Hi! My name is 八万 (or bat man in Cantonese. Note: It is 'bat man' not batman!). In case you can't guess, I'm a reindeer! hurhurhur... I was born in Ocean Park and was 'adopted' on 17th December. Ya... here are my owner and her friends...

Siyi, Adelene and yep.. there's my owner.. savouring and enjoying their egg tarts!

They visited Mabel... and look! there's my good friend, Schwein in Mabel's arms. Yep.. Schwein is a pink pig.. also born in Ocean Park. Oh... There's also Jellyfish... with a pretty pink blush... but no pics... hahaha...

Anyway, in HK, my owner went for Jay Chou's concert! *squeals...* It was superbly good.. but all the photos are in Mabel's computer.. so till she gets back...

In Hongkong, my owner visited Disneyland and watched the pretty fireworks, went Ocean Park, ate loads of mango desserts (esp 杨支甘露... see pic below), hotpot (ie: steamboat) and well.. shopped.

Yep yep... so that's for HK... So before I leave you all.. let me show you my multiple images...

Hi... I'm 'Zorro' bat man, or I can be a demure lady, or an assasin, or well... Maybe it's just to protect my poor nose and lungs from all the polluted air....

Behold... General Bat Man! Don't I just look grand and regal???

Oh.. and on a final note, my owner wishes everyone a Merry Christmas (abeit belated) and a aHappy New Year. May all wishes come true for the next year... Oh... and hopes that you all will forgive her for not updating for so long. She is just enjoying herself nua-ing at home and not wanting to do anything. Another couple of weeks to nua away!!!!!!!!!

And so I have neglected my blog... Do you see the cobwebs growing yet?

A quick recap... Exams ended on Wed, 28th Nov... Was rushing a report and slides for a presentation for Friday morning. Had to finish up my IRB application as well... Not enough sleep even after exams.

Presentation came and went. Seems quite ok. Filed for IRB approval before the Dec deadline. Yay! And then, it was mega-nua-ing time...

Love spending days just curled up in bed, reading. I could even be computer-less.

Going to HK in 3 days time. Excited!!! :) yet unprepared... hahaha... Time to pack...

I don't think I've ever felt so disgusted studying for any modules in my whole 3.5 years of uni life. I just feel like crying whenever I flip the developmental psych textbook.

What's in the finals? Everything from text, slides and presentations.

Some things in the slides are not in the textbook. A LOT of things in the textbook are not in the slides.

I don't see a central theme or concept that I can organize my thoughts with. For example, in the chapter on physical and cognitive development in early adulthood, I get stuff on:

• Emerging adulthood (people in bwtween adolescence and early adulthood),
• Creativity (with tips on how to be creative)
• Sexuality which includes STDs, rape, homosexuality debate
• Work - how to choose a job, what kind of outloook, how losing job would increase stress

How are the latter 2 related to either cognitive or physical development?

There's just so much to read and memorise and I can't do it. I have no idea how she is going to test them. I've been whining ever since I started studying. How come it never seems to be better?

It's Thursday! Ack! Where has the week gone???

Trying to mug... mug... mug... Squeeze in a couple of meetings on some outstanding projects, some time spent slacking and having a long lunch. Yup, I have 4 days more to exams. Jiayou!

On a happier note, I'm hooked onto jay Chou's new album. Happy Happy songs! I like almost all the songs except maybe for 无双 which is still ok, just not one that I can listen to it on repeat. Current favs include 彩虹, 蒲公英的约定, 青花瓷, 阳光宅男. Soundalicious!!!

救命啊!!!

Ok... I'll either need to
a) lock up my laptop, or
b) not turn it on, or
c) ditch it, or
d) let it rot at home while i'm in school and vice versa. or
e) what other ways are there to not use a laptop?

I'm just doing a million and one thing besides studying. Try... visiting blogs multiple times a day, reading news...

I study. Just too little.

Just went to collect my new passport... Waiting 2 hours to get it.

Annoying neighbours who are doing some reno work... prevented me from sleeping with the incessant and annoying drilling this morning.

Mugging in school... books, papers strewn all over. Developmental psych...

Reports and data analysis due.. soon...

Hooked onto playing computer games. What is new? Control.

This sem has been trying
and i'm not winning.
No matter how well I do,
I'll still lose.

I spent less time laughing this sem
I spent more time fretting this sem.
Sometimes, I don't know myself anymore.
What I want. Why i do certain things. How I escape.

I run when things don't go well
I disappear.
At the end of the day,
does it matter so much?

Thanks to those who have been by me
I've been a pretty whiney bitch all sem I know.
Just too caught up with things,
I wish I could change.

Would I exchange all that I achieve,
for times better spent?
Maybe if I could,
I would spend more time with you, you and you.

It's not too late. I hope.

So today went ok... after rushing the paper, mugging for my term-end test... Did decently ok for the MCQ test... A couple of careless mistakes and not rusting myself got to me... but i am over it...

Tired from lack of sleep. Running pilot study now...

I have 2 more days of class... But I officially have met all deadlines for school related work now. Yay! 1 more report for the consulting project due though... But yeah.. working on it.

I need sleep.

I'm frankly on the verge of hysteria now... I have a 20% MCQ/True-False test tomorrow at 830... I am still halfway through my stuff.. and I'm editing and touching up my Apple report. Due tomorrow as well.

The test is important to me cause I think it makes or breaks my grade for this mod.. and I need to MAKE IT...

It sucks. My groupmates are probably studying... and mugging or sleeping after mugging. Makes me think I'm being the stupid one. But.. the report is 40%. What do you want me to do? Throw in a half-baked work? I hate it when they don't offer comments... I bet there are grammatical errors and stuff they didn't catch. Makes me wonder if they read the report. Might as well it be an individual report in that case?

Maybe I shall just not sleep tonight. pia!

=== Start of Rant ===

iPISSED!!!

I sent out a report at 1 am on Sunday night. I did up most of the report. I just needed people to look through , edit and email me to tell me that it is ok.

It was 9.45pm. Only 1 member replied me. They had Sunday, Monday and Tuesday to look through. At 10pm. I received another email telling me she just checked her mail. Don't kid me. Never check mail from Sunday to Tuesday???

I asked a question as to whether we should analyze this part in the report. No one replied to that question, telling me everything is fine and there is nothing to add. Errr... ok? So do I am not supposed to add anything to my question?

I had to CALL to get an answer.

iPissed.

=== End of Rant ===

Ok.. so in the last 6 days since I blogged, I finished... 2 presentations with 2 group papers... The presentation for cogpsych was pretty bad I would say... but then other things happened to make up for it.. Like me suddenly realising how to write my OCD paper on Apple (Thanks Fran!) and the getting my approval to start on my pilot study for my thesis.

And then, it was pia-ing for my dev psych paper and presentation... Paper and presentation up in just 2 and a half meetings? Thanks to Baoqin, Chiching and Yen Ee who made me realise the importance of having wonderful wonderful groupmates! :) Stayed back in school on Thursday night to rush the report and slides when the presentaiton was Fri. But i would say we managed to pull off a pretty decent job trying to convince people of the merits of cohabitation.

And then... it was the mad rush for the important proposal report for my thesis... I started at 10am on Sat... and then worked on it all the way until 2am that very night. I had breaks.. but they were minimal k! I have never poured so much sweat and blood. Of course, the first draft was not very pretty... and I had some editing to do the next day... but it's the first time I actually finished a paper like way before it's due...

For the past few papers, I usually rush it through the night.. and hand them in just barely before the deadlines.. So yep.. quite happy with this. Used up so much of my brain on Saturday that I slacked a bit on Sunday.. before putting the finishing touches in.

Am pretty satisfied with my work.. now hoping that my prof thinks the same way too...

The week ahead... Another paper to churn out.. The apple one this time. Nothing to my project mates.. but I seem to be doing up the full report. It's like I'm doing it up from scratch and just incorporating the points in. It's getting tough... and I feel like bitching about my groupmates. But I also know it's not their fault. Did I take on too much then? is it a case of mistrust? or do I think too highly of myself? I feel my brain being squeezed.. but ya... as usual.. everything will be fine. :)

How often do we lose sight of the world around us. To know how to count our blessings and not bother ourselves to much with the extra stuff in life?

I question my mindset on job search, on life.. and yet, I find myself slipping into it oh-so-often. Since when do I take time to count my blessings. For having been able to live my dream, for a superb family, wonderful and supportive friends who have been with me through ups and downs. Compared to the less fortunate, less privileged, I am a hundred times or even mroe better off than them.

Things like GPA looms so big at times - worrying about grades, being worried after not doing well and making a fuss about it. But when you look at the big picture, it is just something small and really not that significant.

Maybe it's time to take a step backwards and see the world as it is meant to be seen. Can I do it?

Spent today doing work... Working on 3 papers and worrying about another one is not fun at all... This sem is not turning out the way I had envisioned it. But enough of that...

