End Notes

Sortof finished my assignments (only to find that the Progress Report isn't writing a report, but filling in an Evaluation Questionnaire. keh!)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Research's going alright. Found out that the current method is somewhat lacking, so will be changing the methodology slightly. Now I'll be using those 'published' methods instead. So much for being cocky about our 'much more accurate' method. Doesn't matter - I can reach my current stage with this new method within 1 week, compared to around 7-8 weeks with the old method. But still - all those wasted weeks and work...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~
Half my research lab got closed down to install a new air-conditioning system. For some reason it had to be at my half of the lab ;p. No holidays though, there's still the other half of the lab. We had to fight for the good computers though. I lost - and got one of the best spots (after mine of course) in the lab (with a moody computer - according to the lab manager; but that was fixed when she deleted some junk left behind by the previous user).
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~
There was a blackout at my lab on Friday. Not surprisingly, while taking out the old air-conditioning system, they had to trip over the wire supplying electricity to the computers. No screaming, no humans running around (except to the loo). Most of us just gathered (behind a pillar, heads sticking out - except for my supervisor who refuse to 'peek'; he just stood beside the pillar) watching the lab manager stomp towards the closed half of the lab.

Man, that was educational.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~
Am now dismantling furnitures and packing my stuff into boxes. Feels like walking through the memory lane in the wrong direction (I always did have a bad sense of direction - except to comic/manga and book stores). Not to mention, do I have that little stuff? Most are just necessities like books, utensils, crockery, and computer stuff. Oh well, that's good, not much boxes to move up and down with. I can always add more stuff once I get my own place ;D.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~
This will probably be the last post for a long while. I won't have my personal internet from the 1st of November onwards,until I return back home. However, I will still have internet access at my workplace, so I am still contactable.

Anyway, time to stock up on animes to watch...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~
My supervisor's on holiday for the next one and a half week. Wheeeee!!!! But he left me a lot of work to do. >.<
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~
To all who're having exams, gambatte! To all who will be going home soon, safe journey! And to all who are working, ummm continue as you are?

Current music: ... I have no idea actually... -_-;;
Current mood: *geared up and ready to dismantle the study table...*

Re: Ethics assignment

From: Insignificant AMS student
To: The Mighty Supervisor

This lowly one bows before you, and humbly implore if ye would be ever gracious to use ye vast wisdom and intellect to glance through this inferior piece of work, and to shower it with constructive critisms and comments, 'tis will be more than what this lowly one deserves.
This lowly one thank ye in advance.

******************************************************************************
From: The Great and Powerful Supervisor
To: that puny student

This is an automated reply.
Your request has been received and will be considered in due course.
Bribes will assist quicker processing.

******************************************************************************
From: lowly student
To: The Merciful and Gracious Supervisor

Giving cash to one as exalted as you would be an insult to your honour and dignity. Would digital donuts do?

******************************************************************************

Things I do to get my supervisor to proof-read my assignments... ;p

Current music: Be Not Ashamed of the Lord
Current mood: dance for joy!

For Hime-chan (Princess)

Your wish is my command.

WARNING! HIGH DOWNLOAD CONTENTS!
don't worry, no spywares. or porn. i think.

Pictures!

Let it not be said that I don't listen to hime-chan all the time (I do, but it's contents usually comes out the other ear...)

Current Music: I Can't Live Without You (Andy Williams)
Current Disorder: s l e e p y . . .

Disgaea Manga?!?!

SYNOPSIS
So... you wake up one day after a two-year nap and discover that your father is dead. What do you do? Take over his kingdom and rule with an iron fist, of course!
Laharl may be new to the whole Overlord scene, but with the help of the demon-girl Etna and the angel-ditz Flonne, he's going to be the best ruler the Netherworld's ever seen. All he has to do is get by the hordes of halfwit hellions determined to challenge him for the throne, foil an interdimensional plot and keep his own vassals from trying to kill him
Sound rough? Hell yeah.

FEATURES:
~ Color Insert~ Character Statistics~ Afterword by Artist~ Translation Notes~ Voucher for Limited Edition Dust Jacket*
*While supplies last.

INFO:

Rating: 13+SRP: $9.99Page Count: 208ISBN: 1-932480-XX-XSKU: BBDISG02Street Date: September 2006Genre: Fantasy

FMA PS2 game, Shadow Hearts - A Brand New World, FMA Novel Volume 3, good food, great company, manga shopping, stocking up animes, getting spoilt by parents - and now THIS?!!?
I wanna go home already!!!

Something for bossy sister - alright dad, also for you ;p

Final Fantasy 13 trailer. Unfortunately youtube modified the resolution. It looks way better in the avi I have. Graphics look awesome. And the fighting style - wohoo!

And the hero's a girl. Confirm. Cause of presence of something at chest (is assumed to be breasts)
Hopefully she won't be as girly as those in FFX-2. Or else that game will also be left on the train tracks.

What should you study?

Your Learning Style: Curious and Brilliant

You are a very abstract learner. You can grasp even the most complex theories. You Should Study: Astronomy Biology Chemistry Computer Science Linguistics Mathematics Philosophy Physics Psychology

What Should You Study?

