Discover my world as I live it.

I'm not really big on poetry with certain exceptions and other than primary school haiku, I don't think I've written anything close to poetry before. Short stories I can handle but poetry? I may have the soul of one but I lack their grace.

Nevertheless, I came up with this one while I was trying to study for my test this wednesday. It expresses how I truly feel. In fact, one day I hope to write and publish a book 'The psychobabble of a 5 year old'. =) If I do succeed, then this is where you heard it from first.

Enjoy.

In all of us

In all of us, there is a tiny corner in our minds,
when life was easy and everything was fine.
where the sun shines and laughter surrounds,
We just couldn’t get enough of the love around.

Skies were bluer with strawberry clouds
while we filled the air with screams and shouts
Creating such a raucous din,
Unlike any that you have ever seen.

Oh, you might even think us mad
But what a lovely time we had.
Dreaming ourselves as futures aces
Too bad it was just a passing phase.

Now, I feel the walls closing in.
And things are not all they seem.
Tell me why the sky looks grey
In each and every single way.

How I yearn for those simple days
when all I cared for were golden rays.
Remember though when times aren't right.
look inside for that little corner of delight





Here's some really good ideas that you might wanna consider....ahaha...

1)THE EXAM

Joey was taking Calculus at UCLA. He struggled with it, and worried about failing. Final exam time came, and he studied and studied, but, still he was not ready.
The Professor passed out the exams and told the class that they had only 30 minutes. Every five minutes, he reminded the class how much time was left. This only made Joey more and more nervous.
Finally, after 30 minutes, the Professor said, "Stop! The exam is over. Turn them in!"
One by one, the papers were handed in. But, Joey just kept working on that exam. The Professor decided to wait it out and see how long it would take him.
After another 20 minutes, Joey turned in his exam. The Professor asked him, "What are you doing?"
Joey answered, "Turning in my exam."
The professor then told Joey, "The exam was over 20 minutes ago. You have failed!"
Joey then looked the Professor in the eye, and asked, "Do you know who I am?"
The professor answered, "No."
Then Joey asked, "You really don't know who I am, do you?" as if he were a very important person.
The Professor again, said, "No, I don't know who you are and I don't care!"
Then Joey shoved his exam right in the middle of the other exams, that were on the Professor's desk, and said, "Good!"

http://www.unwind.com/jokes-funnies/collegejokes/exam.shtml

If all else fails then:

2)If you're going to go down, go down with style. Failing your final exam can actually be an amusing experience, depending on what you make of it. Here are some suggestions...

(below are a few of my fav...it's a really long list so go to the site if u're interested to read 'em all.)

•Make paper airplanes out of the exam. Aim them at the instructor's left nostril.

•Walk in, get the exam, sit down. About five minutes into it, loudly say to the instructor, "I don't understand ANY of this. I've been to every lecture all semester long! What's the deal? And who the hell are you? Where's the regular guy?"

•On the answer sheet (book, whatever) find a new, interesting way to refuse to answer every question. For example: I refuse to answer this question on the grounds that it conflicts with my religious beliefs. Be creative.

•Run into the exam room looking about frantically. Breathe a sigh of relief. Go to the instructor, say "They've found me, I have to leave the country" and run off.

•Do the entire exam in another language. If you don't know one, make one up! For math/science exams, try using Roman numerals.

•Get the exam. Twenty minutes into it, throw your papers down violently, scream out "Screw this!" and walk out triumphantly.

•Answer the exam with the "Top Ten Reasons Why My Professor Sucks"

http://www.lotsofjokes.com/cat_82.htm




In the past 2 weeks, I been both Bad...and REALLY good. It's probably hormones but 2 guys got my ice bitch treatment. Whoops...

The first was Demin and second...let's just call him 'badmintonfreak' or B for short. In Demin's case, I think he's really an innocent bystander cuz he din do anything to piss me off or whatever. It's just that I din feel like talking to him for certain reason that I'm not gonna tell but if u ask nicely I'll consider. Anyway, we clicked well but it's STRICTLY platonic. Just that, I felt like distancing myself...At first, I thought that it wouldn't be too noticible but it was only later that I realised how OBVIOUS it was. He msg me on MSN and asked if I was okay. Then I replied, "yeah." Then he said, "Good, because during the trip (erm...it was to ecology fieldtrip to malaysia) you seemed so...cold."

