Steph's Bday

Hey hey hey Steph my dear, happy 20th birthday to you. I know you've enjoyed this bday thoroughly considering you haven't been home for 2 days in a row already. Anyway I really hope you liked the surprise we planned for you and the prezzies too. I think the photos we took yesterday really rock....!!! I especially like the 2 group and funny-face photos! So next year you'll be 21 and don't forget to ask for your independence key!!!!!

SSSSSSSS isssssss for SSSSSSSSSSteph!!! But I dunno what is Crystal doing...maybe she thought we were supposed to do a tiger pose....

Freaky faces...Steph looks spaced out, Christine looks like someone just punched her, Wan Shi is admiring the beautiful and imaginary clouds, Tommy is trying to suck more air into his lungs, Mil wants to do an "Angelina Jolie" and again, I don't know what Crystal is doing. I'm just scared that I'm in the company of all these freaks!!!

A normal group picture at last.

Look at all these pretty girls.....

Housemates and family.....

Vaccination Frenzy

Sometimes we take for granted how lucky we are. Most of us would have had vaccines for all kinds of diseases starting from when we were born. Thinking back, I would guess that I've had quite a number of vaccines since the government made it compulsory for us to get them. Vaccines for measles, mumps, rubella, polio, tubercolosis, Hepatitis B...not to mention the many optional vaccines that are out there such as chicken pox, rabies, influenza, Hepatitis A, Japanese encephalitis to name a few. I know all this because I have started some studying on one of my subjects which deals with stuff like this. Looking through my notes, I wonder if I'll ever go down to the doctor one day and just ask to be vaccinated with every single vaccine available. After all, this would ensure that I could be protected as best as possible so that I wouldn't have to worry about contracting the diseases. Ok so maybe this is the "kiasu" way of thinking but why not? It is my health that I'm talking about. Plus, it could give you a peace of mind, knowing that you have prevented the chances of getting infected. What could be more worrisome than to get bitten by a dog or a bat and then think about whether you would develop rabies? The world is full of scientists and researchers who are working hard to develop new vaccines. The HIV and dengue vaccines are good examples. I wonder when we will have them out since I am determined to be protected against these two viruses for sure. Just look at the worldwide HIV and AIDS situation; it's really scary. The fact that once infected equals being infected for life is really serious so I guess everyone should want to prevent the infection in the first place. Plus, what about the dengue epidemic back home? The government is having a real hard time getting dengue under control and there are new cases everyday. Having a dengue vaccine would solve further epidemics.

How much would you be willing to pay for a vaccine? $10? $100? $1,000??? If a single dose could give you life-long immunity, wouldn't the pharmaceutical companies be charging a lot for the vaccine? Judging from the amount of money put into the research to produce a vaccine, the companies would want to squeeze every penny they could. Then again, maybe paying a few hundred dollars for a dengue vaccine would be worth it if S'pore and M'sia continue to have dengue epidemics. At least then you could sleep with the windows open and not worry about covering yourself from head to toe when you go out at night. And the HIV vaccine....??? Well, with this vaccine, you could sleep around a lot more without asking the other person to go for a check-up first....hahhaahaha....Also, should there one day be a vaccine that could protect against numerous diseases, there would be a rush for people to get immunized; if they could afford it. For I'm believing that this wonderful vaccine would be costing a bomb! How much are you willing to pay for these vaccines? I'm pretty sure I would skimp and save to come up with the money....

Interesting Taglines

Following Steph's example, I have decided to put down some taglines from my MSN friends. After all, some of them do have quite creative ones and you can sometimes tell what the person is going through by reading them. Some are philosopical and thought-provoking, others let you guess their emotions with ease, some make you smile while some just bring back good memories! Isn't it facinating how a simple phrase or sentence can tell you so much?

My tagline at the moment:
The rain puts a big smile on my face....
You know I can't smile w/o you, can't smile w/o you. I can't laugh and I can't sing, I'm finding it hard to do anything...

Friends' taglines:

- dunnoe whether to laugh or to cry

- first time I witnessed a wolf in sheep's skin. Maybe cause I don't have often have a boss on top of me?

