Public transport grouses

1. Pole Huggers. People who claim 'pole position' all to themselves, wrapping their arms and legs around the handrail (the vertical type) with no regard for other passengers who are struggling to maintain balance with nothing to hold on to for support.

2. Traffic Stoppers. In KL, the right lane on the escalator is the fast lane (Yes, it says so on the signboards next to the escalators!!). Or not - if you're unfortunate enough to get stuck behind someone who's either inconsiderate or ignorant.

3. Bouncers. In the case of getting on/off LRTs, instead of stopping you from getting in, they stop you from getting out. I don't understand why! It's simple reasoning, really - people have to get out first before more people can get in - the carriage doesn't have an infinite volume!
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On a separate note, my Spanish Word of the Day email today tells me that the Spanish word for 'mosquito' is... 'mosquito'!

Klutz

I've forgotten to bring my wallet to college on three out of four days so far this week. Monday, I borrowed one pound from Jin Rong to buy myself a pain au chocolat to assuage my misery, only for it to drop it on the floor and roll behind the vending machine out of my reach. Tuesday, as a result of reading my timetable wrongly and bringing in the wrong notes, I sat through all my lectures totally disoriented and at sea. Wednesday, I slammed the lid of the grand piano on my pinkie. And to top it all off, today I forgot my keys, and thus got locked out of my room for an hour or so. I've been such a klutz it's not even funny.

Story of my life. Sigh!

Good morning, Monday

Lipstick on my teeth
Perfume in my eyes

My hair out of place
My socks mismatched

Yesterday reverberates
Still in my head

Fuzzy wuzzy dizzy ditzy
Nippy in my skinny tee

I'm running late
Hot chocolate burns my tongue

But oh, it's Monday morning
So tell me, now - what's new?

5:55

5:55 am is the time I set my alarm clock to ring at every morning. Not because I actually want to get up at 5:55 but because it takes on average about 5 snoozes for me to actually get up. Each snooze lasts 9 minutes, so by the end of the fifth snooze it's exactly 6:40 am. And I reluctantly (but a little less reluctant than I was 45 minutes ago) drag myself up out of bed.

And yes, Jenny, I SO agree with you that thinking of titles for blogposts can be quite tiresome.

yours groggily,
-may-

Sigh.

Perched on the toilet bowl early this morning with my eyes still semi-open, I made a dreadful discovery: I have five more weeks to go at GSK and not four weeks as I had initially calculated. Lesson learnt: Two months does not equal 8 weeks. )=

conned by her own self,
-may-

back-bending heaviness in my head

oh that i might drift off to sleep on my bed while getting a good back massage, and not have to bother setting my alarm clock to go to work the next morning

deskbound and dreading it,
-may-

A maths paper like never before..

Yesterday I sat for the last math paper of my entire life. Little did I know it would also turn out to be the worst math paper of my entire life. )= By the end of the paper, I knew my hopes for a first class in my second year were reduced to ashes, and that's not me being pessimistic - it's me being realistic. Maths carries the bulk of the examination marks - almost a quarter of the whole examination with five other papers. And I was banking on Maths to pull up my overall percentage so that I might just scrape by with a borderline first class overall. But no. )= If anything, at least the blow was softened by the fact that everyone else thought it was the killer too, (misery loves company? No lah... I'm not that selfish) meaning it wasn't just me not performing up to standards, and that the paper WAS indeed a killer. Unless a miracle happens and they scale the marks soooo significantly that I somehow manage to get well above 60% for this math paper, I can kiss my hopes of a first-class goodbye...

In all this, I have but one consolation: I know I did my best, and I'm not regretting or blaming myself for not working hard enough. Because I did. I think I would have been less upset if it wasn't because I was looking to Maths to help me redeem the first-class that I missed last year. But really, all I can do now is to continue working harder for the remaining papers, and pray for a miracle to happen.

Or maybe I shouldn't place so much importance on getting a first class, some of you might be thinking. Not if you knew how I underperformed last year and how much I want to 'redeem' myself by getting that first class this year, not just for myself but to be really honest, for my parents too... although they aren't really putting pressure on me in that way. And almost everyone (i.e. the Malaysians in my course) got a first class last year... Only last night did I find out that some people think anything below 65% is considered 'bad for Malaysian standards'. Harsh, but true.

And to think just last Sunday at church the international evangelist William 'Gypsy' Lee preached an entire sermon on miracles, and said something which hit home rightaway: "it is one thing to believe in miracles, and another thing altogether to expect miracles".

