After a long 3 years wait...my 1st academic results

Ok, above are my results for the 1st semester of my university academic studies. Overall got a GPA=4.2 (Full marks is 5.0), hitting a 2nd-upper honours grade currently. Not exactly impressive but I believe this will suffice for now. I should say it has been a thrilling experience in checking my results.

The past semester had been quite a chore as I really struggled, especially in the beginning to play catch up academically. 2 years of college life I wasted away not studying and another 2+ years of serving the army really cleared my brain of much information. If anyone is to ask me what's my greatest regret in my life, I would say wasting my college years away...those were the days, too young, too immature in handling my own life, only living to regret.

I really have to thank the people who aided me lots in my pursue of lost time and knowledge, my chemistry "shifu", Stella; Econs I had Alfred, Alvin and Yilin; Physics I had Biochemistry and Siya's Atkins to thank...and last but not least, the biology modules not forgetting Shiyun and Xiuwen too!! All of you really made a difference...if not for you, maybe I won't even be passing...and these are real heartfelt words from me ok, you don't hear them often from me!

I know some people like KT might want to murder me for writing this. However, with the exception of HE191(econs) and BS102, I was expecting better results for 104 and 101. Not that it's boasting or whatever, it's just achievable by everyone in fact. Better luck in the next semester? Perhaps...i'm going to strive next semester...no more bugging economics...i'll need a 4.75 go pull me up to 4.5 though!! I suppose after this semester of "finding my brain", I should be capable of greater feats. So let's all just work hard together...no more 2 tutorials for you KT, you better make my bet worth it, i'm betting you'll do at least 4 tutorials this coming sem!!! GAMBATTE Singaporeans, we mustn't lose to foreign talents!!

Past Event: 26 Dec 06, Cousin's Trip to Singapore

Apologies to readers!! Been blogging about past events for the past few posts...blame the earthquake in Taiwan for the inaccessibility to blogger. Guess this will be the last past events post. I'll try to be as current as possible in my postings from now on!

As stated in my title, this post shall be on my cousin, Ping Yee and her boyfriend's visit to our lovely country Singapore. Their 1st day was been entertained by another cousin and my sister.
As for their 2nd day here, I was supposed to bring them to the zoo as many will already know by now...lolx...i was finding companions to accompany me to reduce my 'brightness'! Did all the planning the night before, expected the weather to be cleared but of all times...unexpectedly, some rain clouds decide to drop by Singapore and was pouring from 1am onwards, hence thwarting the plans made for zoo. Called up the zoo in the morning and was told that there is almost no indoor enclosures for viewing...so changed of plans. Decided to bring them to 2 places namely:

1) Singapore Discovery Centre
2) National Museum

Sounds boring right? Guess anyone will go "Oh...boring place" etc...I did too!! I confess but it definitely beats going Vivocity again for a 3rd time ok?! (PS: Anyone suggest going vivo again, please make sure you don't call me along). Somemore these 2 places just finished their renovations and revampment. 1st stop travelling in the rain-->Discovery Centre.

I honestly wonder what has Discovery Centre been doing with their funds. After such a long period of renovation, it still sort of ends up as a National Education centre for recruits. Walking around the place can get quite disappointing, the rain didn't make things any better. The main highlights would be the 3D animation show, the bus-ride into SAFTI MI to view the officer cadet school and last but not least, let my cousin and her bf try out our SAF's SAR21 simulated firing.

A picture of older cousin Ah Ping and younger cousin Nicholas 3 years back....when I was still a botak head recruit...lol...

This is the now Ah Ping and her boyfriend, Han Chen...the family says that boyfriend and my cousin Nicholas looks alike, what say you?

This robot used to be walking around the Discovery Centre...now it's just a display item?

A tour of the officer cadet training school, SAFTI MI...this is the tower...people who wore green should know of this tower...

After the Discovery centre trip, took them back to Jurong Point where I treated them to a sumptous lunch at Crystal Jade Restaurant, not the La Mian Xiao Long Bao branch though, I thought the other branch might have better food and dim sum. Cost quite a bit but I think it's money well spent!! The food's fabulous and the ambience and service is great too...never regretted a time I dine at Crystal Jade. Thinking back now makes me drool again...dim sum....

This is no doubt a luxurious meal...but never come fight with me for payment ok! When guests come from afar, i'm the host...so it'll be my treat...just eat happy. And when I get to go over, just play a good host to me next time! lolx...

