I am really bored. I have given up trying to Word process my lab report because it's taking way too long, and I think that Word was secretly put on earth to torment all the neat freaks out there, what with it's sparodic indentation attacks and text misalignments, so it's back to the old fashioned way with pen, lined paper, and a ruler. Sure I'll probably get a hand cramp from all this, and most likely suffer from carpal-tunnel syndrome later in life, but for the sake of minimal stress, a love affair with tipex, and an attractive lab report (due Friday), it's worth it.
I also just finished eating fresh extra thick double cream with chocolate powder, and while it seemed a good idea in the first place, that's where the good idea part stayed, and the rest was just pure yuck, so it's gone on my 'Not really so good to eat' list along with peas and dog biscuits.
Dinner was good though - left over herbal chicken, and everyone knows how good herbal chicken gets after a couple of days in the fridge...I ate by myself though, because Hanwen's waiting for his better half, and Darren got on the train to Zone 6 to go find his. On the other side of the screen, Weng brought my number of games of minesweeper lost to 200. Bless him.
Okay, I gotta get back to work. Eesh.
Tuesday, November 30, 2004
For want of a better title: Tewzday
I woke up way too early, couldnt remember if I had even managed to fall asleep in the first place. Talked to one person on MSN this morning, but I don't think it consitutes as talking because I just 'listened' and he did all the talking, mostly about himself. I don't quite know how to carry out conversations like that, like how many 'ok's to type and send to be polite about the whole thing - not enthusiastic, just polite. It's easier to pretend to listen in person.
The last day of november leaves us about two and a half weeks of term. It's passed so quickly, or maybe the deadlines have just accelerated towards us. Largely uneventful day I guess, couldn't believe that we actually managed to finish this week's computing tutorial ahead of time. We're usually the last ones there, missing the lecture after that, and well into lunch or something.
I wonder if there's such a thing as post-menstrual stress as oppose to pre-menstrual stress. Or maybe I just PMS consistently. The last two days have been filled with moodswings. Sometimes (every 28 days to be exact) I hate being a girl.
The last day of november leaves us about two and a half weeks of term. It's passed so quickly, or maybe the deadlines have just accelerated towards us. Largely uneventful day I guess, couldn't believe that we actually managed to finish this week's computing tutorial ahead of time. We're usually the last ones there, missing the lecture after that, and well into lunch or something.
I wonder if there's such a thing as post-menstrual stress as oppose to pre-menstrual stress. Or maybe I just PMS consistently. The last two days have been filled with moodswings. Sometimes (every 28 days to be exact) I hate being a girl.
Monday, November 29, 2004
The horrors of grocery shopping
I hate Mondays because I have to say goodbye to Weng. I hate grocery shopping on Monday mornings because that's when all the mothers bring their screaming kids to the supermarket to shop with them. I don't have a thing against kids, I just don't like them when they're throwing a fit. Other times I hate shopping include weekend mornings when senior citizens cluster around the reduced section like a flock of vultures.
There's also the chance that you won't make it out of there alive when you run the risk of getting run over by shopping trolleys as their owners diligently study their shopping lists. Crashing into baskets at knee height is also really painful, and all you get in reward is an angry stare or a blank 'whadja go en do that for?'.
After braving the melee and finding the aisle you want after walking past it five or six times, they're sold out, and you have to settle for a dodgy looking substitute. Ask any of the staff "Do you have any more..." and it's a sullen shake of the head before they go back to their overly intellectual task of stacking empty boxes.
Then it's off to the checkout, and your line will always always be the slowest despite having half the number of people standing in it with three or four items a piece, but all you can do is stand there hoping to get your groceries through before the dawn of the new millennium.
I also really hate cranky employees, especially when they've been on the shift too long. It's bad enough that you're at their mercy on the checkout line, but when your card gets rejected or when you want to make a five pound payment with the offending card, they've got you praying that they won't make a scene in front of the other fifty equally agitated shoppers and attract a hundred dirty looks your way.
To escape is to breathe a massive sigh of relief.
There's also the chance that you won't make it out of there alive when you run the risk of getting run over by shopping trolleys as their owners diligently study their shopping lists. Crashing into baskets at knee height is also really painful, and all you get in reward is an angry stare or a blank 'whadja go en do that for?'.
After braving the melee and finding the aisle you want after walking past it five or six times, they're sold out, and you have to settle for a dodgy looking substitute. Ask any of the staff "Do you have any more..." and it's a sullen shake of the head before they go back to their overly intellectual task of stacking empty boxes.
Then it's off to the checkout, and your line will always always be the slowest despite having half the number of people standing in it with three or four items a piece, but all you can do is stand there hoping to get your groceries through before the dawn of the new millennium.
I also really hate cranky employees, especially when they've been on the shift too long. It's bad enough that you're at their mercy on the checkout line, but when your card gets rejected or when you want to make a five pound payment with the offending card, they've got you praying that they won't make a scene in front of the other fifty equally agitated shoppers and attract a hundred dirty looks your way.
To escape is to breathe a massive sigh of relief.
Sunday, November 28, 2004
When Someone's on your side
Firstly, but in no order of importance,
I'll say it again,
More seriously though, every week we've gone to church, the message has always been unbelievably relevant, as if God's reaching out to us through these sermons. I think it's great, and at the end of today's service, Weng and I made a promise in complete faith, and I actually think it's made our relationship even better. The revival I've been going through since the start of summer has been totally uplifting and completely changed my outlook on life, it's as if my heart's been given wings - I feel so much lighter.
To sum it all up on the work front though, it's Sunday and I'm still no where near the end of my report, but that's okay, I'll deal with it Monday.
What are housemates for?
This is our very own resident morning-glory.
Stay tuned for more on 'I love my housemates'.
Stay tuned for more on 'I love my housemates'.
Friday, November 26, 2004
Weng's day
With it being his birthday, the whole day pretty much revolved around him. In other words, he made the bed, made breakfast, did homework, did laundry, made lunch, and played basketball. And then I tried to pull off his fourth birthday surprise.
Everything had been arranged almost perfectly. Thanks to the effort of Mingli, Tish, Hsiang, and Jun Linn, they managed to get a table at BaliBali and all I had to do was get a completely unsuspecting Weng there. I had promised him a romantic dinner for two, and he even got all frazzled when he saw that we were late for our reservation. It was quite funny.
I should've brought my London AtoZ because it was unbelieveably hard to find Shaftesbury Avenue and the over-the-phone directions were hilariously misunderstood. Anyway, after leading him all the way to Holborn and around a few times, I managed to get him sufficiently confused, and Hsiang had to rescue us from the Leicester Square station thus springing the surprise early.
It was a wonderful dinner though, and I'm so glad we managed to celebrate it with a few close friends. Made it all the more special.
Captain Obvious also made a come back today:
Tish: So where's your romantic dinner happening?
Weng: Um, I dunno exactly...In a restaurant somewhere?
and later...
Weng: Wow, your eye is really red!
Ash: Yea, a big piece of dust must've got into it yesterday night.
Weng: What? In your eye? Is that why it's so red?
Everything had been arranged almost perfectly. Thanks to the effort of Mingli, Tish, Hsiang, and Jun Linn, they managed to get a table at BaliBali and all I had to do was get a completely unsuspecting Weng there. I had promised him a romantic dinner for two, and he even got all frazzled when he saw that we were late for our reservation. It was quite funny.
I should've brought my London AtoZ because it was unbelieveably hard to find Shaftesbury Avenue and the over-the-phone directions were hilariously misunderstood. Anyway, after leading him all the way to Holborn and around a few times, I managed to get him sufficiently confused, and Hsiang had to rescue us from the Leicester Square station thus springing the surprise early.
It was a wonderful dinner though, and I'm so glad we managed to celebrate it with a few close friends. Made it all the more special.
Captain Obvious also made a come back today:
Tish: So where's your romantic dinner happening?
Weng: Um, I dunno exactly...In a restaurant somewhere?
and later...
Weng: Wow, your eye is really red!
Ash: Yea, a big piece of dust must've got into it yesterday night.
Weng: What? In your eye? Is that why it's so red?
Thursday, November 25, 2004
Happy birthday Weng!
These are the things I did for you today:
- Wrote you a card and looked online for an intelligent, inspiring, deep, and meaningful quote to fill it with.
- Baked you chocolate fudge brownies on four hours of sleep, I know it's hard to mess up an instant brownie mix, but still, I can't really bake and had nothing to measure out ingredients with. Also burnt myself in the process.
- And walked miles and miles to buy you a birthday present which you'll get tomorrow. We wouldn't want to have all the surprises in one day now, would we?
And you know what? It was all completely worth it. Love you so much sweetheart, and happy birthday.
Still life
Do you remember pencil cases like I remember pencil cases? They were like magic carpetbags, deceptively small-looking, but with the complete contents of an entire stationery shop. The art of owning and maintaining a pencil case took years and years of training through highschool. Green metallic rollerball? Perfumed pen? Five speed mechanical pencil? Absolutely everything.