So this weekend, I found myself having to prepare for 2 presentations and 2 related papers, on top of my part for a 3rd paper for OCD. Looming in the shadows is my research proposal for my thesis due next Monday. I have barely gotten a squeaked a word out for it. Need to really focus and start on that one soon. In the meantime, I scanned through like 6 to 8 articles today on cohabitation for my debate for dev psych...

I'm working on my part for cog psych... need to come up with my powerpoint slides for the benefits of the paper and for future research. I will then have to edit the report.

Throw in a write up on the life cycle of Apple Inc. My head is swarming with all the research from these 3 areas. Make me feel like pulling a MIA stunt and escape from it all.. but then again, escapism is not a good option... so...

Ok.. besides random one-liner posts whining, i haven't really been blogging. Call it lack of time, blogstipation or what not... it's just that I feel this sem spinning far out within my control. It's hard to explain why.

Been staying in school to clear work. Looking for articles, writing up my study, doing random stuff... Work is piling up. Thesis, projects, papers, presentations, proposal report. All due within the next 2 to 3 weeks. It is daunting. amd I'm getting rather worried.

I will press on... Clear things one at a time, do damage control to make up for my absymal midterm grades.

Came across this poem. Very poignant. Kind of describes how I feel sometimes.
====
Lost Again (http://j181.deviantart.com/art/Lost-again-62866363)

I am
back to where I started
I am
so far from myself
and I am
so lost again

I don't want to see
everything I've lost in me
and I need sometime to sort myself out again
Everything was so simple back then
And you were the only one
Only you understood my spontaneous outbursts of randomness
You were the anchors to my everything
And now I can't seem to find myself
and every time I try,
I wind up lost in the end
I'm back to picking up the pieces of my broken life
I couldn't imagine me without you
I had dreams of you being my wife
I'm only a shadow of my former self.

I am
back to where I started
I am
so far from myself
and I am
so lost again.

Stressed! Stupid dev psych midterms!!!! *faints*

Did some online job application just now... and was answering a string of questions to determine if I had a 'fit' with the kind of person they were looking for.

Was just thinking... it is easy to 'lie' on the questions... Afterall, it is easy to guess the attributes that companies do look out for... But.. is it worth it? To get the interview.. . and even the job? Like... when you try and force yourself to be something that the company wants?

Ok.. I'm being slightly incoherent now... Midterms have zapped too much of my cells today.. Shall go and sleep...

Serious damage control needed. Can't do anything about midterms which have come and gone. Will work towards the rest of the stuff - presentation, papers and finals...

It's after the mid term break liao.

Need. to. focus.

Was busy with my pilot study and studying for developmental psych towards the end of the midterm break. Dev psych midterm is finally over.. so now.. time to start clearing reports and projects. SMuggerhood, here i come!

Term break came and went...

While I tried to enjoy myself and cut myself some slack, I also spent time worry and agonising over my thesis, something which I'm kicking myself for taking it up, and yet enjoying certain parts of the process. It's seriously a love-hate relationship.

However, as Siyi puts it, I think i will be 'damn proud' of it after I finish it. I'll let you know when I do...

Then there's research for my org change mod on Apple... and dev psych midterms on Wed... Need.to.pia.

Been hanging out in the wellness centre in the capacity of friend of friends when I can't get a room. A bit more to go and my pilot will be almost ready.

Sitting in a gsr, 10pm on Monday of Week 8. Yes, it's the same day since my last post. But I'm feeling happier as I sieve through a 4cm think pile of psych reading. I see ideas, definitions and research for my lit review shaping up. I don't mind reading it so much.

I actually think I'm in an 'euphoria' stage, where I've kinda like gotten over my tiredness and am now gearing to working or piaing for my stuff. The bad news, it's 10pm!!! I can't stay in school much longer. Hope I don't lose the momentum after I get home.

Just finished a meeting that started at 2.50 pm. 4 hours of intensive brain storming, tossing and turning of ideas, debating, justifications and elaboration of ideas. It's over finally...

I still have tons of psych papers to read so that I can churn out my pilot studies by tomorrow, i'm tired.

Guess what, it's week 8 (ie: break week)!

*stressed* I think i screwed my OCD midterm... *bangs head*
But ya.. my fault... so bo bians... Not enough sleep, didn't really study, didn't read question properly... what am I thinking of when I have SO MUCH at stake? Sigh....

I need to sleep... then... Cognitive psych for tomorrow....

To go or not to go?

If only I was back in Europe where I could make my own decisions where to go and things I wanna do.

*think think think*

Meanwhile, I wasn't very productive today... Need to mug now!!!

It;s 3.46. I logged off MSN almost 2 hours ago, thinking I would go and sleep...

and then I got caught up in the online world of flash games, blogs... and news. (Well, I did read the Formula 1 news). I really should go to bed earlier. Not stay up till so late to do so much random stuff. Otherwise, I should probably spend my time on more productive stuff.

There's the job applications coming along as deadlines for banks closes.
And then there are the 2 midterms I should be studying for.
Then I should read about GE before attending their networking session tmr...
And I need to get up to meet Ade in school at say 11 plus 12. I hope I won't be late...

Meanwhile, after reading about a cockraoch invading my friend's room, I declare that I'm battling an ants infestation in my room too! I have no idea where they come from. They are black ants that gives off a weird smell when squished. What was disgusting is that they even attack my cup of water!!! Ya.. I left half a glass of water on my table last night. This morning, there were enough ants to make a 10-cent coin floating in there. Errr.. thanks lor~!~

Anyone has ideas on how to get rid of them?

Why did the man throw the butter out of the window?

He wanted to see a butterfly!

==========

hurhurhur.... amused? Some lame joke my sis told me...

This week is filled with mugging and meetings and prep for stuff. Oh well... battle ahead!

Gosh.. my life seems to revolve round and round mugging and school and mugging and school. Come to think of it, haven't really been out out... Just school, school stuff. Meet up with friends in school... back home, school... and then i get a 3 day rest where I slack and do nothing. hurhurhur...

Jaded, Cynical, Judgmental, Critical... I think that kinda sums up the new me... or at least me these few days? weeks?

Am not liking the change. Bah!

Oh.. let me be a hermit... with no school and work commitments, no deadlines to meet, no imminent tests coming up or no need to do job serach and attedn career talks. Bleahz...

I feel like going back to St Gallen . :( Seriously missing my semi-hermit life there... and the beautiful scenary.

Mid week, week 4.


Life's hectic. Or maybe it's cause i'm not being particularly productive. So many things on my to-do list. Trying to clear them one by one, but at the same time, when I'm done with one task, my list is lengthened by a couple more. Yet, my social life is also picking up when work starts coming in and piling up. In between that those, I'm playing Microsoft Hearts, trying to collect all the cards for 4 consecutive rounds.

So go figure where my priorities are. :)

These 2 weeks have been long, meaning, i've been staying late in school almost everyday. Meetings, talks, dinners... I'm hanging out at the library more often. At the very least, I have Mondays off, thus giving me a slightly longer weekend where I usually remain unproductive.

Life is normal... in and out. no big adventure, nothing exciting happening. =/

Gillian -- [noun]: A hermit living in the big city 'How" will you be defined in the dictionary?' at QuizGalaxy.com

Sounds like me?

I'm feeling so nua... nua... nua...

It's 4.10am now. I have a class at 10.15 tomorrow morning. I should go and sleep. yet, i'm preparing stuff I should have prepared over my 3 day weekend break. Procrastination is the thief of time. If I get $1 everytime I procrastinate, I should be pretty rich by now.

How many other times have I blogged about procrastination? *big sigh!*

Shall go sleep soon. need to be more disciplined...

Do work instead of going to www.mousebreaker.com and playing spastic games which are addictive and somewhat fun. (p.s.: my favs are parking perfection, some diving thingee and I spent one hour this afternoon learning the geographic location of the states in America in Geogenius)

And i'm wondering why I am still up.

As I play the words around in my head, I shake my head and toss them out. Haven't blogged in days cause maybe there is nothing to blog about. I really don't know or don't have anything to write.

School's started for 2 weeks. Days seem to pass in a blur. With a seemingly slack timetable with only 3 modules, I still feel as if I am losing track of my time. Where do those misplaced hours go? Surfing the internet? Playing games? Maybe it's cause I have another distraction - the US Open which is on these 2 weeks.

Time to get into gear. Need to clear my to-do list.

What Kind of Guy Will You Fall For?
	You would fall for the geek. If you're looking for love, consider spending a little more time studying up in the library. To you, there's nothing more attractive than intelligence, shyness, and kindness; your future love may have four eyes and zero social skills, but he'll make up for it in brains and heart.
Find Your Character @ BrainFall.com

I had a hair cut today... and did something I never really thought I would do - I highlighted my hair reddish using my natural colour as the base. Turned out quite well I think. Now my hair has this purply/maroon hue to it. So yeah... Quite happy with the job and I think the stylist who cut my hair was pretty good. All thanks to Yuanshan for her recommendation.

