Updates from CMU!

YEah... Finally I have gotten rid of 15-211.. The killer JAVA course. I love my advisor, he understands me and gave me Telecommunications and Networking instead.

I spent my weekend with Wei and KK.. missing her now! We went to the CHEESECAKE FACTORY... they have the widest variety of cheesecake that I have ever seen, bought a GODIVA chocolate cheesecake (I know dar dar will be soooo envious).

Wei and i

KK and I

We went shopping at Forever 21 and outfitter girls...things are cheaper here for Forever 21 and the fashion is the same as Singapore...bought a green top at 7 USD...On sale. Puma was on sale too.. but i too ngiaow, never buy!!! sob sob.

The next day we went to Target and Strip district to get supplies for the next 2 weeks. Salmon was expensive and can u imagine.. hha.. I managed to get Mee Tai Bak and Kok Kok hehehhe my favourite. They also have Mee sua and Pi Dan....hahahaha bought like crazy. Spent like 200 USD ... heart pain ah !!!

Yesterday night there was a fire at my apartment, I stay at level 3 and the fire was at level 2... we thought it is a false alarm. All thanks to Huang Liang.. he went to check... Brave!! Guess what I did?? I went straight to ge my jacket, passport, wear my boots (abit slow) and pulled my laptop and the ADADTOR.. took abt 10 plus minutes to get out of the house. KK told me that if the fire is bigger, I have already been cremated le.. should not bother to get my laptop next time!!! ok KK, I will remember.

We had eat out yesterday too. After the evacuation, went back to make dumpling soup!! By it was not up to normal standard..Sad!!

The sad ride to school!!! I hate the mundane daily commute!!! (dar dar)

I hate the mundane daily commute to school!!! It just isn't the right way to start the morning. You wake up early, squeeze on the damn bus, hunt about the MRT for a nice seat, hope that the person who seats next to you isn't one of the following:

• a morning sneezer. constantly and incessantly sneezing and blowing his nose to obilivion. And you have no chioce but to breathe the air he outputs.
• the leaning sleeper. Goes into deep hibernation mode but doesn't have any bodily control functions and starts to sway left and right, disturbing the passengers left to right. He gets his rest, we don't.
• The mobile phone commuter. Doesn't stop conversing on the mobile phone till he gets to his destination. In the tunnel, conversations become louder due to the weak reception and increasing background noise

Don't mean to offend anyone or shoot anyone down with my comments. Just wanna send out a message: Please do be kind and considerate to other passengers. You bought a ride on the MRT. It doesn't mean you bought the entire MRT carriage.

Hope tomorrow brings a better more pleasant journey to school.

What A Night!!! V-Bash at St James Power Station (dar dar)

me and kai me and robi me kai and eugene kai and eugene

It’s been a long time since I last partied and drank booze. Well, frankly, I didn’t miss much really. It’s just the friends that you hang out with that matter. Haha. Got my clubbing gear on and got down to St James Power Station. It’s just new joint that launched into Singapore clubbing arena quite recently and that’s about as much as I know about the club. The club itself is tiny compared to the places I used to frequent. The event held at the club was the NUS bash so I was expecting to see the prettiest faces at NUS. Sadly, the night brought in just a few roses with thorns (boyfriends in tow). Not a great night overall but still got a bit high.

A Scary and Funny nite out!! (darling)

Tonite, I experienced both the most scary and funniest stuffs in Pittsburgh. In search for the popular T-mobile dealers, we decided to check on the website and found that there is one downtown at the central business district. So Huang Liang and I went to take bus 71 for a 20 mins trip there. We reached there at about 7 plus pm... to my horror, it was so dark and almost all the shops were closed as if its 1 or 2 am in Singapore's CBD area. It was scary when we stopped an take picture with this very cute window display and a bunch of black ppl was talking about us when we walk pass them. Not very friendly.




You have to pull the yellow line to stop the bus!

