Victoria,

Mum's been bugging for me to drop you a couple of msges. Driving me crazy (as usual) so here goes...

-Why didn't we call you yesterday? Mum said she thought you were still in Scotland for that Jessups thing. By the way, congrats on winning it!

-Have sent off James' parcel diving equipment regulator whatever thing, to his place in Australia. Has he got it yet?

-Got the parcel you sent me. Thanks so much, you always know what to get me!

Hallo stranger, glad that you like what you see. Do you have a journal yourself, that I could visit too? And how did you find me anyway?

Came across a musical recently, one that Victoria brought back the other time. It occurs to me that I've never posted song lyrics here. Probably because I've not really found many song lyrics very meaningful.

Hands touch, eyes meet
Sudden silence, sudden heat
Hearts leap in a giddy whirl
He could be that boy
But I'm not that girl

Don't dream too far
Don't lose sight of who you are
Don't remember that rush of joy
He could be that boy
I'm not that girl

Ev'ry so often we long to steal
To the land of what-might-have-been
But that doesn't soften the ache we feel
When reality sets back in

Blithe smile, lithe limb
She who's winsome, she wins him
Gold hair with a gentle curl
That's the girl he chose
And Heaven knows
I'm not that girl

Don't wish, don't start
Wishing only wounds the heart
I wasn't born for the rose and the pearl
There's a girl I know
He loves her so
I'm not that girl

- Wicked, the musical: 'I'm not that girl'.

Settled the matter, couldn't have asked for better results. Another memory for the photo album of my life. I feel like a satisfied cat right now, complete with the head patting.

*stretches and smiles*

Amanda dear, we'll get that done when you finish work? Looking forward to it!

Thanks Toria, wish you were here for it!

Hallo MI people. Am not even going to try guessing who you are...

Tora~! *glomps* Thanks, miss you loads! Oh, and about the Naruto scanlations, I can't seem to send it to you, so have asked Schaz to send instead. If that fails then will get Wen to do it, since he's got everything till 37 or something.

You stay happy too, Gaby... thanks for dropping by.

Quid pro quo, King Kong. I'll tell you where I've been, if you tell me who you are? Why'd you want to know anyway?

Thanks for giving a damn, Orion. I've no idea when yours is either?

All done fine, Khayce. Oh, and have new friend for you to meet this Saturday. She's sitting in for VtR, Richard says it's fine. Bern (that's her name) loved Bodycount Thursday, so what will she think of actual role playing?

To you: Thanks, for everything.

My life has been turned upside down, within a week. This is ridiculous.

I am a teenager, even if I'd like to think that I don't act like one (not all the time, anyway). Something has been brought to my attention recently and believe that I should deal with it the way it should be handled, with care and awareness of all consequences. But I want to be the child that I am and just do what I want to do, to satisfy my own needs, or my own lust in this case.

God help me, I thought it was a done deal by Sunday... have I made a mistake with my recent actions? I had hoped not, despite warnings from one whom I trust. She has spoken of it for ages long... and only now do I learn the hard way.

Many things hinge on the events of tomorrow, the best results being that we come to a peaceful understanding. Worst case scenario, me being scarred for life perhaps. I don't really want to think about it. Playing it by ear seems like the best course of action now.

I don't have time for this.

To whom it may concern: it's not about barriers, it's about- what is it all about anyway? I'm so sorry to have started it all.

THIS IS TOR

Top questions I hate people asking me in making conversation:

5. What kind of law?

When I tell them. they go blank anyway. I know they're hoping I'll say something fun like criminal or family... since that's what girls do, right?

4. So, whereabouts in Singapore are you from?

I had a lecturer who said, hey, I was brought up in Singapore. Where in Sg are you from? And I'm thinking, if I say Bishan, that would just embarrass you cos you have not the slightest idea where that is. So I said, Bishan. And he said, oh... That's nice. I'm from Terlok Blarng-Arh.

3. So, what language do you speak in Singapore?

Ugh. This is Britain, our former colonial masters.

2. Do you speak English?

Ugh. This from a customs official. I just blinked and waited for a long time to see what he would do. Then he flipped my passpart and discovered what exactly I was doing in his country. [Planning to steal his pathetic job along with all the bloody illegal immigrants here, of course.]

1. So, what's your real name?

Aargh. What was I to do but laugh and down my Foster's? No prizes for guessing where this knob was from.

Am to be 17 soon, next week actually. Which means... birthday wishlist.

1. Earphones with a decent bass (my current ones are crap, they came with the player)
2. Black, collared short-sleeved shirt (to wear over my indecent... pieces of cloth)
3. Wallet that cannot pass off as a brick, prefably one of those slim leather ones (it's possible to stun a burglar with my current one)
4. Multi-purpose plain stud earrings
5. Black, liquid eyeliner
6. Black, plain sports sandals (sport shoes can get tiring)
7. Black, reversible belt from Giordano
8. Spirited Away DVD, Japanese dub with English subs (my favourite movie)
9. Return of the King official soundtrack
10. Someone to come over to my house to teach me how to convert songs to mp3 format to plug into my player, dammit
11. Coffee with RK
12. Kino voucher
13. A hug

So like that larh. Or you can get me anything you think I'd like, which should be quite easy.

Had Justin and Alex meet Ed and Gee today. Needless to say, they get along just fine. Now they know why I always wax lyrical about my other friends. Generally find that having my friends meet my friends is usually a very good thing, for some reason.

Am too damned tired to do a full entry today, might blog next week?

Tora~! *glomp* nice of you to drop by. Well, bury yourself in a good book and carry your player around with you, should be rather effective. I should know.

Yes, coffee Rosie. Shall we arrange it on Valentine's day? You working?

I am in Singapore, Althea. That was my sister posting, you should know that by now! Ok, are you free after the new year week? I'll give you a call larh.

Jenny, yeah. Ouch! Oh the wax, it's dripping. I like it between my-

Khayce, is it me or does all this reservist business sound quite ridiculous? Erm, you don't have to do anything for my birthday, really.

Tor,

what you could get me? Erm, books again I guess. Can't go wrong with that right? I'll think about it lah.

Eh, remember the coduroy pants Auntie G got for us from Giordano? Do you have my pair? I can't find them larh. And several pairs of your jeans mysteriously appeared in my closet?

Now I can't wait for June lah! Won't tell them anything, and will go read up on that bit of the world. Paris, Venice, Italy, Spain. Will need to meet up with Ed and Paul as well.

Ok. First milk, then sleep. G'night.

Further to my earlier email I wanted to say, I can even take you to New York with me if we play our cards right and if you want to come. Try and convince Mummy and Daddy to let you come alone. And let me know what you wanna do so I can look into what's feasible. Obviously don;t tell mummy and daddy.

Finally have got a bit of spare time to myself and thought I'd check up on my sister's blog and all the denizens of her mad world. Or all the mad denizens of her world.

It's literally freezing here-- I understand why people wear ski masks to keep their faces warm now. Gotta get myself a pair of earmuffs too. It's like every inch of exposed skin leaches the heat out of your whole body. And I'm going to Scotland in a couple of weeks. In the middle of bloody winter. When the wind starts in the Arctic and sweeps down the Russian Steppes, gathering frost and snow and ice and ends by billowing across the barren moors and bleak fields. Think Macbeth. Think Wuthering Heights. I am going there. Bleargh! Not nice. Still, it's meant to be a big party too.

Yesterday we, the LSE jessups team, had a nice little chat with our Professor (actually it was mostly him talking and making jokes and me being expected to laugh politely). Interestingly, he was brought up in Singapore. And as the introductions progressed, it became apparent that 3/4 of the team had some connection with our fair city. There are 2 Sgeans, 1 Malaysian who was brought up in Singapore, 1 Canadian who having spent 3 years in Singapore, now says 'wah lau' with conviction, and an English guy who now knows how to say 'wah lau' like a true blue. Wouldn't it be funny if we really made it to the finals in Washington and if we came up against the Singapore team? The organisers probably wouldn't be able to tell us apart!

Other news: Gloria's birthday is on the 8th of February! Don't forget in all the CNY rush. I'll probably be improvising a steamboat over here-- we'll use a rice cooker to keep the broth boiling. How sad we are, lonely little chinese people in a strange and foreign land! Argos (like Tangs in SG) does not have steamboats we can buy then deviously return the next day saying that we don't want it anymore-- a perk of the western idea of being able to return clothes, consumer durables and other useful things you sometimes need but don't want to buy and store, eg. champagne glasses.

But of course I don't do that. I return them a week later.

Last night was Australia Day. Having a good friend who had a good friend over from Sydney, not to mention an aussie boyfriend, I had to go out and see what the fuss was all about. You see, while national day in singapore is an excuse to laze around the house, catch up on some much needed sleep or online entertainment or reading of the non-academic sort, watch the parade and alternately scorn or revere the LKY weepy speech according to political bent, look out for the planes and the flag and the fireworks, then have a good dinner and go to sleep,

in London, Singapore National Day is wearing red and white and going to a park (since it is a nice summer day in august) where many other singaporeans are already drinking canned tau huey chui and the occassional illicit tiger for the boys and red wine for the matrons. It is standing still for the national anthem and saying the pledge and secretly thinking what a wanker you look like except other people are deadly serious about this. Ok don't laugh. These are the future leaders of Singapore, man! They are your civil servants, your teachers, your policemen, your future politicians, all only in London for a short stint before returning to loyally serve you people! You should be damned relieved that they are taking their patriotism very seriously!

