Packing's A Bitch

I guess the heading pretty much explains itself. My flight for Japan has been confirmed!! It's in like 3 weeks time on the 21st September at 1am, hence... Am currently in the midst of packing. WHICH when you think about the whole process of trying to pack for a full 1 year with 4 seasons with a weight limit of 25kgs... Is nothing short of a migraine.

Frankly, I'm not entirely sure how much and what I should be bringing. And I think THAT'S the problem. Never been away for a whole year before after all...

On the bright side: My roll-on handcarry is all packed.

Preparations for Japan

The pictures above are supposedly pictures and maps of how my dorm looks like and where it is located.

So I just went to the Japanese Embassy to get my Visa done today... Needs 3 days to process apparently. In the meantime, I'm looking around for Student tickets at STA so that I can get 40kgs of luggage weight instead of the standard 25kgs. Hey. A full year in Japan with just 25kgs? Sure cannot make it one.

Not sure if I should get a new laptop to bring over... Since my current laptop is 3 years old so a bit worried some parts may just die and my laptop with it when I bring it over. That being said, I REALLY need to carefully consider what I need and what I don't need to bring. Toiletries are definitely on the 'not bring' list. On the fence with towels... Pads? Not sure how the ones in Japan are... So maybe I should? Coat? DEFINITELY. It'll be early autumn when I get there and full fledged winter come middle of the first semester. Quilt? FOR SURE. No idea if the dorm provides a thick enough blanket especially for winter so better safe than sorry ya? Plus it's not heavy anyways... Just bulky... Well... Nothing a little vacuum packing won't fix.

Expenses wise... Surprisingly school fees for Kyushu University is WAY cheaper than my course fees in NUS per year!!! According to my Mom is cheaper by around $7000. (Note: Kyushu University ~$2800, NUS ~$9500) So definitely affordable. 

By the way, this is NON-SUBSIDIZED. NUS didn't help me at all (So much for having a 'global approach') and told me I had to (a) sign up on my own and (b) apply for leave of absence. Makes me wonder how much cheaper it would have been if it were subsidized man... WHEW!

Need to calculate living expenses and so on... Think I'll just ask my parents to deposit my regular allowance into my account every month then I'll just withdraw from the ATM on campus. That way I don't have to worry about bringing so much in one shot. Not to mention it'll lower the cost to send me over I guess.

Had a fight with Jansen today. Sucks since I only just came back from 2 weeks of missing him in UK. Sigh... What a way to pick up where we left off. Well, that's how a relationship works I guess. Love and fighting come hand in hand.

In the meantime, I'm dead broke so I guess I'll be just 'staying in' for the next few days. A bit hard to find some part time work when I'm leaving in 2 months see? Sigh... That plus I need to save what I have left anyways for Japan. You know... Emergency money.

That and my birthday is in 5 days. SIGH. Quarter life crisis here I come...

JTW Here I Come~!

So through a long LONG LONG course of correspondence with Kyushu University (It's in Japan), I am proud and VERY RELIEVED to say that I've been accepted for exchange for a full academic year! YAY~~!!!! The only problem is whether or not my crappy department is going to allow it. SIGH... Even MORE headaches. Need to suit up for WW3...

Any-whos, if all goes well I shall officially be an 'International Student' of Kyushu from late September 2010 to July 2011. HEE HEE~!! My Japanese level is going to improve through the roof!! YAY!!! I can finally FINALLY near-perfect the language!! Seriously, there's only so much and so far you can do and learn in Singapore. For me, I'm currently at a brick wall. The only time that was breached was when I went on exchange to Japan last summer semester and yes, that was in Kyushu University too. ATW is criteria for JTW so what to do? LOL.

So sue me, I've fallen in love with Kyushu. LOL. Kyushu University is coincidentally 6th top in Japan, so in that regard I'm really lucky~! Though not as lucky as my genius boyfriend who made it to Osaka University (3rd. In Japan, Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka Universities are known as the 大三(pronounced だいさん or 'daisan')'big 3') A long time ago, I hoped that I would be able to attend Tokyo University one day, but you know Kyushu University isn't so bad either! LOL. In fact, I actually prefer Kyushu University over Tokyo University now after having studied there before. (Cheaper expenses which includes shopping, less crowded but not like countryside, still more technologically advanced than in Singapore)

Feels kinda surreal... Like how you always talk about your dreams and how you hope you can slowly work your way up to them. BUT when it's there, right in front of your face, the feeling is 100000000000000X better!! A new kind of high altogether!!

