The Move (part 2)
Met my new neighbour-to-be last night. Twas a good meeting, which left me really looking forward to the move-in once i get back from Singapore in 2 weeks. Okay, so his dog started barking his head off once approached the main house, which was not very nice at all. But once Maddy(the dog) and I said hi, things started to take off. She sat quietly on my left foot, mm..which was the first time i had my foot sat on actually, and err..just let me stroke her. Those clever animals sure know how to make us fuss over them. Then she even fetched her rubber ball over so that i would play fetch. You must understand that i have never really played fetch with a dog before; i used to have a little pom that only wanted to eat or sit under the couch, so this was another first time for me. Kinda surreal throwing a bright pink thing out of the door, and have a big black furry thing bound out of the house in pursuit, and then repeat this three times. It's funny how excited Maddy gets, whether it's the first time i throw it or the millionth. I'm gonna have fun as long as she doesn't poop all over. =) The guy was pretty nice too. He seems really cool with sharing the internet and the phone and washer/dryer, which makes me feel glad coz i know i'll be able to pop over should i need any help. And he also doesn't seem psychotic or deranged in any way, but i have my pepper spray at hand *muahaha*....kindly given to me by ys for my protection. Oh, and a good omen....we saw a bright shooting star above us as we stood outside discussing the finer details of i-can't-remember-what. Everything is falling in place now...i'm happy to say that this post-graduation life is suiting me well. =)
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Best wishes to all my dear friends that have started school. It's weird hearing you talk about classes and the campus and stuff, while being so strangely detached from it all. Have fun learning new stuff, while i start purging facts/formulas/useful skills from my little brain.
Wednesday, August 27, 2003
and now for the news
Mm..someone commented that my blog kinda looks like a newspaper now. well, i would hope not, partly because i know that the news here would be hardly worthy of mention even in the tabloids, and partly because i put in some effort into finding pretty fonts (which other people cannot see..boohoo). Yah, i almost forgot to mention that i revamped the page....really needed a change. so now it's blue =) and gives me much more space in the main frame to write/put pictures/etc... I still need to add the links and other random things. I've been so busy with work though, that time just flies right by. I suppose it'll take a while before more changes are made to this page. But that's alwez been the case right?
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I'm leaving for Singapore tomorrow night...can hardly believe it. Have had a ton of work in the past few weeks, and I think my supervisor and I will welcome a short break. The project i'm working on is really fascinating, and strange as it may sound, i'm gonna miss working in the lab. I've never felt that way before about labs. Oh dear, i'm turning into a lab rat! We've been really lucky with our experiments so far...most things have worked out, and so much has been done in just 1 1/2 months. With a lot more luck, we could be on our way to developing a drug for auto-immune diseases. It'll be real nice if the work that i put in now could help thousands of people around the world. I think this is one reason why research in a pharmaceutical company gets me that much more excited. okay, the pay helps too. =)
Mm..someone commented that my blog kinda looks like a newspaper now. well, i would hope not, partly because i know that the news here would be hardly worthy of mention even in the tabloids, and partly because i put in some effort into finding pretty fonts (which other people cannot see..boohoo). Yah, i almost forgot to mention that i revamped the page....really needed a change. so now it's blue =) and gives me much more space in the main frame to write/put pictures/etc... I still need to add the links and other random things. I've been so busy with work though, that time just flies right by. I suppose it'll take a while before more changes are made to this page. But that's alwez been the case right?
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I'm leaving for Singapore tomorrow night...can hardly believe it. Have had a ton of work in the past few weeks, and I think my supervisor and I will welcome a short break. The project i'm working on is really fascinating, and strange as it may sound, i'm gonna miss working in the lab. I've never felt that way before about labs. Oh dear, i'm turning into a lab rat! We've been really lucky with our experiments so far...most things have worked out, and so much has been done in just 1 1/2 months. With a lot more luck, we could be on our way to developing a drug for auto-immune diseases. It'll be real nice if the work that i put in now could help thousands of people around the world. I think this is one reason why research in a pharmaceutical company gets me that much more excited. okay, the pay helps too. =)
Thursday, August 21, 2003
ssshh....it's meant to be a secret...
