Thursday, December 29, 2005
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
This year's christmas celebration was fun. We actually took some $$$ out to buy a christmas tree and presents for our dearest friends. Also, YY and I spent four hours planning two games to play on Christmas eve night. No alcohol involved. Just casual fun, and not to mention the oh-so-delicious food on the table.There were 11 of us. A big crowd in a relatively small apartment. Nevertheless, we managed to shift the dining table around so that all of us can sit comfortably around the food. We had hotpot for dinner. I ate so much that night. I drank too much of the tom yam soup I think, haha!
After dinner, we sat around the christmas tree where all the beautifully-wrapped presents were. We girls (the six of us) played Secret Santa among ourselves. We set the budget for the presents to be no more than $15. It was really exciting. Seeing the happy look on my friends' faces after receiving their surprise is a feeling of joy. It is also great to receive more than one present! Haha ... not only did I get a gift from my Secret Santa but also a gift from my date! ^^
Just before eating ...
During the scrumptious meal ...
Before the gift-exchange.
I received three items from my Secret Santa - a cell phone charm, a note stand, and a keychain. Very, very pretty! And the best part was ... I received an iDog from my date! He knew I liked it from the very start and he bought it for me :)
Cute or not, cute or not! ^^
This iDog is so cool. It dances to music. Basically, you have to "feed" it music. If you feed it enough music, it will be happy! And it can develop a personality based on the kind of music you feed it. This personality of the iDog can be shown through it's twelve LED lights on it's face. If you press it's nose button, it will acknowledge you with a cute bark! But if you touch it's tail, it will get angry and growl at you, hehe!
After that, we proceeded to our first game of the night. It's called "Wacko" but better known as Public Caning to some people. And the cool part was we played it with not our own names, but character names from Harry Potter. So you can imagine everyone repeating the easiest name, "Voldemort" when in danger. The hardest names to call out were "Hermione Granger" and "Neville Longbottom". It was fun although we played it for only 20 minutes. Next, we played "Poisonous Present." This game is very similar to that one game we used to play when we were kids - "Pass the Parcel." However, the forefeits are more creative. Nothing scandalous or hard to do. It starts off with simple dares like "Ballroom dance with yourself" or "Pose like a murderer with a knife from the kitchen and take 5 pictures" ... However, as the game goes on, the tasks are more difficult ... I would say more challenging and *ahem* embarassing ... A few interesting ones were:-
- Blindfolded; sit on the chair; put your feet and feel this "thing" (it was a mix of flour, water, tapioca starch) and guess what it was. Eeeew... it was goo-ey!
- Get the opposite neighbours attention and shout to them "Hello! I am your neighbour! Merry Christmas!!!!"
- 5 girly hair clips, 5 girly hair bands; a new hairdo for you, boy! This was funny!
The finale was ... not that horrible ... but I felt that it was a pretty good one because it was unexpected. Since YY and I made this game up, we thought it was fair to include two Deejay switches along the game, and two free passes as well. But I tell you ... it was retribution - I ended up having to enjoy the finale >_<
And what was it ...
...I had to suck on a pacifier!!!!! >_<
Those flower stickers on our heads - "Stick this post-it on your head throughout the game. You can pick other two friends to join you!"
It was a simple game. Nothing to devastating and it was fun. At least, everyone had fun. It was a great christmas celebration, especially when we are far away from home and all we have is each other. Great company, great friends!
Well, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to everyone!
11:53 AM | |
Friday, December 23, 2005
Fun with art
Two days ago, I volunteered to help out with the banner paintings for International Week 2006. It was lots of fun! I have not done art for such a long time. I remember back in high school, I anticipated art projects every time. Well, I do have an affinity for art even though I am an engineer :P However, I am more keen on handicraft work instead of drawing or sketching. Painting is fun because you get to play with colours :)It was awesome. I can't wait to volunteer for the upcoming events in preparation for International Week 2006. Here are some pictures to share!
Jackie working hard on the table skirt!
Another table skirt. See these small clothes? They were cut out from old clothes!
A perfect finish. The one on the right is the banner. Very cool.
The bulk of what the three of us did!
And ... the crew! Well, most of them left early :P It was only us who stayed to finish it and clean up the mess.
3:09 AM | |
Monday, December 19, 2005
It has been a rough week
The title says it all.Examinations were never fun.
Especially the one I sat for today. I concluded that my life revolves around equations.
Math Equations.
Differential Equations.
Finite Differences Equations.
Equations of State.
And those equations that are named after those people who derived them...