Whoops! I'm in the wrong course ;p

Current Music: Wild Women (Michael Learns to Rock)
Current disorder: Stinko - and in desperate need of a bath. Now if only the housemate would get out of the bathroom...

MIA -Brain

Was happily cleaning more brains with an eraser (ahh the wonders of technology) when my supervisor walked past my workstation, yelled "Keep working!" and ran off. Gave me a scare. Guess where the eraser went?

"I'm sorry to say, sir, but according to the MRI scan, your frontal lobe is missing. Don't worry, I don't think it'll have any effect on you since you're already classified as insane. Have a nice day."

On the other note, my supervisor also banned me from drinking coffee.

"But, Mr Supervisor, sir. I don't even drink coffee."

Must be the boiled water - I knew the Australian government put something in their tap water...

Current music: endlessly (Tsubasa Chronicles)
Current mood: hYpEr

Late night at lab again

Lots of people are now getting worried about me working at the lab till late hours that it's not funny anymore. Today, my supervisor (The Slave-Driver himself) came in wondering whether he's pushing me too hard. Gee, and it's HIS fault that I stayed in the lab till late today ;p

What happened? Well, because the workstation was empty earlier than usual (everyone seem to have something to do tonight), I ...umm... let myself sing aloud while listening to music through the headphones. Not the shower-singing type, slightly softer than that but considering how quiet the lab was...

After a while of singing, I decided to shut the door (usually it's left open to air the room - to prevent the computers from overheating) so that I could sing louder without being heard by possible passerbys. Guess who I saw at the table outside. Working at his laptop. (Luckily his back was towards me at that time). (Btw, the table is directly outside the workstation door... aka within hearing distance... but the door blocks my view of outside...)

I spent the next half and hour to forty five minutes (when I was suppose to be preparing to go home) cleaning more brain scans thinking "I did not just see that. He was NOT outside listening to me singing. Oh no Oh no... arrgghhhh..." and so on.

Lesson of the day - make sure your supervisor (and everyone else) have evacuate the building before you sing. Better still, don't sing at all. Arrgghhh...

Current Music: Endless Story by Yuna Ito
Current Disorder: Banging head on wall.

I caught my supervisor reading comics... in his office...when he's suppose to be working...

Had a fun weekend. Piano Stories were good, especially the violin part. Fell asleep during the Super Mario Medley though. Will write more about it later.

Manifest was boring though. What happened to all the japan imports? The doujinshis? The weapons galore?

Anyway, research's keeping me busy. Currently cleaning brain scans and finding probabilities of connections [aka results ;)] while supercomputer keeps crashing. Wasn't my fault, honest! (I was aiming for the OTHER supercomputer...).

Fun stuff. Only that the manager made me feel so guilty for staying in late at the lab yesterday- today she literally checked me up to make sure I slept at home that night and not under my workplace (of course not, not when all the bombs are stored there).

So today, I decided to go home early. So what happened when I said goodbye to the manager? Her jaws dropped, eyes wide open, and then she went around her office looking for her diary to write down this 'astonishing' phenomena. Gee...

Current music: This annoying buzz in my right ear.
Current disorder: Dong Bang Shin Ki 'My Destiny' song in my head! Arghhh!

Short Update 2

Where have I been for the last few days?

Let's see - Ezekiel camp during the weekend (15-16th Sept), bombardment of work by supervisor the rest of the week(he's not going to be around next week apparently). And the supercomputer at my lab crashed today, so spent the rest of the time packing my stuff into boxes (yes, that's to de-stress over lack of work to do - what do you mean by I need to get a life?).

Tomorrow is Manifest! What to get, what to get? And hopefully I'll be able to get tickets to watch Piano Stories.
Sunday be ze trip to Hepburn Spring. And chocolate factory. And lavender farm. And dunno what else (KC's planning it)

Busy busy busy.

What ethics assignment?

Current music: Sleeping child by Michael Learns to Rock
Current disorder: Hyperactivity and need-to-sleep disorder

Makai Senki Disgaea

Ah, Disgaea. What can I write about this anime...



What is it about?
Flonne, an angel apprentice from Heaven, was sent to the Demon World to assasinate its Overlord, King Krichevskoy. When she first arrived, the first thing she saw was a burning castle.

After wandering around the Demon World for two years (seriously?), she came across the demon graveyard. Thinking that she had finally reached the Overlord's castle, she ran in - only to fall through the unstable floor, uncovering a buried coffin. Making a big ruckus trying to open the coffin, she ends up awakening Laharl who was sleeping (also for two years?) in that said coffin. After finding out that King Krichevskoy died two years ago from chocking on a dark manjuu (rice flour buns stuffed with bean paste or meat) from a piece of paper that coincidentally flew into the building from outside - and Laharl's lack of sorrow from that news (in fact, he was too busy laughing) - Flonne is determined to follow Laharl to see if love do exist in the hearts of demons. Thus began Laharl's journey to regain the title of Overlord of the Demon World.

Are you serious?
What, you think I can make up sure a corny storyline?

