Becky’s 19th Birthday!

It was an eventful day, Sang a song to her with Xin Yi at the piano. Went Dragon Boat for timsum with her, nice of Ling (who literally just touched down about 3hrs before) and Jon Tan and Jasmine (his GF) to come.

Special thanx for Jasmine (the housemate). She helped made the TIRAMISU (XY helped too), also helped keep the cake refrigerated overnight, transported it to the restaurant, and got it setup. Really appreciate her ;p

Kary: thanx for the candles and being late for work to spend time with us again ;p

Then watched the latest Harry potter movie which released today in Australia. Then spent the night playing Wii at Terrences place with Becky and XY and Jas.

Lovely day indeed.

Karin the cousin's here too! Can't wait to go find her and have a meal. Hope I study hard later today, after I recuperate, think I falling sick. Time to take more Vitamin C.

interesting news: Betel nut is cancer causing, antibodies for SARS found

For those who do not know, research has shown that betel nut the ones that are chewed so frequently in Taiwan and India, is actually cancer causing. I for one heard of it before but never knew it to be true.

Have a look: http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTP29310120070711?feedType=RSS&pageNumber=3&sp=true

Also antibodies for SARS have been found! have a look: http://www.nih.gov/news/pr/jul2007/nci-02.htm

reminiscing

Will reminiscing count if it was for the past day ;p or the past few days in which has passed?

well i was looking back the past few days. eventful and pleasing. Though at times mum and i did not agree, we still resolved it. shouldnt all arguments and disputes be resolved like tt. IT seems like she suddenly realisd i grew up and that she respects my decisions and views, no longer forcing her thoughts on me. a barricade lifted.

nights are nice when they are not alone, when there is music: vocals and splendid music. I'll still be here in the morning.

Went to great ocean road with mum. guess that was the highlight of her week here. other than the washing machine outlet overflow( had to dry and mor the whole floor), terrence so nice to cook for my mum, jas, XY and i for dinner, the first night XY was here where we all had dinner cooked by my mum, me realising that my mum has much more dexterous hands and may have been a better surgeon ;p hahahah. Photos for GOR are being uploaded as we speak.

It was many firsts for me. first time i (and my mum) was on a tour in Melb, first time i had so much chinese spoken to me in one day in chinese (by the tour guide), first time i was at GOR, first time i was on a helicopter (at the 12 apostles, 十二门徒, great photos from that $60 ride it was good.), first time i brought mum to chomp chomp for dinner.

i got my new external flash on Friday, been having fun with it. takes a lot of work to get it right. i need more experience. for techies or photog enthusiasts: it's not a TTL flash, it can swivel sideways and upways (so i can bounce flash), it is a slave flash so that i can synchronise it with my main camera's flash which serves as a fill flash now.

the pictures that i took this round: many many more HDRs (think there were 20+) and 3 panoramas that were not that spectacular. have a look. for those who dunno what HDR is, erm go look here.

And spoken so much on not studying as u can see. so i hope the next few days will be fruitful.

updated my links section

new links inside.
acronym searcher. the best i have seen
medical dictionary i use.
and metlinkmelbourne. for people who want to noe how to navigate around melbourne.

at the library now, studying with Yeo. mum's at chaddy i tink.

Mum’s Here!

Yays. She is here. I dun exactly miss my family or friends much last year somehow, call me heartless if u want. But this year, it seems more unbearable than usual. Maybe, I miss them after erm 2 years of on off contact. It's almost depressing.

I definitely miss my friends more, maybe it's because some good friends I made here also went back. U guys noe who u are. And there is Johnny boy who is away from Australia for a loooong time.

Mum and I erm went around shopping, eating, cooking. Going to Great Ocean Road at last, On Coming Friday. Haha my first Chinese tour, apparently my mum was reading my landlord's Chinese newspaper and saw the Great Ocean Road tour promo price of $39 per person, but end up over liao. Still not bad got a $69 per person deal. Hope I get a chio Chinese tour guide though. Haha. At least the one who sold us the tickets, the manager, so HAWT, and so capable lol. Drools..

Study is somewhat on track, as I catered a bit of time to relax. Time is always in front though ( I am behind time). Hope u guys who already finish exam are having a great time enjoying, and those mugging like me: erm have a good time mugging to, at least try to enjoy it lah ah, makes it easier.

Bank Term Deposit Rates

Smashing! Not many banks in the world actually give 7% p.a. (24mths) here are 2 I found. RAB Bankwest

Dunno how trustworthy they are. I may invest there though.

ING direct is only 6.85% and well Commonwealth Bank is only 6.6%

Music takes away the loneliness when it is 4 am in the morning.