- 3 apples a day keep the doctor away

- I give it all my heart and play 100%. You can never doubt my commitment on the pitch and hopefully people will respect that.

- Life sucks!!! Only money can gif u everything...nth is real...

- I think therefore I am ~Descartes

- make poverty history

- I guess tat its you I want to hold on to, but you're holding on to someone else

- knowing each other is a destiny, and hope our friendship lasts beyond the mists of time

- Like it or don't like it, take it positively and move on.

- New resolution - stop trying to lose weight!

- We climb and climb and at the top we fly, let the world go on below us, we are lost in time.

- winners set the rules, losers live by it

- Let our powers combine! WATER!

1 down 2 to go

I've just completed one more of my reports that's due tomorrow. Phew! Once I drop this one into the submission box, I will have two more to worry about. This is such a relief as compared to the stressful last week. It's my mum birthday today so I gave her a call. Hmph...I always make it a point to call her after 10 pm when her chinese serial drama ends so that she can talk to me instead of watching tv. I did just that today but she told me that she wanted to watch this korean drama on Channel U called "Stairway to Heaven" so she rushed through our conversation and then passed the phone to my dad while she continued being glued to the tv. Sigh...so much for being nice and thoughtful and wanting to chat with her. Anyway my dad, as always, would tell me about all the new updates with the house. He told me about the new plants they planted in the garden over the weekend, how my mum bought a few new koi for the fish pond, how he found some pretty water plants to take up the nitrates in the pond so that less algae would grow (the process is called eutrophication by the way). My favourite part was about Brando. Everytime we talk, there will be something new going on about Brando and I can't wait to be part of it. This time, my dad was telling me how he would wake up early in the mornings to bring him for a run and how he was so strong that my dad really had to pull to control him. And when it was time for baths, Brando would be "guai guai" and just stand when being washed. Also how the other dogs in the neighbourhood would bark and bark when Brando was brought out but Brando would just walk coolly by and ignore all the tiny yapping dogs! Yup, this is the "small dog syndrome" alright! The one which I learnt about during my poly years. Soon it will be my turn to stick my nose up together with Brando as we breeze past all these "attention-seekers"....wahahhaahahhaa....!!! I only hope that I will be the one bringing Brando for a run, and not the other way round...heh heh...

So the 3-hour talk (there is a huge difference between a chat and a talk) we had was good. It wasn't what I was expecting but I'm glad we talked anyway. Having too much bottled up isn't good. There are some who talk to people easily and there are some who always find it tough to bring out their feelings. There should be an even balance of both although this balance is not always achieved.

There was a comment made about me; that I am assertive. Am I really? Hmm...maybe I am but no one's ever told me before. Anyway, I appreciate the honesty and thinking back, well, sometimes there were things I said or did which I do regret. I want to be more sensitive. I shall endeavour to think before I speak. I don't want to hurt someone unintentionally.

I think my blog's become real mopey recently. Too many depressing entries. When I read the posts it seems like I am one of those who whine and whine about life and all the unhappiness and unfairness they experience. I really should put in some positive thoughts but it's tough since I haven't been having the best time of my life these days.

Standing out on the balcony, the rain washed away my problems and put a smile on my face. I made a decision to myself. I want to forget the upsetting past and look forward to the future. Hence, I have deleted that part off my computer and even though I know how to access it without the link, at least the temptation won't be there anymore.

Twin Cousins

Down by the poolside.
Another view of the poolside.
At the park below my house.
Taken in my home, don't they look sulky?
Another picture in my living room. You can see all my books in the shelf on the left. Now I really miss home.

The Life of a University Student

Now I know why they say that being a university student is tough and so unhealthy. I couldn't believe my ears when I heard of a news report saying that students actually died from eating too much instant noodles. As if that is not enough, I have more reasons to explain why our lives is so terrible. Of course this doesn't apply to students who are lucky enough to be staying with the parents where they have a maid or their mother cooks and cleans for them.