We then walked up and down the street in search for the shop that is suppose to close at 10pm. At the brink of giving up... I almost walked pass it without noticing, but managed to notice at the end... but it was closed!!! Bad luck... so we decided to have dinner at the only Macdonald I have seen so far, in Pittsburgh.

So we went in, I started my search for the cheapest meal...and guess what, the counter staff (black guy) tried to hide his laughter when i ordered a nuggets happy meal. As if its not the worst, he asked me for my sauce preference and I answered "Chilli sauce please" without thinking... arghhh..he laughed harder this time round. Then, he forgot to give me my toy, so i asked Huang Liang to get it for me while i run away... but i could hear more laughter..... Why cant I order HAPPY MEAL in US???? I like the Toy Mah!!! haaa but i was damn funny... I actually enjoyed it.

well, but not the nite walks at the area... really freaked me out!!! Sweat!!

My first Snowwwww (darling)

Finally, I get see the my first snow in Pittsburgh yesterday... It was right there early in the morning when I woke up. Although not alot, but enough to cover the top of the trees and bushes. A beautiful morning.

Not to spoil everyone's image of snow, but i can get irritating at times when it does not snow straight from the sky.. get what I mean? haha, I mean it comes on to you diagonally as the wind blows and they get into the way of your eyes, nose and mouth as you speak..abit irritating. Look at the next picture and you will see why.

Just outside my apartment & In the snow with Mao Yi Sheng.. was a student of CMU too..wow!!

In the overall, it is not that cold when it snows, not as compared to today... no snow but its -9 degree WOW... my ears stung and the worst thing...I forgot my cap!!!!! Lets try spotting me in the picture below...Tell me where I am!!

Well, the first 2 dishes i cooked!

I am beginning to feel lonely..I miss all my friends..I have little friends here and I dont like it. Please come and visit me!!

Another Day's Pass... (Dar Dar)

The sun's up! I guess. I can't tell for sure though. Constantly being indoors and only receive news that the rain's gonna continue for the week makes me a very lousy weatherman. Anyways, met up with Eugene Mark (back from Australia studies) and Jinfa. Haha. Something's never change. Jinfa, always the jovial one. Unemployed for now. But i'm sure that he'll find something soon. He's pretty resourceful. A good getter, a family man. His son is about 9 months now, can't walk about yet but he's able to stand as i'm told. Eugene..... hahaha, beer is water, water is just water. Australia university culture rocks. Haha. Beer, Booze for every and any occasion. Eugene's still the same. Doing polictical science and maybe law. I wonder what sort of career would that lead to. A big time lawyer in the future? Is that enough to be a practicing lawyer? Hmmmm... Well, it's always great to meet with old friends. Sharing experiences. Chatting about the old times. Hope to do it again. Only thing that i regret is not taking a picture with them. DAMNIT!

I skipped a lecture today. Worth it i would say. Opportunity cost of your time spent in lecture is time spent with friends. Took snapshots of Qingkai, Soonwen and Patrick (in the background). Soonwen's nose is a fireman hose. If you can just turn it off for it one second, you can hear a pin drop in the lecture hall. Hahaha! Kidding!!!

(Qingkai and Soonwen wearing the same color shirt)

(Soonwen and me wear almost the same color shirt)

(My watch, it's a couples watch. It's beautiful. Reminds me of my darling)

The long wait....for 59U !!!

I had a disappointed experience with the pittsburgh bus system on Friday afternoon. That is when i miss the sms bus in Singapore that has a short interval of 15 mins per bus. 59U is the bus that all cmu students will take, in order to travel to Waterfront - a place where we can find target shop, giant eagle (supermarket) and a number of good restaurants.

The journey to Waterfront is a long 30mins, as if not worse enough, 59U comes in interval of 30 mins. So travelling to Waterfront would be at least an hour as you would think. But you are wrong...on Friday, the 2 buses went passed us without stopping. We waited for more than 1 and a half hour for nothing!!!!! Can you believe it???