Other than that, it's been hanging out with the SN gals - from visiting our alma mater where we met 10 years ago, savouring orange bowl noodles whilst reminiscing about the good ol'days, to dinner and chilling out at Wala Wala, plus going for a hair job today. Nice!

Yeah... must make use of the time before Mabel goes off for her exchange to HK in 2 weeks. Its interesting how at least one of us SMU-ers have been missing at least once a sem for 3 consecutive sems due to exchange. And Shwen is back! So it's more hanging out to compensate for the soon-to-be one year absence as she heads back for her 4th year of study. Ade!!! Come back soon!

Need to ration out my chilling out time and to take out some time for work as I still have outstanding stuff to settle. It is time to get back to school mode, seeing how the NUS-ers and NTU-ers have started school liao.

So many things to settle in the new acad year. I think I booked myself onto an unforgettable ride. I just hope it is not the wrong decision. 2CUs, thesis, oral defense. These are scary words. To come up with and execute my own research project... Oh well... nothing is impossible after all.

Plus, I'm still deciding if I should carry on with the HR Training and Development module I got, or take on Finance just to learn more. If I do Finance, should I ask if I can audit the class or just bid for it outright? I'm not sure how Finance (or T&D) + 2 psych mods will work out in the midst of thesis preparation. But 2 psych mods seems very little. Haiz... decisions... Maybe I should just ditch the Finance idea...

On a side note, HK's still beckoning at the end of the year, which is good!

Been back for a week... It's just been busy, busy, busy... I think I need a break from going out. To just chill at home, catch up on sleep, do nothing.

My first feelings after I arrived is that I haven't exactly left at all. Nothing changed... except the Seiyu is now BHG, U2 is called G2000 blu. But all these are subtle changes...

Was treated to lovely Donut Factory the day I arrived, courtesy of my brother who went to queue and luckily for him, it only took him half and hour or so he claims but nevertheless, a nice gesture. By the way, they are scrumpilicious. Had Jap food for dinner.

Monday marked the start of the meeting of various friends and various groups of friends. It's nice to see everyone again! Plus I had to go back to school to settle stuff like my senior thesis and some job I was working on before I left. So that explains why i'm in school now. Going out for lunch and then I'm going home to sleep...

Homecoming! Just a few more days... 3 to be exact.

It sure doesn't feel like 4.5 months have passed. Time really flies. And in the process, I have learnt so much more about myself, gained so many intangible experiences that it is overwhelming.

Before coming on exchange, I always wanted the opportunity to be able to work overseas. This goal hasn't really changed much, yet, I will be much better prepared for what comes my way if it ever happens. Adapting to and thriving in a new environment is fine. But at the same time, I really miss my family and friends. The ease and conforts of familiarity.

After coming over, I realised how small Singapore is. But at the same time, I do appreciate it for being small because it is so much more convenient. I know I will miss St Gallen. My cosy room, the garden, Tara and the cats. I will miss taking long, scenic train rides around Switzerland or out of the country. But, another part of me can't wait to come home.

I never thought I'll say this, but I am tired of being away from home. This came after living out of my suitcase for exactly 3 weeks. It is fun. I enjoy walking the streets of Prague, Poland, whereever. Looking at stuff, appreciating other countries. But without a proper, comfortable bed, having to move around every couple of days, it does get exhausting.

Anyway, I think even my body is geared up for returning to Singapore. I'm waking up early these couple of days (think 8 am) when in the past, I would sleep till 11. The power of psychology?

*rant rant rant*

I am irritated... Budget airlines fly you fro mplaces cheaply, but at the same time, they are damn anal when it comes to the time when we have to make changes. Extra charges for making changes, no cancellation refunds... THIS SUCK!!!

Cause I made some changes to travel plans, choosing to extend Prague for another two more days. With this change, I have to cancel the hostel I booked in Athens, change my flight from Prague to Athens cause I can't just cancel Athens as I have made bookings for my subsequent transfers like my boat rides to and fro Crete and my flight to Milan from Athens. So yeah... bo pian lor...

Why change travel plans? Cause I didn't want to bake under the sun while visiting the Acropolis. I like Prague and spending 2 days in Prague is too short. Oh well... will save more money when I get back.

2 weeks from now, I will be back home. Time flies... I want to go home... but travelling is find sans the luggage and stuff. Yeah.. I've been lugging 17kg luggage plus a 3kg backpack around when I move between cities. It is not very amusing. But well.. a ocuple more transfers and I will be back in St Gallen, and then, flying back home.

Chanced upon these clips... and I really really wished I had gone for a musical when I was in UK. Both clips are songs from Les Miserables. My first musical and to date, still the most beautiful one I've gone for.

Do You Hear the People Sing


and

at the End of the Day and One Day More.


Beautiful, simply beautiful!

I went to Interlaken and then to Geneva over the last two days. And I finished the above book - The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards. It was a book I bought when I was in UK cause I was running out of reading options.

This was a book that lasted me up for more than 12 hours. 3 hours on the train to Interlaken, another 3 to 4 hours in the Interlaken hostel, another 2 from Interlaken to Geneva and 4 hours from Geneva back to St Gallen. Quite a feat I would say as I used to rush through my books in one sitting. But I just wanted to absorb all the details in the book...

It's a hauntingly beautiful and poignant book. After reading, my mind went into overgear, thinking about the message I got from the book and what I've learnt.

Synopsis:

In 1964, a pair of twins, one boy and one girl, were born to this couple, the husband being a doctor. The girl was born with Down Syndrome and so, he made the decision to send her to an institution, hiding the truth from his wife and son, telling them instead that she had died. The secret wedged its way into their lives as the family seeked solace in different things.

The twist: The nurse who was supposed to bring the girl to the institution brought her up instead. And so what happens? Would they get to meet? What happens after they meet? What does it mean to have Down Syndrome?

The doctor's decision that fateful night was what set the gears into motion and providing the key that turned the lock of Pandora's box, unleashing the events written in the story. The story examines how hard it is to keep a secret, how hard it is being the person the secret is kept from. Seeking answers, seeking acceptance, not knowing how fortunate one is.

Gosh.. I feel like I'm writing a book review for primary school but I really enjoyed this book...

Heh.. another good read would be The Time Traveller's Wife which I finished way earlier, but didn't think of writing a 'review' for it... Maybe later, maybe soon...

Ok.. so I've been tagged by Ade to do this.. and I can finally do so after my exams... So... here goes.. What's weird about me? I think I'm quite normal lehz...

These are the rules: Each player of this game starts out by giving 6 weird things about themselves. People who get tagged need to write in a blog of their own 6 weird things as well as state the rules clearly. In the end, you need to choose 6 people to be tagged and list their names. After you do that, leave them each a comment letting them know you tagged them and to read your blog!

1) I used to keep my sec sch and jc notes and stuff... Like for a couple of years after graduation. For keepsake, memories and also to remind myself I did F. Maths. hahaha... I htink I still have my MEP and maybe some Geog notes in some cupboard at home.

2) If I take afternoon naps, I will have problems going to sleep at night. I will end up being in a semi-asleep state and I will have very vivid dreams that is usually scary and unpleasant.

3) I am an avid gamer, choosing computer games over watching dramas.

4) I can get pretty obsessive if I want to. I will search for all related movie clips or news articles of people I support and spend hours reading/watching them.

5) I can be extremely childish if I want especially with I'm talking to my sister.

6) I like brainteasers... like Sudoku, crossword puzzles, logic puzzles. That's my idea of fun! :)

Gosh... ok.. so I'm weird... erms... people whom i wanna do this have already been tagged by Ade... So... I shall be nice and not tag ppl!

My first exam this semester in 12 hours time... still spending time with my beloved notes... Time ot end my break I guess... just a couple more chapters and I'm done... :)

i.need.to.work.
i.need.to.concentrate.and.finish.this.before.i.sleep.tonight.
i.am.irritated.

The things I do when I don't feel like working would be...

to surf the many various sites I have on my favourites list.

Revisiting some forums a couple of them 'just in case there are some new posts/updates'

Start posting replies to topics in forums that I usually just lurk in the background and read.

Play games found in the forum

Listen to a MV continuously. for like 5 or 6 times. (Ok.. at least the song is nice)

Procrastinating going out to get the drink that will signal the start of work for me.

And now, I'm finally going to get my drink, close all my browser windows and maybe find a way to lock up IE and Firefox. Wahahahhas... It's 2.09. Wish me luck! :)

*Oh ya.. and I forgot one more point... blogging about it!*

Just finishing up my meal of lunch/tea or rather, it's more like dinner since it's almost 7 pm... Ultimate Indulgance I think...

What did I have?

Let's see... One cheese-filled sausage with bacon wrapped round it. Sinful ya? 2 buns, a slab of butter, a sunny side up with a runny yolk the way I like it. Plus a serving of salad - lettuce and carrot.

