Thurs - Vietnamese noodles for dinner at Holland V with Jed, Alex, Jingye and Val.
Then movie - Meet the Fockers (hilarious!) at Shaw Balestier. Was given a lift home... reached home at 12.05am! A record! Ha!
Friday, December 31, 2004
Thursday, December 30, 2004
Tidal waves disaster - how you can help
For a comprehensive one-stop 'How can I help?' overview, check out the Tsunami Disaster Relief page hosted by Habitatnews.
Heavy drizzles every afternoon, white cloudy skies... the weather of late hasn't been much of a beauty. A pity, for I had sooo wanted to go to the Central Catchment Nature Reserves on Tuesday. In the end Thiha and Jeanne and I were forced indoors... Orchard Road being the natural choice. We caught Kung Fu Hustle and a few mozzie bites while waiting the rain out at some shelter at Istana Park.
Last night... lol last night my dad and I ventured into the unfamiliar grounds of Tampines. ;) Zhenfang's family was having some little party and she had invited her friends. Finally... after all these years I can now say that I've been to her place! Haha...
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A trip home is never complete without a visit to Sungei Buloh. Nevermind that it's not a Saturday, and I don't have the chance to do any guided tours... Buloh is Buloh, no matter what day it is. It's almost like my second home in Singapore. :)
Today's half-day there with Tania yielded some interesting pics of a bunch of unidentified eggs (looks like some sort of butterfly or moth... can anyone help ID??) on a Morinda branch, and a 'furry' moth (again, unID-ed) on a pillar.
Last night... lol last night my dad and I ventured into the unfamiliar grounds of Tampines. ;) Zhenfang's family was having some little party and she had invited her friends. Finally... after all these years I can now say that I've been to her place! Haha...
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A trip home is never complete without a visit to Sungei Buloh. Nevermind that it's not a Saturday, and I don't have the chance to do any guided tours... Buloh is Buloh, no matter what day it is. It's almost like my second home in Singapore. :)
Today's half-day there with Tania yielded some interesting pics of a bunch of unidentified eggs (looks like some sort of butterfly or moth... can anyone help ID??) on a Morinda branch, and a 'furry' moth (again, unID-ed) on a pillar.
 Eggs on Morinda |  Moth on pillar |
 Greenshank |  White-breasted waterhen chick (my are they hard to photograph!) |
Tuesday, December 28, 2004
"It certainly is a tough time that our country is facing. Everybody was caught off guard as Tsunami was an alien phenomenon to this part of the world and were only known to further eastern and southern countries.
While I find myself sheepishly safe in the central provinces of India in a time when my fellow countrymen are struggling for life. It was a quick catastrophy for the shoreline and Andaman Nicobar Islands of India but with immense courage and will power of human being, life shall come back to normalcy soon.
I shall join you in prayers for those who have lost their lives and dear ones in India, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Indonesia and Thailand. May God give them the courage and strength to rebuild..."
Amen to that, Koustubh.
You can conveniently help by making a donation to the International Red Cross, online. All it takes is just a little more than a few clicks.
While I find myself sheepishly safe in the central provinces of India in a time when my fellow countrymen are struggling for life. It was a quick catastrophy for the shoreline and Andaman Nicobar Islands of India but with immense courage and will power of human being, life shall come back to normalcy soon.
I shall join you in prayers for those who have lost their lives and dear ones in India, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Indonesia and Thailand. May God give them the courage and strength to rebuild..."
Amen to that, Koustubh.
You can conveniently help by making a donation to the International Red Cross, online. All it takes is just a little more than a few clicks.
Monday, December 27, 2004
I'm sure we've all heard about the recent disasters which've hit Sri Lanka, India, Indonesia and the surrounding regions. Once again men are forced to realise how weak and helpless we are against nature's forces, and men of faith are struggling again to understand why God let this be so... well, we wonder, but who are we to question? I don't know. I just pray for swift relief.
I remember, how, when we were still living in the East Coast, little tremors and seemingly-swaying lights would send my family - among others - scrambling to gather our beloved items and evacuate the building, assembling in ragged groups on Meyer Road. My dad had never felt comfortable living on a stretch of reclaimed land. Never did and never would. Just glad that we're away from the coast now, and grateful that Singapore's been geographically lucky.
23 000 dead and counting. Such a magnitude is difficult to imagine. Dad says he has a colleague holidaying with his family on some island... and he hasn't responded to his messages. Another family, friends of mine, had an extremely close call... they were driving up to Penang from KL. A lady we know from my wushu studio was in Phuket, staying in one of the worst-hit resorts, and nobody's managed to reach her. My Indian contacts... from the nature conservation circles... are fortunately all well and uneffected, but a fellow coordinator from Sri Lanka has been uncontactable and unresponsive. I can only pray that she's ok.
