musings of a wo(a)ndering soul

random

2007-08-06T14:50:00.000-07:00

the end of one phase
another begins with the waning of the moon
all that remains
are beams of memories
reflections that waver in the water
are they there
or not
were they ever

or but a dream
a dream that is reality only in a frame of space and time
one place becomes real
another but a reflection that is or was

a precious memory that fades with the days
photographs that spark a thought
but never the same this newly formed reflection

from one to another
one web to the next
one comfort to another
one world two lives

who and what remains
where the ships are marked only by
the ripples in the water
or is there an anchor?

Bath and Stonehenge!

2007-06-22T15:50:00.000-07:00

So Charlene came to visit me and we took a day trip to Bath and Stonehenge..
Bath was really cute...nice quaint buidings and lots of history.
Stonehenge..well its a buncha rocks but to quote Char, it was a buncha famous rocks. haha

Stonehenge!!! with tons of tourists

Drinking Pimms in the smallest pub in Bath

At the Roman Baths
Charlene and a bridge thats suppose to mirror the one in Florence

Trip to Edinburgh, Loch Ness, Lake District

2007-06-22T15:10:00.000-07:00

After exams.. i couldnt sit still. As usual. So I went to edinburgh (pronounced Edinborough for the non british pple), drove up to Loch Ness (no i didnt see Nessie, and yes I DID DRIVE no there was no accident), and cycled around the Lake District! Pics on the way...

In Marrakech

2007-06-07T13:35:00.000-07:00

Belated post!!!!
At a Palace in Marrakech......Sera, Jamie and I!
Trying some Moroccan sweets we bought
Ass shots!!!!!!! so many in the city.... all pulling heavy stuff and all so dirty n smelly and mistreated..poor thing
A Mosque at day time. Non muslims not allowed inside..beautiful architechture
The Square. Djemma El Naah (or something) just as the sunsets.. its a live and bustling. Food stalls, snake charmers, people selling ostrich eggs, Drink sellers, etc ect its ALIVE!
Breakfast in our Inn. Their version of "prata", with fig jam, butter...
Orange juice!!! Cheap and good at 3Dirhm!
Our gracious innkeeper ppuring us mint tea. With tons of sugar.
Making friends with the guy who sells dried fruit! Yummm (the fruit not him) BTW, someone offered us 2000 camels for this girl....
Spices galore....
Ade the dancer :P

Thinking too much before exams.And of all the wrong things too

2007-06-06T12:56:00.000-07:00

So I was in the gym today.
And I realised. That some people probably enjoying exercising in the gym more than excersing outdoors.
I for one, generally prefer to swim in a pool, than in the ocean. I guess a lake is ok. And of course I do not like snorkelling in a pool. Nothing to see right? :)

And then I thought.

Man created the gym and the pool because he didnt always have access to the great outdoors.
Not everyone lives near a body of water.
Not everyone lives in a country where the weather is always suitable to being outdoors.
We created the gym and the pool to replace what we could not have. Like creating an artificial environment for animals in a zoo.

Bu the irony is. Some of us now actually prefer this artificial environment. Much like how animals who have been in captivity for a long time can't survive in the wild.

Hmm.

Thinking too much? Call it exam delirium

Trip to the SAHARA

2007-05-23T14:45:00.000-07:00

More Pics? ok! haha

Desert Morning
We saw a nomad with his goats ( are those goats? haha)..... they lead a very simple life. No internet, no TV...
Our shadosws cast on the sand dunes
Our sleeping tent!!
The CAMELS! No I cant smell them..

Day 2 and 3 of our time in Marrakesh (Morocco) was spend in the Sahara Desert.
AND
Because I am too lazy to type out long stories...

Riding on the camel...I'm number 3 in the line... can you see the shadows? Its not comfortable I guarantee you. My camel apparently pooped quite a bit.. and I saw Jamie's camel pee! Camels also have amazing eye lids...
I also am not very good at balancing... check out my attempt to take a photo while the camel is moving
Beautiful Sunset...Look at the sky!!! I'm now number 4 in line cos Adeline's camel is ermz.. something wrong with it I think.. and the guy untied it and brough it in front. Did I tell you mine started to gallop halfway cos it was frightened by a truck going past?
We wake up in the morning at 5am. See our shadowns in the Sand Dunes! Brings back my Geography Days
Thats the tent where they make our food (bread with fig jam for breakfast.. and as always.. mint tea with tons of sugar)
Sunrise in the Sahara.. We slept in this tent...of carpets.. it gets cold at night but not too bad still

Holiday!!!

2007-05-06T13:15:00.000-07:00

I just had an exam on Thurs and I have 2 more early June.

But thats not the point.

I will be in Marrakesh (Morocco) from mon- thurs out of which 2 days will be in the Sahara. woohoo. -gulp- why am i doing this? i'm afriad of the heat u know? and the dry air. but i guess its a part of facing a little fear hahahahahaaa.. and the vast vast vast hills of sand. okok lame. but i am afriad of the vast unknown, like most people are. i think?

and then sat- mon will be amsterdam where i stay in a boat/ bed and breakfast. yes. boat. its called the anna maria. google it if u want. pics will be up soon....

ok. 3am wake up call tomorrow to catch a 715am flight..ah the woes of a poor student who flies budget. thomson fly airways in luton airport! here i come!!!!!
(i bet all the non londoners have never heard of either... thats how ulu it is!)

Biritish Names- oh my!

2007-04-28T12:15:00.000-07:00

The British have fantastic names for everything don't they. Especially food related stuff I realise.... This one caught my eye in a super market. And cos it was on discount...hahaha

Can someone tell me whats so spotted and "dick" about it?

After Hitch

2007-04-23T01:28:00.000-07:00

I have noticed a trend!!!!

Men are starting to need help with their love life (ok, so maybe they always did) but the point is, now there are services to help them!!! Services by men for men to teach them how to date! And its all university based..you don't wait till you start work and feel "old" and "on the shelf" anymore..nip the problem in the bud!

Theres the LOVE CLINIC in Singapore, set up by 3 NUS med students, who by the way, have never dated before. And if you want to see more antics, search for the dating episodes of girls out loud on youtube. Girls out loud is a Singapore tv show hosted by Xiaxue and Rosalyn...

And in UC Berkeley, theres this, set up by 2 Computer Science majors I think (notice the trend here), though from their profiles they do seem more successful with love than their counterparts in Singapore. Then again, it could just be plain marketing. Its is pretting interesting though......
http://attractionessentials.com/

Can someone set up one for my school?

Singapore Politics... When to let go?

2007-04-22T12:56:00.000-07:00

My blog is definitely not politically inclined... Its just one of my life. Yes, my puny life on this planet of billions. Its not of national issues or hot babes or politics or whatever else pple like to gripe about. Damn its fun to bitch aint it.

But this article caught my eye...And this definitely did not come up in the Straits Times newspaper at all. (cos I was pretty damn bored on friday afternoon and was reading ST online)
While I can't say I particularly respect the SDP (my friends and I agreed over coffee at Cafe Amalfi in SOHO that for whatever reason, Singapore lacks a credible opposition), I'm not sure this is the way to go for the government. We also agreed that a problem in Singapore politically is that people FAIL to separate the civil service from the politicians. After all, technicaly, the civil service is suppose to be apolitical. It serves whoever the incumbent party is that wins the general election.

I always try to hard to defend Singapore's lack of "human rights" from my westernised friends when I am abroad. After all, who are they to complain? I don't feel particularly oppressed honestly so stop comparing us to yourselves you human rights activists!!! What makes you think you can use your benchmark to judge me/ us? After all, in the USA, to be a politician, you have to know the right people (this is the case MOST of the time). Human rights? BAH

But this definitely does not help my case... go to Singabloodypore.blogspot.com for more. Can't say I like the blog name...sure bitch against the government cos thats only normal right? Grass always greener on the other side of every fence. But have some pride in your country?
Having said that...kinda disturbing don't you think? And most of singapore doesnt even know abt it...

This article was taken from the BBC on 13th of April

Europe MPs 'gagged' by Singapore

The MEPs had been invited by an opposition politician

Singapore has been accused of acting like an "authoritarian state" after refusing to allow European Parliament members to speak during a visit.
The seven MEPs, as well as a Cambodian and a Philippines congresswoman, were denied permission to speak at a forum on democracy in Europe and Asia.
One MEP likened the Singaporeans' to repressive regimes such as North Korea.
The Singapore government said foreigners did not have permission to address the event.
The seven MEPs, from the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE), came to Singapore after earlier speaking at a forum in Indonesia.
'Authoritarian state'
"I fear that, in this sense at least, it puts Singapore in a league with North Korea, Myanmar and the People's Republic of China," MEP Graham Watson was quoted as saying by the AFP news agency.
"What has happened today proves that Singapore is an authoritarian state," said Ignasi Guardans, a Spanish MEP.
The MEPs had been invited to speak by the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) led by Chee Soon Juan, opponents of the People's Action Party which has ruled the island state since 1959.
"Singapore's politics are reserved for Singaporeans. As visitors to our country, foreigners should not abuse their privilege by interfering in our domestic politics," Singapore's Ministry of Home Affairs said in a statement.

Days and Nights in London

2007-04-21T11:53:00.000-07:00

Some snapshots of nights out in London

Revolution: a Vodka Bar that has flavoured shots ranging from chocolate to bubblegum to mint to CHILLI!!!!! My friends tried it..Try @ your own PERIL. You have been warned....

Went out last night with Joanna and Lydia to Glass Bar in Picadilly Circus. Lots of attitude but it was pretty...

I had champagne with strawberries....(at the bottom so you cant see it) And they turned the straw upside down to be cool...HAHA

...followed by a PIG OUT session @ Hagen Daz with Joanna and Kristy (cos Lydia had to wake up early the next day) CHOCOLATE FONDUE!!!!!!!!! I think I need to work out....

Random Stroll in Covent Garden on a beautiful Saturday! I saw this on Monmouth Street. Don't you think it reminds you of the trash can that Oscar the Grouch from Sesame Street lives in?
BTW, OScar is one of my favourite Sesame street characterS!!! :) (cos he reminds me of me when i'm in a bad mood hahahaha)

A stall selling BUTTONS in Covent Garden Market...This is just for my mum to seee :P
Happy Mother's Day!!!
Its kinda cool though..so many different types, shapes, sizes, materials.....WOW Look at the huge ones!!!!!!

Stop! And smell the roses.

2007-04-18T12:42:00.000-07:00

This happened 3 days ago

I feel amazingly at peace with the world.
Kinda cool considering just yesterday I was at an all time low. Maybe its PMS. Yesterday was a terrible terrible day. I couldn't even sleep.

But today.

Today.

Today, I stopped and smelled the roses.
After a whole day of studying in the LSE library I call "second home" now, I went back, somewhat exhausted. But I decided to go out for a walk by myself.

I bought a chicken pie from Kowloon Bakery in Chinatown on Gerrard Street (its actually pretty good) and walked to Leicestor square while eating. The chicken pie reminds me of the Prima Deli one back in Singapore. Other things you can try there are the green bean pastry/ cake, and the banana cake.

Bought a smoothie from Tesco's and sat in Covent Garden on a bench, watching the world go by.

Strolled back home, stopping by Neal's Yard deli to get a herb cheese bread for a pound, take away. And munched on it while I walked back to the hall. By the way, Neal's Yard is a beautiful hidden little area in Covent Garden you should go check out. Its so colourful, and has some interesting little shops. A little bohemian hideaway!

Marvellous.

Life is short. Why Kill?

2007-04-17T02:26:00.000-07:00

IN ADDITION (some after thoughts)

Koreans actually were apologetic for it..I don't see why they should be. Isn't it an individual's probem that he is a nutcase? Why should it become a national problem?
I suppose its cos of the Korean Identity, Nationalism thing.... how they have lots of korean pride. Its pretty interesting is it not..a country taking on the burden of someone's crime?
And the poor family too......
Why should Korea apologize? Makes it even more racial/ national.....

If you didn't already read about the Virginia Tech shootings......

Sometimes you wonder why these people go about rampaging and hurt not just themselves but those around them. And those left behind alive. Family, friends, other students..the emotional scar will be there. I cant imagine it happening in Berkeley... I didn't even have a very high level of gun consciousness in Berkeley. Though I am sure it was around..somewhere....

Shattering the idyllic student town. And life.

Access to guns...another problem? Guns can kill. duh. Tell Bush that.

Overdue Easter Egg, Gray's Anatomy and Cheap tickets to NY

2007-04-16T16:46:00.000-07:00

I was watching Gray's Anatomy (my 2nd time watching TV since I got here!!!) with Kumiko and Gladys yesterday as we ate our 1 week overdue Easter Egg. Yes, I succumbed and bought a 5 pound easter egg with Kumiko, all in the spirit of Easter!! (overdue but hey I ate too much junk last weekend..need to spread the unhealthy food out) IT WAS YUMMIE. and so pretty!

Belgian Chocolate! Pretty Packaging..

Kumiko looking all happy as she picks her "poison" (death by chocolate?)

Little Chocolate in Big Chocolate egg!

