Hell of a year


2009 is rather a rough year ...
I guess I never work so
HARD before


100% effort --> 40-60% results


tt probably sum up my frustration ...
after 4 years, I'm still so
so surprise tt my
boss hardly loses
patience with
me


I haven been lazy but mabbe I
was overly merticulous ... &
then I have a habit
not to plan for the worst
scenario


Strangely, a lot of times, the worst scenario
always happen


the best thing is, maybe
the boss still believe in
me & I believe in
myself.


_______________________________


This year Christmas party was quite
weird. It was at a frenz's frenz hse
& when I reached there, there
were 3 groups of pple in separate
areas of the bungalow


& this 3 groups hardly know each
other


The ribs were really v huge ...
u will salivate if u see it


when the clock strikes 12, it
was Christmas Exchange Time ...


The thing which everyone
wants to avoid was to
be nominated for
worst gift


When Pingting saw my gift,
she "complain" abt it and so
was her bf ...


I was confident this time round,
but sometimes u really
can't be too sure


I DEFENDED my gift ... NO
WORST GIFT award for
me this year !


the best gift was really the
personalised desktop
calendar tt Pingting made
for us ... here glimpse
of it ...

We were all so surprised ...
I think tt is 10 marks for
the effort & 10 marks
for the idea


I hope 2010 will be great for
everyone. For me,
I will like to complete my
thesis. 4 years flies
just like tt


The best part was tt, it
was really nt v easy
but the end is
nt tt far away!


This year saw the end
of my "msn exile" or whatever
u call it. Nxt yr, I hope
to be more 'visible'. I"M BACK!

Temporary Skin


This is the temporary skin for my blog
for now. I haven't been successful
in my hunting for a new skin
as most of the skin
seem to have alignment prob
when I import them


This year I haven't been writing
us, partly becuz I was really
v bz with work & tuition.


When I have sometime, I just
can't be able to write & the
words just don't flow


Over the weekend, I ran with
Keith for the Stand Chart Marathon


It was one of my mini experiment; can
I complete the marathon without
stopping & with not much trg for it


By the 22 km, the experiment was a failure,
I have cramps in my legs & I just have
to stop. In the end, we walked for
the last 10 km to the finishing point.


At least, I manage to complete it & this
with at most only 10 running sessions
this year wasn't too bad.


Next time, I really need to prepare for it,
but I doubt I will run a full
marathon next year. 21 km
is more fun becuz u still can
accelerate & everything happen
at a faster rate, so it's more
exciting.


This is my second full marathon & one
of the few times my mini experiment
fails, still I think it was loads of fun;
a good end to a frustrating year.


__________________________________


It's December but it's still work,
work & more work for me.


Schoolwork doesn't stop & so is my
tuition.


I have been teaching for the whole
year so the income is gud
to compensate for
the loss I make in my
stock investment


Stock investment is v interesting ...
When I started out 2 years, I really
think I will make it. I really
thought it was as easy
as spotting question.


Tt time I was really naive. So I believed
a lot & I lost $$$.


Spotting question is like analysing
things in a simple world. Stock
investment is different; by not
being a skeptics, things can
become v risky.


It's also a very psychological thing.
Sometimes, you rush into it
becuz you don want to
miss up a money taking
opportunities. After you
make the choice, sometimes
you regret because you think
there is a flaw in your decision making.


So my perspective abt investment
have changed. In this close to 3 years,
my thinking has sort of matured. It's still
a fun challenge for me; I tell myself
one day, I will become a winner
but I will be careful and
patient now.

2009 is busy but not so efficient


Overall 2009 seems like putting
the brick for the future ...
a lot of effort but little
results


Tt wat 2009 it is for me.


Still, it's not all negative, there are
years like tt I suppose


Went to Hongkong with DL, Vivian,
Huiling & Max. A pity tt KK
couldn't join us. So in
the end, we have
to plan
our itinerary ourselves.


My third time in Hongkong & I
still like the place. Hongkong
is good for the food & the
shopping but shopping isn't cheap!


Then the weather in Hongkong is superb ...
aircon weather ... not too cold
& not too warm ...


The best food in Hongkong is the
dim sum, egg tart, the
tang yuan & the sweetie delicious
mango pomelo saga & durian
soup. I luv sweet stuff
so all the desserts are really good.


