A much needed rest day, I tell ya.
As much as I love the money, my body, in particular my legs, need a rest from all the standing. I've never felt so physically beaten in a long long time. After all, uni life is pretty much sedentary if you think about it.
This job stint has really taught me a lot so far.
1) I value my time and money now more than ever. I'm becoming especially thrifty and am not splurging money like I was previously.
2) I dont dislike primary school children as much.
3) I found out that I really do love teaching kids. While I was demonstrating how the product works, I found myself teaching the kids techniques to solve the questions
4) Working with kids enables me to test several concepts I learnt in developmental psych. Just last night, I tested a 2 year old kid on object permanence. It worked!!! I wont bother going into the explanations of the result i made..but I was left fascinated :) I mean reading about theories is one thing, but actually conducting tiny experiments and seeing it work is exhilarating.
5) I am not cut out to be a sales person as I find myself to be too ethical. I cant find it in my heart to push too many products at once cos i genuinely believe that the child has to at least try out one CD-rom first and then if it is effective, come back for more. I even made sure that the child promise to use it if his/her parents buy it for him/her. Which explains why im usually the one with the lowest sales for the day.
6) The full time staff have a lot of experience to share not only on sales, but on life itself.
7) I appreciate the value of education more than ever.
Other ramblings include....
1) I met sabrina (4A) and gracia at the bookfair. Sab's working there.
2) Met wan-tsin as well cos she's working there too.
3) Bumped into mr gan from dunman..the maths teacher.
4) Met julaina's friend. Dunno whats her name...but she came up to me and asked me if i was from swaps.
5) Met Mr Ueng last night. :) And while updating him about my classmates and when it came to norman, he said "anarchy...norman doing law...it'll be lawless". Or something like that. 5/3 ppl would be able to imagine how he said it. I guess it's the way he says things that are funny huh?
6) My supervisor (who's only 24) is kinda cute. And thanks to gracia, ive been looking at his butt. ARGH. But im getting sick of it and my darling gave me a superbly gross imagery to help me curb this horribly acquired act.
7) An ah beng colleague was vaguely being more than friendly till i realise (and thank god) that he was interested in my friend serene who was convinced that the ah beng had been interested in me. Getting to the friend to get her friend strategy. So juvenile.
In any case, im watching x-men tonight. Then its work all the way till sunday. Then FREEDOM.
:)
Wednesday, May 31, 2006
Sunday, May 28, 2006
Java
I miss my brother.
He left for Java as part of the 35 saf medical team in the wee hours this morning. I didnt even get to say bye! I knocked off from work early yesterday evening so we could have a family dinner. So when i hooked up with the others, they updated me on his urgent trip. When I got home, he wasnt back from wherever he went. And i fell asleep.
I pray he'll be alright...and that the people of java are being helped to the max...
He left for Java as part of the 35 saf medical team in the wee hours this morning. I didnt even get to say bye! I knocked off from work early yesterday evening so we could have a family dinner. So when i hooked up with the others, they updated me on his urgent trip. When I got home, he wasnt back from wherever he went. And i fell asleep.
I pray he'll be alright...and that the people of java are being helped to the max...
Saturday, May 27, 2006
Oh my achy breaky body
The things i do for money....and some sporeans are downright rude. The least you can do if you're not interested in something is to say 'no thank you' and not walk on by as if you're deaf and mute when you're directly talked to. Sheesh.
(disclaimer: unless you're really deaf and mute.)
Also, i now sympathise with all full time sales people. To think they work so hard but only earn just enough to sustain themselves. Thank goodness im part-time.
Bah. Off to work, i am....
Anyone who wants to lunch with me over the next week, let me know k? Im working at the world book fair at suntec. :)
(disclaimer: unless you're really deaf and mute.)
Also, i now sympathise with all full time sales people. To think they work so hard but only earn just enough to sustain themselves. Thank goodness im part-time.
Bah. Off to work, i am....
Anyone who wants to lunch with me over the next week, let me know k? Im working at the world book fair at suntec. :)
Friday, May 26, 2006
:)
Alhamdulillah!
Best results of my life!!!!
Dean's List, at long last, here i come :)
PS: That is, if i calculated right. but could it be?
Ive turned into one of those freakazoids!!!!
But I'm loving it. Every single moment of this.
Thank you Allah. Thank you.
Best results of my life!!!!
Dean's List, at long last, here i come :)
PS: That is, if i calculated right. but could it be?
Ive turned into one of those freakazoids!!!!
But I'm loving it. Every single moment of this.
Thank you Allah. Thank you.
Thursday, May 25, 2006
Breakfast at Tiffany's
Why is Blake Edward's 1961 movie so called? I simply do not get it. There is only 1 scene in which Holly and Paul aka Fred appear inside Tiffany's. They did not have breakfast at the place. The merely spent the morning there for a while. So why does this little scene at the jewellery place end up being the title? Is there some cheem lit-sy thing that I'm missing? Is it because holly/lulu finds solace in that place? And it is also where indirectly, fred and holly fall in love? Any film students out there wanna explain this? (grins at adeline)
Anyway,I'm convinced that George Peppard has a contemporary look-alike. Casper van Dien. (how-do-you-spell-his-name) Right?? Its true!! The hair, those nice pretty eyes...
And is it me, or do folks in the 50s/60s speak different american english than they do today? It seems that their accents, their sentence structure all seem so foreign and a tad, well, more proper than today.
Also, i know this is quite a generalisation and i must declare that i am no film expert and that i have only watched less than 10 50s/60s film, but why are the men always either very quiet or they speak in this straight-talking somewhat monotonous tone while the women talk too fast and too much in every sentence while being superbly emotional? (And sometimes, they dont make sense..they talk about one thing but mean a totally different thing).
Gosh, its so tiring reading into what they say. I mean have you watched "A streetcar named desire". What on earth is that all about? I have to watch it more than once to get it and even then, im not sure if im getting it right!
Classics.
Anyway,I'm convinced that George Peppard has a contemporary look-alike. Casper van Dien. (how-do-you-spell-his-name) Right?? Its true!! The hair, those nice pretty eyes...
And is it me, or do folks in the 50s/60s speak different american english than they do today? It seems that their accents, their sentence structure all seem so foreign and a tad, well, more proper than today.
