怪叔叔

December. The season of the year again.

Christmas.



I've always felt that people - for centuries - have deemed Santa Clause way too kindly. There's this stereotype. Everyone just thinks of a old, chubby, kind-looking, fat old man with a pot-belly. Rotund. Bouncy. Kind. Friendly. Good with children. Love kids. Always in red. With a sack full of presents. All smiles and white beard. Hohoho.



WRONG!



He is not as harmless as people like to think.

You'd better watch out. You'd better not cry. For he makes a list and checks it twice. He knows who's naughty and who's nice. Not only that, but he also knows when you're sleeping, when you're awake, when you're good, and when you're bad.

In short? He's always WATCHING you.



I don't know, but he sounds like a sick and obsessed STALKER to me.



For sure, won't want any of my kids to sit on the laps of such a 怪叔叔 in future.

Hohoho!


P.S. The lover in the Puff Daddy's every-step-you-take-every-move-you-make-every-single-day-everytime-I-pray-I'll-be-watching-you song reminds me of a stalker as well.

HOLS

In the blinking of an eye, the holidays are drawing to a close in real time. Feels quite disheartening, because, you know, my last day of lessons is on 26th Nov. I've not enjoyed enough! And now, there's only 3 weeks left, and I'll be off to a full-time job on a permanent basis! *groans*

Nevertheless, it has been a good holiday. On a personal public level, I've baked apple pie (twice), chocolate cookies (twice), chocolate cake (twice), made meat dumplings (twice), cooked a little here and there, and met up with people here and there. Jogging? Hmmm... Next week, maybe. Goodness me, it's been... Like... 3 months since I've last jogged? (horrors! The flab!!!)

Apart from these, I've - gradually - also taken up reading as a leisure activity; and I'm loving every minute of it! There's so much to be learned!

Over the past two months (October and November), I've been purchasing books. I've spent, like, definitely more than a hundred and fifty bucks (despite the 20% members' special discount). Sigh...

ITEMS BOUGHT:
1. Fireproof: Never Leave Your Partner by Eric Wilson (finished)
2. My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult (finished)
3. Handle With Care by Jodi Picoult (finished)
4. Man and Wife by Tony Parsons (finished)
5. Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus by John Gray (finished. Just last night)
6. The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman (reading. At Chapter 1)
7. Why Men Want Sex and Women Need Love by Allan and Barbara Pease (reading. At Chapter 2)
8. Outliers by Malcom Gladwell (reading. At Chapter 5)
9. Why Mars and Venus Collide by John Gray (not yet read)
10. The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch (not yet read)



To make things worse, I've also a 20% members' discount voucher left. Valid till the end of Dec (which is like... 2 weeks time?). GRRR!!!

So, in a desperate bid to fully utilize the discount voucher, I went online earlier to check out the catalog and - lo and behold! - started "arrowing".

The results?

TARGET ITEMS:
1. What the Dog Saw by Malcolm Gladwell (confirmed)
2. Have a Little Faith by Mitch Albom (confirmed)
3. The Definitive Book of Body Language by Allan and Barbara Pease
4. The Time Traveller's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
5. Key To Living The Law Of Attraction by Jack Canfield
6. Lead like Jesus by Ken Blanchard and Phil Hodges
7. A Gift to My Children: A Father's Lessons For Life and Investing by Jim Rogers
8. Why You Act The Way You Do by Tim Lahaye

(Those unconfirmed target items are books which I have yet to physically "flip through" and read through a couple of pages for myself. All I've done is to read through a couple of online reviews. I can't wait to drop by the bookstore and check them out!)


Miscellaneous:
1. Inspired to Pray by Phil Pringle
2. Bible (MSG version)
3. Bible (NKJV version - to replace the current 4-year-old-plus. It's "growing hairs" and "shedding skin flakes" now. Sob...)



Books, books, books.
If only books rain from the sky.

VIRGO

I've always hated it whenever someone asks for my birth date, and later to proclaim (with an evil giggle, of course) : "Oh, your horoscope sign is Virgo!"

Nope, I am proud to be a Virgoan; and will always be - because it fits me well. I just plainly dislike the fact how people tend to associate the word "virgin" with "virgo". It is like a tag, a label. Pesky as a fly. (Just to clarify, the virgin of astrology is a symbol of self-improvement and fertility. So, stop snickering at the "virgin". Argghh!)

I'm not really a horoscope fan - I believe in a God who's almighty; but from time to time I do read up a little on personalities - just for the fun of it. I like how INTJ (by Myers Brigg Type Indicator) describes me to a T; how the descriptions of the typical Virgo is so uncannily spot-on.

Interesting.



I like being a Virgo!

SHE IS...

... Learning to work her Alexander thin.

Ok, ta!

6 + 6

It's worth it. Yes, it will be. Worth it.

Ting-ger-ling-ger-ling. Setting myself right before anything.

FOCUS!

2010, a year of "BOOMZ"!


I can't wait. Keep me strong, watch over, and protect me, meanwhile.



I'M HAPPY!

.

Just this sudden feel of... All of a sudden. Like a dark cloud.

There's only one thing to make it right.

MUST

Read this passage a few weeks ago. Was trying to remember why and when the word "must" was underlined. Man, I can't even remember. It must have been ages. Come to think of it, this is my first Bible, and has accompanied me for... 4 years and counting? Yep, should be, since I was 18 or 19 when I first came.

Anyway, was reading through this chapter. Came upon this passage, and alamak.

And, oh yeah, there are yellow, purple, and pink highlights. Each has it's own reason and significance, of course.

COMBS

I'm forever losing my combS.

I've lost 2 recently; for the past months.

Still not found yet.



And I've not combed my hair... Since... Tuesday night.

FB PAGES/GROUPS

I'm so amused.

There are so many pages/groups in FB; some of which are completely hilarious. Hilarious, but yet, painfully true at the same time.

Examples?

"When I was younger, I put my face close to the fan to hear my robot voice"
"If I step on a leaf that looks crunchy but isn't crunchy, I get sad"
"I look to make sure the 'L' and 'R' headphones go in the correct ear"
"Don't text me when you can call me"
"I have to sing ABC's to know which letter comes before the other"
"Why yes, I do frequently burst out in songs"
"The Ten commandments of Chemistry"
"Sleeping while it's raining outside"
"Why text? Just call me!"
"I hate people that don't text back"
"Pretending to text in awkward situations"
"I want to punch slow walkers in the back of the head"
"Random laughter when remembering something"
"I hate waiting for a text, then receiving it when I am about to sleep"
"I see friends on MSN typing so I stop to see what they say, but so do they."


BRILLIANT!

And, yeah, I'm guilty of all.

DAVE & GID

2 weeks ago when I started on the book of Judges, one of the first things that struck me is: what makes Gideon so special?

The name "Gideon" first appears only in the 6th chapter of Judges, in verse 11. Prior to this, it was NOT mentioned in any of the books at all. Nothing about him or his life or his character or his growing up years or his favourite food.

What made me puzzled, is how ordinary Gideon seemed.

Gideon was just threshing wheat in the winepress of his father, Joash, when an Angel of the Lord appeared, spoke to him, and proclaimed promises to him. Just like that. WHAM-BOM-BAM!

