Sat@Home

Suddenly I realised the preciousness of a lazy Saturday :P ... morning only that is...

Well, I guess for now I would definitely need the rest. Things are still a bit unsettled, though my room is mostly done, with my clothes and all moved in... There is still quite a bit of space to store some more stuff!! Well, I am surprised indeed. For 2 persons worth of clothes, we indeed do not require a very big wardrobe *recalling "Sex n the city" Carrie's wardrobe*

"Sex n the City" was indeed a blast I feel, all packed with witty dialogues and definitely not excluding the U.S.-drama-serials-formula of hunks and babes and erotic scenes and innuendos... But well, it's all in all a show filled with emotions and flesh-and-blood and sentiments nonetheless even if you minus the sex (well it's SEX and the city) and whatever else that comes with that. No wonder the drama series have excellent review and no wonder the cinema was full... I enjoyed the show pretty much and was laughing and grinning my way through. I dunno about YC though, he seems pretty quiescent though he was the one who suggested watching the show...

Good to know that I am mixing well with my colleagues. Getting a little awkward fitting in but was happy to note that people are making the effort, and I should make mine too. Had a beer party yesterday at work!! Though it's not really fantastic, the turnout was pretty good I guess. I went to grab one can with some of the guys... IV was there too, dint see the rest of the girls from my level though. Just one can got me quite a bit of non-itchy rashes from yesterday night till today. Dun think it's worth it haha cos I think let's just say I still like German beer.

If you realised, I have been using only initials nowadays. My convention would probably be following the syllabus of the name. Read an article on blogging yesterday and realised that I am subjecting my friends to possible danger by stating their names blatantly out in this supposedly-only-friends-come-but-not-in-actuality place. So I shall refrain, to save my friends from more harm. In any case, people who knows what I am talking about will know la. All for the greater good :P
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Third day, the overnight train took us to Da Nang then a coach ride to Hoi An, a UNESCO world heritage town, because also it preserved one of the oldest buildings in Southeast Asia. Seriously, a little petite town, still filled with vibrancy though when you decided to walk around the place. True to the rainy season, it started to rain again. But this time, dunno if it's because it's a lady tour guide, she was more meticulous to our needs apparently. We had raincoats!! Albeit flimsy ones, at least there's something to block the rain off. Ya, I tore my raincoat yes.... We strolled along the *edit* Thu Bon River in the rain.


The hotel was superb!! I love our room manz, it opens up to a small swimming pool!! And they have flowers on the beds haha.. Find it damn cute. Seriously very nice. No complaints manz, plus the service was very good too!



Now now whose idea was it to put flowers to ward off the smell of their socks?
Despite tiredness, we played Taboo and cards and drink Vietnamese beer, think it was Saigon beer. It was great fun!! HAHA... Laugh until we spit beer LOLX... Amazingly I dint get any rashes! Weird, something they dint put which the others did.... Not a beer person apparently....




And we celebrated ZH's birthday!! Terrific way to have a birthday celebration in a posh-looking Chinese restaurant with friends all around and the tour agency gave him a cake and flowers! The restaurant auntie gave him a hug!! HAHA!! Damn funny la! The girls made him carry the flowers all the way to Hue lo haha...

ZH, EV and I decided to have breakfast on our own, so here is our first 路边摊 food - beef noodles!! I like the food :p Definitely a touristy little town lo... But nice.

My Office Desk

I got my desk at work today as well!! With my own phone and desktop to boot... Though I haven't gotten my desktop, I heard I gonna get a 19" (or was it 22") screen, and a dual core desktop CPU!! Ok big screen... haha...

Well but I am on probation... Hopefully I get past this stage to be officially employed... My boss looks like a no-nonsense guy with high standards... So I think I will have to work harder.... Things are still shaky at the moment definitely, as in nothing's festgelegt; room's not ready, work's not totally taken over, everything's a mess. But oh well, quite trivial actually everything haha; alright i am just complaining... And I got my second upper so who cares? Oops, did I mention I got my second upper? LOLX.. Thanks to my FYP distinction LOLX and I have this sentence to thank: "I have full confidence in you." Think it contains "alot" of meanings in there HA! O well, now I AM officially in the working world.

