Boy In London

My Apartment

2007-11-05T11:12:00.000Z

Joseph: Hey bro it's great to hear from you! I didn't know pple still come to my blog. I must admit it has been pretty stagnant and even when i blog it's quite mundane things about my life. Yea i play the piano and i think no one in london knows. Or should i say i USED to play the piano i'm not like a beginner all over again, after 10 years. Practice hard for your golf, cos we are. looking forward to play with you. Get the sembawang membership la. It's now half price entry, then you can sign me in as guest! hahaha. It's really beautiful to play it here in the UK.

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OKIE! Update about my apartment. The place where i stayed at for the past 2 years has been sold, and we were homeless till about 1 week before i returned. At that time, even i, someone who was always confident of finding a place which meets our demands, was starting to get nervous. Thankfully we have zhifeng and xunxing here to help us to meet agents, and to make phone calls etc., and we did find someplace near college, and at the max of our budget.

It's rather expensive, 100pounds per week for a double room, but it includes all utilities (water, hot water, central heating) and licensed TV. It was supposed to include internet (needs another 1 month to set up), landline (no tone). But we did manage to get them to buy us a washing machine (which hasn't arrived.)

it's a cosy (small) place with warm (dim) lighting, with little natural light, so it feels like it's always night. good for sleeping, bad for 9am lectures. we rearranged the whole apartment to make it more conducive for studying and it's much better now.

My bedroom, the bed on the left is Xunxing's who is away in Singapore now and i just washed his bedsheets. So there's nothing there. and the bed on the right is mine! =)

This is the toilet, which is next to my room. It's quite white and clean looking. Our official toilet cleaner is my room mate Xunxing, but he is away in Singapore and we are missing him already. Come back quick the toilet's getting dirty hahaha!

This is the kitchen. It comes equipped with one hot plate, and one not-so-hot plate. It also comes with an oven which helped me set my personal best of 2.5 hours to cook a lump of pork and some parts still were not fully cooked. It has no heater in the kitchen as well, so basically, it's a pretty cool place.

And here is the rearranged living room, with weixin studying hard. Weixin and Edwin are hit really hard by the lack of internet because they are very tech savvy people. It's not a very good picture because it still looks quite messy but it's better than it looks. The table on the right middle of the photo is my corner.

Close up of my corner. I am very happy to have my own study table at last. and a corner for my sports equipment, as you can see on the right. I like my corner. I can also turn the tv and watch it while i eat my breakfast there. hahaha.

So. That's my apartment (less edwin and weixin's room). It looks like this in both day and night, so there's no need to show day/night versions, unlike last year's. I love natural bright light and this place is not very good for my morale. But, i will make do. Okie that's all for now!

First Entry for the Final Year

2007-10-16T16:05:00.001+01:00

I wonder if anyone still reads this, now that i haven't updated this website for almost half a year. I am now back, and i am going to try to update this more often. Set up in my first year in London to let my family know more about what i'm doing here, i am now in my final year. The conclusion that i have come to is: Time Flies No Matter What You Do.

I'm glad that time flies for me, that means that i'm probably making full use of my time, i hope. Some updates:

1) i've decided not to play squash for Imperial in my final year, mainly because i'm going to be unable to give 100% commitment to the team due to my work, and partly because it will give me an opportunity to try something different in my last year in this beautiful country.

2) I've started russian! It's very challenging, but certainly a beautiful language like many others. Annoying at the start because the letters are not what they seem in english. For example,

S is written as C.

T is written as m

R is written as P

P is written as n

B is actually v.
and some other letter which doesn't exist in english is B.

You get the idea.

3) i've been practicing my piano daily. the pianos in Imperial Blythe Music centre are so beautiful. I'm thankful my mum pushed me to grade 8 cos now i can book the grand piano rooms! WOOHOO! I shall take some videos/ photos sometime in the near future. Mum and dad cannot believe that i've restarted my piano again. Many thanks to vivian for letting me know how fortunate i am to learn it, and to Jay Chou for filming Secret.

Something embarrassing - Today, after i finished my practice session and i was getting ready to leave, two girls came in and asked me to sight read for them so that they can sing. hahaha. of course i played it like shit and they begged me to stop. Ok it wasn't so bad. but i don't think i'll hear from them again. So i console myself - I haven't played for 10 years.

4) Golf. Been going to the range with sebastian on a weekly basis. It's great. i've filmed my swing to show my family. Have a look !