Anyways, for those who don't know, I've always wanted to do my Graduate Studies in Sociology in Japan. Getting this exchange would be able to secure a much higher chance of admission in Kyushu University when the time comes because of (a) more than adequate Japanese proficiency level and (b) known comparable grades. So even more YAY~!

One step at a time~~~!

Pictorial Update of Recent Events

Molly (The family dog, she's a Shih Tzu) after her haircut (More like 'shaving ritual', her ritual was performed a week ago) relaxing on the sofa. She usually gets a little depressed after her grooming sessions and tends to be awfully, UNUSUALLY docile (She's on crack 90% of the time usually) in the following week or so until some hair grows back.

Supposedly, Shih Tzus associate self confidence with their fluff. (I SHIT YOU NOT!!) So, when all their hair is gone, they get really low self esteem. (Somehow, that seems kinda funny to me.)

Anyways, for some reason, a couple days ago, she started scratching herself, got rashes, started bleeding and after an emergency visit to the vet, is now 'happily' wearing a 'lampshade' upside down over her head. Photos of that will be uploaded in future postings.

The baby sister and parents. Yesterday was my sister's birthday, so we went to Tung Lok at Orchard Central to celebrate. The parkng there by the way is a nightmare. For anyone who drives, do yourselves a BIG FAVOUR and never park there. Trust me, it's extremely aggravating. Centrepoint or 313 would be a much better bet.

Me and Jansen at the dinner. He likes this photo because he says that it makes him look so handsome. LOL. I guess I have to agree. He really does look fantastic in this shot.

MY favourite photo of us for the night. The smiles although goofy (especially mine) are completely spontaneous.

I chose this shot to show off my jewellery. LOL. Triple strand pearl necklace with matching bracelet! Strung and knotted myself! *Puffs chest proudly* I LOVE this set, the lustre of these pink freshwater pearls are probably the most fabulous I've seen. (Can refer to Jansen's favourite shot) The most mirror-like I've seen! Who says South Sea Pearls are always better?? LOL. Ring on my  finger was made during Metal Clay class, solid 999 silver with a 22K gold butterfly.

Perfect skin? Who needs photoshop? You just need my 'bimbotic' camera. LOL. (Not like Jansen needs it, he already HAS perfect skin... The lucky devil.)

Strawberries I found at Isetan today! They were so pretty and arranged so perfectly that I just couldn't resist taking a photo. *Squeals happily* Don't mind me, I tend to get happy over the strangest things.

Metal Clay Practical Examinations

So I finally came up with 2 out of 3 designs (Ring, Brooch and Necklace centrepiece... Brooch is not done design wise.)to the examination specifications required. Just made the moulds for one out of cork clay... Now just waiting for them to dry (Will take 3 days at least) before I go crazy on the pendant. In the meantime, I'm working on finishing off my previous assignment pieces so that they'll be ready for grading.

(Works on assignment pieces) ...DONE!

Now trying to come up with a design for the brooch... Theme for all three is 'Whimsical'. You know kinda like that 'Magic from a child of nature' feel. LOL. Slightly gypsy-ish I suppose... And a little Art Nouveau. Needless to say, that's one of my favourite eras! That and the Renaissance. LOL. WHOO-HOO~! Been looking through for some... ANY form of inspiration.

Some brainstorming for the brooch:

1. Snake around a branch with an egg in its mouth
2. Peapods hanging off a vine
3. Ladybug family walking up a twig and eating on a leaf edge (My favourite idea so far)

Sigh... Still, the OOMPH is missing somewhat. That flowy-watery-magical-mystical feeling... Sigh... Maybe I should add a couple of dewdrops? *Scratches head furiously* I got it! Maybe a mermaid with a pearl(s) in his / her hands, with streams  and bubbles flowing out from the pearl. AH~! That's what I'll do! YAY! Now all that's left is showing my designs to Jansen and I'll be off!

Last Paper To Go!

So... Today was interesting. 9 pages for qustion 1 and 4 pages for question 2... Eh... Evidently some problem with time management? GAH!! Well, at least I KINDA finished the paper? It's a very unsure feeling though, totally don't know how well I did overall in the end. So all in all... It's a huge question mark.

