Present, Pests Begone

Seriously I do hate bugs and lizards who invade my house. Why do they choose to climb all the way here? I hate them to the core, but always face a dilemma whenever I'm faced with something larger than the regular housefly. Usually, there are 3 ways to get rid of them:
1. Shoo them away
2. Insecticide
3. Physical attacks

I like to use #3 a lot, but don't know how to clear up the mess when they are all smashed, and so my family complains. Sometimes it's so irritating that they are faster than me or are hiding in some hard to reach areas. Argh, I hate it the most when they pop up when I'm going to sleep, I just can't sleep when I know something's moving around the room.

Their presence made me more of a cleanliness freak sometimes, but evidence shows no matter how clean the house is, you can't escape from the occasional spider or beetle. I don't like to kill, but they leave me with no choice. So sorry pests, consider yourselves unfortunate to come into my house.

Movie Tidbits, Slumdog Millionaire

Jamal Malik is one question away from winning 20 million rupees, how did he do it?
D: It is written.

A story of 2 slumdog brothers, Salim and Jamal, who wanted to millionaires.
Each of them with qualities to make it big in Mumbai.
Salim joined the mob and got that kind of money easily.
Jamal wanted a decent job, he lost his girl, he lost his brother.
In a twist of fate, Jamal won the top prize on 'Who Wants to be a Millionaire'.
Salim finally understands his brother, but had to die along with his money.
Jamal is the Slumdog Millionaire.

Present, Don't Give Up On Me Now

My phone malfunctioned again, just barely a month after servicing. It's 3G functionality is down and it can't detect my memory card. This phone, the Sony Ericsson W910i, has been with me for the longest time. I really think it is the best after I-phones and those touch screen ones, but lately it has been giving me all sorts of problems.

Hey W910i, are you going faulty on me because you knew I am going to be enlisted soon? Wow you are so drama man, like those male and female leads in a love story. I must be going mad, talking to a non-living thing. So off to the Service Centre for repairs. I swear if it doesn't get any better then I will chuck it at home for 2 years.

Hey wait, I'll be doing that anyway.

Poll #1, Stairs Problem

Encountered this question when I was climbing the stairs one day. Even though I'm quite proficient in maths, this question still got me thinking. The answer is 26, hey, looks like no one got it correct (the 1 vote on 26 was mine). Let me analyse the question for you guys.

The number of storeys of stairs climbed is governed by a simple formula, namely number of storeys= final storey- initial storey.
For example, if you climbed from the second to the twelfth storey, you would have climbed 10 storeys (12-2=10).
Do take note that the ground floor is the 1st storey. And so the correct answer is 26 [(17-1)+(14-4)=26].

Present, 14 February 2009 (Karaoke)

Let me bring your attention to a sentence from my previous post on Music Tidbits, Love Songs (Part 1): It's Valentine's Day next week. As always, I'll be spending it alone. Well apparently I have to eat back my words, because not 1, but 2 groups of friends have asked if I could spend the day with them. Don't get me wrong, I didn't choose E6 over 06, I chose Karaoke over dinner.

So headed over to Hougang Mall after the talks. I guessed I was overdressed for the occasion as they were in their casual wear while I was like back from work. But hey, I was in the city you know, can't afford to look too shabby. Hougang Plaza's Kbox seemed more like a favourite hangout for us karaoke lovers. Karaoke is good, you get exposed to new songs everytime and have quality time with friends. Of course you have to bear with the dark ambience and the occasional out of tune and mistimed singing. We are amatuers after all, that's why we coop in the lounge rather than enter competitions.

One point to note while we are at the topic of singing-- sometimes you need a real good command of Chinese, or at least traditional Chinese so that you can pronouce the lyrics properly. Don't believe me? Try singing Jay Chou's 青花瓷 for a start. I also realised you need some preparation before K-ing, at least you need to know how the tune of the various songs goes or you will end up like me-- singing only from the chorus.

And so we had great time until 11 plus, luckily train service was still available, otherwise I wouldn't be able to get home. It was then that I made the same mistake I've always made since coming of age. Now let me bring your attention to another sentence from my previous post on Passed BTT?: I realised that I failed to be a gentleman again. Should have escorted Jasmine home lor. After all, it was late at night and she had to walk home by herself. Okay next time, I've to stop thinking about myself and start thinking about others.

Past, Chapter 3: The 5-dollar Crush

It's April already and I still did not make my feelings known. I guess I was afraid of rejection more than anything else after the first attempt (another girl) went wrong. So I wonder how I should go about doing this, so I asked Kai Wei about it. Turned out he confessed through MSN, and it succeeded, so lucky. He said the key was to be straightforward, I thought so too.

