so frightened he’d suddenly jump up and grab me or something, so I got out of my seat to shift nearer to bong! And because my seat was facing the door (and about 2 metres away) from where the guy was thrown out, I kept my eyes locked on it throughout the night, coz I could see the guy getting up, face all scrunched up in anger/pain, right hands till grabbing his left shoulder as if in pain, and then staggering to the door, trying to pry it open. Like a zombie. Scary.

To think that Bong said that I looked all calm throughout it all. I think I can act cool and act glam really well!! XD

At least, when I left Harry’s that night, a Mark Owen-lookalike smiled at my direction on my way out. Haha. A nice closing to the exciting night ^_^

***

The exciting weekend did not end there. Saturday night we all trooped back to timbre, for this weekend was a special weekend where timmy performed on Saturday too! ^_^ (2 bands, timmy and WestGrandBoulevard playing) And not only special because of that.. but besides the 3 of us timbre regulars, Bong brought along Ivy (her friend whom I met when I went to OrchardPresChurch, and also the head of the IMH place that we helped to paint not long ago).. and I brought along someone else to make up the 5 pple required to get the good seats.. see who I brought?

YES! MY MUM!!! Whoahaha.. she wanted to go herself.. and since she knew the bassist who’d play tt night, why not? My mum is cool anyway.. ^_^

And we had the best seats that night! Why are they best seats? 1, I love sitting on high chairs. 2, these high chairs had back rests (available only for 2 counters, the other which we had the past 2 times). 3, there was no tree to block the view (which is common since timbre is outdoors.. and those trees contribute significantly to the ambience that I like so much). 4, secret. lol WOOHOO~

Yes, so I was really happy. One thing though. It was special event that night, so there was an additional banner on the side of the stage, that nicely blocked our view of the bassist and drummer! I asked D if he could possibly shift the banner.. but he said no. Ah well, advertisement mah.. so dun make this difficult for them. I was happy enough with the seats and the view and the music. ^_^ And the bassist, C, saw my mum and came to chat to her. Mission accomplished. Haha. My mum couldn’t recognize him lah. >.< Anyway, it was really nice having my mum there.

My mum left at midnight coz she wanted to sleep. Ah.. now for time dedicated to my friends! And soon after she left, D actually came back and said ‘It took me 2 hours to consider your suggestion. I’ve decided to remove the banner’. Whoahahaha… my mum missed it!! But I was still so happy he did. Coz we all got a much better and complete view of the band after that. When I told D that lady beside me was my mum, he was like “ah! you didn’t tell me that was your mum!” XD

So what else made the night so special? Coz the lead singer, Ngak, SANG A CHINESE SONG!!!!!! I read their myspace profiles and knew that he can sing Chinese songs, but have never heard it.. and now.. I finally got my chance!! Eason chan’s “shi1 mian2” (insomnia).. super nice!! Really lah!! Next time must ask my colleagues to dedicate Chinese song for me. Haha.

Also, yesterday was the first time I heard the bassist (usually backup vocal) sing a song! As in.. not ngak singing but him singing lah. So I saw a variety of performances from timmy yesterday ^_^ Ah.. very eventful if you include the drum stick breaking and the electric guitar’s string snapping too.. lol

It was a fantastic night at Timbre. Unlimited happiness, I tell you. I love timbre, I love timmy ^_^

***

Ah.. there’s still Sunday before the weekend ends. So what’s up after 2 happening nights? Meeting Lawlypop after 1.5 yrs! (we last met when he gave me a farewell treat before I left for exchange in US) Lawlypop invited me to go Settler’s Café today afternoon. I haven’t been there since… I think.. 2005? Or 2004? Sam’s 21st bdae if I am not wrong. Haha. And this was a special event. Lawlypop’s a mensa member, and this is their monthly gathering where they can bring 2 friends for free! So I brought my bro along too.. to play game and at the same time see see who are the smartest people in Singapore. ^_^ Went up to the 2nd floor of the ClarkeQuay branch.. so nice!! And played some new games too.. I won most of them (and not because I was the only gal and they were being gentlemanly ok!!) Haha.. my bro too.. now now.. I don’t feel THAT stupid anymore. Haha.. was worried before it that me, being prolly the person with the lowest IQ there, would appear dumb in front of everyone else.. but ended up that they were pretty much more normal than I had expected. Haha. Can really see from their speech and thoughts that they are really smart people, but not smart until they’re weird or on totally different wavelength lah. So it was a fun experience ^_^ Thanks Lawlypop~~

Ah.. so that’s my exciting weekend right after exams. I wonder who actually finished reading every single word I wrote here >.<

2007-04-28T18:36:00.000+08:00

** saturday afternoon **

rushed home to try and sleep today.. coz i was out late last nite.. and will be out late again tonite.. btu i can't seem to fall asleep.. so.. entertaining myself before i head out!! ^_^

You Sometimes Don't Get Enough Sleep

You're often more tired than you'd like, and you're probably not getting enough quality sleep.
Sleeping a little more could make you a lot more energetic and happy.
Try having a bedtime, keep your bedroom cool, and only eat fruit before bed.

Do You Get Enough Sleep?

i thought i sleep pretty much when i can. why not enuff sleep? humph

Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman

Inside you've got the passion and ideals of a teenager
And your intensity for life is what attracts most of the men you date
You also like to party - and quite often you're the life of the party
You've brought the best of your younger years with you... at least most of the time.

Are You A Girl Or a Woman?

You Are 32% Bitchy

You're a pretty sweet person, and you're definitely not prone to bitchy outbursts.
Sometimes, though, you can't help thinking mean thoughts about people. But at least you don't act on them!

How Bitchy Are You?

haha so i'm quite a nice person eh? XD

Your Love Life Secrets Are

Looking back on your life, you will have a few true loves.

You've been deeply wounded in the past, and you're still recovering from that hurt.

It's important to you that your lover is very attractive. You like to have someone to show off.

In fights, you are able to walk away and calm down. You are able to weather the storm.

Getting over a break-up doesn't take long. Easy come, easy go.

Your Love Life Secrets, Revealed

true meh? the first and last point.. hmm.. FEW true loves??

Your Aura is Yellow

You're a deeply happy and content person, and you enjoy sharing your cheer with others.
While you may seem like a simple optimist, there is a lot of thinking going on inside you.

The purpose of your life: bringing joy and a better life to others

Famous yellows include: Conan O'Brien, Jenny Mccarthy, Jim Carrey

Careers for you to try: Athlete, Actor, Yoga Instructor

What Color Is Your Aura?

ah.. nice.. i light bright colors ^_^

Your Mind is G Rated

Your mind is cleaner than a nun's. You're totally pure.
In fact, you often don't catch on to how dirty the world really is.

Do You Have a Dirty Mind?

You Have Low Self Esteem 24% of the Time

Generally, you feel pretty darn great about who you are, even when you mess up or fail.
Occasionally, a huge setback will make you question yourself, but you pick yourself up quickly.

How is Your Self Esteem?

Your Seduction Style: The Natural

You don't really try to seduce people... it just seems to happen.

Fun loving and free spirited, you bring out the inner child in people.

You are spontaneous, sincere, and unpretentious - a hard combo to find!

People drop their guard around you, and find themselves falling fast.

What Is Your Seduction Style?

You've Experienced 48% of Life

You have a good deal of life experience, about as much as someone in their late 20s.
You've seen and done enough to be quite wise, but you still have a lot of life to look forward to.

How Much Life Experience Do You Have?

Your Love Style is Agape

You are a caring, kind, and selfless partner.
Unsurprisingly, your love style is the most rare.
You are willing to sacrfice your world for your sweetie.
Except it doesn't really feel like sacrifice to you.
For you, nothing feels better than giving to the one you love.

What's Your Love Style?

2007-04-26T23:58:00.000+08:00

So glad that the peanut butter balls were well received. In fact, they were so good that before I knew it, the first batch disappeared without me knowing, and I made a 2nd (and bigger) batch the very same day (if not my sis wouldn’t even have gotten a chance to try it!). ^_^ and tho the photo looks terrible, it’s tasty ok. I just dun bother to make my food look pretty. Just like I make irregularly-shaped cookies, I make ugly peanut butter balls too. Hehe~ Seems like I am not the only ‘toddler’ at home who likes to eat milo powder mixed with peanut butter ok. And since it’s toddler food, I believe it is quite good! Milk powder leh.. all that calcium (yeah original recipe is milk powder.. but I prefer milo.. haha.. makes it taste like REESES.. peanut butter n choc.. yum~) then there’s honey.. all those benefits of honey, no need to mention.. and wheat germ! Full of vitamin.. err.. E? or issit B? some vitamin lah.. and folate.. woohoo~~ who said it’s unhealthy? XD

***

I think I am going crazy. Really. I cannot help it. Here’s what happened:

Couple of months ago, I was overworked, and to add on, insomnia. I ended up walking around like a zombie, not really knowing what I was doing everyday. Then came news that a friend had lost something. Nothing expensive, but the thought of a thief lurking somewhere nearby wasn’t pleasant. To add on, the stolen good was later on discovered in the toilet. Not knowing what had happened, and worried there might be more to it, CCTV was looked into. I don’t know why, but a thought suddenly came into my mind, “what if it was me? Being in my zombie state, I could have done something semi-consciously?” Fortunately, it was later discovered that, it wasn’t me. What a relief. I was a zombie, but a zombie who is honest. ^_^

Recently, something more serious happened. This time, I had more sleep and I am in “human state”. Yet, I couldn’t help but think.. “was it me? Did I come here that day without knowing? Like.. schizophrenia?” And it wasn’t just a fleeting thought. Everytime the topic is brought up, my mind goes into a blur. When the outcome of the investigation was being reported, I was unable to concentrate on what I was working on. WHY!? This has absolutely nothing to do with me! The only explanation is that I am going bonkers!! (and watched too much tv on schizophrenics >.<)

2007-04-24T20:50:00.000+08:00

** Long awaited Graduation **

And this marks THE day I am done with college!! GOODBYE NUS!~ ^_^

2007-04-23T13:32:00.000+08:00

Studying is really boring. And thus I decided to download a video editor and play with it. Upon request, I have compressed and uploaded the wonderful performance by PUNCH from RJC concert 2007. ^_^

(it’s really compressed lah.. so blur >.<)

And I also extracted all the 5 songs performed in that PUNCH performance.. this is much clearer.. and I like it more ^_^ (tho the jokes are missing lah! Haha) enjoy~ (and don’t forget to notice the wonderful beatboxing by my bro!! haha~)

***

It’s a long day.. thus I also tried out a recipe that bong recommended.. (21 march 2007) not some big dishes, but a really cute lil’ snack meant for toddlers who refuse to eat their meals .XD potential mothers out there, take not!! Hahaha

Peanut Butter Balls!
Ingredients:
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup honey
2 cups milo/powdered milk
1 cup wheat germ
- Mix peanut butter, honey, and milo/milk together. Roll out into small balls about the size of a walnut. Roll in wheat germ. Place on cookie sheet and refrigerate until set. Freeze if desired.
- Original recipe can be found here.

I heart peanut butter! ^_^

(and yes, my mum is scolding me once again for buying a whole big bottle of wheatgerm just to try this out >.< can’t blame me.. my kitchen has almost nothing!)

2007-04-21T23:40:00.000+08:00

Seems like, I am a rather slow person. Maybe I think on the surface too much. Once again, I only realize certain things after I talk to a friend. This time, is a different friend.

I didn’t notice what was the difference between this and before. I didn’t really bother either. Until she mentioned, did I realize what had been missing all along. Maybe because after all these years, I have learnt not to expect too much? After seeing so much, I have learnt to be less naïve and think that it can always be that ideal.

No, it can never be the same anymore. Go back there? What was there that was good, has left.

I guess it’s time I do some reflections. Been putting this off for some time, for there was no need. But now, it’s urgent, and it’s time. I hate to do this, but I can’t run away from it.

2007-04-19T22:27:00.001+08:00

I don’t know if I am slow or what.. but I only realized some stuff after talking to a friend yesterday. I don’t know what to say.. but I do miss those times. Not like I don’t have it now, but situations don’t permit a complete experience anymore. Just like Dec 2003.. those few days.. were so memorable. I don’t think it was simply because tt was the first time I was on a holiday with friends, but more because there was something really special that the few of us shared. Not gender (coz there were 4 guys and 2 gals), not age (coz the oldest chap is 6 yrs older than me), but something much closer to the heart.

It’s not like I don’t see these friends anymore. But what I am saying is that, it is very seldom now that I face these kind of people both day and night, 24/7. To be “not of the world” is so hard to be. I feel so.. so.. ‘tainted’ all of a sudden. (yah I seem to have some problem expressing myself today). I used to be segregated from all these. Then, I started hearing it occasionally. Now, I am hearing, seeing, reading it all on a very regular basis. It’s not like I love it now.. I still get a headache whenever I hear it.. but there seems to be no running away.

SIGH.

Get Paid to surf the Internet!! Join Agloco~~

2007-04-16T21:31:00.000+08:00

** Music weekend **

Friday, was Timmy!@Timbre. A wonderful experience (though short.. we had the best seats lah! Grr.. that carousel supper place.. stole the night from us all! argh!)

Saturday.. my brother’s concert!! Amazing performance, I must say. Kudos to all in the RJC and RI choir (guest). The last time I attended my bro’s concert was 2 yrs ago, coz last yr’s concert I was still in the US, thus missed it. RJC concerts are so different from the RI ones! Songs as cute (with those actions!) but with additional performances, like a short 15 minute skit.. by 10 members specially chosen by the conductor! Of course, my bro is in this 10 member group called PUNCH. I recorded the entire 15 minute skit, which was so funny (but I had to stifle my laughter coz I didn’t want my giggles to be heard in the recordings), the singing was fantastic, and my brother’s beat boxing was ultimately cool! So proud of him ^_^ (no way of uploading this.. coz it’s 1GB.. too big to go up on youtube >.<)

Oh he had another special performance.. the opening.. clapping performance! Interesting idea.. I’m totally please with the concert I attended ^_^

Sunday.. the long awaited Phantom of the Opera! 14 years ago I missed the Singapore performance. This time round, I made sure I didn’t miss it! It’d not my first time watching this musical though. Last year, on april 25, I watched it at Broadway, NewYork. 13 years after I first heard of the musical, I watched it at broadway. 1 year later, I watched it again in Singapore. Being only 1 year apart, I was actually quite skeptical, and wondered if it would be any less enjoyable than my first experience. Well, definitely not. The moment the chandelier rose and the music started, I couldn’t control my tears from welling up in my eyes, as though this was the first time I had watched the musical, after 13 years of waiting. The magical disappearances and wonderful costumes still wowed me. I love phantom!!! ^_^
(oh.. and so coincidentally, tzeling went on same day as me too! Haha.. always have tt special memory of her.. how she n peiling took homeless me n cat in during our first week in philly.. ^_^)
(I saw they sold the phantom mask, for $30.. I didn’t see that during my trip to NY. Friend had said that if only they sold it there, he’d have bought it.. sis asked if I wanna buy for him.. well.. I guess.. there’s no need anymore)

***

Amidst the music weekend, I did something meaningful too. Bong invited CF and I to join her to help paint IMH’s day centre at redhill. It so happens that the person who started this day centre, is the gal I met when I visited Orchard Pres last week! I had thought that we were repainting the entire centre. Ended up, we were simply required to paint 2 murals on the walls, for a “calming down corner”. Thus, we had wild sunflowers with butterflies on one wall, and lotus with dragonflies on another. Total tranquility! I was so pleased with the work. ^_^ Had a wonderful morning. They got down our numbers, and will be calling us down to help out in many other mural works. Anyone interested to help out in such fun things can join me too! ^_^

***

It always feels nice to be remembered. And when you do not expect too much of others and not take them for granted, you actually appreciate everything so much better. Pacey once mentioned before that he can be our (chestnutties) photographer for graduation. (and wedding too LOL) I heard, but dismissed it coz I don’t want to expect too much. Today, he mentioned it again. Pacey’s photos are really nice.. (link to his photo blog are linked at the sidebar) Just a mention, but I just feel so fortunate to know someone liddat. Thanks Pacey ^_^

2007-04-15T15:06:00.000+08:00

Oh this is so cool. Someone across the world in Brazil discovered the FatSunshineClub blog, and linked it to his!! (I don’t understand the language, but I think he’s some reporter..) WOOHOO~ our first step to stardom!! ^_^

http://pgneto.blogspot.com/ (dated April 12 2007)

***

And specially for pacey, I must mention… thanks dude for taking French together! I had a really great time learning with u.. and thanks for going for the oral exam with a lousy partner like me.. someone who speaks thai in place of French at times! >.< and yeah.. the last day of French exam, I saw ‘cute indian boy’ (as CF likes to call him).. I thought I’d never see him for the rest of my life! Haha.. it’s fate.. we meet again.. lol ^_^ Anyway. Tt’s all for French. It’s time to change language and back to thai again. Revise it in a mth and I’d be ready to go Thailand again!! ~

***

For those who’re interested.. Here are some stuff about Timmy! That fangers found right on the night we saw them for the first time. All that for fangers saying Timmy!’s “a weird band that has a member who looks like steven lim (mind you.. she was talking abt the cute lead singer ngak!) and a silly bassist who smiles to himself too much”. All fake!! Say it’s a weird band but she’s the most enthusiastic about searching about them.
Anyway.. here’s their MySpace account, with all their profiles in there.. and their blog by the guy eric, who started the band. Enjoy~~

2007-04-14T01:00:00.000+08:00

** Last day of school! **

Little did I expect, that the days after thesis submission were even busier than before. Simply because I pushed all work aside to focus on my thesis, and I ended up having tones of last minute work to do. Finally, all cleared. Today’s my last day of lesson/tests in NUS. To commemorate this special day, my colleagues and I went off to Timbre@substation once again. (of course, they had ulterior motives.. but I don’t mind! That place is really nice ^_^)

At 11:05pm, Ngak (the cute lead singer with a dimple) sang a song specially for ME!! Yes, dedicated to WENDY, for my graduation! ^_^ I hereby announce, Run by Snow patrol is now MY song by Timmy! (the band). (yes, I will remember. Friday the 13th, april 2007)

Also special today, was I talked to my friend. Finally. Haha. Don’t know if he knew I was there last week too.. but it felt good that I finally plucked up the courage to say hi. It was easy. Compared to me trying to talk to HER for the past 9 months.. this was simply a harmless friend whom I haven’t met for years.

We took more photos today, with my superior camera from Lumix. Hehe.. of Timmy! the band, the lead singer ngak and backup singer/bassist clement, a closeup of the band, and the place Timbre ^_^

We’ll be back again. ‘be groupies’, ChiefFoodie said. (meaning be regulars.. specially for tt band ^_^)

2007-04-09T23:03:00.001+08:00

This easter, was a special one. I had a unique easter last year, at philly. This year, there was something different again.

“Though it would be our last year in NUS, i think it's never too late. @ least now we now we know each other and we can continue to be salt and light in the outside world....ha and even nxt time organized our own band....then we can have regular performance....the tens-9gals with 1 guy...funny combi.”

Some feedback I got from the various people who performed together that day. Really encouraging..

“Amazing how well we hit off, guess that's the mystery of being in the family of God and being able to witness God giving each one different talents for his glory - humour, music skills, vocals.”

“you all gave me very wonderful memories to end off year 4”

“So blessed to be a blessing to our classmates esp at a time like this”

“Thank God for giving 'crazy ideas'!”

“My friends were so enamoured by the song that they wanted the lyrics to it.”

“I'm glad we can shine as a light even in times like this. i often find it a struggle to reach out to others in times of "busy-ness". Thank you for asking me to be part of this.”

“a lot of people were pretty touched and their hearts were warmed by it - our performance details spread like fire outside the med micro people who watched it, hahaha. i really pray this opened doors to people's hearts!!”