Am I to expect a miracle? How? And why? Why do I even deserve a miracle? Deep in my heart I know I believe God is a miracle-maker, but dare I also say that I believe with all my heart that I have a share in all these miracles? Just like how you don't expect extraordinarily bad things to happen to you - for example being zapped by lightning and dying on the spot - you also don't expect extraordinarily good things to happen to you. Or maybe that's just me.... Are miracles for me?

Protest math

Courtesy of Marc and Yuyong. They say our Maths lecturer Professor Jacobs looks like a garden gnome. Hmmmm. And they even made me and Tzyy Jian put this photo as our MSN display picture, to campaign against math! "For a math-free world", they say. Lol. Anyhoo! The first of my five papers which is Math, starts tomorrow. All the best to me! (=

Roots

Sigh. Am I being a little cruel - not understanding enough, perhaps? - to feel angry at my little sis for feeling so dissatisfied about school and her life in Bentong? Here I am missing home and Bentong and Malaysia so much, wishing that if I thought about it hard enough I might somehow be teleported back home and leave all these exams, cares and anxieties behind. And there she is telling me "I rather be in London". "What am I to do during holidays in a small town like this?". "Maybe Bentong was a little better during your time". I cannot help but feel betrayed. I love Bentong, no matter how much I myself playfully diss it about being backward and ulu and un-happening. I'll never forget where I came from, even if I never live in Bentong ever again for whatever reason; never ever forget my roots as a smalltown girl/country bumpkin. I know that my sister might just be going through the growing-up pains, being the 14 year old girl that she is, and being flooded by the MTV culture left right front and behind. And I definitely don't deny that the pressure was perhaps to a lesser degree during my time as a schoolgirl. Maybe I'm just being overly sentimental. I don't know.

If you've never seen or heard me defend my hometown Bentong with the ferocity of a tabby cat protecting her kittens, try me right now. There could not be a better time.

I think it's going to rain today

1. It's been raining intermittently throughout the day for the past week, not to mention it's a lot gloomier and colder than the preceding week too. )=

2. I am now on a 7-day free trial for Napster which I am going to cancel by the end of the 7 days, not because I'm cheapo and simply wanted to enjoy the free music for one week, but because I discovered that you don't get to keep your music once you cancel membership. And the basic subscription is 9.95 quid a month. I would have seriously considered going for it if not because they won't let me keep the music I download after I decide to stop subscribing.

3. I think I've thus far downloaded like 30 Marvin Gaye songs, 30 Stevie Wonders, 30 Tori Amoses, 20 John Mayers, 20 Rosie Thomases, 20 Katie Meluas, more than a handful of George Bensons, Herbie Hancocks, John Coltranes, Michael Breckers, Diana Kralls, Frank Sinatras, Tony Bennetts, Nina Simones, Oleta Adamses, Sarah McLachlans, Luther Vandrosses, Johnny Hartmans... and two things I've discovered about some of the music I've always liked: 1. In more than a few of Marvin Gaye's songs, there are sounds of people moaning and sighing apparently from a hot love-making (I've always disliked the term "make love" - as if love can be 'made' from lustful desires and pleasurable intimacy) session, and it absolutely grosses me out. (What was that all about huh, Mister Marvin Gaye??) I don't know if he has separate versions of those songs without those 'background noises' though, cos I've never noticed them before this. But seriously, it's super yucky la... it's almost like audio porn or something, if there ever was such a thing... Why do people like to spoil such good music like that?? But anyway, discovery number 2: I don't like Katie Melua after all. Don't like her style.

4. I bought another tub of Ben&Jerry's Dublin Mudslide yesterday... non-promotional *sheepish*.

5. I am eyeing Stevie Wonder's box set "At The Close of a Century" (4CD compilation) which is selling for 26 quid on eBay.co.uk, brand new. I really really really really want it - it has practically every single Stevie Wonder fave of mine with the exception of "I Can Only Be Me", and it comes with a little biographical booklet thingy - it's simply the PERFECT collector's item! I want I want I want! I've asked Eric to check the prices in Malaysia for me *cough* but he hasn't gotten back to me yet....