Last paper on Thursday is nightmare paper number 2, AND my final paper. RE3804 Research Methodology. Entailing the utterly complex regression analysis and all , the other paraphernalia that comes with it. *PUKES*

HENCE, I shall study tonight, take a break tomorrow for lunch, meet up with Martha at Kushigin and take some time to relax a little before part 2 of the studying horror begins. Maybe... PROBABLY I'll take a little walk after lunch at Kinokuniya. Anyone who knows me knows my love of books... More recently of Japanese books. Been getting cookbooks and Jansen laughs at me and says that it seems that I am getting ready for the role of housewife once we marry. LOL. But seriously, the recipes there are truly better! Healthier (Every calorie is accounted for) AND tastier (GOD the CHEESECAKES~!)... But that's just my opinion anyways. LOL.

Think I'll get the Metal Clay book since I'll be starting on Advance Metal Clay classes tomorrow... There is no limit to knowledge ya?

5 Modules Down 2 To Go

So today was my 4th exam (RE3903) and that makes my 5th module complete (One was non-examinable see? LOL.) URGH... My entire right arm hurts now from the non-stop 2 hours of writing. Horrible beyond belief.... 3 questions each with 2 parts, hence a total of 6 ESSAYS to write within the 2 hours. Needless to say, it was CRAZY!!! Wrote in almost 2 whole booklets... (Approximately 17 pages total)

Have to say that I'm a little ticked off by the exam today though... Since it was open book and based on prior tutorial sessions, I assumed that the examination would most likely be analysis type. AND VOILA... 86% of the paper was complete copy paste copy paste. Only a mere 14% was analysis. Feel so cheated since I studied, if I had known the paper would be like this, I wouldn't have bothered studying.

I guess to most it sounds fabulous that everything / the majority is just copy of the notes, BUT that means that EVERYONE COULD DO the majority of the paper (Except the unfortunate souls who didn't print out certain CRITICAL sections - in this case tutorial answers and would thus likely end up as the bottom feed, no offense). So now, the question is, what is the determinant factor of my grade? SIGH... Finished the whole paper save for a tiny paragraph (I wonder now if that paragraph would be significant), yet I'm worried as hell. HOW??? I NEED MY A!!!

All in all... The exams so far have been better than the previous ones, even better than last semester so far (And that was my so far record best in terms of FEELING~ after each of the papers) and here's me hoping and praying that this feel good streak continues... ONWARD TOWARDS DEAN'S LIST~!! (My goal) *ROAR* LOL.

On another note: Should I take PL1101E?

My Freshwater Pearl Collection (Don't Faint)

And VOILA~! (Yes, I know I've overdone it, but they're GORGEOUS aren't they??) The ones right at the bottom are necklace strands that I've strung up. (Inclusive of white one and downwards) The multiple coloured strands are meant for multiple strand necklaces... BUT I haven't learnt how to do so yet... I wonder when the Advanced Thread and Wire class starts?

The multicoloured one between the gold and white pearls was a gift from Jansen. Wasn't cheap, was ~$70 for both strands (he gave me the receipt so I can top up my receipts to $300 for free lifetime membership at Bead Hub)!! I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THEM!!! Definitely a unique combination... DYING to create a masterpiece out of it for myself... My baby really does know my taste. LOL.

Can see the top row (the ones in the packets) more easily in this shot. They're much smaller in comparison to the other strands as you can see... Perfect for pieces for casual dressing! Think I'll go nuts tomorrow stringing away while studying for my paper on Friday of course~!

Starting on Advanced Metal Clay come 6th May! Running straight off for class after my final paper! YAY~! Sad thing is, I'll be missing my first class so that means I'll have to do a make up sometime in the future... Will be booking more classes on Sunday when I go for class~! FULL STEAM AHEAD~~!!

For now... LET'S GO DEAN'S LIST!!

Red HOT!!

Here's me firing off some pieces over my gas stove. (Who would have thought eh?) Leaf pendants made in 670 silver. It was really pretty! Seeing the pieces glow from the fire. Going to make a lot more when the exams are over.

Final Report, Exams and Jewellery

I'm currently working on my final report of the semester and it's worth 30% of one of my modules which is thankfully non-examinable. It's due 24th April and I was initially intending to hand it in today so I would not have to worry about it during the study break. That is until my Dad asked me to send the car for servicing. SIGH... So well done, I officially cannot hand it in today. On the bright side, at least I won't have to rush it through anymore...