Here's a picture of the driving range and putting green

me:

Mothers Day

2007-05-15T12:19:00.000+01:00

^!^: Hehehe. Okie. i'm blogging again! but i'm already busy with my project. :P i'm still disappointed over somethings, but i guess i've just gotta gather myself and work hard for the next one month.

Jer: Bro! good to see you here man. How's things going for you? i hope they are certainly better now. I'm going to PLAB for my attachment! we can go for prata together :P

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Mothers day was on Sunday.... got my mum some flowers from a really good website... the service was so personal and efficient, delivering right on the actual day early in the morning. If any of you want to give someone flowers, ask me and i'll recommend this place to you!

Happy Mother's Day!

I know that i have made my mum happy, but i also know that there is never enough that i can do to give her back the same amount of happiness as she had given to me in my life. Somethings just cannot be repaid in full, but i am thankful for the debt.

Can't wait to go home for the summer... lotsa work to be done before that though! =(

Okie gotta get back to school now. Work work!

f*****ed.

2007-04-24T15:28:00.000+01:00

just had my structures paper today. i'm totally gone. dead. ...

i'm just... finished. This year's exams seem to be too much for me. too much, too soon.

i've never felt this bad since JC prelims. and i failed that one.

Ooh.

2007-04-03T10:40:00.000+01:00

Read my VisualDNA™ Get your own VisualDNA™

23rd Birthday

2007-03-27T01:59:00.000+01:00

^!^ : Yea!!! It's fun!! and we're going again! hahaha. whee~!!!

Terence: Bro! I will visit you in June ok. Good luck with your exams preparations!!! Bon luck! hahaha. I'm finally going to Paris. Le City of Lurve. But i must survive my exams first. *terrified look*

Sista: Gentleman is a nice way to put it. I call it the househusband. What is the male version of a tai tai? Cooking is super fun though. Too bad our house oven is spoilt. I'm getting good at grilling meats.

cookie_monster: of course i can cook. but here only got pasta. hahaha. limited equipment. I'm going to Edinburgh tmr! hehehe. weekend trip.. then must study hard already. what are your plans?

Windz: I agree that pple only read as often as i update. but i can't help it. it's either i'm too busy, or i've got really crappy time management. Not everyone is as free as Electrical engineering ok.

Liuyk: Yuankang!! Why are you in Msia? ??? ???? ????? climb mountain ah. anyway, we must play football in RI when i get back! you know what. i sprained my ankle 4 weeks ago and it's still pain. I'm bloody old now. one month for a sprained ankle? it used to be 1 day! =(

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This year, i turn 23!! but in 2007, there is still no 29th February. Many people tell me that they feel sorry for me for having such a crappy birthday. But why is 29/02 crappy? I LOVE IT. Why? Becos...
1) it may be difficult to celebrate but it's easy to remember!
2) I sometimes get to celebrate on both 28/02 and 1/03 if i'm lucky! and finally,
3) 4 times less people on this planet have the same birthday as me! so it's 1/365 * 1/4 = 1/1460.
yes yes. i know someone will wanna correct my probability. go ahead i dun care. haha.

You know quite a few guys have told me in the past "If you bday really 29/02, i cut off my balls." i tried to tell them but they didn't listen. Sigh. See? another plus point. No no not the balls what are you thinking? I'm saying that it's a good conversation topic.

Anyway, my dearest vivian organised a really massive party for me, and cooked my favourite foods for our guests and me! It was yummy! Ok i'll let the pictures do the talking.

These are the party pictures!

Look at the food available! Mee siam! Vivian was just asking me what i feel like eating. and i stupidly said "ooh i miss mee siam." and she went all the way down to china town to buy all the ingredients on her own!

I think i'm quite easily tricked. Sorry for not saying something easier. Like "Oooh i miss sainsbury pizza."

Anyway, everyone loved the food and had lotsa fun! (that's the impression i got.)

Some of the individual shots.

1st row L-R:
1) xingmao and bingliang, Rojak! actors... really miss those days. the stage chemistry was amazing. 2) lianglong: 4th in all uk JUDO master
3) Changyong: Horny boy.

2nd row L-R
1) vivian and me! 2) john and sharon! 3) handsome alf and john again!

3rd row L-R
1) the pretty ladies 2) Sanmay! co-OGL at sojourn! 3) look i'm as tall as cumarran!

Here's some of the group photos:

1st row: With my OG. and cheryl spread toothpaste on me. It's her fetish. she likes toothpaste. I don't think i'll be an OGL again. with an OG as wonderful as this, i wanna keep the the space in my memory just for them.