Nicholas had planned for a movie outing to watch Spiderman 3. It was meant to be a class thingy, but then many people were busy and thus only 5 or 6 people could make it. Well, it was the perfect opportunity to ask her out and maybe confession after that. Her acceptance could mean something, that she was ok with going out with a group of people with me, now that is a big step.

I sent the message right away, it was already 11 plus at night, wonder if she's still awake.
Jaikun: hey wanna watch spiderman 3? sum ppl frm my cls r watching tmr, u can bring ur frens along 2o, my clsmates r doing tt 2o, it's like a mini aj outing.
******: no thanks, i've got council meeting tmr
Damn that council meeting.
Jaikun: hmm, wat time does it end? we r watching in the evening...
******: 6.. nvm la u guys go along i will be tired after tt.
Jaikun: orh, ok lor.

Hey the rejection doesn't mean anything alright. Even Vale had said better luck next time. Awesome movie by the way.

Future, Posts to Expect

Damn I'm so behind time on present posts. It's already the 24th and I'm still blogging on the 14th. If I don't speed up soon I may just forget what I wanted to blog about. The past posts are dragging me behind, but then the readers seemed more interested in my past. So this is a blog post to remind me of what to blog about and to let readers anticipate what's coming up.

Chapter 3 of the past posts are coming to an end soon, I reckon 4 more posts should do the trick. Then there's a brand new Chapter 4 coming up, but it's not as secret-revealing as the previous one.
Certain present posts are waiting to be published, here is a sneak peak of the titles:
14 February 2009 (Karaoke)
Don't Give Up on Me Now
Slumdog Millionaire
Pests Begone
About Driving (Part 3)
The Teacher, My Favourite
The 5-dollar Crush, Aftermath of the aftermath

Yup that's about all. Oh wait, of course there will be some sort of discussion of the polls as well, so please poll.

Present, 14 February 2009 (Let's Talk @ NTU)

As always, university talks are a hot favourite for many. There are simply too many interested people, too little places. So I expected packed meeting rooms at Suntec City. And I wasn't disappointed-- even the largest theatre couldn't accommodate everyone; latecomers had to sit on the stairway.

It was a good experience though, as I learned valuable information and get to meet some friends that I thought I will never get to see again in my whole life. So the whole time at Suntec was going to the various talks and 'hi and bye'-ing during breaks. Saw some 06 people, but I guessed there were more, just goes to show we have vastly different interests.

Discovered something real interesting in one particular talk-- the best occupation to have is being a mathematician. Alright, I always knew doing math will get me far. Wonder if I should pursue a course in mathematical sciences. But it all really depends on my results. Come to think about it, I'm actually pretty scared, what if I flunked?

Ah, don't wanna think about it, don't wanna talk about it.

Present, 14 February 2009 (Qian Yu's Birthday)

Many things happened on this very day, though there is nothing romantic associated to them. It may take more than 1 blog entry to write it all down (because it's way too lengthy).

So on this day, being single, having no commitments, I decided to spend Valentine's Day alone by attending 'Let's Talk @ NTU', the annual NTU talks that were held at Suntec City. Or that was what I thought. Perhaps going to the city wasn't a good idea after all, seeing couples crowding around Dolby Gaunt really isn't comforting when you are walking alone. Never mind about that.

As I was cruising along Citylink Mall, I saw somebody that resembles Qian Yu, my ex Zhonghua classmate. It was then that it struck me that it was her birthday today. So I sent a SMS to tell her I remembered. What a convinient day to have a birthday on 14 Feb, it's so easy to remember. But, I guess I wouldn't want a birthday on this day. It would put a lot of pressure on me to get attached or something as the stereotyping is always there. Then there's the dilemma of celebrating your birthday with your family and friends or celebrating Valentine's Day with that special someone. Apparently, one person I know is spending the day at home with her family.

Oh yeah, I think too much again, why do I always waste time thinking about things that doesn't concern me? Oh well, popped my earphones on and trekked towards Suntec City...

Present, AV's Fight at the Top

Aston Villa's dream run of 13 unbeaten matches in the English Premier League came to an abrupt end at the hands of their closest rival Chelsea. The 1-0 loss tonight meant that AV had dropped to 4th, 1 point behind current 3rd-placed Chelsea.

AV's incredible form of 13 unbeaten matches could only be matched by leaders Manchester United, taking them to 3rd place prior to this match. With a small squad size and limited funding, AV has surprised many and has been dubbed the team to break into the Big 4 clubs.

