I ran in to an old work colleague today, someone whom I hadn't worked with in almost 6 years! He was there for a meeting with us (my employer, that is) representing his current company, and he just happened to be walking by my desk when he saw my name tag above my workstation! It was great to see him again. We had a sentimental chat about our old employer and he got me up to speed with the current structure over there, who was was still around and who had moved on.
Our little chat just made me realise that even li'l ol' me can make an impact on someone's life without even knowing it. And never to burn your bridges behind you. You never know when you'll be working with these people again. (Little Boss should take note. Oh wait, I haven't introduced her yet, have I. That'll have to wait until another time.)
Monday, May 14, 2007
Sunday, May 13, 2007
A New Look
I've had this blog for about 3 weeks, and I've changed the look of it already. How fickle am I.
Friday, May 11, 2007
The Wait
I haven't been able to check my e-mails (or write entries in here, for that matter) for a few days, and I was getting rather anxious when I went to check my mail this morning. This wait for my GAMSAT results is loooong, and not a particularly pleasant experience either...!
So is it going to be a daily dose of anxiety each day from now until the day the results actually arrive? And what if the results are bad anyway? All that nervousness and anxiety for nothing? People say the wait for the GAMSAT results is just the beginning: you have the wait to hear whether you scored an interview place, then you have the wait to hear whether you scored a place at your chosen university.
Is it all character building? Well right now, I certainly don't feel like I'm building anything except my anxiety!! LOL
So is it going to be a daily dose of anxiety each day from now until the day the results actually arrive? And what if the results are bad anyway? All that nervousness and anxiety for nothing? People say the wait for the GAMSAT results is just the beginning: you have the wait to hear whether you scored an interview place, then you have the wait to hear whether you scored a place at your chosen university.
Is it all character building? Well right now, I certainly don't feel like I'm building anything except my anxiety!! LOL
A Mini!
B&I hired a Mini Cooper for two days! A cute orange convertible. We went on day trips up the coast, but surprisingly, the Cooper didn't handle the trip too well. B drove the entire time, and he was saying that the accelerator was a little sluggish, as if the car was a little too heavy for the Mini (hehe, a double entrendre?) engine.
We were travelling up and down winding roads during the two-day hire, and around the tight bends, the tyres were screeching! We weren't even going that fast, but the tyres couldn't handle it anyway.
B also complained about the poor location of the speedometer. He couldn't see the car speed too well, and distracted him from concentrating on the actual driving. Rather dangerous!! And when using the manual (the car was Tiptronic), he also couldn't see clearly the dial showing which gear he was in.
And can you believe it - after only a day, we noticed there was a chip on the windscreen. Already! We hadn't noticed the chip prior to signing the rental agreement, so we're not sure if the chip actually happened during our rental period. But either way, it wasn't on the sign-off inspection sheet that we signed when we drove out of the rental car park, so I guess we'll be slugged for the cost of fixing it. :(
So perhaps the only plus about the car - the fact that it was a convertible! Not much else was going for it, really... 3 out of 10 for me.
We were travelling up and down winding roads during the two-day hire, and around the tight bends, the tyres were screeching! We weren't even going that fast, but the tyres couldn't handle it anyway.
B also complained about the poor location of the speedometer. He couldn't see the car speed too well, and distracted him from concentrating on the actual driving. Rather dangerous!! And when using the manual (the car was Tiptronic), he also couldn't see clearly the dial showing which gear he was in.
And can you believe it - after only a day, we noticed there was a chip on the windscreen. Already! We hadn't noticed the chip prior to signing the rental agreement, so we're not sure if the chip actually happened during our rental period. But either way, it wasn't on the sign-off inspection sheet that we signed when we drove out of the rental car park, so I guess we'll be slugged for the cost of fixing it. :(
So perhaps the only plus about the car - the fact that it was a convertible! Not much else was going for it, really... 3 out of 10 for me.
Sunday, May 6, 2007
Sunburnt
B&I went to the beach today and now my arms are sunburnt. And I have a t-shirt mark. Ugh! We walked around in the sun for a few hours before we settled on the beach, and I didn't put on any sunscreen until we actually found our spot on the sand. Tsk tsk. Goes to show you should always slip slop slap whenever you're out and about, not just when you're on the beach. Especially so for someone like me who burns after only 5 minutes in the sun! :-/
(I'm lying on the beach feeling the sun's rays penetrating me. And instead of enjoying the warm, relaxing atmosphere on the beach, I'm there thinking: "oh no, the sun's rays are probably contributing to my getting skin cancer. I can almost feel the cells multiplying... Did I put enough sunscreen on? Maybe I should just go sit in the shade to minimise the effects of the sun's damaging rays... But it's too cold in the shade, I need the sun's warmth...". Not a very good mindset to have when you're trying to enjoy your day at the beach!!)