“asked two of my frens wat they tot of the performances, act they were quite pleasantly surprise n appreciate it alot, one of them asked me how we managed to choose the song as the lyrics really describes wat most of us are going thru now..n he was saying as he listens to it, he did feel a bit towards the song too..=)”

A classmate said "thanks to you girls for the song...It was pretty effective in relieving some pressure and motivating me on.. =)"

EVERYTHING IN ITS TIME
by Corinne May
Sometimes I wonder what lies ahead
How long till my hunger is fed
They say it's hard to make it in this part of town
So many people on this merry-go-round
Some folks try astrology
Some turn to crystal balls
To find an answer,
To get through it all
I just fall on my knees and I try to pray
In the silence I can hear Him say
The river runs and the river hides
Out to the ocean and under the sky
I promise you, the answer will come
Hold on to patience and watch for the sign
Everything in its time
I often feel like I'm two steps behind
Somebody must have moved that finish line
There are a thousand reasons
Why I should give up
But I'm stubborn in the things I believe
The river runs and the river hides
Out to the ocean and under the sky
I promise you, the answer will come
Hold on to patience and watch for the sign
'cause maybe there's another plan
One I still can't see
A little surprise, like your love in my life
Funny how time changes how we see
The river runs and the river hides
Out to the ocean and under the sky
I promise you, the answer will come
Hold on to patience and watch for the sign
Everything in its time
Everything in its time

2007-04-08T13:57:00.000+08:00

Did something different for Good Friday this year. Instead of attending the yearly presbytarian gathering at expo, I decided to visit my colleague’s church.. the Chinese service at Orchard Pres. Interesting experience! I am gonna buy an English-chinese bible soon.. those with 1 language on 1 side and another language on the facing page, so that direct comparison of verses would be so convenient.

***

Noone would have thought that a simple Friday-night-hanging-out with my colleagues would end up as such an exciting experience. Chief foodie (cf) brought us to Timbre, an outdoors bar at douby ghaut. Live band supposed to start at 9pm, but it only started at 10pm. We had the first class seats, with our table right next to the stage. Closed up view of all the band members. Bong thought the lead singer was cute, and cf commented tt it’s common that the lead singers are usually the most popular. Deep down, though, I begged to differ. I thought that the bassist nearest to us was cuter. I prefer pretty faces to the rugged look. Then Cf commented that the bassist was smiling a little too much. Smiling to himself, it seemed. I started noticing that after she mentioned it.. then all of a sudden, it struck me that the smile was all so familiar. So familiar. Then I remembered who he looked like. But only when I ignored the rest of the body.. coz the person I knew was much slimmer. As the night passed, the bassist started smiling more, and I started thinking it was the friend I was thinking about. Even cf mentioned that he seemed to be smiling at me. The ultimate came when another guitarist went up, and bassist turned and smiled over his shoulder. Now THAT smile confirmed who he was. I was like 99% sure that it was him. I even told lyn n my mum when they called me.

I left at midnight coz my mum wanted me home. And I couldn’t stand the agony of wondering who tt person on stage was. I refused to ask him personally coz there was still that 1% that it wasn’t him, and I didn’t want to embarrass myself. I dunno if I regretted it, but prolly is better that I wasn’t there when they announced his name, coz I’d prolly have jumped up and screamed. Haha. I’m definitely going back again. I think it’s been 5 yrs. Since I last saw him.

2007-04-07T01:05:00.001+08:00

** PRESENTATION OVER!! **

Yes, finally, it’s over. Presentation was originally arranged to be on 03 april, Tuesday. That day, all life science students brought all posters to put up in the multi-purpose hall, and professors and other interested people would drop by to read the posters. Each student also had to present the poster to 2 examiners before going home. I was assigned the afternoon session. When I stepped into the hall, I was quite excited. This was it, I told myself. It was also very thrilling to be part of such a huge gathering of everyone presenting their projects.. felt just like 4 years ago when I first presented a poster like that. Of course, then, I knew so much less abt my project, and my poster was a disaster. This time, I got it professionally printed. ^_^ I was also excited that this was a significant day in our graduation year. A mark of the end of our year-long honors project. I reached early hoping to take photos with friends who were in the morning session. Unfortunately, many had already left. I didn’t know they’d be so nice to drop by again after lunch, but by then I was busy entertaining people looking at my poster that I didn’t manage to take any photos with them. Well, seeing them walk past then and again kept me standing for the 3 hours. It’s tiring ok. Not simple standing, but in perfect posture. I wore my blazer.. (I’m not the only one lah! Buy le must wear mah.. haha) and zhenying walked past, and said “hey weijia, you look the most pro in the entire hall!!” LOL

Many people came to look at my poster, but I didn’t talk to every single one of them. One guy, though, I will remember. He was looking at my poster. Then we started talking.. discovered he’s from GIS too. He’s from level 4, just 1 level below me. A phD student. He started asking questions about my poster.. but eventually I realized he’s not an expert in the field I was working in. He told me frankly that he was simply trying to look at the poster and think of questions that my examiner may possibly ask, and then trying to think of additional things that I may need to know to answer my examiner well. When I heard that, I was SO TOUCHED!! Just because we’re tong2 xiang1 (same village-GIS)!! ^_^

From 2-4pm, I entertained various people.. but none were my examiners. By then, many students had completed their 2 presentations and have left. Then, a lady came to me. And told me my examiner called and said tt she has lessons til 4pm, thus would only come after that. Then I informed her my other examiner had also not arrived. Upon checking, we discovered that this examiner had been missing from the morning session as well! So she said I shouldn’t keep my hopes too high. Maybe just go back home and email him, asking to arrange for another meeting to present my poster to him. >.<

A 430pm, that female prof finally came. She had 30 minutes to go through multiple students’ posters. As a result, she was very rushed and didn’t have time to ask ANY questions. She was very nice though. And I know that she’s on good terms with my big boss (he mentioned before. I almost became her student because of that! Well tt’s a long story..). Anyway, at the end of my presentation, she simply said “Oh, I learnt something new today! I work on breast cancer too, but on estrogen receptors, thus not exactly the same. It was interesting learning new things. I’ll get to read your thesis, right?” After which, she went on to tell me some stuff that I shall not mention here. But it was a nice time talking to her. No stress, no questions, and joking at the end. Hee~

2 days later, I finally got to present my poster to my 2nd examiner. He arranged for me to meet him at 530pm at his office. A nice timing, for I had a seminar to attend with fang from 630-930pm. At most be a little late if the presentation extends to 1 hr. Because I had work to do in the day, I had to go to the lab dressed up formally and with makeup and all. I think I have been looking too shabby everyday, such that every single person couldn’t resist the “WHOA!” “WOO~” etc when they saw me.. even people I’m not close to, like yewkok and chaota also asked me why I wear so nice and wear makeup summore. Faint.

I completed my experiments early, thus left early to look for the prof. I reached at 5pm, and he was there waiting for me. So we started early. Cool. When I first started off, I was speaking as slowly as I could (coz I speak like a train whenever I’m presenting.. my colleagues and my students can vouch for that). However, I realized I was so nervous I could hardly breathe. I couldn’t take a deep breathe coz I already had a lot of air in my lungs, but somehow I just couldn’t get them out, and I was having trouble trying not to make my shaking voice sound too obvious. My heart wasn’t thumping fast, I didn’t feel the adrenaline rush, but I just had problem breathing. How lousy.

Anyway, the prof was quite critical about things.. and was quite skeptical about the entire thing (about how reliable gene expression profiling is, for those who know what I’m talking about). Well, I guess I managed to convince him a little, since he’s a brain expert and thus he doesn’t know breast cancer THAT well.. just had to take my word for it sometimes. Haha! I don’t know how long I took to complete the entire presentation, but I knew it was definitely more than half an hr. I don’t know what led from 1 question to another, but we started talking about publishing papers, about the difference between NUS labs and biopolis.. then studying overseas, about graduate school and post docs, grant writing, about how his daughter is doing in America, etcetcetc. It was nice realizing that not only do students disapprove of certain things happening in school, but even the profs also feel the same way. And I discovered he did his post doc where my small boss, big boss and ultimate big boss were before they came over!! But seems like he only knows my ultimate big boss leh. So weird. But it’s nice knowing these people. Heez.. had a really nice chat with him. After 2.5 hrs, I was too late to return to the seminar I was supposed to attend with fang (sorry gal. Thanks for reserving a packet of oreos for me though. So sweet of you ^_^) . By the end of it all, I had even forgotten most of how my presentation went. Only remembered a nice chat with a prof. I always liked such chats. Not on intellectual stuff, but more of a chit chat on other areas. I hope he only remembered that too. Haha. And give me full marks for my presentation please! XD

2007-04-04T23:29:00.001+08:00

** Final lecture together **

It was quite a sentimental time. Come to think of it, no matter how sucky the school was, there were many wonderful people who walked me through it all. My friendly labmates (magenta, alex, bx, sunmiao, etcetc); my long-time labpartner for countless module-AhPek Anthony; my kor tong and his canoeist friend… both who only survived 3 yrs; wancan aka yanguo from thai class and life sci; etcetcetc.. but one special one that I MUST mention.. is the girl who sat through almost every single lecture with me—WEILIN ^_^

Not only did she go for lectures with me, do projects with me, she also made out last lecture together the most special lecture ever. Today, I did something I haven’t done in a really long time—perform in front of my classmates. Weilin gathered a group of 9 gals and 1 guy, all Christians, to dedicate Corrine May’s Everything in Its Time to all our classmates during our last lecture together. There was keyboard and guitar, and many sweet voices. The amazing thing was, the prof was very keen on having this item.. he is a Christian too! ^_^ So.. we went ahead and sang.. and whoa.. initially it was ok.. but as we sang, I noticed many pple whipping out their phones and digicams and started filming!! Whoaa… then I started getting so shy and dun dare to look at the people.. whoahaha… well, despite the small blunder, I think we did pretty well! It was a nice ending to our time in NUS. And it was after this that I realized, I pretty much enjoyed it all. The preparation, the nervousness, the happiness of standing in front of everyone and doing something so meaningful. I grew up performing on stage almost every weekend. Then it got less and less.. JC there was only guitar concert and the performance at Hebrew’s café.. in uni there were those dances from orientation camps and being hall counsellor.. but that was it. I miss it all. I miss performing. I miss the preparation. I miss the satisfaction after it all.

Well, I don’t know when I will next do something like that. But I really thank weilin for getting us together, and for creating such a special close to our time together in NUS. I hope that little booklet I made for you, dear, will be as special too. ^_^
(I took photos to keep for myself.. but not for public viewing unless the owner agrees.. XD)

2007-04-02T23:49:00.000+08:00

I am getting so fickle-minded, I just need to ‘pen’ down my options.. for the month(s) after graduation, that is.

1. Taiwan with tong/fangers for wuzun hunt and shizilukou!
2. Japan with tong to visit my friends
3. Tibet with lawlypop and meet other HK/Thai/Shanghai friends over there for an international gathering cum backpacking trip!
4. NZ to visit my cousins (originally with tong but he pangseh! >.<)
5. Perth/Melbourne with tong to visit our various friends

These are the ones left after sieving through. US I’ve been there le so I dun wanna go there again. Europe is put off for another day coz I dun wanna go there in summer.. ^_^

But lately, I have been thinking.. what’s the point of grad tour? I may just decide to start work in july.. single month break is sufficient. Earn $$ first, next time then travel. ^_^ I am quite happy now anyway. Not feeling too burnt out. Don’t need long break. No school can ler. Hee~

2007-04-01T21:35:00.000+08:00

“Introducing LivePokeTM! Facebook will dispatch a real live person today to poke a friend of your choice.* -- (*offer good for only the first 100 pokers in each network)”

I was so excited when I first saw that msg just past 12am. I wanted to try it out, and was seeking a friend’s consent so as to avoid anyone getting a whole big shock when a stranger suddenly approaches him/her and pokes him/her, saying “hi, I was sent by weijia on facebook to poke you today”

It just so happened that I was talking to my colleagues online, so I asked them for permission. ChiefFoodie was so game as to agree to it. So I went ahead to send a live poke to her. However, the link led me to the same page as a normal “poke page”. I was bewildered… then… ChiefFoodie pointed out to me..

HAPPY APRIL FOOL’S DAY!!!! >.<

2007-03-30T23:46:00.000+08:00

It’s been so long since I rushed around so much. And I don’t miss it at all. I went to school in the morning, rushed to Biopolis during my 1.5hr lunch break, rushed back to school for lecture, left lecture half hour early to rush back to meet my boss in Biopolis, then rushed back to school for French class, and was half an hour late.

I felt so cheated when I heard that today’s lab session in school required no lab report. It’s unlike me to skip lessons, but I’ve been so busy that I would have skipped that lab to do more constructive things if I had known. Luckily, there was ONE thing that made me happy. Never had distilled water been so fun. No points for guessing what ended up during lab. Lab partner and I ended up in a squirt-fight.. to the amusement of my tutor. XD Blame it on the stressful life of a year4 life sciences student.

***

Yesterday, I collected my very first PRINTED poster that I made. And evidence that it was done by me includes my NAME and my pretty PHOTO at the top of the poster. ^_^ I am so proud of it. Though it must be one of the posters with the least colored pictures, I still like it. My hard work. And it being 36 by 40 inches, I kinda attracted a lot of attention while traveling around today. I looked like I was all ready to whack any lecher. Hahaha. I will make sure I bring my camera along on Tuesday to take photos with it. Let’s see who’s lucky enough to be there at the right time to have a shot with the celebrity of the day! ^_^

***

Thesis is almost done, but I have written barely 60 pages (out of 100). This means my introduction is now way past the limit of 10%. Grr. Well… at least, I am not alone. And that helps. XD

That aside, I think thesis-writing has enhanced my ability to write long essays. I sat down to write another essay yesterday, and hey presto! I churned out a 6 page essay in less than 2 hrs!!! ^_^ I am so proud of myself. ^_^

2007-03-27T11:39:00.001+08:00

I just received a call. A scholarship offer of CAN2000 to go University of Alberta for a 6 week exchange in July. I rejected it. I hope I didn’t make the wrong choice.

2007-03-25T18:50:00.001+08:00

It’s mummy’s birthday today.
And dad called early in the morning to wish her happy birthday. ^_^

And so coincidentally, sermon today was about parental guidance for children, especially the role of a father in the children’s lives. Somehow, whenever I hear sermons on similar topics, I feel a lot for it. Well. I guess it’d be over soon. Daddy’s coming back soon. I actually hope that one day, we will be able to go on some family trip together again.

***

It is 8 days to poster presentation. This weekend has been good, for I took a break from everything and have been clear of nightmares of poster presentation for 2 days. ^_^ I can’t wait for it to end. Though thesis consists of a higher percentage, poster presentation is still more stressful. It is ok to speak in front of a big crowd, but I don’t like the idea of presenting something to someone else who is so much more experienced and knowledgeable in the field which I am presenting. It simply gives me the jitters, thinking about the drilling questions I will receive from the professors trying to turn my project upside-down. Guess I didn’t have too good an experience the previous time.. it is a shorter presentation now (3 hours compared to 2 days last time), and I am sure I am more familiar with my stuff this time round, but yet I feel more stressful coz it is so much more important than the previous time. That was a “let’s go and have fun” kind of experience.. now, it is my graduation project. 3rd April.. hurry!!

***

Another thing to look forward to, is 4th april. That day, there’s something really exciting planned for my coursemates. Trust weilin to come up with that idea, and gather so many people to make this happen. I really hope it will work out well. And because of the preparation for this exciting event, I have learnt something new—that Corrine may is a Christian singer!! Hehe.. I never knew tt lah!! >.<

2007-03-25T00:12:00.000+08:00

Last Sunday, Phantom of the Opera movie was on channel 5. I finally got to watch the movie. It’s different from the musical.. (in terms of the way they present the story, since it’s a movie they are not limited to one stage) but nonetheless, it made me so excited abt watching the musical in april again!! ^_^ I watched the Broadway version last april 25th, and I am going to watch the London version this april 15th!! Almost 1 yr after.. I wonder how different the two productions would be? This would be in Singapore though.. wonder how much the stage setting would have to compromise too.. geez.. I’m so excited… hehe~

2007-03-22T09:32:00.001+08:00

I was waiting for the lift with fang, and watching the advertisements as usual. Then suddenly I was jumping up and down and pointing at the screen. It was an advert for the latest deals on flights to various places. And I spotted “Philadelphia”. It was pretty cheap. And I cannot help but be reminded of a time when I wanted to buy a ticket to fly over so badly. Somehow, tt feeling of wanting to go over still hasn’t decreased. Just that, I don’t know what I’d be looking for if I go over now. It is just.. a feeling that never decreased even when the world has moved on.

***

Been quite a while since I bumped into so many ‘rare’ friends in a single afternoon! (rare as in I seldom meet them lah)

On my way to school after lunch with my colleagues, I bumped into Jay and Sharon on the bus!! Sharon is the girl who went for exchange with me to Philly.. and Jay is her bf who went with her for a mth to travel the states! (he later went to NZ for exchange, so he’s the best person to ask for tips if I end up going to NZ for grad trip! ^_^) It was so nice meeting them.. haven’t seen Sharon since.. april last yr? and jay.. more than a yr!! I still remember where we parted.. outside marathon grill, 40th and Walnut street.. after a few of us exchange students had a farewell dinner with him..

I arrived quite early for lecture, so I decided to make a trip to the canteen to buy a chocolate truffle cake from Spinelli’s.. the moment I stepped out of the lecture theatre, I bumped into sy!! WHOAA.. sy is someone I knew at church, but works in NUS. She’s been very helpful in writing testimonials for me.. and I am so grateful to her.. haven’t seen her for so long too!! Years, I think. ^_^

After lecture, I was on my way home.. when I met M at the busstop. M is someone that weilin introduced to me during last week’s lecture. It so happened that we take the same bus home! Gosh.. she stays 2 busstops away from me.. the first friend I know who lives so near me in this new place!!! So exciting lah! It’s a pity the semester is drawing to a close (not like I wished it’d extend longer.. haha).. if not I can have a friend to take bus home from sch once a week.. haven’t done this ever since I entered uni! Nonetheless, thanks weilin for introducing ur friend! I really enjoyed myself chatting my way home today ^_^

2007-03-21T22:17:00.001+08:00

I feel so tempted. Why is everything so exciting? I wanna do so many things!!! The school just told us of 2 job openings at GSK. GSK is in biopolis too.. good prospects, good pay, and their work is exciting!! Yah yah.. you’ll prolly wonder ‘what’s so exciting about discovering drugs to help cure Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia???’ Well.. heck! You might not think it’s exciting, but I DO! And without people who think like me, you’ll never have cures for whatever diseases you’re getting! Doctors are useless too, without these drugs and diagnoses that people work on behind the scenes.

There’re so many things to discover, so many things to improve on to help people.. but I can only focus on one.. specialize in 1 area and forego the rest. HOW??!?!?!?!?

2007-03-20T22:56:00.001+08:00

** 13 days to poster presentation **

In the end, I didn’t attend class AGAIN. But I really had something on this time round. First time I had a real excuse to skip lesson. I finally had my 3rd 1-to-1 meeting with my big boss (yeah, busy man.. 3 meetings in almost 9 months). Not to mention, it was yet another really inspiring chat with him. But at the same time, it brought me to realization.. that I had just wasted almost 5 whole months of my life doing nothing useful. It struck me fast, it struck me hard. It is tough, but I will be more optimistic and try my best to make up for it in the few days to come. Yeah, few days is all I have to make up for 5 lost months. (now that no experiments can be carried out for the next couple of weeks due to some problems, what can I do, you ask? Fear not, for someone as smart as my boss can think of many ways out!)

But unhappy things aside, I must say I am truly inspired by such a short conversation with him. Really.. how can someone be so smart? I am really impressed with him. Ah. How I hope I can work under someone like that for the next few years. Please, make this true. Please, give me good news 1 month later.

2007-03-18T23:18:00.001+08:00

French lessons are 3 times a week, 6-8pm on mon, 2-4 on wed, 6-8pm on Fridays. I really hate late night lessons, coz I am so tired by the end of the day I just want to go home and rest. I managed to tahan all Friday lessons simply because it is tutorial and thus we talk more, so more fun. Besides, I can meet up with pacey on Fridays, and also see the cute Indian guy in class!! Mondays, on the other hand, are a challenge to drag myself to class. Thus far, I have skipped 2 Monday classes. The excuse I give myself is that I have already accumulated sufficient credits to graduate, and this class is simply for fun. Thus I don’t have to put in so much effort to do well.

Just now, mum asked me what time I’d be home tmr. I told her I have French class til 8pm, but I very sian and feel like skipping. I told her I don’t need to do well for the course, and I am just learning the language for the fun of it. She replied “you don’t have many more weeks to go. Just tahan a while more”… and added “you don’t have much chance to learn this (for free) outside school, so you should treasure the opportunity..”

What she said reminded me.. of why I actually picked up French. Really, it was for the fun of learning a language. Also, it is the last chance I can learn a language for “free” in NUS. This is the first time someone actually has to encourage me to go to class, and the last person I expect to be doing this to me is my mum.