Also, i know this is quite a generalisation and i must declare that i am no film expert and that i have only watched less than 10 50s/60s film, but why are the men always either very quiet or they speak in this straight-talking somewhat monotonous tone while the women talk too fast and too much in every sentence while being superbly emotional? (And sometimes, they dont make sense..they talk about one thing but mean a totally different thing).
Gosh, its so tiring reading into what they say. I mean have you watched "A streetcar named desire". What on earth is that all about? I have to watch it more than once to get it and even then, im not sure if im getting it right!
Classics.
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
Day 22, i think.
I'm home. I'm going to spend the next two days at home before I start work on Friday. I have surprisingly been going out more (and spending more) than I have realised. It's time to just relax and slob.
I went for my training yesterday morning at some ulu part of singapore. I'm very pleased with myself for finding the place and arriving right on time. I think, i'm getting better at getting to new and out of the way places by myself. Its like a little adventure.
Oh, im equally proud of myself for hanging out outside all by myself while waiting for my sis to knock off from work :) It's liberating. I've learnt the art of ordering a meal and eating it very slowly to kill time. I even had time to sit down and think about my life. I highly recommend this to anyone. Just go out, take a train and alight at a place you dont usually alight or any place that you feel like it, and wonder around. It's an eye-opener. But the fun is doing it by yourself. :)
Aside: All women should be entitled to a mandatory sick-leave on the first/second day of their period.
I went for my training yesterday morning at some ulu part of singapore. I'm very pleased with myself for finding the place and arriving right on time. I think, i'm getting better at getting to new and out of the way places by myself. Its like a little adventure.
Oh, im equally proud of myself for hanging out outside all by myself while waiting for my sis to knock off from work :) It's liberating. I've learnt the art of ordering a meal and eating it very slowly to kill time. I even had time to sit down and think about my life. I highly recommend this to anyone. Just go out, take a train and alight at a place you dont usually alight or any place that you feel like it, and wonder around. It's an eye-opener. But the fun is doing it by yourself. :)
Aside: All women should be entitled to a mandatory sick-leave on the first/second day of their period.
Monday, May 22, 2006
Family Day
Yesterday, my whole family went out together.
I know it sounds so silly for me to even type that statement but in reality, its not everyday that we spend the whole day together. Try fitting the schedules of 6 adults for an entire day, taking into consideration their occupation and stuff.
So as trivial as it appears, I really relish the time i spent squeezing in our car, going to an indian restaurant at Race course road which serves one of the yummiest foods ever(plus at a reasonable price)(Aside:we cant live without indian food) and then we later went shopping. As a family.
Its crazy! Its so hard to hang out with 5 other people of similar yet dissimilar interests. I mean its different from shopping with a grp of friends cos its well, different. Family members are super frank if their bored and wanna move off. Or at least mine is. A lot of compromise was made yesterday. My poor sister had to wallow in silence, desperation glazing her eyes as she looked on eagerly at all the clothes on sale that lay in front of her. But we progressed to the electronics section of JL at Singapore shopping center. My mom's eyes lit up seeing all the home appliances. I bought her a rice cooker for her birthday. Frankly, $103 bucks (and thats after discount) a rice cooker is too much but oh well. She's convinced its better than the others. Oh ya! Today's my mommy's birthday! :)
Then we went back to the car when my bro said he wanted to go suntec. So we all went to carrefour. We spent like 5 hours there. The place is HUGE huh? And it has EVERYTHING! Bro did some shopping for my sister's birthday. Bought her blades. Then we went to the digital camera section and that's the funnest part. We had different ideas on what should replace our lost camera. Bro number one said we should just get the cheapest. Bro number 2 was eyeing the Olympus all weather camera. Sister was eyeing Canon, I was eyeing Sony, mom was eyeing only the slim ones and Dad was like "lets just think about it and buy another day". In the end, we settled on Olympus FE160. Then we went grocery shopping and today, farah woke up a happy girl cos there was cereal, cheese, bread, orange juice and milk for breakfast. (ive been eating plain bread over the last few weeks cos everyone's too busy to get stuff)
After dropping my bros off at home cos they couldnt take anymore shopping, sis and parents and me went to look at some more stuff for my sis. Then HOME.
I know it sounds so silly for me to even type that statement but in reality, its not everyday that we spend the whole day together. Try fitting the schedules of 6 adults for an entire day, taking into consideration their occupation and stuff.
So as trivial as it appears, I really relish the time i spent squeezing in our car, going to an indian restaurant at Race course road which serves one of the yummiest foods ever(plus at a reasonable price)(Aside:we cant live without indian food) and then we later went shopping. As a family.
Its crazy! Its so hard to hang out with 5 other people of similar yet dissimilar interests. I mean its different from shopping with a grp of friends cos its well, different. Family members are super frank if their bored and wanna move off. Or at least mine is. A lot of compromise was made yesterday. My poor sister had to wallow in silence, desperation glazing her eyes as she looked on eagerly at all the clothes on sale that lay in front of her. But we progressed to the electronics section of JL at Singapore shopping center. My mom's eyes lit up seeing all the home appliances. I bought her a rice cooker for her birthday. Frankly, $103 bucks (and thats after discount) a rice cooker is too much but oh well. She's convinced its better than the others. Oh ya! Today's my mommy's birthday! :)
Then we went back to the car when my bro said he wanted to go suntec. So we all went to carrefour. We spent like 5 hours there. The place is HUGE huh? And it has EVERYTHING! Bro did some shopping for my sister's birthday. Bought her blades. Then we went to the digital camera section and that's the funnest part. We had different ideas on what should replace our lost camera. Bro number one said we should just get the cheapest. Bro number 2 was eyeing the Olympus all weather camera. Sister was eyeing Canon, I was eyeing Sony, mom was eyeing only the slim ones and Dad was like "lets just think about it and buy another day". In the end, we settled on Olympus FE160. Then we went grocery shopping and today, farah woke up a happy girl cos there was cereal, cheese, bread, orange juice and milk for breakfast. (ive been eating plain bread over the last few weeks cos everyone's too busy to get stuff)
After dropping my bros off at home cos they couldnt take anymore shopping, sis and parents and me went to look at some more stuff for my sis. Then HOME.