The funny thng? I string and knot freshwater pearls into Endless style necklaces to relieve stress. It sure as heck feels good to see something so beautiful being created from your own hands. Will probably start selling all of them on e-bay after the exams... What am I going to do with SO MANY pearl necklaces after all? LOL. All of them are natural colours too and knotted in pearl silk so it shouldn't be a big problem to sell... I realise that I don't really like the dyed ones with the exception of a few colours... Especially don't like the really gaudy coloured varieties (aka hot pink, bright purple, bright blue, bright yellow, bright green... You get the idea)

I foresee 2 modules that would be giving me some trouble this semester both of which have MATH so ya... Sigh... And before you ask, YES, I've already ordered like over 10 strands of loose freshwater pearls for stress relieving purposes.

Ten days to go before hell begins...

Exam Schedule:

• 26/4 AM: RE3805 (Worry NUMBER 1)
• 28/4 PM: RE3803
• 30/4 AM: SC2220
• 3/5 PM: RE3903
• 4/5 PM: SC2221
• 6/5 AM: RE3804 (Worry NUMBER 2)

First Pieces I've Made

650 Silver ring with synthetic emerald (means same chemical composition and crystal structure), patterned in leaves and mulberries.

650 Silver pendant made by moi. Seaweed fringing the sides of a clam with bubbles. LOL.

Gems and Such

NOTICE: There are two rows. Top row is the stuff I sought out to buy, bottom is err... Well... Impulse buys? LOL. Numbers on the bags indicate pric of each.

Been seriously considering setting up an online business for jewellery and stuff. I like the other more unconventional, naturalistic (free-form) type gems. Yes, they are gems not rocks/stones. Which needless to say is different from the classical  style that my Dad focuses on... Still my target market is still narrower... Sigh...

Working on my pieces now... Once I've finished aroung 20 than I'll be putting them up for sale. What better ground to test the market eh?

A Fishy Situation

So my family isn't shy when it comes to eating unconventional stuff since we're Peranakan and all. But this time, even I have to agree that we might have taken things a little too far... Latest on our chopping block: the KOI. (Yes, those super expensive colourful red and white, gold and black fish you see swimming in ponds)

In my defence, I didn't start it! Pammy's Mum did. LOL. When her koi died (Aunty Anne was cleaning the pond and blasted the koi by accident - I wonder sometimes but that's another discussion for another time - in the head and it died probably from brain damage or something) for the first time last year, she steamed the poor thing in soy sauce and had it for dinner. Pam was telling me how weird it was (Supposedly tasty as she says it was, flesh was very creamy) to see that golden koi spread out in the fridge before steaming and on the dinner table after. That plus the fact that that particular koi was a real sweetie while it was still alive.

The koi eater has struck again! This time with 3 casualties. My cousin in law (Pam's brother in law) accidentally turned off the pond pump while he was visiting and the next morning, the 2 biggest koi had died. A 3rd one though much smaller died the following day. So... Enter fish head curry. I shit you not! I think she's planning on fish and chips next since she's already started with her filleting... Aunty Anne puts them all in a big black garbage bag in the freezer. I commented that it looked like a body bag.

The best part? She has so much koi that when I went over yesterday she gave me some to take home. (Head, tail and side) Can you imagine the look on my Dad's face when I told him what was in our fridge?? LOL. I wonder what's for dinner tonight?

Thread & Wire... Metal Clay... + Conflicts

Needless to say, I CAN'T WAIT TO START WORKING WITH MY HANDS AGAIN!! Having been faced with the difficult choice in secondary school between taking AEP (Art Elective Program) and downgrading to the Normal Academic stream and staying on in the Science Express stream with me obviously choosing the latter... One of my life's regrets, I only wish I had the courage then to follow my heart and go against my parents' wishes. (I blame culture for this by the way, about how ever since when you're young, you're totally groomed to go down the pure academic path where 'Science is good and Arts is inferior')

I'm moving on to the Thread and Wire classes (Both Basic and Advanced) after my Gemology and Jewellery History classes at JDMIS complete (Next week, I start the second week after. LOL.). PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE let the Metal Clay class be open for this month~!! I totally want to get creative! Learn more, practice more! Totally bubbling with excitement!

I have to remember to tone down though, since my NUS exams are coming up soon... BUT it's so difficult to contain!! LOL. It's almost like 'SCREW NUS. Just concentrate on what you enjoy more.' So hard to maintain a balance between 3 almost completely different fields of study! NUS: Urban Planning & Sociology, JDMIS: Jewellery Design and Management & Jewellery Design and Fabrication (Since I'm doing the 2 diplomas in JDMIS at the same time, it feels like one and the same! EQUALS TOTALLY ENJOYING MYSELF)

MUST REMIND SELF: NEED TO BE SERIOUS FOR NUS EXAMS. MUST MAKE DEAN'S LIST. GET STRAIGHT A'S!! MAINTAIN HONOURS!!