It was a long exam. And because most of us forgot the derivative of the product rule (something we have learnt since Form 4), the professor decided to give us an extra 15 minutes to make that correction.
Such a shame. Forgetting such a simple, basic derivative rule. That explains the complicated life of an engineer. Ugh...horrible.
One more to go. One more ... I've already lost the mood to study. Can't wait for the holidays!!! *screams out in frustration*
1:33 PM | |
Wednesday, December 14, 2005
Crammage
Problem has not been resolved. Then again, Buddhism teaches us to forgive. I shall not keep it at heart for long as I am on the losing end.I have always been on the losing end.
Nevertheless, I had to be angry. If not, I would be giving in too much. And this whole "unresolved" issue won't affect me either way. It is likely that she will never learn from it if she continues not to confront it or face her mistakes. Not beneficial to her own self of course. So, heck lah! Life goes on...
Went to Tim Hortons today to study. Lots of cramming to do for Biology. So much information...so little time...
Here's Aanchal without a head :P
10:56 PM | |
Tuesday, December 13, 2005
Excuse me?
What now.Another temper on the rage.
Just because I said, "Sorry I am rushing."
And I am sorry I did not accept your invitation to view something in the room. My bad?
Yes, I admit. I am stressed-out. I am a workaholic. Even when I am cooking lunch I am worrying about my exam. I am not like you, okay. You show stress in a different way. I show it in a different way. Don't change the way I am to suit your likings. It doesn't mean that everyone can tolerate your whims and fancies all the time.
I just said, "Sorry I am rushing."
And you got upset because of that, and threw a temper, shut the door in my face.
I have to be angry at this. I want to be angry at this.
You know, I didn't shout at you and say "SORRY LA....I AM RUSHING!!!!"
What the hell is your problem, girl.
I am sorry. I don't feel like talking to you for the day. I need to go study Biology anyway. I am not apologizing because it is not my fault.
You were sensitive. Go sort that out.
1:24 PM | |
How was the exam?
Or rather, "What answer did you get?"Three years of varsity life has kindly revealed to me the hidden kiasu-ism in every student (yes, including the Caucasians). I want to think of it as a casual habit. Something that you just blurt out unintentionally at the spur of the moment due to unexplained excitement. However, observation of the conversations that take place outside the exam room tells me otherwise.
A courtesy to ask how the exam went is fine. But a few courteous remarks often sends an impression that someone is trying to fish an answer out of you.
It could be that he/she wants to compare an answer.
It could be that he/she wants to boast about her answer.
It could be that he/she felt that it was a horrible paper and just wanted to reconfirm the fact that his/her answer was absolutely wrong.
Yesterday, after the exam, I was hoping for none of these questions at my ears. I just asked a friend, "How was it?" She said, "It was okay."
And that was it. I told her that I felt it was a fair exam.
But no, I was wrong.
My other friend came out of the room, asked me how did it go and continued on subtly only to talk me into discussing about the solutions to the exam questions. The exam was okay, but if I felt that it was horrible, I would have gone home right away. I wouldn't want to talk about it at all.
I just feel that there is no point in discussing whether what you wrote was right or wrong. The paper has been handed in. You can't make anymore corrections. There's nothing else you can do about it. So forget it and concentrate on the next few exams. I rather live knowing the possibility that there will be some marks here and there than to know the answer was absolutely wrong, especially when a classmate tells you so (for some odd reason, it makes you hate the person even more...at that point of time). Seriously, it can affect you. Your mood. Your confidence. And it affects you badly when you have other exams to study for.
Then again, it could be a motivation for some people to work harder on the next exams after knowing how bad the previous one was.
I'd like to recall how it was back in high school in Malaysia. But I can't seem to remember. It was a little different then. We were young. The education system is geared towards achievement of excellent grades rather than achievement in gaining knowledge. And parents were...phew... they expect so much out of you. Obviously, their friends' children are competing with their own child. It is inevitable that they want all the A's from you flashing at the doorstep whenever a visitor comes to the house.
I did not expect university to be like this. The slight difference is that the students who score high GPAs are really that smart. Not only academically, but they are able to prove themselves right in real-life engineering problems. Those I envy. And respect. But those who just aren't that good and boast about trying to get that GPA (or having close to that GPA), and basically trying to act all smart ... they should just shut up and look around again.
Okay, I am wasting time again. Back to studying. I have an exam at 2pm.