I write this, not because I have nothing better to say, but because I've suddenly noticed that my pencil case seems to generate random pieces of stationery. Look inside, and all the pens just lie there innocently, but oh, what's this? Another one? My ruler has reproduced asexually, my stapler has taken up residence between the pencil sharpener and the yellow highlighter, and my favourite pen hides right at the bottom. If they're not making baby pens, then they're hijacking them from everywhere else. I don't know, it's like a jungle in there.
I write this, not because I have nothing better to say, but because I've suddenly noticed that my pencil case seems to generate random pieces of stationery. Look inside, and all the pens just lie there innocently, but oh, what's this? Another one? My ruler has reproduced asexually, my stapler has taken up residence between the pencil sharpener and the yellow highlighter, and my favourite pen hides right at the bottom. If they're not making baby pens, then they're hijacking them from everywhere else. I don't know, it's like a jungle in there.
Wednesday, November 24, 2004
Forever love
They've been together forever, so long in fact that people can't think of one without the other. They were the oxymoron of our teenage years, the icon of stability in a tumultuous time. When everyone was messing around, getting their hearts broken, breaking other hearts, they were there, together.
Relationships came and went in the tapestry of friends around them, yet they endured, and they were good at it. Quick fix patches held longer than expected, only to be replaced by new ones. No one except their closest confidants knew how deep the cuts went, sometimes not even them. But what’s a relationship without a few problems?
Of course they care very deeply for each other. They’ve shared the best part of their adolescent life, been to hell and back in each other’s arms. But things are changing. Needs and wants are different, more persistent. Yet their public façade was perfect, the porcelain surface did nothing to indicate the cracks underneath, maybe until they even started to fool themselves. They didn’t see it coming until it was too late.
So what do they do now? Hold hope so tightly in one hand while fighting their battles with the other? Or break free? After so long, hand in hand, the latter would be like walking across a yawning chasm with no safety net or tether. It takes two to have a relationship, but if you love them, shouldn’t you let them go?
It’s so hard to stand on the side and watch them struggle, lost together in the very idea of such a huge change, when you love both of them so very much. I wish I could throw out a safety line, but I don’t know how.
Relationships came and went in the tapestry of friends around them, yet they endured, and they were good at it. Quick fix patches held longer than expected, only to be replaced by new ones. No one except their closest confidants knew how deep the cuts went, sometimes not even them. But what’s a relationship without a few problems?
Of course they care very deeply for each other. They’ve shared the best part of their adolescent life, been to hell and back in each other’s arms. But things are changing. Needs and wants are different, more persistent. Yet their public façade was perfect, the porcelain surface did nothing to indicate the cracks underneath, maybe until they even started to fool themselves. They didn’t see it coming until it was too late.
So what do they do now? Hold hope so tightly in one hand while fighting their battles with the other? Or break free? After so long, hand in hand, the latter would be like walking across a yawning chasm with no safety net or tether. It takes two to have a relationship, but if you love them, shouldn’t you let them go?
It’s so hard to stand on the side and watch them struggle, lost together in the very idea of such a huge change, when you love both of them so very much. I wish I could throw out a safety line, but I don’t know how.
Household bonding
+Tinkly synthesised music+
"I got 572, quick! Good? Okay"
+Silence+
"Wah dammit, I'm always last!"
+Fingers drum on the table top+
"EEEeeeeeeaaargh...."
+Car alarm goes off outside+
"NOnoNOnoNOnoNOnono...."
+Soft whirr of overheating laptops+
"Waaaaaarrgh, that blardi idiot!"
+A mouse clicks+
"HAHAHAHAHahahahahaa, serves the bugger right"
+A toilet flushes+
"Grrrr, what's he doing?!"
+Our upstairs neighbours chase a herd of stampeding elephants+
"Aaaaaah...OMG!"
+Grim looks around the table+
"Lost liao ah!"
+Resigned faces+
"Again!"
+Painful silence from angry girlfriend+
-The end-
Tuesday, November 23, 2004
Anthony who?
Even though the first Pilgrims from Plymouth landed four hundred years ago, I guess 76 million square kilometers of water isn't enough to keep people from influencing one another, and the one thing America and England have in common apart from shakey unilateral ties and a general distaste for each other, is that the celebrities outnumber the general 'unfamous' population.
England, however, have less internationally known celebs, which makes it really sad when they start new seasons of "I'm a celebrity, get me out of here!" and you dont know any of them, so the latest installment features, well, no one. I'm suprised that they haven't started writing gossip mags about the unfamous people, because surely there would be less pages to fill and less people to keep up with.
There's a strange British perversion with the way they keep celebrities in glass cages and poke them with sticks to see what they'll do; like how there are hundreds of people who'll get offered large amounts of money to 'admit' that they've slept with him and her, and their dog. I remember that Malaysia had it's first homegrown skank in the form of Sarah Marbeck quite recently, but we didn't know what to do with her, so the censorship board shut her up because there was too much mention of the 's' word...shh...
Anyhow, after watching fifteen minutes of the very first episode I've seen of this locally-hyped series, I've decided that it's basically Survivor come Fear Factor with less skin (what with being British and everything), more squeaky people, and a whole lot of 'eowwhh thaht's bloody nahsty'.
England, however, have less internationally known celebs, which makes it really sad when they start new seasons of "I'm a celebrity, get me out of here!" and you dont know any of them, so the latest installment features, well, no one. I'm suprised that they haven't started writing gossip mags about the unfamous people, because surely there would be less pages to fill and less people to keep up with.
There's a strange British perversion with the way they keep celebrities in glass cages and poke them with sticks to see what they'll do; like how there are hundreds of people who'll get offered large amounts of money to 'admit' that they've slept with him and her, and their dog. I remember that Malaysia had it's first homegrown skank in the form of Sarah Marbeck quite recently, but we didn't know what to do with her, so the censorship board shut her up because there was too much mention of the 's' word...shh...
Anyhow, after watching fifteen minutes of the very first episode I've seen of this locally-hyped series, I've decided that it's basically Survivor come Fear Factor with less skin (what with being British and everything), more squeaky people, and a whole lot of 'eowwhh thaht's bloody nahsty'.
Monday, November 22, 2004
Engineering for dummies
Tishen's brought my course to a whole new level. I should take him to all my classes and get him to translate them afterwards...
Tish: So how was your pump meeting?
Ash: Not pump meeting, yield simulation...
Tish: Is that the one where you twist steel until it kaputs?
Ash: Yea that one
Tish: Oh, that kinda yield, not dividends.
and now he doesn't believe that I don't know what dividends are either. How typical is it for business managers and economists to complicate everything and then expect ordinary people to understand it. If everybody understood these things, they wouldn't have jobs.
Still struggling with the kaputting steel experiment. Running the program was easy, we just don't know how to apply it. When did we do 3D bendingmoments? (i.e. when you have one stick, and it bends this way and that way all at the same time)
Meanwhile, flat 8 has decided that we could go on University Challenge after watching one episode. We're that good. Yep, I can see the team now:
Fong May "We haven't learn't that part yet" Chew
Darren "I knew that!" Tan
HanWen "Oh wow" Goh
Jonathan "Damn, the door banged me again!" Lee
Ashley "I'm doing the wrong course" See
Also note that this particular household has turned GB into an extremely scientific pursuit, but the econs student was the first one to draw up all the variables i.e. wind speed, angle, wind direction, in an attempt to calculate precise trajectorial(?) thrust.
Tish: So how was your pump meeting?
Ash: Not pump meeting, yield simulation...
Tish: Is that the one where you twist steel until it kaputs?
Ash: Yea that one
Tish: Oh, that kinda yield, not dividends.
and now he doesn't believe that I don't know what dividends are either. How typical is it for business managers and economists to complicate everything and then expect ordinary people to understand it. If everybody understood these things, they wouldn't have jobs.
Still struggling with the kaputting steel experiment. Running the program was easy, we just don't know how to apply it. When did we do 3D bendingmoments? (i.e. when you have one stick, and it bends this way and that way all at the same time)
Meanwhile, flat 8 has decided that we could go on University Challenge after watching one episode. We're that good. Yep, I can see the team now:
Fong May "We haven't learn't that part yet" Chew
Darren "I knew that!" Tan
HanWen "Oh wow" Goh
Jonathan "Damn, the door banged me again!" Lee
Ashley "I'm doing the wrong course" See
Also note that this particular household has turned GB into an extremely scientific pursuit, but the econs student was the first one to draw up all the variables i.e. wind speed, angle, wind direction, in an attempt to calculate precise trajectorial(?) thrust.
Lights, camera, action.
I wonder if anybody’s lives are as exciting as ours. Since secondary, we’ve lived nothing short of a soap, and just when I thought we had outgrown the phase, it’s come right back and hit us. The pictures we take show nothing of the undercurrents of emotion that fill the spaces around us as we stand, arm in arm, cheerfully grinning at the camera.
