SPORE in S'pore

it's really addictive. ultimately fun. tho i am really quite busy lately, i did spend a few hours last week playing, and i've progressed from cell->animal->tribal->civilization! yeah man, i'm now a CIVILIZATION! of course, that can beat my bro who is already the most powerful person in the galaxy. bah. there's no game that i can beat him to.

and it's not just about the progressing from stage to stage thing abt this game tt's fun. it's the designing of your animal/creature/whatever at any point of time you like. Plus, you can take picture of it, with any emotion or action on command! hahaha but i didn't. coz i use my bro's comp to play SPORE. mine's bright pink at the moment, living in a snowman-like house. i'm going to challenge myself to make something that looks like that from the pokemon series. bro saw that pple online did that. i don't believe it's out of my ability to do so if i try!

oh how i wish i could play the game now, when i'm out of home. but of course, i can't. not just in principle, but also i have no time to play now. going to be rather busy this week with church and some biannual advisory meeting at the labs. my bro's so going to become the all omnipotent being before i even progress to fight on the galatical stage! darn. it's so ironical how something called SPORE, implying its miniature being, could take over everyone's lives in so short a time from its release. oh, just like a virus.

breather

woof! i can finally sit down and do things at my own pace. i quite like coming to work at 6am, coz noone's around to disturb me and i have the whole place to myself. makes work much more efficient. PLUS, by mid afternoon i am free! like now! hahaha... such a rarity these days. must really rest well til tmr afternoon. Then it's non-stop work til 2 weeks later! >.<

have been talking to friends about various career choices recently. and the conversation never fails to return to something abt science being the worst pit to fall into, be it workload-wise or $$-wise. i totally agree that it's so tiring, and i don't have much $$ prospect (contrary to what people outside the field think, that a simple doctorate degree brings millions to the pocket). yet, during all these conversations, not once have i faltered in my decision to enter this field. exhausting it may be, frustrating some things may get, but nothing beats having a passion for the job. I don't know how so many people nowadays can choose jobs with fantastic monetary gains but minimal job satisfaction over jobs that offer the exact opposite. what joy is there in doing something that you dislike, just for the $$? maybe $$ can make people happy. i don't know. but i love my job. ^_^

we're always on the floor

as i scrolled down my own blog, i realized that the photo of the chestnutties.. was soo familiar. not just the people, but where we sat--the FLOOR. hahaha.. we're always sitting on the floor eh? hey guys when's the next gathering? which floor shall we sit on this time round? =P

ARGH

there seemed to be something odd going on with my blog template, so i decided to make a small change to it. just chose a new, simple template. blogger said tt my page elements would be retained. so happily, i chose this new template. and...... all my blog links disappeared! argh... and the last time i did a backup of those links was like 2 yrs ago or something.. now everything's gone! i'm too lazy to do anything to it now.. not something for an IT idiot like me. it's too much work. let me wallow in self pity for some time first... >.<

chill out

despite the heavy storm that just had to come when we were on our way to dinner, we managed to really enjoy ourselves. It's the company, i tell you. of course, and the food/drinks/music.

since dinner was delayed by something like an hour due to the rain, plus there was a queue at the restaurant, ells and i were H-U-N-G-R-Y. we ordered the set, which comprised of TWO main courses per person, along with salad and soup. hahahha. it was yummy~. poor huishan was too sick to eat much though. >.<

i was quite excited about the mid-autumn lantern display along singapore river, so i dragged elly n huishan for a mini-photoshoot. could see that my clothes were still abit wet. luckily i was in my boots, so my jeans were rather dry. ^_^

after that was of course TIMBRE. my first time at the arts house branch. nice place! goodfellas was playing. lalalla~ and elly's friend came along. neil, he was. took us quite a few tries before we got the right shutter speed and exposure amounts in the dim place. but here they are.

me and huishan aka vivien. her sister is wendy, and my sister is called vivien. haha.

it was yet another scene that i'd seen gazillion times in tv shows and movies. but this time round, to be a part of it was no fun at all. it fact, it shook me so hard i didn't even know how long i had stood there, in a daze. when the sun was barely up, i made my way out of home. the lift came, and through its glass window, i saw red spots splashed all over the sides of the lift. as the lift door opened, i half expected to see dead body sprawled on the ground. the pool of red spots with the absence of a body did not bring any relief to me at all. i ran away from the bloody sight, and stood in front of another lift. but this lift just wouldn't leave the level, and thus i had no chance of getting any other lift. i considered walking down 19 floors, but was afraid that there would be some form of danger lurking in the stairwell. in the end, i waited until someone on another level called for the lift, and i got into another. when i got downstairs, i saw lots more bloody splashes all over the place. ok, red splashes. they looked more like paint, but red still ain't a nice color to appear just anywhere. but the sight of decent-looking human beings at the ground floor made me feel so much more at ease.

things hadn't been going right at work. 4 weeks of waiting came to naught, and this had to happen early in the morning. it sounds like just a prank or a joke, but to see it in person just wasn't something nice at all. and noone seems to be able to understand this. it's not funny. all of a sudden, i only want to spend the rest of my life chilling out with elly and friends.