...but i'm flying back to Singapore!! =) My supervisors have kindly agreed to let me go back to singapore for a short break. More details about how that came about later. =P Now i'm so happy i can't stop grinning and tell anyone who wants to hear. My parents will be back in Singapore the weekend i arrive, the five of us will once again all be home at the same time, plusplusplus Daryl is currently back from Deutschland on holiday! *xiao jumps around the room in glee* Yes, this will take my mind off my twin bruised toenails for the time being. Sambal stingray, char kway teow, chwee kueh, roti prata..here i come! *drool* Although just two short weeks, this trip is a dream come true.
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My colleague and i have been surfing the net for random rubbishy sites. Extremely therapeutic after a long day at work. Would you wear this? Great, a Pulitzer Prize winner specializing in toilet humor-Dave Barry.
...but i'm flying back to Singapore!! =) My supervisors have kindly agreed to let me go back to singapore for a short break. More details about how that came about later. =P Now i'm so happy i can't stop grinning and tell anyone who wants to hear. My parents will be back in Singapore the weekend i arrive, the five of us will once again all be home at the same time, plusplusplus Daryl is currently back from Deutschland on holiday! *xiao jumps around the room in glee* Yes, this will take my mind off my twin bruised toenails for the time being. Sambal stingray, char kway teow, chwee kueh, roti prata..here i come! *drool* Although just two short weeks, this trip is a dream come true.
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My colleague and i have been surfing the net for random rubbishy sites. Extremely therapeutic after a long day at work. Would you wear this? Great, a Pulitzer Prize winner specializing in toilet humor-Dave Barry.
Monday, August 18, 2003
The Move
This is perhaps the biggest and most significant event in my life in the past few months. Yep, I moved. Into an apartment in Mountain View, which i had never been to before. An apartment that i had never seen. With roommates that i'd never met. And with absolutely no idea what to expect. Save for the roach problem, everything has worked out really well thus far. WHAT ROACH PROBLEM?! you may ask. Mm...my roommate and I are now very coolly nonchalant about the irritating pests that plagued us upon our move in. We didn't even cook for 2-3 weeks because of these unwelcome kitchen guests. Well, I can now bite the heads off cockroaches with my bare teeth. Nah, not so powerful yet lah. Luckily they're the small German cockroach and not the huge-ass singapore flying ones. We've tried fumigating, roach bait, roach killing powder and insecticide...and ironically the problem got better once we started cooking. MMm...my cooking ain't that bad right?
Anyhow, living in this apartment has been pretty safe, and it has nice amenities such as a pool and a playground. It's been fun living with my new housemate, Emiley, who i believe has a Singapore obsession, apparently triggered by a fascination with our very own SDU. She knows so much about the country, and loves the food. We've even made plans for makan at Banana Leaf tomorrow night! Yar..and she even tried to make me record the answering machine message in a strong singaporean accent, just to amuse her and her friends. harhar.
It's also been fun furnishing my room from scratch. Cheapskate lil' me plowed though Craigslist everyday, and now i have a cosy little room with a glorious queen sized mattress and twin futon amongst other things....all for less than $50. Just put up pictures of ABC, my parents, the canoeists, and so on...they add warmth to a boring room.
If i could choose, i would stay in a furnished studio. (Yes, and become even more antisocial) At the end of a long day at work, i just want to have my own private space, without having to be cordial and constantly worrying if i'd be stepping on someone else's toes all the time.
One thing i hate about the whole moving process though, is meeting up with prospective co-tenants or roommates. With every person i meet, i try to be really friendly and open, so that they get a good idea of who i am and where i come from. Also, on their side, they have to open up their homes, and provide a glimpse of what life for them is like. It hate it especially since i feel much of it is just superficial courtesy rather than real i-like-you-so-muchnesss. There was this little old lady whose room i went to see. The house was okay, the room was okay, but she was nice, eager and sincere. I felt so terrible turning her down, coz she actually was so honest and open to discussing all the terms of rental since she had a good feeling about me. I felt bad for a few days after that.....but i really wanted to stay in a studio by myself. Later i met another old lady that made me feel very unhappy. She had a great studio, a cute doggie, and well, seemed friendly enough. We talked for quite a while, and i would have probably gotten the place if not for what happened next. I mentioned that i had to wait for a phone call from another renter before i could give her my answer....that was an earlier arrangement that i had made. This old lady suddenly became someone else. She folded away my application, stood up, picked up the dog, turned off the light and abruptly ended our meeting. She could not even spare a smile from that point on. I was disappointed at the way things turned out. I don't understand how people can be so hypocritical. Oh well, at least i got to know what my prospective landlord would be like before i learnt the hard way. No more old ladies for me from then on.
i'm dead serious.