I think, though, that no matter what happens, our bonds of friendship will hold strong. Most of us have known each other for fifteen years, some for eight. Not much can destroy the experiences that stretch back that far. Even if we don’t like what we’ve become or how things have turned out, there are always the lighter moments when we forget the animosity and laugh like 12-year-olds.
So although some might feel like they’re not really ‘part of the group’ anymore or think that the friends that they once knew have turned on them, there’s no way on earth that that can ever be true. I mean this is Hollywood, and there’s always a happy ending.
I think, though, that no matter what happens, our bonds of friendship will hold strong. Most of us have known each other for fifteen years, some for eight. Not much can destroy the experiences that stretch back that far. Even if we don’t like what we’ve become or how things have turned out, there are always the lighter moments when we forget the animosity and laugh like 12-year-olds.
So although some might feel like they’re not really ‘part of the group’ anymore or think that the friends that they once knew have turned on them, there’s no way on earth that that can ever be true. I mean this is Hollywood, and there’s always a happy ending.
Saturday, November 20, 2004
Tishen's birthday
Day2:Weybridge
We actually managed to pull off the surprise. Maybe Uncle Terry did the right thing by only organising it a couple of days in advance so we didn't have a chance to ruin it. Everyone's here and we're having an awesome time.
In fact, Weybridge is SO wonderfully homely, relaxing, and peaceful that we're still here. It's easy getting here, but so much harder leaving. The puppies are everything and more. Boys will be boys, no matter what species, and when they're not sleeping, they're rolling all over the place play fighting. Nasi lemak, chicken rice, chocolate cake, mint icecream, fruit platters...omg, the list is endless. Absolutely magic, this is my neverland.
We actually managed to pull off the surprise. Maybe Uncle Terry did the right thing by only organising it a couple of days in advance so we didn't have a chance to ruin it. Everyone's here and we're having an awesome time.
In fact, Weybridge is SO wonderfully homely, relaxing, and peaceful that we're still here. It's easy getting here, but so much harder leaving. The puppies are everything and more. Boys will be boys, no matter what species, and when they're not sleeping, they're rolling all over the place play fighting. Nasi lemak, chicken rice, chocolate cake, mint icecream, fruit platters...omg, the list is endless. Absolutely magic, this is my neverland.
Friday, November 19, 2004
Happy Twentieth Tish!
A very happy birthday to you, Tish, and many happy returns of the day, oldman! +lol+ i hope you have a good one this year, love you plenty!
"A road to a friend's house is never long" - Danish proverb
"A road to a friend's house is never long" - Danish proverb
Thursday, November 18, 2004
Top of the hour
Last night's Spain vs. England international was horribly predictable after looking at the line ups. Spain's power midfield owned England's amid a wash of childish tantrums and dodgy refereeing. The Spanish used England's physicality against them and although it made most of the team look like dramaqueen debutants, it got them freekick after freekick.
Then gunbound took over about forty minutes in and we didn't get to watch the rest of the match. It was the Team Lexham vs. the rest of the world, riding on the guilt of 'so much work to do'. Won a few, lost a few more, then called it a night.
Absolutely crappy day in London. Freezing rain, soggy pavements, and the lull of a warm, cosy duvet certainly trapped more than the usual share of people this morning. Got scolded by a very mothering Weng when I skipped my last two lessons, but now I'm getting assaulted by littleboy Weng, who's pulling all kinds of jokes left, right, and centre. The personality switch was...quick. I'm much slower at adapting, so I'm just using 'the eye' for now.
I better get back to studying, which was the real reason I skipped. Of course. I think I can be more productive at home than in a computing lecture trying to learn C++ by swimming in it.
Then gunbound took over about forty minutes in and we didn't get to watch the rest of the match. It was the Team Lexham vs. the rest of the world, riding on the guilt of 'so much work to do'. Won a few, lost a few more, then called it a night.
Absolutely crappy day in London. Freezing rain, soggy pavements, and the lull of a warm, cosy duvet certainly trapped more than the usual share of people this morning. Got scolded by a very mothering Weng when I skipped my last two lessons, but now I'm getting assaulted by littleboy Weng, who's pulling all kinds of jokes left, right, and centre. The personality switch was...quick. I'm much slower at adapting, so I'm just using 'the eye' for now.
I better get back to studying, which was the real reason I skipped. Of course. I think I can be more productive at home than in a computing lecture trying to learn C++ by swimming in it.
Wednesday, November 17, 2004
Weng vs. Ash: 114-96
What's up with this? I can't believe Weng's profile has gotten more hits than mine! I know I mention him in every other post or so, but this is MY blog! I'm the star! Mine! Mine! Mine! MINE!
For everyone who looks at his ultra-boring, empty profile in hopes of finding a picture, here's one for you...oh boy am I gonna be in trouble! +lol+
For everyone who looks at his ultra-boring, empty profile in hopes of finding a picture, here's one for you...oh boy am I gonna be in trouble! +lol+
School sucks
Growing up, I was one of those rare kids, dweebs if you must, who actually looked forward to going to school every day. Primary and secondary was awesome, I couldn't wait to get up every day. Although the appeal began to wear off in college, it wasn't too bad, and I still didn't mind going. Now, however, I find myself looking for a slightest excuse to not have to attend. Failing to obtain any kind of horribly contagious/life threatening disease, I hit dirt bottom when I resolved that no hot water meant I couldn't take a shower which meant that I should go to Southampton, where there is hot water, and take a week off school.
Obviously, I'm still in London, the hot water came back yesterday, I've got more classes today, and I'm still looking for excuses. +sigh+
Obviously, I'm still in London, the hot water came back yesterday, I've got more classes today, and I'm still looking for excuses. +sigh+
Tuesday, November 16, 2004
Not forgotten
The most unexpected people come through for you at the most unexpected times. People who you've given up on a long time ago suddenly prove their worth as a friend, and with a twinge of guilt, you remember why they've been your friend from the beginning and wish you hadn't complained about them.
I think this weekend's going to be about renewing old ties. Bestfriends never seem so far apart as when they're in the same country but never make the effort to really keep in touch. We meet for lunches and dinners, appointments which are hastily slotted into busy schedules, and we catch up on what's going on, but we don't know anything about what's going on on the inside.
How did we ever get so busy? Too busy to even ask after someone we're supposed to really care about. I suddenly feel like the worst friend in the world, but I'd like to say thank you to all of you that aren't.
I think this weekend's going to be about renewing old ties. Bestfriends never seem so far apart as when they're in the same country but never make the effort to really keep in touch. We meet for lunches and dinners, appointments which are hastily slotted into busy schedules, and we catch up on what's going on, but we don't know anything about what's going on on the inside.
How did we ever get so busy? Too busy to even ask after someone we're supposed to really care about. I suddenly feel like the worst friend in the world, but I'd like to say thank you to all of you that aren't.
Monday, November 15, 2004
The greatest gift
I have to give a huge shout out to the two new arrivals to the Tham family out in Zone X. Tish's friends list has finally been stretched to 14 +jk+ with the addition of two seven-week-old chocolate lab puppies!
If there's gotta be one thing I possibly love more than Weng, it's gotta be puppies. (We won't tell him that, hmm?) I'd do anything for puppies and I can't wait to go out and play with Yogi and Baloo! And see Tish of course, who grows a whole year older this Friday (the old man). He'll officially have left his teen years by the end of this week! But enough about gramps, I'll have a good six months to rub it in...let's talk about puppies instead! +Sigh+
If there's gotta be one thing I possibly love more than Weng, it's gotta be puppies. (We won't tell him that, hmm?) I'd do anything for puppies and I can't wait to go out and play with Yogi and Baloo! And see Tish of course, who grows a whole year older this Friday (the old man). He'll officially have left his teen years by the end of this week! But enough about gramps, I'll have a good six months to rub it in...let's talk about puppies instead! +Sigh+
Whinging
The only good thing about a freezing cold shower is that when you get out of the damn thing, you feel very warm. However, I can list about a thousand bad things about cold showers, like no one should have to inflict such torture upon themselves first thing in the morning. I know that people actually join the Polar Bear Club and their annual ice swims, but y'know, that's sport.
Hampton's has totally fcked us over. The technician was going to come this morning, but they cancelled him and said they were going to send someone else over, who didn't come. Apparently someone's supposed to be coming now. We're still sitting here freezing our...toes off. If it ever gets fixed, I'm not letting anyone go near the thermostat.
Otherwise another routine day - was nodding off by about twelve, then again at two. Spent lunch time tracking my parcel down (yep, still looking for it). Each post office gives me a totally different collection point each time I ask - it's like an infuriating treasure hunt that I still haven't reached the end of.
Thanks to a weekend of inactivity and mindless GB, getting motivated enough to work is near impossible. Like getting a large mass to start moving, y'know, whaddyacallit, inertia, that's right - resistance to motion. I need to sleep, but I already owe at least two massive fluid mech tutorials.
I can't believe it's only Monday.