Anyway, in the episode we saw, a woman's fiance was diagnosed with a heart problem They were like...40s? And then cos she couldn't handle the pressure, she broke off the engagement. What a @##$. It makes me so cynical about the ideal of love.

But. On the other hand.
How many of us would care for a sick man lying in his bed for the nest 10 years of his life? IF we were only engaged? OR even if we were married, how much love does it take for us to do that? X amount to get married X+Y amount to make a huge sacrifice? It reallly got me thinking...... Such a complicated issue. How does one consider emotions and rationality on the same page?

And on a lighter note. I'm booking my plane tickets for New York in summer. Or thinking/ trying to. I've been getting terribly indecisive these days. Must be the wonder of the internet. haha. FLEXIBILITY is the name of the game nowadays!
www.flyzoom.com has 129 pound one way tickets to NY!!! sO CHEAP! Its a Canadian budget airline. Go check it out if you have plans... BUT the downside is. You have to pay 3 quid for headphones (fine by me) AND I think baggage limit is 20kg.
Total price comes up to about 260 pounds.

I coulda gotten roundtrip on a proper airline..Air Canada for 240 pounds with one stopover..but indecisiveness kicked in and after 12 midnight the price todays is 340 pounds. AAHHHHH
This is why people who plan ahead tend to be rewarded with cheaper air tickets, hotels etc etc

Entering the mid 20 crisis

2007-04-13T02:49:00.000-07:00

WHAT CRISIS????? you're only in your 20s!!!! Still so young!!!!!

I swear the mid 20s crisis exists. Its a point in your life where you feel that:

1. You're too old to party anymore. No more energy!

2. ____ (in this case St Paul's Cathedral), is so beautiful and you wish you had someone to share it with. Not just look at its beauty by yourself (and take a photo cos its so pretty), which is what I did
3. You just wanna be a pig and laze around at home zzzzz

4. Even travelling is getting tiring....

So. WHY???? What happened?!?!??!?!?!?!!
I was discussing this with my friend in Stanford...he is 24 and he feels like he isn't exactly at a good point at his life. He feels he will never find someone cos he wants a girl who speaks Mandarin and hes in USA, school (PhD) is starting to get tough..
My girlfriends (the single ones) and I constantly wish we had someone to share things with.

I think its the problem of going past the age of 21. 21 was like woohooo!!! I'm officially an adult (kinda) in the eyes of the law, if NEVER in the eyes of my parents.
22 was like...ok, one year past 21. I'm definitely "old".
23 is like..oh shit man..A few months before I start work
I can't qualify for the STA Student Travel Card in 3 years time, 4 years before I join a dating agency. -looks around- AND 2 OF MY CLOSE FRIENDS ARE ATTACHED! I'll never find someone.
my parents are older.. my sister is starting to look like my age..

AND WHAT GAVE I DONE WITH MY LIFE? 23 x 2= 46. I have lived 23 years, another 23 will go by just like that. and i havent done anything!?!??!?!?!?!?

I am just plodding along on the normal, "normal" course of life. School. Work. Marriage. Kids. Death. ok. Grandkids before that.
Is that what I want? Not like I can make a change till I am about 28 years old.. o my gawd..28...

People tell me that I am still young. Some of them quite condescendingly, some of them shaking their head. This young punk. Ok, so I am youngER. Not sure about young. haha. I guess maybe its a transition point in my life...from school to work. But I don't know what I want..is giving up one year of my life to try work in another field, that won't have much of an impact on my career for 6 years worth it? How much time do I have? Do I have time to "experience life" anymore? NO MORE summer holidays to do internships in Shanghai for fun, go to HK for some free program...
NO MORE leeway to study and do work when I want.. its 9am-7pm soon! Where my standard of living depends on my performance..though thankfully I am the female and therefore theres less pressure than if I were a guy -phew-

Ok BREATHE

So I am kinda looking forward to work. After all this studying, I want to see how I can do in the supposed real world. And sides, I'm sick of studying. I'm not looking forward to the constraints of work, but I don't mind getting down to it!
I'll have $$ to enjoy life and give some to my parents. (yes i have this crazy dream to buy them a sports car)
And I'm actually looking forward to singapore though I'm sure I'll think otherwise once I actually AM in Singapore. I'll have to build up connections and friends again n all that stuff..arrgghz

Don't get me wrong. London is great. Maybe if my family were here I could stay here longer..another 5 years? 2 years if they weren't. But. Its not the same somehow. I'll never be a real member/ citizen. I can live in my little Asian/ Oriental/ Singaporean community...but then what. Its like creating my own Chinatown! HAHA

Ok. I digress. I feel a lot better. EXAMS!! Here I come to conqueor you!!!!!

Sizing

2007-04-10T13:21:00.000-07:00

My friend told me recently... that I was above average Singaporean girl's size. Which he claims is a good thing. BLEAH. Depressing.
Anyway, I thought this might be interesting!

From Bebe, a sexy American brand...

From Esprit..a HK brandFrom Abercrombie and Fitch, an American brand

A "S" at bebe is slightly bigger than an Esprit and a A&F "S"
Its actually pretty interesting how Esprit and A & F have similar definitions of "S"

However, A & F's XL goes all the way to waist 32 while Esprit's stops at 31.5 (waist size)

I actually find this a pretty surprising result because I always thought that Esprit, being a HK brand, would have smaller sizing in general than the American brands. Then again, Esprit is pretty international now isn't it?
ALTHOUGH, the XS in Esprit does get a lot smaller than the other 2 brands...

I tried looking for a size chart for Giordano but you can't really shop for it online..and since theres no Giordano (or its clones Bossini, Hang ten etc) here, I can't compare sizes! However, I would think its smaller. One thing for sure though, the sizes at the shops in Far East Plaza are usually smaller........Remind me not to shop there when I get back till I lose weight... if thats even possible!

Worldwide cuisine?

2007-04-09T11:50:00.000-07:00

I always knew that food was going to be imported from somewhere..... I mean in Singapore, we don't grow our own stuff right? Everything's from somewhere else, malaysia, indonesia...even our sand is from there!!!!!!!!!!!

But I suppose its more in your face when its written on the packaging. In the UK, some of the fresh food has "best until" dates on them as well as which country it was imported from. I just noticed that my cherry tomatoes are suppose to be eaten in 4 days time, and they came from the Canary Islands! Exotic or what. I have this vision of a beautiful beach with coconut trees and palm trees, and my little cherry tomatoes growing......next to it on a patch of grass. Totally unrealistic but let me be creative here!!!!!!! (No Innovation and Creativity committee is going to tell me how to be "creative"!)

Even the Chicken proudly declares itself british. "British Chicken", complete with a little British flag. The honey is a mix of European and non- European honey. My honey is mix blooded!!! (Think Pan- Asian...)

I guess its just interesting how international the world is these days.... not just people travelling..FOOD too! I mean, food must have always been pretty international...but still! ITs so cool! My food is from all over, cuisines are from all over, people from all over..and I also have friends from all over! Friends whom I think I Wouldn't be able to keep in touch with if not for the Internet! THANK AL GORE (or whoever pioneered this)

I mean, you are not going to catch me writing long letters or blowing my phone bill to keep in touch with friends from various countries regularly...ok calls maybe (but rare). I'm too lazy and too cheapskate.

Even my blog. Makes me wonder how international it is.... people keep up to date with my life through this....

Easter Sunday at Hyde Park

2007-04-08T12:54:00.000-07:00

Free hugs? At the Speaker's Corner in Hyde Park..... Hmm... is he hot enough? Wonder if he smells nice? Yes, we girls are superficial.....No hugging for me..unless its Brad Pitt? Then maybe the queue would stretch to Scotland? :)
This guy was THE least serious of the "speakers" there.
Someone was talking about a relationship with Jesus and someone else was saying that Iran was right to hold the British sailors prisoners...
Yes, this is the REAL Speaker's corner, not like the one we have in Hong Lim. I don't think you need to register to speak OR get hugs here!

The Serpentine Lake with some people out on little paddle boats....romantic notions? :) I think it was a little too crowded to be romantic, more family oriented activity!
More people!! LAzing at Hyde Park...
There were so many people I felt like they looked like litter on the ground....felt like cleaning it up hahaha..okok not a very good comparison.but the grass was SPECKLED with people!!!

Men. Are they?

2007-04-07T11:26:00.000-07:00

I saw this little poster in a shop in SOHO that sold coffee beans/ powder, chocolate, coffee machines, tea etc and also, ESPRESSO for the needy!
Sounds good? :)

For all you American Idol/ Singapore Idol/ X Factor FANS

2007-04-07T11:15:00.000-07:00

One of the perks of being in London is that you get to see things first hand, especially things to do with celebrities and the entertainment industry. For example, movie red carpet openings are held just a 10min walk away from my hall! No need to go to LA!! :) Sad to say, I haven't seen anyone of note strolling on the streets of London, but I do plan to find out where Jonathan Rhys Myers lives!!!! I kid. (i hope)

Anyway, theres going to be a new talent show in town! I stumbled upon "Britain's got talent" because I live right across the theatre where they held auditions! (oh yes, Simon Cromwell's involved again!)
Signs that theres going to be an audtion:
1. They changed the banner on the theatre front
2. There is a long queue of teenagers, school bands outside...this queue gets shorter with each day. PHEW
3. Its REALLY NOISY and you hear occasional screaming when some celebrity judge swings by

changing blog address?

2007-04-03T13:35:00.000-07:00

so i'm wondering if i should change my blog address since i have no idea what gin means...any ideas? you can tell me on msn if you want!!!
thinking of something related to me....hmmm i thought of flyingyellowpig but it sounded so..ermz..yellow. and so. not me. i dunno......

Kingston and Hampton Court

2007-04-02T04:41:00.000-07:00

Finally, a beautiful day in UK where I am NOT sitting in my room studying.. (like i am today cos of exams). On Sunday, I threw my books one side and took the train to Kingston, an area southwest of London, where Hampton Court Palace was..right next to the River Thames.

I went there yesterday with Justin, who had gone to run a marathon and I joined him after it! This is the Kingston town center, where the finishing line was
Hampton Court Palace where the Tudors used to live, including King Henry...who had 3 wives i think!
Cute little boy in the gardens!! :)

The palace gardens are beautiful, so many swans..
The Gardens in spring....and not even in full bloom yet!
Squatting ah beng or ah lian? :P by the River Thames, as we head off to Kingston, a town near Hampton Court Palace. Its about 5km away and because of my foot..i think we took over an hour
The path along the river, there were some boat houses there...i don't think i can live in a boat..sea sick

Then we went to this pub along the Thames river, next to Kingston bridge, called Bishop not in Residence (what a weird name) for a drink just before dinner...and the sunset was amazing... Erm..pre dinner drink cos my foot still really hurts and after 1 hour I super needed to sit down

I think Singapore needs more bridges and plants and stuff...but our humidity is quite a turn off... and the smoke also! at least here when pple smoke..my nose is too cold to smell it.. HAHA

For the Roald Dahl fans out there

2007-04-01T16:59:00.000-07:00

When I was young I read a lot of Roald Dahl's books, complete with Quentin Blake's illustrations...BFG, Matilda, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory..do those ring a bell?
Well, they bring back good memories for me. A time when I enjoyed reading a lot and I had time to read (unlike now)... now I cant seem to find time to read anything anymore. And fiction books rarely attract me.....so sad...

Anyway, for those Roald Dahl fans, I stumbled upon a wonderful recipe book today that brought back a ton of memories... Roald Dahl's Revolting Recipes!!!!!! It has some really interesting recipes from the Roald Dahl books, like something from BFG (the cucumber thing he eats), desserts from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory etc.....

I'm going to get it!!!

France/ Paris

2007-03-26T16:31:00.000-07:00

Taking the metro
Steak Tartare!

My parents and sister came to visit me in Europe and the day after arriving, we were off to Paris on the Eurostar. It was my first time..and I was a tad apprehensive..but it was good. I think i prefer trains. No stupid liquids rule or super long check ins. The toilets are as dirty though..hahaha
We reached Paris in the afternoon and made our way to the hotel...it was quite nice....we had booked the Comfort Inn on venere.com, near the Les Gobelins station. We rested a bit and off we went to do the usual Parisian sight seeing.
AND I also met up with Michelle, Gracie and Yan Bin who are on exchang in Paris...Michelle tried Steak Tartare!!! which is RAW minced beef ( a french thingie)

Things I learnt:
1. The French are a little snooty with us Asians, unless we are Japanese
2. Raclettes is putting Cheese on the food n not food into cheese (which is fondue)
3. Chinese food in Paris SUCKS (my mum was craving)
4. My parents are getting old.... its time for me to look after them more.
5. Cabin bags that you drag along are a pain when you take the train to your hotel
6. Some parts of Paris are gorgeous..others are butt ugly
7. The Lourve is free for 26 and below on Friday and Weds after 6pm
8. C & A is a cheap department store and accessories in Europe in general are worth buying!
9. 20 Euro set meals are tourist traps
10. Crepes are all over Paris
11. Paris is walkable (not) if you have time

Geneva/ Zermatt

2007-03-26T12:31:00.000-07:00

Water from the Swiss Alps Anyone? :P
Taking a break at a cafe next to the ski slope

This is the second country we stopped at in our eventful trip. SWITZERLAND.
Unfortunately it was quite a whirlwind..we spent 2 nights in Zermatt, a small town in the Swiss Alps, saw the famous mountain whos name I cant remember...waiit..mattehorn! I remembered it!
And spent one day in Geneva.

