S.C.A.R

Finally,
After countless of project discussions,
Our website is up.

http://www.comp.nus.edu.sg/~u0603129/index/

Cheers to my project mates.

You guys were great.
=)

Alkanes from MARS?

My brain cells are dead,
All due to the two days spent on Organic Chem.
I felt so robotic and my head is "heavy"
That I thought shaking my head a little,
Will result in some information learnt lost.
Yah, my own fault for studying 12 chapters straight,
And skipping all chem lectures. =P

And heh heh,
Decided not to look at those chemical structures anymore;
They look like aliens to me!!!
Apparently, I have given up on tomo chem test.
Just hope I can pass. (luckily is 10%)
Gotta work hard on it when the final exam comes.
Skipping lecture is a no-no anymore. NO! =)

Anyway, gotta free condoms from the AIDS fair at central lib last fri.
Thomas was damn good at the lame games la, LoL.
And their ideas of passing the "message of AIDS" to us thru the games made things hilarious.
Tempted to grab myself a pair of hawaiians slippers from the fair selling at real cheap price,
But, haizzzzzz too bad... On budget! Arghhh!
Coz taiwan wan shui! =)

Cheerios!

I have a car!

Feeling: Happy with a note of retro-ness =)
Listening: Groovy kind of love by Mrs. Miller
(sick of Phil Collins' sad version)

Yipee! Have a car by myself for the weekend and early next week in return for helping my sis feed her fishes and water her plants daily until she comes back from Yun-nan. Yah, she went to China (yet again!) for holiday with my bro-in-law. But arghhh, I have a test next monday which is chemistry, the worst of the worst. -_-" If not, my weekend will be exciting. =P Supper with the burgies, la kopi with butt, cheese pratas with Joon, or outings with Kris and guys. Just anything will do fine. But nah, too bad, chemistry spoilt it all. -_-"

Looks like butt have a great plan for the Taiwan trip *a clap for her*... Really looking forward to it, with a sense of anxiety. Labs are ending, indicating that de exams are coming. SighZ. Gonna mug and mug and mug le... I hope I will do that thou, I just gave in to the sleep god moment ago... =) LoL

Till then, happy working n studying guys!

Drenched Duck

Went fishing for a competition with bro-in-law today. And I left home with a temporary 3rd place on the list with a pathetic 1.4kg catch. The 1st was 2.8kg and the 2nd was 2.5kg. I bet anyone next will take over my place. LoL. But the climax of the day was...

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I WENT DOWN THE POND!!! HAHA!

Nope, don't imagine too far... I didn't fall into the pond. If not, it will be the joke of the year liao. LoL. Bro-in-law was tying some fishing lines, and left his rod unattended. And that was this big fish that ate his bait, and pulled the whole rod down manz! We were kindda shocked to do anything at that moment, until someone suggested to us that we should go down the pond. And he, being a non-swimmer, left me with the job. -_-" And so, I went down the pond with 20 to 30 something uncles, aunties, working adults, young kids looking at me. *malu malu* And heh heh, I managed to find the rod somewhere in the middle of the pond at the end. Strive toto also not so zhun ah!

Heng ah! Luckily we found it, if not it will be like throwing $150 dollars into the dustbin sia!

Mama making my life mad.

Quarrelled with mum again, a serious one. She will never ever understand me. Of course I do love my parents to care and concern about my life, but not to over-control it(!). School have already give me stress, and she's obviously adding on to it.

She told me that I won't do well in exams cause I skipped lessons. Okie, I admit this, but I did attend all lessons these days, except Chem lectures. To add on her theory, I go out every night even thou I only remembered the fri and sat, and don't study at all even though I spent my nights in front of the com typing reports and reading notes. I think she thought I was playing games. =( Never mind. But the worst of all, she told all this stuffs to her MJ kahkis, until one auntie voiced out that her son, my neighbourhood pal, studies only three days a week. -_-" I don't think she need to tell people all these, does she?