Hampton's has totally fcked us over. The technician was going to come this morning, but they cancelled him and said they were going to send someone else over, who didn't come. Apparently someone's supposed to be coming now. We're still sitting here freezing our...toes off. If it ever gets fixed, I'm not letting anyone go near the thermostat.
Otherwise another routine day - was nodding off by about twelve, then again at two. Spent lunch time tracking my parcel down (yep, still looking for it). Each post office gives me a totally different collection point each time I ask - it's like an infuriating treasure hunt that I still haven't reached the end of.
Thanks to a weekend of inactivity and mindless GB, getting motivated enough to work is near impossible. Like getting a large mass to start moving, y'know, whaddyacallit, inertia, that's right - resistance to motion. I need to sleep, but I already owe at least two massive fluid mech tutorials.
I can't believe it's only Monday.
Sunday, November 14, 2004
Sunday night already
Fifteen minutes makes all the difference between getting a table and not at Four Seasons. I wonder if they've ever considered expanding. Two meters also makes all the difference between being able to enjoy your meal and not. Trying to eat with three other conversations crowded up against your table and a nasty draft everytime someone opens the door is a real pain in the ass. For most of the meal, we were honored by the presence of a guy who was reading an electric kettle manual and discussing it with a friend (I mean how hard is it to operate one of those things?); he was pretty much sitting on our table while waiting for his.
Weng's killer line of the evening:
"You look like you've just been stunned by a very handsome man."
Hot water status: Nil.
Weng's killer line of the evening:
"You look like you've just been stunned by a very handsome man."
Hot water status: Nil.
The morning after
The aches, pains, and wounds of yesterday are beginning to set in now that I have fully dethawed. There's still no hot water, which made this morning's shower an adrenaline-charged occasion. Weng was all ready to start the day with a cold shower, but he chickened out, so he's still stinky. (He played a total of 16 minutes of basketball before they were unceremoniously dumped out of the competition, therefore he's hurting a lot less physically, but still nursing a slightly injured pride.)
Gwen's Ben and Weng have long since stopped associating netball with 'girly game', as have the other five guys we played against in a friendly yesterday:
I tell you, they wouldn't survive two minutes on court. There was so much elbowing, toe stepping, backing up, scratching, and diving that it's almost embarrassing to be associated with the sport. But then again, you get whatever you can get, even if it means joining in the melee.
Probably going to spend today reliving those sublime plays and goals, and proudly whining about my bruises.
Gwen's Ben and Weng have long since stopped associating netball with 'girly game', as have the other five guys we played against in a friendly yesterday:
"I prefer basketball to netball because at least there they're openly hostile. In netball, they're so smelly (i.e. underhanded)..." - Ben
I tell you, they wouldn't survive two minutes on court. There was so much elbowing, toe stepping, backing up, scratching, and diving that it's almost embarrassing to be associated with the sport. But then again, you get whatever you can get, even if it means joining in the melee.
Probably going to spend today reliving those sublime plays and goals, and proudly whining about my bruises.
Saturday, November 13, 2004
Nottingham games 04
We got a total of two hours' sleep the night before, having to wake up at the ungodly hour of 4.00am to make the 9.00am registration up north. I heard the alarm go off, but my body refused to respond to the frantic urgings of my mind, and I stayed curled up under my duvet for what seemed like a couple of seconds, but it had really been 15 minutes, which we couldn't afford to waste.
There was a lot of last minute packing and zombie-ing around the flat, forgetting what we went to the kitchen to get, while daring ourselves to take a cold shower (the hot water died yesterday). It was a good start to the day. Pretty much dragged our feet all the way to Beit Hall against the numbing cold and fell into the bus to sleep all the way to Notts.
Got there in three hours - a lot shorter than I thought, and woke up to a stiff neck. Our first netball game was due to start at ten. Passing was difficult with wooden fingers, but at least the sun was out, and after a good couple of games in the groups stages, we came across Warwick.
It was an extremely tense game to say the least. Our usually cheerful centre was all ready to slug a couple of punches in the direction of her counterpart. She wasn't the only one suffering from intense frustration. Needless to say we won the game, but were ousted by UCL in the semis - a game we could've fully won. Warwick went on to win the competition, but we took pride in being the only team to have beaten them. The rest of the ICSS did okay I guess, a few disappointing moments here and there, but there were quite a few good second or third place finishes.
A huge thanks to the Jacki, Gwen, Eunice, Jane, Jocelyn, Wen Wen, and Manda who were absolutely amazing today. It was awesome to play alongside them. We'll definitely be at the London Games in March.
There was a lot of last minute packing and zombie-ing around the flat, forgetting what we went to the kitchen to get, while daring ourselves to take a cold shower (the hot water died yesterday). It was a good start to the day. Pretty much dragged our feet all the way to Beit Hall against the numbing cold and fell into the bus to sleep all the way to Notts.
Got there in three hours - a lot shorter than I thought, and woke up to a stiff neck. Our first netball game was due to start at ten. Passing was difficult with wooden fingers, but at least the sun was out, and after a good couple of games in the groups stages, we came across Warwick.
It was an extremely tense game to say the least. Our usually cheerful centre was all ready to slug a couple of punches in the direction of her counterpart. She wasn't the only one suffering from intense frustration. Needless to say we won the game, but were ousted by UCL in the semis - a game we could've fully won. Warwick went on to win the competition, but we took pride in being the only team to have beaten them. The rest of the ICSS did okay I guess, a few disappointing moments here and there, but there were quite a few good second or third place finishes.
A huge thanks to the Jacki, Gwen, Eunice, Jane, Jocelyn, Wen Wen, and Manda who were absolutely amazing today. It was awesome to play alongside them. We'll definitely be at the London Games in March.
Friday, November 12, 2004
Thursday, November 11, 2004
This one's especially for Lester
Last night the Year 2 Mech Eng Singaporeans came over for a small gathering. It was nice to get together and not talk about school work or ask Godwin for tutorial answers. Lester and Kenneth cooked, and Godwin and Vivian washed up – thank you so much guys! There was lots of laughing, I mean, it’s hard not to when Lester starts with the storytelling.
The day started really early this morning, even earlier than for a 9.00am lecture just to catch the bus to the power stations. Only 14 of the 25ish people turned up for the Kingsnorth trip. It was okay in the end I guess.
We spent more time on the bus than actually touring the plant. The guide was a retiree; you could tell he wasn’t happy about the way things had changed since his time.
There was a short lecture on how the plant works – plenty of numbers, but didn’t really come out with anything useful, except that politicians and accountants understand absolutely nothing about making electricity. After putting on oh-so-sexy helmets (that’s why I didn’t become a chemical engineer), safety glasses, and high-visibility jackets (in yellow highlighter with sparkly silver detailing) we started the walking tour.
The control room was massive and clinical-like with sprawling computers and a fantastic selection of buttons. Then we walked into the main housing for the boilers, turbines, and generators. We spent a few minutes looking at arrays and arrays of pipes, some big, some little, stretching for miles and miles in every direction, bending around each other in a precise dance. There was a hot geyser of steam leaking out one of the turbines, and you could see the heat waves radiating off those metal monstrosities. The standard-issue ear plugs kept falling out, and it’s not like they helped, because the vibrations pretty much bypassed the eardrums and went straight into the centre of your brain.
The day started really early this morning, even earlier than for a 9.00am lecture just to catch the bus to the power stations. Only 14 of the 25ish people turned up for the Kingsnorth trip. It was okay in the end I guess.
We spent more time on the bus than actually touring the plant. The guide was a retiree; you could tell he wasn’t happy about the way things had changed since his time.
There was a short lecture on how the plant works – plenty of numbers, but didn’t really come out with anything useful, except that politicians and accountants understand absolutely nothing about making electricity. After putting on oh-so-sexy helmets (that’s why I didn’t become a chemical engineer), safety glasses, and high-visibility jackets (in yellow highlighter with sparkly silver detailing) we started the walking tour.
The control room was massive and clinical-like with sprawling computers and a fantastic selection of buttons. Then we walked into the main housing for the boilers, turbines, and generators. We spent a few minutes looking at arrays and arrays of pipes, some big, some little, stretching for miles and miles in every direction, bending around each other in a precise dance. There was a hot geyser of steam leaking out one of the turbines, and you could see the heat waves radiating off those metal monstrosities. The standard-issue ear plugs kept falling out, and it’s not like they helped, because the vibrations pretty much bypassed the eardrums and went straight into the centre of your brain.
The second part of the tour was outside to see the fuelling jetty and water intake. It sits on a river, so to cool the steam it sucks in huge amounts of water, strains out all the debris, and then pumps it through the system. They had great big metal baskets of dead fish and seaweed. It stunk like crazy. After a cursory glance at their lunch menu on the way to the cafeteria line, we figured out what happens to all that fish:
-Friday-
Main Fish and Chips
Dessert Bread pudding
I suppose that once they batter and deep fry it, no one can tell the difference.
-Friday-
Main Fish and Chips
Dessert Bread pudding
I suppose that once they batter and deep fry it, no one can tell the difference.