58th

It was a joyous occasion. I can't even remember when was the last time my dad was in Singapore for his own birthday? If it's the same period as the last time i attended NDP with him, then it must have been exactly 10 years ago. But i am so so so glad that this year he's back, and we could all celebrate this day together with him. ^_^

Since daddy doesn't eat cream, I bought a brownie cake from Polar for him instead. See, my dad’s fav pose is the same as mine! I taught him well. Hahahhaha

With the kids.

Dad singing his own birthday song! Hahahaha

And of course, a nice family shot. ^_^

the leaves would fall...

and it'd be autumn when i go! REALLY!! i've never ever EVER in my entire life seen autumn. i really hope to see it one day, and i think i really might this october! FINALLY!! falling leaves, cool weather and the poetic feel of london. WOOHOO!!!! tho i fear i might be abit lonely there, and may even have to spend my first birthday overseas and alone, i'm still totally excited!! i can't wait for them to confirm the date so i can start planning. ^_^


and on the topic of birthday.. my mum actually said tt the nex cg meeting at my place, we should celebrate my bdae! hahaha... so funny lah. the next meeting is in early sep, and tt's more than 1 mth from my bdae! last yr also she wanted to do tt... so cute. why must every cg at my place be a bdae celebration? maybe she has cravings for cakes or something.. hmm

pamper yourself occasionally...

After working on so many weekends and not having a break, i finally got myself to get away early yesterday afternoon to try out one of the complimentary facials i received from the Shape Run. I was abit reluctant to try them at first coz some were unheard of, and i was afraid that they would cheat me into buying things. But after looking through the voucher over and over again, i was convinced that it was 100% complimentary, and there were multiple outlets in singapore so it should be fine. Indeed, the experience was great! I did the diamond peel thingie at body wellness/royal beauty. I think i was more pleased at the "welcome shoulder/head massage" that came with it. So apt after working for such long hours recently!

So.. to those who went for the Shape Run and haven't yet used the voucher, do use this one! it expires 5th sep!! =)

i'm now considering if i should also try the complimentary anti-stress facial at beyond beauty. i saw the outlet on my way home... hahaha

best friends that really last

What a joy! the 4 best friends in primary 4, meeting up after more than a decade later! ^_^ These are the times i love technology.. facebook brought us all together again! And it's so wonderful that we're all still pretty much the same, personality and looks-wise. We were looking at those old photos.. oh manz i was so cute then!!!! hahahahaha.. and yingying did not change at all. not even her hairstyle. And it's unbelievable how much memories we had of each other, and all the same ones! so looking forward to doing the same things again next week.. swimming at elly's place, having icecream, playing card games... woohoo~

ongoing..

And so I finished the 2^nd presentation today. The breakfast Bobo and I got for the group was well received. They had obviously skipped breakfast to listen to us speak! Unfortunately, the week does not end on a Friday this time round. Saturday and Sunday also have to go back to do stuff, coz those cells just wouldn’t let me rest! Oh well, just for this week. I’m quite excited about what results I might just get in the next month or so! ^_^ (bleah… so geeky)

At least, before a grueling weekend of work, there was RED party today to celebrate national day and to have our regular beer party too! Though I don’t fancy beer, it was a good time just to sit around my friends and chat. Haven’t had such opportunity for a really long time. Been so busy ever since I left for conference a month ago! And… the games were fun! Of course, it’s fun only coz I won. Hahahaha. Shall share my prize booze with my family tmr night~

Tomorrow is the walk at southern ridges! Hope it’d be full of fun. A quick refreshing time before going back to the alcohol-filled lab. =P

at a turn

He displayed maturity and courage when he spoke his mind and reprimanded someone so many years his senior. He’s grown up now, the lawyer-to-be in my household. ^_^