COLD...


I've not been described that for a very long time but suddenly I just felt really bad when I saw what he wrote. Then I just gave the ubiquitous excuse...the NEVER-FAIL crap about how it was probably PMS or something. And the thing was, actually I I was THAT bad to him cuz I helped prepared a sandwich (actually if u want the truth, my mom did) for the trip cuz it'll be hard to get food where we were going. Of cuz, since he lived in a hostel, food will be a problem especially when we are supposed to be assembled in NUS by 6.30 A.M! So, actually, I think I'm quite nice. OH OH and who was the one who called him and as fate would have it, he SOMEHOW managed to oversleep even with 3 alarm clocks (so he claims). Hai...in case if you were wondering, he managed to make it to the meeting point on time. Frankly, I'm really curious how he did that cuz it's nothing short of a miracle.

One might say that I'm quite nice. (read JapTeach blog to understand this one)

So, I blow hot and cold but I'm only human!! Okieokie, i'll drop the ice bitch act and spare the poor boy.

As for badmintonfreak, NO WAY am I apologising for my attitude. First of, this guy just joined the spider lab for his hols attachment. He's from...sigh....malaysia (why why why am I surrounded by them...not that it's such a bad thing but it's like huh...again??). First impression, nice guy, intelligent, eager to make friends and outgoing. So far so good rite? I even had a conversation on life and death as well as the nature of knowledge with this guy within like a few hours of knowing him. Anyway, I can be very friendly and I guess it's also cuz he's in a foreign country and I was just trying to be hospital.

I know that it's probably really boring in the lab especially when 1)you can't start your project since the prof's not in and when 2)you're in a foreign country without friends (but at least you have some family here that you're staying with...then again 3) it's a drag travelling from seng kang to nus) and 4) suddenly you need multiply everything u spend by 2.

Yes, I feel for you. I really do and that's why I try to be nice. But that DOES not give you the right to keep HOVERING around 1 feet of me whenever I'm in the lab. If I talk to much to you, it'll only encourage you. I need space to do stuff like..FEED my spiders in an already SUPER cramp room?!?!?! Scenario: me n victor standing near the strip of space (maybe 1/2m wide?) struggling to balance our trays on a miserable strip of desk clutted with stuff. We need to walk back and forth to the CO2 tank and this desk to feed our spiders and Demin and Liana were also queueing to feed theirs soon. Meaning, we need to work fast. But B just doesn't get it. I know it's FASCINATING watch us feed the spiders and frankly I dun mind ppl watching but HAVE the F**** common sense to make yourself scarce and NOT block the aisle. This place is cramp enough with 2 people. we don't need a third.

Okie that may seem harsh but trust me, it's accumulated angst. Also, what really gets on my nerve is the badminton thing. Liana and I were discussing how cool it would be if we could organise a lab badminton session and well, the lab ppl were quite enthusiatic about it really. Anyway, B got wind of it and he was really excited (that in itself is okay with me really). But the thing is ALMOST everytime I'm in the lab he practically HOUNDS me on WHEN the badminton session will be. There is only so much I can take in the face of approaching deadlines and exams.
Save me.

Anyway, I think I made my sentiments quite clear. Although I'm not openly rude or anything, my answers are short and perfunctory. You can feel the chill. Esp when you know that I'm mostly this smiley person therefore when I enter ice bitch mode, the difference is glaring.

I'm not opposed to talking to him...it's just that you've got to know that I come to the lab to do work and not just to chat with you. Chatting for a while like 5 mins is okay but not when you continue on and on and on and on and on and on.....

Yeah...so that's why I'm bad.

Why I'm good? Just ask weiqi, wendy, peiya and xyz. I think xyz might blog on that pretty soon. ahha

yeah...I rock.




Finally, I can blog.

It's like all those knots in me just miraculously undid themselves and I can finally breath easy. Ironic thing is that I have less than a month till my exams and I just found out that I have a test tomorrow (have not started studying at all).