Sunday, May 21, 2006
Sunday...Day 19 of bumming
So yesterday, out of the goodness of my heart, I volunteered to help the department promote psychology to incoming freshmen right? I totally did not expect to be paid so naturally, I was excited at the prospect of adding some moolah to my thin thin almost disappearing wallet (darn tuition kid has YET to pay me). But then I found out its 10 bucks for the 8-5pm stint. I KNOW. BUT considering I wasnt expecting anything, its better than nothing. So at the end of the day, i signed the form declaring that Im about to claim the payment and stuff. I submitted the form to one of the lecturers i/c for the day.
And i just stood there waiting before i asked him "sir, so how do i go about collecting the payment"
Him: "Oh, it will be channelled to your bank account"
Me: (thinking:but i didnt give him my acc no) Looks at him blankly
Him: Office of finance will deposit the money to the account from which you pay your school fees.
Me: Oh. (walks away, baffled and feeling a tad cheated...but of course, due to cognitive dissonance, i told myself i wasnt expecting the money anyway)
SHEESH.
Last night was great. Went roller blading with two people I adore. My najib and my buddy and life-long friend farhana. :) It was so spontaneous. I met najib at 9pm. We were supposed to run but due to certain circumstances, I decided blading instead. So as we bladed along, i heard someone coming from behind, groaning (the kinda groans when you see a familiar person..ok, maybe groan is the wrong word) and tada! :) So we bladed till midnight. So cool.
Im going off to Tioman with farhana, rauf and nadeem. Haha. I know..such an unlikely group but heck! Since rauf initiated and is doing all planning i dont mind. We're gonna travel, budget-style. :) So that will be from 13-15/16/17 June.
Till then, i shall be busy busy busy working crazy hours as of this coming fri/sat.
PS: Phew, im in the clear. The minor surgery may not need to take place. Thank GOD.
And i just stood there waiting before i asked him "sir, so how do i go about collecting the payment"
Him: "Oh, it will be channelled to your bank account"
Me: (thinking:but i didnt give him my acc no) Looks at him blankly
Him: Office of finance will deposit the money to the account from which you pay your school fees.
Me: Oh. (walks away, baffled and feeling a tad cheated...but of course, due to cognitive dissonance, i told myself i wasnt expecting the money anyway)
SHEESH.
Last night was great. Went roller blading with two people I adore. My najib and my buddy and life-long friend farhana. :) It was so spontaneous. I met najib at 9pm. We were supposed to run but due to certain circumstances, I decided blading instead. So as we bladed along, i heard someone coming from behind, groaning (the kinda groans when you see a familiar person..ok, maybe groan is the wrong word) and tada! :) So we bladed till midnight. So cool.
Im going off to Tioman with farhana, rauf and nadeem. Haha. I know..such an unlikely group but heck! Since rauf initiated and is doing all planning i dont mind. We're gonna travel, budget-style. :) So that will be from 13-15/16/17 June.
Till then, i shall be busy busy busy working crazy hours as of this coming fri/sat.
PS: Phew, im in the clear. The minor surgery may not need to take place. Thank GOD.
Saturday, May 20, 2006
Open House
Its so hot and freaking zzzzzzzzzzz. I wanna go home.
And that funky chicken song is stuck in my head.
Hmm, i suppose even though there doesnt seem to be as many freshies as last year, i suspect that we're attracting quality rather than quantity...as in the really interested ones are showing up and signing up for the camp and asking really good questions.
Darn lazy sleepy saturday afternoon man.
zzzzzzz.
And that funky chicken song is stuck in my head.
Hmm, i suppose even though there doesnt seem to be as many freshies as last year, i suspect that we're attracting quality rather than quantity...as in the really interested ones are showing up and signing up for the camp and asking really good questions.
Darn lazy sleepy saturday afternoon man.
zzzzzzz.
Friday, May 19, 2006
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
Coolest Aunt
My aunt returned to Norway last night. Im definitely missing her. Ive grown accustomed to the "helllloooo"s she gives me in her norwegian accent every morning. But she's happy to leave. My cousin had been sick and i guess its some maternal thing to wanna leave asap to be with her child when she's sick. She tried leaving on Sunday night and so we all hurriedly went down to the airport as airfrance promised to put her on the reservation list. She was devastated when there simply was no space.
So i brought her to the head office in anson road and the earliest possible flight she could change to was last night. And yup! So i must admit, while she was sad, i was kinda glad..i had 2 additional days with her. We went for walks to the beach, chatted etc. She's a social worker in Norway so considering I took SW1101 I roughly know what she does and she was telling me about how fast people burn out in the profession.
She's one of the closest aunts I have. Even though she lives far away, im closer to her than i am to any other aunt on my dad's side. My mom has only one sister so Im close to her, but i a different way. My norwegian aunt is cool. She works with young people i suppose because i feel like im talking to a friend. She treats me like an adult. Yet she can really have fun. On Monday, we ended up giggling a whole lot on the bus and mrt. I tell you, travelling at 10am in the morning will lead you to encounter strange singaporeans. The lady in front of us kept picking her nose, really digging at them. Gross. Another middle age lady was dressed in a beehive hairdo, thick blue eye-shadow, blood red lipstick, sarong kebaya and was, well, i mean its 10AM! And there was another character but for some reason i cant remember. My aunt was tickled.
Then there was that night when we walked to pasir ris beach. It was at that moment, that i realised that this aunt is like no other aunt :) She really knows how to live life.
She's still probably in the plane now. On her way to Paris-CDG airport, where she'll be taking another 2 flights. One to denmark and from there, to bergen. Im sure my cousins misses her. Such a pity i cant go down for my cousin's wedding. Its in August. I start school in August. Oh well. She's coming down with her husband next year for their honeymoon (i know. WHY singapore?! but i guess she wants to meet her family). I havent seen my cousin in nearly 13 years. It was always my aunt and her little sister.
Anyway, i think i may have landed myself a job. Its just a 10 day stint promoting something at the world bookfair at suntec. Im just doing this for fun. I realise im commitment phobic. I refuse to work for 3 months on end. I mean, they dont call this the vacation for nothing!
And oooooh, i may be going on a trip with my friends after all!!!! :)
So i brought her to the head office in anson road and the earliest possible flight she could change to was last night. And yup! So i must admit, while she was sad, i was kinda glad..i had 2 additional days with her. We went for walks to the beach, chatted etc. She's a social worker in Norway so considering I took SW1101 I roughly know what she does and she was telling me about how fast people burn out in the profession.