I am truly grateful though, to my upper, Adrian, for painstakingly taking time off to teach me the complicated ropes and he even offered to teach me via MSN after last week!! Think I can't find a better teacher than this.. And also to Chee Seng, for making me feel at home and always lending me a hand... Well, in the house of married men, I can only say I have lots to learn haha...

And TC's getting married!!! Congrats!! Haven't seen the lucky girl =P I am sure they make a good couple. I better mark that day on my calendar and that makes 2 married frens liaoz... *edit* TC's going MIT to study phD, and his wife-to-be is following him there. All the best!!
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Second day at Vietnam was off to the Mekong River!! One of the longest river in the world, flowing through more than 5 countries!! I like water - rivers, seas, lakes etc... I think I have a certain affinity with water, though I dun exactly love swimming, I love diving. Anyway the trip to the river was really cool... Went to visit this Kampong-like place where we tasted coconut beer, sweets, delicious cart food, play with a python, play amongst bees and honey, sat on a donkey-driven cart and ate delicious fruits which are head-sized big!! Amazing!! Pictures speak a thousand words~~~





Our lunch was filled with fish... Hahha, the big round thing is actually fish cake!! It's empty inside but a bit sweet and crispy when you bite. The whole table is full of seafood lo!! Check out the fish in Kang Min's hands! Think it's a piranha!!

After the day out at the river, we head out to the train station for an overnight train ride to Da Nang and Hoi An, a world heritage town. Overnight train ride was another big experience. We divided up 4 girls and 3 guys. Things that guys do and girls do when they r bored are so different.... HAHA! Well for us, we just fish out a laptop for a versus fighting game!! And check out the thing that I and Elvin bought for breakfast - eggs with the embryonic veins popping out, meaning the chick embryo is in formation... Looked so dodgy and to me it looks a bit irksome.... Well, we disposed of it, cos creepy just by looking at them.... ie we went without breakfast... *edit* Apparently this thingy, according to Tipin, is a delicacy from the Philippines, called Balut... The Wiki images give me the creeps...

Recollections

Ok sorry for the long delay... First week at work was more or less orientation. Expecting next week to be a hell week for me... Hopefully I dun take in too much arrows and die of injuries LOLX...

Just chatted on msn with one of my old frens from JC... Reminiscing about stuff in JC... Realised all the weird things we do back then; that's what make JC one of the most dramatic experiences of my life. Well, I guess when u get older u tend to look back at the things u do and laugh it off.... I think at 40 I will probably see all the things that I did in Uni and laugh as well haha :P We decided finally to have a HCJC 00S79 class outing once again before more people starts going overseas again!! But well, do hope everybody make an effort to turn up, even if it's a special short appearance. Would be nice to meet everyone again after so many years... It's been so long, OMG!

I got my OWN room!! Finally... For 25 years of my life, other than 3 months in Munich where I have my OWN room, this is the FIRST time in my entire life I have my VERY OWN room... To those people who has the luxury of possessing your own room, own bed, own table and own 4 walls, you wouldn't understand the yearning and rantings of a 25-year-old who is suffering a dun-have-own-room syndrome. BUT please do treasure what you have :P
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On the plane

In the coach

At the airport

I shall start chronologically from Vietnam trip first LOLX... First day landed was at Ho Chi Minh City! Was really excited, cos first time in Vietnam mah... Plus Rino the guide was quite spunky and vivacious for a start. So not too bad for a first day!

Went to Cu Chi Tunnel!! Finally get to see it. Was so mad about it after I watched 世界正美丽, and saw how intriguing it is. The way the Viet Cong fought off the Americans and the ways the Americans retaliated futilely. I even bought a book on it! And I am the only one who got to go into that small hole, well cos, I volunteered HA! Damn, my shoulders nearly couldn't fit in... Cannot turn around lo after I go in (the 3 small pics at top). No wonder the American soldiers whom I reckon to be far bigger sized than I am can't get through that hole... We get to go through part of the tunnel though. Had to squat and half crawl half walk. Wet somemore, but fun la haha!