Heaviest Ever

So I went to the gynae the other day... And to my horror, I was forced to step on the scale for the first time in a year. To my even horror, I found out that I am at my heaviest EVER!! (Which was strange to me and Jansen since I'm definitely skinnier than last year) Jansen says the scale must be screwy. I hope it is too.

THEN yesterday I stumbled upon my very very old pictures from when I first graduated from JC. And lo and behold, I say for the first time how skinny I was... Iwas as skinny as a twig!! All lean muscles and zero percent body fat. In comparison, I feel like a fat stuffed sausage bursting at the seams today.

My weight gain has been attributed medically to the condition I have that is known as polycystic ovaries. In summary, it means that I'm too damn fertile for my own good. My eggs ripen at a faster rate than most and for some unbeknownst reason decide not to leave my ovaries, as such, they break down in my ovaries instead of my uterus to form these 'cysts'. On top of that, because they are breaking down in the wrong place, the eggs are producing the wrong hormones... Testosterone instead of oestrogen.

Implications:

1. Increase in body hair (fortunately not the case for me)
2. Increase in weight (SIGH)
3. Increase in muscle mass (SIGH)
4. Increase in ability to gain muscle mass (SIGH)
5. Decrease in curves (SIGH)

I definitely feel the effects... And in some ways I do enjoy the fact that I put on muscle really easily because it makes me look really toned. On the down side, I got to be REALLY careful working out so I don't gain THAT much muscle mass. Jansen thinks that if the scale wasn't wrong, the weight probably has to do with my increase in muscle (Is it possible to increase weight by THAT much??) and increase in bone density which he apparently says is attributed to me having more testosterone than usual. Great... Bad enough that I already have heavy, dense bones to begin with... Now I'm getting bones of lead.

On another note, THANK GOD I HAVE DECENT BOOBS... So even though they've shrunk a bit, they're still above average for the Asian girl.

I can't wait for the day when I'm finally completely cured and will go back to my regular weight again... That's another year and a half more of medication to go though...

One Step At A Time

So I realise that I'm drowning even worse than I initially thought in my work. LOL. Jansen seems to be having a little trouble with his FYP too from what I understand. Him, I'm not worried about though. I know that he will be able to cope somehow and show me up again as usual. That idiot. LOL. He always has, being the hardworking genius that he is... Lethal combination by the way, being born as BOTH a natural genius and hardworking at that.

Darn... If only I was as blessed. LOL.

Lots to do this coming week 7 of term, 2 midterms and 1 huge-chunk-of-percentage assignment due (RE4906: 30%). Top that with the project meetings, site visits and YES WE HAVE A WINNER!!! Sigh... Lin Yan doesn't understand how I can cope (But the fact of the matter is, am I really?!) and jokes to my other course mates that I live in a 48 hour a day world / alternate planet. Which I find really funny because I think it's just a matter of time management and knowing what your priorities should be at certain times.

My nights are filled with all my NUS research and report writing. Damn... I really can't wait for week 7 to be over... Then I can take a deep breath, relax but if only for a moment and dive into part 2 of work.

In the meantime,to destress, I painted my nails. LOL.

First Class At JDMIS

So yesterday marked the beginning of my academic semester at JDMIS... With a full day class (2 sessions in one day, each session 3 hours each) I of course had a decent one hour break for lunch in between. During which, Jansen and I found this lovely little place for Thai food. Definitely the best place for Thai food you can ever find in Singapore.

The place is called 'Thai Cafe'. Not much originality in the naming bit but at the very least, the food is definitely solid standard!

Black pepper beef. WAY WAY WAY spicier than it looks! I actually burnt the back of my throat. I really underestimated the pepper plus chili combination. I honestly didn't think that the chili in this dish would be that lethal.

Minced pork omelette. By far the FLUFFIEST, most savoury omelette that you'll ever have the pleasure of eating.

A fabulous photo of Jansen. It's definitely one of those very few shots whereby everything is working perfectly. Perfect lighting, perfect pose and perfect facial expression!! I think I captured his essence in this shot... But that's subject to criticism. LOL.