Should I watch this anime?
Why not, if you like watching an overpowered good(? but he's a demon) guy attempting to bulldoze his way back to his castle, only to be halted by servants on strike, a love maniac trying to teach him love, a demon vassal trying to stab him in the back, human heroes getting into his way etc. It's based on a PS2 game, so it might be slightly confusing for you people who have never played the game before. That said, I really enjoyed the last episode - finally Laharl gets the break he deserves...

What can I learn from watching this series?
Umm love is good? Or as according to the local love-maniac, "you must study about love so that you don't become an evil demon overlord." Keh, actually I prefer to become an evil demon overlord...

Now for those who played the game - this is something from the second game! I can't wait for it to come out in English!

As the famous Japanese saying goes - "Bakabakabakabakabakabakabakabakabakabaka!!!"

CU camp is next week, not this weekend!

Current Music: Under the Sacred Sky by Konoka and Setsuna (Negima)
Current Mood: *it's hard to tell when you're banging your head against the wall*

Decisions, decisions

I'm not too sure if I should go for the Old Testament camp this weekend.

Cons
1. My workload suddenly increased exponentially. Next time, resist temptation to run around supervisor's office and drive him up the wall (though that was fun to watch...)

2. Assignment topic is coming out on this Friday. Meaning more work to do T_T

3. I've been feeling very tired this week. Falling asleep on the computer at the research lab.

On the other hand
1. My mentor needs my help at the camp this week. Not to mention I've already said that I would anyway.

2. Good opportunity to mix around Christians.

3. It's about Ezekiel! Guy with weird visions! What more could you want? (either than PS3, latest tank models, homemade bombs, real katanas... and the list goes on...)

Decisions, decisions. So, as per usual, since I can't decide, it's time for coin-tossing! Said a prayer, tossed the coin. Heads equals go, tails equals no-go.

But what happens when you lose the coin instead...

Edit: Found the coin under the bed. It's tails. But I feel bad if I don't go... ahhhhh help!

Goodbyes are - weird.

It was Friday again, and well wishes for a good weekend echoed in the torture chamber workplace.

It was in this spirit that the big kahuna she-who-actually-holds-power-in-this-place manager barged into our workstation (shared among us few slaves students), marched around the room and hollered:

"I'm going home! Alright? Have a good weekend. I'm going home!"

Stopping in front of me, she gave me a glare that would freeze a fireplace which was repelled by my denseness which I returned with a smile.

"You!" she pointed accusingly, "Make sure you go home and sleep tonight!"

"Yes ma'am." It's not my fault that in the short span of time working there that I managed to discover something that is now causing an uproar among the higher-ups.
Okay, so maybe it was a bad idea to stick my tongue out at the security camera the last time I sneaked back into the workplace.

More work and goodbye wishes later, my supervisor strolled past our workplace (which was located right in front of the exit, important for fast getaways), shouting "Have a good weekend!".
Suddenly pausing, he yelled at me.

"You however, have to work during the weekends ;p" Echoing his motto (made specially for me) "I like to keep you busy. Idle hands are the work of the devil!"

The next time I run around in my supervisor's office whining 'I'm bored!!' while he's busy preparing for a 'very important' presentation, I'm going to make sure to plant a stinkbomb under his table (can't plant real bombs - it'll destroy the computers and the manager will be after me - I value my life over revenge). And attempt (for the 256th times) to steal his password.

Short Update

And if you're wondering why I'm at home instead of at work today - it's because the work server crashed. And no, I had nothing to do with it. Honest. There are witnesses! I was happily reading (with no thoughts of mass destruction or computer hacking) in Rowden White Library when it happened (supervisor booted me out earlier cause he got some 'important' meetings...).

By the time I returned (after Buddhism lecture), there was peace in the floor that I am working at. The type of peace where everyone was busy surfing the net (or in one guy's case, pulling his hair out in an attempt to find some articles on the net) instead of earning their bread.

Unfortunately, my supervisor caught me and booted me out of the building with more readings before I could shatter that tranquility...

And no, that stink bomb outside my supervisor's office had nothing to do with me....

Btw, is blogarithm working?

Wallpaper for your viewing pleasure.

Someone asked me to post this up sometime ago, and I apologize for not doing it earlier. As they say, life just keeps getting in the way.

Anyway, here's my current wallpaper.




Comments, suggestions or further ideas would be appreciated. After all, practice makes perfect (and I sooo want to test out Adobe Photoshop...)

Saw Auntie Jessie at church today.

My supervisor's lacking(?) sense of humour

Wohoo, just finished the first draft of my project outline.

So I sent it to my supervisor.
And this was how the emails went.

To: Supervisor
From:Happy happy joy joy AMS student

Hi Supervisor,
Done, I think. Not at all satisfied with my background, and also, way overshot the word limit... Could you please take a look at it?
And just to brag - hah! I'm sending this to you before your lunchtime (i think). Therefore you have no excuse! I expect to see a reply for this before I go to bed tonight! (runs off before Supervisor throws the table at me). Heh.
cheers

To: Irritating brat AMS student
From: Supervisor

Thanks and you had better run!
Supervisor

Haha. You can't reach me! ;p

My supervisor's weird sense of humour

The air was tense. Silence reigned in the office of my supervisor. Dangling in front of me was a set of keys with my name pasted onto the keychain.