And so, after the question mark has hung in my head for days, I posed the question to a friend last night. "Gideon." he replied, "Least of the least. Chosen to be one of the judges to deliver the children of Israel. Showing, and using the weak to shame the strong, as long as one is willing to be used."

"Just like David...?" I clarified.

"Yah."

(Had wanted to ask how did he know Gideon was the least of the least. Lucky. Just found it in verse 15 this morning)



I went to bed later that night. Gideon, strangely, was still lingering in my mind. Since days have passed the last I read about Gid, I revisited the passages again. Having read though the passages not too long ago, this time round was relatively easier; because some parts of the passages still look familiar.

I skimmed through the passages, this time picking out the important gists in each. Then, I noticed something which I didn't the first time round.

Gideon was threshing wheat in the winepress of his father, Joash, when an Angel of the Lord appeared and spoke to him. "The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor!" (verse 11 - 12)

Gideon said to Him, "O my lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about, saying, 'Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?' But now the Lord has forsaken us and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites." (verse 13)

Oh! How joyful and positive of Gideon. How merry he sounds.

Then the Lord replied, "Go in this might of yours, and you shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites. Have I not sent you?" (verse 14)

I don't know about you. To me, this conversation sounds like a monologue; each in his own world. It sounds as though Gideon had not spoken at all. Either that, or God had chosen not to hear at all.

And what is this "might of yours" that God was referring to? Gideon sounded as optimistic as a withering flower and as hyped up as a hibernating bear. The total opposite of gung ho David.



Later on in the story, in verse 27, Gid. took ten men from among his servants and did as the Lord had said (i.e. to tear down the altar of Baal). But because he feared his father's household and the men of the city too much to do it by day, he did it by night.

I took a double take. If it is written as "he did it by night because it was a wise decision to make" or something along that nature, it would sound so much more pleasant to the ears. BUT! Gideon did it by night because he FEARED the people. The reason behind the action was wrong in the first place.

Great. Now he sounds timid as well.



Soon, the people learned that Gid. was the culprit who tore down the altar, they were after his blood. Gid, then, asked God for His assurance and affirmations. Twice. And he received it. Twice, too.

The first time:

Gid. said, "If You will save Israel by my hands as You have said - look, I shall put a fleece of wool on the threshing floor; if there is dew on the fleece only, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that You will save Israel by my hand, as You have said." And it was so. (verse 37 - 38)

WOW! This is like a confirm-guarantee-chop-chop answer from heaven. Totally amazing and miraculous, isn't it?

What then, did our dear Gideon do?

"Do not be angry with me," he said, "but let me speak just once more: Let me test, I pray, just once more with the fleece; let it now be dry on the fleece, but on all the ground let there be dew." And God did so that night. (verse 39 - 40)

The profile portfolio?
Gideon: Pessimistic. Timid. And now? Doubtful as well.

Wonderful.



But, I realize, God doesn't see as we human do. Gideon sounds like a scardy cat. God looks beyond that.



When Gideon felt God has forsaken His people and doubted Him, God sees beyond that and still believed in Gideon. Why then, would God affirm him time and again ("mighty man of valour!", "Go in this might of yours")?

When Gideon, still full of doubt despite the first fleece of wool sign, God allowed Himself to be test yet again and fulfilled the second sign just as Gideon has requested. Not once, but twice.

It only sends one clear message: What we couldn't believe initially, God believes on our behalf. And draws us out slowly until we're ready.



Eventually? Gid defeated the Midianites, and led Israel for forty years. He had 70 sons, and died at a good old age.



David and Gideon. Loud and soft. Confident and uncertain. Brave and timid. Gung ho and fearful. Faith and doubt.

David and Gideon. Different as day and night.



One area they have in common?
Being the least of the least, humble, always seeking God, and willing to be used by Him.

AHHHH....

The only choral groups which I've ever supported (read: fan) in this life of mine are: Backstreet Boys, and DBSK.






If DBSK disbands, I'll be so sad, so sad, and so sad.

So SAD.

THE 10K RULE

You know what?

It takes 10,000 hours of practice to be a master in something.

This means that your dreams, your aims, and what you want to be good in, are only 10,000 HOURS AWAY FROM REACH.









As so are everybody's.



Herein the difference lies:
Would you step out? Would you make the sacrifice and keep to it? Would you maintain the self-discipline? Would you lurch into the deep? Would you persevere on? When things are not comfortable, would you still trust? When the going gets tough, would you still keep on keeping on?



Everything - more or less - always boil down to this:
It's not really about CAN you, but WOULD you?

One word: Willingness.

OSTRICHES

I've always liked ostriches.

I ADORE their disproportionally-sized small heads and big eyes.

Cute!

They look so awesomely clever. In a quirky and dorky way.

1.5hrs + 0.40hrs = 2.10hrs

Chemistry (CS1) batch; [January 2009 intake!]

Thursday was the very very very last day of the talk. This means that officially, our last day in campus as a trainee is drawing to a close. The next - and last - time we'll be back in campus would be on the 20th Jan 2010; for the Investiture Ceremony. This feels a little duh! Because my last graduation convocation was like, on the July of this year, which is, like, only 4 months ago? And now, graduation ceremony again? DUH.

Anyway, on Thursday, the talk ended at 1pm. A whole batch of us adjourned down to JP for lunch. It was quite horrible, because it was lunchtime. To make it worse, this is the last day of our trainee days. This implies that my group is not the only group to decide on a "farewell" lunch at the neighbouring mall. Uh-oh.

After much ado, we managed to get a seat for 10.

The service was horrible. Our ice water took ages to come. As so did our beverages and snackers. We only got to tuck into our main course after a good 1.5 hours of waiting. By then, we were contemplating canceling our orders after polishing off the beverages and snackers. I mean, hello, munching on snackers and sipping our single glass of beverage for a good 1.5 hours just to wait for the main courses is ridiculous! And throughout the entire 1.5 hours, no waiter came forward to refill our iced water. We had to contend with the only SINGLE glass of beverage which we've each ordered. JX ended up going up to the counter and refilling his himself. He came back, and noted that they are seriously understaffed in there. There were just about 3 or 4 serving staffs handling this heavy lunchtime crowd.

Anyway, after 1.5 hours, our main course finally arrived. We had to wait for a few minutes more while they bring us some chilli sauce. We arrived at 1.30pm, but only got a taste of our main course at 3pm (!!!). That makes it 1.5 hours of waiting. Afer devouring off our main courses, MY noted that we took 1.5 hours to wait for a meal which we finished eating in 40 minutes.

(note the empty glasses)

Bored with all the waiting!

In the end, we got cheeky. There were no feedback forms on the tables, and we reasoned that they must have already known that the service here leaves much to be desired and thus scrapped away with the feedback forms altogether. Nevertheless, we still offered our customer feedbacks, though.

(I asked Ahmad to strike off the "we understand" part; because I certainly don't understand. This is the F&B and service industry. They should hire more help instead of keeping customers waiting - simple as that. Ahmad jested back and lurched into his theory of how teachers should be encouraging blahblahblah)

Everyone at the table was just so fascinated with the "customer feedback form"!

PACKED WEEK

This week has been a PACKED! week.