I swear those pple are racist. Sigh.

But the country is beautiful...and I shoulda brought ski stuff up to Zermatt to ski cos everyone there..almost everyone there was there to ski.

Greece- The most eventful trip and hence the longest entry

2007-03-26T11:12:00.000-07:00

Athens (in the background)
Temple of Zeus which we didnt get to see cos it closes at 3pm!!!

the unfortunate ferry/ catamaran
breakfast!!!!! hotel style :P
plaka. in the shadow of the Acropolis

This is the 3rd country I travelled to this short holiday with my family...... Cia and I took a 5 day break in "sunny" Athens without my parents who had rushed home to work and be with my youngest sister :P
Sunny cos it wasn't all too sunny. It rained cats and dogs the first 2 days I was there, spoiling my plans to go to Santorini.......

So I landed at the airport in Athens a little late cos of flight delays...(I miss SIA efficiency). Not that I expected a lot after the terrible food (joking in that the food was terrible but it shouldnt affect delays right?) Yes, the food was so bad I only ate the muffin, I left the coarse bread and I don't know what main course alone. Thankfully the flight back had better food..... so lets not slam Olympic Airlines.

Anyway, day 1, it was late so we dropped our stuff, said hi to Iannis' family. whom we stayed with the whole trip. Oh yes, Iannis is my Greek friend who stays in the same hall as me.. hes a student from my school too. It was 4pm and he was hungry cos he had waited for us to eat lunch..which was rice with sweet corn in it (it was yummie) and pork with green and red bell peppers....His mum was so sweet....the room that we stayed in reminded me of a hotel room! There were little soft toys around, chocolates and mints, bath soap etc etc.... (I run through this part quickly because I am lazy and this is not the crux of the story)
At night, we go to a fish tavern near the ocean (don't ask me which) with his parents and his god parents..we get fed lots of fish and other greek foods and greek alcohol...no we were not drunk..lots of food very little alcohol..its called Ouzzo... we try to talk...we're the center of attention and his godmum keeps thinking we are from China. haha. shes sweet.....his godfather cheers us on to drink..i think its part of the culture :)

Anyway, day 2 we were suppose to go to Santorini, a beautiful greek Island...and our ferry ride was 730am in the morning...So Iannis called the Port Authorities at 5am to make sure the ferry was still running..since we had heard the weather would be bad..and they said "yes, it would be" And off we went...reaching the port Piraeus at 7am..only to be told that the ferry was grounded due to bad weather. Now, by this time, Iannis had already dropped us off and was on his way home..I had to call him to pick us up. SORRY!! :(
We were all tired..so we reached back, had a hearty breakfast (I felt like I was in a hotel) and then took a nap till 3pm. Yes, we napped for 5 hours. Cia slept for 6.
Deciding to make the most of our waning day, we took the train to the Mall to shop. Why? Cos it was indoors.. the only place to go because there was a huge storm in Athens with strong winds and rain..it was cold and wet. Miserable. Of course, making some purchases in the Mall made it all better...till....we were confused by the Suburban railway in Athens.
We took the train from the right platform only to find that the train made a u turn and went back the other way. i dunno how that happened...we panicked...got out the stop after....only to find out from the station master that that was our last train. Ok...... panicking further, I called Iannis..telling him the situation....He told us to catch a cab to the airport and he would pick us up from there. Airport you say? Well, he lives near there and apparetly few cabbies are willing to drive to his suburban town because its hard to pick up passengers from there. FYI, Iannis stays in a beautiful house on a hill in a small town.. Athenian suburbs!
In the cold and wet and rainy night, we stood by the road side in some unknown part of Athenian suburbs, trying to hail a cab. Ok, one cab came, stopped, said he didnt want to go to the airport.
We climbed out,.shivering. Our umbrella flipped. Over and over again. brrrr -wait- wait-
ok another cab!!!! FLAG

Its an old man....Only the young people in Greece speak English decently well according to Iannis.. Older pple usually don't have a strong command of the language

"Airport?"
"Aeroromeo?"
"huh? airport!"
"aeroromeo?"
"aeroromeo...yes aeroromeo! Efereisto (thank you)!"

note that this is BAD GREEK spelling....very bad!!! Only for pronounciation purposes

Iannis calls... "Let my mother speak to him, she will tell him to take you to our place"

ok.......phone to cabbie..cabbie is blaring his music and does not turn it down..i think they dun hear each other...cabbie gives me back phone. Iannis calls again...its the mum. I pass the phone to cabbie..who shouts a little and still does not turn the music down....

"Marco polo!" and he passes me the HP back...ermz...Marcopolo??? Is that the name of the airport?

So hes not going to take us to the town but to the airport?

The road gets small..no more highway...oh! its the town center..hoorah! I see Iannis....salvation..haha...its 11 euros on the meter...i give him 20 (crap) and he gives me back 3 euros..ok..extra charge for the toll and ermz...taking me to a ulu place..I don't mind....anything to be safe....
And thats just say 2.

Day 3. Its sunny out! woohoo! We go down to Plaka, Parthenon, acropolis, see the temple of Athena etc..all the good touristy stuff. Sit at a cafe and watch the crown go by and the "smoke get into our clothes" or so cia would say...
And then my phone goes into low batt mode Great. And I can't charge it cos my 3 pin plug wont fit into the 2 pin socket.. I texted Iannis and told him 930pm at the MacDonalds at Syntagma Square, he replies 10pm. okie. settled. Its only 8pm..we have a late dinner..Souvlaki or BBQ skewers of meat at this cafe place... Licia does her best to eat REAALLL SLOOOWWWWWW
940pm we get up and head to the Macs...
Iannis picks us up and we go to the Greek version of London's SOHO...Bars on a street, with people sitting by the street dirnking...Its like a night cafe turned into a bar..or singapore's kopitiam but with alcohol and shisha and cool pple...chilling out..not some late night snack... We meet his friends..we try to talk....its slow but its moving...

Day 4. Its 1pm when we get up. Ahhhhh!!!!!! We go down to Monastraki Square and walk around..shopping for a mask to bring back home. My family collects masks...its kinda late so we just see the square..and I'm awfully tired...so we go back around 9pm...have dinner
Uneventful? At 12midnight we head out to meet his friend and the 4 of us go to a place in a nearby area that hasd Greek Traditional music and eat again. Dinner part II. Part III for Cia...haha.

Day 5. we wake up at 1pm. Pack......wait for Iannis to wake up....Give the gifts we had bought for them..necklace for mum, rug n bracelet for Iannis...this is on top of the Bak Kwa we gave..but with their warm Greek hospitality..Bak Kwa was pathetic...Go to his friend's name day and rush to the airport....Flight gets delayed by 30 mins..plane food was better..reached London..amazingly got our luggage immediately..had supper in Chinatown...2am..slept

Day 6. Take cia to airport. :(

Wonder if shes reached KL yet for the stopover?

Discriminated against? haha

2007-03-05T16:03:00.000-08:00

Random picture from Fabric on Friday night..FLAMING SEMBUCA!

This girl from China put up an ad in my hall looking for someone to converse in English with her a few hours a week..and she was paying 6-8 pounds an hour! Good and easy money right?
So I called her up and she asks me where I am from
I go "Singapore"
Shes like. Oh, I don't think I want someone from Singapore.
I was puzzled. I think she thought that my English would suck...so I asked her "oh why, do you want someone who is British?"
She said "yes, I prefer someone British" (i think she meant white)
And this is despite the fact that I spoke very good non Singlish English to her! (yes i had to keep the lahs and the wah laus and the sotong out)

Honestly, I was a little miffed. I swear my English is better than some Brits or Americans! (ok, maybe not on a blog..)
Just cos I am CHINESE!!!!

I suppose no matter what, theres a racial stereotype. Like, would I want a caucasian who spoke fluent chinese to teach me chinese? I think I would probably go for the chinese guy with the long flowing beard................

Happy New Year!

2007-02-25T08:46:00.000-08:00

The last weekend was a crazy one. It was Chinese New Year and Charlene was here to visit. I decided to throw work to the wind. Literally. ok, kinda. We had a great time, going out from Thursday night (with May and gang) to Sunday night. And despite only sleeping an average of four hours each night, I managed to go to the CNY parade in the London Chinatown as well as see the firecrackers. Yes, I am from Singapore. I am deprived of firecrackers. Sera also came down from Oxford and we had a blast. Oh, did I also tell you that we cooked a meal at night? Justin did the lo hei stuff, as well as chup chye. Jianwei did bak kut teh and I did steamed herbal chicken and a stir fry veggie. Yum, we were stuffed........ Pics are with sera and Charlene.

And then of course, all good things had to come to an end. Charlene left for Marseilles on Mon and I sprained my ankle on Weds. Make that sprained my foot and ankle. Playing floorball with guys. Violent!!!!! I didnt fall but I think my foot went into some weird position. I couldnt walk on Weds..I hopped...and today (sunday) I can limp! progress!!!!! I have been old to RICE.
Rest
Ice
Compress
Elevate

I cant say I did any of those. haha. But I do wanna get ebtter cos Michelle is here! Shes on exchange in Paris and she came over with Yan Bin, Gracie and this other gal called Michelle. I wanna take em around...AND Erika is coming on Monday and we're suppose to go to Hampton Court on weds..AND eat dim sum. Tell mw how to do anything with this kinda foot? AAHHHH

Never mind, I shall tahan. Though I shouldt push myself too hard cos my parents are coming in 2 weeks (oh my so soon??? so fast already??) and we're gonna be traveling a lot..and catching a lot of trains..need to run lah..wait we miss it how?

An unexpected holiday

2007-02-12T17:24:00.000-08:00

So believe it or no, LSE SHUT DOWN today. The power went off cos one of the water pipes in in the Holborn area, near the Strand, burst, and flooded the power station that supplies electricity to the Courts of Justics, various banks AND LSE!!!!

I woke up and my friend tells me theres no school. What do I do? Chherrrrrr!!! Like a primary school kid! :) Ok, figuratively yah..cut me some slack here.

So I laze around and attempt to do my essay due on friday. FAIL
Decide to go to the gym despite the fact that I am still recovering. SUCCESS!
Why?
Cos I was going to satisfy my craving for indian curry and naan at 2pm later!
I went a with 3 friends to Brick Lane near Spitalfieds Market, where there is a row of Bangladeshi restaurants selling curry. Yes, Bangla, not Indian. My indian friend corrected me on that one. You want Indian, go to Drummond Street.
Anway, itwas drizzling..not very pleasant weather but what do you expect in London? We jumpted into Monsoon, this restaurant somewher ein the middle of the lane. We had the set meal which came with 1 starter, 1 side, 1 main, 1 naan/rice and 1 coffee. GOOD DEAL!!! All for $6.50!!!!!
The meal was pretty good..I got to try so many dishes!! Naan was ok, not great though. Curry was good and I liked my chickpea/ spinach thingie..whatever that was called. They even served us complimentary chocolates and papadum. The ambience was also lovel, although i was sitting under a garish red light that made my food look redder than it should be.

After that, we popped into a sweets store across the street. Justin bought some baklava and I tried some insanely sweet desserts..don't know what they were called. But they were definitely indian/ Bangla.

And then..come back..and its essay time!!!

Valentine's Day thoughts

2007-02-11T10:04:00.000-08:00

This wednesday is V Day. The day when prices go up and everything costs more just so that you can show a loved one that you are willing to spend on him/ her. Oh what cynicism.
But its true! EXORBITANT!!!! New Year eve comes in a close second (joking..its too hard to tell)

As I approach this day..its with a tinge of sadness.

Sadness for the one you lost, for the things you had, and will be.

Sadness that there seems no one in the horizon..doesn't help that one of your good guy friends who was like..not attached for quite a while is suddenly blissfully dating :)

Yes, there are one or 2 guys interested..i think. But I'm not keen on any of them..hence a reason why I am going for dim sum on V Day with a group of people, and hanging out wih my gfs at night.
1. Keep no free time for guys I don't want to spend V Day with
2. Its fun to be single right??? CELEBRATE!!!!

Well, and then the sadness goes away as you think, well better to be single than to be with the wrong one right? But is the wrong one really wrong?
Or of course, I could just go on a date with some guy...just for fun..nah....not on V Day. Too much significance in it...it would be telling him too much wouldn't it?
Well, actually no one has asked me out yet so I guess I am upping the stakes wayy too much..BUT I have been asked quite a few times "what you doing on Vday/ weds"

Actually, I'm looking forward to Chinese New Year, which starts this friday for me (kinda early I know) with the LSE Singapore Society Dinner! yummmm haha.

And Charlene is coming down this Friday again too...ohh it will be fun...ok I feel better now.

How much would you pay for a piece of art??

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

So I went to a Sotheby's auction on Wednesday... probably not a great idea considering it was below 0 degrees, I was sick..it was late..and I have a ton of work due.