6. For the past one week or so I've actually been eating healthy, complete, balanced meals at home despite the fact that the five of us don't cook together anymore due to the exam season. People, you can NOT live on pesto and bolognese and Indomie, even if you like them, trust me on that. So, I've cooked chicken rice, roasted chicken, boiled spinach soup, fried 'chow mein', and plus, Melissa made tomyam soup yesterday too. Not exactly the ideal five-servings-of-fruit-and-veg a day but I'm sure Mommy would be pleased to hear anyway. Lol. Might wanna boil ABC soup one of these days too. (=

7. Oh! Oh! And how could I forget!! We've signed the contract for our flat next year - whoooppee! It's at this quiet (well, relative to the ever-bustling Cromwell Road) little road just parallel to Cromwell Road, called Emperor's Gate. Charlotte's place last year. We've got the nicest and cosiest little kitchen, with a dining table that comes with long benches on both sides - so nice! Only disadvantage - and it's only a slight disadvantage which I don't mind living with - is that I'll be sharing a bunk bed again. Oh, and it seems Alan is doomed to live in the basement for his entire university life or something.... hahaha. d=

Okaylah.. that's all for now, folks. Back to my books!

Cars - means of transportation, or luxury items???

Give this video clip a watch, especially if you are Malaysian and even more so if you own a Kelisa. The following text is an email reply I wrote on the spur of the moment after receiving this clip from a friend. (hence the lack of punctuation, sorry!)




"lol. i have to say, i found these clips more offending and senseless than they were funny... (strange, i never thought i was so 'patriotic'.. hahaha) the dude obviously has something against cars that are made without 'spirit' or 'passion', as if they were made by a corporation wanting to make money, and not one PERSON who wanted to make a great car... but by saying that he's ignoring a huge category of people who own a car as a means of transport, as something necessary, instead of a luxury item or a hobby... if everyone could afford to own a merc or a ferrari then well, yeah, maaaybe what he said was justified.. but the fact is not everyone can, in fact most people can't!! who is he to judge perodua for making cars that are more accessible and more affordable to a greater market of consumers??? even if perodua's intention was to make money, but hey... perodua makes money, less affordable folks can own cars - fair and square if u ask me!!

and besides, that blatant annihilation of a brand new car (though it may just be a humble malaysian-made kelisa) to prove his point was simply uncalled for, if u ask me"

What do you guys think? Was that a fair criticism at all?

HELP!!!!!!!!

Yesterday saw the second sighting of Mr. Mouse (yeah we've decided it's too small to be a rat) and gosh, if I was frightened on Monday, THIS was waaaaaay scarier! I've climbed onto just about anything that can be climbed on (and even tried climbing onto things that can't be climbed onto e.g. the doors!) like the staircase railing, my bed, Melissa's bed, chairs... And please, STOP telling me "But it's so small and cuuuuuuute!", or even that the mouse is more afraid of me than I am of it. And the next person who tells me it's "just a rat" is SO GONNA GET IT FROM ME!!!

And to everyone who teased me and laughed at me (that's YOU, Zhon Wei!) and tried to frighten me about Mr Mouse tickling my ear with its tail in my sleep, or running into my gaping mouth while I sleep, or swimming about in my bathtub, or jumping out at me from inside my drawer, or making a nest in my shoe... Or tried to poison my mind with stories of Mr Mouse's entire family returning to avenge its death, or stories of the caretaker-man upstairs turning into a huge mouse with long whiskers and a house full of baby mice.... To all of you mean mean people, we'll see who has the last laugh! Ha! (See, all the mean things my own friends tell me?!?!?)

Yes, I know I'm paranoid, and I'm not proud of it okay!!

Of rodents and MNite

Last night there was a rat in our apartment!!!

At first it was in Lance's room-cum-dining-area, I was tearing the cabbage leaves at the dining table when I spotted it scurrying about on the floor near his desk, which is just 2 metres behind me! My instant response obviously was to scream at the top of my voice and dash towards Alan in the kitchen (all the while still screaming), who thought I had found a caterpillar in the cabbage or something like that. Come on, Alan! A caterpillar wouldn't have produced such a long screaming episode from me, maybe just one shriek but that would be it! Lol. Anyway, I stood as far away from the rat as I possibly could, and even made Alan bring one of the dining table chairs to me for me to stand on while I continued acting out my part as damsel-in-distress, hahaha! He, on the other hand, armed with a small cardboard box decided to confront the thing one-on-one - so brave Alan!!! At this point, Melissa who was in Alan's room doing some programming, had heard the ruckus and me screaming "RAT!!!!" and had quickly closed Alan's room door (but only to find out later on that the rat was small enough to go under closed doors). Once I had calmed down a little, Alan told me to bring the food to our my kitchen instead since there was no way two terrified girls were gonna continue being in the same room as a rat. So I made my escape to my own room.