As for goose, the difference between
goose meat & duck meat is v
subtle ... if you put them side
by side you can perhaps tell the difference


We went to see award winning restaurant
to eat roasted goose ... it was
a dinner treat so we din
have to pay ... the whole dinner
could have cost a bomb especially
when the host ordered a big
steamed fish for dinner ... tt is
really v fresh.


Lam Kwai Fung is also v happening ...
a lot, a lot of caucasians.


As for shopping, I think the staff
there are more diligent & more
polite ... there was this
salesgirl at tough jeans who personally
'pick' jeans and clothes for me
who she think suits me. I was lazy
to try but in the end, I guess
she got great taste; I end
spending quite a lot in that shop.


The view from the PEAK is quite
breathtaking & wind is really
v cold.

________________________________


After many months of lousy music,
suddenly a lot of good singers begin
releasing their album. There
was Eason, Elva and then
Yoga. Personally, Elva's album is
really v guud ... if you like emotive songs,
there was a couple of v gud songs tt
belong to this category. If you prefer
all her higher tempo songs, there are
at least two which I think is gud.


There was a lot of collaboration for Elva's album,
the music is really v gud. I like
倒数 a lot. It's an emotive but v
powerful song, the beat is v gud and
so is the lyrics and the MTV as
well.


萧亚轩 - 倒数
作词：葛大为 作曲：Kim Seok Jin


怎麽我会说太晚了你不用送其实我想说可不可以不要走
唱一段歌 尾奏已经结束
突然我们都沉默 你不敢看我


讨厌这样我们都有话藏着不说
你总是那麽处处在意我
越害怕伤害我 我感觉越难受
你不懂 我没你想像脆弱


热情结束以後 冷静开始以後时间开始怂恿
劝深爱的人放弃
我不想倒数 还能爱多久
不爱我请离开我


勇敢祝福以前 找到幸福以前
我会耐心等候 并重新适应寂寞
开始倒数 开始忘记
值得你的爱 我确定不是我


下一个周末会不会就各自过
渐渐少联络这样算不算分手
我会想念你亲吻你拥抱
但我不想欺骗我 真实的感受


讨厌这样爱变质後
谁都不认得
情人终究不一定变朋友
越相互关心着 越加速疏远了
别触碰 我在深秋的笑容


是不是从前我们太懒惰

任性往相反方向移动
直到看不清楚
说出那一句谢谢你
眼泪突然夺眶而出 快要不能自己难
很困难 再见要说的多困难


I think people who have been
in a relationship will can emphatise and
find solace in this song

__________________________________

19% done


V v happy that I have finally
started writing my thesis
again...


My target at the beginning of the
year is to complete 40% by end
of the year... Oct target
is to reach 21% ..
Nov 28% n finally
Dec 40% ...


I think it can be done... writing
is easier than doing
expt ... n just
need to
have the will power...


Sitting down writing is
not my cup of the tea...
becuz I'm hyperactive
& can't really sit
still ... but
if I don't write I will
be stuck ...tt's how
I motivate myself


There are still a lot of hiccups
but after 4 years, I really
looking to a new beginning,
a new life ...


My future might lie away
from the academic
field ... the word
is MIGHT ...

_____________________________


Elva's new album was released
this month ... I think
she is the complete
artiste ... she got her
own unique style, great dance
move & her makeup &
styling artist are
top-notch.


Haven't finish the album yet, but
a couple of songs is the album
is great ... the first
song released in the media
is "Diamond Candy"


As the "lead song" in the album,
I think "Diamond" is
simply an Elva song ... great tempo
& very energetic ... the MTV
is v cute ... gals will
say she is acting cute
but she is CUTE ... HEY!!!


the lyrics go like this:
萧亚轩 - 钻石糖


恋爱就像选糖 别再眼盲睁大眼光
别轻易投降好看的包装 不一定高尚
打开再欣赏 有没有中奖


别担心 勇敢去尝每一颗 都有希望
没有人不会受伤选对糖 让你闪闪发亮
闪亮钻石糖 是甜蜜的梦想我们都在想像
快乐的配方闪亮钻石糖 有幸福的光芒
当对的人出场 会散发那道光