"These keys will allow you access to some very important rooms in this building." he said, dropping the keys into my outstretched palm. "Make sure you don't lose them."

"If you do..." he continued with a grave undertone, "...I'll set the mafia after you."

By the time he said "Just kidding", I was already one tenth done in my "101 ways to lose the keys" plan. Hmph!

Finding Neverland

Just finished watching 'Finding Neverland'. Quite an amusing show, about how a play-writer finds his inspiration to write the play 'Peter Pan' by interacting with a widow and her 4 sons. In the meanwhile, he also has to deal with other things like upset wife (for spending more time with that family than with her), community politics (stiff upper class British people...) and trying to entertain a group of professionals with a fairytale play. A interesting watch.

One comment - Johnny Depp can actually act as a normal character! As normal as he can be anyway, as an eccentric play-writer with an overactive imagination.

For those who don't recall, Johnny Depp is the actor for 'Jack Sparrow' in Pirates of the Carribean and 'Mr Willy Wonka' in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Not too sure if he acted in any other shows but he probably did. Anyway, to the extend of my knowledge (until today's show), he acts weird.

As Jack Sparrow, well- it's so- gay. No offence, but seriously. Especially when he just stands there, swaying a bit with his hands waving around - so, 'girly'.
And as Mr Willy Wonka... well, let's just say that Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is one of the few shows that mentally scarred me for life. Dancing oompa-loompas, who are actually miniaturized plump old men...

In this show, however when I saw his name in the intro I nearly stopped the show he actually acted decent. Phew.

On another note, I put clothes into the washing machine, and it spat out a 10 cent coin. Shiny...

Current Mood: oooooo
Current Music: MATERIALIZE (Mai Otome)

Wish upon a falling star - and run away when the building in front catches fire

This book was released in March this year. I managed to steal bash the shopkeeper and ran away legally acquire this book (it's free cause it's only a sample) and had a flip through at home.

For those of you who have no idea what type of book this is - it's the Bible with aids, notes and pictures to help people understand in more detail what the text is trying to convey.

Well, this is the first time I saw one that talks about archaeology (most are like 'Study Bible for teenagers' or 'Study Bible for the married couple'). And I must say, after reading through the sample (which covers Genesis 1:1 to 18:5), that I think it's pretty well done.

In the first few chapter of Genesis (regarding the creation of the world and mankind), they actually compared the creation in the Bible with the creation mythos of the other civilizations at the time, for example the Mesopotamians, the Egyptians and the Greeks. It was done with the intend to first describe the culture and beliefs of the people around the author, and second to prove that the Bible is not a mismatch of mythological stories, but has its grounding on real historical events.

It later goes on to other events in Genesis such as the Flood (which interestingly enough also pops out in other mythologies), the building of the Tower of Babel (which may be architecturally similar to the ziggurats of the Mesopotamians) and Abram's migration. Also in between the paged there are notes regarding the writing forms at that period (including the discovery of a cuneiform shopping list! 8D) and possible locations of the Garden of Eden and Noah's Ark.

Now, all I can say (assuming the rest of the study Bible is as interesting as this chapter) is that this Bible is a must-get (or at least probably looks good on the shelf) for lovers of mythologies and archaeology.

Get the hint, dad?

All in all, just another normal day.

Woke up. Clean face and brush teeth. Went for meeting at MNC.
Fell and twisted ankle, plus two bruised knee.

Doze with open eyes at meeting. Got swipe card (to allow entry into MNC - not that that has ever stopped me before...). Use photocopy machine until the office ran out of paper. Ran out of MNC before secretary finds out.

Went back home. Had lunch. Read more journals online. Spent the next few hours fixing the computer (who went fizzzz).
Missed buddism classes (sad...)

Computer making music, surf the net. Read about Sesshoumaru getting conned by his mother. Found 3 new Mai Hime comic anthology on sale online (amazon.com.jp)(now if some nice soul donate AU$54 and a credit card... *hint hint*).

Took a bath. Have dinner cooking while I write this. Then, I'll rewatch some Inuyasha during dinner. After that, back to journal reading.

All in all, just another typical day for this librarian.

...

......waittt... what happened to the Dragon-slayer?!? The destroyer of the universe?!? She who takes over the world and then gave it away because she was bored?!? What happened to the mayhem and chaos that occurs because of the need to rush to the toilet?!?

The HORROR!!! I have been ... domesticated!!!