On Monday, there was a talk in campus at Boon Lay from 8am - 5pm. This means waking up at 6am, leaving the house at 6.30am, and reaching back home at 7pm. Slept at 12am plus that night.

On Tuesday, the talk continued from 8am - 11.30am (had to wake up at 6am again! Shucks!). After lunch, the whole lot of us had to adjourn to HQ SCE army camp. Finished at 5pm. Loitered around Jurong Point after that, and went for a seminar session at 7.45pm. Reached home at near 11pm plus. Showered. Dinner. Online. Hair dried. Slept at 1am plus.

On Wednesday, the talk - as usual - started at 8am (woke up at 6am again! Shucks, shucks!). It - as usual - lasted until 5pm. After which, I met up with TR, Mel, and KX at Orchard Ion at 5.40pm. Shopped, had dinner, and shopped again. Reached home at 11pm plus. Showered. Dinner. Online. Hair dried. Slept at 1am plus.

Today, Thursday, is the LAST day of the talk! Again, it started at 8am (shucks, shucks, shucks!); ended at 1pm. Since this is the last time we'll meet, we adjourned for lunch at Jurong Point - and ended up in a restaurant which service is, well, horrible (shall talk more about it in another post!). Finished lunch at 4pm. Shopped for birthday gift. Left JP Boon Lay station at 5pm and headed down to Simei. Fell asleep throughout the train journey. At 6pm, when I was at Tanah Merah Station, PH called and woke me up from the slumber. Dinner was canceled. Alighted at Pasir Ris Station and took the bus home instead. Reached home at 7pm.

TIRED! Byebye!



Oh yeah, the visit to HQ SCE.




We were saying, some of the vehicles and tanks look sooo impressive. Some of them are able to "open up" and morph into something else. It totally remind us of the TRANSFORMERS!

And, yes, one more thing: Investiture Ceremony is happening on the 20th Jan 2010! I'M GRADUATING (again?)!!! Ermmm... My last graduation ceremony was on mid-July this year. It's only 4 months ago! This feels a little... duh?

CONTROL

"The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.

Which controls your life? The spirit? Or the flesh?"



WOW.



P.S. Rev. Treat said this. Not me.

YOU KNOW YOU'RE AGING WHEN...

1) You start cutting out coupons, discount vouchers, and getting hooked by McDonald's Monopoly game and the likes.

2) Unlike previously - you got bombarded with birthday chalet or party invitations every other day - but now, it's more of hearing out friends' marital woes or relationships problems, encouraging friends who are undergoing marriage counseling, kena-ing red bombs, baby showers and the likes.

3) Your wallet - like magic - gets increasingly bloated. NRIC. EZ-link. NUS matriculation card. NIE matriculation card. Citi card. Citi SMRT card. HSBC card. POSB ATM card. Cash Card. NETS Flashpay card. Popular membership card. AlumNUS card. The Minds member card. Watsons member card. Mount Zion member card. Passion card. Gr8 pal card. HSA card. Organ donor card. Polyclinic card. Private doctor's card. CSC card (not yet, 'cos I've NOT YET gone down to CISCO to get that face shot taken. Aishhh... Shucks!) Oh, yeah, throw in bits and pieces of #1 as well.



Which reminds me, I really ought to get a new wallet SOON (someone please kick me out of this procrastination). The existing one has served me faithfully for, what? 5 years? Practically falling apart into pieces now.

NICHE

"It's not about the bike: My journey back to life" by Lance Armstrong.



I've been reading this book for a couple of weeks now, juggling it along with those that I've bought in early Oct.

Last night, while lying on the bed waiting for sleep to whisk me off to dreamland, a sudden thought dawned.

"Everyone has a talent, do you believe it? 行 行 出 状 元。 There are so many types of jobs and works. Everyone has a talent. It is just a matter of discovering it. Can you imagine that? If a person ever discovers that hidden talent and exercises it daily, of what prominence that person would achieve?" The older brother had once told me this.

It has been so many years ago; so long ago that I can't even remember how old young we were at that time when the conversation took place. Whether had he said that just to dope the silly / naive / gullible me back then; I had - and still have - no idea. One thing is sure though: I still remember this statement up till this day because I had believed it back then. I was half marveling and half despairing at the vast pool of jobs / works of different nature out in the world. Would I ever be able to discover mine? I had thought, feeling like this is nowhere easier than searching for a needle in a haystack. No, scratch that. Make it a ear stick.

Last night, before sleep overtook me, this flashback of memory - like a silent ghost - drifted into the mind out of nowhere.

I know the book written by Lance Armstrong is about his battle with cancer, overcoming it, and going on to win the Tour. Last night, though, I had a different perspective.

Look at Armstrong. He has this talent in competitive cycling. His physical finesse is amazing; he has an aerobic capacity of 83.8mL/kg/min of VO2 max (the average person has 40 - 50), he has a higher-than-normal tolerance for pain, and he has other physical attributes that I would not mention here because, well, you know, the jargon baffles me.

He has this inborn talent for cycling.

However, what if, this same Armstrong is not born in America, but, let's say, Ethiopia? Despite this being the same person we're talking about here - with the same physical attributes and iron mental will - would things have turned out different? Would he have been exposed to the world of cycling and biking in the first place? Or would this talent be buried forevermore?

You?

If you had taken up fashion designing, could you be the second-generation Valentino?
If you had taken up sculpting, could you be the next Michaelangelo?
In the world of competitive swimming, the next Micheal Phelps?
The world of singing, the next Celine Dion?
The world of writing, the next Stephen King?
The next Martin Luther? The next Picasso? The next Issac Newton? The next Da Vinci? The next Beethoven? The next Gong Li? The next Jack Neo? The next Li Jia Wei? The next Bill Gates? The next Warren Buffett?

Nature versus nurture is a common bone of contention and debates. I've always thought it's a mixture of BOTH nature and nurture. The diamond is always there, hidden inside somewhere; it just takes a bit of fire, polishing, perseverance, time, and patience to bring it out.

Me?

It's one thing to be good in some things, but it's another to be excellent and a natural in it.



Me?

I'm still in the midst of discovering my own niche. But, you know what? In this game of searching and hide-and-seek, God is a Master Player.

In the world of chess, He's the chess player and we're the chess pieces. For areas the chess pieces dare not explore, I pray that He extends his finger and give it that extra push of strength and courage.

COFFEE STAINS

You are not shaped so much by your environment as you are by your perceptions of your environment.

Don't do the devil's work for him.



Just some phrases which I've come across in recent weeks and are, strangely, sort of temporarily stuck in the head like a coffee stain.



Last but not least, Pst. A's status this morning is most probably going to stick in the head for a while as well.
"To obtain favor from God = eat the HUMBLE pie with a pinch of COURAGE & a generous serving of LOYALTY! & you will become God's FLAVOR of the month!"



WOW! Can this get any more true?

LAST 2 WEEKS

17th (Tuesday) : CME workshop. 1230pm - 430pm.
19th (Thursday) : CME workshop. 130pm - 530pm.

23th - 26th (next Monday - Thursday) : Enrichment Induction Program for all BTs. 830am - 530pm.



Holidays! YESH!!!

Off to prepare for school. When the journey is 2 hours long, you need to prepare early (sigh)! Ta!