Anyway, Sotheby's auction house is located along New Bond Street, and the day I went, they were selling contemporary art..think Andy Warhol. They sold Impressionist art on tuesday, Monet and the like, but I missed it. Too late.

Andy Warhol only sold for 30,000 pounds..only you say? Some other painting went for 4million pounds. A painting. There were bidders in the room, holding paddles with numbers..and there were bidders on the phone, who had representatives bid for them. Most of the paintings were bought by people not in the room..probably some rice oil tycoon who was holidaying in Barbados...
The room was high tech. There was a huge screen above us, converting the prices into HKD, Yen, USD and Euros..tells you where the rich people come from...
The auctioneer was a typical looking British guy, auctioning off the lots..and the crowd..well..mainly European, mainly well dressed and rich. We looked way out of place. Like. WAY out of place...asian, young, poorly dressed.....But it was quite an interesting experience..after all, after being sold, the art pieces disappear till the owner decides to sell it again...Is art a piece of investment? Better than stocks? Mmm.......

Oh, and by the way, the conversion to SGD is roughly 1:3. to USD is 1:2

Columbian, Portugese, Braizilian...

2007-02-06T15:50:00.000-08:00

No not guys, but food and a football/ soccer match!

I tried a Columbian restaurant on Shroud Green. It was good...and huge.....n I finished it. Much to my embarrassment. I ordered a fish (pescado) covered in a thick orange sauce...heavenly and it only set me back 10 quid. It helped that I only ordered tap water..like the cheapskate I am. :)

This was a pre football game dinner: Portugal vs Brazil friendly at the emrirates stadium, home of Arsenal FC!!!!
Its a new stadium apparently..lovely....and I sat so near the front, albeit nearer one side of the goal post. Unfortunately, the only big name star that I REALLY recognised was Cristiano Ronald. But then they took him off half way through the 2nd half..booooooooooo
The game was not very fun and kinda goaless till the last few minutes of the second half when Portugal scored 2 goals!! That silenced the Brazilian drums for once....

O my I am blogging

2007-02-05T12:33:00.000-08:00

I havent blogged in eons. I don't even know who reads this anymore. Too much work..too much work I say. And I party too..and heck I am london! Why should I be sitting in front of the computeR? Actually I do..a lot..on MSN cos I miss my friends and on email..and reading off the laptop cos I am too cheap to print in school 4p a PAGE!!!! are they mad? thats like 12 cents in Singapore currency

The LSE Singsoc is holding a auction of people and activities...my friend asked me to take part. At first I was reluctant. A bit malu and a bit afraid..but of course I don't mind trying too just for fun. Aiyah.....now 23 still can do this kinda thing..next time 30 years old..too disrespectable right?
Though even now..postgrad up for bid? ehhhh I'll prob do like a musical or something....Feel like watching something. :)

Have a ton of essays and presentations due. Cant focus though....was reading on Wahsington Consensus and all that stuff...the words are just flying past my head and I start to wonder..."what does this have to do with me?" oh yah..my grades.....

I can't sleep

2006-11-02T02:04:00.000-08:00

The songs from Wicked the musical have been trilling in my head.
Thank you Justin for bringing me to see it and Charlene for letting me xxx the CD.
I think I have the motif stuck in my head already....

LSE is a lot of work. I've been such a halloween loser. I didn't go to any party OR dress up. I was tooo tired...sighz.

MOVING HOUSE

2006-08-08T08:45:00.000-07:00

i have moved to tinybites.spaces.live.com

I am back on my Samsung Q35!

2006-08-05T10:23:00.000-07:00

This is my first entry ins eons...where have I been? Busy with life...haha. I just returned from a 1.5 mth internship in Shanghai.
But firstly, this entry is done on my brand new samsung q35 12.1inch laptop. I think it was a steal at SGD1999 at the PC Show.
With a DVD, CDRW drive, it weighs in at slightly under 4 pounds. and its quite pretty. I'm sorry, I'm biased when it comes to asthetically pleasing laptops.thats why IBM is a no go for me, as solid as it is (sorry Chuohao!)

So far, I have been pretty happy with it. Then again, I have only been using it for 2 days. I did encounter problems though..when I first got it, the AVS Now Station wasnt working program and I had to take it back to the Samsung shop in SG to get it fixed. Thank goodness for the warranty!
Also, the mouse touch pad is a little insensitive and the keyboard/ key pad does not feel to great to use..it feels a little rough. This seems to have to do with the rough silver finishing....Or maybe the fact I need to cut my nails?? haha.

It has been ok warm, with about 4-5 hours battery life on normal mode so far. Then again, I don't use my laptop intensively..but since when were small laptops meant to be used intensively?

I do wish they had more USB ports..mine only has 2. One in the back and one at the side..maybe its the norm I don't know.??

I do love the AVS function, and the laptop does not get unduly hot at all...nothing like my friend's Sony Vaio.

Over all, for SGD1999, I'm happy. =)

Looking forward to nicer laptops from Samsung!

A New Post

2006-06-05T19:18:00.000-07:00

Finally. Many people have been nagging at me to update my blog...I got lazy. But heres an update.

1. I finally graduated from UC Berkeley. Going to LSE to do a one year Masters
2. I am back in Singapore till September. Looking for work. I need $$$
3. I spoke at my commencment ceremony woohoo! Singaporean girl with weird accent speaking in front of all those white parents... (this is geog commencement)
4. I bought a new laptop Samsung Q35 (SGD1999 at the PC Show) and my dad bought a new desktop
5. My mum went for LASIK
6. I have been to the hospital numerous times this week for different pple.
7. I have only met up with some friends..everyone else is free this weekend...bleah

And thats all folks!

Screens

2006-02-04T01:01:00.000-08:00

So I was in the gym today and I observed something.
Not about the gym though..nothing about those guys with small heads and big bodies (grossly out of proportion) or the girls with make up who only clog up their pores further with sweat.
Rather, I noticed how much smaller the screens of the IPOD and other music players were getting. And how we were able to view pictures and movies on smaller and smaller screens just so that we could carry it around. And jog and watch our own personal TV at the same time. On the other hand, you also see TV screens getting bigger and wider and goodness knows what else. Its kinda like a contradiction. We want bigger and more portable. HAHA. Its like technology is taking us in two different directions, albeti for different purposes.
Ok, as you can see I was bored at the gym. I usually feel bored because theres nothing to do there but watch silent TV or listen to music. Unlike when you walk around or when you are in a car, theres nothing to observe. Cept the pumelling of people on the treadmill or the frantic motions of the girls on the Precor.

I must be bored. Yes yes, I owe people pictures.

Lijun in LA

2006-01-18T01:01:00.000-08:00

I had a great time in LA, thanks to the wonderful hospitality of John and his family~ Pardon the bad english.

I landed in Berkeley/SFO on Thursday at 6pm, picked up by Jian Yuan (thanks for the ride) and then caught a plane to LA on Friday at 155pm. John kindly picked me up from Long Beach Airport at 320pm and then off we went to south coast mall for some shopping. I ended up getting some tops from Abercrombie and Fitch because they were on sale. I got a brown top for my mum... its sleeveles..mum, do you still wear sleeveless? can wear a sweater over it...
Anyway, the mall was amazingly white. Why? Well I always thought that LA was very Asian I guess and the mall had a LOT more white people than asian people. So I guess I was just surprised. But I suppose there are more rich white people huh...

Anyway, stayed in John's house..theres a pic of the room (and my mess). I also celebrated my birthday in LA. I was really surprised that "ah ee" and "po po" actually bought me a cake and sang me a birthday song. First time I had a birthday cake with everything in Chinese characters..=)
Actually, I was really touched. I owe them a lot....because they made my stay really enjoyable. In the day we went to an outlet mall..bought 2 tops for my sisters..like em?

Day after, we went to Rodeo drive (where the shops were closed. again.) and just took a stroll down...its really pretty but oh so unaffordable. Also went to Santa Monica..its so pretty too..did I ever mention that LA has a really beautiful sky? Also ate a lot of dim sum in Rowland Heights..yummie..hahha had it twice in a row.

Singapore Pics

2006-01-08T18:10:00.000-08:00

1. I permed my hair but apparently it is kinda gone by now
2. I went clubbing esp mambo, and I also checked out Wala
3. I met up with friends and because I am lazy to label my pics..oh well. But yes thats Dawn Yeo. And can you even tell I permed my hair??? The 3rd pic from the top with Swee Tiang and Huang Yu is pre perm and cut. The rest are post. HAHA
4. I hung out with my family and we just celebrated my birthday. Really early. =)
The bought me a cake from Awfully Chocolate thats located at upper thomson..if you havent tried it go try!
5. And we also discovered this wonderful muffin place called chocolate and spice at the Shunfu hawker centre/ market.

Singaporean Blues

2005-12-31T19:53:00.000-08:00

I have been back for more than a week. And obviously been too busy or to lazy to post. If you know we well enough, its a combination of both although more of the latter. Ha.

I came back to a renovated house. The books were in boxes, the door of the kitchen had been shifted, we had a new toilet in the back and also the floors had been redone. Nice? Yes. But. We had to unpack. My room had become the storage facility. I had golf bags, a gazillion boxes, decorations, towels, mattresses..you name it. So I showered in my sister's bathroom, slept on the floor in Liying's room using her puny "baby pillow" which barely fit my head and her blanket..dumped my suitcase in my parents' room. And then it was down to UNpacking. That was hell. So dusty and dirty..my nose started to run. Wipe clean pack Wipe clean pack. My clothes that I took out of the boxes had a terrible stale smell. bleah. good thing i can live outta my suitcase. haha.

Of course having no maid doesn't help. My parents were terribly cranky. The stress of it just took a toll on them. And they got irritable and naggy and mad easily..and so did my sisters...who of course had to do their work and school stuff and were also too used to having a maid..so they didn't help as my parents expected them to. Which led to unhappiness..but its ok. We drank wine on new year's morning. We forget. Till we wake up and have to clear up the house.

So what have I been doing? I'll save that for the next entry. But it goes along the lines of chinatown, clubbing, floorball, weird people and no working out. Here comes the FATS~

I don't want to study anymore

2005-12-17T23:25:00.000-08:00

There I said it.

I never thought I would feel this way. In JC, even with all the cramming and stuff, I still felt like I Wanted to study and I did appreciate exams cos they made me synthesize everything I learnt. But now, BAH.

I don't know. Its odd. Its finals and I don't even care what grade I get. When I study, I know I should study more, learn some proofs. I know. But I don't do it. Whats wrong with me? I CONSCIOUSLY don't do it and frankly I don't care. Finals are like an obstacle to me enjoying my holidays.

I used to want to get an A. Pride you know? But now I don't care... Its like as long as get a minimum, the one that PSC wants, I don't care much anymore.
Am I burnt out? From applying to grad school, doing take homes and studying for finals, doing a term paper, my honors thesis and relationship woes? Maybe.
Or has Berkeley simply changed my priorities? Its all personal choice I guess. I don't judge others on their preferences. But mine seems to have shifted. Maybe I got lazier but I don't think so. I guess I feel like I learn more from outside of school. Kinda. Like life skills... I learn from my classes too but its a different kind of learning you know? And if I were to work hard for my A, and hard work is what it is, I would have to give up some of this outside learning. Or I would have to lower the commitment to other stuff. I mean, I didn't come here only to study right?

But yah. I don't care studying anymore. I guess I care about what I get. But I don't care enough to put in the effort.

Why the heck am I doing grad school?

Leanne Womack

2005-12-13T23:07:00.000-08:00

I hope you never lose your sense of wonder
You get your fill to eat
But always keep that hunger
May you never take one single breath for granted
God forbid love ever leave you empty handed
I hope you still feel small
When you stand by the ocean
Whenever one door closes, I hope one more opens
Promise me you'll give faith a fighting chance

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
I hope you dance
I hope you dance

I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance
Never settle for the path of least resistance
Living might mean taking chances
But they're worth taking
Lovin' might be a mistake
But it's worth making
Don't let some hell bent heart
Leave you bitter
When you come close to selling out
Reconsider
Give the heavens above
More than just a passing glance

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
I hope you dance
(Time is a real and constant motion always)
I hope you dance
(Rolling us along)
I hope you dance
(Tell me who)
I hope you dance
(Wants to look back on their youth and wonder)
(Where those years have gone)

I hope you still feel small
When you stand by the ocean
Whenever one door closes, I hope one more opens
Promise me you'll give faith a fighting chance

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
Dance
I hope you dance

Ah Beng and Ah Lian

2005-12-12T22:08:00.000-08:00

Something to show your friends from foreign lands.

Ah Beng Magazine
Definition of Ah Beng and Ah Lian

I say I am YELLOW

2005-12-12T18:26:00.000-08:00

This could be controversial.

So today, during a meeting, we were deciding on who should be a "model" for our flyer. And of course, PSP being already WAY too asian and female, I told Lily (this cute little girl in our frat whos the same age as my sister) "well, you're white, you should do it" and everyone started laughing in an embarrassed manner. Well, yah sure so its odd saying something about race I guess. But I don't think I Would be insulted if someone of a different race told me "you should do xxx cos you are chinese and we need to reflect diversity"
I guess I would be if I were a minority race? Not insulted, but a little more sensitive...but to me its like hey, we all know that PSP is too Asian and so whats with all the "nervous laughter"?