Many teams had clung on to the 4th spot at this point of the season, the most notable being Everton who claimed 4th spot ahead of Liverpool during the 04-05 season and Tottenham Hotspur who held on until the last round of games when Arsenal snatched it during the 06-07 season. I believe AV can cling on to the 4th and last spot for Champions League qualification despite tonight's loss. As of now, they are still 4 points ahead of 5th-placed Arsenal with 12 games to go. With only the Premier League to worry about, I believe they can go the distance against the Big 4 clubs who have the Champions League to worry about.

Go Aston Villa!

Past, Chapter 3: The 5-dollar Crush (Part 12)

Okay, all potential councilors are fake when they are trying to win votes. Really, a councilor-to-be needs more popularity than substance to win a vote these days. Her campaigning days were the days I get to talk to her the most, they were also the days she came to find me on her own accord. How I wish the days would never end. Even though I knew the actions were just for show, I couldn't help enjoy every moment of it.

I guess at this point of time some sharp ex-E3 people (like Jeremy perhaps) would have guessed who she is already. Well that's ok, it's already the past anyway. Let's move on.

Naturally, she had gotten herself into the school council. I guessed that's a sign that she is real popular. How else will the whole college know about you when you have only started college for one month or so? I wonder where she will be dispatched to though? If she got a post at the councilors' room, I swear I will accompany Nicholas there whenever he need to do some class leader business or borrow board games whenever I get the opportunity.

Present, Passed BTT?

After hearing that Shu Fen and Nicholas had passed, and having passed myself, it seemed that passing BTT (Basic Theory Test) isn't that difficult after all. Mun Chee became the latest friend to pass it, and I've come to know it firsthand. And here's why.

Was surprised to receive a SMS from her asking me about some details of the test. How did she know I passed? I guessed it was from facebook ba. I doubt she knew it from my blog, but then again you never know (I'm always surprised at who has read my blog).

Hey, I'm digressing. Back to the main point. Being in the vicinity at that point of time and having not seen the SSDC (a.k.a. the AMK driving centre) coz I took my test at Ubi, I decided to go there. I had no inkling where the centre was and so I took some time off my job to find out online. I went straight there, hoping to catch a glimpse of MunCh and find out how she fared. Damn, I was such a busybody, but I guess when someone's doing something you have done just weeks ago, you would be interested to know if she's doing any better than you do. You know, people just like to compare.

Wow was pretty lucky to catch her coming out as I arrived. Wanted to hide among the parked motorcycles and surprise her, but then her sharp eyes caught me in the act (or was it my size?). And yea, she passed. Ar, isn't it great to share the joy of passing with someone who knows what it takes to pass. While she was waiting to apply for her PDL (Provisional Driving License), 3.5 hours mind you, I set off home (happy waiting MunCh).

It was after I boarded bus 86 home that I realised that I failed to be a gentleman again. Aiya Jun Kai, when will you ever learn? I shouldn't just leave her there to wait lor. Then again, it's really none of my business. And then again, there's already a friend accompanying her (he took the test that day as well). And yet again, 3.5 hours is a lot of time to waste. Excuses, excuses, I know.

Present, About Driving (Part 2)

Today's lesson objective was steering wheel control, that is driving along straight roads, along gradual bends and along sharper bends. Remember my first lesson when all I did was move forward and reverse? Well that sucks. But then I got a pleasant surprise when the instructor told me that I could drive along the course. Now that's what driving is about-- moving around.

A couple of rounds around the course and I could already keep in lane and move along gradual bends. Sharper bends were more difficult. You must always remember to signal before making the turn. Of course, making the turn requires skill, no book can teach you that. It's like you need to be of one with the car, feel the turning of your vehicle as you turn the steering wheel. It's a really abstract kind of feeling. I got pretty nervous whenever there's a car negotiating a bend beside me in a 2-lane bend. Both cars were like so close to each other, but thanks to the driver's skill (or was it my skill?), the metal never met, not once at all.

Seeing that I was proficient enough already, the instructor allowed me to move on to the next module which was gear shifting. Woohoo, no more 'turtling' in 1st gear anymore. And so we tried first to second and stop, repeating the cycle as we move along the course. There wasn't really the need to go any faster anymore as the driving course was packed as I was gear shifting. Oh bummer, I swore I need to stop every 100m to wait for the front car to move. It's pretty frustrating. Not only did I waste precious time waiting, it was also tiring to stop and move off every half a minute. Now I can feel what it is like during a traffic jam.

Nevertheless, it was an enjoyable lesson. The instructor also said that I was absorbing real quickly. Was it a real compliment or a means to encourage me? Aiya, it doesn't really matter, as long as I enjoy the experience.