This is perhaps the biggest and most significant event in my life in the past few months. Yep, I moved. Into an apartment in Mountain View, which i had never been to before. An apartment that i had never seen. With roommates that i'd never met. And with absolutely no idea what to expect. Save for the roach problem, everything has worked out really well thus far. WHAT ROACH PROBLEM?! you may ask. Mm...my roommate and I are now very coolly nonchalant about the irritating pests that plagued us upon our move in. We didn't even cook for 2-3 weeks because of these unwelcome kitchen guests. Well, I can now bite the heads off cockroaches with my bare teeth. Nah, not so powerful yet lah. Luckily they're the small German cockroach and not the huge-ass singapore flying ones. We've tried fumigating, roach bait, roach killing powder and insecticide...and ironically the problem got better once we started cooking. MMm...my cooking ain't that bad right?
Anyhow, living in this apartment has been pretty safe, and it has nice amenities such as a pool and a playground. It's been fun living with my new housemate, Emiley, who i believe has a Singapore obsession, apparently triggered by a fascination with our very own SDU. She knows so much about the country, and loves the food. We've even made plans for makan at Banana Leaf tomorrow night! Yar..and she even tried to make me record the answering machine message in a strong singaporean accent, just to amuse her and her friends. harhar.
It's also been fun furnishing my room from scratch. Cheapskate lil' me plowed though Craigslist everyday, and now i have a cosy little room with a glorious queen sized mattress and twin futon amongst other things....all for less than $50. Just put up pictures of ABC, my parents, the canoeists, and so on...they add warmth to a boring room.
If i could choose, i would stay in a furnished studio. (Yes, and become even more antisocial) At the end of a long day at work, i just want to have my own private space, without having to be cordial and constantly worrying if i'd be stepping on someone else's toes all the time.
One thing i hate about the whole moving process though, is meeting up with prospective co-tenants or roommates. With every person i meet, i try to be really friendly and open, so that they get a good idea of who i am and where i come from. Also, on their side, they have to open up their homes, and provide a glimpse of what life for them is like. It hate it especially since i feel much of it is just superficial courtesy rather than real i-like-you-so-muchnesss. There was this little old lady whose room i went to see. The house was okay, the room was okay, but she was nice, eager and sincere. I felt so terrible turning her down, coz she actually was so honest and open to discussing all the terms of rental since she had a good feeling about me. I felt bad for a few days after that.....but i really wanted to stay in a studio by myself. Later i met another old lady that made me feel very unhappy. She had a great studio, a cute doggie, and well, seemed friendly enough. We talked for quite a while, and i would have probably gotten the place if not for what happened next. I mentioned that i had to wait for a phone call from another renter before i could give her my answer....that was an earlier arrangement that i had made. This old lady suddenly became someone else. She folded away my application, stood up, picked up the dog, turned off the light and abruptly ended our meeting. She could not even spare a smile from that point on. I was disappointed at the way things turned out. I don't understand how people can be so hypocritical. Oh well, at least i got to know what my prospective landlord would be like before i learnt the hard way. No more old ladies for me from then on.
i'm dead serious.
Sunday, August 17, 2003
Japan in June
The bulk of the photographs i took in Japan were not of people, but often some sort of weirdly interesting food or gadget. I can understand why Japan would be a culture shock to many people. People behave so very different than those in other large cities. I was pleasantly surprised that strong emphasis on courtesy and decorum still made up a large part of the japanese culture. The hotel staff were all extremely enthusiastic about well, everything! Whether I asked the front desk staff for the nearest optician, hair salon or commercial belt, they would immediately dig through the yellow pages and folders filled with newspaper clippings and meticulously written telephone numbers and addresses. Then they would even ring up these shops, just to make sure if they really were what i was looking for. It was almost like a mission. It amazes me that this is even with a "no tipping" rule. Yes, a no-tipping rule. Even porters! In Japan, the group is still valued above the individual. Try doing that in the US. Oh, and there's the polite bowing. By the end of the trip, i was unconsciously bobbing my head up and down whenever i spoke to the Japanese, just as they tirelessly do. Here's a couple of things that made the trip a memorable one:
1. The toilets - oh man, i spent so much time exploring the various functions of Japanese toilet bowls. Here's a pic of some of the features you can expect from a typical loo.