I will try to attend a few more French classes (besides the tests and exams I HAVE to attend) ^_^

2007-03-17T00:22:00.000+08:00

Sometimes I wonder if I should simply stop reading those blogs. Subconsciously, it’s getting into me.. and each time I read, it makes me sad. I even got a nightmare after reading one of them some days back. I really don’t know why, but the feeling just comes. No matter how much I try not to…

***

Maybe it is just the stress getting to me. 2 weeks more and it’s the end of my project. My entire year’s worth of hard work, of taking NO holidays, of gritting my teeth and continuing my work even when I just felt like crumbling in my own world. The poster to be completed, vetted and sent for printing this coming week; the 100-page thesis that is not even halfway done, and only in its first draft; the 2-hr presentation that is in 17 days’ time.. I need more wisdom.

I am so tired. Went to the lab almost everyday this week, but I don’t think I said more than a few sentences to all my colleagues. Actually, a lot happened. March bdae celebration (and an entire day spent making 5 customized bdae cards); symposium that provided the best tea and lunch ever; nice yummy cakes bought by ChiefFoodie and Bong.. It’s been quite happening, really. But I guess compared to the ‘normal’ week I spend in the lab, this is really nothing.

So spent.

***

Well. At least there was something nice today. I had to drag myself to 6pm French class on a Friday night. I was late, but tt ‘forced’ me to sit beside the cute Indian guy in class. Of course, we talked. Haha. And it was nice seeing pacey. Not like it’s been long since I last saw him bah. But I always like bickering with him, tho I’d prefer if he always lets me win like other guys do. Fridays are good days actually. I get my “regular bicker” with quite a number of people, including my lab partner. Haha. These are the things I will kinda miss.. graduation..
Not to mention one of the most important pple these past 4 years.. Weilin.. will really miss our VERY regular chat sessions at almost every single module I have taken in NUS. And this wonderful gal has something up her sleeves for our last lecture together. I think I will be very sad. But at the same time, I am so excited about what she is going to do. Such a quiet girl, with tremendous courage. Can’t wait for that big event to take off. And be part of it ^_^

2007-03-12T23:45:00.001+08:00

I finally dragged my butt to go buy a thumbdrive for myself today. 8pm, after French class.. so tired, but buying a thumbdrive wouldn’t need much working brain eh? Hence I made my way to Challenger at IMM.. saw thumbdrives ON SALE!! Wooohoo~~ I browsed through all of them.. searching for, of course, the cheapest one. I zoomed in on one--$39.90 for 2GB. And the last piece too! I held on to that as I searched for even cheaper options. Then I came across another thumbdrive that looked the same as the one I was holding. But the price tag read $49.90. I compared everything on the package, and both looked exactly the same to me. Hence, I decided to clarify it with the cashier. She took a look at it, and was bewildered too. She called for another guy in the shop, and he came over. He took a quick look at the two thumbdrives, and immediately laughed at the cashier, “Eh, can’t you see? One is Toshiba, the other is Kingston!” Immediately, I “HUH!?” so embarrassing lah! Different brand of course different price lah!! What was I thinking? Then the guy turned to me with an even wider grin, “come, follow me”. Then I realized.. he was going to help me check the actual price of the thumbdrive. What he had said earlier on was just a joke to the cashier.. and I got tricked instead!! ARGH

2007-03-10T23:09:00.000+08:00

** kidnap scene in GIS **

It’s been a busy week. Not just for me coz I am writing my thesis, but also for all my colleagues. As a result, everyone got a little bit crazy. During a common incubation time, we started taking some photos in the lab just to lighten up the mood.

I was caught walking into the lab not wearing a lab coat.. and they decided to punish me by sticking a “STERILE” sticker on my arm. They discovered it was fun, and started sticking more notes to label me as “I AM WENDY”, including my date of production, “1 X WENDY” indicating my concentration etcetc.. evil lina even decided to wrap my clenched fist in parafilm, which made it unmovable!!!

Sap came in.. and saw the fun in labeling me.. and they all started pasting labeling stickers on me.. from just red ones to every color they could find.. I ended up looking like a red Indian!!!

Of course, amidst all this craziness, I never forgot to pose with my new trademark.. the “wuzun pose” XD

2007-03-06T22:19:00.000+08:00

It’s been a week full of movies. NUS mid-semester break was the week before, but I took this week off instead. Because my boss was on leave. XD Stayed at home most of the time, and besides adding 3000 words to my thesis, I watched many great shows. Here’re some of them:

Painted Veil. Bong recommended this to me. Adult romance, she told me. She loves it so much she read the book, watched the movie, and still asked me to help her get a dvd. My nice daddy bought one back from china, and I watched it before I passed it to her. It was a slow movie, but even without a huge climax or a twist in the ending, I somehow still managed to like the movie. I don’t know how. It was just.. the nice scenery of china, the lakes, and probably coz the male lead was a bacteriologist, a scientist who sacrificed himself while researching on infectious diseases. Not like I would be anything close to it, but still. It was a nice love story, I must say. Different from the norm.

Boy’s don’t cry. Another movie I totally had no idea about. Fang recommended it, but didn’t tell me ANYTHING about it. Still, I trusted her, and dad got the dvd too. The things actresses can do for the sake of art.. I really take my hat off them. (you’ll understand if u’ve watched it) The movie’s FANTASTIC. It’s a rather deep movie.. Just go watch it. (oh, don’t, if you’re underaged) It’s not a dirty movie.. but I still don’t think it’s something Singapore would really allow. It’s on lesbianism u see. The entire show. How a girl deals with it, how she tried to blend in with a society that is reluctant to accept her. I don’t know how it got shown in Singapore. Or whether it ever was. Even fang also dunno. She just “knew” of the movie, she claimed. Oh well, it’s a movie nice “knowing” about. ^_^

Happy Birthday (Chinese movie). Ahh.. this movie... was just a movie I found on the “eng wah cinemas” webpage. Haha. Daddy was offering buying dvds for me.. so I just copied everything from the latest movie listings for him.. and this is what he brought back. Haha. I thought it’d be another sappy love story actually. But I still watched it, 2 hrs just before I left home for French test. I ended up going to school with terribly swollen eyes. I haven’t cried so hard for ages.

More than meets the eye. I watched this today on hallmark. Just didn’t feel like writing anymore for my thesis for today. So I sat in front of the tv, and this show just started. I found out later it’s a true life story of Joan Brock. A young teacher at a school for the blind, suddenly contracts some weird virus that makes her lose her vision in a matter of weeks. Her husband discovers a huge tumor in his nose, removes his right eye (coz the cancer has spread), and dies shortly after. The movie simply brought up again an issue that I’d been thinking for ages. Something that I always ask myself.. a fear that has always been within me..

Ask yourself, “What would you rather lose, a part of your body, if you had to choose something to lose?” Legs? Hands? Vision? Taste? Speech?Hearing?

I’ve been thinking real long and hard about this. Each time the thought arises, is when I am unable to see well. Most people around me think I have close-to-perfect eyesight. But I’m far from that. Sometimes I even scare myself that I have some disease that will take my eyesight away from me eventually. And I fear losing my sight the most. How about sense of taste? How about my legs? How about my face (disfigured)? How about my sense of hearing or my speech? To rank these, I let myself imagine.. would I rather be able to run all around but cannot talk, or would I rather be able to yak non-stop but be wheelchair bound? Would I rather see a tableful of delicacies but not be able to taste them, or be able to savor all the wonderful food of the world but not be able to see what nice food I was eating? I have finally come up with a ranking of the things I fear losing most:

1. Sight. I’d rather be wheelchair bound but admiring the perfect rainbows forming at Niagara Falls; I’d rather see my friends but have to learn sign language to communicate, than to be able to talk but not see their beautiful faces… there’re so many things I can give up, even running around, but I will never want to give up my sight.
2. Speech. Having lost my voice a couple of times, I know how much I treasure my voice. Not that it sounds angelic, but I like to talk and joke. True, can learn sign language, but it will take a lot of adapting. It’s a close fight with the 3rd placing, but I guess this still wins by a small margin.
3. Taste. I think I love food too much. That’d be another joy lost if I cannot taste food anymore. One less thing to look forward to each day, one less thing to dream about each night..
4. My legs. I guess I have gotten less and less active over the years. Not to say I have ever really been ‘there’ before. But still, not running around 16 hours a day doesn’t mean I will enjoy being on my butt for the rest of my life. And it’s not about enjoying or not. It is about inconvenience too. To think ‘taste’ won a higher ranking than this. Haha. But I think I’d still be able to have fun sitting in a wheelchair and enjoying good food with my friends around me. ^_^

Whoahaha.. okok.. I think that was enough time spent imagining weird things. I do this really often, but this is the first time I ranked them beyond No. 1, Sight.. and typed it all out. Hee~ Just wondering if anyone else would have the exact same rankings as I do..

2007-03-03T23:47:00.000+08:00

It was sometime ago, but I kept forgetting to write about it. I was rushing home for reunion dinner after French class a couple of weeks ago. To get to my busstop, I have to jaywalk from the Kent Ridge bus terminal. For those who don’t know, I really hate jay-walking. Plus, it was raining. To add on to things, my bus was at the busstop! I was already 30minutes late for my reunion dinner, if I missed that bus I’d be even later! I just had to get to the bus before it left… so I braved up all courage to run to the bus. The uncle was very nice and waited for me until the traffic was clear for me to cross. When I boarded the bus, the driver was not waiting for me to say ‘thank you’ like most drivers would if they had waited for someone running for a bus. Instead, he told me in mandarin, “Don’t run, the ground is slippery”. Just a simple statement, but it made me smile. ^_^

***

And before I start lagging in my blogging, I must just write tt on thurs FatSunshineClub had a really great time lao-ing yusheng at work, having buffet, joking around about chaota aka kogepan and my fellow kireipan.. hehe.. it’s fun to have a girl who’s always so indiscreet about her affection with the many guys around her.. haha..

Not forgetting, our photoshoot in the office!!
I’ve found a new photographer.. Lina.. she loves to take photos.. I love tt ^_^

And of course there is never an end to candid/random shots.. hehe

Being shutter happy, fellow kireipan and wuzun fan decided we should have a go at wu3 lian2 pai1 (5 shots in a row, something Taiwanese love to do).. and we tried to follow all the trademark poses of Fahrenheit (fei1 lun2 hai3) members! Lol… it was pretty fun.. first time lah.. so not there yet.. we’ll do better next time!!

***

And today, pacey invited us chestnutties to go share some Vietnamese new year (Tet) goodies that he brought back from Vietnam a couple of days ago. It was really yummy.. and we met some of his friends! One of whom is an exchange student from Los Angeles!! How cool is tt?? Brings back really fond memories.. ^_^

And cat finally passed me pacey’s Christmas present for me.. the card was v sweet.. and included a calendar!! Yeah.. it’s our very own chestnut calendar tt pacey made!! I kept wanting to print it out, but didn’t know where to get the best laser printer.. and here pacey had developed it in photo form for me ler!! Yay~~ I shall bring it to paste at my desk at work. Was just looking for a calendar last week. ^_^

***

Ah.. last point before I get back to writing thesis.. KIREIPAN’S FRIEND’S COUSIN IS VERY GOOD FRIENDS WITH WUZUN!!!! Whoahaha big news can… I’ve been getting a lot of info from them… whoahaha… so cool ^_^

2007-02-25T22:12:00.000+08:00

What a weekend. I stayed at home almost half the time, just to write my thesis. Well, at least, i tried. I added 2 pages to it over 2 days. XD So where did the rest of the time go? The picture below says it all. ^_^

CUTE RIGHT???????????? ^_^
I got alot of photos from facebook. Yeah. I love facebook. I am officially in my first "fan club" ever. LOL. And i found out alot of things about him (with the help of fang and facebook).. of which one is tt he LOVES TO EAT!! until the stage where if he's unhappy, u give him food he'd be happy. You bully him, give him food and he'd not be angry. He talks to much, you give him food and he'd stop talking. oooooh... people like us who love food are so easy to get along with lah!! just give us food and we'd be happy XD I'm so gonna invite him to join FatSunshineClub soon.. ^_^

Oh. and did i mention, that in the show hana kimi he wears puma jackets... of the SAME DESIGN AS ME???? MUAHAHAHAHAHAHA.. great people have great tastes!!! XD

2007-02-24T22:19:00.000+08:00

It was such a surprise. I switched to channel 8 to watch Chingay Live.. and I saw... a familiar face on TV!! A friend I met on a 3-week holiday to California.. haha.. waving there.. what a surprise ^_^

Watching Chingay, also reminded me of the parade I went for in the States.. the St. Patrick’s Day parade in Philadelphia, the Cherry Blossom parade at Washington DC, and of course, the best Mardi Gras Parade at Universal Studios in Florida!! ^_^ fond memories.. remain forever~

***

It’s been awhile since I had some time out with the FatSunshineClub people. Been so caught up with school and what nots.. thanks to Safia (our Chief Foodie) for opening up her house and whipping up a Mexican meal for us!! It was really great.. the burritos/wraps, the tortilla chips with guacamole dips.. YUM!! Had lots of fun.. I really miss Mexican food.. hadn’t had any since I came back to Singapore.. thanks dear!! ^_^

Of course, I miss the wacky photos we took overseas.. we did it again today!! ^_^ I love you all, FSC members!! ^_^

2007-02-23T22:00:00.000+08:00

** crazy school girl once again **

I thought it was just another show.. who knew.. i got addicted to it the first time i watched it.. it was the 3rd episode.. so i succumbed to fang's temptations and came to youtube to find the first 2 episodes.. whoaaaaa and i got addicted after that!! Today's day off to write thesis.. and i ended up watching HANA KIMI the whole day!!!! MUAHAHAHAHA... but it's really nice!!! cat n fang will agree too eh?? (oh i just realized... both yifangs.. haha) HEE~~~ i feel like time went back a few years all of a sudden.. to the days we were crazy over such shows.. WUZHUN IS SO CUTE!!!! XD though i don't like his boyband image (he's from feilunhai) but i like his character in the show.. so cool, so caring, so nice~~ awwwwwwwwwwwwww

Just an mtv to show wuzhun n ella.. it's not the same story, but still... i like it ^_^

2007-02-20T18:11:00.000+08:00

Oh man. I finally finally FINALLY watched “Step Up”!!!!!! Manz… the DVD’s been sittin’ around for months and I only got down to watchin’ it today. But I sure am glad I did!! It rocked, baby!! Those who love dance movies and watched this one sure will noe what I’m talkin’ about.. Especially with those ‘black music’.. those ‘black accents’.. brought back really wonderful memories ^_^

2007-02-19T11:01:00.000+08:00

** WeiJia is my name **

Peanut Butter Contaminated with Salmonella

' Government scientists struggled Thursday to pinpoint the source of the first U.S. salmonella outbreak linked to peanut butter, the kid favorite packed into millions of lunchboxes every day.
Nearly 300 people in 39 states have fallen ill since August, and federal health investigators said they strongly suspect Peter Pan peanut butter and certain batches of Wal-Mart's Great Value house brand â€” both manufactured by ConAgra Foods Inc.
Shoppers across the country were warned to throw out jars with a product code on the lid beginning with "2111," which denotes the plant where it was made.'

How disappointed i am in Peter Pan. I shall not be called "wendy" for some time. >.<

2007-02-17T00:31:00.000+08:00

** before CNY **

I refuse to owe all these photos past CNY... so here they are!! haha.. haven't been faithfully putting them up since january... see see

FatSunShineClub outing to bugis pervis street.. too excited abt the fishhead beehoon, but we took photos of the dessert tho... and check out my still-long hair!! It was THAT long ago >.< Afternoon tea at BUgis TCC, 1st jan.. we all left work early to go find The Quiet One, i_fang ^_^ Some random fitting room shots.. haha.. Lunch with 4 other church friends.. at raffles place.. once again forgot to take photo of the food at ding tai fung (my first time there!) but took photos of the dessert at bakerz inn though.. hee.. see my new nike jacket!! (my first nike one too!) a christmas present from my sis ^_^

That's Adrian when we met to go shop for baking stuff.. and i introduced him around the 'new' IMM

High Tea at Coffee Club, holland V. This is when my colleagues discovered that one is at a disadvantage when not holding THE camera. haha. see all the candid shots i got of them. (i must say the photographer is quite good tho. hehe)

And i decided to make some collages of some other DnD shots that i didn't show last time.. haha.. i still think my skills are good... XD

And of course, there's my first time hearing my brother beat box in a formal occasion!! his first competition.. my mum, sis and i went down to support him ^_^

I went shopping with i_fang.. this is the first time ever when i had returned home, but still went out after someone called

Dinner at hooked on heads. I skipped half a lecture just to eat curry fish head here! This is what PRESIDENT of FatSunshineClub does, and thus that position is rightly mine. ^_^Followed by dessert at Island Creamery..

Dinner at simlim just before sap, bong and i went for a chocolate tasting, for which we each grew $30 richer ^_^

February babies' bdae celebration with the chestnutties, dimsum buffet@harbourfront, and later a short walk around vivocity
Dee Divas' outing to chinatown!! 4th yr there now.. we're gonna do this EVERY YEAR without fail!! ^_^ PLus.. take a photo at THE STAIRS every year.. hehe..

Edmund's bdae celebration..

2007-02-16T13:03:00.001+08:00

I need to destress. Survey from plhu.

1. The phone rings. Who do you want it to be?
Noone in particular, whom I can think of right now. And I don’t really fancy entertaining calls. Haha. Unless if they are good news.

2. When shopping at the grocery store, do you return your cart?
Yes. Why shouldn’t I? It usually costs a dollar k!

3. In a social setting, are you more of a talker or a listener?
Depends on who I am with bah. And my mood. I exist in a whole range ah.. haha

4. Do you take compliments well?
I say “Thank you” or ”No lah” and try to change the subject immediately. (this was plhu’s answer… but I think it suits me too bah. Haha)

5. Do you play Sudoku?
Used to. Learnt in somewhere last year, got addicted, and did literally hundreds of them. The last puzzle I did was on 26 October 2006, in NUS. (ooh.. nice date. Haha)

6. If abandoned alone in the wilderness, would you survive?
I doubt so. I am not the “Survivor” kind. I prolly end up eating fruits till either they run out or I get poisoned. Or maybe I would get killed by some wild beast. I doubt I will change like the kids in “Lord of the Flies”. That was a fantastic yet disturbing book.

7. Do you like to ride horses?
Haha… if a horse tt was strolling counts. I really want to learn horse-riding one day. Anyone? (Singapore’s a little ex though. Let’s go JB)

8. Did you ever go to camp as a kid?
Yeah. I miss them actually.

9. What was your favorite game as a kid?
Whoa. How to remember. I played all sorts of games through the years. From computer games to sega to catching to games we invented ourselves.

10. If a sexy person was pursuing you, but you knew he/she was married what would you do?
Keep my distance. It’s just not right.

12. Could you date someone with different religious beliefs than you?
I really don’t know how to answer this now. When I said yes, it didn’t work out. When I said no, I suffered like h***. So now what?

13. Do you like to pursue or be pursued?
I don’t pursue. And it depends on who is the one pursuing. It can either be nice or freaky/irritating.

14. Are you ticklish?
Yes. Though I think now I’m less ticklish than last time. Accumulation of fats around the body does insulate my nerves from tickles too. XD

15. Do any songs make you cry?
Many. But it depends on occasion and my mood too.

16. Are you continuing your education?
Lifelong learning, is what is being promoted now. ^_^

17. Do you know how to shoot a gun?
Never tried. But I know how to pose with one. Proof of it in a photo taken in San Diego. Hehe~

18. If your house was on fire, what would be the first thing you grabbed?
Depends on where I am at that time. Haha. I don’t bring my hp around with me when I’m at home. If I’m far from anything, I rather not grab anything.. my life is more impt.

19. How often do you read books?
What books? Fiction… been so long since I last read one. Haha. Textbooks.. been years too. I don’t like reading.. coz for some reason my eyes can only focus on tiny words of a short distance from me for only an hour or two. After that, I’d have problem focusing on anything else, and I hate that feeling of near-blindness.

20. Do you think more about the past, present or future?
Oh I think LOTS. Haha. I like to think a lot about the past, sometimes the future. Present is here, think for what?

21.Favorite childrens book?
Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory!! I love all Roald Dahl’s and Enid Blyton’s books.. read all of them multiple times. ^_^ (Mr Twiggle! The Twits! The Witches..)