During the holidays my family has always gone on some form of vacation or another... to Bintan, Penang, or other resorty places nearby. We had very nearly done so this Christmas. It's just scary when I think of how it could have so easily happened to us...
But anyway... who'd have known? Who'd have expected? Floods in China and typhoons in Japan, maybe, but in the Indian Ocean? One of my Indian contacts had this to say, "It was pretty unfortunate. The extent of damage would have been reduced if India and Sri Lanka had proper warning systems. The cause due to environmental changes is very very difficult to examine, since the tsunami waves were a result of seismic earthquake which cannot be controlled."
We gotta expect the unexpected. Cliche.
I remember, how, when we were still living in the East Coast, little tremors and seemingly-swaying lights would send my family - among others - scrambling to gather our beloved items and evacuate the building, assembling in ragged groups on Meyer Road. My dad had never felt comfortable living on a stretch of reclaimed land. Never did and never would. Just glad that we're away from the coast now, and grateful that Singapore's been geographically lucky.
23 000 dead and counting. Such a magnitude is difficult to imagine. Dad says he has a colleague holidaying with his family on some island... and he hasn't responded to his messages. Another family, friends of mine, had an extremely close call... they were driving up to Penang from KL. A lady we know from my wushu studio was in Phuket, staying in one of the worst-hit resorts, and nobody's managed to reach her. My Indian contacts... from the nature conservation circles... are fortunately all well and uneffected, but a fellow coordinator from Sri Lanka has been uncontactable and unresponsive. I can only pray that she's ok.
During the holidays my family has always gone on some form of vacation or another... to Bintan, Penang, or other resorty places nearby. We had very nearly done so this Christmas. It's just scary when I think of how it could have so easily happened to us...
But anyway... who'd have known? Who'd have expected? Floods in China and typhoons in Japan, maybe, but in the Indian Ocean? One of my Indian contacts had this to say, "It was pretty unfortunate. The extent of damage would have been reduced if India and Sri Lanka had proper warning systems. The cause due to environmental changes is very very difficult to examine, since the tsunami waves were a result of seismic earthquake which cannot be controlled."
We gotta expect the unexpected. Cliche.
Saturday, December 25, 2004
Thursday, December 23, 2004
Like what Viv would say, "whoohoo!" haha... Lunched at Jalan Kayu... prata... with Alex, Jed and Jingye. Chatted, gossiped, wondered, thought... and witnessed transactions, lol. Then lazed around a bit at NUS' PGP. Was chauffeured around. Darn... Singapore's too hot for Christmas.
Now that I'm at home with no particular agenda for the evening... time to work.
Now that I'm at home with no particular agenda for the evening... time to work.
Interesting...
Sometimes I wonder if I'm living life too much in the open. :P
Or maybe the world is getting smaller.
Or people are just really curious animals. They like to know... they thirst to know. ;)
And so do I.
Sometimes I wonder if I'm living life too much in the open. :P
Or maybe the world is getting smaller.
Or people are just really curious animals. They like to know... they thirst to know. ;)
And so do I.
Wednesday, December 22, 2004
Biking and birding today at Ubin with ZF, Thiha and Jeanne... went to both eastern and western ends. Enjoyed the breeze while sitting on the rocks out shore. Waded in the tidal areas and pools and got muddy... played with the shrimps... was lucky enough to sight the Great-billed heron at while Chek Jawa. Swallows, bulbuls, waders, sea-eagles, the norm. Still no luck with the hornbills. Chatted with NParks staff there... but Ali wasn't around. They had in the aviary a rare Burmese pheasant... forgot its species but it looked like Lady Amherst's pheasant and was really tame and beautiful...
Bum hurts, am spent. Haven't exercised this way in a long while. But boy I love getting away from civilisation and a bit of exhaustion. Gets the mind refreshed and the stress cleared.
Had a little reunion with ZF, Tania and Lydia. Finally, what with Tania in Sydney, Lydia in Perth and me in London, us 'Four Musketeers' managed to meet up this one night for a dinner in Nooch. It's been... 4 years since sec 3. Whoa... long...
Some pics from today:
(More pics at: Birds | Fish and others)
Bum hurts, am spent. Haven't exercised this way in a long while. But boy I love getting away from civilisation and a bit of exhaustion. Gets the mind refreshed and the stress cleared.
Had a little reunion with ZF, Tania and Lydia. Finally, what with Tania in Sydney, Lydia in Perth and me in London, us 'Four Musketeers' managed to meet up this one night for a dinner in Nooch. It's been... 4 years since sec 3. Whoa... long...