I think the flushing sound thing is the funniest thing. The instructions claimed that the flushing sound (it sounds really fake by the way) was a water-saving feature. Who would use it? I can't imagine that anyone would use this feature. Flush after every few pees just to save water?! yucks.
2. The juxtaposition of old and new- Traditional shrines and buddhist temples coexist side by side with the modern metropolis skyscrapers and apartments. You can almost imagine samurai-like gentlemen walking the streets of Tokyo. Afterall, as late as the 20th century, the Japanese were still carrying swords and wore traditional garb, thanks to their isolation policy.
3. The meticulous detail that goes into the aesthetic presentation of japanese food and gifts- I was lucky to have enjoyed a real japanese (8-course?) dinner at a traditional ryokan inn. I just had to take pictures of every dish i ate. It was like eating art itself! Even a simple hotel breakfast turned out to be a fit-for-photo-taking affair. Mm....It was really interesting...half the time i didn't even know what i was eating! Gifts were also always very presented, whether it was a can of tea or a bag of sweets. (okay, as u can see i spent alot of time eating and buying food)
4. Having my first public bath experience. i.e. first time completely naked in front of perfect strangers and my mom. Very er..steamy. Hm...okay..have to stop thinking about it. It's one of those things that you just do but not think about too much. I tried taking a picture of naked guys in a bath waaaaaay far away in another building. SHHhhh...don't tell anyone! Anyway it was too far away. But there was nothing to hide the fact that there were naked men in a public bath. No screens or curtains, just glass from ceiling to floor. Alright...once again too many details here. =P
5. Quirky sights all around Japan - Despite the government closure of a street where people would go to busk, see and be seen, the famous youngsters of Harajuku still sit near the subway station on Sundays, seemingly oblivious to tourists snapping away at them. But i think they dress up as such for a purpose, and are actually happy to oblige to a picture request. The english standard in Japan is also not up to par with many other major cosmopolitan cities, so you do get some really funny signs. Wording on clothes especially, don't make any sense at all.
6. Finally, I had an awesome time with my parents. Sure, there were the occasional squabbles and times where i felt they were overly protective. But i know they are just concerned, and will always be whether i'm 6, 16, or 60. I felt like we got to know each other better, and spend some quality time together exploring a strange city. My mom asked me questions about daryl, and my dad said some really nice things to me. And i can feel that they are trying their best to let go, and treat me as more of an individual. Going overseas has made me appreciate my parents more, although i very seldom express it to them. This trip to Japan brought us closer emotionally, and moved me in a special way. I can only hope that my thank you card at the end of the trip adequately expressed my gratitude towards all they have done for me all these years.
ps. You just have to check out this photoblog has awesome snapshots of daily life in the Tokyo area from the eyes (or lens rather) of a pretty cool Canadian dude living there with his wife and very cute baby boy.
The bulk of the photographs i took in Japan were not of people, but often some sort of weirdly interesting food or gadget. I can understand why Japan would be a culture shock to many people. People behave so very different than those in other large cities. I was pleasantly surprised that strong emphasis on courtesy and decorum still made up a large part of the japanese culture. The hotel staff were all extremely enthusiastic about well, everything! Whether I asked the front desk staff for the nearest optician, hair salon or commercial belt, they would immediately dig through the yellow pages and folders filled with newspaper clippings and meticulously written telephone numbers and addresses. Then they would even ring up these shops, just to make sure if they really were what i was looking for. It was almost like a mission. It amazes me that this is even with a "no tipping" rule. Yes, a no-tipping rule. Even porters! In Japan, the group is still valued above the individual. Try doing that in the US. Oh, and there's the polite bowing. By the end of the trip, i was unconsciously bobbing my head up and down whenever i spoke to the Japanese, just as they tirelessly do. Here's a couple of things that made the trip a memorable one:
1. The toilets - oh man, i spent so much time exploring the various functions of Japanese toilet bowls. Here's a pic of some of the features you can expect from a typical loo.
I think the flushing sound thing is the funniest thing. The instructions claimed that the flushing sound (it sounds really fake by the way) was a water-saving feature. Who would use it? I can't imagine that anyone would use this feature. Flush after every few pees just to save water?! yucks.
2. The juxtaposition of old and new- Traditional shrines and buddhist temples coexist side by side with the modern metropolis skyscrapers and apartments. You can almost imagine samurai-like gentlemen walking the streets of Tokyo. Afterall, as late as the 20th century, the Japanese were still carrying swords and wore traditional garb, thanks to their isolation policy.