22. What color are your eyes?
Black

23. How tall are you?
17Xcm. Does height really matter? Footwear everyday varies in height anyway..

24. Where is your dream house located?
Somewhere peaceful, countryside (yet accessible to some town at least, for shopping and food).. nice weather.. I’ve located Florida and California thus far. But I have yet to travel the world, so I can’t say where is best yet. ^_^

25. Do you call back numbers on your caller Id?
Sometimes. Haha.

26. What name brand is your computer?
Fujitsu!!

27. Have you ever taken pictures in a photo booth?
YEAH! I love to. Pictures taken anywhere also can.. I love pictures. Hee~

28. When was the last time you were at Olive Garden?
Never been. >.<

29. What flavor is your favorite lollipop?
Cola! But I don’t eat lollies lah..

30. Where was the furthest place you traveled today?
Vivocity!! ^_^

31. Are you a vegetarian?
Nope. I love my fish (and sometimes cow) too much.

32. Do you like mustard?
Never used to. But ever since I had philly cheesesteak with mustard, I love it!!!! ^_^

33. Do you prefer to sleep or eat?
Sleep when I’m tired, eat when I’m hungry or bored. Haha. I love both. ^_^

34. Do you look like your mom or dad?
I don’t think I look like any of them. I am unique. XD

35. How long does it take you in the shower?
About 15minutes usually.

36. Can you do the splits?
No. I wish I had continued dancing though. Then my answer would be ‘yes’ now.

37. What movie do you want to see right now?
Step Up. So old ler.. and I got the DVD last year.. but I haven’t gotten down to watching it yet!! >.<

38. Would you like to make a shout out?
No. I keep to myself.

39. What did you do for New Year’s?
I can’t really remember. (a tired mind can never recall much) Can refer back to my NY post. Haha.

40. Do you think The Grudge was scary?
I didn’t watch it.

41. What song would you like to dedicate?
To who?

42. Do you own a camera phone?
No. I own a camera and a phone. I prefer it tt way. My phone is only for calling and sms-ing, and my camera (the BEST lumix!!) takes much better photos than any camera phone! Hee~

43. Who would you dedicate that song to?
Oh. Why are the questions separated?

44. Was your mom a cheerleader?
No. I don’t think they had that in school last time. She was a dancer though.

45. What’s the last letter of your middle name?
I have no middle name.

46. Candles or Incense?
Candles. I like scented candles…

47. How many hours of sleep do you get a night?
8-9 if I can. I can’t function well with less. (thus I haven’t been functioning well lately)

48. Do you like care bears?
yes! It was a nice cartoon ^_^

49.What do you buy at the Movies?
Anything I can grab. Hehe. Nachos, sweet popcorn, kacang puteh, or even smuggling in full meals… hehe~

50. Do you know how to play poker?
Not really. Even when we had a poker set in Chestnut… I think we played more taiti/bridge than poker with that. Haha.

51.Do you wear your seatbelt?
Only if I’m sitting in front. Seat belts make me feel so restricted.

52. What do you wear to sleep?
T-shirt and FBT shorts. Comfy… ^_^

53. Anything big ever happen in your hometown?
What is called big? When things are too common and too accessible, they don’t seem big and happening anymore. Only when things are unreachable and rare, are they appreciated well and taken as BIG things.

54. How many meals do you eat a day?
At least 3, usually a few more snacks. Keep feeding your body to keep it nourished ^_^ And I love to eat. Life is short. Eat more a day.

55. Is your tongue pierced?
No.

56. Do you always read MySpace bulletins?
Nope.

57. Are you in love?
Yes. With traveling.

58. Do you like funny or serious people better?
Funny, of course.

59. Ever been to L.A.?
YES!! ^_^ I think I spent 5 days there. The first stop for my 3-week west-coast trip!! ^_^

60. Did you eat a cookie today?
No. Not yet. I foresee I will later. Haha. A cookie (at least) a day makes you happy.

61. Do you use cuss words in other languages?
No. Don’t like them.

62. Do you steal or pay for your music downloads?
I don’t download music. Haha.

63. Do you hate chocolate?
NO!! how can anyone hate chocolate? I ADORE it… white, dark, orange… anything chocolate is nice!! ^_^

65. Are you a gullible person?
Yes. I think the best of people before I learn otherwise.

66. Do you need a boyfriend/girlfriend to be happy?
Reminds me of the current 9pm show on channel8. Yesterday they said, “Love is to be happy”

67. If you could have any job (assuming you have the skills) what would it be?
Hmm. Never thought of this. Taitai bah. If that’s a job. Hehe~ Taitai who is able to change jobs so frequent, and can get any job I want. Then I can play around.. hehe.

68. Are you easy to get along with?
I hope so. Haha.

69. What is your favorite time of day?
No fixed time lah. Prolly whenever I see friends, and whenever I’m having a meal, and when I’m sleeping..

2007-02-14T23:24:00.000+08:00

I was sleeping last night, when out of no reason I suddenly thought to myself, “I must be dying. I have been falling sick at increasing frequencies. My body is deteriorating, thus explaining the sharp pain in throat and unstoppable coughs. Yes, I am dying.” And then I continued sleeping til morning (dreaming about work).

I am weird.

Daddy’s back! Talked to him all the way from the moment I came home, until now. I even missed my “Dance Floor show” lor! It’s so nice talking to him.. but coz I accumulate so much to tell him, that now I’ve got a hoarse voice for talking too much at 1 go! But I’m so happy. Hehe.

***

Talking about voice.. I really think I’ve been talking too much. I grew up speaking few words. Recently, I’ve been talking a lot, and I think my throat is unhappy. I’ve lost my voice 3 times in the past 2 years, and had really bad sore-throats countless times. I don’t remember this happening to me when I used to talk MUCH less.

***

I think I am really smart. Give you a scenario. You’re on a bus, and suddenly you hear something drop. Sounds like a small plastic thing. Then you hear a guy sitting behind you say “Ah! The cap dropped.” (pause) “Cannot reach. How? Aiyah. Nevermind. No cap also nevermind”

What did the guy drop? What do you first think of when u hear (or read) this conversation? (Think about it first lah.. then read on)

Anyway, most of you should be guessing.. pen cap right? That’s what most people reply when I tell them this. The first thing that came to my mind was thumbdrive though. I don’t know why. Just thought of it. And sure it was! How more powerful can my guessing powers be? ^_^

***

It is Valentine’s Day. And I just feel like writing something about it. Haha. Not like I treat it more than just Friendship day. I used to be so enthusiastic about making gifts and what not for my friends on Friendship day.. but I seem to be too lazy this year. Almost did, but didn’t get down to doing it. (The cons of procrastination… wait til last minute, then end up too sick to do anything)

Anyway, I just suddenly thought about something today. There was a year’s vdae.. that I would always remember. No, it’s not coz it was a year spent with any special someone. It was a year when I thought would not be spent celebrating with my friends, doing silly things like “Singles’ Nite”, and that noone would remember me and I would have no gifts that year. I really thought that, finally, there would be 1 lonely, boring friendship day that year. But, no. I received ONE gift. I will not say who gave what gift which year. Then noone will guess (I don’t think anyone has a guessing mind like me). I am writing this simply because I felt like it. Not that I want anyone to know. XD

2007-02-13T23:22:00.000+08:00

** simply must blog about this **

Visited one of the “favourites” links along my blog sidebar… TEDtalks.. and I decided to watch this video.. and it turned out really cool! Who’d have thought that someone would choreograph a dance inspired by a DUNG-loving FUNGUS? Yeah.. dung.. as in poo-poo.. a dance on poo-poo? Go watch it! It’s not the least bit stupid nor silly, if that’s what you’re thinking. It’s the coolest thing I have ever seen. How the dancers’ bodies move.. how they are able to manipulate themselves into motions that seem impossible for humans to do… Go watch for yourself.. (and no, you don’t have to have bio background to understand the dance “symbiosis”)

2007-02-12T23:26:00.001+08:00

My throat still hurts. Yet, I am still unable to decipher whether it is hurting due to heatiness (like, sorethroat?) or coz of that mini accident on my way to CG from YMCA on Saturday.

Yah. I am so sick. Not sick as in coughing till I’m breathless or nose bleeding till I’m anemic. I’m just so tired and so sick that I am so groggy. And I hate it. Cannot think properly, and I function as if I had no memory. If you ask me my NUS PIN number or some email password, I would be unable recall anything. I rely so heavily on the “save password” function on my laptop. Mum called me on the phone to ask me how I burn cds using my laptop. I couldn’t give her any instructions, coz I couldn’t even vaguely remember what program I use and how it looks like.

***

I have settled down more or less in my new home. But occasionally, it still gets onto my nerves. How small a space I have been assigned to. My mum’s computer is down, so she was sitting at my desk using my laptop. My desk is barely big enough to put my laptop and a few books (standing, mind you. Not sprawling all over the desk). The moment she sat down, I have no access to my desk, my cupboard, and have to almost jump over her to get onto my bed. And that’s all I have to myself. a small, pathetic space. Even smaller than the space I had while sharing a house with 5 other people in philly (and that house was meant for 3 people only!); smaller than my room in temasek hall.

Argh. I just need space. SPACE. I am claustrophobic. Sometimes I just wished I was as brave as sap.. step out once and for all. Get my own space and enjoy being independent. I can’t wait til I start earning money.. and the day I am able to afford my own space. That would be the day.. the day… ^_^

2007-02-11T21:35:00.001+08:00

“ni3 shen1 shen me bing4?” (You’re sick with what?) Many asked me the same question today.. but I had no answer to give them. I really don’t know. I’ve been sneezing a lot, but no running nose. Painful throat, but not YET sore. I feel a little hot, but I don’t think I am down with fever YET either. Sharp pangs of headaches every now and then. And of course, there’s the very much aching of the body joints and back, where all my lymph nodes are hard at work, fighting some unknown infection. I don’t know what’s wrong, I just know that I feel sick and need rest. Haha. That’s really fast. I know that whenever I am very busy, I will fall sick. But usually it’s somewhere in the middle of the semester or near the exams… it’s so early in the semester now! Grrr..

2007-02-10T23:29:00.001+08:00

Volunteer work at YMCA with teenagers with cerebral palsy today was pretty good. I haven’t done community service ever since I entered university. Thanks to Bong, who brought fang and I along, I managed to relive those days where I had to clear community service hours. The only difference being that, this time round, it is totally out of free will. No service hours to be clocked. Fang and I went without knowing much about cerebral palsy.. but I bet we both returned understanding much more about their condition. AND, so coincidentally, all the other JC students who were clearing their community service hours there, were from RJC, JC2, and taking the same subject combination as my brother! How cool is that? Pity none of them knew him, and none were from choir. Actually, first thing I thought of describing my brother was “oh, he’s a beat-boxer”. I forgot that his CCA was not beat-boxing but choir. Haha.

During the whole time, I was attached to this ‘kid’ who was SO hyper that I was chasing after her the whole time. I was so tired by the end of it that I fell asleep on my bus ride to meet my CG. It’s been so long since I fell into such deep sleep in a bus. Yes, I joined the group of ‘irritating-nodders-on-the-bus’.. but I couldn’t really help myself. I was exhausted. Halfway through the journey, the bus suddenly moved in somewhat a different manner, and my head jerked backwards violently. I woke up immediately, feeling a sharp pain on my throat. The backward jerk had been so fast and so strong that I think I sort of pulled my throat or something. I’m ok now, just that I can still feel discomfort in my throat area. Shouldn’t be something serious, I guess.

I really had a great time today. Being with these people left me no time (nor energy) to think of my utter disappointment the day before. It was a day full of smiles and laughter, and limited to just that too. I can’t wait for the next trip back. But I must say I am not born to do such service full-time. I will die of exhaustion. Kudos to all social workers!

2007-02-09T23:09:00.000+08:00

01. Starting Time: 2242
02. Full Name: Soon Wei Jia, Wendy
03. Best Friend(s): So many.. haha.. you all know who u are.. the impt pple in my life ^_^
04. Sexiest Friend: lol.. pacey likes to claim it for himself.. but.. ahem.. nvm.. ignorance is bliss.. XD
05. Funniest Friend(s): whoa… all my friends can be so funny!! Esp when certain groups are together.. whole grp funny.. complement each other ^_^
06. Smartest friends: erm.. all have their own talents ah.. I have VERY smart friends k.. those who get phD when I am still in university (same age lor).. pple who accomplished a lot before age 30.. MENSA members.. pple who are so smart their frequency and mine always different..
07. Dumbest Person: and what defines dumbness?
08. Shyest Friend: eh.. hmm.. shy as in shy to do what? First person I think of is bean leh.. LOL
09. Most boring person: erm… the only people who put me to sleep are local lecturers >.<
10. Who Do you get advice from: everyone. BUT… though I seek advice from a wide spectrum of people, I tend to be very stubborn and will seldom change my mind even after seeking advice. Haha. That is if I already had a sort of decision made before hand lah..
11. Height: 17?cm
12. DOB: 24^th October.. 2 to the power of 10!! (1024)
13. Righty / Lefty: Righty
15. Shoe Size: US7.5
16.Shoe Brand: All sorts. Nice and cheap is most impt.. hehe
17. Do you Crack any Body parts?: nope! Still intact all over!! ^_^
19. Siblings: An older sis and a younger bro~
20. Email Address: Which one? I have…err.. uncountable. 6? Dun wanna count lah.. who cares. Haha.
21. Boy Friend/Girl Friend: What is this question asking? I like hanging around boyfriends or girlfriends, I like both. But I am straight. And I have no boyfriend. Think I have answered to all possibilities of this question already. LOL.
22. Crush: I am sure I had some. Unlike fangers. I don’t believe can have none lah.. haha.
23. Liked a Teacher: If romantically.. NO!

26. Ate a Tub of Ice Cream: A pint of BnJ.. yes. Other than that… nope. And that was only in US, since the BnJ there is cheap.. (of course, I gained tones of weight then. Haha)
27. Ran Into a Glass Door: Ran, no. Walked, yes.
29. Gone Skinny Dipping: haha.. my figure tt THERE yet... if one day I get a superb figure I sure will. LOL
30. Nearly hit by a car: nearly, I dun think so. GOT HIT, yes. But really long ago. So young.. and lightly only lah. Like a kiss from the car behind and we shake shake abit only. LOL.
31. Ran into a parked car: I think it’s the same as Qn 27.

******Girls Fill Out About Guys******
35. Boxers or Briefs: Doesn’t matter lah. Boxers should be more comfy for them bah.. lol (see? I think for others.. rotfl)
36. Tall or Short: Tall lah. Must be obviously taller than me. Haha
37. Does size matter: Size? Sounds like a “shoe” or “house” question. XD
38. Six-pack or Muscular Arms: Too much is scary leh. Fit can ler.
39. Body or Personality: Personality, of course. But then again, who minds having both? LOL
40. Ears pierced or not: Better not. I think ear piercing is meant for girls ^_^
41. Sporty or Outdoorsy: Isn’t that the same?
42. good or bad guy: I’d say good. But then again.. I’ve finally been convinced abt the phrase nan2 ren2 bu4 ai4 nu3 ren2 bu4 ai4.. (guys not bad, gals dun like).. coz someone mentioned that usually good guys will chase a girl for a short while, if kena rejected once/twice he’ll give up. But a bad guy will be more persistent until he gets the girl. And since I don’t usually make decisions so fast, I seem to be destined for bad guys. >.<

******Guys Fill Out on girls******
47. G or hipster undies: NA
48. Tall or Short: NA
49. Long Hair or Short: NA
50.Dark or Light Eyes: NA
51. Light/Dark Hair: Dark NA
52. Body or Personality: NA
53. Ears Pierced or Not: NA
55. Good Girl/Bad Girl: NA
56.Hair Up or Down: NA
57. Sporty or Classy: NA

58. Chicken or Not Afraid: NA

******Which One is Better******
59. Coke or pepsi: Neither.. Don’t like soft drinks...
60. K.F.C or Mcdonalds: Macs got more food choices.. hehe...
61. Cats or Dogs: Woof woof!
62. Coffee or Tea: I seldom drink either. Coffee (only ice blended) when I go with friends to places like Starbucks/TCC/CoffeeClub… tea is good for health. Good for heart, give u long life, helps digestion, etc.. always tell myself I shud drink more tea.. but no such habit lah >.<
63. Eastside or westside: WEST! It’s a nice place to live.. and where I work.. and since signapore is so small, a little traveling is all it takes to go the other end when u need more food and stuff. LOL
64. Vanilla or chocolate: CHOCOLATE lah! What a silly question.
65. Cake or Cookies: ALL. I have a sweet tooth (Save for candy)

66. Purple striped Lime socks or white socks?: So boring. The choices. White is for school...Purple striped lime sounds nice actually. Not those long stockings tho. I only wear ankle socks. And I like bright colors. ^_^
67. Sunset or Sunrise: Both. Sunrise at desaru ages ago.. And cruise.. And the daily sunset celebration at KeyWest (Mallory square).. really an experience of a life time.. ^_^ Everything nature is beautiful…God’s wonderful creations
68. Day or Night: To do what? If go out, I prefer day. I’m more active in the day. Night.. I like to nua…...
69. Lights on or off: Depends on doing what lah! ON when I’m reading, definitely. And need sufficient light. Not enuff light, I refuse to lay my eyes on any reading material. I like candle lights in the dark when possible… haha.. but tt was only back in hall when I could do it.. And of course, lights totally off when I’m SLEEPING!! Zzzzzzzz…
70. Summer or Winter: Spring!! Haha… I like all lah.. The lovely colors of autumn and the falling leaves (And I’ve never seen all these!).. The bare branches of trees in winter always looks so beautiful to me.. Especially with snow!! The fun of playing in the snow with friends.. ^_^ And I love winter clothing.. hehe.. SPRING comes after winter.. and because of the few months of no greenery, we all learn to appreciate flowers and trees at a whole new level! Summer, of course is the time of outdoor fun with the bright, cheery sun ^_^ (we’ve got enough of that in Singapore tho.)

*****Your favorite******
71. Food: Aiyoh.. how to choose.. I love all good food!! All sorts of cuisine.. (not the fear factor kind lah!)
73. Holiday destination: I want to travel the world. So every place I have yet to travel is a holiday destination. ^_^
74. Radio Station: I listen to all sorts of music.. from 93.3 to 95.0, 98.7, 100.3, 92.4 etc etc.. even online streaming! (esp when I was in US and I missed those Christian songs from Glory..).
75. Place: Home...(Old home, new home, Chestnut home, Temasek hall.. all of them are my loves.. yeah say I’m greedy)

****** In The Future******
76. Will you believe in God: Will? I DO believe in God, His Perfect Plan... =)
77. Ambition: To do my best in everything I commit to. To glorify His name through everything I accomplish.

******Random Questions******
80. Favorite Place: aiyoh…dunno leh.. a lot of secret places to hide where noone will noe.. hehe.
81. Favourite day(s) of the week: Every day that I meet my friends ^_^
82. Bedtime: As early as possible...
83. Satan or God or atheist: God, definitely
84. Finishing time: 2326 ( I told u I’m long winded. Plus I’m multi-tasking, being the busy gal I am)
85. Date: 7th feb 2007

2007-02-07T18:59:00.000+08:00

"just when i thought i was over it, there comes the moments where i feel pangs of sadness mixed with anger and frustration. it's quite difficult to get over him when i see him almost everyday."

"i don't want to let him see me cry or upset because i know that he isn't feeling the same way and i can't let him have that satisfaction of knowing."

"and elbowed him in the eye. guilty as i felt, i was happy that he got hurt. i am not a sadistic person by nature but i guess i felt that way because whatever amount of hurt he was feeling that very moment was nothing compared to how i am feeling now."

I don’t know where that originally came from. The problem of everyone quoting everyone else’s blogs. Haha. Anyway, I am not quoting that because I feel the same way. Instead, I feel totally different… and I always wonder why. Kept me pondering for so long.. and finally, I came to a conclusion that I’ve always been lucky to meet people who leave me alone after they realize it’s impossible. I’d rather remain as good friends, but I guess there’s a choice to be made. Instead of being friends and be tortured, I’ve learnt to lose a good friend and move on. The harsh reality bah. I hate losing friends.

***

This morning, I realized why I get insufficient sleep, although my calculation shows I spend about 9 hours in bed more than half the week. And the reason is that my mum makes loud noises early in the morning by slamming doors and what not.. so I am awaken before 7am every morning! >.<

***

The school informed us of a possible scholarship to go for a 6-week summer exchange program at University of Alberta, Canada. I am so gonna apply for that!! I wanna go exchange for one last time, before I graduate!!!! (especially when it is free.. hehe.. and I checked.. summer there is about 22 degrees… PERFECT WEATHER!)

***

There’s really something about sleep and writing. I was lying in bed for a pretty long time, thinking up a long, descriptive essay. I can’t remember it anymore though. Only recall that it was some… err… argh. Dunno. But I remember I was quite impressed with what I thought up. LOL. Maybe if they invent something that can record my thoughts without affecting me falling asleep, I may become the next big author of some bestseller. XD

***

Today, the Channel 8 9pm show ended. I love that show. Yesterday, I finally found someone who liked it too. So coincidental. And so unexpected.