2nd row L-R:
1) Housemates! thanks for living with me. and getting me the brilliant seinnheiser earphones! the sound blew me away!
2 & 3) Flat 5. Thanks for getting me strawberries, and durex lubricants. I'm sure they'll be great together. maybe i can swallow the strawberry whole! *gulp*

3rd row: 88 flat 7. The coolest bunch of guys who are always there for you.

I grinned like a fool while unwrapping presents.

hehe. thanks everyone for making my 23rd such a wonderful memory. I will always remember this.

Thank you, my favourite girl, for making all this happen. As i always believe, the party is only as big as the organiser plans it to be. Even though you were busy with work, you still took a few days off to put this party together. You're the best!

For more photos, please go to
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7400948@N04/sets/72157600007999894/

Prague

2007-03-12T01:47:00.000Z

vivian: hmm. i can't decide which one is best too. anyway... it looks like hardly anyone is reading this blog anymore becos my poll for favourite quotes has one reply. =( anyway... i shall still post up some of our photos from prague!!

We started our trip with coffee and cake in a cafe located in an office/ shopping centre kinda thing.

This is the office/ shopping place kinda place. We're here becos we wanted to go to the supermarket! which is kinda an aunty thing to do, but i wanted to make use of the kitchen in our hostel apartment to make dinner!

Dinner. nothing very special cos of the limited cooking tools. the white wine was really nice and so was the conversation. it's really relaxing to sit down for a couple of hours and just talk.

after talking, vivian had to go back to do her coursework becos the evil lecturers gave her so much to do!

I didn't just make dinner. I made breakfast!

It's quite funny becos vivian spent the night doing her coursework, while i slept and got up early to make breakfast. i asked her if a househusband is a good ambition. muahahahaha. but i actually enjoy cooking.

We went sightseeing after breakfast. This is the change of guard. not really as spectacular as england's.

and the stupid guard didn't wanna take photo with me.

Panaromic view of Prague!

it's actually not that spectacular again. but there is no higher point.

still... the climb was quite tiring. so i'm ok with this height already.

Next we went to the river.

It's really beautiful, and it is really quite romantic.

But i forgot the name of the river. oops.

Oooh... us with the river and scenery.

Old town square.

Vivian and I try to be models with those old buildings.

We eat again. This time, it was authentic Czech food, pork knuckle and roast duck, with Czech's favourite beer!

The narcissists couldn't resist a photo with their reflections. It was in a high class shopping centre which was so expensive that it was empty. and we couldn't buy anything so we took photos.

The streets had cheaper things. i bought pair of leather shoes for 10 pounds and vivian bought a pair of sunglasses for 5!

Shopping is fun!! ok. i'm starting to sound gay.

But it's true! ....I mean shopping.

Us with the street which i forgot the name. The street is as long as its name, and it's a favourite shopping area!

Overall, prague was a beautiful place, but somehow lacking that "ultra romantic" image that i had in mind before i went. The thing that left the deepest impression is that...

all the cars are dusty. dunno why.

Who says football's all rough and tough?

2007-03-01T11:24:00.000Z

Thought of a few captions for this interesting picture. Which is best?

1) There is more than one way to score on the football pitch.

2) If you can't get the ball, get the man.

3) Injecting new life into the modern game.

4) Bend it like Beckham. The Sequel.

image courtesy of soccernet espn.

Chinese New Year Dinner

2007-02-23T17:40:00.000Z

Hullo! Here are the pictures for the Imperial College Singapore Society CNY dinner. It was good because i got to meet alot of people whom i haven't seen in a long time and it was fun to do some catching up. The food was OK... yusheng was totally awesome but the rest of the dishes were pretty ordinary. It's ok. the yusheng totally made up for it. The dessert was... oranges. I thought the guys were joking when they said "Oh! our dessert is going to be oranges!" i laughed at that comment but the truth didn't take long to sink in when it arrived. But all in all it was great fun! and to get that kind of dinner in london for 10 pounds? it's really good stuff.

here are the photos!

My housemates.

It's going to be the last year for some of us staying together. Vivian and Melvin are graduating this year, and Rio isn't going to be staying with us next year cos he's going to Germany.

It's kinda sad because they are really super nice people to stay with.

Going to miss vivian most cos i'll miss all the daily chatting, complaining, gossiping etc.

Yusheng. We lau yu sheng so hard that the "zhup" landed on bingliang's hair and the salad got into yuyong's tea.

Funnily all the damaged happened tot the guys sitting directly opposite me. How strange!

er... hehehe.

Grace, Jiamin and Marc.