YEAH!

And you all should have seen all the traps... WHOA... Scary lo, just by looking at them, gives me the creeps. War really brings out the gore and worst of people.

Then it started to pour!! As in really rain heavily. Drenched from head to toe, thankful for my waterproof shoes! Thanks mum for forcing me to buy those shoes after I come back from Germany! Something I found quite funny was Rino continued the whole tour in the rain!! Lucky for him, we are young people lo... Else damn jialat...

Dinner!
(left front to back) ZH, El, YT (right F to B) J, KM, YY

But well, we got treated to good food and good hotel rooms thereafter. No complaints :P

Check out the cuttlefishes!!

Karaoke behind me!! Wanted to K, but no time lo.... Haha... Was looking forward to Hanoi where Ph might bring us, cos apparently most of these provide "special services" other than singing, so good to bring a Vietnamese friend along for ya know easier communication. But too bad, some stuff cropped up so wasn't able to... The first understandable song I heard in Vietnam was a 张栋梁 song. ZH and I were so shocked!! HAha LOLX...Coffee at well-known coffee place, Trung Nguyen which has a franchise across all Vietnam; Vietnam is famous for coffee btw. They have free WiFi in this cafe, and lots more other cafes, we soon found out HAHA... Damn zai!

Changing phases

Finally get down to blogging after 2 weeks absence in Vietnam and Bangkok.... Vietnam trip was nice. Although the noise pollution and air pollution are no doubt daunting, the people are beautiful, albeit a bit short. And the tour was nice, albeit lesser freedom, it was nevertheless fun to travel together with the compbio people. Get to know them a little better, especially Joyce and of course ZH (our gene pool theories and TukTuk adventures HAHA!). I wouldn't say closer, but definitely better. In any case, I was glad also to see Ph happily engaged to her fiance, haha; both of them so sweet together, though her fiance looks rather serious to me, but the others begged to differ... I will put up some of the photos shortly and a brief recount of the days.. All in due time~~~

Felt really sorry for not being able to attend Ph's wedding but really wish her all the best and shall meet up when she comes back to Singapore with her fiance. Hopefully we throw a big party for her.

Bangkok trip for me was seriously mainly about visiting Th and Kw, and I was hoping possibly Man. But well Man's in his own province nursing a wound (I heard), think he should be fine, given his 乐天personality. I am so so glad they are all doing fine and happy and having lotsa plans for their future: Thip wants to set up her own company, Kw wants to pursue a phD and Man is currently working in Singapore. Jiayou!! Till the next time we meet...

Anyway this is the link for photos of the Bangkok trip:
http://picasaweb.google.com/cjieming/08051821Bangkok

However, I realised there is indeed this shopping crave in me as well HAHA!... Now I know why Bangkok is a shopping haven, because even for somebody who doesn't shop often, I and ZH are actually shopping MORE. Although you can imagine the girls.... The Chatuchat Market experience with them was truly amazing for me - an eye-opener indeed. Can you believe J buy things in dozens?!?!? YY is a pink fanatic - sounds familiar...

Went to help out at a compbio talk for Prof Low. Saw all the undergraduate-wannabes and realised how old I have become. Well, wasn't much people for the timeslot that I went; Prof Low said the afternoon batch has even more people. Met BW and PW who came to help. Dint speak to them a single word in my entire 4 years. Was mildly surprised when BW initiated talking to me; both are now pursuing phD. PW is doing SMA, and BW at Brenner Centre. Hopefully I can get my phD eventually, but well, for now, working is the best option for me, considering my situation at the moment. But planning should start soon, after everything falls more neatly into places...

And I am starting work TOMORROW!! Oh gosh! Looking forward yet having Angst for the new colleagues, Boss and work. Hopefully they are nice people... I wanna meet up with my old friends and old colleagues as well! Familiar yet foreign Biopolis... I guess tmr will have to be a string of admins as well.