Alright, enough digression about the absolute love of my life, back to the food...

Tom yum soup with prawns. The uber spiciness even made Jansen gasp. (And he's definitely more experienced in spicy food than me, seeing that I'm allergic to chili)

Jansen's main dish: Belachan (Better known as shrimp paste) fried rice. We didn't expect all the side dishes to come along with it. And to think that it only cost $6! Definitely a pleasant surprise!

The complete spread! As you can see, I decided to opt for white rice. Drinks are lemon grass and Thai milk tea. Total price? $30. Good food + Cheap = Definitely worth it!

After which it was back to class... Jansen was a total sweetheart and spent the time I was in class (during both my sessions) studying in the National Library. (We met up early in the morning for breakfast before my classes started see.)

The difference between him and one of my ex is like the difference between night and day man... And what a difference it makes! While one whines and complains like a spoilt little girl, the other does without hesitation. Jansen really is the sweetest guy I've ever met. I guess I'm really really lucky ain't I?

As for classes, they really really were very interesting. I definitely enjoyed myself throroughly, so much so that the classes definitely don't feel like classes. I'm really looking forward to classes today too! Yesterday was Gemology, today is History of Jewellery. History has never been my strong point but I do think that it would be interesting at the very least. LOL. I'm signing up for a 3rd class today too! Jewellery Merchandising!

Still, doesn't change the fact that I am definitely worried. Woke up in the dead of night panting and gasping from the remnants of a nightmare. Couldn't go back to sleep afterwards. I guess I really am worried as to whether or not I can cope with both JDMIS and NUS classes at the same time. So you know, in a way, I'm really glad that I enjoy JDMIS classes so much and see them almost as a form of leisure because they are so enjoyable... So at least I won't get as stressed out.

Doesn't change the fact that I'm worried though... It's all the what ifs. LOL. Doesn't mean I have any intention of stopping though. Unless I see this through to the very end, I don't think I would be able to find peace within myself. There are after all... More than a few things that I have to make up for. LOL.

Chinese New Year = Minimum 2 kgs Weight Gain

Observe the above feast (And this was on 3rd day) and consider the following factors:

1. There are 15 days in the Chinese New Year celebrations

2. Which means 15 days of non stop feasting

3. And since the Chinese for some reason, seem to only indulge in LUXURY foods (crabs, duck, chicken, abalone and so on)

4. AND since nobody really exercises during celebratory periods

Safe to say that CNY is NOT a good time for people who are aspiring to diet.

And let's not forget the EXTREMELY high calorie snacks and goodies during this festive time...

The darling grandmother of mine and my uncle. Coincidentally this is the grandmother who promised me on one of my birthdays that she would not die until I get married and have my first child.

Nearest dishes in the foreground are fish maw soup and steamed pure crab roe. Typical luxury items that you can only hope to indulge in only during CNY.

The Most Beautiful Bouquet In The World

Since CNY this year coincides with Valentine's Day, Jansen gave me a bouquet and a kapibara~! (I gave him a TINY kapibara back for occasion's sake since the cruise was my Valentine's Day present to him) This is us at my uncle's place before we went off to HIS uncle's place for dinner. (Double dinner... PHEW...)

A cheeky shot of my latest kapibara and the bouquet.

Really the most gorgeous, most sincere bouquet I've ever recieved! Each rose is painstakingly folded using some top secret Japanese Origami style and made even more authentic with Japanese Origami paper. Jansen made the entire bouquet (even the bundling) by hand and topped it off by dousing the bouquet with a whiff of his cologne. MmmMmmmmmm~~!

Seriously, the cupcake on top of the kapibara is ADORABLE! This makes my 6th kapibara to my collection. Hee hee~!

Project Pile Ups

Since the Recess week / Chinese New Year holidays are coming soon, (I totally want to kill the NUS admin for deciding that recess week and Chinese New Year should be during the same period WHICH MEANS we have NO EXTRA rest days in mid semester. Sigh... Gets worse because apart from Good Friday there's like no other public holidays?) and since many of my foreign friends are returning home to their families, this week has been nothing but project meetings after project meetings... Sigh... Not to mention that super high weightage (30% of grade solo assignment due in like 2 weeks??) report which I have almost absolutely no clue as to how to work out the kinks? (It's high weightage after all, so naturally I want to write in a really solid paper but I don't know how to link the points!! Whatever the case, I definitely have to get THAT done at least by the end of the week so I can actually start styping out my 10 plus pages (Funny how usually we have to cut down and in this case I'm thinking of how to beef things up?). Not to mention, I'm not sure if some of the points I have and maybe hope to explore are relevant... Ah well... It'll work out somehow. LOL.