Well we are not stupid afterall. While waiting, we took some pictures:

Intersaction of Craig st and Forbes street where we were waiting for buses

Fortunately, we asked 2 china guys and they suggested that we travel to squirrel hill instead where they have another Giant Eagle. While that nite, I spent about a total of 120 USD.... arghh... scary.!!!!

Last night, our advisors brought us to "The Quiet Storm" an all vegetarian restuarant.

A nice experience, but the food does not really suit my preference: We took a picture with Randy and wife, and Steve. It just look like those cafe in america TV series....haaa finally able to see it for my own eyes.. this is so fun!!

Then, today we finally went to Waterfront finally and I spent close to another 100USD. I feel so broke now!!! sob...I bought electric kettles, fork and spoon...etc...and I finally found my boots..they have my size (will update the picture of it in my next posting) !!! yeah !!!! Then be carried all the bags up and back by bus:

Bags and bags of stuffs!!! haaa

The View at NUS... I don't mean the girls!!! Haha!! (Dar Dar)

Hmmm... just got a little bored studying at the library. Decided to take a break from it all and do a little photo-journalism entitled, "Typical day at NUS library". Haha. Okay, this is gonna be quite lame from the start so i shall end it here. Real purpose is for my darling to "see" Singapore while she's overseas. Hehehe. Enjoy the landscape.




And the "Typical Bus journey Home"......


The End

Darling, i'll miss you (Dar Dar)

Haiz, the study of economics states that the choices that we make entails the sacrifice of another. So, what the next best alternative (opportunity cost) for leaving Singapore to be in Pittsburgh. It's family, relatives and friends. I suppose it'll be hard to adapt to the new way of life for my darling. But i know for certain she's strong and sturdy through this new chapter in life. But hey, it's sort of like a dream come true for me. I've always thought about what it would be like to have a girlfriend in another country, (and NOOOO, i'm not thinking about having an affair with another), but just wondered about the long distance relationships.

Movies always seems to glorify long distance romances and are box office smash hits! haha. Hey, could we make a movie out of this? Albeit, a little boring. hahaha! Gotta spice it up, ya? Kidding! Anyway, in the movies, the guy in the long distance relationship will eventually make the trip to the country where the girl is residing and the rest, as they say, is the love story of the moment. It'll be absolutely wonderful to visit her in the USA, it's always been my fantasy all my life to visit the free country. December maybe? Always wanted a holiday with my darling.

(She's sporting a shorter hair length. I think she looks sexier!)

These are some of the last snapshots of her in Singapore. Haha. From now on, there'll definitely be more interesting snaps of her than these! Hehehe! Love you darling! Come back soon. You've been missed terribly!!

I reached PITTSBURGH

After 23 hours of living in the plane... I am getting dizzy and stuffy. Finally, I am here. Its kinda cold abt 7 degree celscius.... I miss home.. much more than before.

Talked over the internet with my mummy and desmond. I felt like crying. I am no cry baby ok, just that i need to let it go at times. I miss them, I can't see them often. Dar and Desmond, help me take care of them please.!!!!

Anyway, go to the photo link to see the new uploaded photos!!!!

I love the ride! (Dar Dar)

Call me a cheapo all you want. But i just love the cheap thrill of being at the back of a lorry and just speeding down the highway and enjoying the thrill of being out there in the open, the wind blowing through your face at 70km/h, your hair is wind-blown dry and messed up as if a hurricane went through your face. Haha. It'll just fun really. This is why i wanna get a convertible. Hahaha. It's just soooo free!!!!! I'm like a bird!!! I wanna fly away!!!

My Timetable for the Spring Semester 2007 (darling)

Yeh, just got my timetable finalised for the new semester in CMU My schedule on ScheduleMan.org (Spring semester)..I am having some pre-flight depression. I am beginning to miss my mum, dad, sister, dar dar, ah ma, ah gong, uncles and aunties, eugene, Ah Bee, Xiao mei, my Convertible lorry uncle.... Godmother, Shifu, Desmond....and my FRIENDS!!!