National day in London is eating slightly sub-standard curry puff that tastes like heaven although it is potato mush instead of chunks of potato, exchanging cooking tips with other singaporeans, and watching Kenny unsuccessfully trying to wrangle a part time job from a lady he just found out runs an extremely profitable and well known real estate business. It is a 'net-working' avenue, although I find the way Sgreans explicitly say 'I am here to network' quite disturbing.

Australia Day in Australia is, apparently, going to the beach/bar/someone's house to party and drinking yourself silly. Until you make a technicolour pavement pizza or ralph or throw your voice which means in SG, to merlion. Which is what they do every weekend anyway.

Australia Day in London is a completely different affair. For one, the patriotism in the air is palpable, not in a sombre 'Singapore made it so far with so little, we are so proud' way but in a 'Happy Australia Day mate! Yay! Woohoo! VB! Ralph!' way. Many people wore T-shirts with the flag on them and even had little aussie flags painted on their faces. I cannot imagine the same happening in a singaporean bar on national day. The bar was awash with various local aussie brews which I sampled at first with trepidation then with less and less inhibition until I, as well, was singing along to such perennial favourites as Stand By Me, Losing My Religion and Time of Your Life, putting my arms around complete strangers, and cheering the aussie atheletes on the screens all around. If there are 3 things that define australians, they may be devotion to sport, beer, and affinity for stopping in the middle of conversations to shout out lyrics of the chorus of a song. No, I did not hear anyone sing waltzing mathilda, although I expect if someone had started you wouldn't be able to stop the whole crowd. No, I did not know that Stand By Me was a song you could sing along to in a pub either.

I loved it.

So did Cecely, my BBC (to the uninitiated, British born chinese, which is what english honkies here call themselves) friend and her ABC (aussie born chinese, apparently) friend up from Sydney on a holiday, and my ABV boyfriend too. Do you know that if we are to follow this acronym we would be called SBCs, Singaporean born Chinese?

Living here does have its bright spots sometimes. Although I really really really miss old chang kee curry puffs! A lot!

PleasAnt Gloria, not Pleasent! Please tell me you knew that.

Ooh, haven't been posting huh. Busy with school and all, yes I actually bother to pay attention and learn something. Have to listen to lectures as normally don't do homework. Hanging out with the MI bunch quite a bit (it's school what) and am starting to get quite comfortable with them, though am missing the RK. Coffee meeting is in order, ne?

Actually, had a decent conversation with Andrew today, when a whole bunch of us went to the swings near Veronica's place after school. Unlikely person, unlikely conversation. But pleasent indeed, wish I had more friends like him. The sort you don't really know, but can have coffee with anyway. They're the sort of people whom I'd think would not want to be friends with me, but then again I like to think that I can think, too.

Today had its downs though.

Never in my decade worth of school have I ever had a teacher as infuriating as the Econs teacher here. I clearly remember Mrs Kunna, and that patronising tone she would use for students who thought too far ahead in her lessons (Or thought at all, come to think of it...). Taking the effort to smile and nod dumbly put me in a bad mood for the rest of the day.

With this woman, it's like that all the bloody time. She treats us like kindergarden students. As such, if one treats me in such a manner I am compelled to act that age, by flinging my brick wallet, or worse, my phone, at the stupid woman.

As I sat in school with the (now) usual bunch, I realise how much I've turned into a teenager. Grudges against teachers, spending break time oogling at boys (well, they are nice to look at) and general angsting.

Am not sure what to make of it.

Althea~! Hair is quite growing out now, but obviously still quite short, even if not spike/mess-able anymore. You'll see it larh, eventually. Take care too, haven't seen you for ages!

Drama indeed, Amanda. Equilibrium in life and all that, I know... thanks for the reminder as quite needed it. How are the books coming along?

Been ok lah, Mavis. Got net connection again or what? Take care, don't let schoolwork get you down.

Am trying to call you right now, Jenny. But line is engaged, will chat later tonight, perhaps?

Hallo Khayce~! How long more are you going to be in there ah? How come you got computer access also? What exactly do you do in camp anyway?

I swear my life has been copied and pasted from a book. These damned things that've happened in the last few weeks, like from soap opera like that larh?! And one can tell when am really annoyed when self starts to use Singlish but at least am still amused enough to be laughing about it.

Those damned things that happen in stories really happen, and are liable to happen to anyone, even a poor sod like me, wah lau. Nevertheless, I Am Annoyed. It's the whole teenager thing, you know? The sort that nearly everyone gets caught up in, unfortunately.

Ever since school started, I've been trying to act like the teenager that I am now. It's getting tiring and I just want to settle back to the book-reading nerd in the corner I've always been. Good thing I've not worked through the pile of books on loan from Nick, yet.

We've cleared it up and have had the sense not to do any bitch-slapping, so to speak, so s'all good now. Though I can't help but feel that there are going to be remnants of it all, on my part.

That's a scarily accurate way of looking at it, Jamie. I do think about IJ quite a bit now actually, but we must all change and move on, or what is the point, no?

An Average Day in the Life of TOR (In London)

7:02am

Wake up with the sense that it is actually 10am. Get up and turn lights on only to have them short circuit on me. Try lights in bathroom only to find that they are probably on the same shorted out circuit. Barge quietly into flatmates Cat and Florian's room to get to fuse box. Reset fuse.

7:06am

Smell Bolbol.

7:12am

Get out of bed and grudgingly start work on Jessup statement of facts again. Type half-heartedly while hanging on to Bolbol.

10:35am

Finish typing and save. Look up at clock to realise one has lecture at 11am. Run around the house in underwear unpacking bags to look for various personal items.

10:56am

Leave for uni.

11:00am

Lecture followed by class.

1:00pm

Have lunch with JD, Leila, Qianru and Clive at Belgo. Bounce excitedly with schoolgirl glee at seeing friends again! Eat nice chicken with mushroom and cream sauce which cost S$20 and drink Trappist ale. Buy toilet paper and orange juice from Sainsbury while continuing to chatter excitedly to friends. Hang out with friends in delinquent fashion.

4:40pm

Realise one has lecture at 5pm. Rush in panic to uni in cold rain. The kind of rain where it is too windy to carry an umbrella and the raindrops are small and close together. Wind spatters small small raindroplets into face, rendering useless hoodie thing on head.

5:00pm

Lecture.

6:00pm

Jessup meeting.

8:16pm

Dinner. Rice and vegetable katsu curry from NTUC. Mmm. Wash up and chat to Cat and Florian.

9:32pm

Write blog entry on sister's blog. Email boyfriend who is 10,120miles away (according to SIA airmiles accrual calculator).

9:52pm

Surprise call from boyfriend! Miss him. Hug Bolbol instead.

10:07pm

Go to sleep.

Have quite settled into new school, Millennia Institute (MI for short). Made a whole bunch of new friends and feel very odd hanging out in such a large group of teenagers. On the bright side, they really do seem like interesting people and am going out with them after school pretty much every other day. They're nice (with exceptions, of course) , and am happy to be making friends so fast in new school.

On the other hand, the school song here is rather, erm, propaganda-ish. Like the songs you sing on national day. And the tune is horrible too, am miss IJ a quite a bit.

Speaking of IJ, met a girl masquerading as an IJ girl. Apparently, she borrowed the pinafoe from a girl, from IJ TP no less. It got me strangely annoyed, as have never been the patriotic (?) sort. I can't explain it, but it just seems offensive when someone does not sound, act or carry herself like an IJ girl yet pretends to be one. At least she was apologetic about it.

Urgh, school. Have been keeping funny hours, a leftover from the hols. Am falling sick now, with cough and fever.

Victoria's gone back to London already, arrived at about 6 in the morning, Singapore time, I think. Shan't miss her too much though, will be going there in June. Can't wait!

Wow, been so busy that tags have built up.

Yes she did, Stephanie. Thank you very much for it.

You're welcome Rosie, provided that I'm home lah. Which is only in the evenings, nowadays.

It's no problems Amanda dear. Friends are there for a reason and am always at your disposal.

Hallo again Adam. Nice to see you as well, how's everything been with yourself?

Will only be able to make it for games in the afternoon, Khayce, you know that. But will make an effort to see you guys more this year lah.

Hey yourself, Peter. Well, it's not amazing, seeing as how you can find pretty much anyone online in this day and age. It's fine, just as how I remember it. You want me to bring it this Sunday?

Don't we all, Jenny! How's school coming along, for that matter? Don't kill yourself ok? Drink lots of water and try not to fall sick, like me.

An Average Day in the Life of TOR (On holiday in Singapore):

9:33am

Wake up. Sniff Bolbol. Hang out with and chat to grandmother downstairs. Ask her how to make 'smore'.

10:01am

Go for a run on track behind house and continue to Bishan Park. Nod to old aunties vigorously swinging arms while walking. Swear to oneself not to eat chocolate or fried fatty stuff for whole year while acknowledging impossibility of resolution.

10:45am

Convince onself that self has run 4km and cool down by stretching. Shower.

11:00am

Smell Bolbol.