I’m so glad he decided to make that change. I think everyone’s very pleased with the decision. A long wait like this, was definitely worth it. I’m so looking forward to going to work together and having lunch together. =)

must have been so long since i last posted anything. blogger has changed.

one week feels like a million years, having accomplished more than i ever can squeeze in my lifetime. haha. i simply love exaggerating.. but i really have never been so busy before! or at least not in my memories. really glad i still managed to find time to watch Dark Knight (using that free movie tix!), and to spend time with cg peeps. at least i really rested over the weekend. all geared up for the meeting/presentation later! and the rest of the week. ^_^

wish the London thing would settle sooner. been waiting for so long.. it's frustrating to wait for something when you don't know when it will arrive. makes it impossible to count down. bleah. screwing up my plans to arrange a meeting in hk/japan/tw with all my exchange friends.

with so much work ahead, i wonder why i am still planning so many trips. hmm.

No peanuts no walnuts… only CHESTNUTS

Almost a year after we gathered as a group, we finally sat together for dinner once again. With homecooked food! ^_^ 6 of us, eating pacey’s viet food, arzhou’s new creations (foie gras and mexian beer this time!), my healthy food, steph’s chicken, drinking FLORIDA’s ORANGE JUICE! Muahahaha… life cannot be better.. really hope we can all try hard enough to do this on a regular basis. ^_^

dumb and dumberer

Wish I were more street-smart. Now I have no proof of what the salesperson told me thus I cannot repair using the warrantee. Sian. it always happens.

To show proof that I was really there for WORK!

random quiz

Just got this quiz from my sis' blog. it's quite fun. haha. but the results... one part is totally untrue. i don't think i am seductive!! >.<


The results:

Your view on yourself:

You are intelligent, honest and sweet. You are friendly to everybody and don't like conflict. Because you're so cheerful and fun people are naturally attracted to you and like to talk to you.

The type of girlfriend/boyfriend you are looking for:

You are a true romantic. When you are in love, you will do anything and everything to keep your love true.

Your readiness to commit to a relationship:

You are ready to commit as soon as you meet the right person. And you believe you will pretty much know as soon as you might that person.

The seriousness of your love:

You like to flirt and behave seductively. The opposite sex finds this very attractive, and that's why you'll always have admirers hanging off your arms. But how serious are you about choosing someone to be in a relationship with?

Your views on education

Education is very important in life. You want to study hard and learn as much as you can.

The right job for you:

You're a practical person and will choose a secure job with a steady income. Knowing what you like to do is important. Find a regular job doing just that and you'll be set for life.

How do you view success:

You are afraid of failure and scared to have a go at the career you would like to have in case you don't succeed. Don't give up when you haven't yet even started! Be courageous.

What are you most afraid of:

You are concerned about your image and the way others see you. This means that you try very hard to be accepted by other people. It's time for you to believe in who you are, not what you wear.

Who is your true self:

You are mature, reasonable, honest and give good advice. People ask for your comments on all sorts of different issues. Sometimes you might find yourself in a dilemma when trapped with a problem, which your heart rather than your head needs to solve.

ok maybe a few photos since i'm still around

My favourite monterey bay aquarium. Had thought it'd be the same as the underwater world at sentosa, but stil went ahead coz it was the main attraction there, and highly recommended by THE boss. it was FANTASTIC! my favourite was the jellyfish and the huge shoals of fishes. my very first reminder that US is really huge and plenty of space, so everything's big and beautiful. it's a very family-oriented place, with games and stuff to entertain both kids and adults alike. pity there was limited time for us, but totally worth the $$.weather was cloudy and gloomy when we went. otherwise, monterey is a beautiful place with fantastic weather.didn't expect the US Grand Prix 2008 to be held there! haha.. some streets were blocked to accomodate the pre-race party. bikers parked their modified bikes there to show off and to party. i really wanted to take more pics, but was alittle afraid of getting beaten up by all the leather-coated people. it was truly high-ness though! and one guy waved to us as we tried to capture a shot of him zooming past us on a nice white bike! =Pdenice the menace park was the greatest disappointment. just a normal park, with the name and 1 statue of denice. bah.photo-whoring in many of the historical museums.it was real cold, especially at night with the breezes. still, i loved eating the terribly yummy icecream along the beach. chilling both in and out.and the sports bar at hyatt hotel itself was a nice place to go at night. the texas styled fried were oh-so-yummy. *drools*