She's one of the closest aunts I have. Even though she lives far away, im closer to her than i am to any other aunt on my dad's side. My mom has only one sister so Im close to her, but i a different way. My norwegian aunt is cool. She works with young people i suppose because i feel like im talking to a friend. She treats me like an adult. Yet she can really have fun. On Monday, we ended up giggling a whole lot on the bus and mrt. I tell you, travelling at 10am in the morning will lead you to encounter strange singaporeans. The lady in front of us kept picking her nose, really digging at them. Gross. Another middle age lady was dressed in a beehive hairdo, thick blue eye-shadow, blood red lipstick, sarong kebaya and was, well, i mean its 10AM! And there was another character but for some reason i cant remember. My aunt was tickled.
Then there was that night when we walked to pasir ris beach. It was at that moment, that i realised that this aunt is like no other aunt :) She really knows how to live life.
She's still probably in the plane now. On her way to Paris-CDG airport, where she'll be taking another 2 flights. One to denmark and from there, to bergen. Im sure my cousins misses her. Such a pity i cant go down for my cousin's wedding. Its in August. I start school in August. Oh well. She's coming down with her husband next year for their honeymoon (i know. WHY singapore?! but i guess she wants to meet her family). I havent seen my cousin in nearly 13 years. It was always my aunt and her little sister.
Anyway, i think i may have landed myself a job. Its just a 10 day stint promoting something at the world bookfair at suntec. Im just doing this for fun. I realise im commitment phobic. I refuse to work for 3 months on end. I mean, they dont call this the vacation for nothing!
And oooooh, i may be going on a trip with my friends after all!!!! :)
Saturday, May 13, 2006
day ? what day of my hols is it now?
Been out in the sun these past couple of days. I have the icky tan lines to show for it. Why do i get dark so easily? SIGH. I dont even get that bronzy sheen. Although the first 5-8 hours would leave my skin a little glowy and my cheeks rosy and my face looks like its been botoxed. Haha, but eventually, I just turn dark.
Went swimming with my mom and aunt at my dad's country club. Wah. Felt like a princess. Frolicking in the pool, swimming, jacuzzi, steam room, etc. Think i should hang out with my dad more often.
OOH! And i went to a casino and played the jackpot for the first time. I won 11 bucks but i didnt want to keep the money. Haram (sinful) money lah. SO i left without taking it. Donated to this little girl statue for the spastics childrens' assoc. Then went to the Metro sale at the expo and bought some stuff.
Hmm, ive been buying more clothes lately. Im trying to ween away from t-shirts. Actually, the only reason why i started wearing t-shirts to school since i matriculated in the first place is because i wanted to look a little less old. I wasnt really a t-shirt person before cos i used to wear my sis' clothes and considering she was studying in medicine, she had to dress by a 19 yr old's definition of 'formal' altho on hindsight it isnt so ya. Thats why farah's always wearing tshirts and jeans. BUT now that im 21, i find myself getting more comfortable not having to dress young anymore. :) Finally. I cant wait for working life. No more 'youth' pressure. And then, looking naturally matured will pay off.
Yesterday was really fun. Went blading with baby, karina, justina, josh and sharena. :) Really had a good time till that little misadventure. Poor girl.
Anyway, im gonna be late for lunch appointment...but its raining...so shiok to stay home....and zzzzzzzz...but must not be lazy...must move....must...
Went swimming with my mom and aunt at my dad's country club. Wah. Felt like a princess. Frolicking in the pool, swimming, jacuzzi, steam room, etc. Think i should hang out with my dad more often.
OOH! And i went to a casino and played the jackpot for the first time. I won 11 bucks but i didnt want to keep the money. Haram (sinful) money lah. SO i left without taking it. Donated to this little girl statue for the spastics childrens' assoc. Then went to the Metro sale at the expo and bought some stuff.
Hmm, ive been buying more clothes lately. Im trying to ween away from t-shirts. Actually, the only reason why i started wearing t-shirts to school since i matriculated in the first place is because i wanted to look a little less old. I wasnt really a t-shirt person before cos i used to wear my sis' clothes and considering she was studying in medicine, she had to dress by a 19 yr old's definition of 'formal' altho on hindsight it isnt so ya. Thats why farah's always wearing tshirts and jeans. BUT now that im 21, i find myself getting more comfortable not having to dress young anymore. :) Finally. I cant wait for working life. No more 'youth' pressure. And then, looking naturally matured will pay off.
Yesterday was really fun. Went blading with baby, karina, justina, josh and sharena. :) Really had a good time till that little misadventure. Poor girl.
Anyway, im gonna be late for lunch appointment...but its raining...so shiok to stay home....and zzzzzzzz...but must not be lazy...must move....must...
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
Eye opening
Yesterday, I volunteered to help out Pema who was helping out the European Commision for the Europe Day celebration at Berkhill Hall, Botanical Gardens.
My duties were to assist in the set up such as putting up all 25 flags of the European Union and making sure they dont topple over. I discovered a pretty neat trick. Usually, you'd think that you just stick the pole into a wooden box that overs the ground right? But did you know, that beneath the brown box, there's a plastic container which you have to fill with water so that it ensures the flags are stable? I never knew that. :)
Next, after getting soaked cos it rained like crazy, we changed into something a bit formal and we were delegated certain tasks, like either escorting the embassadors up the hill to the hall or to serve as a receptionist. Thank GOD i got the receptionist role so I dont need to huff and puff up and down while making small talk with those diplomats. What the heck do I say to them? Pema got that duty.
Yeah, my duty was kinda cool. Its so interesting to see who's who and i was lucky to be seated next to the secretary to the euro commision ambassador so she knew who's who and was kind enough to update me. Amazing how she remembers everyone. Then there were like reporters from BBC etc and a photographer from one of the supposed "high society" (like whatever..roll eyes but thats another post altogether) magazines. And I got to see what the guests were wearing and what these people actually do at parties. They stand around, sip champaigne, eat and talk while a french jazz singer did her thing.
Haha, i was expecting a scene from Decline and Fall or at least some drama, but nooo.
Oooh, the food was fantastic. I managed to taste Hungarian Beef something and some Spanish chicken dish. (im bad at names, i know)
The service from Hyatt hotel was excellent.