11:05am

Go out to 24hr prata shop and eat S$1.50 masala thosai and drink teh peng.

11:25am

Come home and gush about cheapness of thosai to grandmother. Drink orange juice to extinguish burning in mouth.

11:30am

Write blog entry in sister's blog detailing the average day in the life of TOR on holiday in Singapore. Think of what did yesterday and day before so can continue entry. Smell Bolbol while thinking what did yesterday.

11:35am

Read book: Peter Biddlecombe's 'I came, I saw, I lost my luggage'. Funny travel book that inspires self to visit Vienna.

Interrupted by phonecall from boyfriend in Australia. Disputes contention that self is a lazy sod that has done nothing all day while he himself has been up since crack of dawn doing healthy aussie watersports. Maintains that self has gone for run too and so has done some form of physical activity. Valiantly defends self against laughter when reveals one has only run for 40 mins. Moan about having an essay and the second draft of pleadings for the Jessup competition due yesterday. Boyfriend reiterates opinion that one is a lazy sod that should have done it instead of watching CSI last night. But one cannot help it since CSI is best TV show ever in one's opinion. Not, do take note, CSI Miami. Which as everyone knows, is shite.

12:05am

Hang up phone, continue blog entry. Hug Bolbol.

12:10am (2 days ago)

Go to Junction 8 en route to Town. Eat old chang kee currypuff and fried squid head, thereby breaking fat-free resolution. Moan to boyfriend about fat-ness. No reply since engrossed in cheapness of exotic and never-seen-before (and therefore exciting) fruit like jambu and chiku. Buy jambu and chiku for S$3. Listen to ecstatic exclamations of cheapness.

1:30pm

Proceed to centrepoint to engage in serious heavy duty shopping at Robinsons, since mother and aunt possess Robinson's card that entitles one to 5% off. Drop in at PI to say hit to Sheena since indicated that would be there. Sheena and Elton out to lunch, boyfriend fascinated by PI.

2:16pm

Subject to deferential treatment by Shisedo salesgirl once gives mother's name. Realised mother is ultra-super platinum member. Automatically entitled to 2 free gifts after buying only one product. Nicely suprised. Met aunt.

3:03pm

Revelled in nice-ness of chicken rice and cheng tng in food court. Satisfied self to great extent eating nice food in deprived state of mind.

4:12pm

Proceed home with bags of shopping to resume lazy sod-ing.

5:20pm

Sniff Bolbol. Shower.

7:30pm

Meet Sheena and Elton for dinner. Insist on going to now defunct S11 at Dhoby Ghaut even though cautioned against by said parties since sure establishment has been demolished. Wander around ex-national library area in distressed state as if part of self has also been torn down. Area is now ugly. Sadness reigns in heart. Boyfriend just wants food.

8:02pm

Eat at Plaza Sing food court. Recover in spirit. Eat the famous mee pok. Gush on about niceness of mee pok. Enjoy Sheena's and Elton's and boyfriend's company. And think: this is the life. Nice mee pok, nice friends, nice public transport and air con cinemas. Then think: I am so sad about the national library.

9:26pm

Have debate about NUS's no smoking rule over whole campus. Argue that it is repressive and excessively paternalistic for the government to make such a decision without consulting the student body. Stress that it is not decision being attacked but way made. Suppose if made by students through voting at UGM would be totally acceptable to self. Hold forth on how university days should be days of freedom to smoke, do lighter drugs, have casual but safe sex (free birth control is key) and experiment with one's sexuality on path to finding one's own identity.

Of course own self did none of above.

But ability to make choice to do above is key. Doing or potentially doing above will not and has not made people into drug addicts or prostitutes. Look at educated-in-Australia boyfriend who has done all of above and more and is fine, upstanding pillar of community. And also self who is same except not earning money yet.

Sheena and Elton say 'but this is singapore' like everyone else but in their own minds, agree. Boyfriend thinks am cute when get excited and wave arms around. Hugs me and asks me to do it again. Suspect he is not really listening but taking the piss.

12:05am

Rush for MeRt but miss last one. Take cab. Boyfriend insists on taking comfort one 'cos they are better', causing uncle in tibs cab at front of queue to come out and shout at us.

12:32am

Arrive home to find whole family still up. Smell Bolbol. Annoy sister while showing free gifts to mother.

1:04am

Annoy sister while hugging Bolbol and announcing desire to sleep to house in general. Boyfriend says why is your house so noisy I want to sleep.

1:06am

Leave boyfriend and sister fiddling with and admiring new exciting creatif zen mini mp3 player and go to sleep. Sniff Bolbol.

Wish I could be on permanent holiday in SG and not have to do work.

Just came from a Studio Ghibli info site. Howl's Moving Castle is due to be released here March 10th, 2005.

I can't wait!

On the other hand, the crazy westerners that we know as Disney studios are realeasing Nausicaa, Porco Rosso and the Cat Returns as a 2 disc DVD set. Dubbed, needless to say. I don't know why these people can't just leave the anime as it is, do they like to spend time and money getting voice actors and suchlike? I mean, what's wrong with subtitles?

Had a damn good December this year. Am happy.

However, hormones running wild in my bloodstream did cause a little chaos (see previous post), though nothing irreparable.

So please don't worry, if I were really in shit I would call. But thanks for caring.

Am sticking this here for anyone who cares to read this journal and for my own reference.

Ours is the wisdom of Solomon,
the magic of Merlin,
the fall of Icarus.

From countless ages we have dreamed,
from endless worlds we have beckoned,
from infinite choice we have suffered.
The world chokes under stifling conformity,
hopes crumble in the fire of mediocrity,
heroes die in the snare of pride.

Armageddon is at hand.
Reality is a lie.
The truth is Magic.
Open your eyes
and Awaken.

-Taken from the back of the out of print Mage gamer's handbook.

Also for reference, I will never even consider choosing boys over a game. Especially if it's a blood bath.

Decided to go back to good old tagboard. For some reason I got rather attached to it, heh.

Just popped by to jot that down. Had a good day at the cosplay convention yesterday, but had a bad day today. So bad that I would like to cut my hair again, but there's not enough to cut.

I just need to simmer, I suppose. It's nothing serious.

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1. What did you do in 2004 that you'd never done before? Take a hiatus from the choir.
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I never make resolutions...
3. Did anyone close to you give birth? Yeah, older cousin.
4. Did anyone close to you die? No.
5. What countries did you visit? None, sadly.
6. What would you like to have in 2005 that you lacked in 2004? More gaming~ Yey, I want to do V:tM!
7. What date from 2004 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? 23rd November. Last day of the bloody O's.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Getting through the bloody O's without killing myself. And singing at VCH, of course.
9. What was your biggest failure? Letting my voice go down the drain. Or possibly coping very badly with emergencies.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury? None significant.
11. What was the best thing you bought? Oh that's an easy one, the Sandman.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration? That's a good one, I don't know?
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? Several people, really.
14. Where did most of your money go? Much of it went to KKnM, at last count about $100 worth of renting. The rest was random rubbish, lah.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Gaming! And the end of the exams!!one11!
16. What song will always remind you of 2004? None in particular.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you happier or sadder? Most definately happier. I don't have to do any homework now. And have lots of gaming!
18. What do you wish you'd done more of? Studying, I suppose.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of? I don't know? Difficult question, that.
20. How will you be spending Christmas? At mass lah. And with loved ones.
22. Did you fall in love in 2004? Yes, Sota~! No, I'm joking. No love, only lust.
23. How many one-night stands? None.
24. What was your favorite TV program? I like CSI, and anything funny, like Who's line?
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? Yes.
26. What was the best book you read? I generally like most books, the proper question would be which was the worst?
27. What was your greatest musical discovery? Nothing in particular. I keep waiting for someone to throw me Satriani or Vai but it seems that it's the cannot-leave-house stuff. Hrm.
28. What did you want and get? The Sandman. Not the whole thing, but still...
29. What did you want and not get? To go for Fiddler's Green, in the states.
30. What was your favorite film of this year? Possibly Casshern? I generally like movies.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? 16. I slept. My mother did not allow me to have a life.
32.What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Mm, having one foot in and one foot out of choir.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2004? Anything comfortable, though I was in uniform most of the time.
34. What kept you sane? My friends. Particularly the ones who give a damn.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Sota lah.
36. What political issue stirred you the most? Lee Hsien Loong being elected the new Prime Minister.
37. Who did you miss? My sister, and Eldred.
38. Who was the best new person you met? Too many! The gamers, cosplayers, Hika people...
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2004: If you can't help yourself, no one can.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year: Life is a rollercoaster, just gotta ride it!

To hell with crappy people and shitty situations. I will not let this get me down. No, am not talking about my sister, contrary to popular belief she is actually decent.

Yes, have not posted regularly since the hols started, only use this as an outlet for stress and I have not been stressed in the least since the O's finished. Ok, maybe just a bit during Christmas shopping, that I completed already, for both friends and family.

Have been spending lots of time with my sister since she came back. Finished DNAngel with her, she's fascinated with the main character's familiar and wants to get the plushie but production has stopped and it costs a bomb. I don't believe she prefer DNAngel to FMA...

I love gaming~! Trying to find those nonsensical coloured character sheets but can't get my hands on them. But now have a modified sheet for rogues ie. very very long list for skills. If you want to print out official or custom character/ship/monster sheets, go to www.rpgsheets.com.