他有没有肩膀 会不会是软糖
热情是否够长 温暖着心房
赏味期等待 保存期收藏
爱的理想对象 掌握在自己手上
幸福掌握在你手上


失恋就像苦糖 试吃没保障
酸甜苦辣 敢试就要坚强
热恋像蜜糖 钻漾的光芒
谁都别想抢 要风靡全场


我不想 生活总好像 被寂寞搞得绝望
我期待遇到那真爱 带我旅行四方爱的一个秘方
就要勇敢去爱


the words are simple ... but
I like songs like tt ...
fun but meaningful ...
I think life shld be like tt
too ... fun that makes perfect
sense


Do u believe 恋爱就像选糖??
nvr thot abt it, an interesting
analogy ... wonder wat elva thot
abt it ... haha


Some pple compare Elva
with other diva like Ah-Mei or
Fish Leong ... I think
Elva's style is not really
abt power or about vocal
precision ...her song has
its own style & I can always
sense the emotions tt
she is trying to infuse
into the songs ... tt is what
I get from listening to her music

1.5 mths to Stand Chart Marathon & Macau/HK


This year I really spent a lot on
traveling ... but I guess it's worth
the $$$


the Hokkaido trip was FABULOUS ...
& the coming HK trip should
be gud fun too


I'm just thinking how I am going
to rush some results out ...
if not I donno whether

my boss will frown at
me when I applied
for leave


This will be my third time
gg to HK ... basically I've
always enjoyed when
I'm on a trip


But I guess I'm happy everywhere
most of the time ... even if I'm
in Singapore ... I only
wish I really don
have to work
tt hard


Tt's a hard enuff wish
at the moment ... time
is running out & I need
to hand in my
thesis next Aug


The best thing is after 4 years ...
I really feel I'm gg to
graduate ...


Postgrad life is tough ... but
I feel tt it's really the
real thing ... learning
how to work ard problem
every single day

____________________________


On Oct 4, Jw's gf asked me to be her
'accomplice' in her surprise celebration
for Jw... so I agree to blade
with him on Sunday evening
as part of the plan


Bladeing on sunday evening is
good ... v v cooling &
the atmosphere is
really relaxing


Jw thot me sth new & he was
happy tt I picked up it
v soon after he taught me


From the beginning, Jw was
my instructor all the way
till now ... it's like 3 years now ...


The best thing abt bladeing
is feeling the motion &
remembering how
u struggle trying to
move on it the
first time u picked it up


I think Jw din really know
tt we were planning
sth ... the secret is
when u are doing sth sneaky
u just make sure tt u
r not so conscious abt it,
den pple won't really
feel a thing


_____________________________


it's 40 days to Stand Chart marathon
... but I haven't really train
for it ...


Signing for the 42 km is quite
a madness ... a spur of
the moment ...


last year, I was testing whether
I can complete the 21 km run
without training ... SUCCESS!!!


it sounds stupid to experiment
the same thing on a 42 km ... cuz
walking 42 km is no fun ... I have
a frenz with me so it's nt
tt bad ...


After the run, I really want to relax
& not do so much ... perhaps take
a break from a work ... from
everything ... not surfing net,
not reading financial reports,
not doing experiments ... juz gg out
like I used to do years ago ...
& experience the good old life
for a while

2009 should be one of the busiest year of my life


have a been long, long time away
from blogging


September was busy ... with
presentations & stuff ...
I'm onto my last
module for
my postgrad


Postgrad module isn't
like undergrad mod ... THE ...
but still find it v
v unenjoyable ...


I really, really enjoy undergrad
life ... with lotsa frenzs &
free-time & the
exchange ... it was
heavenly


But postgrad life was
everything undergrad
life wasn't ...


I reckon in this four year I
really have learnt a lot ...
mabbe many years down
the road, if I look back
I will appreciate
this 4 years


For now, it's still about trying
to graduate on time despite
a lot of hiccups


______________________________


A couple of days before my birthday,
KK & pals organise a
bbq


The bbq was v gud ... but it was
hard work carrying on
the stuff to the bbq pit ...