Current Mood: o.O
Current Music: Cocktail (Hysteric Blue) (Spiral)

Another one

Why can't you tickle yourself?
Blakemore S.-J.; Wolpert D.; Frith C.
NeuroReport:Volume 11, Issue 11 , 3 August 2000, Pages R11-R16

Abstract
It is well known that you cannot tickle yourself. Here, we discuss the proposal that such attenuation of self-produced tactile stimulation is due to the sensory predictions made by an internal forward model of the motor system. A forward model predicts the sensory consequences of a movement based on the motor command. When a movement is self-produced, its sensory consequences can be accurately predicted, and this prediction can be used to attenuate the sensory effects of the movement. Studies are reviewed that demonstrate that as the discrepancy between predicted and actual sensory feedback increases during self-produced tactile stimulation, there is a concomitant decrease in the level of sensory attenuation and an increase in tickliness. Functional neuroimaging studies have demonstrated that this sensory attenuation might be mediated by somatosensory cortex and anterior cingulate cortex: these areas are activated less by a self-produced tactile stimulus than by the same stimulus when it is externally produced. Furthermore, evidence suggests that the cerebellum might be involved in generating the prediction of the sensory consequences of movement. Finally, recent evidence suggests that this predictive mechanism is abnormal in patients with auditory hallucinations and/or passivity experiences. (C) 2000 Lippincott Williams and Wilkins. [Journal Review; 46 Refs; In English; Summary in English]

Current Mood: complacent
Current Music: Song from a Secret Garden

Things I read while looking for journal articles

Is there an association between the use of heeled footwear and schizophrenia?

Medical Hypotheses: Volume 63, Issue 4 , 2004, Pages 740-747
Abstract
Existing etiological and pathogenetical theories of schizophrenia have only been able to find support in some epidemiological, clinical, and pathophysiological facts. A selective literature review and synthesis is used to present a hypothesis that finds support in all facts and is contradicted by none.

Heeled footwear began to be used more than a 1000 years ago, and led to the occurrence of the first cases of schizophrenia. Industrialization of shoe production increased schizophrenia prevalence. Mechanization of the production started in Massachusetts, spread from there to England and Germany, and then to the rest of Western Europe. A remarkable increase in schizophrenia prevalence followed the same pattern. In Baden in Germany the increasing stream of young patients more or less hastily progrediating to a severe state of cognitive impairment made it possible for Kraepelin to delineate dementia praecox as a nosological entity. The patients continued to use heeled shoes after they were admitted to the hospitals and the disease progrediated.

High rates of schizophrenia are found among first-generation immigrants from regions with a warmer climate to regions with a colder climate, where the use of shoes is more common. Still higher rates among second-generation immigrants are caused by the use of shoes during the onset of walking at an age of about 11–12 months. Other findings point to the importance of this in the later development of schizophrenia. A child born in January–March begins to walk in December–March, when it's cold outside and the chances of going barefoot are smaller. They are also smaller in urban settings.

During walking synchronised stimuli from mechanoreceptors in the lower extremities increase activity in cerebello-thalamo-cortico-cerebellar loops through their action on NMDA-receptors. Using heeled shoes leads to weaker stimulation of the loops. Reduced cortical activity changes dopaminergic function which involves the basal ganglia-thalamo-cortical-nigro-basal ganglia loops. Bicycle riding reduces depression in schizophrenia due to stronger stimulation by improved lengthening contractions of the triceps surae muscles. Electrode stimulation of cerebellar loops normally stimulated by mechanoreceptors in the lower extremities could improve functioning in schizophrenia.

Cross-sectional prevalence studies of the association between the use of heeled footwear and schizophrenia should be made in immigrants from regions with a warmer climate or in groups of people who began to wear shoes at different ages.

does that to prevent schizo I should be walking barefooted instead? I'll get worm infestation instead!!!

Current Mood: amused
Current Music: Life's Not Fair

Sofia

Went out with Margaret to Sofia today.

Sofia is apparently this italian restaurant in Camberwell that was rumoured to be a cheap and good place to eat. Margaret's hooked onto Sofia food, and since I haven't been there before - well, doesn't take much of a genius to figure out the rest.

And so we went.

Well, the only thing I have to say about sofia is that the spaghetti carbonara taste like the one in Lygon. Looks like the one in Lygon too. Imagine the one in Lygon, and times it by two (or three?). Yup, it's HUGE. Overflowing pile. And it was on a deep plate (thus even more underneath the pile I see). And Margaret had a chicken schnitzel the size of a pizza.
And we observed in the restaurant that the slice of cake (someone's dessert) was the size of a pie (the big ones, not the meatpies), the ice cream (gelato) was the size of a small football and the pizza was - well the size of a average pizza.

Dunno about the price (it's around $10.80 for plate of pasta), but considering the amount...

Journal Reading

The more I read, the more I find that people don't know what's going on either. (not that I 100% know what they're talking about in the first place...)

Looks like the theme for this semester is... detective stories! Wee! Elijah Baley, start solving mysteries now!

Current Mood: amused
Current Music: heretic (Trinity Blood)

Parting is such sweet sorrow

Someone wanted to buy a book from me.

Yes - I did something rather dumb. There're some textbooks that I didn't need anymore, so I decided to sell them instead of storing them in my apartment. After all, if I wanted to read them, I could buy a cheaper, simpler version of the topic.

Making the posters were easy. Putting them all around uni was easy too.

Selling the first book was easy too. (Biochem, not my favourite subject, so couldn't be bothered about it)

But then a call came for a chemistry book. Zumdahl, 5th edition. Had not touched that book for years. No problem right?

Then I opened the book to make sure that it's in good condition. Flipped through it. Fell the pages. Smell them.
And couldn't bear to be parted from it.

Gee, now I understand why my dad told me not to sell my textbooks.