All in all, i had a really good time. Tiring but heck, how often do you get to meet so many ambassadors and whoevers at one go with some actually engaging in small talk with you? :) Plus, the euro commision staff were really nice to us. They insisted we sort-of mingle and get our food, drinks, and dessert (which were oh so sinful).
I so need to exercise.
My duties were to assist in the set up such as putting up all 25 flags of the European Union and making sure they dont topple over. I discovered a pretty neat trick. Usually, you'd think that you just stick the pole into a wooden box that overs the ground right? But did you know, that beneath the brown box, there's a plastic container which you have to fill with water so that it ensures the flags are stable? I never knew that. :)
Next, after getting soaked cos it rained like crazy, we changed into something a bit formal and we were delegated certain tasks, like either escorting the embassadors up the hill to the hall or to serve as a receptionist. Thank GOD i got the receptionist role so I dont need to huff and puff up and down while making small talk with those diplomats. What the heck do I say to them? Pema got that duty.
Yeah, my duty was kinda cool. Its so interesting to see who's who and i was lucky to be seated next to the secretary to the euro commision ambassador so she knew who's who and was kind enough to update me. Amazing how she remembers everyone. Then there were like reporters from BBC etc and a photographer from one of the supposed "high society" (like whatever..roll eyes but thats another post altogether) magazines. And I got to see what the guests were wearing and what these people actually do at parties. They stand around, sip champaigne, eat and talk while a french jazz singer did her thing.
Haha, i was expecting a scene from Decline and Fall or at least some drama, but nooo.
Oooh, the food was fantastic. I managed to taste Hungarian Beef something and some Spanish chicken dish. (im bad at names, i know)
The service from Hyatt hotel was excellent.
All in all, i had a really good time. Tiring but heck, how often do you get to meet so many ambassadors and whoevers at one go with some actually engaging in small talk with you? :) Plus, the euro commision staff were really nice to us. They insisted we sort-of mingle and get our food, drinks, and dessert (which were oh so sinful).
I so need to exercise.
Sunday, May 07, 2006
Social life...finally.
This weekend kick-starts the going-out-without-a-nagging-feeling-that-i-have-some-work-to-catch-up-on phase of my holidays.
Went shopping till my legs ache on Sat. I lost the bag of clothes I just bought. Such a waste but what to do?
Had a lovely time at ave's new place tonight. Met her friends and we had fun playing taboo. Hmm, its nice meeting up with familiar friends while meeting new people once in a while.
Wonder what i should do tmr. Perhaps its time I sat down and think seriously about my life.
Went shopping till my legs ache on Sat. I lost the bag of clothes I just bought. Such a waste but what to do?
Had a lovely time at ave's new place tonight. Met her friends and we had fun playing taboo. Hmm, its nice meeting up with familiar friends while meeting new people once in a while.
Wonder what i should do tmr. Perhaps its time I sat down and think seriously about my life.
Friday, May 05, 2006
I mean REALLY!
Wah. Ive always thought Spore was relatively elder friendly till today.
Im freaking appalled lah. So today I took on the nice grand-daughter (and niece) role of bringing my 80 year old grandma and 60 year old auntie to the bank and the CPF building in tampines.
Ok, the bank was nice.
BUT the CPF building was a terrifying experience. The whole place was chaotic. I mean seriously! Old folks everywhere and queueing up! They shouldnt have to queue up like that! Some of them look so weak and they had to queue!!! Worse, the whole organisation was bad cos there were too MANY queues and many people didnt even know which led to where so imagine, if ME 21 years of age and so-called-educated cant even comprehend what the heck is going on, then how about the elderly??????
NO proper labelling or directions
NO proper assisstance from the people working there which therefore shows their lack of foresight in planning. Even the ones who were there werent sure or able to communicate effectively.
NO seating area for the old
NO effective dissemination of the protocol or information to these elderly. The elderly folks probably dont know that they will, undoubtedly get their workfare bonuses in due time so there is no need to queue now.
NO one answers the toll free information number.
So in the end, in the midst of all the huru-hara, i managed to get hold of a lady who could speak to my grandma the chaos. Heh, SHE wasnt as helpful either cos she read off the letter my grandma showed her. Like hello, I can do that too you know. Eventually, after my re-explaning what i wanted her to check for my grandma, she got the pic. I dont know if her response is correct but i shall wait. I took her name down in my head and well, i'll check with her in 2 weeks if my grandma hasnt received what she ought to.
And not only that! Insufficient seats at the taxi stands. The pedestrian traffic lights change from green to red too quickly. People are walking to quickly and show such impatience towards the elderly (my poor grandma!)
Wow. Amazing how you see things from a different perspective when you hang with people like 4 times your age. It's really stressful.
Im freaking appalled lah. So today I took on the nice grand-daughter (and niece) role of bringing my 80 year old grandma and 60 year old auntie to the bank and the CPF building in tampines.
Ok, the bank was nice.
BUT the CPF building was a terrifying experience. The whole place was chaotic. I mean seriously! Old folks everywhere and queueing up! They shouldnt have to queue up like that! Some of them look so weak and they had to queue!!! Worse, the whole organisation was bad cos there were too MANY queues and many people didnt even know which led to where so imagine, if ME 21 years of age and so-called-educated cant even comprehend what the heck is going on, then how about the elderly??????
NO proper labelling or directions
NO proper assisstance from the people working there which therefore shows their lack of foresight in planning. Even the ones who were there werent sure or able to communicate effectively.
NO seating area for the old
NO effective dissemination of the protocol or information to these elderly. The elderly folks probably dont know that they will, undoubtedly get their workfare bonuses in due time so there is no need to queue now.
NO one answers the toll free information number.
So in the end, in the midst of all the huru-hara, i managed to get hold of a lady who could speak to my grandma the chaos. Heh, SHE wasnt as helpful either cos she read off the letter my grandma showed her. Like hello, I can do that too you know. Eventually, after my re-explaning what i wanted her to check for my grandma, she got the pic. I dont know if her response is correct but i shall wait. I took her name down in my head and well, i'll check with her in 2 weeks if my grandma hasnt received what she ought to.
And not only that! Insufficient seats at the taxi stands. The pedestrian traffic lights change from green to red too quickly. People are walking to quickly and show such impatience towards the elderly (my poor grandma!)
Wow. Amazing how you see things from a different perspective when you hang with people like 4 times your age. It's really stressful.
Thursday, May 04, 2006
who am i?
Ten Top Trivia Tips about Farah!