1. No time to cook proper meals, hence eating instant noodles is a regular thing.
2. You get so damn sick of eating roti all the time.
3. Da bao-ing is expensive and even more unhealthy due to the amount of oil, salt and MSG added into the cooking.
4. Ending up eating lots of junk food like chips and chocs.
5. Getting addicted to caffeine from coffee, tea or coke.
6. Missing or skipping meals due to your busy schedule.
7. Eating at odd hours, leads to gastric problems.
8. End up popping pills for gastric, headaches and not being able to sleep.
9. Lack of sleep.
10. Sleeping at odd hours.
11. No time to exercise because reports, assignments, projects and studying take up all your time.
12. Not being able to relax or have a day off to go out and take a break.
13. Wanting to waste some time to make yourself feel happy but realising that it's not worth it...might as well use the time to catch up on your sleep = how depressing.
14. So looking forward for the exams to come and end quick but then again, you haven't been doing any studying since all your time so far has been spent on reports and projects = OH MY GOD!!!
15. Piling up of workload = more stress.
16. Getting poor grades = more more stress.
17. Getting rejections from supervisors due to poor grades = more more more stress.
18. Getting lousy reports, assignments and projects = more more more more stress.
19. High stress levels lead to more gastric problems which leads to even more stress = feeling so pressured and gastric ulcers and a hole in your stomach at the same time, how more worse can it get?
20. Getting presentations screwed up = please just let me die.
21. Being told last minute that you have present both first and last = damn not prepared at all.
22. Having group members who hack care about everything = time to super-pia to make up for their parts.
23. Having group members who bother a little but don't understand what is going on and explaining till you're blue in the face is useless = life is hopeless.
24. Having group members who are supposed to do their part and actually come for the presentation but at the last, last, last minute they cock up some stupid story about how they have conjuctivitis or the flu hence they will not be able to come so now you have to present their part for them from memory and you hardly know anything anyway = I curse that member.
25. Having to present to the group without any notes because of a slight miscommunication problems = I feel my eyes getting wet...
26. No 20 + No 21 = runs to the bathroom.
27. Having no money to go out shopping or treating yourself to something nice = life is like that.
28. Having the money to treat yourself but not having any time to go out anyway = money is not everything.
29. Wanting to relax but being unable to do so when you look at the piles of notes and books you have yet to read through = sighhhhhhhhhh.......
30. Having the time, the resources and the chance to ask and clarify any problems but not making use of the chance and now it's too late = ok now I'm really dead, no amount of consolation or pep-talks will help so just leave me alone.

Is it any wonder why there are so many student suicides? Good thing I don't have any relationship problems to add on to my stress levels...I'm already up to my max....

The Heat is On!!!

Help help help!!! It's been freaking hot the past few days. It's only spring and the temperature's like 35 to 37 degrees everyday. Going out is such a chore and just walking around the school makes me sweat and pant. Usually I don't purposely walk under the shade but now, it's a must if I want to avoid skin cancer! The morning and afternoon sun is scorching hot and literally burns into your skin. Hiding at home doesn't work either. Staying on the top floor has its disadvantages after all. There are no tall trees to shade us from the sun and my room just happens to face the afternoon sun. So even with my fan going at full blast, the room is just filled with hot air circulating. I can't sleep with any blanket now and don't even talk about wearing my pyjamas. Sleeping directly under the fan can still make me sweat so I think if the weather gets any hotter (and it probably will), I may have to sleep naked...hahahhaah!!! I have been drinking cold water all the time, stocked up on ice cubes and feasting on ice cream just to keep cool. Oh yeah, I have started bathing with cool water and doing this twice a day. However, the extra showers are drying up my skin and hair. Oh my god, I really need aircon now! Back home it is hot all year round but at least you could derive some comfort by turning on the aircon. Here, I have nothing but a lousy fan that blows hot air at me. My dad asked me to find out about aircon rentals but I wasn't too keen because I don't want to incur extra costs. But if the temperature goes up any more (like how Jeff was telling us it might go as high as 50 degrees), I think the aircon might just save my life!

Bart Bag!!! It's actually a shopping bag but it's so nice I couldn't help buying it. It's so much nicer than the ordinary green and blue ones.

More pics of Brando

The fish pond my dad built at the side of our house.