THE DUMPLINGS WAR

"Do you realize," He commented in jest, "that you've been at it for nearly an hour?"



Earlier on, Dad were in the kitchen preparing dinner. Today is a free day for me; come to think of it, this week is a breeze (I only need to go back to Boon Lay only on Tuesday and Thursday)! I bounced to the kitchen to grab a cup of coffee. It was 3pm. He was by the sink, washing the veggies. I eyed the packages of frozen pork on the counter.

Dad has always been a wonderful cook. He would cook dinner before heading out for his evening shift work. This explains why, sometimes, I'll have a super early dinner at 4pm+ (well, the food is already there. Might as well eat. 早 吃 早 消 化。 Less fattening). How he manages and juggles both roles so well, I have no idea. For sure, it is taxing and tiring. Since I'm practically almost freed up from school, might as well put it to good use.

I took a pair of scissors, slitted open the packages, and emptied the contents into a clean bowl. "I'll jiak-par-lamg, ok? If it's nice, tell them that I'm the one who marinated it." I giggled, "If it turns out gross, it's you, ok?"

Squatting down, I opened the base cupboard. The eyes sweep across the different containers and bottles, while the brain mentally explored the contents in the refrigerator. Dad has always been a natural at cooking; he can put some weird ingredients together and, viola!

He just has this unknown talent in cooking; he has this magical touch. Momentarily, I wondered how would my marinate turn out. Normally, as a mediocre beginner, I would source out only recipes with raving reviews and try them out in my own leisure time. I don't have - yet - the expertise to solely go by the taste buds. Without a recipe to follow, I feel momentarily lost. This is a quite like a gamble. Concentrating, I wondered how well would the various combination of condiments compliment each other, while not being too overpowering.

Light soya bean. Sesame oil. Paprika pepper. Black pepper. White pepper. Sugar. Teriyaki sauce. The last choice of condiment - I admit - is purely out of curiosity sake and nothing else. Hey, if something had been done the same way thousands of time doesn't mean that it necessarily have to remain so all the time. Sometimes, a little change is refreshing and needed. It is good to be different.

I settled the bowl of marinated pork down on the dining table. Dad suggested, "Do it 水 饺 style. The meat filling seems to be alot. Won't be able to finish it all if it's done in wan tan style."

I deliberately plastered on a long-suffering look and whined. "I don't know la. Only wan tan style."

"Wah lau... So easy you also don't know?" He took a piece of flour cake and plonked a tablespoon of meat filling on top of it. "Like this lor, so easy." He folded it into half and proceeded to twist and pinch the corner.

"There! Ta-dah!" He lifted up his pork dumpling on his palm happily.

I pretended to evaluate his piece of work. "It looks ugly leh. Not like those restaurant ones." I decided, "I'll do it curry-puff style!"



And so I did. For the next hour. I made my virgin 水 饺; 30+ of them. While he fried some eggs and cooked a bowl of cai xin.

When he was done with the two dishes, I still had about 4/5th of meat fillings left. "You're such a slow-poke!" He teased.

"That's not fair! Yours is so simple, anyhow fold fold one; but mine is CURRY-PUFF style leh. Cannot compare!" I protested.

"Who asked you to make curry puffs."

"Looks more presentable and pretty, mah"

"Eat liao come out also the same thing, what."

"No lor," I lunged into a defense, "See ah... When you cook ah, must cook with the heart, you know? Cook with the HEART. Aiyooo..." Rubbish, I know, but I argued just for the fun of it.

A special a-la-carte plate of pork dumplings! 'Cos I prefer my dumplings steamed. Not boiled in some soup.

"You see, you see!" I beamed, "Pretty anot? Curry-puff style, leh!"

"Pretty also no use," Dad took a look and concluded grandly, "Mine is the authentic 水 饺. Yours are all curry puffs. The one that I made is the real one which look like the real 水 饺!!!"






Yeah, right. Try harder. Hohoho.



P.S. The meat marinate turned out great! =)

LIFE WITHOUHT LIMITS

I CAN'T THINK OF A TITLE...

PH and PL are so right - doing makeup for others is different from doing for yourself. This may be biased but, somehow, I think mine is easier to draw. It's the same as tying hair, I suppose. Somehow, a person can gather his/her hair into a ponytail in a split second with both eyes closed. When it comes to tying someone else's hair, however, the ponytail just seems too lopsided. Or too many stray hairs flying around. Or too messy. Or too ugly. Or too neat. Something just seems wrong.

It's the feel, I guess. The feel is just different. The face doesn't feel right. The shape of the head feels odd. It just doesn't feel like yours - the one which you've grown accustomed to.



Anyway, I've been having sleepless nights. This is at least 2 consecutive days in a row. Last night I logged off at 1am+, and tossed about in the bed for hours. Sleep eluded me like a plague; I was more of merely slipping in and out of conscious throughout the entire night. I was so awake; to the extend of even anticipating when would the alarm ring.

My biological clock is messed up! Woke up early today, and met up with TR afterward. Just finished a shower. It's only 5pm now, and I'm feeling sleepy already. My hair is still damp from the shower, and thus a nap is out of question. I need to wash the makeup sponges and clean the brushes, but I'm feeling too sleepy to. I'm in quite a hypnotic state. IT'S ONLY 5PM! Arrrgh!

IN NEED OF STUDY BUGS

There's going to be a Biology Content test this Friday; and I absolutely am not even the least motivated or interested. Biomolecules and human physiology are totally fine, I love them as a matter of fact; but studying plants is absolutely another thing. PLANTS?!?!?! Plants hormones?? CO2 emission / fixation / assimilation rate? C3 plants? C4 plants? CAM plants? Auxin? Cytokinins? Abscisic acid? Gibberellins? 2,4-D? IAA? iP? IBA? NAA? Stomata conductance? Ahhh...

The test this Friday is going to be a goner. Inject some study bugs into me, now, please!



Anyway, Sem 2 is really - in the blinking of an eye - drawing to a close soon.



13th (this Friday) : Biology test. 1230pm - 230pm (of all days to take a test, it has got to be Friday the 13th. How nice).

17th (next Tuesday) : CME workshop. 1230pm - 430pm.
19th (next Thursday) : CME workshop. 130pm - 530pm.

23th - 26th (next next Monday - Thursday) : Enrichment Induction Program for all BTs. 830am - 530pm.

Then... It's holidays!!! FREEDOM!!! All the way until Jan 2010, when I'll be released as an official full-timer! Aishhh! Goodbye, honeymoon!

NONE

A couple of months back, a friend brought a news article to my attention. The case featured turned out to be about a serial molester who victimized 9 young girls - ranging from age 9 to 14 - over a period of 16 months. Aggravated molest, sexual assault, and attempted rape. Not only did he grope them and outraged their modesty, but also forced them to perform OS.

The name is unfamiliar, but apparently, we graduated, well, sort of, from the same course. We had the same modules for our fundamental year. This man is someone whom we had once shared the same LTs throughout the whole of year 1 in poly.

After doing some googling to get a clearer picture of what the whole case is all about, I was totally shocked. And yes, he looks kind of familiar.

Apparently, he topped the class several times, had clinched a number of scholarships and awards, and was second-in-command in his section during NS days.