I love my MUM, DAD and SIS!!!! Don't know how I can live without them. But I must be independent... cook, iron my clothes, wash them, eat and sleep myself....while thinking and worrying about them..but i will be strong...I must be....so that I can focus on my studies and score AAAAsss.

Go go Shirley....U can do it!!!!

GRE exam for her. A total nightmare!!! (dar dar)

The day of reckoning has finally arrived for my darling. The event that forced her to sacrifice her holidays and mug for something that would seem impossible to the typical adult. The dreadful GRE exam, consisting of the english language and basic mathematics problem solving. In typical fashion, every primary to secondary school student should be adept to such tests as it is as commonplace to them as having recess and PE. To us young adults, if we have navigated using the proper path through life and adopted Life Long Learning in English and Maths, then the GRE is a piece of cheese cake. Most unfortunately, we fell off that path and went on another.

The GRE test venue: Burlington Square.

Shirley was all business on the day of the GRE. Hard to imagine that you will be enduring English structured questions and Mathematics problems throughout a 4 hour period of time. OH MY GOSH! I myself attempted the SATs, which is sort of similar to the GRE ( i think ), and found myself asking questions like, "Who the hell uses English words of such sophisticated nature?"...... "Why do people even bother?"

Fortunately, my darling survived the ordeal and just managed a decent scoring despite having only less than a month's time for revision. This will be one of the last hurdles for her before she heads off to USA. Gonna miss her terribly. Miss you already.

Sob Sob.

Singapore's largest ceiling fan and a $1.5 million dollar diamond Christmas tree (Dar Dar)

Wow!!!! It's amazing what you can find while you are rambling about Bugis while waiting for a CPU to be assembled at Slim Lim Square. I was summoned by my cousin to build a new CPU for the new year. He has a history of burning out CPU's with his incessant gaming habits. Hopefully, this new CPU would be able to withstand his path of destruction and obsessive gaming. Got quite a high rig assembled. Intel Core 2 Duo with GigaByte 965 MainBoard 1024 DDR2RAM NVdia 7600GT graphics card coupled with a whopping 320GB SATA HDD. To my dear cousin, the highlight of the day would be his new toy for the new year of 2007. For me, it was these two things that captured my attention.

As i said, i was rambling about in Bugis Village, trying to do some decent window shopping amongst the hores of constantly streaming people when to my utter amazement, i saw this huge ceiling fan above me. I just stood there for a few seconds to admire the god of all ceiling fans before a wave of people swept me off my stationary position and carried me off. However, in the seconds that i was stationary, i managed to whip out my N80 to capture this shot of it. WOW!!!








I dub thee, "Singapore largest ceiling fan". Please continue spinning to receive such an honorary title.




There was another star attraction at Bugis too. It was the magical diamond encrusted Christmas tree on proud display at Bugis Junction. I guess it's sort of an annual marketing gimmick devised by the local jewelleries in Singapore to show off their wares to the public. However, it was beautiful and noteworthy enough for me to mention it tonight in my blog. Hahaha. So, without further ado, i give you, the $1.5 million dollar Christmas tree!!! The angels in heaven must be missing one of their's this Christmas. Simply angelic!

The end is near, soon is the beginning (dar dar)

Ahhh... the passing of another day of the holiday tells me that the beginning of a new semester is draws near. Nonetheless, i have not regretted the way that i've spent my holidays, and that i've devoted my personal time to the one that i love the most on this very Earth and perhaps the entire Universe. In my wildest fantasies, i've often dreamt of escaping the real world, to a world devoid of all "negativeness", to a place where the mind can roam free and the body be at ease. Alas, should we try to live out such a fantasy, it will most definitely set us on the path of destruction and ruin. But i do suppose that we can live out a bit of such a fantasy everyday in our lives. Seeking that escape. To reach nirvana. To be at peace.