SigH! And she told me that I shouldn't go for the overseas trip, even though I forked out the money by saving every week's allowance. I felt terribly ill when she said that the savings I had indirectly belongs to her, cause she gives me pocket money every week, and commented that I should only go overseas four years later after I graduate. She tore my face in front of many, commenting that my brother wasn't like this during my age. That's all becoz he was working then! All thanks to her for reminding her son at the age of 22 is still living on her. To her, and probably the aunties would think that I'm a lousy retarded 22 years old OLD kid that still live on parents.

I thought of getting a part time job after I get adapted to uni life, but apparently I haven't really get adapted. Reports and tests are overwhelming. Hopefully by next semester I would have settled down, and probably will get one part time by next year Jan, and two tuitions at least. Cause I don't think they would wanna fork out any money for my exchange. I won't want either. I felt wrong if they pay too.

Anyway here's some book designs I designed for my IT project website and I thought they are pretty nice. =P I hoped our group would get the grade for the efforts we put in manz! Hoping for an A. *pray*

Will mug Organic Chem tomo! Mug mug mug!

Long Weekend!!!

Project discussion just now made me deadbeat, but at least we are progressing. Cheers! Actually is my own fault for ONLY reaching home at 6am this morning. LoL.

Yesterday chem pract was fun, and the mixture kinnda smelled like almond jelly!? Sort of like the exotic smell of the reaction. =) Was late for report submission (yet again), and the lab was locked. Luckily, I managed to sneak it through the backdoor, and handed in the reports (mine and ZY's). Phew, and then as I thought everything was fine, and decided to call my friend for the meetup, I discovered I forgot to bring my handphone!!! -_-" Went home to get it, and ended up having dinner with my folks at Vivo City instead. DuB.

Vivo City was quite an eye opening, except most of the shops are not opened yet. But, fav brands like Zara and GAP have already started operating... Went to Bedok for supper with Jun and GL, followed by prayers at Loyang Da Bek Gong, and 2nd round supper at East Coast's HK cafe. It was damn sinful k!!!

Tickets to Taiwan from 25 Dec 2006 - 4th Jan 2007 were bought! Haha, I swore it will a different new year eve celebration this year. But agrhhh, each tix was ten dollars more, cause we bought one day later (all thanks to jun). Anyway its still a bargain la, cause its only $429 for the hot season. I swore I will rawk the shit outta Taiwan!!! And maybe Taichung. =)

Kindda feels good too as Monday's lab was cancelled. Haha, and so I decided to have a self declared long weekend by "pon - ing" monday's morning lecture. Heh heh. Hence, it will be holiday from sat - tues! YeaH! Planned to mug a little on Organic Chem tomo and Monday... And go for a fishing trip with sister and brother-in-law on tues! YeaH!

Have a nice weekend ahead too guys!

Scientific Religion - Mendelian genetics

Today's Mendelian Genetics began interestingly with the discovery of the microsope in the 17th and 18th centuries. And primitive doctrines were refined into a scientific school of thought called preformationism, which held that living beings were essentially fully-formed prior to conception.

The doctrine of spermist preformation is exemplified by the famous Homunculus image, drawn by Nicholas Hartsoecker in 1694, and supposedly based on an observation of Anton van Leeuwenhoek. The image shows a spermatozoon containing, within its head, a tiny, but fully-formed, human being, and the implication is that the sperm contains the complete, preformed essence of the unborn person; whereas the egg is merely an inert, nutritive, sheltering matrix.

Opposed to the spermist preformationists were the ovist preformationists of the 18th century, led by Regnier de Graaf, who believed that it was the egg that contained the complete essence of the human being, and that the sperm was merely a triggering mechanism for development.

The entire doctrine of preformationism, however, was completely discredited by the embryological observations of Caspar Wolff in the late 18th century. Any remaining controversy over whether the sperm or the egg was more important was finally settled in 1875 by Wilhelm Oskar Hertwig, who demonstrated that the fertilization process required the fusion of the nuclei of both cells.