Recently, this case is in the news again. Apparently, the appeal against the 32-years sentence and 24 strokes of cane is not successful. He's only 23 this year.

While googling, I stumbled upon numerous blogs and forums which had "broadcasted" this news article. Reading all the nasty comments and vicious remarks, it's kind of damping. Of course, truth be told, if it were any of my kids whose modesty got outraged, my anger would certainly not be any lesser. But, still, when words of such nature are targeted at someone whom you sort of "know", it's...

I don't know. Lately, I've been at quite a loss to aptly describe feelings.

Won't be putting in my two-cents worth regarding this case. There are none.

POK!

This month is a bad month of heavy pok gai-ness.

Apart from the monthly mandates of tithe and insurance-cum-investment premiums, add on the following list:

1) 1.5k and cleared up the remaining 3months' installments (yippie!!!)
2) Attended a baby shower celebration
3) Dad's birthday red packet
4) Mom's birthday red packet
5) Parents' birthday meal


AHHHH!!!



Anyway, the amazing thing is, I still have some cash left over. Definitely not to the extend of abundance - not yet - but still, comfortable enough. At least I'm not living from hand to mouth and counting down to the next payday. And even if I really do, at least there's always the collection of coins to fall back on.

Regardless, this month is - undeniably - a month of heavy blows. The outflow RIDICULOUSLY exceeds the inflow. Bet I'll feel so lousy when it's time to tally the balance sheet/profit-and-loss sheet on the 11th. I can feel the pinch already! I dread it!

Call this human, carnal, nature; but I'm sooo going to save!save!save! when the next payroll comes in. I intend to save at least 1/3rd of the net income (less CPF). Bye, 奶 茶。 Bye, 台 湾 香 肠。 Bye, OCK. Bye, Subby. But I'm still keeping picnic ham + bread, coconut juice, TimeOut chocolate, and McDonalds (SENTOSA COVE!!!).

Starting from the next payroll, it's going to be a whole month - 4 whole weeks - of belt-tightening. I'm rearing to go! GOGOGO!

12th, quick quick come!

XU

Met up with dear old Xuxu earlier.

We are just this odd pair. How we even became good friends is anyone's guess. We're as opposite as can be. She's the star, and I'm the moon. She's the fork, and I'm the spoon.



We only meet from time to time. The last we did was in mid-July this year. This means that we typically meet only an average of 3 or 4 times for a whole year. Just like today, we spent (only) 2.5 hours together. We shopped for the first half hour, and spent the rest of the time having a late lunch and fellowshipping together. We may only meet to catch up on each other's life once in a long while; but each time we do, our friendship always go up a level - despite being in different CGs. This one friendship of depth is certainly worth a lot more than the many superficial ones.

It's weird but yet, at the same time, amazing - how we can be so different but yet such good friends. How we can not really catch up for many months at one go, but when we do meet up, the time spent together easily beats all others - including those who I frequently meet every other day.

One thing which she mentioned in her blog which I find really true:
"There are too many conversations thatt revolve around the weather, animals, food, sports, music, or endless jokes.
Sometimes, I wonder...
Why do we focus so much attention on the things around us.
Sure, they matter as well but what about the issues on the inside?
Why are they so often left unspoken?"

This aptly explains why I hate superficial friendships. No, correction, I won't even count such as "friendships"; but "acquaintances". The difference lies in the effort - or the lack thereof - invested.



It's always a fruitful time fellowshipping with her; talking freely. One-to-one; instead of in cliques or groups or threes/fours/fives. Without divided attention whereby the other party's nose is buried into his/her mobile phone half of the time. Sharing the going-ons in our lives and encouraging each other. It's about being truly interested in each other's life, investing in it, and just simply being involved.



Anyway, I'm tired! Ta!

And, babe, I heart you! =)

OH, BABY BABY!

She is only 1-month-old!

She looks so soft and pudgy and tiny and fragile that I'm left utterly awed; rendering me at a loss of words. But then again, I think, sometimes words are not a necessity. How can words describe a feeling this incomprehensible?

She sort of alternated between looking at us and yawning. I guess Ben and I looked boring to her.



Anyway, she is such a darling! There were so many friends, relatives, family members, and bunches of CGs present - all of whom were busy chatting away. Throw in a set of Nintendo Wii and a catering of good food, the place was, well, noisy. At least, noisy enough for a baby.

Nintendo Wii.

The amazing thing is: Cheyenne didn't cry though. She was awake half - if not, most - of the time. She is such a darling. Despite all the boisterous ruckus and noise and laughter (thanks to the Wii), never once did she whimper or cry. The hours I was there, I don't think I've heard her making any sound. She's sooo well-behaved! Hardly the fussy type!

Grow well, love God, love your parents, be loved, and be healthy!



P.S. I think babies wearing baby gloves look mightily cute!

$199 MELON

In July this year, I was flipping through the papers when I chanced upon this.







SQUARE WATERMELON.

At an alarming $199 (after discount!).



Ermmm...

I think if I really ever do buy this watermelon - which is highly unlikely - I would probably eat and cry at the same time. 边 吃 边 哭. You get the idea.

WORK AND DISCOUNTS AND BONUS

For the next 4 years following 'O' Levels, all the way from Secondary 4 to Poly and to university Year 1, I worked and studied.

As the saying goes: Beggars can't be choosers. The main concern back then was to find a 2 to 3 months temporary job that fits into my school vacations. The luxury of time was not on my side, and neither did I have the luxury of choice. As a result, over the years, I've worked quite a number of jobs which are of various nature.



At 16, after the last 'O' Level paper - and thanks to the help of some 'N' Level friends who finished their state examinations earlier - I got roped in to work as a banquet waitress in a hotel along Orchard. Worked there for slightly more than 6 months, and from a waitress, gradually moved to serving the VIP tables and finally; became a banquet coordinator, and serving tables gradually moved out of the job description. The money was - of course - good for a 16yo; and definitely better than any fast-food restaurants.

The camaraderie among the service crew and floor staff was great, but tired of the burnt weekends and graveyard shifts, I quit after 6 months. Went off to work in a restaurant in a country club, and finally to Marche at Heeren. Officially quit working a week before Poly orientation started.

I went into Poly. I was 17. For the next 3 years in poly, from age 17 to 19, I worked an eclectic of jobs during the vacations. Data entry clerk for NTUC Income Insurance. Sales promoter for Xando (yeah, remember the 减 肥 product endorsed by Fann Wong?). Sales assistant in OG. Then, God found me. Or rather, He let me find Him. From then on, a new criterion was added to future job hunts: Saturdays are off limit now. The next job I worked as was data entry clerk for Robinsons, keying in the SKU number for their various products and updating their sales records. 4 out of the 6 vacations in the 3 years in Poly were spent working.

Then, came Major Project (that is, FYP) and Student Internship Project (SIP). It's just a better name for 'industrial attachment'. I got "dispatched" to a diagnostics company, MP Biomedicals, at Science Park. The workplace was wonderful, the people were friendly and helpful, and I got a happy-go-lucky supervisor at work. What more could I ask for?