Going for the cosplay at the Science Center tmr, as Death from Gaiman's Sandman, of course. First cosplay, am quite excited. Even if it is a simple costume and I won't look like any particular anybody.

Ok, my tags are horribly outdated, so let's start here...

Hey Steph, dropped by your blog the other day. Are you aware that your tagboard's wonky? Anyway, I hear that you're working? Can I pop by and say hi?

No Ed, that's just something we call her. By the way, when you come back and if you go boy watching, can I come along? Oh, and I can't wait to taste your lamb!

Hallo Adam, Merry Christmas! You take care too~

It's very much of a change from my previous hair, Amanda. Not that short, as in Halle Berry. But still pretty short lah. And is terribly messy when I wake up. I mean, it needs claying, what do you think?

Off to chiong FMA on my sister's laptop now. I like to take advantage of it, can watch anime in my room~

I am very, very angry. The world is full of crappy people.

Fortunately, I also have very nice friends whom I don't deserve who cheer me up very effectively. Nick loaned me a ton of books, including the second installment of the hunter's trilogy, "the lone drow" that I still have not read, due to the bloody exams. So basically am gloriously buried in books, also have to catch up with manga at KKnM. Not to mention the amount of burning I have to do, from all over the place (Dawn, Tora, Jenny, Orion?).

Whoever said that the period after exams is boring is sorely mistaken, as have been doing something pretty much everyday. Trying to get Christmas shopping done this week, not sure if I can get everything to fit, including coffee/lunch with misc. people and gaming as well.

I chopped off all my hair! Now it's shorter than my dad's, have to use clay to style it in the morning. Clay's better than wax or gel, it's re-mouldable. So very fun to mess with. Haircuts make me cheerful for at least a month, which is oh hell just the thing I need, dammit.

I know I haven't been updating, got no time lah. Half the time when I'm on the com it's to watch anime. Or my sister's hogging it.

See? She wants to use it now, will come back later lah.

TOR:
I've got so much work to do but am too sian to do it. I can't believe I'm burnt out already! But then considering I did 5 essays in one month on top of all the Jessup research I had to do which was equivalent to doing one essay per week-- that's only to be expected. And I'm feeling all relaxed, even languid this morning because we had a really nice dinner last night too at Ubon by Nobu. The super-ultra-hyped-up Jap restaurant that all the Canary Wharf investment bankers frequent for a working sushi dinner before heading back to the office at 10pm for more bloody-minded ball-breaking deal-making.

What exactly I was doing there, I don't know. It was my friend's 21st so I thought, might as well, she doesn't turn 21 everyday, plus Nobu is meant to be famous and we should splash out once in a while just to say, we've tried it and it's crap. As it turned out, it wasn't crap at all. I had grilled scallops for a starter, creamy spicy prawns for main then green tea ice cream. I must say it was delicious, but probably not worth S$100. Don't tell mummy. Neil Gaiman's favourite dish, black cod with miso, turned out to be ok (birthday girl tried it) but not worth S$68. Besides, I think I can cook cod just as well. (I don't dare say better)

Anyway, here I am, S$100 lighter and not feeling up to tackling the mound of research stuff I have to read, sift through and bash into an award-winning argument. And I still haven't packed. But here I am, blogging away irresponsibly, and all I can think is the celebrity's favourite line: Get me out of here!

I've been woken up four times today, by the bloody phone. Five, if you count the fact that one person had to call back twice.

The next time anyone (not including Jenny and the Rosen Kreuz) wants to call at some unearthly hour of 7-11 in the morning, please don't. Just drop me a msg and I will get back to you, yes I do check my phone when I get up, even if I'll not be able to walk in a straight line.

And to answer everyone's damn question, my sister is not back yet, she'll be arriving this Friday, in the evening. Which also means that you'll not see me online as much, it'll depend on what time she sleeps.

Off to have lunch now.

Thanks Althea, you looked good too. We didn't get a photo together, I think. Not sure, have not got the film developed yet.

You Know You're Chinese When...

Purple is tor
You unwrap Christmas gifts very carefully, so you can save and reuse the wrapping (and especially those bows) next year. Check! Obviously
You only buy Christmas cards after Christmas, when they are 50% off. I don't even buy Christmas cards!
When there is a sale on toilet paper, you buy 100 rolls and store them in your closet or in the bedroom of an adult child who has moved out. We don't, but I can see this happening... We just take toilet paper from toilets whenever we see rolls lying around-- I have a toilet roll with 'This is your Jerry Springer moment' on it. Guess where it's from?
You have a vinyl table cloth on your kitchen table. I think we do. Nope, newspaper
Your stove is covered with aluminum foil. No. But we keep it really clean or there's a really gross smell of old food burning...
You use the dishwasher as a dish rack. Yes! It's a waste of space. Although sometimes we use it since one of my flatmates is German. I think it's a patriotic thing- it's Miele, German technology
You keep a Thermos of hot water available at all times. Check!
You eat all meals in the kitchen. Check! No, sometimes in my room but I always make everyone clean up after themselves
You save grocery bags, tin foil, and tin containers. Check!
You use grocery bags to hold garbage. Check! Obviously. that's what they're for
You always leave your shoes at the door. Check! Blatantly. Or else my nice clean floor will get dirty! It's quite awkward when ang mohs visit tho.
You have a piano in your living room.
You twirl your pen around your fingers. Check! What's that got to do with being Chinese..?
Even if you're totally full, if someone says they're going to throw away the leftovers on the table, you'll finish them. Can't help it. racial memory of lean starving years
You don't own any real Tupperware -- only a cupboard full of used but carefully rinsed margarine tubs, takeout containers, and jam jars. We've got both.
You also use the jam jars as drinking glasses.
You've eaten a red bean Popsicle. Buy them quite frequently what. I quite like them too
You bring oranges (or other produce) with you as a gift when you visit people's homes. Only during New Year lah. I agree
You have a collection of miniature shampoo bottles that you take every time you stay in a hotel. Check! That's the point of staying in a hotel what
The condiments in your fridge are either Price Club sized or come in plastic packets, which you save/steal every time you get take out or go to McDonald's. We do better than that. Mum takes the cutlery. I haven't bought ketchup in 2 years. Come to think of it, I've never actually *bought* any cutlery. We've got loads of disposable chopsticks!
Ditto for paper napkins. There was once, they took a jug as well... Yup!
You never order room service. Check! Ha! The cheapo hotels I stay in don't actually have room service
You carry a stash of your own food whenever you travel (and travel means any car ride longer than 15 minutes). These travel snacks are always dried. As in not just dried plums, dried ginger, and beef/pork jerky, but dried cuttlefish (SQUID). Not quite. Although when we went cycling in the New Forest I brought 10 mini cupcakes, a banana, an apple, some bread and half a roast chicken. Hey we were miles from civilisation! Although i didn't eat the chicken in the end because we came upon a pub in the middle of the forest and had the heartiest English pub meal I've ever had. (And two pints of an ale called squirrel's bounty... looked for Shoggoth's Old Peculiar but there was none) Needless to say our intended day-long forest cycling excursion turned into a cycling to a pub-in-the-middle-of-forest excursion. I think I preferred that to my horse-riding experience.
Your parents vehemently refuse the sack of gold coin oranges that their guests just brought just to be courteous.
Your dad thinks he can fix everything himself. CHECK! He can't fix anything. Who fixes (or arranges people to come and fix) everything? Me! Or now, Gloria!
You majored in something practical like engineering, medicine or law. Check for my sister! Enough already!
When you go to a dance party, there is a wall of guys surrounding the dance floor trying to look cool. No. At Singaporean functions here its mostly decent guys suddenly turning into wanabe bengs and poking you in the eyes with their fingers.
You live with your parents and you are 30 years old (and they prefer it that way). Or if you're married and 30 years old, you live in the apartment next door to your parents, or at least in the same neighborhood. I see that happening. God forbid! After I'm 30, same country will do.
You don't use measuring cups.
You feel like you've gotten a good deal if you didn't pay tax. Check! Tax adds up to a lot!
You beat eggs with chopsticks.
Your parents' house is always cold.
You have a teacup with a cover on it.
You reuse teabags. Naturally
Your mom drives her Mercedes to the Price Club.
You tip Chinese delivery guys / waiters more.
You're a wok user. Check! Electric stoves are crap for wok cooking!
You like Chinese films in their original undubbed versions. Don't we all hate anything that's dubbed? Do I even like Chinese films in general? The only films I've watched and liked are infernal affairs and hero.
You have acquired a taste for bittermelon. Check!
You like congee with thousand year old eggs. They're the best! And century eggs were used in Fear factor, along with durian. I should've been there! $500,000
You prefer your shrimp with the heads and legs still attached -- it means they're fresh. Yes, but I peel them and take out all the gross shit in the prawn's back first.
You never call your parents just to say hi. They call me every week actually. Just to make sure I'm alive.
You always cook too much. I cook a lot and often. I also cook large amounts of food if I know it will turn out to be nice so I can have it for lunch tomorrow. If I'm trying something new I tend not to cook too much. Just now I tried a new and interesting dish-- pasta with swiss sausages and cream and cheese and white wine sauce. It was very nice and fattening. Difficult to get the cheese right.
If you don't live at home, when your parents call, they ask if you've eaten rice, even if it's midnight. I can so see this happening... Yup!
Your parents tell you to boil herbs and stay inside when you get sick. Check! That's what you should do. Tien chi really works!
They also tell you not to eat fried foods or baked goods because they produce hot air.
Your parents never go to the movies. Check! But that's 'cos they haven't got time...
Your parents send money to their relatives in China.
You use a face cloth.
Your parents use a clothes line.
You eat every last grain of rice in your bowl, but don't eat the last piece of food on the table.
You starve yourself before going to all you can eat sushi.
You've joined a CD club at least once.
You know someone who can get you a good deal on jewelry or electronics.
You never discuss your love life with your parents. Hallo? I haven't got one to begin with. I do!
Your parents are never happy with your grades. CHECK! Hah! TELL ME ABOUT IT. I sent one of my philosophy essays for daddy to look at, and he said, oh, you borrowed too many arguments from other people and it's not focussed enough. Generally ok, he said. Ok? OK?! And I got a first for it!
You keep most of your money in a savings account. CHECK! Where else would you put it?
You've been on the Love Boat or know someone who has.
Your toothpaste tubes are all squeezed paper-thin. Check!
You love Chinese Martial Arts films. Check!
You have Tupperware in your fridge with three bites of rice or one leftover chicken wing. Check!
Shao Lin and Wu Tang actually mean something to you. Check!
You love to go to $1.75 movies.
You love to go to $1.50 movies even more.
You never order sweet-n-sour pork, egg foo young, or chop suey at a Chinese restaurant.
You hate to spend more than $5 for lunch.
Someone in your family drives a Honda... with custom rims.
You have a Chinese knick-knack hanging from your rear-view mirror.
You like to eat chicken feet.
You suck on fish heads and fish fins.
You turn bright red after drinking two tablespoons of beer.
You can get a buzz on Coors O'Douls or Miller Sharps.
You look like you are eighteen. Got carded two weekends ago
You only buy used cars.
You have more than five remotes in your house. Check!
You leave the plastic on the lampshade for ten years or more. Check!
You can't bear to throw things away. Check!
Your dad washes his hair four times a day, or never at all. Check!
Your unassisted vision is worse than 20/500. Check, I think. I think I may be legally blind
You've worn glasses at least since the fifth grade. Check! since I was 9
Your parents (or some other close relative) own a grocery store or restaurant.
You drive around looking for the cheapest gas.
You add twice the amount of water recommended when making orange juice from concentrate. I can see my mum doing this...
You've never seen your parents hug. they're actually very affectionate. it's fascinating and strange
Your grandmother lives with you and your family.
You never order desserts at restaurants. Check!
You always have water when dining out.
You say "aiya!" and "wah!" frequently. CHECK!
You love Las Vegas, slot machines, and blackjack.
You love to play mah jong. Check!
You have to read all your parents' mail written in English. No lah, not that gone case.
You are constantly being set up with uninteresting (and usually ugly) people by your parents.
You hate eating cheese. That's not true, I love cheese! Ok, fine. Sometimes. I like fondue. Actually before I went to Switzerland and actually had proper, authentic fondue I only liked the idea of eating fondue because I'd never actually tried it in Singapore. Fondue is not just a big vat of boiling cheese. It also has schnapps, white wine and champagne in it (if you're feeling posh) I got quite drunk just eating it. And we had lemon sorbet with cream afterwards, which is the best dessert for a fondue meal!
You have a big aquarium filled with colorful fish somewhere in your house.
Your mother is strangely obsessed with plants.
White people look at you strangely if you tell them you are Buddhist.
You notice the main topic at family get-togethers is food.
You seldom ever owned new clothes if you were a second child.
Your folks never speak under 10 decibels at family gatherings.
You never made the school football or basketball team.
You have two middle initials instead of one.
You grow your own bean sprouts in the kitchen.
Your mother made you peel water chestnuts and snow peas.
You have an lonely unmarried relative who frequently drops by during dinner time.
You received little red envelopes containing money on special occasions. Duh!? Last I checked that was a good thing
You use the underside of a porcelain bowl to sharpen your knives.
You cut your own hair… or had someone in your family do it. Yeah, when I was younger!
Your grandmother has a lot of gold teeth… especially in front. She has hers at the side.
You keep fresh garlic and ginger in the kitchen at all times. I think we do.
You know what the term "lemon" or a "banana" means. Eh? You mean they're supposed to mean something else?
You only have to shave every other day (maybe).
You wash and reuse ziplock bags.
You know at least three people named Alan Wong.
You never drank milk after eating cherries.
Your parents collect jade jewelry. Check!
You always drink tea after a meal.
Your dad owns at least one bird.
Your parents grow vegetables in a garden.
You use doilies to decorate your furniture.
Your grandmother rapped your knuckles with her chopsticks while reaching food with your fingers.
You're proud to be Chinese - and you pass these jokes on to all your Chinese friends! Haha! Yes I didn't see that coming!