Doc Chew's lecture is the most interesting I have heard since school started three months ago. He managed to relate "Mendelian Genetics" which I thought was quite a dead subject involving solving predigrees and crossovers, with some creative thinking components. I managed to stay awake all the way for the 2.5 hours lecture... =) Yah, Im proud of this, LoL! But I bet his test will be zzz (dead). =)

Finally, everything seems to get into order two weeks after the sem break - a short break b4 heading to hell. Reports handed in, projects progressing smoothly, and tutorials done and settled. Phew, finally some leisure time for a gym session this morning, in preparation for the shopping sprees when December arrives.

And there's Taiwan trip for me to look forward to! YeAh! =)

And the bubble bursting story continues...

Seriously, the life sciences conundrum article affected many. The morale of the life sciences' students dropped tremendously, as the idea of being a test tube washer still lingers everywhere in school. In fact, a few uni pals of mine are already considering about changing their course.

To be frank, the bubble bursting story did shaken me a little. Afterall, being a guy, and an ambitious one, a good career is definitely something I need to fufill the egoistic cravings I have. A successful career equals to financial stabilty, and both are as important to boost the status of a man (or woman). To add on, living in an urbanised country like Singapore, besides the basic essential needs, one still have to prepare himself for the ever upgrading and developing city. At the end of the day, I would wish to start a family of my own, provide them with luxury (besides love and concern), live in a condo, drive a more-than-just-a-conventional car, own a few credit cards, and a career that make me smile with a sense of achievement when I retired at Cananda (hopefully).

So Colin, no worries, I have my plans even before the article came out. =) I would take up minor in Econs this sem, complete my undergraduate course. Hopefully thereafter, I hope to find myself in use in some investment or marketing companies in the health / pharmceutical industries as a product specialist. Will take up a business degree if its really useful (part of the reason why I'm taking econs minor instead of biz). And from there, I would like to climb up the coporate ladder slowly and steadily. Eventually and hopefully, get a part time MBA degree from NTU, and make a real good use of it. =) At the end of the day, I would wish to be someone in a well established pharmaceutical company, or better still, an aquaculture farm of my own.

Everyone got his aims, and this are my goals in life... =) A bit unrealistic I know, but if I really pursuit my dreams, at the end of the day, maybe I won't wish this far. But at least, it will be somewhere close...

Wish me luck... =)

Everything not in return.

I flunked badly for my Molecular Genetics, and my morale (ego too) dropped to the lowest. Though the overall grade is still a pass, it's traumatizing to think that the target grade I wished to score for this module has gone down to the drain. I'm hurt, for the amount of effort put in, for this kinnda grade I got at the end of the day. Perhaps, like what I thought since school starts, I'm really not the cut for studies. Nothing seems to get into the brain everytime I studied for a test. And the grades I scored for the tests has never been in justice for the 101% I put into it.

It's awfully hurting. Come to think about the ever A and B grades scored for the minimum effort put in polytechnic, it's an agony for such a contrary now...

To add on, yesterday's Natural Heritage of Singapore paper killed me too. 20 MCQs, open book format, wow, sounds easy yeah?! It's out to kill!!! 12 answers of mine and Zhenyun's are not the same. -_-" Another flunked module... Not forgetting the already dying BioChem and Organic Chem. AgrhhH... What should I do?! I have already studied to my max.

Out, for a run... *Sobz*

Natural Heritage of Singapore

Gather a shell from the strown beach;
And listen at its lips: they sigh.
The same desire and mystery;
The echo of the whole sea's speech;
And all mankind is thus at heart.
Not anything but what thou art;
And Earth, Sea, Man are all in each.

Dante Gabriel Rossetti
"The Sea's Limits", 1870

Hopefully I can pass with flying colours later.
20% test on Natural Biology. =)

Loving life as it is...

Listening to: I'm Yours by Jason Mraz

Finally, having a short rest tonight after hours of mugging these few days. Today Molecular Genetics test is liked what Zhenyun and Alvin said, "Chiam ah!". Yah, it was this bad. Another flunked paper. Never mind, I won't give up!!!

I will work even harder to score some good grades, for the 3000 plus school fees my folks paid... Indirectly, it meant that each piece of examination paper / module costs bout $600!!! After 21 long years, this is the first time I'm working THIS HARD (!), hope the revenue would be good in Dec, when the results come out.