10:40 AM | |
Monday, December 12, 2005
Infinite worries
Trying to get a good night's sleep is a difficult task for me. It is not insomnia. It is just the amount of thoughts that run through my head. Mum says it is a sickness. I think stress comes to easy for me until it messes up my biological system.I thought of so many things, but I managed to shove it all aside by chanting part of the heart sutra. After 40 minutes of trying, I finally went to bed.
I thought of my studies. My first exam today. If I have studied enough or not. I thought of the kind of questions that would be asked.
I thought of my long delayed period. I thought of what the doctor said about it. Will it eventually lead to cancer? I have a mild syndromme. What the hell is wrong with me.
I thought of motherhood for me. Maybe I won't even achieve that. Perhaps I won't be able to conceive in the future.
I thought of my parents. I miss Mum and Dad in many ways. The grown-up side of me has finally shown, and I wonder how things will be now with my parents. Acceptance. Freedom. Responsibility. Respect. Superstitions. Religion. I have been away from home for so long, sometimes I am afraid that my own judgements will hurt my parents. I love them so much, yet I love myself too.
I thought of my bratty sister. I miss her though. I thought of how I cried when I watched the home videos that Dad took last Chinese New Year. I don't know why I cried. And my tears stained my class notes.
I thought of my love life. It has been up and down for me these past few years. Somehow I managed to stand up and smile again after each failure. Then again, it never seems to end for me. I fall back into it over and over again. It is like a curse for me. Friends complain that I have too many opportunities with guys. Sometimes I feel like I rather have a few because too much of it confuses my life. I was never sad with the guys I dated. In different ways, they treated me well. It had to end like that because of our own expectations in life.
I thought of friends. Those who are around me. My coursemates. My housemates. So many good times and many more to come. We get annoyed at each other some times as everyone has their own faults. It is human nature. I have been annoyed with them many times now. I thought of those, and reflected upon them for a while.
I thought of money. I spent alot this month. I should value it more. And try not to buy unnecessary items.
I thought of recent events. Stuff that I did. Was it bad? Was it against my will? Was it sinful?
You see, these are the main thoughts that run through my head all the time (even when I am trying to sleep). And this doesn't include the tiny tiny details!
I am pretty sure it is somewhat an illness. Inherited it from my Dad.
Sigh. Stress. Speaking of that, why am I wasting time typing all this when I have an exam to write soon?
11:53 AM | |
Saturday, December 10, 2005
Quite silly indeed
I was happily studying Biology last night in my room when I realized I was missing a few pages of notes. I did not panic instantly. I searched through the other file which I used to carry some of the notes to lectures. I searched it twice. Flipped through every single page. Couldn't find it.Then, the panic started to build up. In five minutes, I was frantically searching through my other files. Even though I knew it couldn't possibly be there, I kept flipping through all of them. My housemates were not home at that time. I needed to tell someone about it because I was so upset and frustrated. The line, "Where could it possibly be?" kept running through my head over and over again. I felt hopeless. I sat down on the chair, and looked at the missing part of the file again. Then I thought maybe I misplaced it somewhere in that same file. I flipped through all my Biology notes but in vain.
As soon as I heard my housemates downstairs, I came out of the room and told them about my predicament. Then, both of them helped me search through everything again. I made a phone call to a friend to ask her to check her files too as she was at my house a few days ago doing assignments. After ending the phone call, my housemate who was checking my Biology notes asked me, "Is this the one?"
You know, I felt like melting at that spot when I saw what she was holding.
And where was it all this while?
It was right before me ... in that same file of Biology notes ...
Somehow, I missed it when I was checking through it.
Phew. If I actually lost that whole chunk of notes, I would be so upset that I won't have the heart to continue studying it. There is so much information on there. Although it is just printouts of power point slides, I copy notes on those during lectures. It was quite silly indeed. And my housemates found me hillarious.
6:44 PM | |
Friday, December 09, 2005
Finally Finals
I can't wait for finals to be over. I can't wait for Christmas to come. Obviously, we all need a serious break from studying.I spent about 2 hours studying Cell Biology, an elective course of mine. Now I am at the comptuer lab taking a short break. It isn't that bad after all. Personally, I enjoyed the labs far better than the lectures. The only annoying thing is having a housemate who boasts about biology being far better than physics or math. I, on the other hand, keep my pride as an engineer to myself. Engineering is such a diverse subject. I hate these stereotypical views about fields of study. We all depend on each other. Without business or economics, the science world will not grow. Without the arts, we will have no entertainment. Agriculture and forestry work hand in hand to preserve nature, to learn more about nature. We are all connected. What is there to boast about?
Is this skin too orange for the eyes? I like it though. Something spicy and bright for once. Okay, I better head back to my studying.