2007-02-04T23:41:00.001+08:00

**Chestnutties re-united **

Yeah. After almost 1 month, we gathered again to celebrate Pacey and Cat’s bdae. (Tim also feb baby, but he wasn’t free). Poor Weiguang fell ill so couldn’t turn up. But this time, deliang n char showed up. The 4 of us had a good time having dimsum buffet at DragonGate@harbourfront, before deliang and char came and we went for a short coffee (or rather dl only) at coffee bean. The rest of us were simply too full to get anything else into our systems. Haha. And SO VERY COINCIDENTALLY, steph and Jamie were at vivocity too!!!!!!!!!!!! GOSH!! I haven’t seen them for so long!! I miss steph so much!!!!!!!!! >.< (and jamie’s one of the 3 guys whom steph brought along on our west coast trip. One of the bestest and longest trips I had too! ^_^) Within our short chat, steph asked me a question, which struck me that we really haven’t met for so long!! (question not to be revealed here. Ha!) Gosh.. must have been half a year already. Feels like I’m suddenly living in the past. Coz steph is my church-going partner in philly. And today, coz I woke up late, I stayed at home to listen to Grace Covenant Church (my church in philly)’s online sermon. Felt like a year ago!!!! ^_^

Ah. I didn’t feel like writing.. but talking about today makes me all so excited again! But I’m so busy.. haha.. so I shall write one last thing.. about cat. (coz I met Adrian a week ago, and I meet pacey 3 times a week… so cat’s more special ^_^) She asked me a question that I forgot to answer.. she asked me how long I sleep now tt I am back in Singapore. (coz back in philly, she slept a lot A LOT.. and as her roommate, plus being a slacking exchange student, I slept a lot too..) The first thing I told her was how I couldn’t tahan the typing of my sister’s keyboards, so I’d wait for her to turn off the computer before I fell asleep. (but I am fine with other sounds like her coming back late.. i think that keyboard just strikes some nerve in me lah!) On days like that, I am screaming inside “I MISS CAT THE SLEEPING BEAUTY!!!!” Yet, on my way home, I started counting the number of hours I sleep per day.. and realize.. that on normal days (meaning my sis doesn’t suddenly chat on msn to a million people and forget to sleep lah) I sleep about 9 hours leh! 9 hours!! Not very little what. ^_^ Life’s not too bad after all. Lol.

2007-02-04T00:04:00.000+08:00

Colleagues and I finally went out to use our free movie tickets on Friday. We wanted to watch blood diamond, but because they waited for me to end class at 8pm, we didn’t manage to get good seats. In the end, we watched fast food nation. I thought the movie would be similar to Super Size Me, but it wasn’t. As I watched the movie, nostalgia gushed through me. The fast food stops.. our necessity on road trips. Often, drives from place to place would be really long, so we took breaks at such fast food stops for lunch/dinner/clear our bladders. It’s been so long since I saw these places. So familiar.

Arzhou had shown me a youtube clip about facebook. There’s this thing going around about facebook stalkers, just that I never bothered to find out more about it. He found this interesting clip that was filmed by students from Penn. Inevitably, it was filmed IN Penn itself. The streets, the buildings, even the trees and flowers… I recognize them and miss them so much!! I’m not so much of a geek, but I must still say that I miss the school so very dearly. I spent a lot of time traveling around the States, I spent a lot of time with the Chestnutties, but I spent even more time in the school itself. How I wish I was a Penn student again, eating from food trucks/having fun with friends/sun tanning in winter/reading the Daily Penn/celebrating mardi gras/strolling along Locust walk/simply lazing around admiring the pretty castle-like buildings and the good weather.

2007-02-03T12:39:00.000+08:00

It’s been so long since I last wrote anything. The longest break I had in writing (besides when I am out traveling and have no access to computers). I’m just too busy. But I like it. I’ve finally found the weijia that I once knew. The weijia who’d say yes to as many things as she can, to pack her entire day with activities. I know I have said this many times, but I really wouldn’t have been able to do all this without my fatsunshineclub members. The Chief Foodie, Safia; The Quiet One, Yifang; The Slacker, Bong; The IT whiz, Lina; The Chococheeze Foodie, Sapphire. I spend 6 out of 7 days of the week with them. To skip lecture to eat curry fish head with them. To stay out past midnight just to watch a free movie. To go for free chocolate tastings and earn $30 at the same time… the list is never ending. If not for them being by my side, I really don’t know how I would be now. People say that I don’t have what it takes to be the president of the FatSunshineClub, for I am not fat. But what they do not know is that ‘fat’ is relative, and they would have been shocked to know how I was before FSC started. During that period, the forever shutter-happy me refused to take any photos as I myself was disgusted by how malnourished and unkempt I looked.

So why am I saying all these once again? Coz it strikes me hard.. that in the worst case scenario, I may be leaving this bunch of wonderful people, my ‘saviors’, in less than 2 months. FSC started on 11 November 2006. I hope we will survive longer than this. There’s still so much food out there for us to seek. Together.

***

I woke up with a dilemma. All of a sudden, I feel like backing out last minute. Don’t ask me why the change of mind. And it doesn’t help that I just read my sister’s blog. Makes the thought even more overpowering. It’s engulfing me. I don’t know what to do.

2007-01-25T22:39:00.000+08:00

Too busy recently, with the 11 extra hours of courses that i took up to fill up my time. and i'm taking up more. haha. hence, i have enuff time to only "kope" blogs. haha.

Have wanted to do this for a really reaaallly long time. But I never knew how to get around to writing it. So I just koped the entire following post from my sister’s blog. (you may recognize some stuff from the linked audio blog though. I’d listened to it a million times)

Non-Christian friends have been asking me. How come christians cannot date non-christians? I've answered this question many times, but somehow I don't seem to be able to do it as well as this online sermon. Click on the link. It links to ps wesley's audio blog. Do listen to it. It's not a commandment in the bible. God didn't say it's wrong to date a non-christian. Bible doesn't talk about dating. But it's just a preference that we should have. Here's the gist of what it says.

if you date a non-christian, :
- no intimacy, don't understand you wholely
- can't talk God-centredly
- decision-making, I think about God, you don't understand
- hide from you the most important thing in my life
- either move toward the same belief or can't go forward in the relationship

cheem right? i also think so...
for me... as applied now, this is why it is important for the other half to have the same faith.

present:
- can spend time together with my lovely CG mates and other church friends

- sit there in the service with me
- encourage me when sometimes i feel tired from serving.
- say grace with me during meals instead of watching me say grace

future:
- get married in church
- children would attend sunday school
- can host church gatherings at home

future future and most important of all:
- i would want the someone i love very much to go to heaven

2007-01-24T22:20:00.000+08:00

Ah. People named the same name DO have things in common. I read Wendy Cheng’s (aka xiaxue) blog, and I found out that there was something she said that really sounded so much like me! Just that, she says it in ways very different from my writing style bah. Haha. I’m lazy to write the same things lah. Just check out her blog, dated Jan 18 2007. Somewhere in the middle of that super long post.. (just after the red word ‘excellent’).. how she actually behaves around others.. is really a little like me.. ok. Maybe not totally the same, but the rationale and stuff is similar lah.

2007-01-23T22:30:00.000+08:00

Who’d have thought, that I would end up cooking lunch AT WORK?? ^_^ Yeah, that’s precisely what we did today. All because fang mentioned “I want to eat baked beans” yesterday.. and our idea boomed into a full meal cooked by us two. We don’t have a stove at work, just a fridge, a microwave, and a toaster. And about an hour to go out to do grocery shopping AND prepare the meal for everyone. So we had time constraints to work with k. Not easy! Haha.. but we did it!! Look at our lunch today… (note the time: we finished cooking just before planned schedule of 1pm!)

I quote our manager.. “WOW! It looks like a BANQUET!” hehe..

And the chefs:

I had lots of fun today. FatSunshineClub is forever so fun to be with. Every day’s a surprise ^_^

Check out FatSunshineClub blog (also linked on my sidebar) for daily updates on our foodie adventures and foodie advices!!! ^_^

2007-01-21T23:06:00.000+08:00

“She is a stubborn girl. If she hates a person, she will hate him all her life. If she loves someone, she will love him forever.”

Is that a good or bad thing?

***

I MET JUEQI TODAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Not the “bang into her at science” kind of thing.. but we forked out time to have lunch together!!!!! I miss those times I ate breakfast/lunch/dinner/supper with her in hall… I really miss hall… but we all have to move on.. and I am really glad that I’ve brought this friendship out of hall as we move on in life. ^_^

It was a long chat.. not like time would ever be enough for me to talk to this favourite ‘mama’ of mine, but I had a fantastic time. Oh! She was so nice to bring me around and intro to me the engine canteen too!! Haha.. I had told her I hadn’t eaten in NUS canteen for ages (and by that I mean YEARS).. so she kindly intro-ed me the place, and I had really yummy Indonesian food. Engin canteen sure has changed a lot, since the last time I ate there in 2003, before I entered NUS! Yes, it was that long ago. XD

And I must mention (And remember) how sweet JQ was.. it was raining.. and she specially walked me to the busstop even though the pathway was ‘sheltered’ (but rain splashed all the way in from the sides), and she risked getting wet. Little action of walking me a few metres more with her umbrella, but I felt so loved by her. ^_^

Love you, jq~ Take care and hope we meet soon again!! *muackz*

(oh, and did I mention? So far JQ has been the one and only person who has been able to decipher my msn nick spot on at first try. ^_^)

Me and my indonesian food.

The 2 single eyelid gals. Are you sure we look alike?

2007-01-18T22:23:00.000+08:00

And that marks the end of my 5-day mute-stint. I must say it has been the most entertaining as yet (besides hand signing to bargain in a game of monopoly, and the voiceless screaming at my favourite Flavor Flaaaaaave season finale). Here are some things that happened:

I went to work despite having no voice. Yeah, no experiments to do, but I had things to discuss with my boss. DISCUSS? Yeah. How did I do it? By paper and pen. Really. My boss was so amused when I told her I was still going for the dinner and dance that night. Colleagues also commented that besides the lack of a voice, I looked pretty much ‘in the pink of health’.

After work, I left early to visit the doctor’s. I went to NUS, of course. Just because it’s free. (yeah, call me a cheapo) Anyway, at the registration counter, I typed something like “I’m here to see the doctor” on my handphone, and showed it to the person at the counter. She didn’t even look at my phone, but gave me a blank stare. Then I signed to her that I had lost my voice. Then she couldn’t stop laughing. O.o

That night, I dressed up to go for my company’s dinner and dance. Yeah, I am sick and no voice. But I wanna go for DnD! So I still dressed up.. and went out to take a cab. I had it all planned out. I had written the place of the DnD, as well as my address on 2 pieces of paper, so that I can give it to the cab driver to tell him where I want to go (my home address is for the return trip after the DnD). I handed the cabby the slit of paper, and he started driving, looking abit tense. A few moments later, he looked into the rearview mirror and asked, “Sorry ah. You are…?” I bet he had wanted to ask “sorry ah. you are mute?” but was too paiseh to finish his sentence. I almost burst out luffing lah! The rest of the trip, he kept asking me questions.. like “I go by PIE ok?.. Jam ah.. are you in a rush?.. How about we try AYE?... Are you going for a dinner? A wedding dinner?...” a lot of questions, but all I could answer is yes or no. I mean.. I don’t know how to sign things like “I am in a rush to meet my friends at 630pm, but the dinner only started at 7pm, so I am sort of in a rush but if bobian it’s ok” and “no it’s not a wedding dinner, I am attending my company’s dinner and dance”. Anyway, even if I knew I how to sign all these, not everyone would be able to understand sign language.

I went to school the next day, still without a voice. It was lab. My lab partner knew I was voiceless, but the rest of the bench and the TA didn’t know. They ended up asking me a lot of questions and I could answer none of them. And my very nice lab partner did not even think of helping me explain to them that I had lost my voice. >.<>

Went to the market with my mum to eat.. and so coincidentally (I didn’t expect to meet anyone having dinner so early at 5pm too) Selin was there! I waved to her, but didn’t walk over to say hi.. coz no point lah.. no voice mah. Another time I must have looked really dao. Lucky I got to explain to her the next day. ^_^

Aiyah.. a lot a lot of things happened lah! I bumped into a lot of people I haven’t met for a long time, and I really wanted to talk to them but couldn’t! (timothy and Alicia from philly, yt hcjc junior, maoyuan hcjc senior..) And a lot of people (more than usual, it seems) just kept calling my handphone or stopping me along the streets to ask me to do surveys and stuff! And I just had to be dao and reject doing surveys, and not pick up any calls. Which is worse, to reject the call, to miss the call, or to pick up but not say a word?

Nonetheless, I had a lot of fun while being a mute. Especially during DnD. As my colleagues said, I don’t really have to talk there. Just dress up, be a vase, pose for photos. This, I did very diligently. And finished up my entire 512MB memory card in a single night. (and we had multiple cameras lor!) Here’re some photos ^_^ (the theme is masquerade, btw)

Oh.. do take a look at what I wore. Haha. My tube top is what I wore for jc prom (weilin you sure have good memory!).. the skirt was tailor-made for me for free for chijmes choir 2 yrs ago, but I quit right after so I never got to wear it til now! The necklace was bought specially for jc prom.. and only wore it that once.. those earrings.. were amongst the 31 pairs of earrings I bought for a total of 5USD! Haha.. finally got to wear them.. hehe.. for less than 20cents, they look quite nice eh? ^_^

That's my manager.. young hor????????????

My fellow hcjc senior!! from 77 too!!!! (Yifang)

I love safia..

And i do mean it. Safiaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

What greedy pigs. My worthy members of the FatSunshineClub ^_^ (That's safia, sap, bong from L-R)

Go hotel, first thing to do is to take photo in the toilet..

FatSunshineClub president, of course eye the food the first thing lah! XD

Lab photo! (notice the cute guy standing behind me?? XD)

That's my 2 bosses..

Ed, the executive director performing on the piano... he's GOOOOOOOOOOD!! *faints in admiration*

FatSunshineClub

The Rec Club... pple who organized the DnD ^_^

2007-01-17T22:25:00.000+08:00

It seems that the best time for me to ponder, is just before I sleep. Deep reflections go through my mind, and I conjure up the best phrases and best analogies ever. Yet, lazy me is always too tired to get up just to write it all down. Hence, by the time I start writing/blogging, it never sounds as good as it was the night before.

***

It’s so ironical. How we used to discuss if the group would ever meet again, if our paths would still cross when we return to our ‘old’ lives. Most would go back to their bf/gfs, and few will meet up again, he shrugged. I believed not, and said that we would all still be friends like before. It sure is unpredictable. Down the road, today, the rest of us are still friends. It is the one who thought otherwise, who is not around anymore. Irony, is the only word I can think of.

***

At times, I really do feel age getting on me. The once strong, hard-headed, all-motivated weijia is no longer around. Actually, that has happened all my life. Some things I did, I only wanted to prove myself:

· Prove that I too can play the piano (thus I quit after I completed grade 8)

· Prove that I am capable of winning others with 6-7 years of training, with my limited 2 years of training (thus I quit after I won the national ladies’ Go competition)

· Prove that I, as a student who had to appeal to get into the school, can do as well as others who were accepted via true grades (thus I graduated with a perfect score of 9A1s and the Raffles’ Top Scholar Award)

· Prove that I, as a normal student learning thai2, can do better than others who had working experience in Thailand; had thai girlfriends; have thai wife (thus I completed the module as one of the top students with A+)

· Prove that I can still do well in NUS without their sucky system (thus I fought until I made it to the Dean’s list)

There were so many more examples. But I guess Dean’s list was my peak. After that, my motivation was never as strong. I had lost it. I struggled to keep myself alive. Telling myself to prove to others that I can do it despite the current circumstances, no longer worked. It was no longer enough.

Now, whenever I meet with trouble, I am not able to pick myself up as before and say “HUH! Who do they think they are? I will prove to them that even without what I requested from them, I can still do as well. Or even better! They will notice me and regret their decision!” Instead, I break down whenever I face with obstacles, and I depend so heavily on people around me to help me. (One good thing, though, is that I turn to God more often) Yet, I still feel like I seem so much like a weakling now. I had known that those strong-headed days would not last, but I never expected the drop to be so drastic, and that I would be left with so little fighting spirit. What a contrast. I am not used to the weijia I know now. Do you?

2007-01-16T17:34:00.000+08:00

The first French lesson started today. The teacher picked me first, and asked me..

"vous parlez anglais ?"

(meaning you speak english? )

i dunno anything.. so i tot he was asking something abt anglais.. i only noe anglais is some other country/language coz it was in the list of vocab we learnt earlier, with "italien and francais"

But i was forced to answer... (in language class, regardless of whether you know the answer or not, you have to try.. so try I did..)

So i said

"non...je ne parle par anglais. je parle singaporeine"

(thinking I was saying something like “no, I am not from anglais country. I am Singaporean”)

Then he replied

"VERY GOOD! Please repeat, louder for the class”

Then I stunned. I dun understand what I myself was saying, how come he say very good??!? And he still asked me to repeat!!

The class went on, and I listened to how the other people replied.. and I figured out..

(actual meaning of what I said: “no, I don’t speak English. I speak singlish”)

>.<

2007-01-13T20:58:00.000+08:00

** Chestnutties’ First Year Anniversary~ **

Our 2^nd outing together in Singapore (the first being the first time we met, at Munchie Monkey’s Café in NUS.. 2005) was at Bukit Timah.. My territory!!!! Woohoo~~ We had decided to start our food spree at the famous bukit timah market!!! ^_^

Actually they should be more excited about the food (and the process of ordering in CHINESE and HOKKIEN..hee) than me, since they’re the ones who’d arrived in Singapore for as short as 8 hours. For me, I was utterly excited about seeing my dear housemates once again!! And Cyclops (pacey’s DSLR) tagging along all the time!! ^_^ I had great fun chatting, joking, having fun with them.. it was as if we never parted ways before!

The reunion of the Sexiest Man Alive (runner up) and the Next Top Model.

Us looking for food

Ah! Our favourite carrot cake!

After Bukit Timah Market, we made our way to.. Venezia!! Yum.. icecream.. we bought a tub and sat in Coffee Bean to have a drink. Typical CEO of the family simply couldn’t resist reading the newspaper. How CEO-like. After that, busy CEO left to celebrate his bdae with mrs. CEO… while the rest of us went on to find our afternoon activity.

Look at the number of photos pacey took of CEO before he left.

And more of CEO.. brokeback shots of him and arzhou.. I believe these are shots taken with jealousy..

But then again, pacey seems to have a liking for Alvin too!

Eh.. but then.. Alvin and cat….

What a confusing bunch of people!! >.<

Since they refused to pay to hear pacey sing (1 yr free worth of it.. who wants to pay now? Haha) we decided to play pool. 2 places closed down… another 2 places full… ARGH. We were melting in the hot hot sun.. (poor guys who just returned from WINTER philly) we made our way to Holland V’s settler’s café.. which was.. FULL. Double argh!! Just our day. By then, we were abit sianz already.. too hot! We only asked for aircon and a place to sit down le.. so we decided to go Adrian’s house. (now, that can’t possibly be full or closed, right?) Pity Pacey dumped us to find his hallmates.. left 4 of us..