Some pics from today:
(More pics at: Birds | Fish and others)
 Pacific swallow |  A shrimp |
 Great-billed heron |  White-bellied sea-eagle taking flight |
Tuesday, December 21, 2004
Had lunch and watched a movie with ZF today... Oliver Stone's Alexander was a freakin' long movie. It was a cinematic masterpiece, no doubt, and brought out Farrell's best in a convincing portrayal of the lead role. The whole film's as historically accurate as it could have been for a Hollywood film, and the battle scenes are simply wicked. But, like what many critics have said, the script could have been a whole lot better. It wasn't at all engaging... and at times Ptolemy's narrative was reminiscent of my school lessons where I'd just drift off focus from the drone of a teacher's voice. Nevertheless, the dialogue and the sporadic references to the Greek culture and beliefs did not fail to awaken the politics student in me... and while the Macedonian army was trudging along, I was thinking of the many fascinating relationship between Alexander and his tutor Aristotle. I also wondered if the many poleis, or city-states, which Alexander 'founded' on his campaigns were forced into a form of goverenment identical to that of the ideal Greek polis... what a wonderful platform those would've made for Aristotle to experiment with and observe from... hehe.
Going to Ubin tomorrow. Dinner at night with sec school mates. Another whole day'll be wasted. Bwahh... somebody'll have to force me to take out my notes to read, at least while I enjoy the coconuts.
Going to Ubin tomorrow. Dinner at night with sec school mates. Another whole day'll be wasted. Bwahh... somebody'll have to force me to take out my notes to read, at least while I enjoy the coconuts.
Monday, December 20, 2004
"All nature is but art, unknown to thee; All chance, direction, which thou canst not see; All discord, harmony not understood; All partial evil, universal good; And spite of pride, in erring reason's spite, One truth is clear, Whatever is, is right."
~ Alexander Pope
~ Alexander Pope
Sunday, December 19, 2004
Eeeks! 4 days of my holidays... wasted (including the 13 hours lost)! Somewhat. Did only one field exercise write-up, and a few pages of my politics reading. The rest of the time was eaten away by the effects of a horrible jetlag. I've only gone out of the house once. And that was for a haircut. And I'm actually spending more time with my parent's friends... ie. adults-with-kids... instead of my own mates. Just like all my previous holidays 'cept the jolly long one in July.
Arrghh I knew I didn't have it in me to concentrate and study if I were back home... (0_o)
Arrghh I knew I didn't have it in me to concentrate and study if I were back home... (0_o)
Little did I expect the Flying dragon christened 'DragonClaw' to be around still. Thiha brought him over... and I managed to do a little studio shoot.
This was one of the best shots:
This was one of the best shots:
Friday, December 17, 2004
Blogs can be such dangerous tools.
But they can add much excitment to an otherwise mundane life.
Anyway, here I am, back home once again. My senses of excitment are now numbed by this routine... but nevertheless I'm just glad to be able to spend Christmas at home.
The flight would have been perfect if not for some old Englishman on his virgin flight sleeping next to me with his mouth open and breath stinking of stale wine. Entertainment-wise was lovely... caught I, Robot and The Manchurian Candidate. Marc saw me off from Heathrow, making sure the box of a dozen (now minus a few) Krispy Kremes were in good order. ZF came to meet me at the airport... a first... and came round to my place for dinner and some chats. :) Old times, old mates.
Emperor's Gate is gonna be so quiet. My entire household's leaving for Spain in the morning... Lionel's gone off to New York, Charl's going home... which leaves Lu, his sis, and Yishan.
But they can add much excitment to an otherwise mundane life.
Anyway, here I am, back home once again. My senses of excitment are now numbed by this routine... but nevertheless I'm just glad to be able to spend Christmas at home.
The flight would have been perfect if not for some old Englishman on his virgin flight sleeping next to me with his mouth open and breath stinking of stale wine. Entertainment-wise was lovely... caught I, Robot and The Manchurian Candidate. Marc saw me off from Heathrow, making sure the box of a dozen (now minus a few) Krispy Kremes were in good order. ZF came to meet me at the airport... a first... and came round to my place for dinner and some chats. :) Old times, old mates.
Emperor's Gate is gonna be so quiet. My entire household's leaving for Spain in the morning... Lionel's gone off to New York, Charl's going home... which leaves Lu, his sis, and Yishan.
Wednesday, December 15, 2004
Gonna be arriving back in Singapore on Thursday.
Today was rather enjoyable. Sigh... haven't started packing yet. As usual - last-minute-packing = greater efficiency.
Don't know if I'll blog again or phlog before I fly off...
To all whom I haven't managed to meet up with before I leave, have a very merry Christmas and a well-deserved break. Biologists, ganbate with your revision!
Today was rather enjoyable. Sigh... haven't started packing yet. As usual - last-minute-packing = greater efficiency.
Don't know if I'll blog again or phlog before I fly off...
To all whom I haven't managed to meet up with before I leave, have a very merry Christmas and a well-deserved break. Biologists, ganbate with your revision!
Tuesday, December 14, 2004
Saturday, December 11, 2004
Thursday's carol service by the IC Christian Union was a refreshing little night... I wish I had been able to sing in this year's carol as well but well... other commitments are robbing me of my time.