But at least I am done with one major hurdle, or what I thought would be a major hurdle: NUROPS Congress selection interview for the pleanary speaker out of the 9 candidates. The rest would be parallel speakers. For those who have not attended a symposium or congress before, basically, when the pleanary speaker speaks, you have no choice but to listen as it is the main event. Parallel speakers normally speak after the pleanary speaker in small rooms at the same slot so audiences have to chose which presentation they want to attend.

But of cuz, being the limelight hog I am, I want to be the MAIN EVENT. wahaha.

So, I wasa stressing out over my presentation slides and complaining to whoever who bothered to listen. Frankly, I'd hate me cuz I really shouldn't be whining about this honour. I'd be jealous of me. So sorry to my dear frens if I got on any of your nerves cuz I tend to get carried away and start obsessing about ME ME ME.

Anyway, if I've said it before, I'd say it again. PROF IP IS BRILLIANT. I'M IN AWE. LIFE-SAVER! He's the most inspirational teacher I have ever met! YEAH.

Basically at a time when I was figuring out how to prune my former 30min presentation slides down to just a MEASLY 5 mins, he helped me by giving me points of what I should touch on during the presentation. What he wrote in the email made me even more determined :

"For a 5 min talk, there should be no more than 8-10 slides. You will have to talk at least for 40 s to 1 min for a slide, if not they should not be there. So, be bold to let go."



So, be bold to let go.


I don't know why but that sentence just fired me up enough to take the next step. Be bold. I have always thought of myself as the confident one, the one who dared stand up against people. But really deep down inside, I know that I'm scared...partly cookie cutter syndrome (You just dont want to stand out) and partly of the unknown and change.

That's why sometimes, the thought of going to USA for further studies terrifies me.

But I have to be bold.



Anyway, I came out with a better set of slides and emailed them to the Prof then this morning I practised my presentation like around ten times, trying to time myself and to get the correct tone of voice as well as 'enthusiasm'. Ahha laugh all you want and call me fake but this is war. Hee, even did it in front of the mirror.

Anyway, I talked till I was parched and my throat was slightly sore. Hence my msn nick: "Wish me all the luck in the world: so tired...practised so much, voice going"
Speaking of this, Linghan was really weird today during Eco lecture. Apparently he saw that msn nick and somehow (dun ask me how cuz i have no idea how his brain works...maybe liyan can tell) came up with a fancy story in his head. To him, I practice so hard until voice hoarse is cuz I wanna SERENADE someone. Blueh..Then he keep asking me to sing for him.....HUH!~

Pay money I consider..ahah if not go borrow CD from another Commonwealthian....buahaha okie shall not blow own trumpet cuz it was just a small solo bit.


OKie, so I made it through Eco lecture and went to S16 to bum abit til 2.30 when its my presentation. There I SILENTLY practised abit more and checked my mail for replys from Prof Ip...Whee..see below


"Dear Yi Lin

It's much better and I think you will do well.

Regards

Prof Ip"



ENCOURAGEMENT!!!!!!! *YEAH YEAH

Anyway the presentation went quite well i think but no expectations. Can present is already a good thing =)


okie! I need to start studying for my test (Prof Ip's one so must do well if not damn paiseh). Heez



BUAI BUAI




I hate Sundays.

I think Sundays belong in the same category as the 'the day before exams', 'the day before results day', 'the ___ before anything sucky happens'. Basically, I hate anticipation of things that I make me uneasy. Things not in my control make me uneasy. That said, I'm not a crazed control freak. Paranoid paradise I am not.

Sundays is the start of a new week. For those who didn't know that, go back to preschool. Anyway, it embodies the anticipation of the week ahead, Monday Blues here I come. Sundays are like 'I can't believe my weekend just flew away and it's back to the slog city' and Monday blues are like 'I still can't believe my weekend just flew away and I am back in slog city.'

Sundays have this sluggish feel about them. Obviously cuz most people have already done their partying on Fridays/Saturdays and need time to recuperate on Sundays. Ahh~ it's really true that its a rest day afterall.

I just hate how Sundays make me feel. And my mood hits rock bottom as the sun sets. U'd better stay clear of me then.

Also, I hate this post. It's so crap I can't stand it.