But 4 is actually quite a good number. We played BRIDGE! Whoaaa… the last time I played bridge was also with them lor! But in philly! haha.. I miss it so much… not like I’m very good at the game.. but I’m very good at calling partner.. always end up partnering the one who helps me win… LOL

Then Adrian brought out a silver briefcase.. DEAL OR NO DEAL!! WHOAA… of course must play!! Hehe.. Cat had tried tt game before.. and she won a million dollars!! So of course let her try her luck again.. end up the first game she got $5!!!! XD Okok.. we rushed her through the game and didn’t let her choose ‘DEAL’.. but still.. her briefcase really held very little money. Then it was my turn. There’s not much tactic to this game what. So I simply opened up the cards really fast… end up… I was left with only $1000!!!! Grrr.. Next Alvin got to play. He very careful one. Slowly pick the cards to open.. And his luck very good lor… very exciting.. he won $400,000 lah!!!! Grr… how can his luck be so good?? Cannot cannot.. of course must try again.. Cat’s turn again.. let her xian2 yu2 fan1 shen1 (make a comeback). And true enough, she did. She got $75,000! (her briefcase held only 1 penny.. but she made a smart choice!) Grr.. why all of them can get so much one.. I purposely chose the same briefcase as Cat. I’m sure this time number 19 would hold much more than 1 penny. Hehe. And I decided to try their method. Pick slowly. As if that would lead me to choosing the smaller values to eliminate. Hmm. But really leh. I eliminated all the way until I was left with $300,000 or $400,000!! Whoaa… Either way I also win a lot le lah!! So I remained faithful to my briefcase number 19… and I won $400,000!!!! WOOHOO!! Cat’s number 19 was 1 penny, while mine was $400,000!!!! FOREVER 19 rulez!!!! ^_^

Haha.. we were so excited about the game, we forgot the time. It was like 7 plus le lor! Dinner time!! Adrian brought us to eat yummy claypot.. and the famous flat otah (I never see before leh.. looks abit like stingray to me.. hehe).. whoaaaaa SUPER NICE lah!!! Mushy mushy and not overcooked til hard hard one.. yum~~ Only thing is tt the price is abit steep lah.. $7 per plate.. I think $5 would be ideal.. Nonetheless.. it was GOOD FOOD. ^_^

We walk walked around abit more.. and really nowhere to entertain ourselves. Everywhere was packed on a Saturday. And Singapore.. is way too boring. Haha. But still, it was a really nice day spent with them. Our First Year Anniversary. ^_^

(argh. Forgot to take group photo)

2007-01-10T11:15:00.000+08:00

Been having sorethroat for so many days.. hanging in there, gorging myself with vitaminC, hoping it wouldn’t become full blown. However, in the end, I still fell sick. Alas, the final pillar at work.. fallen too. 2 nights in the row where I cannot sleep due to a terribly sore throat. Can’t breathe, can’t swallow. And for the first time in 2 months, the sight of food does not excite me. (that poor tapeworm in me..)

Tomorrow’s GIS’ Dinner and Dance.. and today I just had to wake up with totally NO VOICE!! Bobian, take leave coz there’s no point going for a discussion at work when I cannot speak. Good too. I realize that everyone’s been taking year-end leave and resting at home, while I had not taken a single day off! Time to rest. And start writing again. I love writing. Haha. Think I write so much, that even my sister comments in her blog that my 2006 summary was super detailed. Of course detailed lah. I spend more time writing. Still got my novelette that I stopped writing. Maybe one day I will continue on that again.

***

I keep forgetting to blog about my new year’s lunch.. my mum got this really great deal.. of a 10-course meal at some Chinese restaurant, for just $16!! Of course I went lah! Hehe.. food was not too bad (though not as good as the 10-course dinner I had tt nite! Aunt’s treat.. hee~)

The meal was so cheap coz it’s partially sponsored lah.. thus we were put through some presentations.. which was made by a really cute policeman!!! Haha.. okok.. not say very cute.. but he’s one of the very few people below the age of 50 over there.. haha.. yeah.. it was mainly some old folks thingie lah (but not as old as the other event I went in 2005, the Grandparent’s Day.. whoahaha tt one I was the only youngster man!).. most of the event consisted of people performing and singing ktv.. I served as an unofficial photographer for my mum’s friends.. while the official photographer just kept taking sneaky shots of me (of course I took revenge!)

Here are some of the people singing..

This is my mum!

Shots taken by the photographer..

And the ‘revenge photo’.. hehe

The ‘finale’ was something impromptu.. the people were so onz about singing ktv they wanted to sing even though they hadn’t registered before hand! This one lucky guy got to sing, coz he represented some CC that was part of the organizing committee.. he sang lao2 shu3 ai4 da4 mi3!! Haha.. and so cute lor.. the moment he started singing, many other old folks stood up and started dancing along with the music! Yes, DANCING!! I simply had to tape that down.. here’s one of the videos.. hehe~

2007-01-07T12:20:00.000+08:00

She had parents deep in debt. She started working in order to lighten the financial load on her parents. At the same time, she contributed to the family fund with her hard-earned money. She scrimped and saved so that she could play the role of a filial daughter, and to be able to contribute as part of the family during the crisis.

She, too, had parents deep in debt. She found jobs and worked hard so that the family did not have to support her. However, she did not see the need to help her parents with the debt with this money. To her, the fact that she was almost self-sufficient was already helping her family by lightening their load. She lived like a rich kid, buying unnecessary things and enjoying her life.

Which is better? Is there a right or a wrong? Which would you choose to do if you were in this situation? Be the filial child who has to sacrifice some enjoyments in life, or be the one who lives a happy but separate life from her family?

***

“I am so disappointed in you, weijia. What FatSunshineClub president. You’re not even fat!”

You just haven’t seen how I was before this. (And, most of the time, whether I gain or lose weight, few people notice.) I had turned all weak and developed sunken cheeks. Even I was so shocked with myself. Thus my resolution to gain back weight and look healthy again. With the subsequent founding of FatSunshineClub, I have successfully gained 5kg over the past 2 months k! I rightly reign as the president of this club. ^_^

***

“Why do you like traveling to places with more mountains and valleys, waterfalls and deserts, instead of the cities?”

Because I like nature. Earth, untouched by humans, raw from God’s hands. This must have been so beautiful a place, before it became corrupted with sinful men.

He left me with this verse:

“…He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away…” Revelations 21:4

I cannot wait for that day to come. No more unhappiness, no more tears.. This hope that we have. ^_^

2007-01-06T22:40:00.000+08:00

** HAPPY 1^ST YEAR ANNIVERSARY, CHESTNUTTIES!! **

Time really flies. It’s been one full year since our paths first crossed at the Singapore Changi Airport. A journey to the United States, a year that I believe was the year each one of us experienced the most, grew the most and learnt the most. Today, we met up to celebrate our first YEAR anniversary. THE CHESTNUTTIES. It’s been more than 7 months since I last saw them, but it felt like we never parted before. I love them. Will write a full post on our exciting (and HOT) day when I get the photos. ^_^ I love Cyclops and the shutter happy people. ^_^

***

Have been reading through some of my past blog posts and diary posts.. simply felt like reading what I wrote last time to see how much I have changed. And sure enough, I have changed by quite a bit. Ever since the start of trials in 2003, I had been changing and growing tremendously. There are also so many feelings and thoughts I had forgotten they had once gone through my mind. Simply reminds me that I am not experiencing all these the first time. I am simply walking through it in a different manner.

Written in July, 2003:

“it's been a turbulent month, an eventful year, full of ups and downs, just like a roller coaster... i can't say that it's been super enjoyable like in JC2, always happy and high; nor has it been a yr full of troubles and sorrow... but everything's just mixed up.. all the happiness and all the worries, all messed up together, just like rojak.. i dunno how i should feel... but i choose to focus on the joyful times, to count my blessings. I'm just so relieved that I'm not in all these alone. I'm growing up, experiencing so many things, with my friends and family. And most of all, I've got the Lord to walk through it all with me. I know that He's always there for me. Always. “

That was still the beginning, and I was still so very optimistic. That’s how I was most of the time. However, there is a limit to what I can take alone. There is a finite amount of optimism you can have amidst trials that simply come wave after wave.

I realized I had gone through a lot then. So young, and so poor thing. I had a delayed onset of the aftermath. I had chosen to keep everything to myself and walk through it alone. However, God didn’t let that happen. Even when I refused to reveal anything (or even let anyone guess there was anything wrong), He made sure I had a lot of friends around to support me and walk with me through it all, even when they didn’t know anything. Sometimes, presence is simply enough. I remember all the times my hall friends, tong, weilin, siwen and my church friends actually kept me alive.

I saw how it started developing too. The fear. The phobia. The slow, torturous growth of what seemed like a tumor right in the heart. The tumor that just kept growing and was never removed until many years later. Yet, I think the tumor is malignant. It has spread and can never be fully eradicated simply by surgery. Remnants of it will remain in me forever.

There are some things that are hard to change. I had gone through it before, and learnt through experience, yet I feel so tempted to choose the first path again. I know it hurt me before, but I still believe there can be a good ending too. I don’t know if I am being naïve here, but I refuse to release this hope. I can already feel the effects, but I am still in a dilemma as to whether I should listen to weilin’s advice 3 yrs ago once again.

Each SMS was like a stab in the heart. Maybe it is good I have lost the habit of SMS-ing so often now. It also forces me to tend towards walking the path that weilin adviced. Maybe I really should just forget about it and walk the easier path. Maybe I should just stop trying, and stop treasuring friendships so much. I can feel the warning pain if I chose the old path again. It hurts terribly, even if it was only a warning. But I know things are only going to get better. It’s a roller coaster ride, as I described it. I’ve been to the bottom, thus I should be moving rapidly to the top soon. ^_^

Birth of a brand new weijia, coming soon in 2007! Stay tuned ^_^

2007-01-06T00:33:00.000+08:00

Thanks all for the concern. I’ve finally settled it all. I bugged the professors (and I mean it. Repeated emails, phone calls, and even personal visits) and even refused to let them go for afternoon tea/wake up late/go for lunch until they relented. Hehe. Persistence wins. And I must say, this may all be a blessing in disguise after all. I got Medical Microbiology (MM) and Systems Neurobiology (SN). These are not the modules I had bid for, as I did not meet the prerequisites for these modules. MM and SN are the modules tt I had been interested to take since year 2, which explains why I am in this major right now. But as chance would have it, both had prerequisites that were only offered in the semester I went on exchange, and Penn did not offer such modules in the semester I was there. Weighing me desire for modules/exchange, I decided to forego the 2 modules and chose to go ahead with my exchange instead. After so much hassle, I am back to taking these 2 modules again, with the prerequisites waivered!! ^_^ So instead of the 2 boring modules I had initially tried bidding for, I now have 2 super exciting modules!! Praise the Lord!! ^_^

I had 4 modules to choose (to beg the professors), and I didn’t know which ones to beg first. The first one was pretty easy, with my not-so-bad results. But the other 3 modules (I needed 1 more) had very stubborn professors, who tried to push the responsibility to each other, making me call and visit up to 10 professors. There came a point when all of a sudden, all professors stopped picking up my calls. I suspected they were in a conspiracy, refusing to pick up the phone whenever they saw the number 987***** on their caller’s ID. I sat alone outside LT25, repeatedly calling each professor every 5 minutes. It was coming close to 1130am, and soon the professors would be out for lunch and that would mean me waiting in school for another 2-3 hours. I gave up, and sat there eating my chicken porridge. I stopped calling professors in repeated cycles. Instead, I prayed.. Lord, let the module you want me to take, be the professor who sees my missed-call and returns the call first. Sure enough, the moment I finished the last spoonful of porridge, the module coordinator of SN called, and I managed to convince him to meet me face-to-face for a discussion. I knew then, that SN would be my 2^nd module I take this semester. ^_^

Thanks to Ronald for being so encouraging and making sure I did not give up. Thanks for offering to write the letter and helping to read through it. Thanks to my sis and the rest of my CG mates (ziping, vivi, lyn..) for keeping me in prayers and reminding me that everything will work out with Him in control. Indeed.

And because of this hassle, I had taken the day off just to ‘visit professors’. So after settling my modules, I felt so relieved, I went for lunch (AGAIN, but this time a better lunch) and then shopping at vivocity with my mum!! ^_^ Finally, my chance to shop there. I had only gone there once when the Doulos ship was in Singapore, but didn’t get to walk around. I had told myself I would take 1 day off during my holidays to shop there, but was too caught up at work and I forgot. FINALLY, I got to shop there on my LAST day of school holidays!! ^_^ Retail therapy is so shiok. Luckily I kept to my ‘principle’ of buying nothing tt costs more than $20, so I barely spent more than $100. (if I didn’t have tt kind of budget, I’d prolly have spent a 4 digit sum ok!!) Anyway.. it’s a happy day in the end. Rainbow after a storm~ ^_^

2007-01-04T22:30:00.000+08:00

I only want to graduate. Is that a lot to ask for?

2007-01-03T20:35:00.000+08:00

They were happily married. She gave up everything just to follow him and to be where he went. Yet, she later found out that he was having an affair. They divorced, and the husband got together with the new girl. The ex-wife did not make a big fuss out of the affair, but only requested the man to introduce the girl to her. She was very nice to the girl, and even asked her out like a close sister. Each time I saw her smile, I told myself, ‘she must have something up her sleeves. She cannot possibly be so nice to the girl who stole her husband.’ Time passed, and still nothing was wrong except for the over-nice behavior to someone who had put an end to her happiness. One day, she got drunk, and she revealed that she still loved her ex-husband, and that she was able to let him go, simply because she just wanted him to be happy.

The story has come to an end, and all along she truly being nice to the couple, with no evil plans up her sleeves. Is being so nice so unbelievable? I cannot understand how I suspected her as well, for wasn’t what she did similar to what I had done long ago? If I was capable of being so nice, and yet I doubted her, would I have doubted myself too? It seemed too nice to be human. That’s all. Is the world so corrupted that we cannot even innocently believe in something good?

It’s time I found back my old innocent self. The me who once believed everything was possible.

***

It’s really tiring. I made an effort, a big effort to love everything. I made sure I went to work daily with a smile. I convinced myself I liked where I am now. I even managed to change my mind to think that NUS wasn’t so bad after all. Yet, there has a limit to everything you can bear with. And it doesn’t help that they find trouble for you at every little thing they can lay their hands on. Cheat me of my money, I can willingly give it to you if it makes you happy. But not only are you eyeing my money, you took away my time, my life; my feelings, my sanity. I think I finally truly understand what hatred feels like.

2006-12-31T00:02:00.000+08:00

** Good bye 2006. Hello 2007 **

Here’s my complete year’s summary/reflections. Of course, there’s less detail for jan-may coz I’ve already done a summary earlier. More of thoughts and reflections..

Everything is listed in chronological order (even the events within the months).. but I shall not indicate the date this time round. Something special though… I’ve included a representative quote for each month.. ^_^

January

-Left my home for 20 years in bukit timah, for good. It was hard, but I have to move on. And I must say, what happened the next 5 months helped me greatly in learning to settle in new environments.

-I learnt to let go of all unhappiness that had happened back in Singapore the year before, and I moved on.

-school and life can never be more exciting. Everything popping out of the movies.. from people to buildings to teachers to food to police sirens.. ^_^

-My first and last time joining a sculpturing class. Also my first (but not last) time meeting another Wendy in the States.

-Took a class where I learnt to be Mr Bean. It’s American Sign Language. ^_^ Really.. we learnt from a teacher who really cannot hear not speak.. yet we can joke around and understand everything he says, even if u tie up his hands!!

-Friday the 13^th, The birth of the Chestnutties. 6 of us, just like F.R.I.E.N.D.S.

-“An almost funnily serious, workaholic CEO; a playful yet fatherly beng; a blur and cute tai tai; an almost-muscular, super kiasu, baker; a tall, smart, and out going ‘girl-next-door’; and an Artist-wanna-be. That combination alone suggested one word: ‘dysfunctional’.”

February

-Realization that in US, they don’t see service as SERVING people, unlike in Singapore. A smile cannot be taken for granted, and after 1 month of not seeing many smiles, a lady at the post office simply made my day. Yet, the range of services available are so much wider.. like not only can I borrow books from my Penn library, I can borrow books from many other colleges in US, and they will ship the books to me, FREE! How cool is that?

-Starting to fall in love with American TV. Everyday is movies, reality tv etc… from morning til night. What a couch potato.. (hey I still attend classes k.. and at least 1 additional school activity almost everyday ^_^)

-“watch American shows IN AMERICA!!”

-Finally, I’ve let go of everything that had held me down before. I’ve learnt to enjoy life fully, to relax and to use all 5 senses to appreciate everything around me.

-My first time experiencing a snow storm

-Impression of a friend grew tremendously when another friend told me something.

-Accidents do happen, in a house with both guys and gals, especially where doors have no locks, and even more especially when the girls like to change in their rooms.

-I picked up sudoku, a game that kept me entertained for many months to follow

-“The skates control me, not I control the skates!!”-while iceskating in open-air skating rink

March

-What had made me have a good impression earlier on was actually not true.

-Spring Break. Our first really long road trip (1200miles!), and also the chance that allowed the few of us chestnutties to really open up and get to know one another much, much better.

-Something a friend did one day caused me to wonder why I ever knew such a friend. Utter disappointment.

-“The scenery everywhere is Windows XP-worthy!”

-It’s really a month of shocks. More shocking news came my way.

April

-My nth nightmare in philly. But this one just brought up unhappy memories, a life that I had been walking away from ever since I stepped onto American grounds. I had successfully moved on, but this nightmare simply reminded me that some things are facts in life and I can never run away from them. At least, by the time I get back, I’d be emotionally ready to face it all.

-Met my 2^nd Wendy in the States. This time, a dog.

-Saw the most beautiful night sky ever. Harmony lake, Pennsylvania. It will forever be etched in my memory.

-I learn new things everyday. And I learn even more when Sunday sermon every week (and I really mean EVERY week that I attended church) seems to be directed at me.

-“Then I heard laughter, very loud, far away laughter. I woke up. The laughter turned out to be my housemates’. Our house is really 1 big room.”

-She asked me a question that changed my perspective from then on. Maybe if she never told me I’d never have realized nor would anything have happened. But well.. life’s more exciting this way, ain’t it?

-“…Yesterday someone took someone to the circus without telling anyone in the house. Hmm, spring huh. Guess ‘something’ is in the air. What is it? Don’t know. Just feel a little weird. When gossip moves one step closer to reality, you just feel something is missing from your chest. Well, guess we will just have to look for the next gossip to come…”

May

-Getting really confused by what is happening all around me. What is He trying to say to me? What is He trying to teach me? What is His plan for me?

-Read ‘I kissed dating goodbye’ by Joshua Harris, at the Penn bookstore. No need to buy! Haha~

-Saying goodbye is always difficult. I said my goodbyes to all my international friends I made. Our last party together in Philly. When we will meet again, or even if we will ever cross paths again, is unknown.

-I was starting to miss my international friends already, and I ended up staying up hours later than usual, talking to people on msn. It was a good chat… with someone just metres away.

-Reading my own diary makes me even more confused. I thought it never happened.. but it was simply that I had forgotten it ever did happen. Shows that time really does heal.

-We finally talked, and decided that it’s best that we only decide anything when we all return to ‘the land of reality’

-The long trip away, made me experience how it feels to miss home. Yet, the home I missed was not my home in Singapore, but my Chestnut home. But it was also during this trip that I was able to get answers to my confused state of mind (or so I thought).

-An idea popped into my mind. An idea that everyone had been trying to drill into me for years, but never ever succeeded.

-A new dilemma. Signs that I am returning to reality soon.

-The idea became a decision.

-Admiring God’s wonderful creation, I once again wished that time would pause right there. It’s just toooooooo beautiful. Niagara falls.

-“…or at least wait for me for 7mths…”

-“…Time really flies. It’s already been 5 months. I don’t want to be sentimental about it, but I guess we are gonna miss her very much, her ‘six packs’, her fish, her little silly gifts and perhaps her smiles… Looks like the SEP boat is gonna be missed. But I guess it’s better that way. I guess, somehow, friendship always turned out to last longer and more worth it than relationship…”

-The hardest goodbye I ever said. Not just to the person sending me, but also to the wonderful place that healed my heart in 5 months.

-I didn’t know then, but my goodbye was forever.

June

-Spent the first 2 days in the air, tears flowing nonstop. I can’t help it. Neither can I believe that I am really leaving America already.

-The first few days are difficult, as I get culture shock (yeah, I am Singaporean.. but trust me.. it did happen!).

-“Absence makes the heart grow fonder” – Arzhou’s fortune cookie

-A decision made, a decision that may either put me in trouble 1 yr later, or would determine my life for the next 10 years.

-Thanks to jinghui, I finally started working on the decision I made a couple of weeks back.

-I hadn’t felt this way in years. I can’t help it.. I know I shouldn’t, but I couldn’t help it..

-I finally succumbed to using the word. It’s not a big deal to you all, but it was my own principle, I didn’t want to do that unless necessary.. and ‘unfortunately’, I felt it was necessary then. It was to bring back a smile to a sad face.

-Up to 8 hours on MSN a day is not uncommon. I even plan my days so that I usually leave only after about 1pm and reach home before 840pm.

-I started watching bleach. (also stopped at episode 55 soon after, as requested. Never to finish the anime)

-Went for JUMP for the first time in a year. Such feeling of closeness and energy around fellow brothers and sisters had been long forgotten. I also managed to share some US photos with some of them ^_^

-First day of work at GIS. The day I met the colleagues that would walk me through tough times later on.

July

-OT-ing like crazy at work

-Watched the most special world cup game ever. Brazil vs France. On skype. Whoahaha~

-Living my 2^nd month in virtual reality.

-“It’s better now than later”…I did not say it in person but on msn, but still I almost cried.