Friday's stats and experimental design test went by quite well I must say. I'm glad for the sample test they went through with us during the tute and I'm equally glad that they weren't being that creative with the questions. An arvo off... and chilling out at night into ungodly hours.
Today... was fun. Had a nearing-the-end-of-term-kinda-thing outing with the 'BBC' gang of biologists... met up at Queens at Bayswater and had two rounds of bowling and spent a few pounds on the arcade games.
Feeling spent for some reason. Circadian rhythm's in disarray.
Friday's stats and experimental design test went by quite well I must say. I'm glad for the sample test they went through with us during the tute and I'm equally glad that they weren't being that creative with the questions. An arvo off... and chilling out at night into ungodly hours.
Today... was fun. Had a nearing-the-end-of-term-kinda-thing outing with the 'BBC' gang of biologists... met up at Queens at Bayswater and had two rounds of bowling and spent a few pounds on the arcade games.
Feeling spent for some reason. Circadian rhythm's in disarray.
Thursday, December 09, 2004
Stats... just a bit more to go. One more prac, one more tute, one more test, and it'll be over. Then'll come computing. One more week to that 13-hour flight home. 7 more days to the start of more mugging, field-course-report-ing, essay-writing, distractions and more distractions.
Fidel's going to Prague next week. Marv, Viv and a whole lot of the others shall be leaving for Spain come next weekend.
Now's it's meetings after more meetings; the organisation of the major event is becoming quite a worry.
Yawnz. More late nights.
Fidel's going to Prague next week. Marv, Viv and a whole lot of the others shall be leaving for Spain come next weekend.
Now's it's meetings after more meetings; the organisation of the major event is becoming quite a worry.
Yawnz. More late nights.
Monday, December 06, 2004
A busload of us S'poreans headed East towards Canterbury and Dover on Saturday. Canterbury was like any 'ole English town - narrow streets, streamers above shophouses, the River Thames running down the middle, parades of schoolchildren clad in Christmas red, and performers at corners raising funds for one charitable cause or another. Had it not been made famous by the likes of Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, or the famous murder of Thomas Becket, we wouldn't have known Canterbury as it is. Canterbury Cathedral was on the top of our list... the home of the Church of England. Breathtaking architecture... and considering its history that stems from 597 AD, it put us in awe.
A pity we had to rush off to Dover next... 'else I wouldn't have minded taking a look at the Roman history museum.
The port and town of Dover marks the narrowest point between mainland England and western Europe. It's famous for its white cliffs and the castle hill, on which the oldest and one of the strongest British fort stands. Dover Castle, with 200 years of heritage... has its foundations in the iron ages. The structure is of an imposing Gothic, Anglo-Saxon, Norman influence. Underground tunnel networks... artillery platforms... moats... and more keeps and towers...
The greatest British cathedral and castle, both in one afternoon. w00t!
A pity we had to rush off to Dover next... 'else I wouldn't have minded taking a look at the Roman history museum.
The port and town of Dover marks the narrowest point between mainland England and western Europe. It's famous for its white cliffs and the castle hill, on which the oldest and one of the strongest British fort stands. Dover Castle, with 200 years of heritage... has its foundations in the iron ages. The structure is of an imposing Gothic, Anglo-Saxon, Norman influence. Underground tunnel networks... artillery platforms... moats... and more keeps and towers...
The greatest British cathedral and castle, both in one afternoon. w00t!
 On a trebuchet |  Dover Castle |
 Canterbury Cathedral |  Just a cute chubby cat... |
Sunday, December 05, 2004
The Incredibles was another amazing lengthly piece of animated film... Disney's Pixar never fails to impress. 'Twas good for laughs.
That was Friday. So much has happened since... we've all grown up so much in our own ways.
That was Friday. So much has happened since... we've all grown up so much in our own ways.
Friday, December 03, 2004
Doing stats now... the lectures are quite a bore. And pracs are rather useless when you have the R program at home and all the practical work questions are in the handbook. Been wagging and bludging lately.
13 more days till I return home. I've mixed feelings about this... all I can imagine is the pile of work and revision waiting for me.
13 more days till I return home. I've mixed feelings about this... all I can imagine is the pile of work and revision waiting for me.
Wednesday, December 01, 2004
Some things can be mended... patched... knitted more tightly together. That I'm happy and grateful for.
Some things... are like what they call spilt milk. The most you can do is soak it up with as big a cloth as you can find. But still it'll leave a little stain, barely visible.
And... crumbs for the pigeons? lol. I know, you're not a pigeon.
Some things... are like what they call spilt milk. The most you can do is soak it up with as big a cloth as you can find. But still it'll leave a little stain, barely visible.
And... crumbs for the pigeons? lol. I know, you're not a pigeon.