(I'm lying on the beach feeling the sun's rays penetrating me. And instead of enjoying the warm, relaxing atmosphere on the beach, I'm there thinking: "oh no, the sun's rays are probably contributing to my getting skin cancer. I can almost feel the cells multiplying... Did I put enough sunscreen on? Maybe I should just go sit in the shade to minimise the effects of the sun's damaging rays... But it's too cold in the shade, I need the sun's warmth...". Not a very good mindset to have when you're trying to enjoy your day at the beach!!)
Wednesday, May 2, 2007
TV and Movies
THE NUMBER 23
B & I went to watch The Number 23 with Jim Carrey yesterday. It was a pretty good movie, despite the fact that I spent almost the entire time adding up various names and places to see if anything summed up to 23! Hmmm... I guess that would make more sense if you've seen the movie....! :) I'd like to add up a few names now actually, if you don't mind (I didn't get the chance to do the sums during the movie!)...
Walter Paul Sparrow
= (23 + 1 + 12 + 20 + 5 + 18) + (16 + 1 + 21 + 12) + (19 + 16 + 1 + 18 + 18 + 15 + 23)
= (79) + (50) + (110)
= (7 + 9) + (5 + 0) + (1 + 1 + 0)
= 16 + 5 + 2
= 23
YEAH!! :D (Although expected)
King Edward Hotel
= (11 + 9 + 14 + 7) + (5 + 4 + 23 + 1 + 18 + 4) + (8 + 15 + 20 + 5 + 12)
= (41) + (55) + (60)
= (4 + 1) + (5 + 5) + (6 + 0)
= 5 + 10 + 6
= 21
Awwww... Not 23.... :(
Casanova's Park
= (3 + 1 + 19 + 1 + 14 + 15 + 22 + 1 + 19) + (4 + 1 + 18 + 11)
= 95 + 34
= (9 + 5) + (3 + 4)
= 14 + 7
= 21
Awwww... Not 23 either.... :(
OK, that's enough maths for one day, even for me!
DANCING WITH THE STARS
This year's Dancing With the Stars has been the best season so far. The dancing calibre of this year's celebrities has been absolutely amazing (OK, apart from Farmer Dave... LOL), and the playing field was a lot fairer than in previous years. I'm glad Kate and Fifi were in the Grand Final, they both deserved to be there.
Prior to last night's episode, I actually didn't mind who won the competition. But after watching Fifi's improvement last night, I would have probably preferred her to win the overall competition.
Kate's performance was good, as always, but she seemed to have plateaued, which showed in her dances last night (and in her slightly lower scores, minus the Freestyle). Her Jive was pretty much the same as it was in Week 2 (or whenever she first performed it). It was a great performance, don't get me wrong, and it was probably her best dance all season (hence probably why they chose this particular routine for the Grand Final) but it didn't show any improvement in her technique.
Fifi's repeat performance on the other hand (Salsa) showed a clear improvement in her dancing. She was a lot sexier this time around, a lot more fluid in her movements. And the "Chicken or Beef" didn't look like "Chicken or Beef" at all the second time 'round! :) And her Rumba was very well executed too, a much harder dance than Kate's comparable dance for the Grand Final (Salsa).
But in the end, they both gave it their all, which should be applauded. And it's all for a good cause, which makes it all the more worthwhile. :)
(PS - I love my dancing, can you tell??! LOL)
B & I went to watch The Number 23 with Jim Carrey yesterday. It was a pretty good movie, despite the fact that I spent almost the entire time adding up various names and places to see if anything summed up to 23! Hmmm... I guess that would make more sense if you've seen the movie....! :) I'd like to add up a few names now actually, if you don't mind (I didn't get the chance to do the sums during the movie!)...
Walter Paul Sparrow
= (23 + 1 + 12 + 20 + 5 + 18) + (16 + 1 + 21 + 12) + (19 + 16 + 1 + 18 + 18 + 15 + 23)
= (79) + (50) + (110)
= (7 + 9) + (5 + 0) + (1 + 1 + 0)
= 16 + 5 + 2
= 23
YEAH!! :D (Although expected)
King Edward Hotel
= (11 + 9 + 14 + 7) + (5 + 4 + 23 + 1 + 18 + 4) + (8 + 15 + 20 + 5 + 12)
= (41) + (55) + (60)
= (4 + 1) + (5 + 5) + (6 + 0)
= 5 + 10 + 6
= 21
Awwww... Not 23.... :(
Casanova's Park
= (3 + 1 + 19 + 1 + 14 + 15 + 22 + 1 + 19) + (4 + 1 + 18 + 11)
= 95 + 34
= (9 + 5) + (3 + 4)
= 14 + 7
= 21
Awwww... Not 23 either.... :(
OK, that's enough maths for one day, even for me!