See! I know how to balance my meals... and well.. *shepishly* it's my first big meal of the day. Had a bowl of super sweet muesli before I went for class earlier. Ok.. so maybe I should manage my eating times better... Hahahaha...

oh.. and I bought a can of lychees at an exhorbitant price (ok.. not so much in the Swiss context, but from Singapore perspective, it's indeed quite pricey). So that can be my dessert.

Life... has been busy. with what? I am also not sure. Well.. the workload has increased as the term draws towards the end. Just had my one and only presentation earlier. One more paper to write and 2 more exams to go. Not to mention, settling travel plans - booking of hostel and flight tickets due to some last minute changes. 3 more weeks and I'll say tschuss to my room in St Gallen.

Ok... on top of that, I have been spending a lot of time doing irrelevant, time-wasting stuff... like surfing the net and playing games. Sounds like my life back in Singapore no?

Just heard the 2007 NDP song... 'There's No Place I'd Rather Be'
(http://www.ndp.org.sg/multimedia/audio/index.html)

It's by Kit Chan... and the lyrics are just so reflective of what I have felt and experienced these 3 months. (Yep! it's the 3rd month I'm in Switzerland today)

http://www.ndp.org.sg/multimedia/audio/no_place.html

Just read a post over at Char's blog.. which struck a chord and started the memories started flooding in...

I particularly like this sentence (which Sheena, a junior said) and I quote: "There's a distinct difference between striving for the best.. and trying to maintain your top position... the former being more fulfilling."

And I realise and can fully understand what that meant...

My memories of VJ was singing in the choir. Maintaining her 'legacy' and position as a top choir in Singapore. I especially like singing in mixed positions - where I would be standing with someone not from my own section - to me, it was a challenge. Because almost everyone there had strong music background, it seemed that we spent little time on learning the songs, but more of learning how to execute it. But there is the challenge of attempting tougher and challenging songs in various languages. Now, I probably can't remember much of the songs I've learnt.

And of course, I remember the stress of having to perform well cause we are VJ choir. The high expectations and striving to meet them.

It was a good experience - going to Prague, singing at the Esplanade, performing in concerts.

What started me out onto the path of choral singing? St Nicks choir.

And in contrast, SN choir was, well, not as accomplished as VJ choir. For the first couple of years I was there, I would say we were quite a dumping ground for girls who couldn't get their first choice of CCA. We were initially unadventurous - sticking to songs with accompaniment (in contrast, we hardly did any songs with accompaniment in VJ).

Yet, in SN Choir, I remember the struggles - the struggles of attendance (ie: getting people to come for practice), the despair felt after failing to teach the sections how to sing their parts, the difficulty in putting the song together.

I remember also, the 'individual testings' we had to go through under a certain Ms Toh. The fear I felt before my turn because I didn't want to incur her wrath.

Other fond memories - going up to the roof of the new extension after a particularly bad practice, the playground, sitting in the canteen enjoying ice Milo and shortbread.

The songs we sang were definitely simpler and even though SN Choir is such a long time back, I still remember the words to some of them ~ Silver Lining, Donna, Laudate... I remember learning the Hallelujah Chorus in Sec 1. IT was massive! and I like Jubilate Deo! :)

This was where I first got acquainted with Victoria Concert Hall. The steep steps up and down the stage.

And you know what? given a chance to relive my moments in the 2 choirs, I think I would choose to go back to the time when I was a SN choir gal more than a VJ choir member.

=====

Meanwhile, I reek of lethargy. Can't bring myself to do stuff. I have less than a month before I leave St Gallen. It's getting tough. I feel like hibernating at home everyday. I hope this phase passes soon.

I feel like aunt agony. Maybe that's why the procrastication. 600 comments to look through. I feel sad. Cause if they are so different, there is nothing I can do to help them look any better.

*Edit 5 mins after last entry - ARGHZ!!! grandmother stories! Why bother writing 5 lines when 1 will suffice?

It is 12:18. I have work to do. I have school tomorrow at 9. Should I sleep? or should I plough on?

I have been blog surfing instead of doing my work. Procrastination is bad. I know. and yet, i persist.

I have unwritten blog entries. More procrastination. Vienna, Berlin, Heidiland, Engelberg, Yishan in St Gallen, my jog to the Wildpark. and after Saturday, UK and Spain.

Dinner at my place for the bunch of Asian exchange people tomorrow. I'm making chinese soup! my 2nd time in 1 week!

I'm feeling alone. and tired. I so want to rest. But I have class tomorrow and Friday. They are full day classes (9 to 6 tmr and 8 to 5 on Fri). I want a break. I want to sleep early, to stay at home and do nothing but watch and read stuff. I can't.

I am leaving for London on Sat. I will be away for 1 week. When I return, the whole school thing just starts over again.

Was I too ambitious? Am I travelling too much? Travel fatigue perhaps?

I didn't know what to cook for dinner tonight. I wanted my dinner to be ready for me. I wanted to be able to eat my hor fun from a zi char stall. I want my hokkien mee.

Wishing I can somehow be back home NOW. Missing people loads. I.AM.TIRED.

May tomorrow be a better day (with a full day course, not thinking it's gonna happen)

I am spending my 22nd birthday in a domesticated way...

Yishan, who 'bus-ed' over on Vienna to spend the last few days with me left this morning... Appreciate the gesture and had loads of fun.

Since today's a Sunday... and I'm have rather tight schedules the next few days, I have to do my laundry today. Basically, going to chill at home, maybe even go for a run in the evening and straighten up my room.

Not to mention, some work to do, entries and photos to post up.

Happy 22nd Bday to me! :)

Dang! 5 minutes and everything changes!

I was following livescores of both the soccer match of the FA Cup Final between Manchester United and Chelsea and the semifinal tennis match between Nadal and Hewitt.

Man U and Chelsea were 0-0 and playing extra time and then within 5 minutes, Chelsea scored. Bleahz! and they went on to win the cup.

and then, Hewitt, who was playing well against Nadal today also lost. (Can't someone just break Nadal's clay streak?)

Sports results not going my way that's all... :)

Life in Singapore seem so distant now. What do I do at home? What do I do on weekends? Definitely not vacuuming my floor, nor washing my clothes. I do not have to cook lunch or dinner, or worry about what to eat or if I have enough food to last me x days.

I take the bus/MRT around, but where do I go? To school? To town? What do I do in town? How do I manage to stay in school for 6 hours 5 days a week?

In truth, I'm a little scared of returning to Singapore. I'm sure things will go back to normal and I will adapt back to life there. I will survive, just like how I've survived venturing here. It's just that life in Switzerland has just become the norm now and I'm so comfortable with everything. . I lead my life the way I want it. Plan almost everything on my own and everything.

It's just like when you have experienced something good, it is hard to settled back into something not that ideal.

Oh sure.. I miss hanging out with friends, going for ktv sessions with the Gassy gals, chill out sessions with everyone. Dessert and gsr sessions with Meiju and Baoqin, having fun with Social science ppl. Playing games at Mind Cafe and stuff.

I miss crapping with my sis, chatting with my mum. Watching soccer with my dad and watching my brother play his mindless games. I miss curling up in my bed with a good book.

But when I think of what I actually do on a day to day basis in Singapore, I really don't have am amswer. Maybe it's because I was so used to life in Singapore before I came over.

Maybe it's too premature to think about what I will miss when I leave... but the thoughts do loom overwhelmingly when I realise I am almost halfway through my term. And now, time just seem to fly. I wake up, have breakfast, go to school, come back, prepare dinner, have dinner and then spend some time in front of the computer and voila, the day is gone.

Oh well... may tomorrow be a better day!

Having some kind of 'blogstipation' here... Topics pop out and then discarded, ideas drift in and out and I can't seem to string proper sentences together. This is going to be a rambling post, with loads of mished and mashed thoughts...

Watched the Korean movie, 200 pounds Beauty last week. Of plastic surgery and attaining beauty. Would only pretty girls find happiness? Do all men look at girls so shallowly? I think this is a pretty good movie. Do you lose yourself in the process of achieving something? Is beauty all that matters? The topics discussed in this movie is nothing new, but I do like how it is presented.

On another note, been here for almost 2 months. (2 more days to my 2nd month here). Happily settled in, loving life. Now, I am wishing my last 2 months here will be longer...

From balking at the price of groceries on my first day to just indifference and acceptance now.
Got use to walking almost everywhere.
Ich kann kochen (I can cook) - and pretty decently I must say. hahaha...
From travelling here with locals I barely know, to meeting new friends from other countries.

And more importantly, living a psuedo jet-setting lifestyle. I've been out almost every weekend since I've arrived. And out means out of the country or the small town I am in. I just think.. how much this would change when I go back to Singapore - I mean I don't even travel out of Singapore every year - not to mention every weekend!

Is there such a thing as over travelling?

Meanwhile, everyday, or every trip is a new experience.

My first week in St Gallen - surviving without my laptop adaptor, getting used to life here.
To Paris, I took my first night train, alone.
At Saentis, I experienced my first time on a snowcapped mountain.
To Munich, the uneasy feeling of walking around a concentration camp.
In Vienna, got back into a big city. A mix of magnificent historical buildings and a busy shopping street.
In Berlin, went for my first tennis tournament - seeing the big name stars upclose and a spat of fan-girling.