All in all, it wasn't a bad day, now just waiting for Weng to get in, so I’m going to go play GB.
Wednesday, November 10, 2004
6 Degrees
It's one to the Singaporeans, and I've got a crappy ankle going for me. We played the MSoc girls today, I don't actually think that they've actually played together as a team, not sure, but we beat them 9-2. I think our defense was really really good, or perhaps their attack just isn't. It was still pretty fun, I guess it's fun winning...generally worth fighting through those gale-force winds to get there and back.
Exams ended today. I felt so much lighter walking out of that lecture theatre. I really really don't feel like going to the powerplant tomorrow though. I was tempted to skive the trip and base it on a dodgy ankle that needs a lot of rest. I thought that once the tests were over, I could slack off, but there's even more to do now - a whole bunch of errands I've been putting off. Yay.
Gunbound is turning into an addiction here, Shiv's starting to feel the strain and I don't blame her. Leave them alone and they'll quite happily glue themselves to their computers, side by side, Darren in his bathrobe cursing his teammates, Han Wen with a bemused smirk on his face and his 'Oh wow's.
Darren's starting to 'fluence everyone in this household. He has such random bitchfests that it's like flicking channels and going from 'Gardening with Herbert' to 'Tanjong Rambutan: The Angry People'. I definitely know not to get on his bad side. I pity the poor soul who get blasted everyday, but I'll have to be mean and admit that it's quite entertaining.
And the house is clean. It was incredible, the vacuum was going and everything! It's been a good day.
Exams ended today. I felt so much lighter walking out of that lecture theatre. I really really don't feel like going to the powerplant tomorrow though. I was tempted to skive the trip and base it on a dodgy ankle that needs a lot of rest. I thought that once the tests were over, I could slack off, but there's even more to do now - a whole bunch of errands I've been putting off. Yay.
Gunbound is turning into an addiction here, Shiv's starting to feel the strain and I don't blame her. Leave them alone and they'll quite happily glue themselves to their computers, side by side, Darren in his bathrobe cursing his teammates, Han Wen with a bemused smirk on his face and his 'Oh wow's.
Darren's starting to 'fluence everyone in this household. He has such random bitchfests that it's like flicking channels and going from 'Gardening with Herbert' to 'Tanjong Rambutan: The Angry People'. I definitely know not to get on his bad side. I pity the poor soul who get blasted everyday, but I'll have to be mean and admit that it's quite entertaining.
And the house is clean. It was incredible, the vacuum was going and everything! It's been a good day.
It's always too early
Last test today, and you know how it goes, can't be arsed to study properly for this one. The conscience is nagging quite a bit though.
According to Darren, I’m always making up excuses as to why I can’t start something right now. I’m a procrastinator, and he’s being all “big momma” – also nagging at me to study.
Other than having to scrape myself out of bed, my tiny bathroom still smells of cat piss (the plumber resealed the whole shower cubicle yesterday – it looked like a hard fought battle, the stuff’s everywhere), and I lost half of a digestive in my tea, so it’s a bit like Nestum now, only not so good.
I really want to just go back to bed, but it’s kind of cold in there, and after Blue stopped being warm, it just got irritating because it took up half the bed; quite uncomfortable.
Okay, I better stop wasting time. There’s a whole load of diodes and sources that need my attention.
According to Darren, I’m always making up excuses as to why I can’t start something right now. I’m a procrastinator, and he’s being all “big momma” – also nagging at me to study.
Other than having to scrape myself out of bed, my tiny bathroom still smells of cat piss (the plumber resealed the whole shower cubicle yesterday – it looked like a hard fought battle, the stuff’s everywhere), and I lost half of a digestive in my tea, so it’s a bit like Nestum now, only not so good.
I really want to just go back to bed, but it’s kind of cold in there, and after Blue stopped being warm, it just got irritating because it took up half the bed; quite uncomfortable.
Okay, I better stop wasting time. There’s a whole load of diodes and sources that need my attention.
Tuesday, November 09, 2004
I pulled a hot chick last night.
Now that I have your attention, I have a question:
A lot of people go clubbing right, and when they club, everyone gets drunk, and nowadays it's all quite normal to 'pull' someone. Anyone really. If you do get hot and heavy with a total stranger, and you have a girlfriend waiting wherever (far away usually to avoid awkward situations) is it considered cheating?
What are the rules? Do both parties agree that it's okay to act single and without constraint in these situations? Does the girlfriend know that you do things like that? Is she okay with it? I guess I'm addressing guys more than girls because I've only ever heard stories, especially boasts that someone kissed some hot chick last night at some club, or in some cases, more. It's usually a hot chick, unless it's told from the more sober friend's point of view, in which case, she probably had a moustache, only it was dark...
Getting back to the point though, do guys like acting single? I know some girls get the itch to flirt when they're involved, but I never thought it really applied to guys - I mean they all seem to wanna get a girlfriend, yet they defined one night stands and they'll take a flirty situation further than a girl would. Unless she's really so horny. I don't get it. Boys are so hard to understand. Don't they feel guilty at all?
A lot of people go clubbing right, and when they club, everyone gets drunk, and nowadays it's all quite normal to 'pull' someone. Anyone really. If you do get hot and heavy with a total stranger, and you have a girlfriend waiting wherever (far away usually to avoid awkward situations) is it considered cheating?
What are the rules? Do both parties agree that it's okay to act single and without constraint in these situations? Does the girlfriend know that you do things like that? Is she okay with it? I guess I'm addressing guys more than girls because I've only ever heard stories, especially boasts that someone kissed some hot chick last night at some club, or in some cases, more. It's usually a hot chick, unless it's told from the more sober friend's point of view, in which case, she probably had a moustache, only it was dark...
Getting back to the point though, do guys like acting single? I know some girls get the itch to flirt when they're involved, but I never thought it really applied to guys - I mean they all seem to wanna get a girlfriend, yet they defined one night stands and they'll take a flirty situation further than a girl would. Unless she's really so horny. I don't get it. Boys are so hard to understand. Don't they feel guilty at all?
When did the NBA season start?
I found out yesterday that point guard Steve Nash is with the Phoenix Suns now. He's like my fav player. The Mav's won't be the same without him...although they do seem to be doing pretty well - unbeaten so far. That's what I love about basketball, they play day after day after day, which means there's good t.v. to watch day after day after day. And basketball players are always so cool lookin', I mean, footballers run like chickens and look like cocky goofballs. Curse the timezone difference, how they don't watch basketball in this soggy country, and the fact that we don't have cable.
Guess what I have to do now. Yep. Study. Oh joy.
Guess what I have to do now. Yep. Study. Oh joy.
Monday, November 08, 2004
Superglue
Don't worry, it isn't another metaphorical article about relationships or social bonds or how people are just so sedentary nowadays, getting stuck in all kinds of metaphysical ruts. This is quite literally about superglue.
I don’t think people realize how important superglue is. It’s like the unsung hero of adhesives. Sure PVA gets all the attention what with it being so arty-fartily inclined, and of course rubber glue’s really fun to flick at people after it’s dried in globs, but the former dissolves on contact with water, and the latter’s equally as useless.
Superglue on the other hand is fully suited to all your daily gluing needs, as demonstrated in American Pie 2. My life however is no where near as exciting as that. I’ve used superglue to fix bathroom tiles, oven knobs, my retainer, and my glasses over the last few weeks. I don’t think I’ve ever noticed how useful it is.
If I didn’t have superglue to fix my retainers, my mum would be incredibly angry if she saw squinty teeth come Easter, and it would be another RM300 down the drain because orthodontists really make all their money by replacing people’s retainers. At RM600 a set, it’s no wonder that they’re rolling in it. Then again, I’m not sure how long the fumes will take to completely evaporate or whether superglue ever loses its toxicity.
If I didn’t have superglue to fix my glasses, I’d be sitting here, hunched over the keyboard, squinting at the screen. It took me seven tries to get it to hold because it broke at a very fiddly place and I got more glue on my fingers and the kitchen counter than on the join. But anyhow, it’s still setting, so I’m pretty much bent double over my laptop anyway.
This is really just another session of verbal diarrhea in the guise of an intellectually stimulating post while I wait for someone to talk to me. Has superglue brightened your day?
I don’t think people realize how important superglue is. It’s like the unsung hero of adhesives. Sure PVA gets all the attention what with it being so arty-fartily inclined, and of course rubber glue’s really fun to flick at people after it’s dried in globs, but the former dissolves on contact with water, and the latter’s equally as useless.
Superglue on the other hand is fully suited to all your daily gluing needs, as demonstrated in American Pie 2. My life however is no where near as exciting as that. I’ve used superglue to fix bathroom tiles, oven knobs, my retainer, and my glasses over the last few weeks. I don’t think I’ve ever noticed how useful it is.
If I didn’t have superglue to fix my retainers, my mum would be incredibly angry if she saw squinty teeth come Easter, and it would be another RM300 down the drain because orthodontists really make all their money by replacing people’s retainers. At RM600 a set, it’s no wonder that they’re rolling in it. Then again, I’m not sure how long the fumes will take to completely evaporate or whether superglue ever loses its toxicity.