Hope I have a more fruitful day at studying today. I wonder if I have settled. Maybe I just got to do do do and not think so much

Testing my first post from Word 2007

So I am just typing my first post straight from Word 2007. Integration of technology, tricky business I would say. Not as tricky as politics in life. Good night and Kerf, Out

studying time

yes at last. it is time. mug away. though this exam is 5% of my entire year's assessment, i think i would need to noe these stuff to actually not kill people next time.

meanwhile, i worked. and quit my job. earned about AUD$1000 after about close to 2 weeks of work. and quit so i can study full time. hopefully.

realise i miss Singapore a little more this year. my theory is that people that i got closer to here also went back or went to Malaysia... so i guess more 'attachements' are away from here. you know who you are fellow 'attachments', the people i actually miss.

inertia again. but well i feel like it is easing off. My driving test's on 2 Aug. hope i pass. and Ming Jian's one is on Coming Tues! Good luck MJ! and make sure u stay as confident about it as u have been!

Come to think about it, maybe that AUD$1000 i can save to maybe buy myself a palmtop which will be real useful. but it may result in me being overreliant on technology instead of remembering everything in my head, which theoretical we can since we use a minute amount of our vast brain only. we'll se how that goes. on the other hand $1000 can earn me $60 a year if i just leave it in the savings.

Time to progress in my intellectual endeavours. and not disappoint the people who wished me good luck for my future endeavours.

Anatomy of a knock out punch

interesting stuff.

of Acrobat pro 8 and office 2007

as many may know, there was inability for acrobat pro 8 to support office 2007. So8 Jun, smarty pants at Adobe released 8.1 which has full support for vista and office 2007.

go lookie:
Article explaining wat was done
Place to download the update if ur autoupdater has not download it yet.

Passion, Inspiration

After watching The American President, starring, Michael Douglas, Michael J Fox, Anette Benning. I had a sudden realisation.

Passion, in life, in what you do, in what you think, is omnipresent in life. Inspiration which lifts us up from the depths, to spur us for a moment is temporary, and short lived. We see an inspirational movie, about love, about life, about our aims in life and we get inspired. To do something better for ourselves, to do something better for others. But this inspiration dies after a while, as though we lost steam along the way. I dunno about you, but i frequently see myself lose my way, not able to stay on path to my dreams and goals. I frequently blame distractions, and procrastinations. But i realise this moment that. I lack passion.

We always try to encourage ourselves, with a quote from the Bible, images or gifts that remind us of the aspirations that we have, or others have for us. And we think what it would be to let down these people that have so much hope in us. But, these are not powerful enough, and usually are jsut momentary inspirations for me.

Sudden discovery of passion today has led me to think, how can i keep this alive? Maybe i write it down and read it when i do not feel the fire? But then i realise that, that would just be an inspiration, and that true passion never dies. It is believing in something you want to do. It is something you will want to achieve before you die, the cells, every single in the billions of them has the essence of your passion. And you work to it. You do not make empty promises to yourself anymore. And you live, and be. A single line of thought, not deviated, invariable. For you want it enough to sacrifice it all.

Michael Bublé - Call me irresponsible

A fantastic album that i got from dear Poon. Thanx loads for this smooth voiced album. smooth enough to lubricate any bad day.

i need to study for OSCEs. and catch up. Always playing catch up so tiring. Exams were postponed from before holidays to after: 18 July. So my hols from 9 June till 15 June i will plough through the thick fermented pile of knowledge that i have yet to consume. sad for a holiday. At least my mum is coming on 29 June that will bring some life to my monotonous life.

Perception seems to be changed by choice. You choose what and how u want to perceive. Even if an event you witness changes your perception, it is because you allowed it to. e.g. you see a video or a street side performace advocating irresposible sex. You wouldnt be affected by it to want to have irresponsible sex (of course there are some that will).

Maybe it's time to buy a heater. irritating how a CLOSED window still leaks cold air into my room and therefore cooling my right hand more than my left. As my right hand holds the mouse and my left is protected by the screen of my laptop. Sigh.

My condolences to Han Boon whose brother passed away. Though i do not know him at all.

People who think that they are unpopular: here is some fruit for thought. Social norms are what define how we should act in front of others. popularity is seen as people who conform to these norms and also impress by being able to twist the norms to make it more interesting without creating discomfort to others. They are therefore inspirational and also impressive.

Unpopular are prople who bend the norms but in a way that causes discomfort to others therefore causing others to want to stay away from you. No one wants to stay close to someone who makes them uncomfortable, i know that first hand ;p. So the cure: observe the world more carefully and the initial phase will be to emulate a popular person. Not emulate the actions but emulate the way they think: how to bend norms to impress. If not just stick to the norm and live peacefully.

Today i remember someone telling me i do not know what i am missing if i do not find love. :) yes good old blonde John said that.