*******
Things to do after exams:
1)Finally use my manicure cum pedicure voucher I received on my bdae.
2)Go Clubbing
3)Go swim, gym, cycle and tone up to get a drool-worthy bikini bod.
4)Finally get Vic/Yuanting/Ruhui to give me guitar lesson
5)Get a haircut and a dye job
6)Can't shop much =( so I'll just strut around town soaking up the atmosphere
7)Stay overs cum Mahjong sessions with my kakees (players)
8)Movie marathons!!
9)Revamp this dull dreary blog
10)Revamp my room decor...
11)Investigate flea markets and other quirky bohemian hunts...
12)Bugis Village here I come

For now that's enuff...anyway, this hols will be a short one so I must PLAN PLAN PLAN. Am SO not gonna sit on my butt at home rotting away.





just tot that I'd add something cute =P my cousin and her bf..ahha he's got that jie lun 'sei' (poise). This is the mei3 ren2 yu2 (Mermaid) at my chalet that zhenjia was googling at. ahah too bad she's taken =P




I know that it's been quite long since my last update but lotsa of things have happened in the time and while I've been tempted to blog them all down I've been holding back cuz all the stuff I need to do. And while I've been thanking my lucky stars that I'm in Biology and not Biomed (sorry yan that I have to rub it in like that...the subjects are interesting but not the stress involved), I feel for my frens who are have a hell of a time dealing with their never ending projects with deadlines looming over their necklines. And not forgetting those irritating lab reports...

All though my frens all very ke lian now, just a note of encouragement: We can pull through this! ahah then any takers for Redang trip? ahah me and weiqi planning for fun on beach n sun! Huahua can bring her bikinis too...heez

Anyway, projects aside, I'm really happy because my Prof from last semester's UROPS nominated me to enter the NUROPS Congress (N stands for National - it involves NUS and NTU, the two other Universities in Singapore). I received a phonecall from the the Science department ppl in the middle of my Practical on Tuesday telling me about this news and that I would have to prepare a short 3 to 5 mins presentation on my project to present it to the Dean or Vice Dean i think...then they will shortlist ppl to enter the congress. So obviously I was really thrilled but also damn damn nervous...Thanks esp wendy, weiqi n xyz for making me feel better and having such confidence in me. I know you guys have loads of things to 'fan' (chinese for 'frustrated' erm...see xyz's blog http://thelast3lettersofabc.blogspot.com/ on a comical take on the origins of this work. Products of him n weiqi msn crapping during our Biophysical lecture. I'll try to fix up the links section soon but no promises =P)without me being such a whiner cum drama queen.

ahah...I think i paid Weiqi back at least...cuz being such a great fren..*coughcough, I stayed up till 3 plus to accompany her online. She was 'pia-ing' for 2 quizzes the next morn and her being sick + the last quiz just got to her...also, I was waiting for xyz's part for our project and was reading up to aid my final edits to the project. In the end, I was almost late for my 8am lecture then next day...arrived right on the dot. Demin commented that this was the first time he saw me looking so shagged...ahha...i felt like i was in a fog for the rest of the day...

anyway, we finished the project yesterday after cy came over the my lab. Handed in that stupid thing today..HAHA! Good riddance!

So, once i reached home, I was procrastinating to start on my presentation slides...had my lunch while watching Ghost in a Shell: 2nd GIG on Animax..and a good thing too, cuz while I was halfway eating my beehoon I received another call from the science department ppl again. Aha...and they told me that cuz I was from DBS (Department of Biology), I did not have to go for the selection and that I was directly chosen!!! OMG OMG OMG....once i hanged up, I was jumping nonstop. OMG OMG

Called my dad at work to tell him the good news =) so happy...wat makes this better is that the Congress is in Jan 2006 so I dun have to worry about this thing until then. WOO HOO!!

hai...but I cancelled my piano to work on those damn slides....nvm, i'll make it up by practicising real hard later...ahha =P

*********
btw, the badminton game on Friday was a great success. Damage: I broke one shuttlecock. Weiqi lost one to the stands above the court. Weitzer, Flora and Yuanwei tried to murder each other during the game.

Pounds lost: Prob alot....
Pound gained: Prob alot....due to dinner with the gang n xyz who finally rushed down.