If I didn’t have superglue to fix my glasses, I’d be sitting here, hunched over the keyboard, squinting at the screen. It took me seven tries to get it to hold because it broke at a very fiddly place and I got more glue on my fingers and the kitchen counter than on the join. But anyhow, it’s still setting, so I’m pretty much bent double over my laptop anyway.
This is really just another session of verbal diarrhea in the guise of an intellectually stimulating post while I wait for someone to talk to me. Has superglue brightened your day?
Goin crazy
I just got home and all I really feel like doing is kicking back for the rest of the evening. Sadly though, the wicked shall not rest, and I have to start studying for solid mechanics and math tomorrow. I don't get how people can afford to not work hard... I like have no life because of this course (I can hear the economists laughing).
Weng's headed back to Southampton, but it's not too bad this time, because I just bought myself a hotwater bottle. Woot! And it's fuzzy too. It's sitting on my lap like a really warm fuzzy animal. (I really miss Perdy)...but anyhowI shall call it Blue.
I can't believe that Macs don't have hotcakes anymore! I'm so disappointed. The hot chocolate is good there tho. I had a snickers bar for lunch with a bottle of water. I think that's about all the relevant food groups covered.
The door's been ripped off one of the stalls in the level 3 girls' bathroom. Someone must've been PMSing pretty badly. Only makes the toilet situation worse though. There are never enough girl toilets as it is.
It feels so late, but it's really only about half four. The setting sun throws my whole bodyclock out of sync. And I'm hungry...
But, ugh, I gotta study. Bugger.
Weng's headed back to Southampton, but it's not too bad this time, because I just bought myself a hotwater bottle. Woot! And it's fuzzy too. It's sitting on my lap like a really warm fuzzy animal. (I really miss Perdy)...but anyhowI shall call it Blue.
I can't believe that Macs don't have hotcakes anymore! I'm so disappointed. The hot chocolate is good there tho. I had a snickers bar for lunch with a bottle of water. I think that's about all the relevant food groups covered.
The door's been ripped off one of the stalls in the level 3 girls' bathroom. Someone must've been PMSing pretty badly. Only makes the toilet situation worse though. There are never enough girl toilets as it is.
It feels so late, but it's really only about half four. The setting sun throws my whole bodyclock out of sync. And I'm hungry...
But, ugh, I gotta study. Bugger.
Tminus63minutes
x, y, z, d, u, v, w, A, k, h, L, r, q, u, U, c, P, T, V, sigma, tao, roh, pi...
It's like learning a whole new language, an alphabetical parallel. There are so many variables and equations swimming around in my head that if I move too quickly, they'll probably fall out of my ears.
I pretty much just learnt the stuff that's going to come up in the first test from scratch. Quite an achievement. Committing it to memory is another thing though, and I've reached a point where my mind's so completely saturated that all I can do is stare helplessly at the words in front of me.
Looking forward to the end of the week already. I'm going to go find a chocolate bar to get me through this...
It's like learning a whole new language, an alphabetical parallel. There are so many variables and equations swimming around in my head that if I move too quickly, they'll probably fall out of my ears.
I pretty much just learnt the stuff that's going to come up in the first test from scratch. Quite an achievement. Committing it to memory is another thing though, and I've reached a point where my mind's so completely saturated that all I can do is stare helplessly at the words in front of me.
Looking forward to the end of the week already. I'm going to go find a chocolate bar to get me through this...
Sunday, November 07, 2004
What I didn't do.
IknowIknowIknowIknowIknowIknowIknow...
I should've been studying, but one thing lead to another, and after dimsum at Chinatown with the residents of the JL-YH refugee camp, I'm now the proud owner of a pair of Nike yogapants. They're really awesome, so Weng agrees, but I think it was greased along by the fact that he also bought a new pair of basketball shoes and a top. I thought we had buried the Nike branding fad, but along with Gb, it seems to have made a huge comeback. The shoes are really nice though.
The fireworks are going off outside in the fog, a particularly loud one has set off a cacophany of car alarms. It's a wonder that anyone can see anything outside; the fog's pretty thick, it could be pissy rain though - sheets and sheets of it.
Regent Street was closed off today, I think in conjunction with the opening of The Incredibles. There was some kind of rock concert and a lot of Santas running around with flyers. Here, the streets are paved with leaflets. I had forgotten how crowded Oxford Circus is, two hours there was enough for me.
I'm exhausted, but here we go again to catch the last service.
I should've been studying, but one thing lead to another, and after dimsum at Chinatown with the residents of the JL-YH refugee camp, I'm now the proud owner of a pair of Nike yogapants. They're really awesome, so Weng agrees, but I think it was greased along by the fact that he also bought a new pair of basketball shoes and a top. I thought we had buried the Nike branding fad, but along with Gb, it seems to have made a huge comeback. The shoes are really nice though.
The fireworks are going off outside in the fog, a particularly loud one has set off a cacophany of car alarms. It's a wonder that anyone can see anything outside; the fog's pretty thick, it could be pissy rain though - sheets and sheets of it.
Regent Street was closed off today, I think in conjunction with the opening of The Incredibles. There was some kind of rock concert and a lot of Santas running around with flyers. Here, the streets are paved with leaflets. I had forgotten how crowded Oxford Circus is, two hours there was enough for me.
I'm exhausted, but here we go again to catch the last service.
Saturday, November 06, 2004
There goes Saturday
A sprained thumb, half a kebab, and 10 hours later, I have a wonderfully warm feeling inside from a pretty good day.
Netball was fun. I ran crazylike until my heart threatened to burst, like a little kid again. Everyone was shouting instructions at me. I tried really hard to follow what they were saying, but I was 'in the zone' and I was really bad at multitasking because I was focusing on not tripping up on my own feet.
After so long without playing team sports, my peripheral vision and spatial awareness were, on a scale of 1 to 10, at minus 3. I had to keep half a mind on where I was putting my feet and the other half on where the ball was. Obviously I didn't have any more brain spare to keep an eye on the defender or anyone else. But it's better than last week, I mean, I could only focus on the ball back then. +grin+
Playing against the footballers later was great fun - they tried the most outrageous passes and they had the longest reach. Pushing the tempo was the only way we could get around them. There were plenty of laughs as they came to grips with the game. If we had played a little longer, they would've started to really own us.
Other than that, I've Word produced my math notes. I feel like I've accomplished something, even if it's only upping the presentation of my file and um, not really revising as such. I'll try harder tomorrow.
Progress tests are looming like a cow of an iceberg.
Netball was fun. I ran crazylike until my heart threatened to burst, like a little kid again. Everyone was shouting instructions at me. I tried really hard to follow what they were saying, but I was 'in the zone' and I was really bad at multitasking because I was focusing on not tripping up on my own feet.
After so long without playing team sports, my peripheral vision and spatial awareness were, on a scale of 1 to 10, at minus 3. I had to keep half a mind on where I was putting my feet and the other half on where the ball was. Obviously I didn't have any more brain spare to keep an eye on the defender or anyone else. But it's better than last week, I mean, I could only focus on the ball back then. +grin+
Playing against the footballers later was great fun - they tried the most outrageous passes and they had the longest reach. Pushing the tempo was the only way we could get around them. There were plenty of laughs as they came to grips with the game. If we had played a little longer, they would've started to really own us.
Other than that, I've Word produced my math notes. I feel like I've accomplished something, even if it's only upping the presentation of my file and um, not really revising as such. I'll try harder tomorrow.
Progress tests are looming like a cow of an iceberg.
Evil games
Any kind of computer game that results in any kind of addiction leading to the girlfriend having to scrape the boyfriend off the computer is also often the cause of much trouble. Mainly on the boyfriend's part.
I'm not saying that we're aboslute witches and won't even let our guys have a little down time doing what they really REALLY love, but c'mon, if you spend more than four hours straight grunting in answer to anything we try to talk to you about and then moaning about where the whole weekend went, you're not gonna be sleeping in here tonight.
I've introduced GB to my flat mates. I'm not sure that their sweethearts are overjoyed with the prospect, so I apologise sincerely. I think it's quite entertaining watching them try to involve their betterhalfs with the time old adage, 'Well why don't you play, here, I'll help you.' I don't think they understand that we'd much rather be mad at them than make a fool of ourselves with poor hand-eye coordination and get even more annoyed.
It's dicks before chick in most cases of gaming, and I don't think it's ever going to change. The best way to sort out the addiction? Swallow a whole load of impatience, make them feel guilty, and then turn the screw a little tighter. That's tough love baby.
I'm not saying that we're aboslute witches and won't even let our guys have a little down time doing what they really REALLY love, but c'mon, if you spend more than four hours straight grunting in answer to anything we try to talk to you about and then moaning about where the whole weekend went, you're not gonna be sleeping in here tonight.