after 3 days at monterey, we finally saw the sun. so we just had to skip an hour of talks to sun tan a little. and play table tennis with a cute little chinese boy. =P (yes, with our conference attire and all)my shopping from gilroy! i really didn't expect to see fangers coming back with only 1 bag. >.< onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZx24S5f0mBEPcU-81yYaPVGPXljJgHG5eYtGz63xtYhe6o-itMuzXtt86Xradq2n0WP2nM7j6OiGywqgyDaCrPfeHzApQ5x_wEuALNEpapcOb7wyH5oLZhtyWYIkbz8aaI6mYSgaLHfY/s1600-h/P1040350-all+my+shopping+that+day%21.JPG">the huge garlic festival! it's like the 2nd largest annual festival in US. on our way there, a family from las vegas told us they missed last yr's festival coz they had waited too long to book the hotels and they were all full. this time, they booked the hotel in NOVEMBER LAST YEAR for the festival in july this yr! whoahaha. garlic in everything was so exciting. so furtunate tt both of us love garlic. and garlic icecream was the most unique of all! the aftertaste was soo... undescribable. and the coolest part of the festival, is not about the garlic or the people that come from all over US (and the world), but rather the volunteers from the town that come together as one to make the festival possible. every year, for 30 years, gilroy residents plan for months and commit their time and money and energy to plan for this giganormous festival. this year, only 3, yes, 3, people were employed to do all the technical/professional stuff for the festival. the rest of the work is done by 4000 volunteers from the tiny town! i'm so amazed at how united they are. i salute them.


SF had the most unprediactable weather of all. without the wind and clouds, it would be a scorching 30 celcius. but the moment the sun gets covered up and the wind blows, it's freezing somewhere around 10. no wonder we got both frostbites and sun burns in the same trip. haha. golden gate park was really huge. like a botanical gardens that is 10 times bigger, with a huge lake for rowing and even museums inside! the rowing was challenging, with yifang splashing the guy who was trying to teach us how to row. in the end, he gave up on us.. but we still managed to complete the whole distance! so proud of ourselves. ^_^ and i discovered that her aunt takes really pretty pictures.and yes, we did get to visit cafe gratitude! i saw it listed as 'the 10 weirdest things to do in the world'. haha. it's a vegetarian place, with really exciting range of foods that have names such as 'i am elated' and 'i am beautiful'. so tt's what we have to say when we're ordering our food. and before we get to eat, the waitor asks each of us 'what are you grateful for today'? it's really quite fun. and the backyard feel of it all, really completes the experience. YUM.
visited the hippie haight-ashbury, then caught a break-dancing performance along fisherman's wharf before taking a ferry to rich-man's island--sausolito. didn't do much there, but camwhore with the yachts and to eat more icecream. but i must say, icecream there is all so good! waffles especially. another great place is pollyann's icecream on Noriega and 39th. woohoo. spin the wheels if you don't know what flavour to order!
and oh the sunset views of the islands (esp alcatraz) was so beautiful on our way back
city hall looks the same in every country. but at SF, people get married there too. and yes, we did catch a gay couple. i must say it was.. err.. interesting. an eye opener seeing if for myself. but i am really not a proponent of gay marriages. nor homosexuality for that matter. it just ain't correct. look how our bodies are created by God (or evolved, for those evolutionists who insist on not believing in God), they're obviously made for man+woman, no other combinations.fanger's aunt's friend, howard, drove us around on a mini-road trip to golden gate bridge, up the mountains, and down to mills valley. nice view of golden gate bridge that i didn't get when i was previously at SF! and we also saw the magnificant leftovers of the palace of fine arts. ooh..

how i appreciate the stable weather here. for once.

I am back, so much to blog about, but too lazy to do so. In short, it was a GOOD TRIP. Conference was beneficial (though i could hardly keep my eyes open for half of it due to jet lagging), especially the networking. Never in my life have i made friends with so many big shots at one go. And by friends, i mean we chatted, and not with butterflies in my stomach and me trying to impress them, but rather casual talk and jokes. Thereafter, gilroy was abit troubling, but we managed to accomplish what we were there for -- factory outlet shopping and the ever-so-big 30th annual garlic festival. San Frans was superb, with finally someone to pamper us and to bring us around.

Ok, i had spent the entire 22 hour flight thinking of what 10-page blog i'd write about when i return, but tt's all for now. talking is easier. photos are too aplenty. visit facebook for some of them, or my home for the full collection. =P

and did i forget to mention, when i first arrived here 2 days ago, i managed to catch the gathering for US Grand Prix 2008? absolute cool-ness, with the pre-race motor party and motor shows.. =P