Conclusion: Sigh.
*********




I did a good deed yesterday!! haha!! yeah yeah!

I helped Weiqi out =) but seriously haha I don't need you to treat me =P cuz you already declared that i'm your favourite person of the year. ahah..for the year OnLi??

I hope that you'll get what you want...and when u start earning big bucks don't forget me!! heehee

kk...cya later babe...we shall lose wt together playing mr yuanwei's favourite game! =P




Do you still remember those irritating arrogant twits who mysteriously show up beside you EVERYTIME you both know that you scored lower on some dumb test but sulk in one corner and hide their marks when they did badly? And that same twit would 'innocently' ask in a chirpy voice about how well you did and would add a politically correct disclaimer (e.g. you so clever! surely would do very well one...*coughcough) in a vain attempt to disguise his/her true intent for asking (i.e. major ego boosting). Well, I sure do...ahha but I don't give them much satisfaction so they leave me alone!! WAHAHAHA...okie....that was SOO exaggerated...I'm not that clever la.

Anyway, that's competition in the classroom. So now that's I've graduated to the mobile classroom where most of my frens are not in the same course or module as me, marks is useless as a competitive ego booster tool. Instead, we boast about how busy we are, what with the mounting piles of endless tutorials, projects, CAs, Finals...
We whine about how many reports we have due and blahblah. Okay, I'm not critising anyone in particular here but really, it gets on the nerves when they start moaning about how busy they are and make it seem like you are having a ball in comparison. Really, EVERYONE is busy. DUH...it's not just you so don't think that you have the right to belittle others.

For the record, nobody offended me but this is just something I feel that I should point out cuz I see this happening all the time. Yeap, anyway, this will be a fact of life especially in Singapore so you might as well get used to it. Besides, there are always other people out there who have it much worse than you. Think on the bright side.

On a side note, always seek to understand why you are so busy...are you really trying your best or does your time managment skills leave much to be desired. Are you burdened by too many commitments. Which commitment is the most important. Make a stand and declutter. Know what you want out of life...this..is my heartfelt opinion. I'm still a stickler for the value of traditional education, so whenever I get bogged down by hwk, I try to look at it as an investment for the future.

The big joke would be if I just died without ever realising that future.





end of the day...6.40plusplus....sun is setting soon......i think this is a gorgeous shot





okie...I'm not standing on molehills....these gigantic piles of dirt are actually mudlobster mounds....each mound has like 30 to 40 holes...not sure if each has it's own individual occupant but still it's quite cool that this small shy creature can create such impressive architeture...i'm tiny compared to it..ahha





peiya gazing out..ahha i not so bad like liyan...always say she 'kill background'





Posing with string for our makeshift transect...this is just for show..ahha cuz not enuff string...our transect is a square but we could only get two-sides with my string...My pockets are bulging with tons of equipment like the humidity cum temperature taker i kapok from my lab...TEMPORARILY only...i will return =P Oppd





This just looks so cool....the muddy river...ahah this is the river i mentioned in my first post. I was trying my darndest to get across to the other side where my spiders were and very cleverly got stuck in the mud up to my calves!





The reflections somehow cam out really nicely but i guess some people would say that it's over exposed? ahha but this just gives the mangroves a romantic feel about it. I like being here....noone is about...you are lost in your own world...I felt my cares drain away into the sludge around =P





This looks so much better in the pictures then in person cuz u get to minus the smell...this is the infamous rotting beach i was talking about in my 1st mangrove post...go read if u haven cuz it was quite a hilarious + traumatic experience. Opposite should be Malaysia..ahah





the time is about 4 plus pm when we arrived at the lim chu kang jetty. That was one of my bz day. 8 am lecture for which i woke up at 7a.m. for...rushed to nus by bus...heng late by a few mins only. Then rushed home by bus again for piano lesson. After that, rushed back to school by cab cuz i din wanna waste time and could not bear the tot of climbing the overhead bridge under the midday sun. Then took cab with peiya from nus to lim chu kang. The first cabbie practically fled when we said we wanted to go there. The 2nd cabbie was probably cursing himself cuz he kept asking if it was much further...BUAhahahha




Lately, I find that I am evolving from a facultative cacaovore to an obligate cacaovore (essentially what that means is that I'm changing from an occasional chocoholic to someone who seems to have a constant need for a chocolate fix…I think I can just survive on milo powder.)