And in Switzerland, just the wonderful, wonderful scenary. I'm so going to miss the mountains and lakes - sights I would never fail to spot on a train ride.

AHHHHH!!! Liverpool!!!

Just came back from watching the penalties of the Champions League semifinals between Liverpool and Chelsea! Liverpool beat Chelski on penalties! 4-1!!!

Was kinda following the score online and when the aggregate was still 1-all after the extra time, I decided to go out to watch the penalties. Afterall, I am just like 1 hour ahead of UK. So not as if I would lose sleep over it or sth.

My loyalties still lie with Man U... but was just willing Liverpool to win this. or rather, hoping that Chelsea will lose. Hahaha... Why? I just happen to not like them, or rather, their manager, or maybe just both.

Hahaha... my heart was in my mouth when I saw them getting ready to take the penalties. Could see the tension on both the players' and manager's faces.

Almost whooped aloud for joy when Reina (Liverpool's) goalkeeper saved Robben's shot, giving Liverpool a 1-0 lead for penalties. And then again, he saved Chelsea's 3rd shot by Geremi. And Kuyt fired his shot past Cech to clinch a berth in the Champions League finals for Liverpool! All of Liverpool's penalty shots went in. Not bad huh?

Now, Man U has to win or draw tmr night's match to get there!
*btw, I think Xabi Alonso of Liverpool is quite cute! :)

Venice. 17th May to 19th/20th May.

to go or not to go?

I suddenly miss St Nicks A LOT!!!

Anyone knows how choir did for SYF?

I finally did it!

I booked tickets to watch the 3rd round of the Qatar Total Open - held in Berlin, Germany on 10th May...

Today's my one-month anniversary in der Schweiz. Hahaha.. from the emo, slightly homesick feeling I had in the first week, to the 'I dun wanna leave Europe' feeling now.

In the past one month,
I have experienced snow, and now, Spring where all the pretty flowers bloom.
I am used to taking walks to school/town and basically, getting around.
I think that taking one hour train rides is pretty normal. And they do seem rather short.
I took my first ever night train alone.
I drank quite a bit in the one month i was here... (more than what I would drink in a month in Singapore anyway) - a beer here, a (beer+sprite) there, red wine, white wine. Falling in love with white wine though. So far, the ones I had were pretty good...
I got from getting shocked at the prices of stuff here.. for it to turn to acceptance - or cheaper shopping across the border.
I am now cooking more meals on my own.

Being independent, making decisions like where to go for the weekend, whether I should go on certain trips, should I buy some stuff, or even what to cook.

Taking care of myself, making sure I don't end up in shit, making sure I don't fall sick.

It's tiring.. but also exactly like how I envisioned it.. meeting different people with different experiences. Knowing that how like almost half of the people I met, especially Europeans are pursuing a Masters.

Now, 3 more months seem so short...

Hahaha.. this i have to blog..

Manchester United beat AS Roma 7-1!!!! in the 2nd leg of the Champion's League quarterfinal match!!!

Woohoo!!! and I watched it! It kicked off at 8.45 here... Hahahah... the benefits of living in the same/similar timezone!!!

I couldn't believe my eyes as the goals just kept coming one after another... hahaha....

Heh... Thanks to Siyi, I'm watching SG Wannabe mvs on youtube...

Actually, I just watched 2 stories which is made up of 2 mvs each.

What I can gather:
1. they like elaborate mvs.
2. their mvs usually involve gangsters or the Korean mob
3. there is a love story involved
4. the endings are usually like 'WHY!!!!!!'
5. i like what I've seen so far. :)

Can't seem the embed the videos from youtube... but here are links to the videos for Only the Wind and New Shoes by SG Wannabe and Kim Jong Kook.

Part 1: Only the Wind - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cz8sRUI4qsE

and Part 2: New shoes - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-ZOFZrZA0k

New shoes

Trying to post in multiple blogs is super-multi tasking... but there are so many things I want to tell the world at the same time - to different audience, about different things.

The survey which I was (kinda) slogging my ass off is out. I know it's long!!! But it's not my choice. Thank you to a dear friend, who is proud of my efforts and is excited for me, for my work. I really really appreciate it. It is something massive - for a project that hopes to involve all students in the school. and now, my 'baby' is finally out...

Anyway, picked up this from Char's blog... Me likes it! :)

Read my VisualDNA™ Get your own VisualDNA™

It's been two and a half weeks.

You know you are settled when:

You start calling the room you live in 'home'.
You can walk to town, navigate the streets and get to your destination quite easily.
You feel fine walking up a hill and now take 15 minutes instead of the 25 minutes previously.
You stop referring to a map!

Definitely more settled in. Spring is here which makes it all the more better. It's still chilly at night, but it's fine in the day. The sun is up till quite late - like 8 pm?

Heh... I don't even mind 40 mins to 1 hour of cooking every night! Then there's the planning of my 'menu' in advance. What to cook, what would spoil soon, when to cook veggies or what kind of veggies to cook.

Trying to clear my perishables as I'll be in Paris from Wed night to Mon... Then the whole grocery shoppign process begins again... :)

Heh... Spent a lazy sat afternoon at home, researching for my Paris trip, just settling my courses and now, I'm watching Tennis now... Some final live featuring Justine Henin and Serena Williams. hahaha... Life is good...

I feel domesticated again. Clothes washing downstairs, i cooked 'dunch' - Potato with mince meat and rice... Nowadays, I just cook like one dish - either a soup or sth with gravy and eat it with a staple.

Went to a party in Zurich yesterday. Happening hor? Alcohol is like almost free here lar... When you order like a mix, they put like one-third alcohol into the cup. It's damn strong lar... But I took a beer... hahaha.. dun wanna get wasted in Zurich. I still have to take a train back to St Gallen. Then the music was a bit weird. Like the DJ was supposed to be playing some hip-hop and R&B. It was some weird song lar. Nothing like R&B at all. Then there was some goth like band who played some weird songs too... Then caught the 1 am train back to St Gallen and reached backed at 3 plus and it was SUPER COLD!!! Stayed over at a friend's place cause I dun wanna walk back at night. Had tea and bathed. Slept at 5 and woke up at 10. Missed the trip to Bern though. Nvm.. I'll go another day...

Heh.. some updates.. going to Paris from 4th to 8th April.

Uh oh... the i-think-i-live-near-school-and-thus-can-dally syndrome has started. I decided not to go for 2:30 german class today cause I had just finished bathing at 2:10 and there was no way I could be in class on time.

It's almost like back home. I stay a 15 to 20 mins walk from school.. sth like the half an hour bus ride from my place to school. The only diff is I can't and I won't pay for a cab to bring me to school. Firstly, cause cabs don't ply my area here and secondly, it's SUPER ex! I think the flag down rate is like 5Fr or sth...

Spring is almost here... I see green leaves everywhere, flowers, the snow melting, birds in the garden! Nice! Even the weather is a bearable 7 deg instead of -1 or 0.

I like pics of the snow melting. I think it's cool that there's grass and stuff under the snow... wahahahs... like so oxymoronic...

It's been hectic since classes started. I have german lessons from 8:30 EVERYDAY till about 4. Went for a city tour, a talk on the history of St Gallen which I promptly fell asleep in. Went Lake Constance on Sat. Sun stayed home, but was catching up with ppl at home. Yesterday, even though I had a day off, woke up even earlier to go Saentis. So it's just been out early, home late kinda thingee... and I don't feel very rested. Hahaha... But I guess things will be diff when school starts. My timetable is looking good (ie: slack!). More time to chill...

But slowly settling in here... more at ease with walking back at night. Quite sure I won't get lost in the near future... so ok...

Hmmmz... Day 12 in Switz...

Ok.. i think i was kinda pms-ing before that, therefore, all the emo thingee. Plus now, things are more settled.

I am enjoying German lessons. We kinda learn basic conversational German and how to form simple sentences like

Ich heisse Gillian
Ich bliebe ein Semester (i will be here for one semester)
Ich arbeite erst zwolf tage (I have been here for only 12 days)
Ich spiele Klavier gern (I like playing piano) - Oh.. have I mentioned, I have a piano in my house!

2 more days to end of intensive German... Kinda settled my timetable.. so yeah.. Looking forward to school to start!

Anyway, I feel soooooooooo domesticated.. cooking, washing, ironing... Watch out for more pics over in my other blog! :)

Hmmm.. I think i just need to be around ppl.. The worse times are when I wake up in the morning... and I have nth much to do... Like dun have to rush to school... Then I'll just sit back and contemplate my surroundings... But not that I want to rush home immediately.. I want to go tour Europe! I want to go to Basel, Geneva and Bern...

I dun miss home... not even the food... But I miss the people at home...