Sometimes I feel that the American Asians here are WAY more Asian than I am. Why? Because I suppose being the majority race in Singapore gives me a new perspective on stuff Am Asians won't get. In addition, I feel like in Singapore, we have managed to fuse our Asian as well as westernized cultures together without losing too much of either. Wherelse here, it seems to be a choice between one or the other. Its either you are super proud of the fact you are Asiana nd become "Fobby" or you go the other way and become supremely Americanized.
I know race is a "sensitive" issue to some. But frankly, its only insulting if you dis the race. I mean white is white, black is black and chinese is chinese. Who cares? OF course if you pit "that stupid yellow chink" in one sentence, then I would say watch out..I am gonna hit you. If not...who cares?

Race is a fact. Its like asying the skinny girl or the guy with the mole. Well, to be at least. Its physical. And I think a majority race perspective is simply different from that of people who are not the majority.

Changes- How we Grow

2005-12-12T18:04:00.000-08:00

I was just looking at my pictures...especially those that I took with my friends before I came here and I was simply amazed at how we have changed. In that short time from 19 years old (teenagehood) to now, at 21, on the brink of womanhood, we have all changed a lot. I think we all look a lot better now. Haha. And without surgery too. Well, cept me maybe cos I have been going through like major weight changes with the American diet..But here goes. I hope they don't kill me.
Watch Maureen and Olivia blossom! =P
Start

End

What I learnt from my classes

2005-12-09T20:54:00.000-08:00

BA 133 Investments How the finance world has no ethics
1. Buy a mutual fund with no load
2. Money managers usually can't outperform the market at all and in fact, no one can do it regularly so best is invest it in a benchmark index and just hold it long term.
3. Brokers are just out to get commissions

BA118 International Trade Trade is all about politics
1. Trade is all about trickery and politicians
2. I didnt really go to class so thats about it that I know

Economics 140 Econometrics Models and more models
1. Omitted variables are a pain
2. All results are inaccurate
3. Stata is a pain to use and people in my class need to go take intro math classes. DO NOT ask "professor, how do you find the mean?" at an 8am upper division economics class PLEASE

Geography 152 Multicultural Europe United Nations with philosophy
1. Europe is one messed up place and not very welcoming to migrants
2. I need to learn a foreign language because some articles she gives us are in: Spainish, German, French to name a few
3. All those great philosophers have weird names: Kant, Hegel etc.

Philosophy 5 Philosophy of Science Science is not as accurate as it appears to be. What you learn is an illusion
1. The world is what you want it to be. You just have to explain it away and rewrite scientific history
2. PAradigm shifts, revolutions and monads. Hey maybe the earth rotates around mars and not the sun!!!

Time out from Finals- Sushi Sho

2005-12-08T21:08:00.000-08:00

I just finished 1/2 8 page essays so I went for a break. Had a wonderful time with (in no order of amusement) Erika, John and Zuo Hao.

We went to Sushi Sho (this place along solano ave)for sushi (duh) and thats all they serve there. It came up to $25 per person. Not cheap but the quality was really good and for some weird reason although portions were small, I was amazingly full. I guess, don't judge a sushi by its size?

I had the hamachi nigiri, chawan mushi and the unakyu maki. All were good though I would say the unakyu maki was pretty ordinary. The hamachi maki was really fresh, a lot better than what I had in Joshuya's. Zuohao had the pressed sushi, which is done Osaka style. Its really good..looks like jelly but it tastes nothing like it. Zuohao was addicted to it..i swear....for all his "nono its ok you guys can have it" statements. haha.

The main perk though was sitting at the sushi counter watching the chef make the sushi. What skill, what flair! Its such an art, cuttin gthe fish up. And he even had all the seafood n tamago displayed before us, glistening with freshness. Yes I MEAN glistening. It was so fresh that I wanted to eat everything.

Ok. Back to the books.

Need I say more?

2005-12-05T23:49:00.000-08:00

At the recently opened Singapore National Library

Banquet Fall 2005

2005-12-04T11:04:00.000-08:00

Ladies in Red
Judy, Me MUACKS!
Matt, always there for us (and the computer)
Tina gets to have her cake and eat it

Jean and I and a Christmas Tree
Another TRIPLE L Picture with someone trying to jump in =)
3 "Bright Lampposts" and couple (Debbie and Andy to the right)
Winnie. Judy. Linda Chen.

Location: PonzuRestaurant
Parking: Ellis O Farrell near Macy's Tops $6 after 6pm on weekends (Thanks Johnson 4 driving)
Banquet this semester was lovely. Kudos to Soccomm. I really enjoyed the ambience and the friendly company. We had Secret Santa again this semester, something I didnt have time to do last semester. It was so fun cos we had a Christmas tree complete with real as well as fake presents. Of course the fake presents looked much nicer than the real ones eh..at least in terms of size. haha. I got gemmy chocolates, not the funnest thing in the world but oh well...the heart cushion couldnt fit into the paperbag. haha. Stella was mine, and I rec a beautiful pair of earrings from her. Thanks girl!
I love Banquet cos I get to dress up and try to look pretty. Make upactually can be fun if it didnt take up so much time. This semester, Judy has been my fashionista. shes good....and also responsible for me matching a red necklace with a rose coloured dress, something i would not normally do. Cos I am like a boring silver, black and gold person.
Now its time to hit the books. Or try to.

2005-12-03T01:30:00.000-08:00

1 week till school ends
2 weeks will the exams arrive
3 weeks till I go home

Random post on the Weather

2005-12-01T21:21:00.000-08:00

I just had dinner with ChuoHao and Erika (makan kakis) Pic taken at Big Game against Stanford where we trashed em!
So you must have noticed I deleted my previous post on the personality test. It was cluttering the page up. If you wanna take a personality test with a twist on sesame street...google it. i lost the link! sorry.
I was Kermit the Frog. My complaint? Wheres Oscar and Ernie? (They are my fave characters)

Its crummy weather here. It just rains and rains....the wind turns my umbrella upside down. I feel like Mary Poppins gone wrong and uncool. Good thing it hasnt reached the stage where I can't walk in a straight line cos the wind is blowing me off track. But I know it soon will. I liek the rain...when I am in my room. But when I'm outside, its a different story. The rain brings back so many memories..Singapore actually. Playing softball in the rain, walkin in the rain in a white PE tee (haha), seeing it rain 20m away while my area was perfectly dry.....

As I walked home on Telegraph Ave today sheltering myself from the wind, I wondered: Where do all the homeless go in this kinda weather? For me, its already so hard to leave my apt to go to class. What about the homeless who have no place to go?

Do you have any Mistletoe?

2005-11-29T21:09:00.000-08:00

That was what a lady shouted out of her car to the florist located next to where she had stopped to wait for the traffic light to turn red. Oh the wonders of Berkeley. I was walking home when the lady stuck her head out and asked the guy in the shop for Mistletoe. "Not for another 2 weeks!" He replied.

First thing I thought of was kissing under the mistletoe. Yes, I think I have become too influenced by Western culture. I still have images of people kidding in movies..Romantic kisses at that. Or even if it werent romantic, something develops after that. I have never been kissed under the mistletoe. I have never really gone to parties/ houses with one. I think only once, or twice. And even then, no kissing there. Not me nor anyone else in the house.

I wonder how the tradition started? For those of you going full gear into Finals, look forward to the Mistletoe at Christmas! (Or just buy one early and hang it at your doorway hahaha)

PSP update (super late sorry guys!)

2005-11-29T00:36:00.000-08:00

So we recently had 2 PSP events: Thanksgiving at Gemmy and Jerry's ( I Still mix the 2 of them up..don't kill me Gemmy) and Eta Induction.

PICS (top to bottom): Zeta Class, Tina (Historian) and I, Epsilon Class (Go Epsilons!), Delta Babes, Triple Ls and 2 extras, Phi Sigma Pi Delta Omega Chapter grown larger

So at Induction, I had to read the Awards part of it. Somehow, I feel like Induction is when I realize again the true meaning of PSP. And I think reading it helps, cos when you just hear it...its hard to follow. Of course its probably even harder for my frat bros to understand me with my half Brit half American and a little Singaporean accent (over 100% total). GO PSP! WELCOME ETAS! We love you!

Thanksgiving Potluck was fun too..John Chen and I (the crazee guy with his tongue out, also the founder of Delta Omega Chapter) made apple pie. From scratch. okok. so we bought the pie crust! But at least we made the fliing..but it was easy...just slice apples, mix it around in sugar, cinnamon and corn starch, throw in the cranberries and viola! I ate so much there..we didnt eat till like 10pm cos some bros were working the basketball game. Thanks guys! MAke $$ for PSP! =)
And in the pic you see the 3 Ls, Lijun, Linda Chen and Linda Lu (and 2 extra alumni)

Its about Pride and Prejudice

2005-11-28T11:21:00.000-08:00

I watched the movie yesterday night with a bunch of friends. Was it good? Yes. Would I watch it again? Maybe but not so soon.
The acting was decent, it was witty and the visuals were artsy. What I didn't like was the extremely strong accents that made it a little dificult to follow the script. Then again..its British countryside..what to do?

Somehow, I remind myself of Elizabeth. I'm probably as stubborn, strong willed and opinionated as her. Though I have to say that I do know when to keep my mouth shut, especially in the presence of higher powers or when I would sound like an idiot if I opened my mouth. Other then that, I'm pretty frank and direct. Yeah, I really do remind myself of her. And I guess thats why I also like the show. I hope that my Mr Darcy will show up...His persistence and what he did for her was absolutely beautiful and so was the way they just LOVE each other. Of course I do think its a little too short a time to fall in love with someone but hey, you get the idea. And who knows, maybe love at first (or in this case about 6th?) sight does exist.

C^2= Chicago x Cold

2005-11-28T01:04:00.000-08:00

So COLD brrr
Deep Dish Pizza!
Some Singaporeans at 9 (good food)
So cold..Alan and I
View from John Hancock Tower Signature Lounge

I wen to to Chicago over Thanksgiving with my friend Alan...it was COLD! And I heard the day after that it got warmer..great...But anyhow.

We went to the John Hancock Tower and had drinks on the 96th floor in the Signature Lounge. The view was gorgeous ( and it was warm). Chicago is a very different city from SF. Its a lot more linearly organized and very much flatter. The buildings are taller, and the architecture is beautiful. I guess thats why there are architecture tours available. I also went to Navy Pier, something that is like Fisherman Wharf in SF. It was ok... nice view. But I went on Thanksgiving itself (Thurs) so all the shops were closed.Oh, we also went to a Blues pub/club and it was straight out of TV, this bunch of old Black dudes playing...it was really nice and the music was GOOD.

Shopping along the Magnicifent Mile was good..so many shops! But the cold was turn offish..it actually snowed on Friday too. It was beautiful to see the snow fall (sorry I am from Singapore and Calif..falling snow is new to me), flake by flake. Of course it was still super cold and windy and I couldnt wait to get indoors. But it was a beautiful winter wonderland. I just need warmer clothes.

The Singaporeans were really hospitable and friendly THANK YOU MEIYI... and my goodness they eat and cab a lot! In SF, I don't take cab at all. Its either drive or walk or BART or bus. Thats it. Cab is too expensive. And the apartment was really nice too..a lot less ghetto than berkeley ones. It actually reminded me of the ones in Singapore. I remember eating a LOT. Typical Singaporeans, how to treat a guest? Feed them well! Not that I am complaining..after all, I love to eat!

Day 1: American Breakfast (Thanks Meiyi n Yongchun)
Korean BBQ and Soju

Day 2: Dim Sum in Chinatown (Good luck to the Beauty World musical!)
Thanksgiving dinner of duck, beef and turkey and potatoes (wheres my greens!haha)

Day 3: Deep Dish Chicago Pizza ( 1 slice = 2 normal slices)
Nice dinner at 9

I wanna be here when its warmer.

From my bored friends

2005-11-20T16:38:00.000-08:00

Some sites for the bored and the uninitiated (like me)

www.stevenlim.net
http://politicalhumor.about.com/library/blbushisms2000.htm
www.utube.com

JC Classmates

2005-11-15T01:01:00.000-08:00

There was/is a hooha in Singapore recently over my classmate. I'm not going to comment too much about the issue here. She is my friend and I don't want anything I say to be taken against me and her.
I'm just sad I guess. Its sad to have people criticize your life and you. Why are people so judgemental?
And I'm sad too...that this whole issue has made my class website disappear. I always enjoyed going back to it...looking at the quotes, the pictures...it was and is a beautiful memory. And now we have people who abuse the power of the internet and they turn a good memory for most of us, into something we want to hide. How can we show it if its going to hurt our friend? I can't even put up class pics here anymore..
Well, I do hope to have a class reunion when I go back in Winter again. Hopefully this would have all blown over and I can meet my class again. And our webpage will be up again.