Glad XL is enjoying (finally) her stay in France as well. That's good. It wouldn't be nice to be all blue and gloomy and away from everybody in a foreign land. Although I am going crazy here, I just have to wait I guess; hope she is not seriously considering extending her stay... But well, (should be) just glad that she is having fun and happy out there...

Taking flight in a new phase in life, with new resolutions, new directions and new considerations. May everything pans out nicely HA! *Murphy lurks*

Vietnam

Hallo greetings from Vietnam, people!! Hoi An to be exact, a World heritage site...

The internet access here is damn slow... I shall keep this entry short. When I return, I will update you all with all that happen. BTW, who said Vietnam is hot now!?!?!? It's f----ing raining everyday; rainy season!!! o well...

To all the compbio people still in Singapore (Yenching, Wanting, Leeyong blah) we r having so much fun here... And oh yes we have a task for u all for Phuong's wedding but we will tell you all later.. :P

Last paper.. Finally

Tomorrow is finally my last paper!!!

Then I am done with NUS...

Suddenly I have angst for the Structural Biology paper... Ok I am going to study now.

ST4240 over....

This is my second WTF kindda paper that has ever occurred in my NUS academic career. The previous one people left the exam hall feeling peeved and perturbed... But this time, people seemed indifferent, almost like this paper was nothing...

The paper was a shock and unexpected. Ya, he said it would be more difficult than the past year papers but that took me totally by surprise. Took me 5 min to recover from the initial shock. But well, the lecturer-cum-invigilator was nice; he gave us extra time to calm our nerves, I guess, or maybe only mine :(

Sowieso I calmed myself down and stop the panic alarm that was blaring off in my head. Tried to go through the questions one by one and finally found myself doing the questions... First thing I did today this morning was to tell myself to write at least something, so that the lecturer has at least SOMETHING to give me marks, even if it's 同情分.. But well, I need those, definitely. So Prof, if you are reading this please pass EVERYBODY! LOLX...

Felt worse enough, when I looked across the whole exam room and I was the only one with a huge pile of papers and books on the floor... LOLX... I am like moving the mess I made at my place to the exam room. Second rule which applies to most of my exams, I will look kiasu, kiasee and kia-watever-u-have, if that is what it takes to pass or do well, whichever depending on the circumstances.

My friend came out and told me she would pass, cos she could do 3 out of the 5 questions.... (Both of us were worried we would fail btw...) I was flabbergasted. She told me with such confidence, I am totally stunned... Then the rest of the class of super-brainy MICs would probably have breezed through them, cos my friend skipped more lectures than me and trust me, the lecture notes per se without the lectures, are not very much... I did all the questions, albeit 2 questions incomplete, I was not sure of ANY of the answers. She spoke such vivacity and gusto.... I am so so dead...

For the people who have been telling me NUS hard to fail if you study, it's pretty hard to imagine now... This is including the taxi driver who took me to school today. 33 came damn late and damn full, at peak hour. Taxi driver told me, "You last yr right? Relac le la. Not worried about the exam right? Got study I am sure you will be fine..." He was droning on and on. But well he was good-natured so I let him talk, while I gave him half-hearted answers.

I am a worry-freak by nature when it comes to this kinda thing, though I will get over it after a good sleep which I am yearning for now... And of course to see XL tonight.. Dun wanna disturb her studying for the time being with more of my complaints (since I already did for a while) which could take even more time HA!

And she told me a piece of good news about her interview! So happy for her!!! HAHA! Yeah yeah, go wow them off their socks dear! Beat YC and TP LOLX! GOGO! That sort of eradicated part of my moodiness... Good news which come as surprises always do :P

Ending this paper means I have only one last one to go... One last bloody paper... A bit more relaxed cos I am more confident of it. For today, just today at least, rid me please of ALL exam-related stuff...

Sat's squash and Sun's Kbox - I am looking forward to you