As SIP lasts for 20 weeks (read: 5 whole months), and being held in Year 3 Sem 2, it ate into Term Break of Sem 1. This means that 5 out of the 6 poly vacations were burnt working. The pay during SIP was meager, and I did quite a number of OT shifts; ending up going for countless makeup CGMs in a CG that - unbeknown to anybody - I would eventually become a part of 2 years later. Life is just interesting at times.

SIP ended, and we finished up and presented our FYP. We finished Poly. I was 19.

After Poly, I landed a temporary job as a sales coordinator for StarHub at Cuppage. Working in the Business Customers department, and adding on the fact that there were 7 Account Managers to assist, the job was definitely dynamic and challenging. The business customers are all corporates - a number of whom made me feel like tearing my hair out. Processing the application forms (corporate plans) for new signups or renewals. Processing mobile rental application forms. Processing requests to cancel/activate auto-roaming or caller ID or Data plans or or Push!mail or 3GSM or blahblahblah. Pestering them for a copy of their BN registration. Rejecting application forms because the signature is not one of those key personals who have been approved to liaise with us. Reminding clients the importance of the company stamp. Finalizing the payment mode: COD, credit, or credit terms. Setting up a convenient time between the Postman and client for the delivery date and time. Faxes, emails, calls.

Having unreasonable jerks who called me on my line to say that they've forgotten the company stamp and asking me to persuade the Postman. Of course, without the company stamp, the Postman was not allowed to release the goods. Don't customers understand? Singpost has their own rules and regulations and protocols. We're of different, separate, entities. We order. They deliver. Don't customers understand? There's no way I can help. The only thing I could do is to reschedule another delivery.

Another frustrating case was when a client called and demanded that I re-route the postman back. Turned out that when the postman first made the delivery, there was some problem with the client's credit card, and thus the transaction could not go through. After calling the bank and rectifying it, the client called me back, requesting me to re-route the Postman back from wherever he was and deliver the goods to the client. I rolled my eyes. The world doesn't revolve around you, I wanted to say. Instead, I explained that the Postman already has his own workflow and routes planned out, and that he has other deliveries to make elsewhere. The client persisted on getting the Postman back, insisting that the Postman should be somewhere around the area. I suggested an alternative; that I can reschedule the delivery the next morning at 9am. I offered to put forward a special request for his delivery to be the first to be carried out. The client rejected, citing terms like, "he's near somewhere", "customer efficiency" and the likes. I closed my eyes for patience, and repeated again that we're both separate companies, and that the Postman has his own workflow and routes and deliveries sorted out. The client argued yet again. This went on for nearly an hour, and I found it necessary to hide the growing irritation in my voice. I forgot how we resolved the issue, but the client finally relented and accepted the proposal of a delivery the next morning. I was on the phone with that client for a full hour; being stretched, abused, twisted, pushed, tsk-ed, and shouted at. I finally enlisted the help of one of my Account Managers to deal this difficult customer and passed the phone to him. After settling the issue an hour later, I put down the phone and burst into angry tears for the first - and only - time on the job. Although we "won", I felt sooo bullied nonetheless. I was 20.

After 5 months of working at StarHub, I quit the job 1 week before uni started.

At 20, I entered varsity. After completing Year 1, I went back to MP Biomedicals - my poly attachment workplace - and worked for 3 months during the vacations. After this particular working stint, I realized, I was really tired of working. Ever since O level, I've been alternating school and work non-stop; almost without any break.

At 16, immediately after the Os, I worked at the hotel, country club, and Marche until the week before Poly started.
Upon entering Poly, 5 out of the 6 school vacations were spent working. NTUC Income Insurance. Xando. OG. Robinsons. SIP.
Upon graduating from Poly, I dealt with the Business Customers until the week before uni started.
Upon the very first school vacation in Uni, I went back to MP Biomeds during the vacations.

I realized, after that particular work stint, that I was really tired. I wanted to enjoy the life of a "student". I wanted - badly - the luxury of "recharging" myself before "chiong-ing" for the next academic year. I wanted to breathe; I wanted to play; I wanted to relax; I wanted to be a student; I wanted to be my age.

The temporary job stint at MP Biomeds after Uni Year 1 became my last, and for the next 1.5 years in Uni, I did not take on any temporary jobs again during the vacations. Instead, I juggled tuition here and there.



I realized, all these years spent working kind of shaped me up. Of course, the wide repertoire and different nature of the various jobs exposed me to a lot of things. Waiting on tables? Been there. Computer jobs and data entry jobs? Done that. Sales and mingling with the public? Tons of it. Dealing with customers from the corporate world? Ditto. Biomedical jobs? Yep, yep.



Having been out there, and done that; I know very well the power of customers. Customers are not always right, but, undeniably and indubitably, they do exercise an extent of control and power.

A couple of weeks back, a bunch of us were chilling out at M cafe. After spending close to 3 hours there, we were about to make payment. The waiter came over to present the bill. I took the bill and asked - for the sake of confirm-guarantee-chop - whether would there be a 10% merchant discount if I were to pay by using a particular bank. The waiter shook his head, and explained that the restaurant has not yet received the daily dunno-what-dunno-what, and thus could not verify whether the link-up merchant discount is still on-going.

"Oh..." I raised my brows and concluded in a not-so-dismal voice, hoping that he would pick up the non-verbal message that I do hope there is still some room for negotiation.

"Ya..." The waiter rejoined my unspoken sentence, and waited patiently for some indication about how the payment would be made.

I frowned. "But, actually, during the whole of this week, I called specifically to confirm that the discount for this bank is still valid. TWICE." My voice sounded somewhat clipped, and I was aware of it.

The waiter shuffled rather uncomfortably on his feet, and lunged again into an explanation about the daily dunno-what-dunno-what.

I frowned. Keeping quiet, I allowed the silence to weigh in the air for a moment.

"Then, are there any other discounts with any other banks?" A friend interjected.

"Nope. Currently, there is none." The waiter replied.

I frowned. I was very displeased. Is this the way business over here is done? I imagined myself questioning him. Two weeks ago when a friend and I dropped by to check out the place, we confirmed the validity of the bank discount. The following week, I called up TWICE over the phone to confirm the number of seats booking, as well as to confirm again the validity of the bank discount. On both counts, the reply was affirmative. This makes it THRICE - three times - in a roll. And now, just when we're about to make payment, we're told something different; despite the REPEATED ASSURANCES that the merchant discount is still valid. Is this how business should be done? If anything, we SHOULD HAVE been notified about this bit of change right when we first stepped into the cafe, isn't it? And CERTAINLY NOT when we've all settled in, eaten the food, enjoyed ourselves, and about to make payment, then you tell us AT THE VERY LAST MINUTE that the discount is off. Is this how customers are treated? By holding back important bits of information?

And, even if there are some uncertainties about the merchant discount, shouldn't I be made aware of it in the first place? But why was I not? And shouldn't the person who picked up my calls make a note somewhere in my reservation that I would be paying via this bank? That way, when we arrive, someone can notify and update me on whether the merchant discount is valid. Isn't this a more courteous way, rather than dropping the bomb on us just like that?


I seriously had half a mind to grill the waiter and demand an explanation. I wanted to make my displeasure known. Com'on, to be fair, after all the efforts made on my part, I've every right to.



I looked at the waiter. He seemed uncomfortable. This is a table with a bill of $200 plus; I could imagine him breaking out in cold sweat and hoping for the best.