But today is meant for relaxation. So i'm shutting down anything to do with studies. Yup, I got to even write down the dates for relaxation in my monthly planner -_-". SobZ. The tests this two weeks caused the workload to pile up. And I got four reports in due soon.... Ahhhhhh, but I'm still happily busy! Dunno why either?! =)

Was on the phone whole night with Hao, while msning a few dearies and watching the TV. Like the current new Channel 8 9pm drama serial. Damn funny taiwan mei la!!! Haha. Went to prepare some notes for tomorow lectures and tutorial, and the upcoming fri test as well.

And I discovered that my last IT lecture notes printed was Lecture 3. And tomo is Lecture 8!!! Shitz. *Shrugs* It indicated that I have skipped 4 IT lectures already.... The psychological part of my brain is taking its effect, and so I decided to be a good boy tomorrow to attend all lectures. Haha. Still got one more test on fri to conquer before meeting the burgies on fri for cuppa and I'm looking forward to it. =)

Anyway to all YEP peeps, Irin just messaged me! He's working in this Bintan Agro Resort in Bintan. Maybe we could go visit him?! I missed the rural way of life back then, doing those voluntarily work in his school, and the nutty gado-gado from the school stall. I missed Ebu (Irin's mum), the three person on a bike sessions, those showers using well water... Everything about it. I was 19 then. LoL. YEP memories definitely left some impacts in my life. Maybe not for what I am today cause I'm still finding the right path for myself, but some real-lived learning that what other people would not have experienced in their teen years. I love my life then. =)

And I love my life now too. =) Uni is fun, in her own way.

Life Sciences - OverRATED? OverMANPOWER?

A devastating fact that I knew since poly years, and yet I chosen passion over money. Life Sciences is definitely overrated. Wonder where my future lies? LoL... Luckily I have few alternatives in my brain... I won't be a test tube washer la. Dub. =)

I will still pursuit my dreams,

Climbing the coporate ladder... =)

I just smiled...

I just smile from my heart.
Yesh, finally a smile.
A wholeheartedly real smile.

So everyone for my sake,
Please *SmileZ*. =P
And we will be happy people.

Heard this song from somewhere...

Not a song by any famous superstar or singer,
But just a simple song composed by a composer in Taiwan.
Meant for some musical love dramas.
And it's always this kind of songs that touches me...

This, touched me.

=)

Weekend was great. Mooncake Festival celebration with few dear ones on fri left me four brusies. Yeah, four big brusies, cause boys fight. =) And the spin thereafter is relaxing enough to squeeze all the stress out of my mind. Thanks all for that. And to butt, cheer up... Cause I want to infect you with my smile. =)

Sat was spent doing some financial adjustments. Yeah, a plan to save money for taiwan and the exchange programme. So Shawn will become very "meow" these days... Some poly cliques have already sensed the difference. Haha, the "spend money like drink plain water" Shawn is gone for good... A few little spending sessions on cafes and clothes are not preventable thou. =)

And today, I should spent some time on books. But... I spent it on TV instead. DotZ! I'm a gonecase. Will be waking up tomo morning at 7am for some studies... I must do it! =)

Life is good, cause everyone who loves me, are still there to care. Special thanks to those msn-es / sms-es / chats I received... I care too. =)

I love my friends and family. *Smilez*

A Non-Guilty Day

Was supposed to wake up on time for Organic Chem lecture, but as usual, I overslept. Luckily, the lecture is web telecast, so *heh heh* I can sit back and relax, and see the whole lecture thru my com. Met HongKiat, Kris and Fiona for lunch at 1230, but I was late again... It seems that I have a really hard time managing time. Must work hard on my time management. *nods* And finally, I visited the Raffles BioDiversity Museum located at NUS itself. It was an amazing place that speaks wonder of lives. I really love the two hours spent on the Museum that was only the size of half a football field. And at the museum, I overheard a honours project student discussing about his project with the lecturer, and it seems so fun. They are like travelling around Singapore and her surrounding islands to locate a few animals of the same species... It was cool. AgrhhhH, it really tempts me to choose General Biology as my major instead of Cell n Molecular Biology or BioMedical Science as planned. But in Singapore, I guess its better to get a technical skill, and earn money from it. Sigh, reality sucks. And I went for BioChem lecture thereafter. Haha. Joon and Samantha were surprised to see me... Coz yah, I skipped enough lectures to make my presence in lecture halls seem weird?! Haha. And so, I promised myself to attend all lectures starting from next week. Maybe not Organic Chem thou... *Smilez*

HongKiat and I

Fiona and I

Raffles BioDiversity Musuem at NUS opens to public. Anyone wanna go? I dun mind showing you guys around. =)

The drugs found due to Biodiversity.