Trip to Napa Valley

2005-11-14T02:09:00.000-08:00

On Saturday, my friend invited me to join him and his friends from Stanford (School of the rich and you shall learn why soon) to Napa Valley for wine tasting. Apparently this was a class on wine appreciation....the things they teach you in Stanford.
I must say I don't really know how to appreciate the stuff... its cost about $100 a bottle! But I could tell what was too acidic and what was not. Shame on me but after 4 glasses of wine, I was a little tipsy. Not drunk -phew- but tipsy.

Ok, so why are STANFURDIANS rich? Because our tour guide (guy in red preppy sweater pourgin wine) was none other than the son of the rich family who owned the winery. And he goes to Stanford! $100 a bottle of wine. Think of the profits!!!

For those of you coming to Cal to visit, Napa Valley is famous for its wineries. ITs a beautiful rich and white area (yes being Asian there makes you stick out like a sore thumb) and its really pretty....Steak there is good too! Its just about an hour up north from berkeley....What a difference one hour can make! The difference between ghettodom and richdom..

LOST

2005-11-13T11:24:00.000-08:00

That fateful day, we went to SF (Ghiradelli sQuare for ice cream n elsewhere for shopping!)

I lost my cellphone/handphone AGAIN.

I have no idea why I keep losing it..considering that I rarely lose things like that. I lost it once in summer/June when I was back in Singapore and now I lose it again. Sighz. It probably slipped out of my bag when I was getting out of a cab in SF. I know my bag was at a weird angle...and I did think "oh no what if something falls out". But we were in a major rush to catch a bus (Line F) back to Berkeley (yah yah take a cab to catcha bus..go on and laugh) so I didnt check till we found out we had missed the Berkeley bus by 10 minutes. And now its gone. AAHHHHHHH

You realize how important a cell phone is or how reliant you have become on it only when you lose it. Thankfully, I have internet now so its not as bad. I remember on days in RJC when I left it at home, I felt so lost....Well, I do feel lost now. Like I lost all connections to the rest of the world except those I see online. But thankfully as I said, I have the internet to make up for this lost connection. It makes me wonder if the internet will replace cell phones soon if we can actually take our lap top in even smaller sizes along with us? After all, everyone can be online. You don't need to call someone. Just MSN him/her. I know there are some phones that can also be computer like stuff but what if a computer is the size of a cell phone but not a cell phone?

Time for the engineers to hit the drawing board...

3 Reasons why I wish I had more Moolah

2005-11-11T01:20:00.000-08:00

Here are 3 things I'm hankering after..going down to SF tomorrow to check out the SALES! I think these items are great buys....Price sucks but oh well. Lets just hope they are on discount..Its amazing how prices seem negatively correlated with the amount of cloth that is used to make the item. Do you think I can charge even more for nothing?
And no, thats not me..its the hot girl from the Bebe advert..

Girl's sleepover

2005-11-08T16:17:00.000-08:00

Delta Omega BABES

Linda Chen and I

We had a sleepover after the Eta's social at Jean's place (Thanks JEan and Rosa!!)
NO BOYS ALLOWED

Things I learnt:
1. Doritos asre way to salty...I stuffed myself with Doritos (I don't know why)and I felt real sick after that
2. The Ab machines they sell on tv might not be the best cos Amy Jin can do it like its nothing...
3. Saving face, an asian american film starring Joan Chen is a great movie. Lesbian couples can be so hot!
4. Linda Chen gives great back massages and Amy Jin is pretty decent too...
5. Debbie and Jean look really cute with Tea Tree face MAsk on
6. Butter pops in the microwave when you try to turn it into oil...(we were baking a chocolate cake from a mix that Linda Chen bought)
7. Even Linda Lu isnt skinny enough for the red skirt she wore (that means I shouldnt even think of putting it on)

I had fun! Did you?
(Lesbian couples can be so hot!)

The initiates social

2005-11-08T13:23:00.000-08:00

I'm just going to blog about this cos I thought the outfits were really cuttee..We were suppose to dress up from a decade..I was ermz...apparently I was 1990s. Cool. And all I did was try not to be too normal looking...
There was karaoke and food and board games..it was fun~ See the pics! Akan Datant/ Coming soon.

A STRIPPER did me!

2005-11-06T03:17:00.000-08:00

I went to a Strip Club called Crazyhorse in SF last night. It was a full nude strip club so no alcohol was allowed. $20 for girls $25 for guys. Sorry guys, no pics cos pics and cell phones not allowed.

Yeah, there were a buncha dirty old men =P and young men...and there were some women too! Well, I sat in the first row near the stage (it was like a fashion runway) and some of the girls were really hot mind you. And there were some really fat ones..made you wonder how much money they were earning....This poor stripper earned only 5 USD...

Well, at 12 midnight, the stars of the show came on. Mikele and Mercedes (or so i think thats their names) and they were REALLY slim and wild....up and down the pole..up and down..

And then.

They pulled me up on to the stage...First I got sandwiched between them...then they started dancing around me....And I didn't even have to put the USD1 out!
I guess I was traumatized. Ok, I was traumatized. But it was an experience.

Oh, I do have a shot glass souvenior from there!

Halloween Weekend

2005-10-31T11:15:00.000-08:00

Today (Monday) is Halloween! But of course we all know that people have been enjoying themselves over the weekend...

TOnight, there is the Halloween Parade in Castro (the gay area) and I'm sure there'll be a lot of fantastic costumes. There were a lot the last time I went...John Lennon and Yoko Ono, male Geishas, male Ursulas, the Tin man etc etc. Its really quite an eye opener but its definitely not something I would go to twice..

The private party at the office building I went to on Saturday night was really interesting too in terms of costumes. There was a I Pod Shuffle! Pity I didnt bring my camera..Of course there were a LOT of hot French maids and fairies and cats....and a lotta Pimps too...It was pretty cool cos everyone dressed up.

Its been a crazy weekend. But it was fun..kinda like the right opportunity to allow me to let go of all my emotional and mental stress.

And its over! GRE

2005-10-29T10:12:00.000-07:00

I took my GREs yesterday and then went clubbing at night. I did pretty well, improving by 100 pts on verybal and 30 pts on Math.
I messed up the previous time because I didnt practise once on the computer. I only practised in the book. And when I went for the GRE test the first time..I suffered. Because..I was not used to the computer..I read the same line over and over again but I couldnt understand it because reading it on a screen somehow made my brain stop. Moreover, the computerized system means that once you have answered a question, you can't go back to it again.

And believe it or not but when I did it in Singapore, the chair was too low but I couldnt shift it. So I had a crick in my neck..hahaha...

It felt good, when I saw my new scores. Woohoo I don't need to take it again!

Independent "Woman"

2005-10-25T13:34:00.000-07:00

Yeah! -phew- My crazy weeks of 5 Midterms in 2 weeks are almost over, I just have to handle my GREs this Friday. Ooops..better start studying. But meanwhile, I can blog..like a good blogger should. haha.

I was having a discussion with a fellow Singaporean Grad student in UC berkeley. He is almost 27 but he actually feels the same way as I do. About? Independence.

After coming abroad to study, I get more used to being independent and well, accountable only to myself. No more parents to ask me when where who what, no curfews, no anything. I guess this is where what values you have really shines through. I was and am only accountable to myself, I can do what I like...its freedom I guess. But of course I impose my own restrictions on myself.

But when I returned to Singapore in my first summer, I lost that freedom again. Cos I had parents to report to. Kinda. PArents who cared. Yes, I do know they do it cos they care. But I still, I raged against the cage. Literally. haha. I argued a lot with my mum. Cos you know..parents get naggy with their who what when why? And my dad would wait up for me when I went clubbing..I felt awful..

When I returned the second summer, it was better. I guess I Was more mature so I understood the reason behind her nagging. Their nagging. But of course it wasnt perfect, my mum thought I went out at night too much. But who can blame her? The last birthday I celebrated with her was my 19th birthday. So I guess I"m still 19 in her eyes although I'm going to be 22 soon. Then again my dad says I'll always be 5 to him..

Of course there are benefits to being home. Laundry done...home cooked meals....loving family..friends....better transport system...haha

Sip Bar in SF

2005-10-19T22:36:00.000-07:00

Debbie and I!

I went to the above mentioned place on Saturday night for Debbie's Birthday! Happy 21st!

UNFORTUNATELY, the BART was closed and I had to BART there and back. BART = Bay area rapid transit (think of Singapore's MRT but dirtier and less frequent). Well the Bay Bridge that links the East Bay to SF was closed for repairs from 1am-6am. Hence the lack of vehicle transport. It took us an hour to get there and back (1 hour each way) as we had to change train half way. Moreover, the train only came at hourly intervals...We barted from Berkeley Downtown to Powell Station. Then we cabbed from the BART to the club. Man...you really need a car in California. The walk back from the BART to home wasn't fun..I'm female..I wear heels to a club. Thanks Gemmy! For walking Judy and I back!

The Bar was ok..it was pretty white. I think we were the only Asians there. I mean I know race shouldnt matter, but hey we LOOK different..who can't help notice? A little dancing..not much...I finally tried Buttery Nipple! (A shot that Charlene likes a lot..woman in France are you reading this) and it was pretty good. Yeah..though I only had 2 shots..I Was a little outta it when I went back home. I think it was the lousy combination of tiredness and alcohol....

Overall, the bar wasn't a great dancing place..but I think its a good social place...If you just wanna have drinks and check out people. Its too noisy to talk..The rowdy sorta bar you know? Rowdy but classy.

Did I mention they were playing Bring it On on a large screen?

When do women expire

2005-10-18T16:59:00.000-07:00

So...I had a friend who told me in my freshman year (just as I was turning 20) that after 20, women go downhill. Great. Thanks a lot.
Then again, theres the common adage that a woman is hard to "sell off" after 29. Apparently we get uglier, fatter, less prime for childbirth...Its not fair huh. Men just need lots of cash and they can be rotting old but still get an Anna Nicole SMith. (NO pics cos in my mind shes still pretty darn fat)

Don't you feel like a product on a shelf? Sold in the "Mom and Pop" Grocery store (literally!!)? So when do women expire?

I personally feel that well..who cares. All you need to do is to be rich and hire a couple of toy boys. I call it variety.

8ams and Midterms

2005-10-17T16:27:00.000-07:00

I just screwed up an EASY Midterm.
I'm not sure how many of you get this, but I seem to have a trend of messing up easy classes and doing well on harder ones. I don't think I'm being over confident. Cos I am AWARE of the trend. I somehow don't plan very well for them. Or maybe this is my first MT in a long while. I spend 50% of the time on 1/3 of the MArks. And guess what, I couldn't finish the paper!!!
And its easy so I'm sure every Tom, Dick, Harry and JAne and even Mary, can finish the paper and do pretty well on it.

WHATS WRONG WITH ME!
I swear I got stupider since I got to Berkeley.

I wanted to score all As this sem, but from the looks of things. I think my dream just went up in smoke.

one down. 2 to go. Go Me!

Evaluating people-Initiate Mid Semester Review

2005-10-16T18:16:00.000-07:00

Today was mid sem review for the initiation process of Phi Sigma Pi.We had to go through a list of initiates/ pple and talk about their progress so far. Everything went well as we liked all the initiates. No drama and stuff. So thankfully the process was a quick one.

But then as I sat there, "evaluating" all these people, talking about them and discussing what they could possibly be like from out limited interactions with them, I wondered how correct were we to do such things? I mean I know it has to be done. But who are we to decide if someone is nice. arrogant, driven etc. And to judge who is a possible leader?

There will always be misconceptions for sure (and frankly i don't like the word leader). How do we discuss people without forming preconceived notions of them them might or might not be correct? What allows us to do so?

Failure

2005-10-16T09:48:00.000-07:00

Have you ever found that sometimes...you just can't accept certain realities? Sometimes you just want something so much and you put so much effort into it then when it fails you find it hard to accept?
I've never thought that I was the type of person who would be unable to accept failure. After all, my life has been full of downs too. A lot of very painful failures too. I guess when you sometimes put all your eggs in one basket, and suddenly they all fall out, its very shattering. Literally.
Its hard to be strong though. And I guess in the process of this, I'll learn too. I guess its just hard to accept the failure for now.

A Lazy Sunday with my Family in Singapore

2005-10-15T12:26:00.000-07:00

Its a lazy sunday....I usually wake up early, have breakfast as I plow through the newpapers with my mum and dad at the table.

My sisters are still sleeping. My mum thinks they should wake up cos its too late (10am) and she gets me to go up and do the nasty job. I tickle them awake and have to defend myself against flailing arms and legs. They ar eup. Hoorah! I run down to watch my cartoons/ anime..

Then I just laze around. and so does my sis in the hammock.
What a bum.

A Sunday in Singapore with my Family

2005-10-15T11:47:00.000-07:00

Its a Sunday outing! My family and I WENT (over summer) to watch the Fantastic 4!We tried to get my dad to buy a shirt..but he thought it was too metro and too young for him. Haha. Unfortunately all pics are mainly in the car cos we don't really take pics when we go to town you know....Thanks Yingo, our avid camerawoman =)

I think its kinda hard for a family to go out nowadays. Especially when your kids are like 13, 17 and 21.