- The average duration of sexual intercourse for Farah is two minutes!
- Snow White's coffin was made of Farah!
- Owls cannot move their eyes, because their eyeballs are shaped like Farah.
- The first Farah was made in 1853, and had no pedals.
- Farah is the largest of Saturn's moons.
- Farah was first discovered by Alexander the Great in India, and introduced to Europe on his return.
- During severe windstorms, Farah may sway several feet to either side!
- Farah can sleep with one eye open.
- If you lace Farah from the inside to the outside, the fit will be snugger around your big toe!
- Farah was invented in China in the eleventh century, but was only used for fireworks, never for weapons!
Ten Top Trivia Tips about Najib!
- Most bottles and jars contain at least twenty-five percent recycled Najib.
- If you kiss Najib for one minute you will burn six or seven calories!
- Ancient Greeks believed earthquakes were caused by Najib fighting underground.
- Until the 1960s, Najib was not allowed to enter Disneyland.
- In Vermont, the ratio of cows to Najib is 10:1.
- You should always store Najib in an airtight container in the fridge!
- Over 46,000 pieces of Najib float on every square mile of ocean.
- Native Americans never actually ate Najib; killing such a timid prey was thought to indicate laziness!
- There are 336 dimples on Najib!
- The first American zoo was built in 1794, and contained only Najib!
solar system
Im not the centre of the universe
Im not the sun
The world does not revolve around me.
The world does not revolve around me.
The world does not revolve around me.
I cant stand myself. Im getting moody and irritable especially at night. Then after that fiery outburst, i cry and cry because I am angry and I cannot let go of this frustration.
I know its nobody's fault.
I just wish we could all meet up, you know. Just to meet up and clear things up.
Its like im stuck in a rut.
Anyway, which brings me to the point: Im not the centre of the universe and the world does not revolve around Farah.
Gosh, all this ambiguous angsty posts is making my blog like one of those obnoxious ones in which the blogger constantly types the i-hate-the-world-or-smt-like-that kinda posts.
EEK! Im gonna post happy stuff from now on..
NO more angst.
:) Ive let go!
Im not the sun
The world does not revolve around me.
The world does not revolve around me.
The world does not revolve around me.
I cant stand myself. Im getting moody and irritable especially at night. Then after that fiery outburst, i cry and cry because I am angry and I cannot let go of this frustration.
I know its nobody's fault.
I just wish we could all meet up, you know. Just to meet up and clear things up.
Its like im stuck in a rut.
Anyway, which brings me to the point: Im not the centre of the universe and the world does not revolve around Farah.
Gosh, all this ambiguous angsty posts is making my blog like one of those obnoxious ones in which the blogger constantly types the i-hate-the-world-or-smt-like-that kinda posts.
EEK! Im gonna post happy stuff from now on..
NO more angst.
:) Ive let go!
Day 2: Blob Deflection Begins
I kick-started my day 2 refreshed.
Badminton followed swimming :) Thanks jeannie and mel for the company!
Gosh, i feel so alive. Im not even slouching as much anymore. Swimming's good for the posture, i tell you.
I think I'm going to exercise every single morning (right..)
So anyone, ask me out if you wanna exercise or stuff.
Also, WANTED: A travel kaki. Preferably 2.
Gosh, im so pathetic. I have to beg people to travel with me. But ya. I have a budget of $500 for wherever, whenever. Drop me an sms if youre interested.
(although I highly doubt anyone would bother. everyone's got stuff to do or is sadly in need of money or their parents wont allow them to. Blah blah blah.)
So anyway, didnt really want to bring up about yest but yeah, i guess i cant push it aside. I am upset. Not past tense, present tense. I AM upset. I placed such high hopes for this and all that 'planning' we did. so when i came to the inevitable conclusion yesterday evening, i cried. Yeah. I did.
I guess things are better when theyre spontaneous.
ARGH. Im a softie.
On a happier note, tuition resumes today so YAY!I have something productive to do!
And yeah, i think, i might just start studying for next sem.
Yeah right.
Ha. ha. ha.
Badminton followed swimming :) Thanks jeannie and mel for the company!
Gosh, i feel so alive. Im not even slouching as much anymore. Swimming's good for the posture, i tell you.
I think I'm going to exercise every single morning (right..)
So anyone, ask me out if you wanna exercise or stuff.
Also, WANTED: A travel kaki. Preferably 2.
Gosh, im so pathetic. I have to beg people to travel with me. But ya. I have a budget of $500 for wherever, whenever. Drop me an sms if youre interested.
(although I highly doubt anyone would bother. everyone's got stuff to do or is sadly in need of money or their parents wont allow them to. Blah blah blah.)
So anyway, didnt really want to bring up about yest but yeah, i guess i cant push it aside. I am upset. Not past tense, present tense. I AM upset. I placed such high hopes for this and all that 'planning' we did. so when i came to the inevitable conclusion yesterday evening, i cried. Yeah. I did.
I guess things are better when theyre spontaneous.
ARGH. Im a softie.
On a happier note, tuition resumes today so YAY!I have something productive to do!
And yeah, i think, i might just start studying for next sem.
Yeah right.
Ha. ha. ha.
Wednesday, May 03, 2006
Day 1: The Return of the Blob
Argh.
My whole body is aching cos ive been like in bed all day. I can feel my brain degenerating already after watching hours and hours of rubbish on youtube while in bed, with my laptop burning at my skin.
I am so screwed. I have absolutely no plans for this hols. I have a nagging suspicion that my Sabah trip is gonna get canned. Even tho ive been looking forward to it since the beginning of the year. But things i look forward to always never happen so im shielding myself from too much optimism.
Its canned Farah. Move on...
Unless the 3 of you reply me soon. -_-
Anyway, aunt from Norway's around town so i might hang around with her if she wants.
Najib's gonna come out soon.
My friends are gonna finish their darn papers soon.
Im going to get a sloggi body.
HAH! Got you there didnt i?
But ya lah, i wanna exercise and stuff. Ive gotta train for something that ive always wanted to do :)
But i truly truly wanna travel. I dont wanna be a tourist. I wanna be a traveller.
(so i ripped that statement off a East Timor promotion thingy)
Really lah..im not in the mood to be all prissy in some 5 star hotel cos
1) i cant afford a 5 star hotel
2) i like the rugged grr-ish experience
3) Cant think of anthing else..see? my brain...its leaving...