3. The meticulous detail that goes into the aesthetic presentation of japanese food and gifts- I was lucky to have enjoyed a real japanese (8-course?) dinner at a traditional ryokan inn. I just had to take pictures of every dish i ate. It was like eating art itself! Even a simple hotel breakfast turned out to be a fit-for-photo-taking affair. Mm....It was really interesting...half the time i didn't even know what i was eating! Gifts were also always very presented, whether it was a can of tea or a bag of sweets. (okay, as u can see i spent alot of time eating and buying food)
4. Having my first public bath experience. i.e. first time completely naked in front of perfect strangers and my mom. Very er..steamy. Hm...okay..have to stop thinking about it. It's one of those things that you just do but not think about too much. I tried taking a picture of naked guys in a bath waaaaaay far away in another building. SHHhhh...don't tell anyone! Anyway it was too far away. But there was nothing to hide the fact that there were naked men in a public bath. No screens or curtains, just glass from ceiling to floor. Alright...once again too many details here. =P
5. Quirky sights all around Japan - Despite the government closure of a street where people would go to busk, see and be seen, the famous youngsters of Harajuku still sit near the subway station on Sundays, seemingly oblivious to tourists snapping away at them. But i think they dress up as such for a purpose, and are actually happy to oblige to a picture request. The english standard in Japan is also not up to par with many other major cosmopolitan cities, so you do get some really funny signs. Wording on clothes especially, don't make any sense at all.
6. Finally, I had an awesome time with my parents. Sure, there were the occasional squabbles and times where i felt they were overly protective. But i know they are just concerned, and will always be whether i'm 6, 16, or 60. I felt like we got to know each other better, and spend some quality time together exploring a strange city. My mom asked me questions about daryl, and my dad said some really nice things to me. And i can feel that they are trying their best to let go, and treat me as more of an individual. Going overseas has made me appreciate my parents more, although i very seldom express it to them. This trip to Japan brought us closer emotionally, and moved me in a special way. I can only hope that my thank you card at the end of the trip adequately expressed my gratitude towards all they have done for me all these years.
ps. You just have to check out this photoblog has awesome snapshots of daily life in the Tokyo area from the eyes (or lens rather) of a pretty cool Canadian dude living there with his wife and very cute baby boy.
Saturday, August 16, 2003
Where the hell has all that time gone?!
well, my mundane life has simply been jam-packed with a ton things ever since graduation. Where and how should i start posting again? I've been considering pulling the plug on this oft neglected blog...especially after comparing it to all the beautiful stylo webpages that everyone else seems to have. Boo! I wish mine were chio too. Although my blog fails to serve any aesthetic purpose, it is the one window that friends miles away have to my little life. Especially because i'm becoming so damn antisocial.
Seriously, i can hardly recall going out in a group larger than three in the past month or so. I build walls, i keep to myself, i don't well, socialize. I hate being so closed off to people. but at the same time, I like being alone. I like knowing that i can do any damn thing i wish, whether it's digging my nose or making stupid faces, not that i actually do such things. ;)
Guess i'll start blogging bits and pieces of the past few months.....little fragments of the wonderful summer that i have had. Post-graduation life had always looked so unsettlingly uncertain, but thanks to a few great people and lucky twists of fate, it's worked out just great. Many thanks to whoever is out there looking out for me...
well, my mundane life has simply been jam-packed with a ton things ever since graduation. Where and how should i start posting again? I've been considering pulling the plug on this oft neglected blog...especially after comparing it to all the beautiful stylo webpages that everyone else seems to have. Boo! I wish mine were chio too. Although my blog fails to serve any aesthetic purpose, it is the one window that friends miles away have to my little life. Especially because i'm becoming so damn antisocial.
Seriously, i can hardly recall going out in a group larger than three in the past month or so. I build walls, i keep to myself, i don't well, socialize. I hate being so closed off to people. but at the same time, I like being alone. I like knowing that i can do any damn thing i wish, whether it's digging my nose or making stupid faces, not that i actually do such things. ;)
Guess i'll start blogging bits and pieces of the past few months.....little fragments of the wonderful summer that i have had. Post-graduation life had always looked so unsettlingly uncertain, but thanks to a few great people and lucky twists of fate, it's worked out just great. Many thanks to whoever is out there looking out for me...
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