KK remarked tt he had
nvr saw me sweat tt much ...
& Vian & DL were
also struggling carrying
all the food stuff


bbq with ice-cold beer is v
gud but only me & KK
drank ... he told me
after tt he wanted to make
me a bit drowsy so
I won't retaliate during the
birthday cake cutting


in the end, no one get to
eat the cake & my
t-shirt is still smelly after
a couple of wash ...
but quite touched tt
my frenzs spent the time
to organise the bbq
to celebrate my bdae ...
I think it's really a lot
of work


bdae is gud ... got a lot
of free dinner!!! haha ...


___________________________


I guess I have been busified tt
I can't recall a lot of
events in the past weeks
& months ... will write
more soon!!!

July flies


2009 happens so fast ...
we are more than half way thru
2009

2009 is a roller-coaster ride
as far as the economics
is concerned ...


as for my work, there is some
progress ... things are
moving although
nt at the rate
tt I wished ... but
it's ok my expectations
are sometimes
unattainable


there are new colleagues
at the workplace which
is v v gud ... becuz
it only means that
i'm only gg to
graduate soon


the past 4 years have
been v v hectic ... I got
a taste of what research
is like ... as for
whether I will stay in it
I really DON't KNOW


______________________________


the Hokkaido trip was excellent ...
something I really enjoy


before the trip I was thinking
whether driving in Hokkaido
is too ambitious after
all my driving skill
is so rusty


the GPS system in Japan
is excellent so
we wasn't really lost at all ...
of cuz much has to do
with my frenz's Jap skill


It is v hard to get your way through
in Hokkaido without
speaking even some

broken Jap


my Jap vocab is of cuz horrendous ...
i think i only know of
'arigatou' & 'oishi' ... tt it ...
haha ...


when i was in tokyo I only know
'arigatou' so ... tt an improvement


I think for a long while I have
really forgotten the joy
of eating ... as a child
I really love to eat ...
but den ur tastebud
get insensitive to the
same old food

every meal was quite different...
but the best was the crabs ...
I think I could eat it everyday ...
the crabs make the sashimi
seem so ordinary


we were at the northen part of
Hokkaido & we went
to the market there just
to have some sashimi bowl


Then I walked by a crab store
n started looking at the crabs ...
the owner was v nice ...
she let me sample &
gave me a good discount


the first mouthful was
fantastic ... straight away
I knew it was worth eating ...
then she told us to come
again the next day ...


The next day was even better ...
she gave us more discount n
we tried the hairy crab
n another crab which I can't rmb
the name


the discount was really fantastic ...
I think u can't get tt price elsewhere


the hairy crab was HEAVENLY ...
n the best part was the owner
help us deshelve ... so basically
we just need to scrape the flesh up


we took a pic with the owner ...
she is really v v nice ... the nicest
person I met on the trip


but she told us to keep quiet abt
the discount ... haha


the next best thing was the sashimi ...
the MEGURO ... the colour was
so fresh n so nice ...


the #3 best thing was the Hokkaido
cheese cake ... so rich ... now
i know how cheese cake really
tastes like


In the northern part, we stayed in
this triple room which was
v new but quite cheap as well


I think the best part of Hokkaido
is tt ur taste bud will
really get rejuveinated ... n the
scenery in central Hokkaido
is really v beautiful ...


Overall, the trip is good for everyone
except our pocket ... after sponsoring part
of my mum's expenses n taking
into account my first half stocks' losses, my first
half yr expense is WHOA!!!


_____________________________________


finally after two years of running 21 km
marathon, I'm running the full
marathon with Keith this year


but of course I haven't train
for it


I donno whether I got time
to train for it ... at most
I will just walk ... haha


I can be quite competitive but
I can be v slack as well ...
the only thing is tt I'm always
at one of the extreme
n seldom in the middle ...
moderation is really not
my cup of tea


_______________________________


the EPL season is finally
starting ... I have
always told Phillips that
I will join him to watch
Arsenal at the fan club ...
but I think haha it nvr
materialise


Arsenal will definitely have
a great season ... the basis
of being a gud supporter
is to always believe in
the club u support ... if
nt y bother right?


but speaking abt Arsenal ... it can
quite irritating when they
take ages to sign a player ...
is it really worth the while
to bargain for 1 million?
1 million is a big amount to
layman ... but in football
it not a v sizable amount ...


at the v least, the club should
not mention that they wish to
wrap up signing in July (if I don rmb
wrong) ... hello this is August already!


_________________________________