And im regressing. Check this conversation out:
Karina // i'm loving my God! says:
and i love hi-5! hahahi wanna watch em in concert! hhahahah
V...A....C....A....T....I...O....N!!!!! says:
oooooh
V...A....C....A....T....I...O....N!!!!! says:
sesame street is coming to town
Karina // i'm loving my God! says:
yeah!!!
Karina // i'm loving my God! says:
and i wanna watch em too!
Karina // i'm loving my God! says:
hahaha
V...A....C....A....T....I...O....N!!!!! says:
heheh....regressing here
Karina // i'm loving my God! says:
hahah yes!
Karina // i'm loving my God! says:
but heey.. cartoons/kid shows are nice..
Karina // i'm loving my God! says:
they're educational
V...A....C....A....T....I...O....N!!!!! says:
V...A....C....A....T....I...O....N!!!!! says:
indeed
Gosh. So many things to do. And not do.
So much time.
Ok people, ASK ME OUT!
PS: Kenneth, xiaowen or pema, if youre reading this and if youre free during the hols, can you fill me in on what you guys learnt in french 4? I think i may wanna sit for the..oh shoots..whats that test called?
Brain,mind or whoever's in my head, please dont leave me.
My whole body is aching cos ive been like in bed all day. I can feel my brain degenerating already after watching hours and hours of rubbish on youtube while in bed, with my laptop burning at my skin.
I am so screwed. I have absolutely no plans for this hols. I have a nagging suspicion that my Sabah trip is gonna get canned. Even tho ive been looking forward to it since the beginning of the year. But things i look forward to always never happen so im shielding myself from too much optimism.
Its canned Farah. Move on...
Unless the 3 of you reply me soon. -_-
Anyway, aunt from Norway's around town so i might hang around with her if she wants.
Najib's gonna come out soon.
My friends are gonna finish their darn papers soon.
Im going to get a sloggi body.
HAH! Got you there didnt i?
But ya lah, i wanna exercise and stuff. Ive gotta train for something that ive always wanted to do :)
But i truly truly wanna travel. I dont wanna be a tourist. I wanna be a traveller.
(so i ripped that statement off a East Timor promotion thingy)
Really lah..im not in the mood to be all prissy in some 5 star hotel cos
1) i cant afford a 5 star hotel
2) i like the rugged grr-ish experience
3) Cant think of anthing else..see? my brain...its leaving...
And im regressing. Check this conversation out:
Karina // i'm loving my God! says:
and i love hi-5! hahahi wanna watch em in concert! hhahahah
oooooh
sesame street is coming to town
Karina // i'm loving my God! says:
yeah!!!
Karina // i'm loving my God! says:
and i wanna watch em too!
Karina // i'm loving my God! says:
hahaha
heheh....regressing here
Karina // i'm loving my God! says:
hahah yes!
Karina // i'm loving my God! says:
but heey.. cartoons/kid shows are nice..
Karina // i'm loving my God! says:
they're educational
indeed
Gosh. So many things to do. And not do.
So much time.
Ok people, ASK ME OUT!
PS: Kenneth, xiaowen or pema, if youre reading this and if youre free during the hols, can you fill me in on what you guys learnt in french 4? I think i may wanna sit for the..oh shoots..whats that test called?
Brain,mind or whoever's in my head, please dont leave me.
Tuesday, May 02, 2006
Intellectual smintellectual: Evolution
A online conversation with A. Prof John Elliot (JE):
Me: Dear Sir,
Might I just ask something which may not seem to be of relevance but is rather interesting? I remember you saying in lectures that homosexuality is something that is more and more obviously shown to be linked to biological reasons.
I was revising for another module yesterday when i chanced upon an article that challeges that homosexuality can be traces to genetics/biology. The writer argues and wonders how evolution would allow for such genes to be passed down if, from an evolutionary perspective, human beings are made to reproduce and therefore passing such genes down would not be beneficial at all...
So in that case, gender/sexual orientation is then determined by psycho/socialisation etc?
Personally, Im quite on the fence really. But it would be interesting to hear what you think about this, especially about the evolution bit...
Thanks!
JE: Its a very good question. The existence of biologically counterproductive conditions is difficult to account for within an evolutionary perspective, because they clearly do not have any reproductive survival value. Several suggestions have been made for the case of homosexuality, all of which suggest that it is an incidental consequence of some other advantages. Here are three possibilities (this is not ehxaustive):
1. homosexual people 'invest in' (help) their relatives because they do not have children of their own. families with a proportion of homosexual children may therefore end up caring for them better than those which do not. The main objection to this is that there is little evidence to support it.
2. that homosexuals tend to be more creative, and that these things are genetically linked, so that the chances of being gay increase if you are creative, but that creativity is a useful quality, it helps you invent new tools, discover new things, and generally is of value; it may also be of value in attracting mates. On this view honosexuality is an occasional side effect of creativity. It too lacks evidence, though.
3. that women who have homosexual sons are also more fertile, and espcially, have more daughters. There is evidence for this published recently in the Proceedings of the Royal Society, though I do not have the reference handy at this momnet. On this view, homosexual sons are a side effect of advantageous fertility, and the benefits (in total numbers of offspring) outweigh the costs (of some of them never having children of their own). This is the least speculative account; it accounts only for male homosexuality.
Regards
John Elliott
Me: I see. So if that is the case, homosexuals make up for their inability to contribute to continuity (reproduction) by serving some function or other.
Thanks!
JE:Not under option 3.
Me: Actually I dont quite agree that they dont serve a function with regard to point number 3.
Since they are not inclined to reproduce, and even if they did, they would be less fertile (as mentioned in your reply to Zijun), then perhaps, in some way, they serve as somewhat of a 'population control' to make up for the fact that their mothers are very fertile.
This is highly speculative on my part but could that be a possibility?
JE: Well, this suggestion does not make sense in evolutionary theory, because there is no design for the good of the species or to control populations in that theory. Evolution is not about what's good for the species, it is about the unintended consequences of differential reproductive success of individuals.
Of course, viewed from a social perspective one could say that population control was helped by the existence of homosexual individuals. But that is not their biological function, and its not why they exist, which was the original question to be answered.
JE
Me: Well, perhaps my conception of what evolution is all about requires more thinking.