Got this off www.blogthings.com They've got some very amusing things over there...

Victoria,

Dad said you wanted a check on how much The Open Society and Its Enemies: Volume 1: The Spell of Plato by Karl Popper (what an odd surname!) costs over here. So he made me do some searching and this turned up.

Amazon (US): Used, US$14 on average. Freight charges $10.
Amazon (UK): Used, 6 to 9 pounds.
Kino: S$44.12
Borders: S$24.95

The MPH site is useless, it didn't have a search engine. Will go over to the J8 one and ask anyway, can make the trip tmr. Just take a look at this list first larh, I'll post again probably tmr night about MPH.

It's also available at the library. 368 pages, Amazon said. Times 5 cents that's $18.40 and times 3 cents it's $11.04. Depends on how much the place charges what, right?

So, like that lah.

Tonight was pretty fun. Am still in gown and make up with hair up as I type this because I can't bear to take it off. Have never dolled up properly before, quite fun really but slightly stressful.

The grad night itself was... mundane. The most fun bit was looking at all the fashion disasters and bitching. Alright, call me snobbish, you should know that by now! Most people looked good though, Tora, Rosie, Amanda, majority of my classmates, just to name a few. And especially those in trench coats!

The amusing bit was having Rosie and me hanging off each of Tora's arms and walking in like that. She was doing a Toshiya cosplay, so was in a suit. Gosh, the waiters were staring and it was so funny!

Went to sit at coffee club with the two of them after the thing itself, had coffee and conversation. Call me boring but that was perhaps the most enjoyable bit of the evening.

But on the whole it was a good night, I think. Would like to do it more often, the out at night with permission bit.

Am off to RP with Tora now.

Thanks. Am glad for you, dear sister. Shall I expect more blog entries from you as well then?

Yeah Khayce, of course!

Have Schaz over and she's sleeping. Had a pretty good time RP-ing earlier though, she's such an RP whore (actually, we all are...)! Then watched Saiyuki Reload, am at episode 12 now, methinks.

Just visited Gaiman's journal, from which I quote, '...was beaten by the young lady from Singapore in the who-came-furthest stakes." regarding this year's Fiddler's Green thing that they had in the states. I know this is a tad far-fetched, but does anyone, by any chance know who this person is? Singapore is so small that everyone knows everyone else anyway, so I thought that I'd give it a go...

Can you feel it? Can you taste it? That's freedom, that is! And I can't stop grinning. Remedy 89, here I come!!

Damn Jenny, the thing was down for a few days without warning. And you know how particular I can be about my blog...

Tora~ yesh oh so high. Care for another nicely dodgy RP with me?

Bloody bio paper, make me study till my brains leak out my ears. Digestion, reproduction in plants, manufacture of yogurt/cheese, the eye, the heart and countless other topics didn't bloody come out. I kill myself studying and the paper is like that?!

But oh, it's done, it's all done! I'm so high now, aargh~!

My last paper is in 3.5 hours.

Oh shit.

Papers are going nicely. I'm quite happy really, even if everyone else finishes today. Probably because I went and bought the $50 shirt I've been thinking about since last week. Shopping is good therapy. Fine, it counts even if I was stuck in Kino for a few hours. Do you know how much the price of Lord of the Rings has gone up? My dad got his for $10, now you can't find it below $30! Sheesh.

I am going to buy Priest from KKNM, because I'll get $8 off each book. That is, after I finish the Sandman, of course. *ahemcoughkinovouchersforchristmaspleasehacksputterchokedie*

TagBoard seems to have gone... somewhere. It's a broken link now, so I've no idea what's happening. Will change to another board when I find time, probably... sometime end of next week. Any recommendations? Since you can't here, then leave a note on my LJ (<-yes, that's a link).

Will be awfully busy. Also will be sitting in airport in the afternoon of Victoria's arrival, can probably get some of HA edited. It's such a nice place, you know? Will also probably one of the few moments of relaxation.

I think I may need to do an edit of the list that I created earlier as well...