The 7s

I have no idea why I'm doing this - oh yeah, overexcited about my week off. Anywayz, here goes -

7 Random Things About Me

I am a girl, at least I think I am.
I like to rearrange my furnitures.
I do random things just for the fun of it.
I am homo sapiens superior - superior in what I have no idea.
I am not totally insane - some parts are missing.
I really am running out of things to write here.
I like holidays.

7 Random Songs At The Moment

Once upon a december - Deana Carter
We were the reason - Someone or other
Tears in Heaven - Eric Clapton
I like Chopin - Gazebo
Purest of Pain - Son by Four
It's only the fairy tale - Alyssa in Mai Hime
Katakoi Enka - Fujino Shizuru in Mai Hime

7 Things I Like Most (Like only ah?)

Eating
Sleeping
Playing PS2
Being left alone in a library/bookshop (LOVE LOVE)
Watching anime
Reading manga/books
Educating/Psyching/Bullying the people around (borderline LOVE)

7 Things That Scare Me

Seeing abnormal muscles (ie on male models etc)
Stalkers.
What my imagination decides to cook up next.
My own cooking.
Asparagus.
Running out of books to read.
Boredom.

7 Things I Say The Most

I'm bored.
Die-lah.
Ehhhhhhh!!!!
Alright already.
What?
Huh?
Yo.

7 People To Do This

Bored humans
Really really bored humans.
Hui Qing - but she already did this.
Margaret.
KC.
Stella.
Insert name here

See Hui Qing. I do do stuff like this - when I'm bored anyway...

Current Mood: bored
Current Music: Holding back the years - Simply Red

I'm 36% guyish, 15% girlish and 49% insane

GUY-ISH:
[ ] you own a jersey
[ ] you like being sweaty
[ ] you love mud
[ ] you've played at least one sport on a team
[x] you've played more than 1 sport for fun
[ ] you hate pink
[x] you love hoodies and jeans
[x] pranks are fun
[x] dogs are better than cats
[ ] its funny when people get hurt

Total = 4

[ ] shopping is torture
[ ] pulling heads off dolls isnt creepy..its fun
[ ] you dont cry
[ ] sad movies suck
[x] girl drama is stupid
[x] painting your nails is weird/stupid
[x] you own a ps2
[ ] you own an xbox
[ ] you own a gamecube
[ ] at some point in time you wanted to be a firefighter
[ ] you own a psp

Total = 3

[ ] you used to be obsessed with power rangers
[ ] you watch sports center
[ ] you watch sports on tv sometimes
[ ] gorey movies are the best!
[ ] you arent scared of anything
[ ] you take part in "male bonding"
[ ] you only go to your dad for advice
[ ] you own like a trillion baseball caps
[ ] you aren't sensitive
[x] no pain no gain

Total = 1

[ ] you like going to football games
[ ] night games rock
[ ] spiders and bugs are cool
[x] you like to freak out your sister or brother
[ ] you used to or do collect baseball cards
[x] saggy pants are cool
[ ] you get sports illustrated/other sports/ guy magazine
[x] fire is cool
[x] you don't babysit
[x] you're immature

Total = 5

[x] its kinda weird to have sleepovers with a bunch of people
[x] green black red or blue or silver are your favorite color(s)
[ ] romantic comedies are boring
[x] you hate dressing up
[x] you dont care about your hair
[ ] you love to go crazy and not care what people think
[x] climbing is fun
[ ] contact sports like football are fun

Total = 5

Now add the numbers up x2 and re-post with your
score as:
"I'm _% guyish"

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GIRL-ISH

[ ] you u wear lip gloss.
[x] you shop
[ ] you wear eyeliner
[ ] you buy different colored shirts
[ ] you wear halters and tube tops

total: 1

[x] you dont like shopping at hot topic
[ ] you wear the color pink
[ ] you consider cheerleading a sport
[ ] you hate wearing the color black
[ ] you love hanging at the mall

total: 1

[ ] you like getting manicures and/or pedicures
[ ] you like wearing jewelery
[ ] skirts are a part of your wardrobe
[ ] you take a long time doing your hair
[ ] shopping is one of your favorite hobbies

total: 0

[ ] you hate the movie star wars
[ ] you cry in movies
[ ] you are/were in cheerleading, gymnastics, or dance
[ ] it takes you more than 1/2 hour to get dressed and put on other accesories
[x] you smile a lot more than u should

total: 1


Add them up, multiply them by 5, and post as "i
am _% girlish

Edit: I tag you, Hui Qing (and daddy too if you want...), to do this survey thingy.

Current Mood: bouncy
Current Music: a song of sword and fire (Tsubasa)

Week 1 of AMS

Mwahahahaha! I got the rest of the week off!!! Mwahahahaha!!!Except that I have 13 articles to review and 6 other major topics to deal with in the meanwhile...

Current Mood: chipper
Current Music: Shooting Stars (DNAngel)

*yawn*

Intermediate Epidemiology and Biostatistics is BO-RING!!!! 1 and a half more days to go...

And it's only a 5 day course....


Current Mood: indescribable
Current Music: Bella Donna (Bond)

Testing

Testing, testing, one, two, three. Crunch!

Now where did that human come from?

One week more!