While I was waiting for Alan to come, I heard a commotion next door pulak and so I pasted my ear on the wall adjoining my room to Alan's room, and clearly heard Melissa exclaim "That means it went to MY room?!?!?". For the yet uninformed, Melissa's room = my room, and you could have imagined how scared I was! And the next thing I knew, I saw the rat - the same small black rat - in my room under our desks!! I don't know how I had managed to somehow end up on the other side of the room but yeah, I found myself standing next to our double-decker bed but not on the side with the ladder. At first I jumped onto Melissa's lower bunk, screaming and calling for Alan while the rat scurried around near our kitchen area and then as the thing came nearer to me, in my desperation I actually clambered up to my top bunk of the bed (without using the ladder, mind you! The physical feats people are capable of when they're desperate/frightened... I tell you....)! I was HYSTERICAL! I was half-laughing and half-screaming at that point, really felt like a mad woman. And to think I'd run away from Lance's room only for the rat to follow me to my own room!

Thankfully, Alan heard my cry for help and let himself into my room with Melissa's set of keys. At this point also, Melissa messaged me a warning on MSN from Alan's computer: "MAY THE RAT RAN OUT"! (I only saw the message after the ordeal was over but it was SO funny!). Hahahahaha. We had such a good laugh over it later on! Anyway, Alan was in my room in no time, this time armed with the tong sampah, inverted, determined to pounce on it and trap it under the tong sampah. But lo and behold!- the rat was nowhere to be found, we waited for it and jolok-ed all the stuff in my room but there was no sign of it. I suppose it must have left my room somewhere between the time when I was on my bed and when Alan actually reached my room. Just to make doubly sure, we made Alan search through all our belongings (while Melissa and I were in the safety of our own beds) and the toilet and the closet. We still don't know where it is right now but let's hope it's no longer in the building!

Oh, and if any of you were wondering why my MSN display name reads "It's a RAT, not an ACROBAT", that's what Alan indignantly/exasperatedly said to me when I was fretting and wondering out loud if the rat would be able to somehow make its way up onto my bed by leaping from rung to rung on the ladder. *blush* I knowwwwwww.... I felt VERY bimbotic and still do.....

All that, over one tiny little baby rat.... aduhai! Girls will be girls, what can I say. d=
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Oh yes, MNite! All I'll say is that it only gets better every year (=

Things I did

Very stupidly and carelessly washed one side of my custom-made, astigmatism-correcting, RM200+ a-side, currently irreplaceable, permanent contact lenses down the bathroom sink. *smacks self real hard*

Finished writing my lab report, now ready for printing! (=

Had a really good Chinese New Year potluck with the Cromwell family. What makes a good Chinese New Year away-from-home if not the company of good friends, plenty of good food and large doses of Jacky Cheung classics while playing Big Two?

Successfully reproduced mommy's Four Fungi Chicken dish... yay!

Cut my hair on the second day of Chinese New Year, and my fingernails on the third day. Shhh.... don't tell Wai Po!

Finally got together the vocal harmonies for 'Sabarlah', doesn't sound bad at all now!

Missed home, missed my family and extended family, especially my two little cousins Nat & Ash.

Why me and Pilot Plant are meant to be

All my 5 terms in Chem Eng I've NEVER once done a laboratory experiment outside of the pilot plant - none in the proper LAB labs at all. Yes. Thanks to some cruel arrangement of timetables, each and every one of the experiments I've done so far in first and second year were ones in the pilot plant laboratory, the latest being the Pilot Plant Scale Batch Distillation - a huge-ass thingamajig spanning four floors of the pilot plant laboratory, which during its zaman kegemilangan (glorious days) was used by BP to distill oil. To think I was ever so intimidated by the Pilot Plant and all the machinery (hardly state-of-the-art but intimidating nonetheless) at the beginning of my first year... lol.

Today, and for the next two and a half weeks I will be spending no less than three hours every weekday except Wednesday in the Pilot Plant, watching digits rise and fall, recording values every ten minutes, turning valves on and off, pushing buttons.... *yawn* Not to say I'd enjoy very much more growing bacteria in petri dishes like Zhon Wei or mixing vegetable oil like Jin Rong but oh, isn't the grass always greener on the other side?

That said, I still am not quite used to wearing that stupid hard hat - it gives me mild headaches and makes my hair look flat. d=