Malayan Tapir
An unusual beast related to rhinoceroses.
A pair was found in Pulau Ubin.
But ever since one (photograph above) was found dead in Ubin Granite Quarry,
E partner never appear again...

Oriental Small - Clawed Otter
One of the two species of otters that are still found in Singapore.

Sidetracked a little for a funny incident. *Amused laugh* Jun, Gl and I went to Loyang Da Pek Gong the other day, and we saw a few numbers on the stone rumoured that gives "real numbers"(http://cuppa.blogspot.com/2006/09/i-got-police-raid-and-its-spooky.html. Gl and I saw 1536, while Jun saw 1811. So the three musketeers bought the two number groups for the coming sat and sun, planning to give Hao a treat if one of two opens. But on sat, the number group closest was 1576! Shit. One number diff! And then on sun, it was 1511! Shit again!! (And you try to sub it with the 5 in 1536 to 1811, you would have kill yourself!) And then on wednesday, Jun's mum is smart you see, and I love her for that. She bought both the number groups for Jun... 1536, GL's and my numbers. It OPENED!!! 1536 1536 1536!!! And so, we were promised a treat. LoL. Hooray! =)

ShawnTay - Last but not least, Happy Mooncake FestivaL to all! =)

Old School Days

And so, the test was over. N the verdict is, I would have manage to pass, but I can't score. I doubt I could get all the 'A's as like in polytechnic. Being a last min student in Uni is a no-no. To add on, I'm never the good in studies type. =( I missed the slack life I used to have in poly. Those GL meetings and project discussions with butt and others, those chit-chatting sessions with KG, Hasan, and others during incubation time, or even just the slacking period of time spent in the com lab surfing net while seeing HK and PoH played their NeoPets, Kris getting busy with his reports. I missed all that. University life isn't that bad. I have made enough friends from practicals and OG group to secure my loneliness, as I joined TalentQuest 2007 managed by Science Club as a committee member for some fun, and there's a student exchange programme and yet maybe another YEP waiting for me next year, hopefully. It's fun in a way. New ppl met, new environment to adapt, new friendships to develop... But I really, really, really missed the old school days.

Or maybe it's just me...

Thou so, I'll still work hard, play hard!!! *Smiles*

Hokkien Fever!!!

I totally give up on BioChem le, just hope can pass later... Decided to relax a little bit so here am I, with a few hokkien clips from youtube. LoL. I love the speeding one esp. At least, I can smile as I sleep.

Will do better after sleeping. My mind is blank now. NiteZzz

Shit Happens

Whenever I'm having a test or exam, I'm sure to quarrel with my brother for other side issues. Am I being too much of an individualist, making it hard for ppl to live with me?! Apparently, it has affected my mood, and right now instead of studying BioChem for skipping Molecular Genetics lecture, I'm making whole load of complains typing this blog. Anyway, I skipped enough lectures for me to feel guilty. And I promised myself that after the sem break, I will attend ALL the lectures, including Organic Chem (if I mastered it during the break). But when the sem started yesterday, I skipped the first Organic Chem lecture immediately as I could not wake up on time. On the downside, I've yet to finish Chapter 1 of Organic Chemistry as yet. Awesome, yeah?! The idea of spending yesterday's whole night to finish one chapter of BioChemistry scares me. I wondered would I've enough time to complete the syallabus covered for the test tomo. AgrhhhH, I hate chem-related modules. They kill. I won't say sorry to him either. Is NEVER my fault. Or at least, not this time round.

Life's such a bitch.