Stress

There is a lot of tension at home and I can really feel it. I'm sure my other housemates feel it as well. It's not so much the fact that Steph and I will be sighing every few minutes but that the whole house is spending less time outside and more time in the rooms, working on whatever we have to work on. Even when it's time to cook dinner, I can see Tommy or Wan Shi reading their notes or textbooks while waiting for their luncheon meat to cook. We don't converse as much as we used to. In fact, I feel so mentally drained that I have no mood to make small talk. The atmosphere in the house is so strained and I know it's because we are feeling the effects of school stress and pressure. I can't blame anyone for my own feelings of course but I can't wait till this is all over and things are back to the normal, light-hearted, jokes and laughter days.

It may seem funny when I sigh loudly and indeed, Steph does laugh about it. But she sighs too and I can totally understand where it is coming from. The best I can do for her is to listen to her whine and complain about school and the endless assignments. After that, it's back to our rooms and facing the computer to type yet another stupid 2000 word report.

Yes she listens to my complaints and whinging too but that only helps me feel better for those few minutes. When I'm back in my room, I look at the stack of books and notes on my table and I sigh again. The excessive sighing is unintentional and it's so unconstructive. It's not like sighing will end my problems or something.

Thinking about my group project and presentation on Monday gives me a headache. My group mate is not doing his part and when I question him about it (in a subtle way, of course), I feel lots of negativity and defensiveness. It's a natural reaction but can he blame me when he's the one who's not doing his part? Even I know more than him and this is so wrong. Our group is in deep shit!

My honours application isn't going too well either. It's like applying for a job where I have to browse through the many labs, lecturers and projects they are offering before I send out an email stating my intentions and my grades. I've already sent out emails to about 4 lecturers and only 2 have replied. 1 is telling me that the lecturer is on extended leave until January and he will only take in honours students in July. Obviously I can't wait that long but his lab is the one I am really interested in. Disappointment number 1. The other lecturer asks me to go down to his office for a chat (aka interview) and we can discuss about the projects he has. The only thing is, my friend had him as a supervisor last semester and she had a really bad experience with him. He gave her a grade 3 which is barely a pass and I don't want to end up like her. Honestly, talking to her has just made him seem even more like a monster and now I don't know if I want to work in his lab. Disppointment number 2. The thrid lecturer hasn't even replied my email. Disappointment number 3. My hope are mostly on the last lecturer. He is working on flaviviruses and at least I have interest and knowledge on that. I hope he gives me a positive reply. Otherwise there will definitely be much more sighs coming from me. Sighhhhhhhhh...........

Another Accident

I don't know how I did it but I fell down yesterday. I was walking down the slope on my way home and I was thinking about all the work I had to do later when suddenly, I slipped off the curb, found myself on the ground and I had to use my hand to stop myself from rolling down. My right leg knocked quite painfully against the curb and my right palm, well about 1 cm of the skin had been scrapped off and it was bleeding. Alamak damn malu lah...I fell in front of so many people somemore. An ang-moh girl was standing beside me when this happened and she did ask me if I was alright. Of course I was still dazed after this accident but I told her I was fine and proceeded to walk home. Actually my knee ached a little but my palm didn't hurt very much. Maybe my nerves need some fine-tuning because it seems like my pain stimuli was not working very well. So I went home, feeling very sorry for myself and bathed my wounds. To my surprise, my knee was actually hurt quite bad. The skin was also scrapped off and it was bleeding too. So much for the jeans protecting me. My jeans were a little damaged by the stupid curb and there was blood on it too. Sigh...after such a traumatic experience (I seriously cannot remember the last time I hurt myself as bad as this), I decided to skip my lecture, put on plasters and went to sleep. Hahahahaha...!!!

At night, after bathing, I removed the plasters because Chris told me I was supposed to let my wounds dry up then they would heal faster. Yeah, easy to say, not so easy to do. The plasters seemed stuck to the open wounds and peeling them off was torture. The palm wound would not stop leaking (dunno what liquid it was; it was definitely not blood because the liquid was transparent; maybe it was plasma...hahahahah) and dabbing it dry with tissue hurt like hell!!! The exposed tissue was ultra-sensitive to my every movement so I couldn't type or use my mouse properly. Fortunately I wrote with my left hand. However, I had to put another plaster over it otherwise I would get fluids all over my table and my bed. The pain was bad so I popped a sleeping pill and slept the pain away...hahahahahah...needless to say, I did no work that day...