I mean if we are not evolved for the good of the species then why do we have natural selection? Which correct me if im wrong, is essentially about preserving the 'good stuff' and getting rid of the non-beneficial traits.
Which was what therefore led me to pose that question in the first place. But I think I am grasping what you mean (i hope), in that in the end, it is ultimately about unintended outcomes of reproductions, which would perhaps then, serve as a platform for futher refinement in future?
In any case, thank you very much for entertaining my queries. I've always been intrigued about this topic!
JE: We ae not evolved "for" anything. We are just evolved! What you see is the result of a process of evolution, but it was undertaken with anything in mind.
Well, you can always do PL4214, if you do honours, or UAS3006 if you are a scholar.
JE
Me: Dear Sir,
Might I just ask something which may not seem to be of relevance but is rather interesting? I remember you saying in lectures that homosexuality is something that is more and more obviously shown to be linked to biological reasons.
I was revising for another module yesterday when i chanced upon an article that challeges that homosexuality can be traces to genetics/biology. The writer argues and wonders how evolution would allow for such genes to be passed down if, from an evolutionary perspective, human beings are made to reproduce and therefore passing such genes down would not be beneficial at all...
So in that case, gender/sexual orientation is then determined by psycho/socialisation etc?
Personally, Im quite on the fence really. But it would be interesting to hear what you think about this, especially about the evolution bit...
Thanks!
JE: Its a very good question. The existence of biologically counterproductive conditions is difficult to account for within an evolutionary perspective, because they clearly do not have any reproductive survival value. Several suggestions have been made for the case of homosexuality, all of which suggest that it is an incidental consequence of some other advantages. Here are three possibilities (this is not ehxaustive):
1. homosexual people 'invest in' (help) their relatives because they do not have children of their own. families with a proportion of homosexual children may therefore end up caring for them better than those which do not. The main objection to this is that there is little evidence to support it.
2. that homosexuals tend to be more creative, and that these things are genetically linked, so that the chances of being gay increase if you are creative, but that creativity is a useful quality, it helps you invent new tools, discover new things, and generally is of value; it may also be of value in attracting mates. On this view honosexuality is an occasional side effect of creativity. It too lacks evidence, though.
3. that women who have homosexual sons are also more fertile, and espcially, have more daughters. There is evidence for this published recently in the Proceedings of the Royal Society, though I do not have the reference handy at this momnet. On this view, homosexual sons are a side effect of advantageous fertility, and the benefits (in total numbers of offspring) outweigh the costs (of some of them never having children of their own). This is the least speculative account; it accounts only for male homosexuality.
Regards
John Elliott
Me: I see. So if that is the case, homosexuals make up for their inability to contribute to continuity (reproduction) by serving some function or other.
Thanks!
JE:Not under option 3.
Me: Actually I dont quite agree that they dont serve a function with regard to point number 3.
Since they are not inclined to reproduce, and even if they did, they would be less fertile (as mentioned in your reply to Zijun), then perhaps, in some way, they serve as somewhat of a 'population control' to make up for the fact that their mothers are very fertile.
This is highly speculative on my part but could that be a possibility?
JE: Well, this suggestion does not make sense in evolutionary theory, because there is no design for the good of the species or to control populations in that theory. Evolution is not about what's good for the species, it is about the unintended consequences of differential reproductive success of individuals.
Of course, viewed from a social perspective one could say that population control was helped by the existence of homosexual individuals. But that is not their biological function, and its not why they exist, which was the original question to be answered.
JE
Me: Well, perhaps my conception of what evolution is all about requires more thinking.
I mean if we are not evolved for the good of the species then why do we have natural selection? Which correct me if im wrong, is essentially about preserving the 'good stuff' and getting rid of the non-beneficial traits.
Which was what therefore led me to pose that question in the first place. But I think I am grasping what you mean (i hope), in that in the end, it is ultimately about unintended outcomes of reproductions, which would perhaps then, serve as a platform for futher refinement in future?
In any case, thank you very much for entertaining my queries. I've always been intrigued about this topic!
JE: We ae not evolved "for" anything. We are just evolved! What you see is the result of a process of evolution, but it was undertaken with anything in mind.
Well, you can always do PL4214, if you do honours, or UAS3006 if you are a scholar.
JE
Undergrads
Yup! So I was liberated from the exams a couple hours ago....FREEEEEDOM!!!!!
:)
Watching this cartoon called Undergrads on Youtube now..you should have a look at some of the episodes if youre bored.
OOh, and while youre at it, check out this guy Anthony Callea. I think some of you might have heard me talking about how lovely his voice is. He is the runner up in Australian Idol. But if there is one song which you must hear him sing, and which is incidentally the first song i heard him singing and which heh, got me hooked is his rendition of "The Prayer". Dont watch the one which he performed in front of the queen in the church cos the sound really sucks. Check out the one where he performed on the Idol show itself.
And yes, i maintain that he has the best voice ive heard from any Idol contestant anywhere. He's like 10000 times better than any american idol. Dont even bother comparing with the local one. Heh.
YOU MUST LISTEN TO HIM!!!!!! And while youre at it, you must bear in mind that he was just a contestant while performing..and yet he exude such style and profession lah! And after that, if youre not impressed, check out the other songs he sang. He's freaking versatile! And his audition was like WHOA.
Such a nice clean, strong voice.
:)
Ahh....
Vacation...:)
:)
Watching this cartoon called Undergrads on Youtube now..you should have a look at some of the episodes if youre bored.
OOh, and while youre at it, check out this guy Anthony Callea. I think some of you might have heard me talking about how lovely his voice is. He is the runner up in Australian Idol. But if there is one song which you must hear him sing, and which is incidentally the first song i heard him singing and which heh, got me hooked is his rendition of "The Prayer". Dont watch the one which he performed in front of the queen in the church cos the sound really sucks. Check out the one where he performed on the Idol show itself.
And yes, i maintain that he has the best voice ive heard from any Idol contestant anywhere. He's like 10000 times better than any american idol. Dont even bother comparing with the local one. Heh.
YOU MUST LISTEN TO HIM!!!!!! And while youre at it, you must bear in mind that he was just a contestant while performing..and yet he exude such style and profession lah! And after that, if youre not impressed, check out the other songs he sang. He's freaking versatile! And his audition was like WHOA.
Such a nice clean, strong voice.
:)
Ahh....
Vacation...:)