I'm also as usual WAY behind schedule for readings and man oh man... I know only all too well the consequences of not being at least on schedule. Last semester's study break before the exams? Don't even ask man... I was up to my nose in readings up until the very last minute. (And no, I didn't finish in the end of course. There's only so much one can do last minute after all... Good lesson for me... Don't know why I'm still procrastinating the hell out of these things. LOL.) On the bright side... I suppose it's a good thing that this time at least I started from day 1 (Not like that's any help considering my current snail's pace.)

In spite of all the hectic comings and goings though? I guess I'm still having fun. Lin Yan, Huang Juan and gang as usual are a BLAST to work with, reuniting with some old pals (the good, the bad and the ugly in that order... Politics, politics, politics... Why doesn't it ever stop?) this semester, top that with all the incredibly juicy gossip about the 'blacklisted two-some' and man... It's just crazy. LOL.

Still, with graduation on its heels and all the talks about everyone's possible future career and or graduate study options, I keep telling myself that all these projects are just 'a form of preparation' for all the report writing I'm pretty sure I have to do since I will be starting off as a lowly officer or for the even more intense thesises I have to write if I choose to continue down the academic's path. I'm honest to god scared of walking through that door to that 'next phase of adulthood'. Some form of consolation eh? Well... I gotta walk through it some day and the clock is ticking to when it would be either after next semester if I don't get the JTW exchange or a year later if I do get the exchange (Which I doubt actually).

It's scary but I guess in a weird way, it's kind of exciting too? Til then, I'll be buried in a mountain until all the due dates go by.

Love & Acceptance (A Particularly Emotional Entry For Me)

The romantic that I am loves this concept. The idea that one day there will be someone out there in your life that you will meet and who will love you then, now and forever more. Whether or not you actually end up together with that person in the end or not... And even when you're apart, that person will keep on loving you for years and years to come. For an entire lifetime...

Alright, so I guess I'm a little kooky and to be critical, this concept is a pretty selfish one. Nonetheless, the idea that someone out there will always love you no matter what the circumstances... Is admittedly... A really good feeling. Who doesn't want to feel wanted or should I say NEEDED and loved?

How many of us struggle with being accepted? With gaining approval? With fitting in? I know I have... In fact I still do. Most of my peers would know by now that I see myself as a loner and I loathe the fact that I still have to depend on my parents to get me through (financially) each day. I hate it. I'm unhappy that there is an obvious division between me and my siblings. I hate that I feel that I have to work twice as hard, to do twice as well and to screw up 3 times less in order to gain some amount of acceptance from my mother. I hate that she is oblivious to her blatant display of favouritsm. (Like HELLO?? Even Kimmy can see it?) As a result, I've never felt good enough, it's like nothing I do will ever match up or CAN ever match up to my siblings in terms of recognition and respect.

Yet in spite of all that, I desperately seek the approval of my Dad (my favourite - although somewhat MUCH scarier - parent). It's as if I'm trying to redeem myself in the eyes of at least one parent, like it's my way of saying 'I'm sorry' to all the screw ups I've ever made. Even then... I still feel so small. He never smiles, never seems to acknowledge what I have to say (save for when the credit card bill or when money matters come into focus) but I guess the good thing about him is that unlike my mother, at least he is listening... Even if he looks like he isn't. What I would give to make him proud... What I would give just to be accepted as someone worthy...

I work so much harder, I spend so much more time studying, I score so much better academically and yet I still feel as if I pale in comparison. The only one there to cheer me on... Other than Jansen, is that invisible force called hope.

How many times have I cried on my own? All alone in the solitude of my room? How many times have I stopped believing every time a tinge of hope seems to come my way? How many times have I felt completely alone in the middle of a crowd (my family save for Cora - my surrogate 'Mom')?

That's why I laugh whenever my peers comment that I'm strong and independent. If they knew the internal struggles that I had to go through with every single day of my life, I think perhaps they would understand why I prefer to put on that facade. I can't bear to show my vulnerability because it hurts just to remember where it all stems from...

I believe everyone has felt this struggle at some point in their lives. The truth is, no one wants to be outcasted, no one wants to feel like they are unwanted or don't belong. Everyone needs to feel that assurance that they are an integral part of society or at least an integral part of someone else's life. I am the way that I am simply because I'm still fighting for acceptance, from my parents, my family and more importantly myself.