This is my '港式水饺面' aka Hong Kong style dumpling noodles...real nice....it take skill to make the noodles nice and springy...

This is Han Chen's '牛腩面' aka Cow's belly noodles...the noodle's real crispy...and the sauce is green curry....oishi!!

This is Ah Ping's '牛肉炒饭' aka beef fried rice...smells really nice ok!! Can smell it from afar...!!

The Dim Sum is real nice...especially the Char Siew Puffs and the Char Siew Chee Cheong Fun...simply heavenly...I make make special mention of the Puffs...real soft, you can't get them outside...even the edges where you expect the dough to be hard, they are actually real soft!!

After lunch, it's another long 174 journey down to the National Museum...in fact, was expecting it to be another boring trip...much to my surprise...the newly renovated museum has got some real nice ambience and artistic flair added to it!! I paid $5 for student rate though...that's the only good thing about being a student.

Cousin and boyfriend's picture...I like the dome

I really like the dome....the transparency of the glass ceiling...would be lovely if they have lights on the dome at night...view will be superb

Inside 1 of the Singapore History Galleries...the security guard says no pictures...but who cares? I even got him into the picture!

The only photo of me for this whole trip...behind me is the merlion...looks more like a sea lion to me...

Ok, this is interesting....I never knew photo negatives were the exact size as that of the photos in the past!! They really are huge...

This is a unique christmas tree...made up purely of wooden shavings...and shaped like horns...

This is a super large screen along the hallway...remember those zappy images on TV when you don't get a channel in the past? However there are different images amongst these apparently randomised dots...

I love the ambience of the top level of the museum...blue lighting...just gives everyone there a sense of calm and tranquility...visit it if you have the chance. Anyway, those are some funny comics at the top level...rather interesting
So that about concludes my journey as a tourist...in fact, I must confess that I haven't been to these places in a long time...disgraceful as a local Singaporean right? Don't even know much about our own stuff...

Looks similar??

Ok, here we have our friend Fish, and we have the singer Eason Chan....i find their lips strangely similar....a trait of hongkies??? lolx...

I think Fish needs more curly hair....get a better voice, grow a little taller....then he might be a good match!!!

Past Event: 13 Dec 06-Uni Chalet at Costa Sands(Downtown East)- Part III

Sleepover Phase

A continuation from the previous post...this will be the final portion on the uni chalet. Most of the people left for home, only leaving behind Siya, Wanting, KT, Alvin, Zhiwei and me. Brandon and Suihar abandoned us for home. In future we get an outing, we must make them sign a contract stating compensation for broken hearts, loss of atmosphere etc for last minute withdrawals. It was bridge as usual...the gambling queen, Wanting decided to learn another game besides her favourite mahjong.

Hmm....which colour should I take??
The 3 lady gossipers...
The 4 Gambling Kings and Queens
Alvin and me were sleeping around until I was thrown off the bed when the gambling quadruplets decide to play mahjong. I was woken up and towards the end played a few rounds of mahjong before going into hibernation mode again....not long after that, everyone followed suit!! Talk about not sleeping....bah...

This is just unsightly, KT and Wanting had a rendezous right in from of our very eyes...
Refuses to get up???
Tickling begins for sleepyheads....haha...we discovered Wanting's feet got 1 mole!!

Coming to an end to the chalet at long last....didn't realise Downtown East Resorts provides morning wake-up calls too to remind us to check out by 10.30am. Anyway, checked out, went Pasir Ris and settled brunch at mac...then off we go....dozing off on the long train ride....Zzzzz

Past Event: 13 Dec 06-Uni Chalet at Costa Sands(Downtown East)- Part II

BBQ Phase

Rain simmers to an almost stop and off me and Alvin head to the pit to get the fire started first while the rest take their time to stream down slowly with the rest of the food etc. Less words here though...enjoy the pictures....descriptions will be along with the pictures for interesting ones. Enjoy!!

Weather's all fine and sunny...that's Suihar and me trying to get the sausages opened and Sandy staring in wide amazement!
The guys who "stay" together: Alvin and KT
Group Picture at the BBQ Pit
From Left: Sandy, Eunice, Suihar, Me, Zhiwei and Alvin. KT's presence is to block the spotlight
Granny Wanting with her grand-daughters
Suihar with Jasmine
Glutton at work: KT's 1st 'stick'
Glutton at work: KT's 1st mushroom...not even cooked and he can't wait...
Brandy doing calligraphy on food...Siya? Don't know talking to who man....