Past, Chapter 3: The 5-dollar Crush (Part 11)

I'm sure many people have heard of Rihanna's Good Girl Gone Bad. Let's just say today was a Bad Day Gone Good. I thought today was going to be a bad day. And it was, at least for the first part of the day. A look at the timetable told me only one thing-- this was a long and boring school day. There's like 10 and a half hours' worth of boring lessons in school, not to mention lots of homework. Yep, today really was my least favourite day-- hours of SPA sessions, GP, Chinese and the dreaded PE.

My day started off with the announcement that I was just 'not good enough' for the Mathematical Olympiads (what a failure). This was the foreword of worse things to come, I'm sure of it. And it turned out to be true. I messed up my Physics SPA and had to draw graphs for homework. Only 2 hours in school and i was like sian diao. 'Endure' I told myself, 8 more hours to go.

Funny, this was supposed to be about my crush, why am I ranting about my boring school life? Well, things started to look better when I met her for the first time today. I had to sacrifice my precious 30-minute break to photocopy my CCA Cert, but I am glad I did it coz then I met her. She was joining the queue outside the photocopy shop at Block 11, together with me (not really, it was a long queue). Hi and bye were the only words we exchanged but it was enough, her smile already did the trick.

From then on, lessons seemed more bearable. For the first two hours after that meeting, I 'aced' my Chemistry SPA and got no homework. Then I got lucky-- escaped GP without getting a scolding(homework not done), Chinese seemed like a breeze. Along came PE, I was sure this good luck (or was it luck?) will not last. But I was wrong. Unexpectedly, she had PE too, and it was the same session. I don't know if she ever saw me but everytime I saw her I, you guessed it, I felt a burst of energy that boosted my running.

After PE, I raced to get on bus 86 home, but missed it. Bad luck? No way. I met her once again at the bus stop. Hi and bye again. And I went home with high spirits. Talk about a Bad Day Gone Good, ha.

Present, Passed FTT

I've gone yet another step ahead to the coveted driving license by passing the Final Theory Test (FTT). Passing the FTT equips the learner with ample knowledge of basic driving techniques and allows the learner to apply for the Traffic Police Practical Test if he/she is ready. Certainly passing 2 tests in 1 month is no mean feat, I need to thank my years of study for that has equipped me with the relevant skill of memorising.

But then again there's the feeling that I've pursued this goal at the wrong time. In this one months' time, I've only gone for 1 practical lesson, which confirms that I will not be ready for the practical test because of NS commitment. Dad told me not to worry as learning to drive is like learning to cycle (you will not forget even if you haven't tried for years). I wondered if this is true (only time can find out). So I've made a resolution to go for at least 5 practical lessons before enlistment, I just hope the instructor will have some space for me to squeeze in.

Present, Dengue Blacklist

I got the shock of my life when I walked home one day and chanced upon a large banner that says: 'there has been 2 cases of dengue fever in your neighbourhood from 18/01/09'. I can't believe that I was oblivious to the banner until that very day. But then I saw it and everything changed. It felt like my neighbourhood suddenly became one of those quaratine villages that you often see in movies like 'Quaratine' and 'I am Legend', where people trapped inside were doomed and could turn into fearsome creatures anytime. Of course, I was letting my imagination run wild, but really placing the banner there makes people think twice before visiting the region.

A letter from NEA came shortly after the incident, requesting to do a check of my apartment for traces of mosquito larvae (about time, it was almost a month now). It's a good thing that the government is doing something about this, rather than just talk but no action. Of course, my apartment passed the test, otherwise I should be the one who would have contracted the virus. But still, I became a little paranoid after this, occasionally checking for bites and wondering if the bites could 'mutate' into the virus in a few days' time

Present, Ahem, My Birthday

I was really happy to know that people still remember my birthday, even though we do not see each other as often anymore. Let’s do an honour roll before I blog about my ‘gan chu’. In chronological order: Hwee Lin, Gladys, Ying Hui (06), Jasmine (Er), Gina, Wei Sheng, Gabriel, Zainul, Hao Zi, Syafeeqah, Nicholas, Michelle (Fok) and Rebecca. Special thanks to Gladys for the gift (although it was not a birthday gift).

Ha, it’s the first time I’m doing this. I guess it has become important to remember you have caring friends after leaving school. Thanks for all of the well wishes. This brings me to a new goal in life, to remember my friends’ birthdays.

Of course, besides friends, there is also family. Parents and siblings aside, I was heartened to know that all my grandparents knew as well. They may be old and forgetful but there are certain things that they never forget. My maternal grandma cooked ‘mian xian’ for me, so sweet.

Yup, so I’m 19 years old now. Time to think about my future. But then again, my future’s all planned, for 2 years that is. I realised I really think a lot, even though I’m not doing anytime. Perhaps a suitable job for me is being a planner or something. Is there a job like this? Should have ba, maybe an event planner or something like that.