-First outing with my colleagues! Durian party cum dinner at Geylang! It’s my first time there since I remember..

-birth of my CG, Footprints~

-It’s really difficult doing it alone, especially when I didn’t have any liking for it. It was only with the strong motivation that kept me going all the way. I enjoyed the process.. though it would have been so much easier if I hadn’t intended to keep it a secret.. ^_^

-Start of insomnia. The longest stretch of it ever.

-Met my hcjc classmates! Singing ktv with them after 3 yrs, felt really nostalgic. Felt abit weird too.. And I was reminded of what a wonderful voice he had

August

-RGS class outing after 6 years!

-Work is starting to pile up, even before the school semester begins.

-School starts, against my wishes. Had to juggle work and school, was so tired out. Not used to being busy from early morning til late at night, I said some wrong things and I neglected some people.

-Another thing to add to the list of crazy things I can do, as long as there is a strong motivation overlying it.

-Once again, I said things that I didn’t mean, but still forced myself to say them. It’s better now than later…

-She told me, but I didn’t do anything about it.

-“…people should be optimistic but at the same time realistic... There is no point in fooling yourself..”

September

-School and work continued to weigh me down, and I actually neglected having a good chat.

-Disturbing nightmare, just like the one I had almost a year ago.

-Helped a lady and ended up making a friend from geylang.

-“It’s a fairy tale. Complete with love and all. That’s how I’ve decided to place it as of today. A fairy tale, together with the rest of the dream”

-My mind fails to control my heart this time round.

-Unable to move on, I end up having a severe lack of sleep.. even forgot my mum when we went shopping together!

-losing my mind. I need help.

October

-CG, sermons.. all tell me not to withhold anymore. I needed help, and the only way to do so was to open up.

-Struggling to keep sane, I decided to remove everything from my sight.

-Drowning in school work actually kept me from losing my sanity

-I deleted it. That was the final straw. It was for my own good.

-I’d been living by faith. A promise of 7 months I still made sure I kept, and I thought the other end would do the same too. No matter what I saw, I dismissed it with the ‘benefit of doubt’. Until it was expressed too clearly in words.

-Hitting rock bottom, I finally opened up and talked. Noone knew what I was exactly talking about.. but at least we talked. I felt so much better.

-Realized I was just fooling myself. I needed to get to the bottom of everything. I wrote, but I never published it. Planned to do it only after my exams. In the meanwhile, I started on writing my 50,000 word novelette, just to pen down all my thoughts and to keep myself sane.

-I celebrated so much, but it was my most unhappy bdae this year.

-End of my reign as sudoku queen.

-I moved from gorging with food to feeling nauseous at the mere thought of it.

-I was stuck at the bottom of the pit, until I clarified things. Thanks lin, for walking me through everything. I decided to push forward the ‘date of publishing’.

- Sunshine? Sun no longer shines. Only darkness remains.

November

-“I still think you made the right decision..” thanks vivi. It didn’t make sense then, but I’m beginning to see it now.

-“…you have passed the test that God has allowed you to go through…” I disagreed at that time actually. It was way too difficult for me.

-Everything around me had a link. It was impossible to forget totally.

-Birth of FatSunshineClub. The child of my misery, but also the healer of it.

-The toughest month I’ve had this year. Thrown myself into a deep pit, and have to pick myself up. The wounds hurt like crazy.

-Back to listening to podcast sermons from GCC (grace covenant church) in philly.

-I started going back to work more regularly. Even on days I had nothing to do, I still went, for I knew that over there, I could always find company. And I knew that it was only with such company that I would be able to endure this path.

-I slowly felt my life coming back to me. Finally, I am really living Singaporean life like a normal me. I was finally watching more tv and spending less time in front of my laptop. I was moving out of virtual reality.

-Finally, the end of my insomnia. 4 months of it. Crazy.

-End of starving myself. I am back to gorging myself with food. Who cares about getting fat. I am president of FatSunshineClub after all.

-“Thank you Wendy. Well done. You are a prospective scientist!”

-“Remind me that I am too blessed to be depressed”.

-My first time celebrating Thanksgiving.. with FatSunshineClub, of course. ^_^

December

-The end of exams. The end of the toughest semester ever.

-Met some temasek hall friends after a couple of years!

-After an entire school semester of taking time off, I am back to complete the task I had taken up when I first landed in Singapore again this year. My most expensive investment of the year. Yet another perfect closure. Though I didn’t like it at all, the fact that I managed to make it so perfect gave me a sense of satisfaction nonetheless. And I have to admit it isn’t that useless.. I am confident I will be able to use it one day! ^_^

-Cut away the hair that I had been keeping for so long. One of the most significant cuts I ever had. Haha~

-I finally felt like a human, for the first time in Singapore. It still hurts from time to time, but I am very sure it is healing. ^_^

-I realize I do a lot of things according to my mood. For example my eating habits… I indulge in comfort eating, but I also eat more when I’m happy. Celebration eating. Shopping too. I tend to shop more when I’m happy. I hadn’t shopped for a couple of months. But I have started buying things for myself again! The art of bargaining! I’m a pro okay.

-It’s all coming back to me. The smiles. The enthusiasm. I chat with anyone anywhere again-- from cab drivers to stall owners to passersby to the cashier to personal trainers at the gym. Spread the joy, it is festive season. ^_^

-“You’re a qian1 mian4 nu2 lang2 (thousand face girl)”

-“You never do anything right the first time round”

This is the year in my life where I traveled the most, learnt the most, experienced the most happiness, braced the hardest pain, made the most friends, grew the most. Although there were very high ups and very dark moments, I will still not want to change anything much from what happened this year. (Maybe just one tiny part. Maybe just delay it a little.. but that’s all I want to change. Whether it would have made a difference is another matter..) I want to thank God for everything that has happened this year. 2007 can only be a better year. ^_^

New Year Resolutions 2005 (this is last yr’s resolution)

1. To be clearer abt things around me instead of the current confused, semi-conscious state. There are alot of things i told my friends this year, that aren't true. Or might not be true. I dunno what i was saying, even til now i dunno if what i said was real or my own imagination. even the things/people closest to my life, i also dun really know what's happening, and what's the reason behind it. So maybe you all should just ignore what i told you all.

2. To be more sensitive and tactful. I realised only in December that I hadn’t been very tactful with the way I dealt with things and people, esp in the 2^nd half of the year. I was so busy juggling so many things I neglected a lot of things I wished I never did so.

3. Once again, to fork out more time for friends. I dunno if it was just me this yr, but seems like everyone was so busy, we stopped going out after service on Sundays. I stopped playing bball totally. I really miss those days of lunching together, bball together, BnJ together, movies together, stayovers together. This happened in 2003 when I got so busy with uni life, but I made a resolution in 2004 to do better and I did. However, 2005 I made the same mistake again, and now I’m making it a resolution in 2006. This cycle is not desirable.. maybe I should just keep tt as a permanent resolution. ^_^

4. To be regular with my QT. I hope I can find a good church to attend at Philadelphia.

Did I do it?

I was so alert this year, so smart and so able to detect things around me that noone would ever believe. Yet, even though I knew things, I didn’t always let people know that I was aware of it, and neither did I always speak from the bottom of my heart. In this way, I still have room for improvement.
Being away for exchange, I had less things to juggle and I managed to do things I wanted to. But I still wasn’t sensitive/tactful in 100% of the people I faced. I still failed to a few, and I am truly apologetic towards these people.
Didn’t manage to maintain relationships that well while I was on exchange. Drifted away from many. Yet, I am pretty satisfied with the amount of gatherings and catching-ups I did after I returned. And I have managed to maintain contact with many other friends I made while overseas. AND, I re-found many other friends whom I had lost touch with for years! ^_^
Much more regular with my QT this year. Indeed, God led me to a good church in Philly.

New Year Resolutions 2006

To dedicate my heart and my soul into completing my honors year project. 2007 will be a better year. I cannot waste tax-payers’ money anymore.
To pick up a few more skills before I graduate. I will make my life as fulfilling as can be. ^_^
Further improve on speaking my mind. Maybe I should learn to care less, think less, and just speak without thinking. Ok.. maybe that’s exaggerating.. but seriously, sometimes I think too much. I should be a little bit more impulsive.
To grow spiritually. I need to equip myself with better knowledge of the Word.
Time to move on. I experience, I fall, I learn, I pick up myself.. now it’s time to let go and move on. The prayer 4 years ago has been answered (and still being answered). Answered to an extent I myself never expected. All that I have gone through thus far has helped me grow as a person, but at the same time, I cannot let it hold me down. In 2007, I shall leave behind all the negative memories since 2003 and move on only with the lessons learnt.

2006-12-30T10:53:00.000+08:00

I watched a show yesterday. It said “..XXX types of girls will tend to meet only bad guys. Coz only bad guys will be persistent enough. Good guys usually give up after 1-2 rejections…”

XXX refers to lack of self confidence, lack of faith in love, practitioner of playing hard-to-get…

And guess which of that list belongs to me? It’s time I changed.. I don’t want bad guys… >.<

***

NUS hates me. See the problems I had EVERY semester in NUS thus far:

Year 1 Semester 1—They did not believe I was a JC graduate and that I had met the requirements of entering NUS science.

Year 1 Semester 2—I was seen as amongst the “too many life science students” and thus was rejected the chance to take any life science modules that semester (ended up taking maths, physics, computing, thai language and geography)

Year 2 Semester 1—Once again not allowed to take life science modules. I stood up for myself and found myself getting into a quarrel face to face with a few professors. (I didn’t get to do the module in the end either)

Year 2 Semester 2—Had to travel to dean’s office for the umpteenth time due to admin problems with my successful exchange application.

Year 3 Semester 1—Half a year later, the school wanted me to re-apply for my exchange, even though I had already gotten my place and had settled the admin stuff half a year ago. “for admin purposes”, they said. Thus I had to re-apply, just because.

Year 3 Semester 2—They didn’t let me off even while I was overseas. I was trying to settle my honors year project for NINE WHOLE MONTHS with noone to entertain my plead. Ask weilin! Even asking my friends to go down personally also no use. NUS staff seems to be non-existent. “too busy”, she replied. OH yeah. Too busy for 9 months to reply ONE email.

Year 4 Semester 1—The school did not believe that I was eligible for taking honors. Now now, the minimum CAP requirement for honors is 3.5, while mine was 4.46. Isn’t that obviously more than 3.5, or is the difference so insignificant that it takes them months to realize 4.46 is bigger than 3.5? And... the minimal accumulated modular credits should be 120MC. I had accumulated 130MC. Isn’t that easily bigger than 120 as well? BAH.

Year 4 Semester 2—Not allowed to take my graduating modules again. Now what? Don’t graduate? Pay more money just because they took in more students than they can handle?

2006-12-28T23:24:00.000+08:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY BROTHER!!! He’s a lucky chap. My dad’s only confirmed home for his bdae celebration (coz Christmas period mah).. Doesn’t seem like it to me.. but he’s 17already!! So fast.. hee~

The haven’t-wake-up-look

Yummy double brownie cheese cake!! YUM~

Bdae boy

Family shot ^_^

Cheesecake was really hard!

Caught eating.. haha

And some photos from Singapore Garden Festival. I wasn’t too keen on it since I’d already been to the original Philadelphia Flower Show.. but someone’s presence there made me wanna go.. haha.. so I paid $3 to go in (cheap cheap! Student’s price mah~) It was really quite disappointing.. so small, not very pretty… but at least, the songs at the end made the trip worthwhile.

And yes, this is the guy who made me change my mind and go there, just to see him perform.

Listen to all his carols here! (each word is a diff link.. haha)

Heez.. lazy to blog.. daddy’s back and I’m watching more tv.. hehe.. anyway.. Christmas was great!! Concert, then caroling, then stayover. ^_^ I’ll let the pictures do the talking ^_^ (dunno why.. rev yap said I looked like a jap star, and many others said I look like some Korean star.. haha.. *shrug*)

Me and leon in the bus. (and this picture created lots of buzzzzzzzz. Must be the festive season. Everyone so high)

Some of us at the first house we caroled at

And guess who I met at that first house? My own dad!! Rotfl

Not to mention, uncle SH who was also there! He’s so cute.. we took that photo and he claimed (in front of rev yap)I was his new gf… faint… his daughter is my age can! >.<

That’s me and my prayer buddy..

And the bottle she gave me! So nice can!!!!!! Thx gal~ ^_^(It says 'Jesus Christ, Light of the World)

Jiayun brought her friend.. Edwin the policeman!! (some of u will understand why I made sure I took a photo with him.. haha)

The gals at the last house.. with all the fooooooooood. YUM~

Finally, a complete CG shot!! ^_^ nice photo, thanks to good photographer, edwin

And just more photos.. hee~

2006-12-23T14:33:00.000+08:00

Daddy’s back! It always seems like eons from the last time he returned home. And he bought me a lot of things!! A really cute laser pointer with different shapes.. and tonnes of dvds!! Lalallaa~ everyday watch movie le lah!! And I told him to buy me more dance movies.. guess what he got me? Amongst them, Dirty Dancing!! And Take the Lead!! Woohoo~~ lots and lots of good movies lah… I love my dad ^_^

I went to the gym today with fang. No, not to run. The biopolis gym is ultimate coolness. Besides the individual tv for each machine, the gym also has a dance room, 2 pool tables, a table tennis table, and a music room!! Whoahahaa.. so being the slackers we are, we decided to play pool!! YAY~ I love it when I can find fellow lousy pool players to clown around with. Hehe. The pool isn’t free though. It’s $1. And guess what? We were so excited that we forgot we didn’t have a dollar coin, until we were standing at the pool table with the cues! How embarrassing.. cannot go home liddat mah.. come all the way le.. so.. we went to ask the gym personal trainers if they had any change. Luckily, they did have ONE! ^_^ So we inserted the coin and started playing. The table is so cool in the sense that it knows how to separate the white ball from the rest of the balls. Only the white ball will roll out if it falls in. The other balls will remain inside (thus $1 per game). That fang lah… hit the white ball in.. and.. it got STUCK!! Gosh.. so we koped the white ball from the other pool table to continue our game. And then.. it got into the same hole and got STUCK AGAIN! No more white balls! Howhowhow?? Bobian, have to go and call the personal trainers again to help. So paiseh can… want to play pool no coin, and now white ball stuck. 2 hunky guys came to check… look here look there.. then he said “I know what’s wrong!” ooh… so smart ah.. guess why the balls were stuck? The person who inserted the coin was apparently too strong.. she pushed the thing in, and it got stuck in there, causing the balls to be jammed! WHOAA… I no need to go gym le! I am the person!! WENDY IS TOO STRONG!! XD

After our game, fang’s daddy still not here to pick her up. How? No more coin.. so we just sit there and chit chat… until the personal trainers (I bet they’re BORED) came over and asked us why we never do anything!! Haha… he was so keen on entertaining us.. so in the end he made us play table tennis.. haha.. so cute lah.. where got personal trainer so free one.. but it’s fun ^_^ (just tt I don’t like him standing there and staring at us play!! So obvious that I a no table tennis player… so diu lian… I am called bing bong ping pong piang btw.. wendy’s not my name XD)

***

He said this about the video “…I kept it as real as I could, not just happy moments but also sad ones, angry ones, etc. There's an insider segment that no more than 5 people will understand, but well, it's my video, it's my artistic perspective…” I didn’t know what he meant about ‘insider segment’ and ‘sad angry moments’, until he pinpointed it to me.

“…In truths that she learned

Or in times that he cried

The bridges he burnt

Or the ways that she died…”

These are 4 lines found in “October 2006” of the 2^nd NCBV7 graduation video. The first time I watched the video, I simply wondered why he inserted these additional 4 pictures that were not taken by any of the NOC people at all. 4 foreign photos, that seemed not to belong at all. Then he told me to look at those words again. This time, I read. And I understood. 4 lines and 4 pictures, speaking a thousand words. Only a few others besides me will be able to understand these lines, and I bet they will only if they take special notice of it. He wanted to make the video as real as possible.. indeed, he did it. I wouldn’t have minded if he excluded that part actually. Even if it was a part about me (and I don’t mind starring in most of the video.. haha). Make it “not as real” a video.. I personally like happier moments to be recorded only.. but well.. it’s his video.. it’s his choice.. And I must say, I still love the videos.. just tt I felt I needed to write down these 4 lines..

***

What is FatSunshineClub without food? We’ve been eating so much lately! I’ve never felt Christmas to be more of a festive season than this year.

Fang and Bong came to my place to cook for a Christmas potluck party… we wanted to try a new recipe we just obtained.. Coney Island Chili Dog.. A&W style!! But before that, we decided to bake beef lasagna for lunch for ourselves. And of course, being the nice sister I am, I gave my brother some! Whoaa.. these people really know how to make me happy.. some quotable quotes from them:

“Ooh.. Delicious~” –Brother

“Whoa.. Very nice leh! Even nicer than what you can get outside!” –Bongbong

“Gosh! Your kitchen is the nicest smelling kitchen I’ve ever stepped in to!” – Bongbong

^_^ So you can guess how successful my lasagna was.. hee~

We had icecream from Bakin’ Boyz at work! Yum~ Hazelnut, Berry Champagne, Chocolate, and I can’t remember the last flavour.. haha

Cheesecake made by xuejing, right at work! Yes, she didn’t make it at home and bring to work.. she made it right in the pantry! How much fresher can a cake get? ^_^

And bong is into the Christmas festive mood.. she baked lots of cookies for us!

Of course, being part of a big lab, we get lots of Christmas gifts from our vendors! Here are but some of them (this is like 1 day’s worth of gifts.. we get these things everyday! Now u know why I’ve been getting headache from sugar overdose.. and I no longer crave for those expensive chocolate)

That’s us having dinner at the Biopolis Christmas carnival.. and chilling out together that night

Check out the sexy babe at the jazz band!

More yummy food we have at Lebanese restaurant at Holland V.. (yes, this it ONE meal… so much food!! Woohoo~)

Lunch at Raj.. (yes, there’s an Indian restaurant at biopolis called Raj!! Hahahah) Actually this is not what I ate.. mine much nicer.. haha.. but this is the only photo I have… lol

End or work year outing to Bugis! Billy Bombers Burgers Binge@Bugis, as fang called it. My “Lost World”.. I love HUGE meals full of beeeeeeeeeeeeeef~ ^_^

Check out the 'twins' with the same hairstyle.. hehe

A very beautiful SooKee diamond Christmas tree at bugis… Merry Christmas, one and all~

2006-12-17T23:04:00.000+08:00

What a day! Rushed here rushed there, end up spending almost $30 on cab fare!! Nownow.. how did I do that? Here’s how:

Had a family photoshoot (for free!! So of course go.. hehe) arranged from 4-6pm at boat quay, and then after tt to meet tong and bong (hmm.. it rhymes!) to go weilin’s church for an event at 630pm. That photoshoot… lasted til 645pm!! WHOAAA… I rushed like mad lor.. never even remove my makeup nor undo my hair, just flagged a cab all the way to paya lebar! Lucky 630-7pm was dinner time and event only starts at 7pm, so I wasn’t that late. I reached there at 705pm. Not bad. ^_^ I got out, and looked for bong. (Tong last minute dropped our aeroplane..grr) Here the gist of our conversation on the phone:

“Bong, I’m here. Where are you?”

“Oh! I’m in here already.”

“Ok I just entered the door. Where are you?”

“In here!”

“Where?”

“The left from the entrance!”

“WHERE? Where are you?”

“I don’t see you either!”

“There’s only 1 entrance right?”

“I go out look for you”

“Ok I meet you at the entrance”

“I’m out le”

“Bong, I’m outside already”

“I am out too!”

“Me too!”

“WHERE ON EARTH ARE YOU?”

“Bong, are we at the same church?”

“Bethany presbytarian church, right?”

“Yeah, Bethany… though mine says Bethany independent presbytarian church.. should be the same right?”

“NO! You’re at the wrong church! I’m somewhere along the same road, but on the opposite side”

Though it was just opposite, it was raining very heavily. Normally, I’d have braved the rain and ran across to find the church. But today, I had heavy makeup on (remember, photoshoot?), with my hair nicely done.. so cannot go under the rain! Later I become panda.. how to go weilin’s church liddat? So I bobian, I called a cab to bring me over.

10 minutes later, cab came. I opened the door, and before I could say anything, the cabby exclaimed..

“Why is it you again?”

And I exclaimed pitifully.. “UNCLE!! Wrong place!! I want to go Bethany Pres Church, not Bethany INDEPENDENT Pres Church! Don’t want that INDEPENDENT!!”

