ThE rOaD nOt TaKeN.
Monday, November 19, 2007
The test today was one of those tests which you cannot really prepare for, except to remain calm and try to do your best. It was an oral test, so I had to remind myself to speak clearly and try not to gesticulate too much...( I can't help if I like to use my hands)
Was a bit disappointed when the results of the previous group assignment was released, I thought my group had done a good job, but it turns out that we missed a few points and now I have to hope that I have done well enough for the other sections to scrape my 'A' back.
Had some time before I had to pick up DW after her work so I paid a visit to Bishan library. The place is quite nice as they have devoted a whole level (basement) to the children's section. They have a Cafe Galilee and I spent some time checking my email and Facebook while savouring an ice-blended Cookies and Cream coffee. Then I dived into the lovely books!
I took a break by sitting at a long padded bench and the next thing I knew, I had dozed off. I awoke later to the sounds of a mother talking to her son as he took a seat near me. It was quite interesting to observe how some of the children behave in the library. The 'kuai' (obedient) ones would be reading and browsing through the books quietly, but the naughty ones would be running around and shouting at the top of their voices. How I wish children would learn to appreciate the library instead of taking it for granted. I remember how in the past the library was ill-equipped and short of facilities. No Internet, no lifts, no CD-ROMs, no comics(other than Tintin and Asterix), even the toilets had a smell(the natural kind). Now we have comfortable cafes, lots of study tables(not enough during exam period though) and new books every year! Woot!
After the short intermission at the library, I drove to Bukit Timah Plaza to buy some dog snacks for DW's dog and bought a pair of slippers from Bata(some call it short for 'buy and throw away').
Picked up DW after her work and we headed down to Paragon Shopping Centre to buy some bedding items from Aussino. While we were there, I went to look at some of the SonyEricsson hp models as DW was interested in 910i. I am still a Moto fan though. Was surprised to see that Fish and Co has set up a restaurant there. Hope the prices are still the same. We left at 7.30pm.
What a day...gonna finish up with a poem from a book that I found at the library which I thought was kinda interesting:
F*E*G
Abie's seedie effigy
Eight chide Jake: a lemon
O peek:
You are as tea
You feed double
You axe why
See?
... Horsehead!
- FEG Ridiculous Poems for Intelligent Children by Robin Hirsch
Labels: mixed blessings, poetry
Monday, August 6, 2007
Actually, spent the weekend doing lots of menial tasks like shopping for groceries, buying more interesting stuff for SnApPy... like lappy lock(to defend against Someone, heh heh) and some velcro ties for my bunch of wires (like a 'sotong').
Okie, recap time:
Friday (dress down, i.e. shirt and berms day!)
Always in gd spirits with the coming of the weekend. Came in to sch early to prep for lessons and received an unexpected bonus (lesson cancelled! except I was a bit blur so didn't realise the tutor mentioned it during the last lesson. Went to the comp lab and called for artistic back-up; I needed to sketch out what the costume design for Project Runway NIE (for which I am the clothes hanger).
Still, had a chance to chill out at the library cafe (Cafe Hotshot) and met some new friends, Isabel (the head librarian) and Max (the Hotshot boss). Realised that I needed to do the write-up for the Runway form, so decided to 'differentiate' our application form by writing a poem... ya, it's not Shakespeare or Frost but pretty ok under time constraint... (squeezed out in 1hr 45min flat!)
Singapore – ‘Rojak’ Couture
Simply amazing to say the least
Is the island country also a feast.
Not merely of cultures, cuisines and arts;
Garments, modelled with pineapple tarts.
A little bit of Chinese, Indian, Eurasian and Malay
Prepare for fun, dressed to play!
Origins unknown, does it matter?
Relish the feast, just slightly fatter
Enter the Singapore Model, Rojak Couture!
-by AC (edited by JH)
I was very grateful to Jaime for helping to edit in the end (cos started to panic when it got very close to lesson time and needed to send the soft-copy over to Christine @the Foundation Prog Office (FPO)) Luckily, she kept a calm head and lent a well-timed hand to the process.(No, she did not slap me!)
Had a gd session in class, some of us were a bit zapped cos of end of day syndrome...so tried to cheer them up with some sweets and positive energy! =P
Spent the evening at mother-in-law's(MIL) place, doing the 'dry swim'.
btw Friday was Beng's b-day!!!
(pls join in if u know the words...)
happy b-day to u,
happy b-day to u,
happy b-day to Bengs,
happy b-day to u!
Thanks for making it easy to travel in comfort and still feel like a pai kia... =)
Saturday
Woke up around 10plus to start the DIY car spa for Beng, standard car wash followed by detailing spray polish, for the SHINE... also gonna bring Beng for some professional pampering at the Glare 'spa'.
By the time I was done, it was about 2plus and Dear Wife had asked me to pack lunch from the market. Spazzed at home for a while and then went out to Sim Lim to pick up some stuff for SnApPy...managed to find some gd deals as there was a shop doing clearance sale. (lappy lock @$9 going for $16 elsewhere...)
Also bought a copy of Norton IS 2007 as the Norman Antivirus was giving lots of problems. Everytime I tried to plug in a thumb drive, it would beep that I had a virus??!! Duh?
Picked up a new All-In-One Epson printer (CX5500) with a small discount (3%)... ok la, save $6 dollars.
Dinner was carrot cake and satay from Alexandra Village-shiok! Except that the wait for the satay is quite 'xian'... they have a very inefficient order taking system! Plus the pork satay tasted like newspaper rolled into satay form. Very sad as the satay is usually quite ok.
MIL came over after dinner for endurance all night 'swim'... ended up at Redhill Mkt the next morning for porridge breakfast. Gd stuff , it usually is sold out by 10am. Luckily, we were there at 6am (Ha!)
Sunday
Needed to recover after the 'swim' so slept in late. Woke up about 12noon. Lunch was laksa from the kopitiam near our place. Even popped in to 7-Eleven for some juice and ended up buying a pair of 'Eeyore's (one for DW, one for me). It's now a part of my SnApPy's sleeve.
Spent the afternoon lazing around cos haven't fully recovered. Set up the new printer so both the desktop and the lappy can print using it. Now I can finally work on scanning some of my pics for SnApPy's wallpaper.
Popped by Vivo to get some stuff from Mini Toons cos some of my friends from ToRnAdO_19 are celebrating b-days on Sat. Bought cards as well on behalf of the gp... no time to scan in though...
Went over to my mom's to see my cats... only Trouble came to see me at the door (cos he was hungry) Kiki just opened one eye to check from his hiding place under the sofa and Heng was nowhere in sight. (the one in the pic is Kiki)Then went over to MIL's to pick up dinner (now more like supper) for DW. Went home (finally!) to bathe and collate all the T19 timetables for use later this term.
Now u understand why i took a break from blogging??? Still no real regrets about how I spent my weekend...looking forward to the next one!
AC
Labels: beng's b-day, cats, poetry