But once I take the bus ride to town, I will just go like 'Waaaaaaaaahh...' cause the view is really very good. Think snowcapped buildings when u are on a road winding slowly into town... Magnificent... I'm having a good time when I hang out with the other exchange students... and stuff.. Maybe I'm just pms-ing... or i need to get rid of my 'morning homesickness'.

Hahaha.. exchange is fun.. no doubt... I really see a lot, hear a lot from others... It's like for a lot of people especially the Europeans, they speak more than 3 language. It's like English, German and maybe French or Spanish, or both plus other languages like Swedish... then the things I See here is also so different. I like the recyclign way of life... I don't exactly mind my 'exchange diet*'.

*Exchange diet is just like rabbit food (ie: Salad) or like simple stuff cause I'm too lazy to cook. But I went shopping in Lake Constance, Germany. The things there are cheaper! Wahahhas.. and I bought biscuits and stuff... :) Now, I just have to start eating them...

But the downside is you have to be prepared for these pangs of longings especially when you wake up with nothing much to do.. Sometimes, I wish you all can be over here with me.. Then it'll be a blast cause we'll have fun. Or sometimes, I wish that I can get home easily... But I also like the times I have here... It's contradicting.. But hey... there are many facets of emotions for every individual...

Everything is foreign here.. like how much walking I've done, like following a bus schedule, rushing for the last bus, taking the train to another city... going grocery shopping. Planning my menu.. walking to school.. blah blah blah... but slowly getting the hang of things. Go look for 'Acztion' or sth like tt.. It meants Action! I think.. which means the product is on sale.. wahahhas...

Ok lar... I'll be fine... a couple of weeks more and I'll probably be gushing abotu the people I meet instead of pining for the people at home. :)

Heh... It's one week since I've been here... Yet.. I sometimes feel like I've been here far longer than that. Sometimes, I can't wait to leave cause I'm missing you all back home, but other times, I just think that 'gosh... I'll be here for only 3 more months'. I'm like a pro liao.. shopping at Migros, the grocery store here... walking to town, walking home from school. Even prepping dinner or packing bread for school

Like I told some friends, I think i'll walk more in these 3.5 months here than in the past year back in Singapore. Like a 20 mins walk to school is normal for me.. Hahaha... I guess i'm really spoilt in Singapore.

Sigh man... I'm still missing home... Ok.. I think it's normal. But sometimes, its quite shitty that I would just tear up when I read my sister's email me or when I think of home or my mum, dad and bro. This is especially when I'm all alone or sth... HOW?

Thank goodness I stay connected via the internet... but the thing is it still feels different. Plus I'm not staying with the other Singaporeans, or have like other exchange people that I can talk to. Maybe I'm just not that emotionally strong.

German classes for 3 days already. It's not too bad. I think I'll continue with the course during term time... But 830 class is like hell... Wahahahs...

Heh... I'm spending more time online thanks to the fact that I will go to my friend's place to charge my batt tmr.. and hopefully, I will get my package by Tues!!! *crosses fingers*

Anyway, settling in quite nicely... I'm enjoying what I've seen so far... Like going grocery shopping - u just look for the budget stuff. Hahaha.. poor students ma.. the 'MarktPlatz' which well, is the marketplace.. which is bustling with people from Mon to Sat esp Sat, but it is super quiet on Sunday cause all the shops are closed...

Eh.. saw this super nice cathdral.. I will post pics up once I get my adaptor.. dun wanna waste precious battery.. that's my mantra for the last few days...

It's just that cause I am living quite far away from the Singaporeans, up on a hill, I will leave town earlier when there is still light. So when I'm cooped up all alone in my room and not being able to use too much internet, I do think of home excessively sometimes.... Hahaha...

Haiya.. but I'll be fine when school starts cause I'll probably be occupied... Erm.. I'll update the other blog in chronological order and with pics once I get my adaptor...

Even the blogger interface is in German.

I Love skype!!! Cheap calls out to overseass lines...

Ok.. I'm finally here...

I think I'm a bit slow. So indifferent the few days before I flew.. even up to the point when boarded the plane... and when I reached here, it kinda struck me that I'll be on my own for 4 months. I'm feeling a lil lost... hahaha... being so far away from the world that I know.. and to my horrors, I discovered I did not bring my laptop adaptor. So smart hor~!~ Gonna get my mum to send it over... and meanwhile, I'm so glad I got a new battery the last time round so at least I have like 3 hours of connection time. Plus, I'm thinking of borrowing

See! I knew there was something important I would forget. I could feel it even before I left. Everything's fine... except for some pangs of homesickness when I called home after I arrived.

Anyways, I like my room. It's like quite big, neat.. and comfy... Hahaha...May be going grocery shopping later.. I'll see how everything goes...

I'm ALMOST done packing... and that's actually quite a big almost. Cause I'll have some last min thing to stuff in... Prob is.. my big luggage is a wee bit heavy... Bah! I think I stuffed too many things inside.. maybe i should diversify some into my not-so-full other bag...

A lot of should I bring this? or should I not... going to and fro. Taking things out, putting things back in.. yada yada yada...

------- 10:49 am on Thurs ------------

Ahhhh........ Still packing...

This is starting to feel so unreal... I can't believe I'm leaving in slightly less than 48 hours to Switz for 4 to 5 months. Wow... Not particularly excited, not even feeling as emo about it as I thought I would be.

Somehow, there is a little sense of indifference. Maybe cause I'm busy with trying to clear some work before I leave. Maybe I'll feel more hyped up after tomorrow. and get even more excited and emo the day after. *pre-flight jitters*

My room is currently in a mess cause I haven't put some of the stuff into my luggage yet. So whatever I need to bring, or bought is sitting on my table, hiding in my cupboards. Tomorrow is packing day. Hopefully, everything will fit. Or somehow, I will make them fit.

Now.. just what should I wear to the airport on Thursday? hahaha...

Stress.. and not from packing...

So many things to clear before I leave! Argh!!! 钱真的不容易赚！

4 more days!!! I'm feeling more and more excited... and I'm still half done packing. What is necessary, what are extras. What to put in each bag? Is bringing too much?What other work do I need to clear before I leave... So many things to do...

Oh... and thanks to all who took time out to meet up with me. Hahaha...

Tea/Dinner/Coffee with Val and Zhumei on Wed. At least I don't think I will miss jap food that much when I get over there. Heh...

Happy gaming @ Mind's Cafe with social science pioneers on Thursday... 'Ugly ugly!!!'

Dinner and mahjong with gassy on Sat. Next time we should meet earlier to play more mahjong. and we'll probably have yet another tutorial. :)

Random fact of the day: I receive like 30 over spam mail in my gmail account everyday. No wonder I keep having like 900 over spam mails even though they will clear the spam mailbox every 30 days.

Was just looking at some old photos when clearing my photos folder... Pics from trip to Down Under, Gold Coast in 2003, December...

I especially like the above pic with the mother kangeroo with the joey's head sticking. Cause I remember that she actually stopped and posed for the photo, as if to show off her joey...

And then the one below is of me feeding a kanga...

I miss times like this...


Ok.. maybe not so much of the mugging... but just G1 ppl sitting together in a GSR all doing work... I would presume this is rushing AS homework or studying for some test or sth...

Gosh.. this was taken at old campus.. which is almost 2 yrs back!

Leaving in one week's time...

So many things to do... Meeting up with friends, doing (very little) packing, just got my laptop back yesterday and Im now trying to load all the applications I usually use in... Being a temporary 'ahmad'...

Can't wait to get over... I've been tempted too much by the many many pretty pics i've seen posted by other exchange student...

I went back to school yesterday... and the most common refrain I got was 'Why are you STILL here?'. hahaha.. It's been a long wait.. but I'm kinda glad for the break I had... But I do so want to clear my comm service and internship report before I leave... Shall try and squeeze it in somehow...

Add baking pineapple tarts on the 14th night of the Lunar New Year @ 11pm to the list of quirky baking practices I am capable of... and that includes baking cookies till 3 at night.

Hot and bothered and tired and irritated...

I'm only getting my laptop back on Mon... and so far, I've just been... packing and repacking stuff, going to the school gym and driving. I kinda spent the whole day out from like 8 plus in the morning till 7 plus at night as the chauffeur. It is tiring and tedious... and I feel as if I've no life. I love my dad! Cause he usually just drives us around without complaints...

Haha is in hospital - 'Haha' being the name that my sister gave to my trusty ol' laptop.

Going to reformat it so that it would be as good as new! Meanwhile... sobs.. i shall go read a book or sth.

A nice day out sharing, sitting, chilling, laughing, photo-whoring, eating, eating and eating! Oh... not to mention being fangirls and going gaga over Shinhwa...

Royalties, I heart you two!

Heh.. this has been a rather quiet CNY... Maybe with a lousier substitute driver, they decided to spare me, the car and not let me drive so much.

Except for a seemingly hectic Day 1 where we went first ot my aunt's place, followed by a gathering of my relatives from my maternal side at my place, yesterday and today have somewhat been rather activity-less. An ex-colleague of my dad came over yesterday afternoon. Afterwhich we went out for a while. Then it was hiberbating at home last night. And I was home today...