I've introduced GB to my flat mates. I'm not sure that their sweethearts are overjoyed with the prospect, so I apologise sincerely. I think it's quite entertaining watching them try to involve their betterhalfs with the time old adage, 'Well why don't you play, here, I'll help you.' I don't think they understand that we'd much rather be mad at them than make a fool of ourselves with poor hand-eye coordination and get even more annoyed.
It's dicks before chick in most cases of gaming, and I don't think it's ever going to change. The best way to sort out the addiction? Swallow a whole load of impatience, make them feel guilty, and then turn the screw a little tighter. That's tough love baby.
Thursday, November 04, 2004
Seven hours
Thursdays always feel so long. By the end of the day, I’m more than happy to give up trying to actively learn what’s being taught and just sit there letting the voices wash over me.
At lunch time, with nothing to do, I went to the career fair. The engineering firms were more than happy to answer questions, but all the finance firms had representatives that acted like they had the whole damn world shoved up their…right, they were really snobby.
I didn’t get any freebies, because I have a feeling that the freshers got there first in the guise of ‘keen’ undergraduates looking to map their future from year 1. Don’t deny it, I saw a couple of guilty looking fake chemical engineers who had talked one of the reps into giving them a stress ball, among a whole bunch of other things, like pens, thermos mugs, and pencils.
The only really helpful thing that came out of attending the fair was the guide book that they gave us with a description of all the companies. Although I’m not quite sure how to compare £25,700, ‘competitive’, and ‘highly competitive’ grad pay, at least I know what companies to Google over the next week or so.
Meanwhile, back at home, Fong May’s sleeping patterns are starting to become a character trait. We heard that Fong Yean will be visiting this weekend, so Han Wen started comparing them, and he said, “You guys are totally different, for one thing, she’s awake…”. It was pretty funny. Darren’s convinced that she spends two thirds of her life asleep, but I’m sure he’ll help her sort it out soon, even if it means dragging her to her own lectures, which I think he already does. +lol+
Weng’s playing CM next to me. He suddenly spasms every now and then, whenever Southampton score. It’s fairly distracting, but so are the funny little whiny noises he makes when the other team has a shot on goal, and I guess I’m used to it.
I’m talking to lady-killer Tish. He’s one of my very best friends if you didn’t already know, and he attracts women aged 25 and above (generally of the marriageable age) like bees to honey. When he’s thirty, he’ll never be short of women, or mothers trying to hook him up with their daughters. That is Tish.
Otherwise, I think I should really be getting to bed soon. I’m so tired, spent most of the day avoiding sharp corners and door frames (prevention hurts a lot less), and my heater’s finally back in London. Yay!
At lunch time, with nothing to do, I went to the career fair. The engineering firms were more than happy to answer questions, but all the finance firms had representatives that acted like they had the whole damn world shoved up their…right, they were really snobby.
I didn’t get any freebies, because I have a feeling that the freshers got there first in the guise of ‘keen’ undergraduates looking to map their future from year 1. Don’t deny it, I saw a couple of guilty looking fake chemical engineers who had talked one of the reps into giving them a stress ball, among a whole bunch of other things, like pens, thermos mugs, and pencils.
The only really helpful thing that came out of attending the fair was the guide book that they gave us with a description of all the companies. Although I’m not quite sure how to compare £25,700, ‘competitive’, and ‘highly competitive’ grad pay, at least I know what companies to Google over the next week or so.
Meanwhile, back at home, Fong May’s sleeping patterns are starting to become a character trait. We heard that Fong Yean will be visiting this weekend, so Han Wen started comparing them, and he said, “You guys are totally different, for one thing, she’s awake…”. It was pretty funny. Darren’s convinced that she spends two thirds of her life asleep, but I’m sure he’ll help her sort it out soon, even if it means dragging her to her own lectures, which I think he already does. +lol+
Weng’s playing CM next to me. He suddenly spasms every now and then, whenever Southampton score. It’s fairly distracting, but so are the funny little whiny noises he makes when the other team has a shot on goal, and I guess I’m used to it.
I’m talking to lady-killer Tish. He’s one of my very best friends if you didn’t already know, and he attracts women aged 25 and above (generally of the marriageable age) like bees to honey. When he’s thirty, he’ll never be short of women, or mothers trying to hook him up with their daughters. That is Tish.
Otherwise, I think I should really be getting to bed soon. I’m so tired, spent most of the day avoiding sharp corners and door frames (prevention hurts a lot less), and my heater’s finally back in London. Yay!
Wednesday, November 03, 2004
Schugar Rsuh
All hopes of curing the parachutelike eyebags hanging from my lower lids were quickly scuppered by a KrispyKreme, which is why I'm here again, writing for my multitude of adoring fans...which stands at Weng (because he loves me), Evan (for sake of nothing better to do up North), Tish (because he spends more time at home than at school), and 15 or so other returning visitors. I don't know whether they come back only because their mouse accidentally slipped over their URL history or what, but every little bit counts.
Liverpool won tonight, even though Deportivo scored the only goal. It's one of their first away wins, I'm so happy!
I just updated WMP from 6 straight through to 10, and it looks so cool! I bet none of the features have changed, but hell, I'm sold on the look of the thing. (I'mc urrently havingm assive difficult ies controllin gwhere t he spaces sh ouldg o in this post.) The sugar is wreaking havoc on my synapses +giggle+ as I sing along to 'A Spoonful of Sugar'. Haha, how appropriate!
Oh, I definitely definitely feel like Camille Saint-Saens' Carnival of the Animals Finale. It featured in Fantasia for those of you who are less Disney-inclined. Flamingos and yoyos make great entertainment! Actually, given my current state, anything makes great entertainment. Heh.
I think I need a sedative, or I'll just pay the sleep debt tomorrow when I start klutzing into everything.
Liverpool won tonight, even though Deportivo scored the only goal. It's one of their first away wins, I'm so happy!
I just updated WMP from 6 straight through to 10, and it looks so cool! I bet none of the features have changed, but hell, I'm sold on the look of the thing. (I'mc urrently havingm assive difficult ies controllin gwhere t he spaces sh ouldg o in this post.) The sugar is wreaking havoc on my synapses +giggle+ as I sing along to 'A Spoonful of Sugar'. Haha, how appropriate!
Oh, I definitely definitely feel like Camille Saint-Saens' Carnival of the Animals Finale. It featured in Fantasia for those of you who are less Disney-inclined. Flamingos and yoyos make great entertainment! Actually, given my current state, anything makes great entertainment. Heh.
I think I need a sedative, or I'll just pay the sleep debt tomorrow when I start klutzing into everything.
Wahlau-eh
I've just come out of the most intensive two hour nap I've ever had. It's left me feeling more tired than before, but I managed to struggle out of it's sticky grasp before it killed me.
I dreamed about the world's definitive rollercoaster. It had a jet engine. A jet engine in a rollercoaster. It had a drop of twenty stories, four and a half loops, and two and a half corkscrews, and the Gs completely plastered you to your seat, and your scream to the back of your throat. And I actually rode it, at night in complete darkness, and in the front row. I could feel everything - the adrenaline bordering on complete and utter terror, the wind ripping through my hair...
Then I remember looking for a killer bug. I didn't want to pick it up, but it kept running away looking for someone to burrow into and reproduce. It was an evil looking skeletal thing, and worst of all, my fluids lecturer gave it to me. GAVE it to me. My fluids lecturer (?!). I don't get it either, but I was panicking between having to hold this revulsive creature in one hand while I looked for a book heavy enough to kill it, and looking for it before it latched on to me because it kept squirming out of my hand and dropping onto the floor...
Suddenly I was clawing my way out of my own dream while muzzily trying to figure out if that killer bug was actually real, and whether it was in my bed or not. That thought definitely dissolved the cobwebs of sleep, so here I am, still freezing my ass off, nursing a hot tea with sugar. Actually I really feel like soaking my entire head in hot tea, one cup doesn't seem enough.
I dreamed about the world's definitive rollercoaster. It had a jet engine. A jet engine in a rollercoaster. It had a drop of twenty stories, four and a half loops, and two and a half corkscrews, and the Gs completely plastered you to your seat, and your scream to the back of your throat. And I actually rode it, at night in complete darkness, and in the front row. I could feel everything - the adrenaline bordering on complete and utter terror, the wind ripping through my hair...
Then I remember looking for a killer bug. I didn't want to pick it up, but it kept running away looking for someone to burrow into and reproduce. It was an evil looking skeletal thing, and worst of all, my fluids lecturer gave it to me. GAVE it to me. My fluids lecturer (?!). I don't get it either, but I was panicking between having to hold this revulsive creature in one hand while I looked for a book heavy enough to kill it, and looking for it before it latched on to me because it kept squirming out of my hand and dropping onto the floor...
Suddenly I was clawing my way out of my own dream while muzzily trying to figure out if that killer bug was actually real, and whether it was in my bed or not. That thought definitely dissolved the cobwebs of sleep, so here I am, still freezing my ass off, nursing a hot tea with sugar. Actually I really feel like soaking my entire head in hot tea, one cup doesn't seem enough.