DANCING WITH THE STARS
This year's Dancing With the Stars has been the best season so far. The dancing calibre of this year's celebrities has been absolutely amazing (OK, apart from Farmer Dave... LOL), and the playing field was a lot fairer than in previous years. I'm glad Kate and Fifi were in the Grand Final, they both deserved to be there.
Prior to last night's episode, I actually didn't mind who won the competition. But after watching Fifi's improvement last night, I would have probably preferred her to win the overall competition.
Kate's performance was good, as always, but she seemed to have plateaued, which showed in her dances last night (and in her slightly lower scores, minus the Freestyle). Her Jive was pretty much the same as it was in Week 2 (or whenever she first performed it). It was a great performance, don't get me wrong, and it was probably her best dance all season (hence probably why they chose this particular routine for the Grand Final) but it didn't show any improvement in her technique.
Fifi's repeat performance on the other hand (Salsa) showed a clear improvement in her dancing. She was a lot sexier this time around, a lot more fluid in her movements. And the "Chicken or Beef" didn't look like "Chicken or Beef" at all the second time 'round! :) And her Rumba was very well executed too, a much harder dance than Kate's comparable dance for the Grand Final (Salsa).
But in the end, they both gave it their all, which should be applauded. And it's all for a good cause, which makes it all the more worthwhile. :)
(PS - I love my dancing, can you tell??! LOL)
Self-Doubt
I'm starting to have doubts as to whether I really want to study medicine. My current concerns:
1. I'm the biggest procrastinator. I'm going to have to fight that big time if I'm going to study med. It's a course in which I definitely cannot leave my studying until the final few weeks before the exam.
2. It's a tough course. It sounds like my life is going to consist of only studying and sleeping for months on end. Do I really want to sacrifice all my time in this way?
3. Am I smart enough? I'm going to be surrounded by all these highly intelligent people. Can I even keep up, without having to spend 18 hours a day studying? Or would I have to be studying 18 hours a day anyway, even if I was the smartest person in the course??
4. My age. I'm older now, my ability to absorb new information takes a little longer than it used to.... I may have to study the 18 hours a day anyway just to keep up with the 20-year olds that will be studying with me.... Then there's the other aspect of not being able to practise medicine for as long as some of these kids. Granted, I'll still get 25+ years even if I graduated from uni at 40 years of age. But that still won't stop me from dwelling on my age... :)
5. I'll be a poor uni student again. For four years. And let's face it, it'll be a few years after graduation before I even start making the same amount of money that I do now. This is the financial sacrifice.
6. Lifestyle. Stemming partly from 5., I've grown accustomed to a number of things in my life - the time and money for dance lessons, the time to watch as much tv as I currently do, having discretionary money to buy almost anything that I want... Am I willing to sacrifice all this as well?
7. Is it really the course for me? Would I truly enjoy it as a career? Is my personality suited to medicine?
Or maybe these doubts are only coming out now because I know that the GAMSAT results are going to be released very very shortly, and my goal of obtaining a place as a med student may be that one step closer in just a few weeks, which will turn my life as I currently know it upside down....
1. I'm the biggest procrastinator. I'm going to have to fight that big time if I'm going to study med. It's a course in which I definitely cannot leave my studying until the final few weeks before the exam.
2. It's a tough course. It sounds like my life is going to consist of only studying and sleeping for months on end. Do I really want to sacrifice all my time in this way?
3. Am I smart enough? I'm going to be surrounded by all these highly intelligent people. Can I even keep up, without having to spend 18 hours a day studying? Or would I have to be studying 18 hours a day anyway, even if I was the smartest person in the course??
4. My age. I'm older now, my ability to absorb new information takes a little longer than it used to.... I may have to study the 18 hours a day anyway just to keep up with the 20-year olds that will be studying with me.... Then there's the other aspect of not being able to practise medicine for as long as some of these kids. Granted, I'll still get 25+ years even if I graduated from uni at 40 years of age. But that still won't stop me from dwelling on my age... :)
5. I'll be a poor uni student again. For four years. And let's face it, it'll be a few years after graduation before I even start making the same amount of money that I do now. This is the financial sacrifice.
6. Lifestyle. Stemming partly from 5., I've grown accustomed to a number of things in my life - the time and money for dance lessons, the time to watch as much tv as I currently do, having discretionary money to buy almost anything that I want... Am I willing to sacrifice all this as well?
7. Is it really the course for me? Would I truly enjoy it as a career? Is my personality suited to medicine?
Or maybe these doubts are only coming out now because I know that the GAMSAT results are going to be released very very shortly, and my goal of obtaining a place as a med student may be that one step closer in just a few weeks, which will turn my life as I currently know it upside down....
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