Ok... and to add on to my previous list of being a not very good driver, I forgot to lock the car door yesterday. *diaoz* win right? And I discovered it when we were about to go back. Hahaha... I had a kinda bad feeling about it... but I didn't expect to have not locked it at all. Well.. have to be more careful.

Oh.. .and stuff from my Swiss uni came! I think I may have a 2 week semester break from 21st May to 3rd June. Woohoo! But I came across this module which takes place on Mon, Wed, Fri and Sat of the week of 21st May. The class is like from 10am to 5pm... Woah.. talk about intensive lessons. Not sure if I will actually do it though. Hahaha... and looking at the introduction programme, I'm gonna have like a totally intensive week of learning German cause I am a beginner. Imagine lessons like from 9am to 1 pm, then another round from 2pm to 4pm or 5pm or sth like that. Bleahz... and it's for one and a half weeks! I'm quite sure I'll be able to speak some German at the end of it.

Oh.. and a bit late.. but here's wishing everyone a great year ahead!!!

新年快乐，身体健康， 万事如意，心想事成，大吉大利， 恭喜发财。。。 财源滚滚来！！！

Driving is extremely tiring... and hazardous... yet liberating (going on expressways) and makes me feel in control.

Heh.. have been behind the wheel a lot the last couple of days since my dad fractured his wrist last week and was put in a cast. Thus, I've become the chauffeur, driving ppl here and there.

In the past, I only drive my brother back to camp on occassional weekends. IN the last couple of days, I
1) Drove to Balestier to buy veggies for reunion steamboat.
2) Drove to Ulu Pandan (yes Fran... I actually passed ur place!) twice, once ot pick up something for my Mum's friend and another time to pick up her phone which she left behind.
3) Went to somewhere near Queenstown to pick up sth
4) Went to Chinatown
5) Woke up at 7am to drive my brother back to camp early this morning (yeah.. on 年初一). It was ALL the way to the jetty at Pasir Ris...

Heh... and not without incidents lor. On Friday night, I backed into a car when I tried parking at the void deck of my uncle's place where we went for reunion dinner. Sigh.. didn't realise there was a car behind me. and I tried to reverse into a lot. Smart right? But was quite miffed with the lady. She actually ASKED ME... 'You SURE YOU GOT LICENSE?' (Argh!!! *smokes coming out from my ears*) It was an unintentional mistake lor...

Then today... got horned at. Cause there was a lousy car from the oncoming lane which was turning right, yet jutted into my lane. So of course I had to go around it. So some car behind me had to brake and stuff so that it won't hit me. Sigh...

practice makes perfect. At least my vertical parking is not that bad. But driving can be quite stressful... and ironically, fun. I think I sound quite sadistic. Fun when I feel stressed. But haven't driven alone before. Hahaha... always got ppl in the car one.

Anyway, my stint as a driver makes my appreciate my Dad even more. All the driving up and down and without complaints.

Yesterday was such a lovey dovey day.

Couples, roses everywhere. But why does this happen only on vday? A commercially celebrated day? But nevertheless, still a day for people to feel loved and appreciated.

Me? Still a member of the Lonely Hearts Club. But hah! Went for a good lunch and wonderful dessert. Got my Jim Brickman CD which was aptly titled 'Valentine'. Came home and listened to it. Hah! Who said singles can't have fun?

And yet, conflicting thoughts... When will I become part of a lovey dovey couple? My mantra has always been 'Let Nature take its own course', 'It is a 2 person thing, no point if it is not reciprocated'. Honestly, I'm quite happy being single (unless the air gets filled with too much saccharine sweetness...) Having no one to answer to, no need to fit someone into my life or change my life for anyone.

It's not that I dun believe in what I preach. But sometimes, especially during times like this, I do look around wistfully and wonder, when will it be my turn? How long can I go on being happily single? Why can't there be someone? But I believe in finding the right apple. Maybe not that big, red, shiny juicy all-in-one apple, but at least one with some semblance.

To all who have found their halves, may you fall deeper in love with each other, and have many many more wonderful memories.

To all singles... may the right one come along. soon.

Heh.. this is a little fast.. but I have settled my housing. Walalalas...

Actually, I didn't really have an issue with where I stay. But more of the location where my parents would be less worried. After troubling the housing coordinator (I may have been the most picky and fussy exchange student he ever dealt with... heez), I finally got myself a room in a modern house with a garden apparently. Whatever.. shall reserve my comments until I see it.

I'll be contented as long as I have my internet connection. If I really dun get along with my apartment mates, then I'll just lock myself in my room everyday or sth. The whole point of an exchange is probably to experience what life overseas is about. So, I'm fine whether I get to stay with locals or other exchange students. In fact, staying with students from other nationalities may even be better. But I think older generation have this preconception to 'play it safe'. Ah wells... settled.. Dun have to think so much about it now.

And after paying up for my insurance, I think I've settled most of the major stuff. There's only the passport photo left! Woohoo!

St Gallen housing woes...

It's about 1 month to my departure date and I still haven't settled accomodation. Blame it on.. I also dunno who. Well.. hope i can confirm sth soon. *prays for a miracle*

I'm damn sick of everything!!!

Ever had the feeling that when you see something, sometimes, you would think 'oh.. it's perfect for so and so' or that 'this suits whoever'. But how often is that 'someone' your mum, your dad or even your siblings?

That hit me real hard today when my dad and I were thinking of what to get my mum for her bday. How much do we know about our own family members?

Packing my room is like bringing me a trip down memory lane... (ok... not that long ago... but still...)

Ojects of notable mention are:

The farewell note that 校长 gave us when she retired in 2000. In it, she talked about her journey as Principal of St Nicks. Reading it brings back memories of her calling us 宝贝 and her treats, and her announcements to 多多喝水. It even has a note telling us her rationale for giving us the farewell gifts - a bag, watch, water bottle and scarf. Heh.. I have no idea where my water bottle went.

Then there is my VJ carolling scores. I got them at the end of Sec 4. (2001) when I joined them for carolling. What followed was 4 years plus of carolling with them. Plus wonderful memories of putting up concerts (2 SOVs plus a couple others) and of course taking part in SYF where I performed on Esplanade stage. (Hey! At least I could say I did that!), not to forget a trip to Prague. Alas.. won't be going for Symphony of Voices this yr as I am going to be in faraway Switz.

Also, there is the box of brochures which I brought back from Australia in 2003 because I wanted to do some sort of s scrap book... that never took off...

Then the notebook I got from freshmen orientation 2004 when I first entered SMU plus old copies of the school magazine, Blurt, which talked about the move to the city campus and stuff...

Oh.. and I still have my f. maths TYS. Maybe to serve as a reminder that I once could solve those complicated and questions

Check out this video... Look at the grand piano in the middle of a frozen lake or sth...



I'm now falling in love with Jim Brickman's song. They are totally beautiful... Pianist with New Age albums. But some of his songs has vocals as well. I just think the lyrics and melody is just oh-so-nice and some of them can be quite touching!

Check out Valentine and The Gift if possible! :) :) :)

Came across a 'recording' of John Cage's 4'33.



Heh... just thought it is interesting because of the nature of the piece. -Silence- Hmmm... I wonder if the orchestra players/conductor got paid for sitting there and doing nothing.

From Siyi...

YOUR REPORT CARD:
Category	Grade
Love	C
Friends and Family	A+
Body	A
Mind	A+
Finance / Career	C
Your Life's Average Grade: A
'What" is your Life Grade?' at QuizGalaxy.com

Heh.. Law of Averages? 2 Cs and 2A+ gives me an average of A?

Heh...

Went on a shopping spree yesterday...

Bought myself this pretty white laptop case. hahaha... Cause my blue one's a bit wonky. And I needed something harder than the red one cause i wanna protect my lappy when I get over there...

Let's see.. I bought earphones after all those I had at home decided to go on strike some time in the last sem.

And I got my adaptor... the ever elusive adaptor for Switzerland. It came in a pack with a lot of plugs for like many many diff countries. Hahaha...


Ok... I've bought almost everything I need. The only major things left to settle is insurance and probably changing my passport photo. Other than that... I can't wait to go over!!!

It's weird seeing your friends get on with their school life while I have the chance to languish at home, doing things I like. I feel so cut off from them in fact. :(

But i'm also enjoying whatever slack time I have. Just chilling, enjoying my books, music and what shopping. Hahaha... Well.. New Year's coming... maybe that's something to look forward to.

After CNY, then maybe time will pass faster as I start my packing and stuff...

Packing is still incomplete cause I haven't touched it since I stacked it up a couple of days ago.

Well, haven't been blogging about this, but as the Australian Open - the first grand slam of the year draws to a close (finals being played over the next 2 days), I'm thinking if I should go watch the French Open when I happen to be in the region some time in May. Wahahahs... Allow me to indulge in a little tennis ramble...