One week more!
Another day, another study-day.
This never-ending road to homeward bound;
These tests that used to be so far away,
Will surely come to seal my fate.
One week more!

A very BIG hint ;)

I know, I know, I'm suppose to be studying...

Just need to get something off my mind -

To all you people back in Malaysia and Singapore (and even those in Auzzie, I'm not picky), there is something that would REALLY make a good 'welcome-home' present...

Kingdom Hearts II (PS2 game).

Just make sure that it's U/C below the box at the upper right hand corner with NTSC/PAL. Most important! Must be U/C, not J. I can't read Japanese yet.
It would really really make my day if especially a certain onee-sama (bestest best friend or bestest mother/father in the world also can) would be so kind hearted to find (and buy) it in Singapore...

Pretty please? *puppy eyes*

*Edit* for all you heathens *cough* humans with lack-of-exposure to the world of PS2, let me enlighten you...



Now, just go to any computer games/playstation shop, and look for something like this in the cover... easy no? And once, after finding it, you would feel obligated to purchase it because the cover looks nice. And then, suddenly, you will also feel the urge to lend/give to a certain person currently sitting upside-down who is suppose to be studying for exams...

Current Mood: dorky
Current Music: Passions - Kingdom Hearts II

Another wallpaper

I'm hungry.

Note: Boy, am I now glad I got PrintShop instead of Adobe Photoshop. Cheaper, and easier to use (or I'm just to lazy to figure Adobe Photoshop out...)

Current Mood: exhausted
Current Music: hear our prayer - Tsubasa Chronicles

Remembering the days gone by...

Just finished watching 'Awakening' acted by Robbie Williams. Actually, I've watched this show before but totally forgotten about it until I saw the ward in the hospital. Which goes to show that there are some differences between wards (despite all of them being white and rather dull).

What to write about this show... well, I'm really impressed by Dr. Malcolm Sayers (Robbie William). Despite not having any clinical experience (medical school does NOT count, trust me), he really tried his best working with patients. Even though most of them are ga-ga. It's very easy to just dismiss those patients thinking that they're not even alive and just treat them badly, as portrayed by some of the nurses and doctors. Though I don't blame them, it's probably very draining working in places like those.

However, what I like most about Dr. Sayers (or in real life, Dr. Oliver Sacks) is that despite the stress of working in a new environment, he still was very observant. What struck me the most during the show wasn't how 'doctorly' (ability to figure out diagnosis, give treatment and out they go) he was, but how by using basic skills like observation and analyzing, he sortof tried to find ways to help those comatosed patients. Maybe they sound the same to you so I'll try to put it in another way. Considering what I've been seeing at the GPs, patients come in with some problems; it looks like something you've seen before so very quickly you diagnose it, give them medications and management options, and out they go. No offense, but after a while, I get a feeling that I can train a chimpanzee to do that (no offense to the chimpanzee). But trying to see things in a different perspective, against the views of your colleague and doing your best to help those whom modern medicine have no answers for, that's tough.

And it reminds me of why I wanted to do medicine in the first place.

It's not to be the top scorer (though that would be nice). It's not to get straight A1s (though I won't mind getting one soon...). It's not even to get out and work as a GP/physician, earning enough money to survive and have a good life.

It's to learn the skills needed so that once I'm out there, I could find out what the people need (especially concerning psychology and neuro stuff) and to do research so that other doctors can do the grunt work of talking with patients and giving them the medications.
Now that I think about it, sometimes I wished I had taken pure science first before doing medicine. Doesn't matter, I can always do self-learning.

Where is all this coming from? Well, recently I've been feeling rather bored. Exams coming in less than a month, all I have to do is to start studying, do well in exams, then go home.

But, when I think about it, is that what I want to take out of medicine? Just good marks? Just to know all I need for exams, pass the exams and then wait to leave medical school? Not that studying for exams is bad, but even though it should be priority now, I shouldn't forget what exactly I wanted out of medicine.

After all, like what my father said - all I need to do to finish medical school is to pass the exams right? 50%. That's all I need. So why am I here?

Just an interesting trivia, movies like 'Awakening' and 'A Beautiful Mind' were one of the reasons why I choose to do medicine in the end, instead of pure science.

Current Mood: hopeful
Current Music: Ensei no Shizukesa (Mai Hime)

Book, glorious book!!!

I soooo happy!!! I just got a new book today ;)

Ok, it's Robbin's Basic Pathology (Updated 7th Edition). Sue me, I'm happy over a medical textbook. But still, ahhhhhh...

And this is the list of books I wanted to get (but can't afford yet...)
1. Netter's Clinical Anatomy - looks wayyy cooler than Netter's Atlas of Anatomy. And smaller too - easier for me to read in the tram/bus/car.
2. Oxford Clinical Medicine - apparently the 'must-get' for medical students. Whatever, the cover looks cool anyway.
3. A skeleton set - I want the big one for my room, the small one for my study table, the medium size one for the living room...
4. Dreams by Carl Jung - sometimes I wish my father didn't have such a big collection of books - cause I wanna buy them myself ;p
5. Many more if I didn't have the discipline, sheer will (and overdepression from lack of money) to leave the bookshop.