I looked at the waiter, and contemplated whether should I just simply let out my displeasure. He's just a waiter, I reminded myself silently, not the manager. I thought back of my days of working, and recalled the simple law of nature that people at the lower tier often have limited authority bestowed onto them, but yet - ironically - still end up shouldering most of the blame. To be fair, he might not have even been the person who picked up both my calls. In addition, mis-communication among crew staff is common.

I looked at the waiter. This waiter had been a really good help. Just an hour before, he was just cheerfully explaining to us how to play a particular game. It doesn't feel good, to bite at a person who - not too long before - lent a helping hand.

I looked at the waiter, and considered asking to speak with the manager. I mean, com'on, the guy is not being made a MANAGER for nothing. He has a greater responsibility. He should have let ALL customers know that the bank merchant discount is not valid right from the start of the day; especially for a table with a pax of 18. E-I-G-H-T-E-E-N.

I looked at my game of chinese chess. I looked at the time. Service starts at 5.30pm. We're squeezed for time.

I looked around the cafe. Even without the 10% bank merchant discount, I am pretty sure that we would still have picked this cafe nonetheless. For one, the package promotion price is already a rather good bargain to begin with. For two, the location of this cafe is convenient for all. For three, M cafe is the major monopoly of it's trade.



I sighed inwardly. We didn't have the time to spare; if not, I would have chose to grill the manager and ask for a good, solid explanation. This is not about the 10% discount. For goodness sake, it's $20+. Nothing worth fighting tooth and nails for. Rather, it's the fact that despite the 3 firm assurances given, I was told the opposite on the day itself; and at the very last minute when payment was being made. I felt lied to; blatantly lied to.

I sighed inwardly and swallowed the displeasure which was threatening to rear its head. If the manager had been the one to present this bill and drop this bomb on us, I would have shoot him back right there and then. I looked at the poor waiter and felt a pang of pity. "Charge it to this card." I said, placed my card on the bill, passed it to him with a forced smile, and re-focused my attention back to the game of chinese chess. We're pressed for time, and need to finish this game quick.

I realized, I would easily make a mean, tough customer if I choose to. I wondered where it all came from, and where I picked it all up from. It must have been all the working experiences and dealing with people and customers. When you're at the receiving end of the shorter stick long enough, you'll know where and when to draw the line; and what is reasonable, and what is not. Customers may not always be right or reasonable all the time; it's true. However, if you've garnered enough experiences serving customers and, later on, the roles switch and you become the customer for a change; you'll recognize situations in which the blame falls mainly on the service people, and you'll know how to go about pushing for your rights as a customer without overstepping the line.


_________________________________________________________________

Anyway, I met up with LH for dinner last night! Perhaps it's because all these years I've been working temp jobs, but I've TOTALLY forgot about the term "13th month bonus". I've certainly heard of others talking about this before, and I'm certainly aware that there's such a thing as the 13th month bonus. Strangely, though, it has NEVER occurred to me that I would receive it someday, too. The term "13th month" feels very - no, extremely - alien. All those temp jobs and tuition assignments over the years - being paid by the hour - must have brainwashed me. Anyway, it feels so weird; getting something when I need not do anything to get it.

Regardless, I'm OVERJOYED with the upcoming 13th month. It feels like, discovering a long-forgotten surprise. Like, waking up and realizing that you still have 2 hours more of sleep. Like, realizing that you DO have an umbrella in your bag when you're caught in a rain and thought that you've left it at home. Like, unexpectedly finding cash notes stuck in between the pages of a book. Like, putting a cup of Milo into the refrigerator to cool it down, forgetting all about it, and only to "re-discover" it the next morning and it makes a good cup of breakfast. You know, the nice feeling.

Meeting LH at TB for a meetup at 8pm later! SheCs my besties and study mate back in poly! We mugged together and even had iur own cozy cirner in TP library! Woot!
And meeting Xuxu on Thurs!

Ok...I should quit blogging through the phone and start paying attwention to the lab debrief. Ta!

COINS

For about 2 years, I've been cultivating a rather strange saving habit. I NEVER - or, at least, try not to - use coins whenever I make any cash purchases.

I had blogged about this back in July 2008. Of course, with the passage of time - and the progression from the status of a student to a "working" adult - Rule #1 has changed. Instead of just withdrawing a mere $50 per withdrawal and cover as many meals as possible; nowadays, I simply withdraw a lump sum and make an effort to NOT make any ATM withdrawals from henceforth until the arrival of the next paycheck. Of course, there are pros and cons. The good side to it is that it's easy to keep track of the amount withdrawn every month (charges made to credit card not withstanding). The bad side to it is: I'll have to remember to "top-up" my wallet from the lump sum when the fund gets low.

And, of course, the coins "saved" thus far just keeps accumulating and accumulating.

May 2009.

Nov 2009.

It's just thrilling; emptying my wallet every other day and depositing the coins - one by one - into the milk bottle. It feels like I'm nurturing a baby or something. I can't believe it takes 6 whole months just for my "baby" to grow that much. Maybe I'm underfeeding it; which in turn implies that, in the first place, I'm probably underfeeding myself! Oppps!

I am so tempted to empty the contents and count the savings. Already, not including this milk bottle, I've 12 columns of coins - totaling $193 - stashed away somewhere. I'm so itching to COUNT the milk bottle! I guess I've got to wait for at least another 4 months though - I've always been curious about how much this bottle can hold at its full capacity.

Anyway, my "baby" has grown so heavy. Just now while I was carrying it out, I need both hands to support the weight! Don't annoy me, or I'll pelt you with them and stone coin you to death.

3 ASS BUM

I "re-discovered" this old photo just now. I had found it kind of hilarious, and thus snapped a picture of it.

Early in the year, two old-time secondary school classmates and I were having supper at Bedok 85. We ordered some chicken wings as a side dish.

Within minutes, our order was efficiently delivered by the stall auntie. We devoured the delectable wings. We licked the fingers. We looked at the plate. We laughed.

3 ASS BUM?????!!!



For a moment, we wondered have we - in one way or another - offended the auntie unknowingly. To make things worse, there were EXACTLY 3 of us at the table!

It was only minutes later then we realized that it's actually...

"3" --> 3 pieces of chicken wings
"ASS" --> A55 (which is our table number)
"BUM" --> This, till today, I'm still trying to decipher this mystery. Hmmm...

SWIM

"So, what do you wish you've learnt when you were younger?" Dot asked.

It was Saturday night. We were both waiting for the bus at Tampines.

I considered for a moment. "Ballet", I answered, "But no longer so."

"How about you?" I asked.

"(insert here)." (Ok, I confess. I forgot what you replied.)

"Then... What courses would you likely to enroll your child in future?" She asked further.

I paused. Now, I've never really quite given it much thoughts yet. "I think I'll firstly ask my child what he/she is interested in. If there is none, perhaps I would consider violin. Or the cello.

How about you?" I re-posed the question back to her again.

"Piano piano!" She replied enthusiastically, with a glint in her eyes.

It is exactly what had first came into my mind a moment earlier. "Hmmm... It's a tad common, isn't it?" I commented, throwing in my two-cents worth. Anyway, it had been the reason why I chose violin and cello over piano in the first place.