Maybe cause Justine Henin (formerly Henin-Hardenne) didn't play this year, I haven't been as avid fan as I could be. Everything seems a little flat. Like how things do not seem that competitive especially in the later stages where things were supposed to heat up.

Andy Roddick, who had been playing well in the earlier rounds lost meekly to Roger Federer, 6-4, 6-0, 6-2 *ouch~!~*

Or that the woman final is being contested by 2 great players (Maria Sharapova vs. Serena Williams), but who both just happens to be not my cup of tea. Sigh... I still think Maria is over-rated. Yes... she's young, majority of the world thinks she's pretty, she does play rather impressive tennis.. but no... something about her just irks me. Maybe it's how she seems to *diao* her opponents, her being the media and sponsor's darling...

But I do like the 2 finalists for the men finals though...

Fernando Gonzalez of Chile

Roger Federer of Switz (Woots!)

My brain says Fed would win but my heart says Gonzo.

Ok.. enough tennis talk... tis late...

... and Happy Birthday Fran!!!

I've been packing my stuff this afternoon. Nope.. not so ks lar.. not preparing for the trip yet, but filing away notes and stuff from last term. Yes... I'm slow... I just did it..

Anyway, the amount of journal articles I've amassed amazes me... I think I printed like 9 diff papers on one single topic that I based my term paper on. Woah... not to mention readings for class...

And as I was reading through a term paper I wrote, I kinda shocked myself at what I was writing. I had no idea I could write like that. Wahahahs.. sounds haolian right? Dunno leh... I dun think it was a fantastic piece given that I do spot errors here and there... and that some phrasing just makes me cringe. But over all, I can't imagine I wrote like 3000 over words. I wonder how i thought about those things to come up with something coherent.

Oh wells... should hurry and finish packing. Am going for CIP tmr morning... and then, meeting Fran for lunch... and going for a briefing at 7. Time to drag the lazy self out of the house after nua-ing at home for the last few days.

Enjoying my faux summer hols...

Waking up late, not much worries, going shopping when I want to... Hey.. even my face is clearing up! Heez...

But it's just weird... given that almost everyone is in school. So less people to go out with, less things to do... and the weather's not helping. It's sunny one day, rainy the next... and I dun exactly like going out on rainy days. It's cold and dreary... and I get wet even though I have an umbrella. How about that?

Next aim: Maybe to sleep earlier and get rid of my eyebags.

I am getting increasingly frustrated with my internet connection. It has been crawling for the past few days. Sigh... I'm not sure if it's cause of the pages I'm loading or what. But sometimes, it feels like I'm on a modem all over again.

Meanwhile, life's been good. Went bowling on Sat morning where I *ahem* didn't do very well. Was throwing gutterball more than hitting the pins. And well, it was like a school competition. (so malu~!~) So the bunch of Social Science gals were like bowling with 13 other teams made up of random people. Hahaha.. and we were top from the bottom. ><. Oh.. but Mabel his a turkey-that is like 3 strikes in a row, in the last frame of the 2nd game. Wow!!!!

Other than that, I'm just hanging around, going out to buy stuff, preparing my packing list and stuff. Maybe I need a mor eeventful life. :)

Is it me or is this year's Project Superstar not as hyped up as last year? And me thinks the contestants are not as good too. Hmmmz.... *thinks*

Idol's back. I'm kinda losing interest. Like how I didn't follow last season's at all. Then again. May not be a good idea to follow it. What if I don't get Idol on TV in Switz?

just sat in for class today. Cultural psychology! Heavy heavy readings, but at least they are interesting!

But again, I ended up doing other random stuff in class with my laptop on. Not paying 100% attention. Well, at least 50% of the things went in i guess. Not in the swing of things with the 4 or 5 mods a sem work load. Just throttling along on my slow engine.

I shall resolve to do my readings and pay more attention in class next week. :)

It's raining AGAIN! Day in day out... Well, at least I'm home and not out like on Friday.

It's been quite a week, being out everyday, running errands like reformatting my laptop and fixing my phone.

There's been a nagging problem with my keypad for some time. Can't seem to press the buttons '1' and '9' properly - according to them, keypad is insensitive. And when I went to collect my phone, i thought the conversation the staff and I had was quite dumb.

The staff told me that they had to 'resolder' something back on. And so I asked, 'what?'. They couldn't answer me. Just that it was something. When I asked her what was wrong, she just kinda gave me a dumbfounded look. Oh wells... not expecting her to rattle on the super technical part, but I thought she could at least tell me what could have caused the problem. Nah.. just they they had to resolder something back on. Insightful.

People are leaving/have left for exchange. Me, still hanging around. It's another 8 and a half weeks before I fly. Not long ago, it was 11. it's kinda scary how time passes by so quickly. On another note, I bought this language thinge where I'm supposed to learn German in 30 days. Hope I can speak some decent German by the time I get over.

Anyway, my weeks are quite occupied. Wed and Thurs mornings, I go down to RDA to do my CIP. Basically, it's watching out for disabled kids who are attending the riding lessons. Somehow, my heart aches at the thought of them - being unable to support themselves, comprehend instructions. Like a fellow volunteer said of one kid, it went along the lines of 'There is nothing wrong with his brain, when I look at him in the eyes, I can see a connection. It's just that he is unable to articulate or command his body to do certain things'

I hope they will all make it and overcome their disabilities cause I've also seen how riders who have attended more than 1 term be able to follow instructions and articulate what they want.

But since it's bene raining, the arena where they have they lessons are quite muddy. Yeah... so I've got muddy shoes now. Hope it stops raining soon.

I am upset.

I should not have borrowed Harry Potter's Order of Phoenix and Half Blood Prince. Now I have to wait like eons for the last book to be out. I knew there was a reason why I stopped reading Harry Potter - I didn't want to wait too long for the book. And the wait between book 4 (Goblet of Fire) and book 5 (Order of the Phoenix) kinda killed my interest. Yet... after reading these two, or rather, one and a half books, my interest in the world of magic, muggles, Hogwarts, Harry, Hermione and Ron got ignited once again.

And now... I have to wait for the last book. Starting surfing around for some info. Looks like Rowling has loads of loose ends to tie up. Maybe the book will be like a thousand pages long? Hahaha... and it's not even out!!!

Ok... I haven't technically finished Half Blood Prince yet. But I read the last few chapters. My heart wrenches. Argh.... WHY??? *wails....*

Biopsych lecture at NUS was... a reminiscence of JC life. It's been well, some time since I've been in a lecture hall with hundred over ppl. (Well, the media conference didn't really count i guess) and we realised it had been 5 years since we had class together (2002 ~ 2006) and this also marked the first time that all three of us attended a lecture together. Wahahahs...

Lecture was fine, for the first hour anyway. As the lecturer started droning on about history of biopsych, my mind drifted off and i started doodling. after a while, i was just glancing at the digital clock in the front of the LT, willing for the numbers to jump faster. Then i wondered... what do i do during 3 hour seminars? Ok... maybe I shall find out on Friday whe nI go for cognitive psych. Once i decide to wake up early enough to attend 830 class.

Funny that i dun think of SMU seminars as 'seminar's, but as class. No distinctions between lectures and tutorials either. Hahaha... Oh.. met up with Char as well... who happened to be around school! yay!!!

Anyway, walked vivo since Siyi had a un-crashable class as it was in a classroom, very packed and anyway, was feeling a bit 'seh-ed' after the lecture. (well, Angie claims its the burger at Macs that we had... nvm). Well, covered more of vivo than I ever had. and here I am, back home.

Been out a lot the last few days/weeks. Settling stuff for exchange like getting my debit card done, fixing my phone before warranty runs out. Things i'll have to do would be to reformat my laptop on Thurs afternoon, erm... and change my passport photo since the immigration officer did tell me that if I didn't change my photo the next time, I'll probably won't be allowed to leave Singapore. Ok... I guess that's cause it was a photo from like primary school. Hahaha... or maybe Sec sch. Can't remember.

Long days this week. Tmr... I start my weekly comm service. Every Wed and Thurs morning for 10 weeks. And then, internship briefing on Thurs evening. Well, i technically dun have to go for it since I've already done it. But nvm... time to meet up with ppl!!!

Getting tired. Sometimes, i just want to sleep in. stay home. I've just been out like forever...

Happy New Year!!!

My first post of the year... although slightly late.

But here's hoping everyone has a great year ahead. Stay happy! Have Fun! and may everything be smooth sailing. :)

Not bothering about school when everyone is in the midst of bidding and preparing for school feels surreal and a bit weird. Like not having to check which SRs/CRs where I'll be having class. yadayadayadayada...

had a great end of the year with more food. *I really should go and exercise more. Gym or swims anyone?* Stayover cum movie marathon with Gassy gals... Gosh.... I love you all!!! and I wanna watch Death Note 2 soon... errr... Watching The Holiday which was fine, but not fantastic. As in it's just sweet and nice, one of those feel-good movies... not epics like whatever...