Certainly, my fetish is taking a swing towards the extremities when I need it DAILY…like a good caffeine shot. I could always get that hooked up intravenously and just push my drip bag wherever I go but that just takes all the fun out of eating it…I love my chocolates dark and slightly bitter…can't stand too sweet things. Hinthint* but I actually very very rarely buy chocolates because I'm too lazy. People who have been to my house will also know that we don't stock any junk food but instant cup noodles. Therefore, I have no choice but to stoop to dry milo powder to get my kick. But a useful trick is having a large bottle of water by your side. This way, after every spoonful, take a huge gulp of water and that way, you can beat the sore throats. Hehheh!
This is a SCIENCE.

BLeuh…this is just pathetic.

*****
by the way, I just went on another mangrove outing but this time its not about my spiders...okay...i did get carried away whenever i spotted them but heyhey...it's for my other module: BIOPHYSICAL landscapes of Singapore...yeash u non-believers...there IS biophysical landscapes around here.

Watch out for my mangroves outing pics =P

CIAO....





mr sun is coming up...hee...I think waking up early is a good idea....I feel happy..





Nicer one....Love the merging of the colour...looked even more spectacular when you see it for yourself...





I woke up this morning at 6.30 am to catch my show Midori days....I woke up at 6.30AM to WATCH A SHOW??? crap, I no medicine can help.





okie...the story behind this is that I was really really bored just taking pictures of my spiders so I took some of myself...aha foreva the zi lian kuang (erm big ego?).




Although I'm stuck on a Sunday in my lab, missed out on a morning gym session with Flora and Weiqi (who concluded that the gym session was useless anyway), forgot to bring my lab book crucial for my work therefore condemming me to just being a photographer for my camera shy spideys, I'm in a reasonably happy mood. Haha, and this is in large part thanks to some good news that one of my close frens just shared with me via msn. Ah...the wonders of instant messaging, it can even save a life a world away. Anyway, to my good friend, I'm truly happy about ur new doubles situation =). I know how depressed you have been over your single status for some time now and I've to admit that you have not have the best of luck in the romance department mostly due to emotional halfwits of the male gender.

HOWEVER, I officially now KICK you out of the singles club! Shoo, your membership has been revoked and hopefully you'll never join us again. Good riddance!

Ahah, what I need now is for the same thing to happen to me soon!~ Yeahyeah...btw dear fren, I want your 'problem' lor.

****
As side note, Wt has come back to his sense and is being very nice. He better stay that way...wahahha.




Report found lying discarded amongst some rubbish. Obviously, someone thought that this report had no apparent value and had carelessly tossed it aside.

A Case Study: Ecology and environmental impact of Homo sapiens

3 homo sapiens (or glorified monkeys) were gathered at the 'ulu' (local monkey speak for desolate) abode of another monkey girl. Apparently, they had travelled great distance and even used those highly coveted pieces of paper to obtain some box containing a shiny disc with a hole in the middle. It was not immediately apparent what that disc was for until it was inserted into a even bigger box. It seems that this disc has the ability to augment the detrimental effects of homo sapien activities on the environment. For the next one plus hour, the four homo sapiens were transfixed by the biggest box of all which contained minature homo sapiens. It was during the duration of this hypnosis that the 4 glorified monkeys contributed the highest amount of noise pollution and smell pollution (from cup noodles). We have yet to acertain the quantitative damage inflicted on the local wildlife but these types of pollution cannot be taken lightly. Previous studies have shown that extreme noise pollution may jeopardise sanity and even lead to death. We hypothesize that the main cause of this incident is due to the disc like thingie as as soon as the disc was taken out of the big box, the gathering started to disperse. However, further more rigorous testing must be conducted to verify this. We propose to collect field samples and these individuals back to the mother ship on our next field trip to XXXXX(Earth in monkey speak).

*****
** I guess I know why this was tossed out but this sounds eerily like my movie screening at my house (Freaky Friday) with Weitzer weiqi and flora...
Freaky!~