Me bbq-ing....again, I wonder who Siya's talking to??
Glutton strikes again: KT's 1st 'meat'

Brandy painting, me staring...
Night falls...was this before or after the rain?? I just noticed a symmetry...2 whites on left and right, 1 orange in centre...Jasmine's replaced by Wanting in a later photo...

4 straight,---1 crooked...Zhiwei, Alvin, Me, Brandy, --- KT

Close-up on Suihar...laughing with food in her mouth.....lolx...This is a funny picture...only those there knows what happened man...imagine the photographer counting 1,2,3 and telling the food to smile...

Glutton strikes after rain: KT's 1st kebab
Wanting's turn to strike for food...I remembered we had the series on Wanting's 1st food too...she deleted them?? Anyway, KT and Wanting make a real good match....too bad though...
Girls' group picture...7 sisters of T3...Suihar, Yenni, Eunice, Wanting, Sandy, Siya and Jasmine
Final Group Picture for the night....

BBQ time was the highlight of the event when full attendance was achieved with arrival of Brandon. He was supposed to come at 2pm, but came at around 8pm?? Haha...all of us thought he went to run a triathlon or something for the inter-school game. Quite a fun and eventful night with people running each other down, Wanting poking fun of most people especially Alvin, and me being her nemesis...rowdy group we have over here. It's just like a small orientation BBQ for the few of us. Anyway, each of us had our share of fun I supposed.

Just to make it relevant, there's the video clip titled 'I'm Cute' by Wanting....

After the BBQ, gambling started again but this time with bridge. Sorry no photos on the event as the photographers are 'busy' with cards and me too dead to move. Btw, the exact clip was posted previously. Check my previous entry if interested. Wanting got played out by us....haha...cheers!

Past Event: 13 Dec 06-Uni Chalet at Costa Sands(Downtown East)- Part I

Preparation and check-in

1pm, a few of us namely Alvin, Zhiwei, Siya and me met at Pasir Ris MRT first before we proceeded to buy the remaining food stuff etc And thank goodness these 3 people joined me, i can't imagine me carrying all the stuff to chalet alone...correction, i won't even get out of NTUC with all those stuff. I'll put up the stunning receipt later on in the post... So off we went to chalet by taking the Bus 354 and alighting at Downtown East Resort.

Zhiwei checked in while we wait..suddenly all of us felt so old!!! Almost all those going to chalet are young secondary school kids taking up the majority?? And most of these people are in their teens?? Suddenly 21 seems like a big number...really a ticket to adulthood, it makes me feel old. Took the key, settled the admin stuff and off we go to Block K, Room 2305. Went in, unloaded all the stuff we brought, packed and sorted them and lastly allocated places for our food preparation, bags dumping area, gambling den and food storage etc. Sent out the sms with room information to the rest of the people and off the 4 of us start preparing the food for the bbq. Too bad no pictures on the preparation process because the photographer is a gambler and the camera provider is a hongkie...lolx...anyway, food preparation took a LONG time. Only Siya, Zhiwei, Alvin and me were actively preparing the food. Alvin really did a lot man...we shall talk more about his contributions later.

1)Prepared the kebab meat from chicken thighs by fat removal, deboning and dicing them.
2)Prepared the stingray with nice sambal and 'finely' chopped onions.
3)Prepared the drumlets and marinate them.
4)Making of the kebabs(meat, capsicum, onions) and 1 stick of satay.
5)Thawed the fish fillet...

Sandy and Eunice were the first guests to arrive, followed by Wanting...and gambling started immediately. Talk about the gambling queen...cards, mahjong set all proudly sponsored by her.

Some picts below:

At the check-in counter, don't know what on earth's the mango and grapes doing on x'mas deco
Brandy's not here yet....sigh
Gamblers of Bioscience T3
Brandy's still not here....
Alvin's alone after preparing for bbq...KT's taking up all the space

Past Event: Dinner with Sebastian(20 Dec 06)

Ok Bernie, this post's to commemorate Sebastian celebrating a late 21st birthday with me and also for your eyes k!! He's in arts, your junior, so don't tell me no guys in arts for you to be attached with. He's young and innocent, tame like a lamb and gentle like sheep.

Grass...all those are grass
This is Sebastian
盐酥鸡 as they call it