I wish my sister was here so she could sayang me.....

Living Life the Extravagent Way

I was reading a friend's blog a few days ago and it shocks me to find out how materialistic she actually is. Don't get me wrong, I really like her as a friend and we got along pretty well but I never saw this side of her. I guess we didn't have much time to know each other better as I had to fly off pretty soon.

On her wish list, she states that she wants a LV Mahattan PV bag, manicures, pedicures, a Japanese perm and hair dyeing. I don't even know what the hell is the bag and she already has a Prada bag apparently. This friend, she's only 19 this year. Studying her degree and not working. I really wonder how she expects to buy such branded stuff, live her life like a tai-tai and yet not get into debt. I shouldn't judge her so harshly but these were the thought going through my mind when I read her entry. Her idea of a good meal is one that would cost two people more than a hundred bucks and this is what her boyfriend treated her to for her birthday.

Seriously, are branded goods really that wonderful? I can't think of myself spending hundreds or even thousands of dollars for a simple bag or a shirt. Is it worth it? I don't agree spending what you don't have. If you're working and spending your own hard-earned cash then fine, I have nothing to say. It's your money and it's your life. But if you're still studying and living off your parents, wouldn't buying such stuff and living so finely be another way of eating up your parents retirement money?

1 week holiday - OVER!!!!!

Time really flies and my holiday is almost over. Actually it hardly feels like a holiday when I have been sitting at home practically everyday, working on my reports. I still haven't been able to change my sleeping pattern. Oh well at least I got to play mahjong twice and also meet D's girlfriend. Hahaha I won some money too!!! It's not much, only about $10 but it beats losing.

Thinking about all my upcoming reports make my head ache. Now I have a seminar to worry about and I feel extremely worried about it. Our group has not done a single thing to prepare for this and it's in 2 weeks time. How how how??!! My group members don't seem worried at all. When I ask them about, they tell me they have other reports to finish first and that we still have 1 week to work on this. At most meet everyday....hmph!!! On top of all this, I still have to start my applications for honours and I don't know how to. What a headache!!! Sometimes I just wished I could end my studies here and run back to S'pore. But...like that would solve my problems...new ones would just come popping up when I get back. So...what to do? Just tahan my way through this stressful semester.

I really envy those who don't seem to have as many reports as I do. Those who can take it easy and just relax. It doesn't seem fair but then again, since when is life even fair??

Some good news for me anyway -

1. I got good grades for my last 3 returned assignments....82%, 9/10 and 9/10.
2. My lecturer is getting married at the end of the year and he's inviting me to his wedding.
3. I won money at mahjong.
4. Just about 2 months before I go home.

Things that happened this week -

1. Went down to West End Market with Steph and Mil (The Hyenas). I don't want to spend too much time writing about our trip so if you're interested, you can check out their blogs.
2. Got my hair cut at the Brisbane School of Hairdressing. The girl cut it shorter than I wanted but it's all good. At least my split ends are gone and my hair doesn't tangle as much as it used to.
3. My uncle went down to S'pore with his family and they are staying in my place with my Ah Mah. I really really really wish I was there because I want to play with my twin cousins. How often do you get 2 cute little identical girls staying at your place? Why why why did he have to bring them down when I'm in Brisbane???
4. Spent a humongous amount of money on groceries and I don't even know why. I should be cutting down on my spending and trying to finish up the old food like my cereal which has been here since the last semester. It's not like I've really been cooking much. I have been living off left-overs, bread and instant noodles a lot this week.
5. Cooked dinner for the Hyenas, Chris and Mr Tan. Cooked lor bak with eggs and beancurd. Hope they enjoyed it.
6. Went swimming with someone new.
7. Supposed to play badminton yesterday but they double-booked us so we had to settle for complimentary courts on a different day. Saw my uncle's son there but I avoided him...anyway he ignored me the whole time...like I even care!!!
8. Found out that my mentor has given birth to a son. I should contact her and convey my congrats but she's in Beijing now.

To view the pictures from the market visit, please check out my photo album. I don't want to waste too much time blogging if I can.

Oh yeah, we had a mini-Mid-Autumn celebration too! Again, just check out the photo album.