Where got so coincidental one? The same cabby came back to pick me up!! Haha… and he told me after he dropped me off, he sent someone else and on the way he saw another Bethany church.. that must be the one.. a few hundred metres down.. Along that few hundred metres, cabby and I were chatting and discussing how coincidental it was.. He asked me to thank God for the coincidence.. haha~

And yes, that was the lowest cab fare I’ve paid for. $2.50… just the basic fare.. plus $2.50 booking fee though. (Beat my last record of $2.80, when I got lost in city hall and ended up taking a cab from city hall mrt to Victoria concert hall. Yah yah yah.. go ahead and laught at me.. I know I always get lost..)

I took a cab home all the way from paya lebar after that.. (in case you don’t know, I live in JURONG.. the other end of the island..) So that explains all the $$$ I spent today.. but I don’t regret going.. tho tong didn’t make it in the end, it was nice finally stepping into lin’s church after hearing so much about it (and the people in it).. too bad I went late, and after tt she was busy so I din get to meet her friends.. but it was a nice performance and I had a good time laughing with bong too ^_^

***

That wasn’t the only coincidental thing that happened today. On the cab, from boat quay to paya lebar, I passed by many roads. (DUH) I was just looking out, when I saw some vaguely familiar buildings.. AH! Been here with my colleagues I think. I looked left and saw.. “GEYLANG LORONG 18”.. ahh.. the trip to eat durians with them.. ^_^ Then before I knew it, I saw the next street “LORONG 20”.. and I saw, right outside, parked a blue mazda. Won’t be so coincidental bah? I turned to check what road I was traveling along.. but cannot find.. I was ready to ask the cabby, when I saw the road name on a busstop we passed by. CONFIRM lah! Haha.. so qiao.. never would I have thought that I’d pass by this part of Singapore ever again.. and that car… only saw on photo before… first time see in real life!! Lol… Singapore is so small…

2006-12-15T00:07:00.000+08:00

A really productive day today. It started yesterday, when I was getting ready for the BIG DAY today. Haha. I knew I had to sleep early.. but my sis was not home yet (those knowing me would know I hate to sleep before my sister does.. coz she can come home late and not wake me up, but if she starts typing on her keyboard, it’s so noisy it drives me crazy!) So anyway, I still slept early coz I was really tired, and I had to take the risk and gather enough energy for the big day today. Haha. Well, i dunno what happened but my sister came home and ended up using my bro’s computer instead! (or I think she did, coz I heard her outside lah..) so nice ^_^ so I had a really peaceful sleep… all ready for everything that should happen today…

First thing in the morning, I set out, all ready for the challenge. I was pretty confident, but yet, not holding too high hopes coz I don’t like disappointment. Time flashed back and I remembered the people and the events that eventually caused me to make this decision. My most expensive investment of the year. I would never have expected myself to make this decision at any point in my life, but things do change, and people too. I did, and I took up this challenge. It was a big challenge, and really tiring, but with the motivation from why I took it up, I persevered. The motivation (and the people) have long gone, left my life for the time being. I dreaded continuing it actually, but I picked myself up just to finish what I had taken up. So glad that, so many months later, I finally completed it. Who and what I did it for no longer applies, but I do not regret doing it. A silly, rash and naïve decision actually turned out quite good. So it doesn’t matter. ^_^

(haha whoever is interested in knowing what I’m actually talking about can ask me lah.. tell u the full story if there’s time.. hee~)

After that first big thing, i took a cab to rush to my 2^nd destination for the day: Bukit Timah Plaza. Do what there? To find my “jacky cheung-looking alike” to snip off my tresses. You may say it is just a trip to the hairdresser’s.. but I just want to make it dramatic.. so.. here’s a song I like to sing whenever I cut my hair (And I’m serious abt this manz.. I really do sing it each time.. haha)

Anyway, snipping off 4 inches really meant something to me this time. I shan’t declare what (again? Haha.. ask me personally lor) but yeah… anyway I miss my long hair.. but I like my new look too. Here’re some comments I got today:

“Don’t move! Let me stare at your hair! I cannot get over it.. I simply cannot get over it..”

“You look more boyish!”

“Got fringe!!”

“You look totally like a student again”

“Cute~”

“Gosh you look flustered”

“Got cut meh? Abit ah? Trim?”

And I took photos before and after…

I will miss my long hair…

New hairstyle for a new beginning.. founder of FatSunshineClub hooray!!~

After my 2^nd task, I rushed back to biopolis to do some work.. I shan’t bore you with that.. but it was a big rush.. coz I had a lot of work to do, and I had to leave on time to my next big task of the day…. BUT, before that, I managed to find time to read some blogs and watch youtube at work. Yeah.. I kept myself from reading blogs and watching videos coz I wanted to keep myself focused on today’s big task. I had watched part of pacey’s graduation video for the NOC 7^th batch pple (and even if I’m not part of NOC, the video was much chesnutties-biased and I featured in some of it).. and I started to choke on tears the moment I saw those familiar yet distant faces.. so I stopped and told myself I’d get back to it only after today’s big task.. so here are the videos (hey! Lemme tell u secret bah… the ‘fat free milk’ scene was filmed by me!! And that car crash scene.. was taken by me even when I never met with any car accident!! Haha.. coz tt was not Miami! It’s SanFrans.. with me and steph screaming as we moved down one of the many many steep hills in SF… hee~)

Anyway, side tracked.. I watched videos, and I read all 5 blogs (all chestnutties, minus CEO who seems to have stopped writing.. too busy lah).. and I was overwhelmed with a mix of feelings.. happiness, upset, joy, disappointment, regret etcetc. I guess it was all great until I read a particular paragraph.. which didn’t even involve me, but managed to change my mood totally. Yeah, I am a silly, dumb girl (not the SMART sep gal pacey listed in the credits).. I wish I was the strong girl that everyone thinks I am.. well, I am trying to be. And as usual, I like to write when I feel so upset.. so I penned it all down.. started writing an essay at work.. (ooh and i got caught! Haha) and felt so much better after tt ^_^ Then it was time to rush the remaining of my experiments before my next big task of the day…

TEMASEK HALL FRIENDS!! ^_^ Thanks jj for gathering the few of us.. some of whom I haven’t met for so long!! 2 yrs? Some still look the same.. like never grow one.. while others look so different.. but though looks change, people don’t change. Still as cute as ever (I mean everyone). Really glad I made it for the gathering.. though it was really too short.. well.. meeting friends once every 6 months or even once in 2 yrs definitely cannot catch up so fast in a couple of hours. Let’s hope we can have more of these meet-ups since everyone is back in Singapore now!! ^_^ And maybe before the remaining people graduate and join the busy working world… eww~

Jj: to those 2 questions u asked me.. I did answer the truth… or at least.. the 2^nd one.. my answer was what I HOPE is the truth.. hee~

2006-12-12T21:05:00.000+08:00

** Adventure in US -- 4 of 4**

I really miss roadtrips. Jean and Kelvin were trying so hard to convince me to go for a 4 day roadtrip to Penang/KL/Malacca… 30^th dec – 2^nd jan.. just nice, weekend plus holiday, so no need to take time off work!! However, they were informed soon after that a friend was ROM-ing on the 30^th.. so cannot go for the trip anymore. Humph. There goes my roadtrip again. I wonder when I will ever go on one again..

The last quarter of my trip to US was the time when I was traveling the most. School was over, and I was still in US just to travel. Went on 3 roadtrips, the longest which was a 3 week West Coast trip with Steph and her 3 KR guy friends who flew over from Singapore just for a holiday.

Day 121 – Off to bucks county, the place where sesame street originated! And we happened to catch the Strawberry festival!! Yum~

Day 122 – my last day at GCC.. made French toast for everyone for breakfast before I went to church.. I’ll miss the church and pastor young’s sermons.. AND.. I finally made to it Mutter Museum!! Thanks papa leaw for accompanying me. ^_^ School over.. so I’m so free I keep watching movies.. “Something’s gotta give” and “6 days 7 nights”..

Day 123 – Last few days with chestnutties before flying off for my 3 weeks west coast trip!

Day 124 – Fly fly fly~ Off to West Coast!! First stop LA.. and of course.. Hollywood!!

Day 125 – Warner Bros and NBC studios~ And my dream retirement place.. Beverly hills

Day 126 – Santa Monica, 3^rd street Promenade

Day 127 – Orange County.. Knotts Berry Farm, which is America’s 1^st theme park!!

Day 128 – San Diego.. seaport village..

Day 129 – more San Diego.. and the famous SeaWorld~ Shamuuuuuuuuuu~

Day 130 (15 may) – Shopping!!! At Las Vegas Premium Outlet~

Day 131 – World Wonder – Grand Canyon!!

Day 132 – Death Valley.. the world’s hottest place. Ooooh~ And.. visit to all the themed casinos in Las Vegas!!! Ultimate COOLNESS (note the pun) Ah… and not to forget.. my try at sitting in a sports car with 2 wonderful drivers!!! Hahahaha~

Day 133 – Santa Barbara.. rich man area..

Day 134 – Santa Cruz.. Boardwalk, Mystery Spot

Day 135 – More shopping on the way to San Franscisco, at Gilroy Premium outlets!! And we visited the famous Golden Gate Fortune Cookies factory!

Day 136 – Fisherman’s Wharf at San Frans! With CHOCOLATE HEAVEN!! ^_^

Day 137 – Coit Tower, Berkeley, Golden Gate bridge…

Day 138 – Yosemite National Park

Day 139 – Alcatraz!! Most infamous prison.. and the place where they filmed Xmen3!! ^_^ Then it’s back to philly..

Day 140 (25 may) – SPIN inauguration. I was there with steph to show support for our friends in NOC ^_^

Day 141 – Anticipating my final road trip with the Chestnutties.. to Niagara falls..

Day 142 – Niagara falls!!! Amazingly beautifulllll~~~~~ And yes, we had buffalo wings at Buffalo, NY! Hehe~

Day 143 – Just a day out with the chestnutties. McGridle breakfast, many movies at home, Dinner at Beijing, then Xmen3 at the theatre.. My last movie in Philly..

Day 144 – Walk around Philly.. to Fairmount park and to the Philadephia Zoo.. only then do I realize how BIG the place really is.. (we walked like 3 hrs and only covered 1/3 of the entire park’s length?).. my 2^nd last movie in chestnut.. “as good as it gets”..

Day 145 – Filming my daily life in Penn.. my last lunch in philly.. at marathon grill.. I’ll always remember the “milkshake and the straw” incident. LOL. And my last movie in chestnut.. “a lot like love”..

Day 146 – Good bye Philly, good bye America.

And that marks the end of my trip. A total of 11 states, 33 cities covered in 14 trips. Of which, 8 states, 19 cities and 9 trips were with the chestnutties. Here’s a video from them just before I left… (with the bloopers to come after.. to bring a smile back to a tearing, leaving face ^_^)

Bloopers~

2006-12-10T09:49:00.000+08:00

** Adventure in US -- 3 of 4**

Can’t believe it.. I forgot all about the chestnut 11^th month anniversary until I read cat’s blog 1 day later! Actually, I also don’t know why I’m still counting with them. I am already back in Singapore.. guess it’s just a habit bah.. every 6^th day of the month, is our anniversary. And everyone’s gonna be back by the 1^st year anniversary. Time passes reeeaaaaaaal fast when you’re not counting. ^_^

This is the quarter where i travelled to many many many places.. the quarter with the most states travelled i think ^_^

Day 81– School school school…

Day 82 – trying hard to make the v for vendetta toast.. ended up making other toasts instead.. haha..

Day 83 – Yet another free movie.. American Dreamz~ I love watching movies with the chestnutties ^_^

Day 84 – Take the Lead!! And.. Off to Boston!

Day 85 – New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Cape cod!

Day 86 – Salem, Massachusetts. The prettiest, brightest, most complete rainbow I have ever seen.

Day 87 – Back to Boston. Freedom trail, quincy market, wharfs.. it’s DOG HEAVEN!

Day 88 – Simply enjoying life in philly.. taking every moment to admire God’s wonderful creations..

Day 89 – The witch dungeon at Salem, MA gave me nightmares… (sorry to cat for the countless times I’ve screamed in my dreams!)

Day 90 (5 apr) – these are the people whom I spend most of my week with… the chestnutties and steph ^_^

Day 91– Busy with school work.. need to get away from schoolwork.. with some beer… haha

Day 92 – More rushing of school work..

Day 93 – my 2^nd trip to Washington DC… to see the cherry blossom parade! ^_^ It’s cold… but we still ate icecream.. hehe~

Day 94 – BBQ with the Singaporeans@Penn, and of course… Chestnutties’ Spring Photoshoot around Penn!

Day 95 – Watched martin yan on tv.. and koped his ideas for cooking!! Hahaha~

Day 96 – It’s my day to cook again!! Healthy Tuesdays!! See the healthy salad… haha

Day 97 – Philly is a nice place.. I’m in love.. (with the place lah!)

Day 98 – Lots of school work!! Work hard work hard..

Day 99 – we’re all going crazy thinking of Hersheys..

Day 100 (15 apr) – Hershey, Pennsylvania!! Finally, got to see Hershey town and visit the Hershey’s factory!! Woohoo!!~ Also visited Harrisburg (Pennsylvania’s capital).. nothing much to see there, but it’s where I saw the MOST STARS in the sky!!! Harmony lake.. pretty..

Day 101 – Early morning got pancakes made for me to eat. ^_^ It’s Easter service.. and I did learn a lot today.

Day 102 – Lots of Hersheys to keep me happy this week.. haha…

Day 103 – sometimes, the chestnutties do squabble… and do crazy things..

Day 104 – At other times, it gets more violent..

Day 105 – Last day of school in Penn. Very sad. I’ll miss the place badly. Farewell party for all international students in Penn.. especially those who are graduating.. (which includes me!! haha) We had a party in the European gallery in the Archaeology + Anthropology Museum!! How cool is tt?!!?? Party in a museum!!! ^_^

Day 106 – Watched Passion of the Christ for the 2^nd time. This time, with Steph and Deliang. I won deliang in a game of foosball!! Woohoo~ (tt’s me, steph and deliang.. taken at WashingtonDC.. the 3 brave souls who ate icecream in the cold.. haha)

Day 107 – Down with food poisoning. Ouch.

Day 108 – My first visit to a circus!! Thanks papa leaw for bringing me.

Day 109 – Visit to some art exhibition at a school museum opening with Pacey

Day 110 (25 apr) – My dream come true: Phantom of the Opera at Broadway, with steph~

Day 111 – My first time to CG in philly. I realize how much I missed such fellowship with fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.

Day 112 – My first ever Baseball game! Phildelphia Phillies vs Colorado Rockies. A farewell treat by Penn’s Office of International Programs.. went with deliang and other exchange students. OOhh… the icecream there is HUGE!!! $4 per cone.. but can eat til u full lah!! See I got 2!!!! (erm.. actually I was just holding it for the cameraman lah.. haha)

Day 113 – Gathering@Gean’s place..

Day 114 – The first movie I actually paid for. Ice Age2!! Nice movie, nice company ^_^

Day 115 – Picnic@ Penn!! ^_^

Day 116 – A quiet, peaceful day.. save for the door that smashed my finger!! *ouch*

Day 117 – My first time ever watching porn. (HEY!! It’s the college library that tricked me into it ok!!!! It was listed as “comedy”!!!)

Day 118 – Last farewell party with the exchange students. Going back to our homes dispersed all over the world.. I really don’t know when I’ll see them again.. (nono, this isn’t how the party looked like.. it was HOT and NOISY and CROWDED.. this was taken another time.. haha)

Day 119 – It’s getting really hot.. feels more like summer than spring!! I sweat so much I cannot sleep.. And I’m going crazy because of the heat..

Day 120 (5 may) – Exams over!! End of my school life in Penn. Steph cooked us a good meal today ^_^ And the chestnut family watched porn together again. Oh man.. I promise I was tricked by the college library again!! It was movie marathon.. coz I watched brokeback mountain after tt too.. hehe

2006-12-06T22:36:00.000+08:00

** Adventure in US -- 2 of 4**

Sometimes it simply happens unconsciously. I went grocery shopping today (as I do everyday now.. hee.. I’m in charge of settling breakfast, and stocking up on fruits and snacks for my family ^_^).. well I bought some oranges for $1.75 today.. as I handed the cashier a $2 note, I was actually expecting her to return me a quarter. Yes, a QUARTER! Geez… I haven’t seen that for ages!! That used to be my favourite coin in US.. coz it’s the biggest, so easiest to count (compared to the nickels and dimes.. took me a while to remember which is which!)

Such things simply keep popping up at the most unexpected moments.. Haha.. anyway.. tt was just a sidetrack.. here’s my second QUARTER of my US adventure! (pun intended)

(notice how the people I mixed around with shifted from international students to mainly the NOC people and the chestnutties..)

Day 41 – Won my first $10 voucher at Penn! ^_^ It was simply a lucky draw after I added a review of a restaurant I had been to ^_^

Day 42 – Doing sudoku while ‘sun tanning’ at 55degrees, and I managed to help someone by being able to speak Chinese. ^_^

Day 43 – Enjoying every moment of my life.

Day 44 – My first roadtrip.. and with the entire chestnut family.. To Woodbury, NY!! Shopping!! Woohoo~

Day 45 – my 3^rd time to GCC.

Day 46 – Eat sleep eat sleep.. grow fat..

Day 47 – See how nice cereal can get!!!! *slurp*

Day 48 – First visit to Penn gym!! Haha.. gym membership is included in school fees.. so of course must use!! Hee~ (and who can go gym without a gym partner?? STEPH!!)

Day 49 – Lunch with my developmental bio teacher! People use forks to eat rice here.. hmm..

Day 50 (24 feb) – Mardi Gras celebration in school! My first movie at the theatre (free preview for Penn students).. Running Scared

Day 51 – Viet food at Chinatown!! ^_^ Then more AMERICAN movies.. (if you’ve watched Transamerica, you’d know what I mean.. all warped)

Day 52 – Ice skating@the open air rink again! This time with the NOC pple ^_^

Day 53 – Doing what housewives do… maintain the house, do grocery shopping… cook…

Day 54 – Played monopoly for the first time in years!! It’s our only game we have at home. haha

Day 55 – First day of lent. No meat for the next 49 days.

Day 56 -- Spring break (self-declared to start earlier). Chestnutties off to warm Florida~~~ Special dinner at Medieval times

Day 57 – DisneyLand!! Gosh!! And the world’s prettiest fireworks I’ve ever experienced!

Day 58 – Universal Studios and Mardi Gras Carnival!!

Day 59 – Miami South Beach

Day 60 (6 mar) – Safari and Nude Beach

Day 61 – Keywest, snorkeling

Day 62 – Fort Lauderdale, visit to Ernest Hemingway’s home, and of course, scootering!! Hee~

Day 63 – busy washing clothes from Florida trip >.<

Day 64 –Slack away and play computer game that deliang sent me (shucks. My genius brother beat me to completing it) Birth of my '6 packs'...

Day 65 – Philadelphia Flower Show!! Never had flowers looked so pretty before~

Day 66 – St Patrick’s Day (celebration)!! Wear Green!! Without a voice tho.. >.<>

Day 67 – Spring in school!! 25degrees celcius.. WARM!! Flowers being planted, and I can wear t-shirt and jeans to Penn for the first time!! ^_^ (Squirrels are Penn’s unofficial pet.. and animal logo..)

Day 68 – I wake up every morning, excited to go to school

Day 69 – It’s cold again. 5 degrees celcius!! Back to wearing jackets *pout*

Day 70 (16 mar) – Southeast Asian Film Festival Day1, we watched 15 and The Maid by Singapore, and finally met some ClubSingapore people! ^_^

Day 71 – Happy St Patrick’s Day!! Wear green wear green!! (this is the actual day.. the other day was just a celebration/parade..)

Day 72 – Off to Lancaster, Pennsylvania~ visit the Amish people.. people who live without electricity!

Day 73 – No money to buy, at least I take some photos to keep as momento.. hehe (the most ex photo i took was not this, but with a 3000+USD versace dress in woodbury... hee~)

Day 74 – Unhealthy Mondays.. we have dinner whipped up by papa leaw~

Day 75 – Healthy Tuesdays are days I cook dinner for my family ^_^

Day 76 – And Wednesdays are Pacey’s days..

Day 77 – Thursday is the day for our CEO to show his creativity in the kitchen!!

Day 78 – Fridays are Cat’s cooking days!! Yummy yum yum~

Day 79 – Our first “paid for” movie in philly.. V for Vendetta! (mine was free coz I won a sudoku game and papa gotta treat me.. hee)

Day 80 (26 mar) – Roomies wear the same Guess halter top!! Hehe~