"Oh, yeah. True true..."

The conversation paused momentarily. After a moment's thought, something better struck me.

"You know what?" I grinned. "I think... First and foremost, we should both enroll our kids for some SWIMMING lessons."

MISSES

Just now, you popped up in my mind and lingered in it.


It has been quite a while. I miss you, Xuxu.

Jio me out! Or I'll jio you out!

BIOLOGY AND PHYSICS?

There was a late evening lesson yesterday all the way until 7.30pm. It was a Biology practical session; and the tutor had us complete a short quiz of 10 True/False questions on the topic of diffusion. After having completed our laboratory experiment, the tutor went through the quiz before letting us off at 7.20pm.

One of the questions states that diffusion is the movement of particles from a region of higher concentration to a region of lower concentration. I picked False; and it turned out to be the correct answer. Diffusion - for the sake of clarity - is the NET movement of particles from a region of higher concentration to a region of lower concentration.

Another question states that diffusion takes place in a beaker of PURE WATER. I paused. This is tricky. By right, the particles all possess kinetic energy; and thus are moving about and bumping around randomly - and microscopically - at any given time. This indicates diffusion. But, on the other hand, this is a PURE solution we're talking about, and the water molecules are more or less evenly spaced out by default (and thus, there is no 'concentration gradient' to talk about in this scenario). I hesitated. Frowning slightly, I picked FALSE. And hoped for the best.

The answer is TRUE.

The whole class got it wrong.



Dr. C grinned knowingly. She was only too happy to be presented this opportunity to strengthen our foundation. "You see," She started, "this is one of the most common misconceptions that students have in Biology, even at JC or Uni level.

All particles possess kinetic energy, agree?" We nodded in agreement unanimously, and she continued, "Because of this kinetic energy, the particles are moving about and bumping into each other. How and why, then, can there be no diffusion occurring in a beaker of water molecules?" She asked.

"But diffusion is defined as the NET movement of particles down a concentration gradient, isn't it?" A fellow trainee asked.

"Yes, but this is the standard definition for diffusion. Look at the question again. Diffusion here, in this case, is asking about SIMPLE diffusion. The fact is plain and simple: Unless it's in a solid state where the molecules vibrate about it's fixed position, water molecules - in the state of liquid or gas - all possess kinetic energy, and thus, there will be diffusion.

Take for example, a stick of chocolate-vanilla ice cream. When the ice cream is in a solid state, the colours are separated clearly, isn't it? But when it goes into a liquid state, the colours get mixed together. By the same analogy, diffusion does not occur in ice; but there is diffusion in water, even though it's pure water.

Yes, all of you have been taught otherwise - that diffusion is the NET movement of particles. This is because it is the standard answer that is expected. Technically, though, it is fundamentally INcorrect. You need not explain to this level of depth to the kids at O Level standard, but it'll be good to clear this misconception that you guys here have all been 'brainwashed' into.

The underlying principle is: So long as kinetic energy is present, simple diffusion occurs."



My eyes widened in amazement. I've NEVER been asked whether does diffusion occur in a PURE solution. I might have thought about it once or twice, but only to brush it off after a while.

While Dr. C was explaining her case, something doesn't click.

From a Biology point of view, this case of argument is certainly right. In the solid state, water molecules only vibrate ABOUT THEIR FIXED POSITION. This is no moving about and bumping around of particles, and thus, it is right to state that diffusion does not occur in ice. In the liquid state though, water molecules move freely and thus there is diffusion. So, there is nothing wrong to state that there IS diffusion in a beaker of pure water.

From a Physics point of view, this case of argument seems a little flawed. I'm definitely not a Physics guru myself; but one thing I'm sure though: Energy is never destroyed, but gets converted from one form to another. So, based on this law, when two or more molecules bump into each other, doesn't a fraction of energy gets converted into something else? In the case of friction, part of the kinetic energy is lost in the form of heat, isn't it?

So, does it mean to say, if I leave a beaker of water TOTALLY untouched (so as to cut off any possible supply of kinetic energy) in TOTAL darkness and a lack of any elevation in temperature (so as to cut off any possible supply of heat energy) for millions and millions of years, will the water molecules gradually lose whatever existing kinetic energy they possess? So, then, will the water molecules gradually slow down their vibration/movement and, gradually, turn from water to ice - without any external interference? Hmmm...This is just, wrong, isn't it? Water doesn't turn into ice just like that.

Hmmm...



P.S. I had wanted to pose this question to Dr. C. But, you know, I do want to go home early one leh. Kekeke!

LOVE STORY

When I first played this video, I didn't really think much of it. It was until I put on the headphones, then did the beautiful contrast between the soulful cello and melodious piano blew me off.

What touched me more, is the fact that the father had made this music piece specifically for his daughter in mind.



P.S. Woo... Makes me wonder what would happen if I were to ask Father to make one for me.

FIREPROOF

Fireproof. "Never leave your partner" - this is the code of conduct among firefighters. At work, Captain Caleb Holt leads his men under stressful circumstances and his men follow without questioning his judgment. However, the same respect - it seems - could not be found at home. His seven years of marriage to his wife, Catherine, seems doomed for divorce. Neither understands each other. When told of the impending divorce, John - Caleb's father - challenges his son to hold off the divorce proceedings but to commit to a 40 days test called The Love Dare instead. Caleb grudging agrees; doing it more for the sake of his father rather than to salvage his own marriage. The first year of marriage had been great, but it went steeply downhill ever since. "Never leave your partner" - as Caleb soon realizes - this cardinal rule applies to marriage as well. But, is it still possible to clear the damages that have been done over the years? Or would he lose his wife and the marriage?



I bought this book last week. Ever since spotting it while flipping through a catalog some weeks ago, I've been eying to lay hands on this book. What I didn't expect is, the author is a Christian - and the love of God is peppered throughout the book.

Everyday, I would read in the train while on transit to campus. It takes an approximate of 30 minutes to reach Outram, and another 30 minutes to reach Pioneer. Effectively, I read about 1.5 hours back and fro. Today, I was reading this book as usual when I felt so touched. The way how Caleb came to realize his mistakes. The way Caleb realized how willing he was to face death to save fire victims, but yet not as determined to fight as fiercely for his wife's heart. The way how an atheist Caleb came back to Christ. The way how Caleb tried to mend the failing marriage by making sweet gestures, only to get rejected blankly time and again. The utter hopelessness and helplessness that Caleb felt. The way how Caleb gave his best, but yet hits a wall time and again. The way how Caleb acknowledges his weaknesses and learned to rely on Him. The hurt that Caleb went through. The way how Caleb lifts up his situation to Him. The point of total abandonment.



I was reading on bus 179. The eyes grew moist all of a sudden. Something shivered inside of me. I closed my eyes and felt, somewhere in the heart, the only one love that is greater than anything.

AT LEAST 28?

Chanced upon this today.

Cool!

I had thought it's just a silly experiment; but it turned out to be a research that has been conducted by some UK experts, reported in BBC News, and the research work has been published in the European Journal of Operational Research. Guess the research is capable of speaking for itself afterall.



Anyway, we completed a module today. This means that, theoretically, I only need to go down all the way to Boon Lay only on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays! =)