Tor's List:

1 hour ago: Jessups meeting (5:30pm Wednesday)
1 day ago: having public international law lecture (5:30pm Tuesday)
1 week ago: having public international law lecture (5:30pm Tuesday)
1 lifetime ago: kicking pong pong fruit around in garden and berating little sister for negligently leaving favourite Cinderella Barbie doll outside house, resulting in traumatic loss of said property

01. I hurt: little animals and children when no one is looking
02. I love: bol bol, an inanimate soft squishy object infested with dust mite corpses and shit (see now-defunct blog for details)
03. I hate: cockroaches and yukky things
04. I cry: loudly and pathetically
05. I fear: JU ON!
06. I hope: that after I die I can still see what happens to the world
07. I sadden: see 01.
08. I feel alone: when the voices in my head stop talking
09. I kill: bacteria
10. I talk: about many interesting things (that too many other people are not interested in)
23. I read: too much
25. I breathe: bol fumes
27. I miss: my sister and parents and grandma and nice food and not having to put on a lot of clothes just to go outside
30. I feel: bol bol
31. I know: how to cook vaguely edible stuff and how to say 'I know' in Spanish. Yay!
32. I said: bol bol
34. I have: to relax my brain by doing bohliao lists like these
36. I fall: over myself all the time
38. I need: nice food

Am tired of Geography. Gacked off Bern.

1 hour ago: Studying Human Geography. Do you know how to process palm oil? I do.
1 day ago: Still studying Geography.
1 week ago: Studying/spotting for maths paper 2.
1 month ago: Studying.
1 year ago: Messing around without a care in the world.
1 lifetime ago: Please refer to above.

01. I hurt: in my brain. Ow, too much Geog.
02. I love: not having to study.
03. I hate: narrow-minded people.
04. I cry: when I need to.
05. I fear: the dark. Or rather, what you can't see in the dark.
06. I hope: to get 20 points for the O's. Then to buy myself 2 years, get in to CJ. (2 points bonus, 2 points affiliation. They have to bloody take me in I don't care.)
07. I sadden: because I'm the only idiot around with 8 more papers to go. (Geog(1), A/cs(2), Science mcq, sub Bio, CLB(3).)
08. I feel alone: when I close my eyes.
09. I kill: mosquitoes, especially in this monsoon season. DIE SUCKERS!
10. I talk: too loudly and when I shouldn't.
11. I listen: to people who need it.
12. I break: nails.
13. I see: the end of the bloody exams on the horizon.
14. I smell: technology. Yey for the internet!
15. I taste: mango flavoured milk.
16. I work: because I have to.
17. I remember: the stages of planting and harvesting wet rice. I do so hope that it comes out.
18. I hold: wet things because of my palms.
19. I hide: dead bodies.
20. I pray: when I remember to pray.
21. I walk: and not complain. It's good exercise, really. I don't get much.
22. I drive: when I'm old enough to. In the meantime, I'll just get chauffered around...
23. I read: not as much as I'd like to.
24. I burn: anything. Fire fascinates me.
25. I breathe: Music and books.
26. I play: the recorder and the saxophone.
27. I miss: my sister.
28. I touch: like a soggy towel. Honestly, the palm situation is really quite bad at puberty.
29. I learn: slowly. Am damned lucky to have patient tutors.
30. I feel: tired.
31. I know: I'll fall asleep after my last paper.
32. I said: aargh.
33. I dream: of smoke and mirrors.
34. I have: to do exams for the next week or so.
35. I want: to sleep for the next week or so.
36. I fall: with a blaze of glory.
37. I wait: for the bloody O's to be over.
38. I need: a massage (Oh Electra dear!), an RP, a game, a trip to KKNM, to go Christmas shopping, to edit HA and to shake someone to his senses. There are too many to list really.
39. I live: because I want to see what happens next.

The Homunculus problem: is the theory not worthless if it explains the behaviour of a person by introducing in the person homunculi, little people to bring about the behaviour?

No, I am coming home on time after all, because my team-mates are fine with me being away for a month and I don't really want to spend £200 on a date change...

This is what my moot problem is about-- it's on international law. (Oh, this is Tor, by the way, in case you haven't realised.)

Appollonia is a small technologically advanced coastal state. Raglan is an archipelago not far off the coast of Appollonia. Magmuffin (no I am not making the names up) is a country across the strait from Appollonia. A regularly ships nuclear waste to M, taking a route across the Raglan archipelago. Raglan has a pirate problem. (You can guess what happens) However, the Raglan has started this new anti-piracy programme where naval pilots from the Raglan navy can be requested by foreign ships to pilot them safely across the pirate-infested archipelago. Appollonia does this and the pilot from Raglan turns out to be a pirate! He steals all the valuable stuff and lets the ship, full of toxic waste, drift around without power. Obviously it crashes onto a sandbar and spills its guts out onto random Raglan fishermen, obliterating the region's thriving tourism and fishing industry in the process.

Now they are suing each other.

Isn't it interesting? And this is for the Jessup International Law Moot. There's a regional round for the UK, then the winners go on to compete in Washington DC with the international teams. The Singapore team won last year (they win alot actually) and there're 3 Singaporeans in the LSE team (of 5) this year so we think there might be a reason behind our tutors choosing us to be in the team! How wierd would it be if we really do make it through to the final round and are up against Singaporeans! They will probably throw eggs at us and call us treacherous.

I really really really need to eat oh loa, char kway teoh and laksa. I cannot stand it anymore. I try and try but cannot seem to make chicken rice that tastes like how it should taste. Aargh. I hope my psyche is not irretrievably damaged. I am seriously considering not taking up my £30,000 a year job offer because I may end up deranged at the end of 3 years. Well, at least I have Bolbol.

No I am not dead yet.

Had tuition with Chris today for maths (naturally!). Feel very stupid around her, most of the time, I swear she's such a genius that it scares me sometimes. After being drilled with so much maths I could feel my eyes glaze over when I tagged along with her and Elizabeth for dinner. Actually, I'm still a bit stoned from it.

Can you get drunk on maths?

It's not a bad feeling, comparable to the nice muscle ache you get after exercise. Just in the mental sense, so it's a bit difficult to focus and carry conversation.

After dinner went for a bit of a stroll in town. Those two were awfully decent, to let me come along. D'you know what? The Christmas decor is up and lighted already, and the exams aren't even done yet god it's depressing.

Hallo Jenny! Random indeed, do you expect any less?

Rosie! I'd only do it if you did it first, you scoundrel! Lol~!

Eh? What crush, Amanda?

Tor,

What's this I hear about a moot? What's the topic this time? And pushing your departure date back for more than a week?! Oh, you'll stop complaining about the horrible food soon enough when you come home.

Am missing you loads.

Because I'm tired of studying Social Studies and am waiting for my math tutuor to arrive...

Ahem. So. Things I'd like to do. Took this off someone's LJ, a friend of Bern's. Italics means Gloria already done it. Bold means Tor has done it.