After all these years, after all that has happened in my private and personal life, I don't think it's possible for me to even like myself.

JDMIS: Jewellery Design and Management International School

So... Guess what? I got accepted into JDMIS for a double diploma course.

1. Specialist Diploma in Jewellery Design & Fabrication

2. Diploma in Jewellery Design & Marketing

I start my first two classes come 20th February and 21st February (Saturday and Sunday) and will finish both these courses in a month or so. Quite excited~! Personal goal: Finish BOTH diplomas before I graduate from NUS. LOL. Ok... So sue me, I'm ambitious. LOL.

Oh, and for the FIRST TIME (I was actually quite shocked at that woman's response) my mother has decided to support me through this. *JAWDROP* Well... The good news I guess is that because payment is done on a course by course basis and half of my courses in BOTH diplomas share the same modules, I'll finish both much faster and at less cost.

Hence, I was thinking... If things go well (once I've gotten both diplomas), I may intend to 'level up' to getting an advanced diploma.

1. Advanced Diploma in Jewellery Design & Management

2. Advanced Diploma in Jewellery Design & Entrepreneurship

Mainly because half of the Advanced Diploma in Jewellery Design & Entrepreneurship would have been completely covered from the Specialist Diploma in Design and Fabrication (The more advanced modules from this course). Advanced Diploma in Jewellery Design & Management would have 1 from the regular diploma and 2 from Advanced Diploma in Jewellery Design & Entrepreneurship.

Maybe... This is their marketing strategy? LOL.

Yum Cha Garden Restaurant: Dim Sum Lunch

Had lunch with the family just now at this new place that opened near my house. 'Yum Cha Garden Restaurant' located inside Serangoon Garden Country Club. Dishes came in chronological order.

Century egg and lean chicken porridge. Totally good! The porridge was so smooth and the rice was cooked to the extent that the porridge had zero grains! Costs only $2.80. Sounds cheap? Look at the next picture... 

Unfortunately though... It was served in a tiny bowl akin to the size of an individual soup/rice bowl... SIGH. So actually with respect to size it was pretty expensive.

My Dad's main dish: Spinach noodles. His way of cutting down on the carbohydrates...

Prawns wrapped in steamed flour rolls in sauce and spring onions. This was good, the flour rolls tasted a bit like the Chee Cheong Fun dough but with a smoother texture.

Of course... What is dim sum without the renowned Xiao Long Bao? (In this aspect I think we are quite boring... LOL.)

Beautifully coloured dishes!

Scallop dumplings with prawn! I love the 'crystal green' dumpling skin! So very pretty! And it wasn't with green colouring! I tasted hints of spinach so I'm guessing they used powdered spinach for both colour and taste. WHICH reminds me of an episode I saw in 'Cooking Master Boy'/'中華一番'... Just the skin that is. LOL.

Chive dumplings. Completely encapsulated in a crystal clear skin! Unfortunately... I don't eat chives. LOL. So I traded a Xiao Long Bao with my Dad. (We ordered such that we would all be able to eat one of each type.)

Prawns in fried bean curd skin.

美味しいけど、食べにくい～！Tasty but f***ing hard to eat. (Yes I was THAT frustrated eating the damn thing.)

Siew Mai! I have this FABULOUS recipe I got off 'Cooking Master Boy'/'中華一番' for Siew Mai. Made from 3 different types of eggs! Definitely going to try it this Saturday when Ron and Martha come over for dinner cooked by me and Jansen.

Stuffed completely full of leek and yummy fresh prawns! (Yes for those who have been keeping track, my family apparently REALLY loves prawn type dim sum.)

Part of it is all about presentation! And this place passes hands down!

A photo is missing because I stupidly forgot to whip my camera out at that moment, and that was for Fish Maw Dried Scallop Soup with Mushrooms and Black Fungus. So just try to imagine based on my desciption ya? Super thick almost like gravy and super tasty because of probably the long cooking time and the ingredients. Served in a hot stone pot atop a wooden plank. (Ok, so I suck at descriptions.)

Fried man tou! You can never go wrong in my world with fried man tou~!

A naughty shot of our buns. LOL. Sorry, lame/cold I know.

And last of all dessert! Stuffed with red bean paste and banana! (I was too full to eat this.) All in all a good meal! Definitely recommended for Dim Sum lovers!