1. They have their own friends
2. Its usually not hip to go out with your parents
3. Most parents are truly not hip and like to stay home anyway

I think its GREAT that my family still goes out for movies...although I did go though the phase when I was too busy to go out with them..I realize as I Get older how much I miss and love them.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MUM

Going for 8ams

2005-10-14T09:56:00.000-07:00

I'm not too sure how this works in other schools. Do you guys have 8am classes too?
Well, this semester I have 8am classes EVERY DAY. And so far I have only missed 2 of them..in fact I have missed more of my 2pm class than any of my 8ams.

Waking up at 735am (the 5 mins is because I figured 5 mins after 730 wouldnt hurt) and leaving the house by 755am so that I'll reach class before 810am (Berkeley time, all classes start 10 mins late and consequently I think I'll always be 10 mins late to ALL things from now on..what a bad habit this inculcates). Reach class. Groggy. I smell coffee, see people eating breakfast...and then the the Prof pops in. We start.

Its nice though...walking down Telegraph Ave in the wee hours (okok not that early considering I use to wake at 6am but I'm getting old ..) of the morning. Its peaceful. There are people about but the homeless don't ask you for money, the cars are few so I can jay walk. There are people. Just enough to make me feel like I am not alone and not too many such that I have to weave my way in and out of human traffic.

I actually enjoy the pummelling up the slope to my 8am class. I like Berkeley this way, its actually serene. Well, I like Berkeley the other way too...when you have the dude on the chair shouting "HAppy Happy" and goes on to slam Bush. Or the bunch of homeless near my apt who ask you for money for pot..or pot for money ( I dunno how that works). OR the tons of student groups on Sproul who sit there day in day out..or even the number of people you see in school that you don't know. And you wonder how come you can walk around and not know anyone. The school is too darn big.

8ams. I think I am getting too old for this.

Dream Men

2005-10-13T19:43:00.000-07:00

We all have our dream guys..thats mine BTW. The ideal other. We come up with a list of things he has got to be: smart, kind, loyal...humourous..so generic.
Then we look at our BFs or the guy we date and we wonder. What happened there?

I have a theory that we create the type of guy we want through maps formed by interactions with our parents. Esp our dads. Well, that or movie stars. Of course there are various other factors but I believe that the foundation is the father figure. Dad, step dad (in my case), uncle, long lost brother...u name it.

Then of course comes the hard part. Finding the match. But the thing is..people aren't built on a list of qualities. Its like a web of things..that can't be listed. And not only that...we forgot to list the bad points we want to. Cos not everyone is perfect right?

I drive myself crazy

2005-10-12T01:01:00.000-07:00

Its one of those nights/ mornings where I just go on a rant.
I have
1. a thesis to do
2. 5 classes
3. Phi Sigma Pi
3. GRE end Oct
4. Application to Grad school
5. Relationship woes
6. An immesnse pang of sadness and loneliness
7. Irritability at some brothers who like to wallow in self pity

Which I'm doing now. haha.

On the happy side

2005-10-11T00:04:00.000-07:00

I just heard that my colleague's BF proposed to her in office today! okok make it ex- colleague..in MCYS youth division.
Apparently the whole division wholed themselves up for some "meeting" and he came and proposed to her...
SO SWEET, sighz. sO SOSOSOSOSOS sweeettt....
I think they have known each other for 2 years or so? They were classmates..I have hope yet! My class has 19 guys..(ermz..then again maybe not)

CONGRATULATIONS SAMANTHA!

2005-10-10T23:56:00.000-07:00

I spoke to a friend about religion. He was telling me that he had recently turned to religion again to seek solace due to certain family problems/ affairs. It gave him a sense or a way to understand what was going on around him.
It caused me to reflect on my own beliefs. I guess I never questioned why. Not when it wasn't feasible to find out, or not realizable. Like why did my cousin jump? I'll never know will I? I suppose I see no need for an answer. Of course knowing why would be good, informationally. But to me I guess it doesn't solve anything. Its not going to bring him back is it. For closure? The only closure I need is that he is gone. I guess what I take out of it is... that I should treasure those I love more so I won't regret. Life is short.

"Love taught me to cry" -Damien Rice. How true. It was my parents who taught me to cry...although my dad used to make me not cry. I remember he called me "crybaby" once. And I felt so hurt. Here I was, sad as hell, and he called me a cry baby. Of course after that he tried to be nice.but I suppose the damage was done. And now, I guess whn you hope too much for something, you get sad. And sometimes you still sillily (I know the word doesn't exist) hang on. For what you wonder? For closure? And I thought I don't need closure haha.

So many thoughts running through my mind now..I just have to spit it all out. I was listening to my collection of songs, and all I can say is they are utterly depressing. One after another, its about how the girl needs the guy. SO whiny. Why can't the girl be strong for once? And not need to rely on someone? I used to be like that..too independent. But I guess sometimes its nice to have someone to fall back on..but then again as I said. Way whiny. oh well.

The trend of committing suicide

2005-09-27T23:43:00.000-07:00

I watched "15" the Singaporean movie by Royston Tan not too long ago. And it reminded me of my cousin who committeed suicide. For what reason I don't know. Yet they joked about it so lightly in the movie.
The movie casts REAL ah bengs as actors....and I find it so ironic. That here they are "acting" out a script that could have been what happened to them beofre or what will happen to them. And yet the way the movie is filmed, makes one feel like these boys are actors and their stories are not real and that its all but a "hollywood" type of movie. Then you realize that the actors are real...that they probably don't even need to act. That the boy piercing his lip is real and that the blood you see is real time. Its not some trick of the camera cos its all there.
And you find out..that after this movie, the lives of these boys move on. Some get into trouble with the law (I would call that fortunate) while others committ suicide. and some die of drug overdoes.

Its just so ironic and twisted that my senses cannot stand it. It hurts...I feel pain for these boys and yet I haven't seen their life story. I have only seen what MIGHT be their life story.

finding a purpose

2005-09-26T00:41:00.000-07:00

There comes a point of time in our lives when we ask ourselves what the heck are we doing in this world. Why are we here? Why are we doing what we do? Some like to believe we are here because we have a purpose, others believe we were put here by chance.

Me, well, I don't really care why I am here. Fact is, I'm here. Like it or not. I mean sure I could go jump off a cliff now..or a HDB flat, and I will cease to exist physically. But I'm not going to do that. I think I kinda enjoy existing. No matter how shart my pathetic life is compared to how long people have existed, or this world has existed, this little life of mine is MINE. Its about the only piece of something I own in this world which can't be stolen away....why should I chuck it?

I guess some would argue that knowing why you are here helps you to decide what to do with your life. To some extent this is true. But assume, just assume you don't know why you were here. What would you do then? Are you then unable to determine what to do with your life? Will you then just be stuck in a rut? I think not unless you are that unwilling to live.

I'd like to make this short existence of mine memorable. Life is short, whats left after you die? Memories. Why do we still know Mozart? Cos he did great music...or Mother Teresa? Some people leave an indelible mark in this world while others just fade away. Of course not all of us can be the next Ghandi, or even Hitler. Not everyone can make it to the history textbooks.

We'll all just be another name on another tombstone. Our loved ones will remember us (thats what children are for) and after that..slowly..the flowers on our grave will turn to weeds as generations forget of our existence. So what do you do with this short life of yours? As years pass I' have lived a quarter of my life..my parents are slightly over the halfway mark. I shudder...

Can you imagine not existing? Not being able to touch, see, feel..not knowing?

So what to do you ask. And I ask back. What do you want to do? I want to influence people's lives, I want to make an impact. Thats why I"m doing public policy and working in the civil service. I want to try things...thats why I travel...and I try to ski (though I think I'm such a failure). I want to be a pop star for a year..but I think thats hard...but heck..I'll give it a shot if I could...

I don't want to be another person in this world of more than a billion to fade away....

SF Love Parade- I saw naked pple

2005-09-25T12:33:00.000-07:00

Oh my gosh there are cigarettes in my bag....no idon't smoke..its my friend's we went to the SF Love PArade and he didnt want to carry it...

I saw a bunch of naked guys today.
No, I'm not kidding. And I saw them outside the City Hall in San Francisco. It was gross. His butt was saggy and the skin was creased..that and he was jiggling..a lot. It made me wonder if I would become like that in a few years down the road?

I went for the Lova PArade in SF on saturday. Its a float aprade with a bunch of music stands with DJs spinning different music..all around the civic district...yes...home to the politicians and bureacrats in San Francisco. And I smelt a lot of Weed and smoke..and I swear some of them were on E. It was bright daylight mind you..but you would have though you were in a club, looking at the way those pple bobbed.The Love Parade is held annually in a different city eah year....2 years ago it was held in Berlin. How exciting! I doubt Singapore will ever have that...

And ths costumes..my my..the costumes. People with clothes, withough clothes, people in bras, bikinis, short shorts, people with half their butt sticking out...people in long transparent skirts...hot tight pants, odd head gear...it was such a motley collection. ALthough I have to admit that one could tell the theme was "PARTY".

So What was I wearing you ask? Unfortunately I Was pretty normal..more a tourist and spectator rather than a participant. Yes mum, don't panic. I was dressed normal and all I did was snap pictures and maybe bob a little here n there.....

Korean movie you got to watch

2005-09-11T13:30:00.000-07:00

If you are into romantic movies that make you cry.
Kang Dong-won, thats my fave hunk...I watched a korean movie he was in on the air plane..its called "Temptation of the wolves" HES SO CUTE!!! He kinda grows on you and I guess the type of character he plays helps a lot...

well anyway, the movie is good..quite the tear jerker...n the characters are good looking...its one of those movies you watch if you want something interesting yet not too heavy...
I don't want to give too much of the story away but I think it should keep you entertained....its not a thinking type of show but I wouldn't really call it a no brainer either. Its more the poetic beautiful and romantic make you cry type....

Are engineering majors smarter

2005-09-11T13:01:00.000-07:00

I'm fed up. There seems to be this trend of though that people who do engineering and math and that type of stuff are smarter than pple who don't. Or that their work is harder. This is something that society seems to have created....a way of thinking i would call it.

I rather see it as each major/ field is hard on its own. I mean, ask an engineer to understand philosophy or do lit, I think that person would be consdered stupid then. So whats with this engineers are smarter crap?

Starting a Club

2005-09-09T17:46:00.000-07:00

I'm trying..well Jerold and I are trying to start an interest group...centred around food and eating. Its going to be called Berkeley Foodies, so sorry my Singaporean friends...you can't join..although I do feel that Singapore IS just one big food interest group sometimes!!! As for you berkeley pple, email us at calfoodies@gmail.com

Anyway, its really not that easy cos 1. I'm lazee 2. its not easy to do outreach and find such pple 3. this is my final year....
SO the idea is to go eat at diferent restaurants and write reviews! And put the reviews on a blog..of course we can probably only focus on Bay Area food and restaurants...Limited by Geography. And $$$

So if anyone is interested lemme know!!!! FOOD FOOD FOOD
What did Jerold once say? If I had to choose food or him. I would choose food. Of course we all know thats not true right?

The Last Unicorn

2005-09-07T23:57:00.000-07:00

I watched "the last unicorn" like ages ago..when I was in secondary school. I just discovered a site through my frenz blog....that is well a "fan site" kinda..

it was a good movie...cartoon..i loved the music..its kinda oldish type, by america (As you can see i listen to 90.5, thanks to my parents). well, I also love the plot here....its about a unicorn who becomes a girl, and the typical love story ensues..but the ending..well i'm not going to spoil it..but the ending is just beautiful Go watch..its inspiring...

A quote from the novel "But that was long ago," the girl said. "Now I am two -- myself, and this other that you call 'my lady.' For she is here as truly as I am now, though once she was only a veil over me. She walks in the castle, she sleeps, she dresses herself, she takes her meals, and she thinks her own thoughts. If she has no power to heal, or to quiet, still she has another magic. Men speak to her, saying 'Lady Amalthea,' and she answers them, or does not answer. The king is always watching her out of his pale eyes, wondering what she is, and the king's son wounds himself with loving her and wonders who she is. And every day she searches the sea and the sky, the castle and the courtyard, the keep and the king's face, for something she cannot always remember. What is it, what is it that she is seeking in this strange place? She knew a moment ago, but she has forgotten."

Theory: Race and Majors

2005-09-07T23:11:00.000-07:00

So. I made this observation. There are more Asians in Business, Engineering, MCB and Economics and more Whites in the Humanities (Lit, gEog, Hist). We're talking proportion here btw and this is NOT statistically proven for all you analytical types out there.

My Hypothesis is that Asians have a need for survival..basic survival..a need to be "practical" and earn their $$, be comfortable. They are still trying to develop, something true of many asian countries which have played catch up with western ones for the past decades. So the people have the same mentality too.
On the other hand, westerners are already well entrenched in society and the world They are the advance people in terms of technology, economy etc. Theres not much need for survival as they are already on top. You know what I mean? They have leisure to indulge in the humanities, which are seen as more cultured..better for the "soul" (I'm sorry if you find peace in Civil Engineering but this is a generalization here).

After all, John Adams said "I must study politics and war that my sons may have liberty to study mathematics and philosophy. My sons ought to study mathematics and philosophy, geography, natural history, naval architecture, navigation, commerce and agriculture in order to give their children a right to study painting, poetry, music, architecture, statuary, tapestry, and porcelain."