1. Bought everyone in the pub a drink
2. Swam with wild dolphins
3. Climbed a mountain
4. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
5. Been inside the Great Pyramid
6. Held a tarantula
7. Taken a candlelit bath with someone
8. Said 'I love you' and meant it
9. Hugged a tree
10. Done a striptease
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Stayed up all night long, and watch the sun rise (on the ferry to Croatia)
15. Seen the Northern Lights
16. Gone to a huge sports game
17. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa
18. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
19. Touched an iceberg
20. Slept under the stars (at Ngee Ann Poly at astronomy camp)
21. Changed a baby’s diaper
22. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
23. Watched a meteor shower
24. Gotten drunk on champagne (i didn't buy my own)
25. Given more than you can afford to charity (Tor: when?) (Gloria: when I was really broke but gave it away anyway.)
26. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
27. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
28. Had a food fight
29. Bet on a winning horse
30. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
31. Asked out a stranger
32. Had a snowball fight
33. Photocopied your bottom on the office photocopier
34. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can
35. Held a lamb
36. Enacted a favorite fantasy
37. Taken a midnight skinny dip
38. Taken an ice cold bath
39. Had a meaningful conversation with a beggar
40. Seen a total eclipse
41. Ridden a roller coaster
42. Hit a home run
43. Fit three weeks miraculously into three days
44. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking (when drunk )
45. Adopted an accent for an entire day
46. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors (CHINA)
47. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment (there are times... )
48. Had two hard drives for your computer
49. Visited all 50 states
50. Loved your job for all accounts
51. Taken care of someone who was faced
52. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
53. Had amazing friends
54. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country (country club in Naples)
55. Watched wild whales
56. Stolen a sign
57. Backpacked in Europe (YEAH!)
58. Taken a road-trip
59. Rock climbing
60. Lied to foreign government’s official in that country to avoid notice
61. Midnight walk on the beach (with gay friend. very unromantic)
62. Sky diving
63. Visited Ireland
64. Been heartbroken longer then you were actually in love
65. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger’s table and had a meal with them (Florence. we were forced to. )
66. Visited Japan
67. Benchpressed your own weight
68. Milked a cow
69. Alphabetized your records
70. Pretended to be a superhero
71. Sung karaoke
72. Lounged around in bed all day
73. Posed nude in front of strangers
74. Scuba diving
75. Got it on to 'Let’s Get It On' by Marvin Gaye
76. Kissed in the rain
77. Played in the mud
78. Played in the rain
79. Gone to a drive-in theater
80. Done something you should regret, but don’t regret it
81. Visited the Great Wall of China
82. Discovered that someone who’s not supposed to have known about your blog has discovered your blog.
83. Dropped Windows in favor of something better
84. Started a business
85. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken
86. Toured ancient sites
87. Taken a martial arts class
88. Swordfought for the honor of a woman
89. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight
90. Gotten married
91. Been in a movie (Teenage textbook. you can see my feet. )
92. Crashed a party
93. Loved someone you shouldn’t have
94. Kissed someone so passionately it made them dizzy
95. Gotten divorced
96. Had sex at the office
97. Gone without food for 5 days
98. Made cookies from scratch
99. Won first prize in a costume contest
100. Ridden a gondola in Venice
101. Gotten a tattoo
102. Found that the texture of some materials can turn you on
103. Rafted the Snake River
104. Been on television news programs as an 'expert'
105. Got flowers for no reason
106. Masturbated in a public place
107. Got so drunk you don’t remember anything
108. Been addicted to some form of illegal drug
110. Been to Las Vegas
111. Recorded music
112. Eaten shark
113. Had a one-night stand
114. Gone to Thailand
115. Seen Siouxsie live
116. Bought a house
117. Been in a combat zone
118. Buried one/both of your parents
119. Shaved or waxed your pubic hair off (Gloria: You have?! Pain or not?!)
120. Been on a cruise ship
121. Spoken more than one language fluently (before i forgot how to speak chinese)
122. Gotten into a fight while attempting to defend someone
123. Bounced a check
124. Performed in Rocky Horror
125. Read - and understood - your credit report
126. Raised children
127. Recently bought and played with a favorite childhood toy (bolbol)
128. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour
129. Created and named your own constellation of stars
130. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country (does cycling in the New Forest count?)
131. Found out something significant that your ancestors did (Tor: What glor?)(Gloria: They used to own a mine, or a jeweller's or something. Had to wrap it up when they came over)
132. Called or written your Congress person
133. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
134. ...more than once
135. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
136. Sang loudly in the car, and didn’t stop when you knew someone was looking
137. Had an abortion or your female partner did
138. Had plastic surgery
139. Survived an accident that you shouldn’t have survived.
140. Wrote articles for a large publication
141. Lost over 100 pounds
142. Held someone while they were having a flashback
143. Piloted an airplane
144. Petted a stingray (Underwater world)
145. Broken someone’s heart (oh god please don't remind me)
146. Helped an animal give birth
147. Been fired or laid off from a job
148. Won money on a T.V. game show
149. Broken a bone
150. Killed a human being.
151. Gone on an African photo safari
152. Ridden a motorcycle
153. Driven any land vehicle at a speed of greater than 100mph
154. Had a body part of yours below the neck pierced
155. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol
156. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild (Tor: magic mushrooms) (Gloria: Whee! Magic mushrooms! So, what colour were your elephants?)
157. Ridden a horse (really don't want to do it again. )
158. Had major surgery
159. Had sex on a moving train
160. Had a snake as a pet
161. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
162. Slept through an entire flight: takeoff, flight, and landing
163. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours
164. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states (Tor: definitely. Gloria, you have also visited more foreign countries than you have US states!)( Gloria: No, I thought it meant visited more countries as compared to how many US states there are..?)
165. Visited all 7 continents
166. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days (OBS )
167. Eaten kangaroo meat
168. Fallen in love at an ancient Mayan burial ground
169. Been a sperm or egg donor
170. Eaten sushi
171. Had your picture in the newspaper
172. Had 2 (or more) healthy romantic relationships for over a year in your lifetime
173. Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply about (MacDonalds. It is bad for you. )
174. Gotten someone fired for their actions
175. Gone back to school
176. Parasailed
177. Changed your name
178. Petted a cockroach
179. Eaten fried green tomatoes
180. Read The Iliad
181. Selected one 'important' author who you missed in school, and read (many of them)
182. Dined in a restaurant and stolen silverware, plates, cups because your apartment needed them (mummy did)
183. ...and gotten 86-ed from the restaurant because you did it so many times, they figured out it was you
184. Taught yourself an art from scratch
185. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
186. Apologized to someone years after inflicting the hurt
187. Skipped all your school reunions
188. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language (bosnian passport control )
189. Been elected to public office
190. Written your own computer language
191. Thought to yourself that you’re living your dream (everyday)
192. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
193. Built your own PC from parts
194. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn’t know you
195. Had a booth at a street fair
196: Dyed your hair
197: Been a DJ
198: Found out someone was going to dump you via LiveJournal
199: Written your own role playing game
200: Been arrested

You'll never guess who I saw at j8 today: Brenda Boh

I used to have the most awful crush on her (actually, it was more like hero worship. What to do, she was everything I wanted to be, at that point of time.) but it's the sort of thing that I look back on today and laugh about.

It's so odd, that she'd forgotten that I'm in secondary 4 now, and was rather suprised when I mentioned stepping down. We exchanged only brief words but it seems like she hasn't changed much, from the time that she was still in IJ.

It was most strange, talking to her. Most strange...

"Talk to everyone even if they are complete idiots and don't let them know you think so." Erm, Victoria, that's going to be very difficult. But I'll try not to psycho-analyse them or anything, at least. Thanks, you really know how to make me feel better, don't you? I'm getting you something nice for Christmas~

Hallo Jillian! *waves enthusiastically*

You have no idea Adam. If I'm still alive after all that studying I'll probably not do any sleeping with all the things that're planned.

Jenny! *hug

Moshi moshi is only used over the phone. I'm not even sure if that's the proper romanji for it. Anyway, who're you?

Is that so, Amanda? Cool, random~

By the way, please take note that I've 2 new e-mail addresses, one for mail only, aarghrandom@gmail.com and another for msn, aargh_random@hotmail.com.

That should be it.

Quiz time, because I feel random~


Seer

The ULTIMATE personality test
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Category I - The Hub
You're a 'people person'. Networking runs in your
blood. Consequently, you can move through most
social circles with ease.

What Type of Social Entity are You?
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You are... SNICKERS!Nutty, diverse, and very sweet, you are full of
energy. You have loads of friends, and good
one's at that. But it's a strange thing. People
either love you, or they hate you.Either way, you're still fun to be around!

What Chocolate Bar Are You?
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What Smart Eyes You Have

What do your eyes say about you (for girls) with pix
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Every time I read Gloria's blog I am struck by how more mature and aware she is. Her innermost thoughts do not gel with the flighty, ADD personality she makes herself out to be-- either on purpose, with an enhanced sense of irony only a select few can appreciate, or simply as a consequence of her delirious realisation of what the world is and could be.

One of the side-effects of turning 21 is an inclination towards retrospection. One starts taking stock of one's life-- now that there's finally a significant chunk of it-- contemplating the achievements, bittersweet moments, burning embarassments and screaming, howling, gut-wrenching regrets.

Reading Gloria's blog is like seeing a distant spark of what I was before the years piled up on top of me. I wish I could tell her everything she needs to know so that she'll end up the brilliant, polished girl I wish I could be, had I started at that age. Of course I know that's terribly un-PC. Free will, choice, independence and all that. Her sense of self is impressively developed- but without condescending I would warn that many more obstacles will threaten that sense in time.

Gloria- it's not just about exams. Please do have a life. I am still trying to come to terms with not having had one even though I am having too much right now. (Just got back from Amsterdam celebrating my birthday.) Please develop a personality and discover what it is you really like doing. Please don't engage in intellectual snobbishness. Talk to everyone even if they are complete idiots and don't let them know you think so. This teaches you how to deal with idiots you have no choice but to work with in later life. Try as many new things as possible. Don't be a know-it-all. Be humble.

As some famous actor said, 'Be the little man. Don't let them see you coming.'

Why the sudden introspection? I've been dragged kicking and screaming into my third decade of existence and it does not feel nice. I want to be 18 forever. (And for a few fleeting hours last weekend I was- actually I was 14 for long periods of time.) I don't actually want to grow up. It feels artificial and at times I am uncomfortable inside my own skin.

So please Gloria (and friends of a similarly youthful age, mental or otherwise) do go crazy and have a lot of young, stupid fun. And say no to (only potentially dangerous) drugs.

Disclaimer: The author accepts no legal or moral liability for the contents of the above passage. It was a joke. JOKE.

Good luck for 'O's. Thanks for the Bday greetings.

Practical today went alright. Electricity didn't come out for Physics, oh joy! And with that, I'll never have to do another practical again, for as long as I live, though I don't know if that's a good thing or not...

Another thing is, technically speaking, I'm not part of IJ anymore (it was so strange to type that). It's... odd, and I don't feel it yet. Someone is screaming at the back of my head but it sounds like static and I'm mostly too tired to notice anyway. And when it hits me it will be an excruciating, bittersweet pain.

Met Chris and Eunice at the bus stop (they're band people). Asked about the band schedule during the hols, so that I know when to go down to get my saxophone.

No, hold on. It's not mine anymore. And it really hurts to say that.

Do you know what it's like? To know how much to loosen when its temperamental, or when the reed is just perfectly seasoned such that you get just the right sound? To play something that feels like a natural extension of yourself, to know its keys and smooth curves by heart?

I've never handled something with such practiced ease before. I'll miss carrying its reassuring weight by my side. But I know that I lack the skill, patience and discipline to continue with it.

I have to let go of so many things. It's more difficult than I care to admit. But then again, we can't always have what we want, it takes all the fun out of life. And of course, the price of getting what one desires is actually getting it.