Flicking through my mind
I'd just like to take this opportunity to commend effort of the many boyfriends I know who'll travel far and wide just to spend some time with their other halves every weekend. Whether it's an hour's train ride or four hours by bus, these guys will unfailingly make the trip, and look forward to it too. And who said romance was dead...
Meanwhile Bush and Kerry are seperated by two points.
I'm listening to the Forest Gump soundtrack. I don't know why but it always makes me feel so sad. It's such a bittersweet piece of music...
We're underattack by angry angry flies. It's getting cold and icy outside, so they like flying into the house, although it isn't much warmer in here. +brr+ Maybe I should just take my laptop and go curl up next to the radiator in the hall - it seems to be the only one that works...
My Mum sent a parcel over about a month ago and it never got here. After I finished dissing the postal system, it turns out that it's because she forgot to put the building number - just "Flat 8, Lexham Gardens...". Therefore, as far as I can gather, it's anywhere between 1-88 Lexham Gardens. I guess I'll know what I'll be doing tomorrow...
I think waterbottle teddybears are weird. I wouldn't like to hug my bear and then have it go "blublub" back at me...
Meanwhile Bush and Kerry are seperated by two points.
I'm listening to the Forest Gump soundtrack. I don't know why but it always makes me feel so sad. It's such a bittersweet piece of music...
We're underattack by angry angry flies. It's getting cold and icy outside, so they like flying into the house, although it isn't much warmer in here. +brr+ Maybe I should just take my laptop and go curl up next to the radiator in the hall - it seems to be the only one that works...
My Mum sent a parcel over about a month ago and it never got here. After I finished dissing the postal system, it turns out that it's because she forgot to put the building number - just "Flat 8, Lexham Gardens...". Therefore, as far as I can gather, it's anywhere between 1-88 Lexham Gardens. I guess I'll know what I'll be doing tomorrow...
I think waterbottle teddybears are weird. I wouldn't like to hug my bear and then have it go "blublub" back at me...
Tuesday, November 02, 2004
Being Malaysian
- Your father, uncle, brother, nephew, or cousin is a Datuk, civil servant, parliamentary minister, or all of the above.
- Milo is a drink, desert, and food group all by itself.
- Road signs and painted lines are merely suggestions, not directions.
- The answer to every traffic jam is to build more roads.
- The highways are never quite bright enough.
- You’ll get change back from bribing your way out of a speeding ticket.
- You are so multicultural that you can speak Malay, Chinese, and English, and swear in 46 different dialects.
- You are perpetually on a tea break.
- If you don't own a motorcycle, you've almost run one over.
- You can’t move any faster than a stroll.
- You can text while you’re driving, with your eyes closed, upside down, and hanging by your fingertips.
- Boss, satu teh tarik, dua roti bom.
Why's it only tuesday?
I went for a career talk today. It was run by Shell, and I have to give them credit for their tactically superb advertising. Yes, let's send the goodlooking and inspired fresh graduates who still love their job, and the charismatic below-35s to talk them all into subjugation. Let's show them a video and brainwash them into thinking that Shell's THE place to work. I bet there were subliminal messages in that "The world without power" clip. I know I took away more than a couple of leaflets from that presentation. I think I remember more from that forty minutes than I do from all my other lectures. Maybe IC should employ gorgeously darkhaired, green-eyed hunks to teach us stress analysis...
Coming back to reality though, the talk brought up the slightly less attractive prospect of filling out application forms and sending CVs in before the Dec/Jan deadlines. A bit like UCAS all over again, only worse.
I'm also pleased to say that I'm as up to date with my tutorials as I can be - or so I think (but then there's that nagging feeling that I'm forgetting something). I know there are so many half done questions, but that'll have to wait til the lessons to finish. I really don't feel like studying for next week's tests, so I think I'll sit here, wait for football to come on, and miss my goodsmellingcocoabutterboy.
I'll probably regret like hell tomorrow when I kena ambush by more work.
Coming back to reality though, the talk brought up the slightly less attractive prospect of filling out application forms and sending CVs in before the Dec/Jan deadlines. A bit like UCAS all over again, only worse.
I'm also pleased to say that I'm as up to date with my tutorials as I can be - or so I think (but then there's that nagging feeling that I'm forgetting something). I know there are so many half done questions, but that'll have to wait til the lessons to finish. I really don't feel like studying for next week's tests, so I think I'll sit here, wait for football to come on, and miss my goodsmellingcocoabutterboy.
I'll probably regret like hell tomorrow when I kena ambush by more work.
Monday, November 01, 2004
Baby, it's cold outside
Lab was an hour and a half of writing down numbers, and another hour and a half spent making them jump through flaming hoops. We're not engineers, we're accountants.
We longingly watched from behind the huge glass window as students skipped home, as people waved goodbye, and as the sun set. We saw our peers pack up their books and pencilcases with smiles of relief, grab their coats and bags in earnest, and leave the laboratory at a near run. We saw the shadows on the wall creep further and further up the brickwork as darkness descended on the South Kensington campus and we were finally allowed to go home, all because of a couple of bent lines and a few poorly marked 'x's.
Then it was the cold walk home. You could feel the frost in the air as people walked in and out of the pools of murky light cast along the street. The romantically rambling gardens suddenly turned into forbidding shadowy portals. People pulled their coats tighter, their collars higher, as they hurried on at the sound of footsteps. Warmth spilled out briefly from open doorways as they were opened and then quickly shut again against the pervading draft.
When it's cold and dark, everyone's hurrying home, fiercely protective of whatever warmth and love they possess. I wish I had someone to go home to.
We longingly watched from behind the huge glass window as students skipped home, as people waved goodbye, and as the sun set. We saw our peers pack up their books and pencilcases with smiles of relief, grab their coats and bags in earnest, and leave the laboratory at a near run. We saw the shadows on the wall creep further and further up the brickwork as darkness descended on the South Kensington campus and we were finally allowed to go home, all because of a couple of bent lines and a few poorly marked 'x's.
Then it was the cold walk home. You could feel the frost in the air as people walked in and out of the pools of murky light cast along the street. The romantically rambling gardens suddenly turned into forbidding shadowy portals. People pulled their coats tighter, their collars higher, as they hurried on at the sound of footsteps. Warmth spilled out briefly from open doorways as they were opened and then quickly shut again against the pervading draft.
When it's cold and dark, everyone's hurrying home, fiercely protective of whatever warmth and love they possess. I wish I had someone to go home to.
Week 5 :: 1 - 7 November 2004
We're almost halfway through the first term already, and I could kill for a midterm break. I never knew how unbelieveably valuable three or four days off school can be until you don't have them.
No, instead, they give us progress tests to, ha ha, test our progress. I wonder if they've realised that we don't retain anything in the first six weeks, much less the whole year, so testing us means unnecessary stress on both parts.
We have to learn and commit to memory things that we barely grasp in the first place. Proof? What proof? You think we actually know the fluid flow derivations inside and out enough to reproduce the proof based on pure instinct? Yeah Right. We don't even understand the damn thing, so, like in all other cases of desperation, we end up memorising lines and lines of derivation. Tough luck if you're dyselxic. All those curly d's and deltas can be a real pain in the ass.
Labs start this week too. This afternoon actually, an inspiring three hour session that effectively doubles the class time for today. And it's so cold outside.
This week also plays host to the elections that will determine the next four years of America (four years, is that right?). Because of poor information and time-zone calculations on my part, I can only hazard a guess that it'll happen sometime between today and tomorrow. As it stands, when one candidate wins, about half the nation'll be demanding recounts and blaming underhanded tactics and conspiracies in bitter disappointment.
It looks like America'll have a tough time deciding between a couple of complete tits under the bombardment of masses of advertisements and rallies. Give human beings a vote and it gets complicated.
No, instead, they give us progress tests to, ha ha, test our progress. I wonder if they've realised that we don't retain anything in the first six weeks, much less the whole year, so testing us means unnecessary stress on both parts.
We have to learn and commit to memory things that we barely grasp in the first place. Proof? What proof? You think we actually know the fluid flow derivations inside and out enough to reproduce the proof based on pure instinct? Yeah Right. We don't even understand the damn thing, so, like in all other cases of desperation, we end up memorising lines and lines of derivation. Tough luck if you're dyselxic. All those curly d's and deltas can be a real pain in the ass.
Labs start this week too. This afternoon actually, an inspiring three hour session that effectively doubles the class time for today. And it's so cold outside.
This week also plays host to the elections that will determine the next four years of America (four years, is that right?). Because of poor information and time-zone calculations on my part, I can only hazard a guess that it'll happen sometime between today and tomorrow. As it stands, when one candidate wins, about half the nation'll be demanding recounts and blaming underhanded tactics and conspiracies in bitter disappointment.
It looks like America'll have a tough time deciding between a couple of complete tits under the bombardment of masses of advertisements and rallies. Give human beings a vote and it gets complicated.
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