Man, I love my uni's new 'Professional Bookroom'.

Current Mood: hyper
Current Music: Flower by the Pond - Mai Hime

Post-exam Stress

It's a bit disturbing to realize that you're more AWAKE after the mid-semester exam than before...
For some reason had a bit of problem studying during the weekends. Then again, trying to memorize the types of genomes for different viruses is probably no fun...

Good news though, we're now tackling some 'fun' (I think) subjects after a few weeks of bug-memorizing. Yup, yup. We're now dealing with cancer! *ducks from stuff thrown by fellow classmates* What, I think it's fun (at least, so far...)

One more month to go...

On the record - so far in this WHOLE semester, I haven't bought any manga (from Australia). I just realized that just now (o.0) AaaAaahhhhh what's going on?!?!

Current Mood: exhausted
Current Music: Day Break (Matantei Loki Ragnarok)

Exam Timetable

Timetable's out
6 June - 2.15pm - Defense Mechanism 1 (MCQ)
7 June - 2.15pm - Health Practice 5
8 June - 9.30am - OSCE
9 June - 9.30am - Defense Mechanism 2 (Short-Answer Ques)

Good news - I'll have exactly one month holiday ;) , and with plenty of time before that oh so very important day...

Bad news - Look at my timetable... just look at my timetable.... -_-;;

Pokemon Champion

I am now the Champian Pokemon Trainer of Hoen Region. Bow before my glorious presence.

...

Fine, fine. I just finished the game Pokemon Emerald. So much for the Elite Four and the Champion, since it was an accident that I entered the Victory Road in the first place... (it's one of those point-of-no-return part of the game; and before I could use the escape rope to get out of there, they trashed my Blaziken... nobody trashes my pokemon without getting twice as much trashing in return!!!)

This is my Trainer Card at the end of the game:



So sad that I finished the game before I could get all the cute pokemons I was after...

My Dream Trainer Card:


And as an extra for my sister: "The Kawaii Squad"



Ok. Off to take a bath now.

And now - end of semester preparations begins...

Killing the world with a toothbrush.

Anzac Day

It's Anzac day today - a holiday one day after uni started... wished Monday was a holiday too...

Details on what Anzac Day is all about for those who are interested:

The ANZAC tradition began during World War I with a landing on 25th April, 1915 at Gallipoli on the Turkish Aegean coast. Because of a navigational error, the ANZACs came ashore about a mile north of the intended landing point. Instead of facing the expected beach and gentle slope they found themselves at the bottom of steep cliffs, offering the few Turkish defenders an ideal defensive position. Establishing a foothold, the Anzacs found an advance to be impossible. After eight months of stalemate, the Allies withdrew, leaving 10,000 dead amongst the Anzacs.

Although numerically the ANZAC were a minority of the half-million Allied men who served at Gallipoli, the troops from the two young nations were often at the vanguard and became renowned for their doggedness despite what the British regarded as a lack of discipline. A full 10% of the New Zealand population (then just under 1 million) served overseas during World War I, and New Zealand had the highest casualty and death rate per capita of any country involved in the war. Australia had the highest casualty rate of any military involved in the war.
Taken from Wikipedia
Now we know why all the shops are closed today... (they got lost on the way?)

On another note - been feeling rather bored/weird recently. Ran out of anime to watch (unless I want to watch those eerie/psychological animes I have left...), can't read novels for fear of getting too addicted to study, and can't study because since when was studying any interesting (how interesting is it to know the causes of pneumonia and flu?).

AAarrggghhh! What to do? What to do?

Save a plant, eat a vegetarian ~come here you cute little bunny...~

Things I've done during easter break (17/5 - 21/5)
~cause I can't seem to remember what happened during the easter weekend... -_-;; ~

1. Finished 4 novels, 2 movies, half of 2 psychology books (one was a textbook, go figure), half of Times magazine, 1/4 of the book of Proverbs, and the entire series of Mai-Hime anime and manga.

2. Full-day shopping and movie trip on Monday (with Margaret), meals with friends (Margaret, May Ying, Hwee, half-dazed Stella), visiting friends' house/apartment (Margaret, Hwee), half-day solo grocery shopping and bookshop surfing (why has that book not arrived yet....?),

3. Cleaned the dishwasher, rearranged my room

4. 9-10 hours of sleep per day

5. And no touchie of uni books (except to kick them out of the way while searching for more novels to read...)

... can I take another week off?

Picture Dedication

Gomen gomen. I know that this is already the third post for today (oh, you mean it's already the next day?) but couldn't resist. I found this on the net (meaning someone else made it - just to get the disclaimer part off my back, it's by deuceloosely)

I dedicate this picture to all people who for some reason or other happen to have this sentiment, including Stella and Margaret-hime.

Changed my laptop background

Made a new background using Print Shop. Kinda proud of it, so here it is for all to see!



Go ahead and use it if you want to. But remember, I made it! Bwahahahahahahahahaha

Eto... you mean you were the original artist for this picture? Gomen gomen, of course I didn't draw this picture... just tweak it here and there... add some words of wisdom... hehehehehe... eh, must say disclaimer ah?...epp!!