Japanese anime- I am hooked

2005-09-06T01:32:00.000-07:00

For all you anime fans out there...Check out Ayashi No Ceres. Its anime with a bit of legend in it (you know the chinese one with the fairy, the moon and the guy who sees the fairy bathing? she later becomes his wife)
I love the anime..the song "scarlet" is beautiful too..and the characters are so hot!!!

Theres the brooding guy Toya (hes the one in the pic..) who always saves her...
And Yuki...whos like a brother to her but hes hot too!
Why can't Anime characters be real people???

I am FULL

2005-09-05T00:42:00.000-07:00

We ate a lot today.
Dim Sum in the morning at Oakland Chinatown ($10/ person), then we went to SF GOlden Gate Park.
After which it was dinner at Happy Garden in SF, Richmond. $11/ head that included lobster, peking duck and fish.
And ifnally, ice cream at Ghiradelli square. We had an Earthquake. 8 scoops of icecream with 8 toppings. YUMMIE.
Fat and Full.

Going to jog tomorrow.

And why the Regret?

2005-09-03T00:23:00.000-07:00

I wrote a poem last week, "regret". I wrote it in tears, or should I saw, through a haze of tears that dropped on my laptop. I don't even know how coherent I was.

I found out my cousin, whom I had grown up with, had committed suicide. There was no farewell/ suicide note. The cause was unknown. He jumped from the 20 something story of a HDB flat in Ang Mo Kio.

1st week of school

2005-09-02T12:02:00.000-07:00

Today is Friday. Woohoo! I went karaoke last night...It was fun and not TOO Expensive..nothing like the K box lunch deal in Singapore but good enough. And I had an 8am today so I was really tired..good thing it was chicken feet (I'm such an arrogant punk). Came back and slept. Now I'm up and I have to finish my thesis proposal for Geography or else I think my prof will dump me man.
The first week of school is almost over! And I have HW for 3 classes, reading for 2 and I need to buy ballet shoes.
Ballet shoes you say? Yes, I'm picking up ballet again. But I'm doing the intermediate class..and frankly I have forgotten all the ballet terms. I think there will be a lot of catching up to do..and the teacher is a mad woman. she teaches so fast. She somewhat/ vaguely demonstrates the steps once and expects everyone to follow and remember it..I don't call that TEACHING! Sides, she doesn't seem like a good dancer....

On the note of teaching..Happy Teacher's Day! Thank you to my teachers in Singapore and Berkeley who have imparted so much knowledge and lifelong skills and stories to me..Thanks a billion.

Smashed

2005-09-01T16:17:00.000-07:00

Jerold's car got broken into on Tuesday. Do you even call it broken into?
Someone smashed the passenger's seat window and stole his stereo.
Freaky huh. It was 6pm when we found out so all the auto glass shops were closed...we ended up parking it in the building for the night. Oh, the car is usually parked on the street as it costs USD50 a month for a space in the garage in the building.

On a seperate note, we started flyering today for my fraternity. Wanna check out the flyer? psp.berkeley.edu
We're looking into expanding more into the west area since right now most of the other chapters are in midwest and east coast. So if any of you folks in USC, stanford etc. are interested...just let me know!

Tuesdays with Morrie

2005-08-29T17:32:00.000-07:00

I just read a book, of the above title. Its really inspirational. and once more it makes me stop and think, and wonder why I'm doing what I'm doing. Why pursue material wealth and goods? How can one be happy? I know it sounds incredible idealistic but it is the truth isnt it....how much happier can we be? Then again, I can't listen to all Morrie's advice. Its not practical. I have ambitions..I want more than just enough..I don' just need food, I want to eat good food. I don't need fine dining but I would like to have it. And while it definitely isnt the main thing on my list, hey why not?

Of course I totally agree with him that its relationships and family and people you care for who should come first. after all, whats the poinmt of experiencing and having if you don't have anyone to share it with?

But as I said, it does make me wonder why I bother with studying and stuff. To what end? Why don't I just go backpacking throughout the world, work travel you know? I don't need good grades to waitress here and there.

Or why not go be a pop star? Why am I studying? SO I can obtain a good job...for what? So I can enjoy? Enjoy what? At what expense?

As we all cave in to the material world and societal norms that man has created for himself...I think we need to stop and look around a little. Just a little. Take a step back and question ourselves.

Then we dive right back in.

Yes, don't worry mum n pops, I havent gone insane...I'm still "normal". I'l work hard, get good grades, get a job, marry, have kids and retire.

Regret

2005-08-28T00:10:00.000-07:00

Sorry
I didn't speak when I could
When I should
Sorry
For all the times I will never
Talk to you again

My tears beg a million questions
But there is no answer
I don't even know why
I cry
There is no answer

Why
The painful way out
Could I have helped
Why
Did I always think you would be around
That small things mattered

We have grown with distance and time
So far apart
Yet we had so much fun
In those innocent days of childhood
Apart but I remember

This feeling is non existent
I don't feel
I am a fountain in the shower
And I don't understand

To my loved ones

2005-08-22T20:15:00.000-07:00

Dear family of Os and Bs and chickens (real or otherwise),
I took a ferry around Manhattan Island today. It really reminded of you guys when we were in SF and we took the ferry under Golden Gate Bridge. I really miss you guys and when I was on the ferry, I really wished you guys were here with me.
New York is hectic. I think I am still somewhat jet lagged because I get tired easily... And my feet hurth cos I didnt bring sneakers/ track shoes. DANG.
The apartment is kinda crummy but what do you expect for USD120 a night? And well it IS near Times Square qand hence estremely convenient and safe since there are always tourists around.
I think we will be going to eat Singaporean/ Malaysian food in Chinatown tomorrow cos I am craving... I saw someone eating yam basket...YUM..i know everyone else but mum and me hates yam but..yah YAM!!! It looked soo good..I kept checking it out..(it was at a nearby table).
I went to MOMA and saw Van Gogh's Starry Night thingie..its really quite beautiful...although I do hate modern art in general. I think its a bunch of crap. But Van Gogh's picture was nice..didnt like Picasso though.
I also saw Trump tower, Rockefeller, Brooklyn Bridge etc. I haven't gone to Empire State Building yet.. akan Datang. The Met and the Guggenheim ( i bet i spelt it wrong) will also be soon...I walked into SAKS 5th Ave. ITS SO EXPENSIVE. There are like no common brands there....only upmarket ones. I could only walk around and look. NY has a lot of cheap clothes too though...not too great quality but decent design. Its cheap...much cheaper than SF or Berkeley. There are little stalls selling fake branded bags for USD5...and there are a lot of sequin bags on sale here. Small evening ones and larger day usage ones..interested?
Ok, I'm signing off now. gotta sleep and recuperate.
Lotsa luv
da/ jun

Brooklyn: Hotdogs and the heat!

2005-08-21T20:05:00.000-07:00

Brooklyn. I always thought it was a suburb...you know the typical white affluent suburb? Well we went to the mall area and it was black land. I never felt so yellow. Many many black people...so I guess it was surprising.

Anyway, also went to Coney Island and had a famous Nathan's Hotdog (its yummielicious) and they hold a hot dog eating competition every july 4th...the record holder is a skinny jaoanese dude who ate 50 something hotdogs in 12 minutes...WHAT A SKILL!!!
It was a really hot day....but I still ate a lot...a hot dog, a brownie, half a corn muffin and manhattan clam chowder (its red n not creamy). JUST FOR LUNCH. omigawd..so fat....and I don't even exercise here....

And we left brooklyn in grand style..we walked over Brooklyn bridge. It was beautiful..long and tiring but beautiful I saw the skyline of manhattan...just don't look down..cos you see the water...and a ton of cars. Yes it was POLLUTED...i swear I had a 5cm thick layer of soot on my face...

To end the day..I had the xiao long bao again and we also went to the Hersheys store in Times Square..its nothing much..nothing like the M and M stored in Vegas...all it sold was candy..no like plates n cups n tees...But I have to say the outside of the store was beautiful. It was hersheys everywhere....more pics to come!

The villageS

2005-08-20T19:16:00.000-07:00

East Village, West Village, Greenwich.

Went to the heart of hippiness and gentrification today. It was well...lets just say the villages were very different.
East was run down....yet to be gentrified completely. But a cup of mocha cost me USD3!!! What does that tell you? The cafes are for yuppies!
West was happening and had NYU...lots of cafes, eateries, pubs bar..we even saw cafe wha where apparently Bob Dylan was discovered. Or at least he performed there before. I think I wouldn't mind studying there!! Went to a peanut butter company where a peanut butter sandwich cost like USD5.....OUCH.

And we went to this street....8th Avenue. There was shoeshop after shoeshop...And it was well staffed by black people..for some weird reason. Every shop had black sales people. Weird considering that the villages were a little whiter...but anyhow..I bought a pair of sequinned shoes for USD10! good deal!

My feet really ache....the URS slippers really suck for a lot of walking....And the subways smell like pee...And the roads are really dirty. but I'm in NY..its full of life. I havent seen anyone famous. Doubt I will. But hey! Its NEW YORK! The city that never sleeps!!! And it truly doesnt.....At night, tourists and locals throng times square..non stop man...and of course theres always the guy at the corner who sells the fake "pagoda" (read prada) bags....and LV too man..the all too familiar prints....I bet they are from china..though one can ezily tell that that the quality is no good.

Oh, for food..try Uncle Nick's near hell's kitchen. Its great Greek Food! about $15 per person?
Joe's Shanghai at Mott for WONDERFUL xiao long bao. I think they thrash Ding Tai Feng any day man.

There are no Traffic Rules in New York

2005-08-18T19:40:00.000-07:00

Hello from the big apple!!!!

The traffic here is crazee..absolutely mad.

On my way from the airport to the rented apartment, the driver cut lanes at such fantastic angles and ignored so many traffic lights that its a wonder we got here in one piece.

In Chinatown, there are no traffic lights. When do you cross the road? When there are no cars. When do cars stop? when there are no people. In other words, the lights are redundant. It can be red light and you will still see cars zooking by..it can be the red hand and people will still cross. We call this jaywalking but these people do it AT traffic lights.

Buses, trucks, cars etc...I saw a huge truck squeeze past a car..missing it by milimetres...

I do not want to drive here, The old lousy Subway is good enough. No matter how crazily the driver drives, how sudden the starts and stops are and how stupid that exit and entry gantries are the same and not seperated.

i heart new york

and on a side note...i landed in berkeley on the 14th of august..jerold pickedmeup...left for new york on the 16th of august. still jet lagged. i get tired earlier than the rest...and the guy i rented the room. sublet the room to is a dirty pig. WHAAT TO DO? I just hope the apt doesnt degenerate by the time i get back.

Confessions

2005-08-11T02:03:00.000-07:00

ok, I think its time to come clean. No details, go figure.

1. I got caught on Gotcha! Its a little embarressing but I did get a $10 Heeren voucher for it..and heck I'll be a sport. GO ahead! Malu me! Why did I get conned? I was sick that day and too tired to think...

2. I will be in a brochure for a brand of sunblock called Hamilton ( i think) from australia. Apparently its sucky brand but yes I and a bunch of others are still "endorsing it". Thats what you get when you get paid $100 for 15 minutes.

And no, I won't get to see both these little pieces of "publicity" very much unwanted mind u...Thankfully huh.

Wrapping up Singapore

2005-08-09T09:14:00.000-07:00

AND TIE A YELLOW RIBBON ROUND IT!

Its been a long while. 2.5 months. And I can split it into: Pre internship,Internship, Social, DPPS/DSSP ( i still dun remember which)

Time to reflect and wrap it up. I've learnt a lot about the world and people around me, made new friends and even managed to spend more time with my family.

This is a half entry. WORK IN PROGRESS

Internship

I learnt a lot..from the older, wiser and more experienced people in office. It wasn't just about work, it was about life. I learnt that I should not always be so judgemental..And I realized that I am actually not. Its just that I tend to say the first thing that comes to my mind..when after this first thought I do think of the more fair and neutral perspective. I don't know why I always like to showcase the more negative side.
Aside from that, I met people not only in the civil service but also dudes who were contract staff...My office, Shao Wei, wsa really nice to me. In fact, everyone was. I had long conversations with Yin Li about life and religion. Mun Wei taught me how to approach issues from different perspectives and how youth our age will always be "anti establishment" haha. I bet many people will beg to differ.
I got to meet people from VWOs and see the great work they were doing. It made me feel so useless...and I met Melissa who showed me that socialites have a conscience and that anything was possible. You just need the info.

DPPS

As Boon so kindly pointed out, its DPPS not DSSP. We had speakers from various ministries swing by....give us their spiel. Some were frank, some were not. Some thought they were very funny, and one made me want to kick him in the face.

Yes, he pissed me off. Not too easy to do when I barely know someone. Lets just say the attitude was less than perfect and exceedingly condescending.

But on a positive note, they did feed us really well and I made some new friends as well as met up with the old. Whats my biggest take away? aside from the fact that policy work is not easy and that Singapore's approach to issues is very interesting n people tend not to question it...

as Charlene would say, 5 KG!!!!