Sorry if I'm in one of my goth moods. I seem to have a talent at making myself more depressed...

Hallo Adeline. Thanks, you take care too.

It's the online journal network, Lareina. If you try hard enough, you can get anywhere from most people's linking. Hallo to you too!

Thanks so much Amanda. Left something on your board. I love you.

Oh, and before I forget:
Happy 21st birthday Victoria!!!

You know what I need? Motivation, that's what.

List of things to do after the bloody O's:

RPG- D&D. Oh yeah, lots of. (and therefore let the gaming people meet the school people)
RP- Hika (yey! Inui/Yagyuu crack!)
Clean room (possibly paint walls as well)
Do something about my hair
Sing (properly)
Christmas shopping/writing
Finish my damn fic
Spend time and money at KKNM (when I repay my $140 loan, that is)
Have coffee with people on my Coffee List
Have/go to sleepovers (and possibly, even get some sleep)
Have Tora, Orion, Rosie and Dawn burn things for me (therefore a trip to Sim Lim square is in order)
Go to Jenny's place to burn everything that can't leave the house
Spend lots and lots of time with the gaming lot, SPYKBS and Jenny!
Meet all these damn cosplay people that I hear so much about (Rikka? Tessie? Alex? Who..?)
Edit HA (while drinking lots of coffee/red bull/brands. Plan to do whole thing in 2 sittings)
Learn basic guitar
Take out saxophone to clean (and scare the crap out of my juniors when I go back for it, lol!)

Er, that should be it. Pretty comprehensive, but if there're additions then I'll just stick them in larh.

Oh yes. And marry Sota while I'm at it.

*shakes head* Whatever you say, Adam...

Oy Tor, difficult and interesting lah. That's what you're there for, you know.

Was up in the choir loft for mass this evening. It's very difficult to keep a straight face on. Hmph, interpret that whichever way you please.

Went to Jack's place for dinner after that. Saw Olinder Cho, that girl from Singapore Idol. She's awfully polite, waving good-bye and taking pictures with random well-wishers. Very decent.

I got a burner! And it's portable so I can bring it to other people's houses who don't have burners and copy froody can't-leave-the-house stuff! *does victory dance*

Oh hell. Did I really do so badly for my prelims?! Aargh!!

Yes Vic, they're moderating it. So I end up failing only Accounts. It's still bad, I know!!

Oh, sorry about that Amanda, didn't notice 'cos I posted some time after that...

Hallo Adam. Thanks, you take care too.

Feeling random and crappy. Ack, have 4 maths papers to finish by Monday, think I'll go start now.

Have you ever smiled at someone, eventhough you felt like clawing their eyes out? It's better than actually going ahead and doing it 'cos, well, it's against the law and you'll also be a lot scarier that way.

It took me slightly more than one and a half years for Kunna to get on my nerves.

:)

Damn you Tora, get me hooked on Dir En Grey. Going to memorise the lyric for Cage now 'cos it's such a damned good song~

And on to more serious matters. Did horribly for the prelims, results are as follows:

Accounts- 43 (quite expected, didn't sleep the previous night)
SS/Lit- 48 (what a disgrace, to fail the subject I'm teaching at Hika)
Phy/Bio- 48.5
Geography- 49.9
E Maths- 61 (bloody easy paper though. Stupid me do the wrong question)
English- 70.5 (yes, I know it's terrible too. Gloria Ho, to just scrape a distinction, ack.)

Not freaking out because I've got too little blood in my sugar stream to do so.

Off to study now. Yes, it wasn't a proper post but haven't got much time now. Long list of things to do, both online and regarding school.

Oh, spread the word. Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean, in collaboration with the Jim Henson company are coming up with a movie, teaser trailer at mirrormask. Haven't wanted to watch something so badly since Return of the King. They'll probably not release it here, so I'll have to get the DVD, even if it kills me.

Hallo Adam! What, are you implying that none of the others are friendly?!

Sap, Amanda, is rarely a good thing, in my humble opinion. And you're being rather random, aren't you? *glomp*

Hallo dearest Jenny! You're being random too... good luck for the exams, yes?

Er, hi to you too, Orion. Hope you're doing well, shall see you during CLB. (I passed it!)

You take care Althea, everytime I see you in class you seem quite tense. Look after yourself!

Note to self: Don't RP before going to sleep, you will have some very strange dreams.

Shan't talk about it here. It involved caramel apples, a pair of glasses and a really hot guy, in that order. And yes, fangirling is off-limits here, I know.

So the worst is over. Going to Totally Slack this weekend, also thinking of holding SPYKBS coffee meeting next week, as am very worried about Electra and Bern.

Speaking of next week, I hear that there'll be this Shishedo (you know, that Japanese cosmetics brand..? Don't know how to spell it.) talk on personal grooming, or something, on Monday. Whole morning taken up by it. I remember my sister telling me about the time when she was in secondary school and people came in to teach them how to apply make-up and what not.

What I would give to see certain people of our school in make-up.

In any case, this is all very odd, I think. Ah well, as long as we don't have to pay then why complain, neh? Not like the $70 we have to cough up for grad night. Not even sure if I'll be going, am thinking of just taking the money and doing something else with it...

Papers yesterday were alright, suprisingly easy for a prelim exam actually. If the O's were like this I'd be very worried.

Mum's getting the house a CD burner!! I love my mum so much, now I can get all my nonsense space consuming music off window's media player. Victoria, bring your CDs back, I'll have to do a lot of burning with those.

Hallo Electra *waves enthusiatically*. Kumquat~

I dunno, Amanda. Probably the rain? And he wrote a poem on it? I hope it's not too depressing, then it would defeat the purpose...

Just realised that I've got 4 journals to upkeep: this one, my LJ account and the 2 RP ones. So I can't do quadruple posting, it won't work and it wouldn't be fair either.

Right, should go now.

Recently, I've been in a state of exhaustion.

Tired because of, well, exams obviously. Need that be said? However, am approaching the end of my prelims soon, which should be a good thing.

The fellow who refused to leave its name. I have very few friends who would refrain from leaving a name and even fewer who have only a loose grasp of English. I am not sure as to what you speak in reference of. Please feel free to drop me a line, if you found your way to my blog then you should also either know me, have my number or e-mail address.

Met up with Chris and Elizabeth today. It was a very educational meeting. Very glad to see that they're doing well, will probably see much of them in December.

They put me in a dilemma, worse than the one I am at the current moment deliberating. Choir, of course. Something that has always left me weary, in more ways than one.

Ever since I... applied for leave, if it can be called that, I feel as if a great weight has been lifted off, since I need not show till January. The singing is missed of course, very much so. But not the endless scoldings, unseen political nonsense and random bullshit flying around.

And for the first time in nearly half my life I will actually have time to go Christmas shopping properly, spend time catching up with friends and paint my room (or various combinations of those).

And ice-cream during the holiday season! What a luxury!

Am getting the feeling that it seems more advantageous for me to leave. I should quit whining and just do it, shouldn't I?

We'll see.

I swear, I've killed about 5 mosquitoes this afternoon, all of them while feeding off me. And no, am not mistaken and killed the same one over and over, I actually wash the dead ones down the sink. Maybe my blood is sweet or something, but I do happen to be the only living thing in the house now. Stupid insects.

In any case, had Tora, Rosie and Sam over at my place on Wednesday. Note to self: group study does not work. On the bright side, Rosie dug up my westlife collection and borrowed the lot and also got her blog altered, courtesy of Tora, Sam got to do a little surfing and I got a load of new songs burned and named, also courtesy of Tora (thanks again!).

I really have to stop listening to these damned tennis musicals, my pitching may have gone down because of it, that and not having gone for choir practice for, how long now? Not even sure if I can carry a proper harmony anymore... and my sister brought all her musical CDs along with her to London. Jeez.

Signed up for the PoT rp thing, hah! Don't believe I did it. Talk about out of character. Roleplaying is all good but paper pencil for me please, I miss D&D!

If you're interested and bo liao, check it out then, hika_bs. Have taken the post of choir master(naturally!) and Literature teacher, which is why I'm at the present moment trying to type with Proper Punctuation.

Am totally screwing up my body clock, slept at 5 yesterday morning, got up at the god-forsaken hour of 10 to go to church. Maybe I should have gone to Holy Spirit with Tora on Saturday... ah, no use thinking about it now.

Just found out that she doesn't like vegetables. You know you shouldn't have told me that, right? *flashes a grin*

I have accounts tmr, shouldn't be posting! Whatever. Won't be sleeping tonight anyway.

Decided to do occasional double posting for my LiveJournal and here. Please note that it's not going to be the same thing, as there will be more nonsense there. My blog is a more accurate reflection of my personality.

Yes Althea!! I swear, they should set up a Centre for People Who Are Disturbed by Drilling. You hang in there too ok?

Yes it's blanco and I happen to think it's very important do you have a problem with that Victoria? The listing is in no particular order. And they are not mysterious, you'll get to meet them when you come back. For the moment, you can check out their blogs/LJs: Tora, Bern, Schaz, Rosie and though I'm not sure if she's in it too, Electra.

Hallo Adam! Am drowning in exams but am ok. You take care too.

I don't like it and you can't do anything about it, Sarah! I know you like it but... ah, whatever :P

Going to have dinner soon. Bags, I'm hungry.