I love the killer glare from Grace.

and Marc looked like an uncle that day.

Marc is not satisfied and grabs Edwin's voluptous chest from behind.

Marc and I trying to show that it's the year of the pig.

Raj and I. I must say i have learnt many things from Raj while working with him on the 23rd ExCo. Looking back i'm still really proud of all the things that we have done as an ExCo.

*clockwise from left*

Hanyan and i taking a picture outside the restaurant.

The aeroboys. i'm so short you can just about see me in that photo.

With the SAF men.

Vivian and I.

One thing bad about the restaurant is the the participants are split into two levels. This was a little inconvenient because i didn't get to see much of the people upstairs. Oh well there's always another chance to catch up!

Happy CNY everyone.

Valentines Day

2007-02-18T01:32:00.000Z

Woohoo! I have gotten Picasa2 with some advice from elaine and i can now do collage! oh man. i'm so untechno savvy. Vivian just learnt it too! oh man... we're so untechno savvy. hahaha! nevermind. better learn late then never.

Valentines day this year was fun! Here are some photos... Tada!

Roses are red, violets are blue.
Vicious rose sellers may jack up the price.
But i'll get them just for you.

Dinner at Myung Ga (名家) at regent street. one of the most authentic korean food you can get in london! Food was great and service was impeccable. Highly recommended.
I'm in love with kimchi and plum wine.

Us at Myung Ga.

Vivian made me some super duper yummy cookies! with my favourite ingredient. Skippy peanut butter! and sprinkled with chocolate chip! slurp. i like to eat them with fresh milk. happy me.

Relativity.

2007-01-16T15:12:00.000Z

Been studying as hard as i could for the two exam papers coming up this thursday and friday. finite elements, and helicopter dynamics. It's either i'm becoming stupider, or the work is really getting harder. Either I write too slowly, or the expectations on how much work u need to do in an exam grows exponentially. Maybe both. There seems to be too much to do in too little time.... and i feel like i'm already doing my best but i just pray and hope that doing my best will be good enough.

A recent event has made me realise that everything that has ever been deemed important in life is relative. Fortunately i had vivian with me at the time because talking to her really helped me to refocus. Right now i want to be somewhere more important but i cannot leave.

Don't know how to end this post so i'll just finish it here.

Homesickness.

2007-01-05T11:36:00.000Z

vivian: hehehe guess wat you're right! i can't update once a week minimum. that was the time when i was in year 1 and things were still happening much more slowly. damn. i do want to put up pictures of my life here but it takes so damn long to wait for one picture to get attached. mabbe i'm a computer idiot but i dunno how some people can keep up a beautiful blog, with all the funky decorations and links and pictures update every other day. i just can't do it! The aero course just seems to get busier and busier as the years progresses.... i think you know... hehe.

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Homesickness. Is homesick-ness even a word? I don't know. But i know that it is something that seems to increase with each year i stay overseas. Even though i know more and more people, i actually feel lonelier. Loneliness is not defined by the number of people in your life. Have you ever stood in a crowd and wondered if how many of the people you see are actually really there? How many of the people you know actually care?

I've always prided myself in being able to tell a person's character well, able to get little messages from a person's body language and eyes. I could always sense when someone was lying, and when someone was being sincere or not. But the sad truth today is, I have made mistakes again, and again.

Perhaps it is human nature to take for granted what is given. I have misplaced my trust in people for a few years now. Maybe it is because i am too trusting. Maybe my expectations of "friends" is too high. Maybe i am just a poor judge of character. Or maybe these "friendships" have always been one way and i am the only idiot holding on to hope.

However, through these times, there are some people who remained throughout. They give me strength to hope again, and i am thankful that they are in my life. I will go the extra mile for them because even through all the scars some have left behind, i know they will do the same for me. Somehow, i feel that i don't need to say any names, but you will know who you are.

I have found out that I have done well for my first two years here. And i would really like to keep that going. Every year brings about new challenges and difficulties. Even though i know they'll come along on their own, i will still give myself even more.... that's called making life difficult for yourself. but i guess that's what makes my life here fulfilling. and bearable.

New Month Resolution

2006-11-30T16:43:00.000Z

With today being the last day of november, and with the last update of this blog being on the 24 of october, if i don't update today i would have not update for 2 months! (december - october = 12 - 10 = 2.) did i tell you maths is my strong point? hahahahaha.

anyway. with the november coming to a close, i've made a new month resolution. I am going to blog more. The reason why i'm not blogging that much is becos my main point is to upload photos for peeps to see. but the uploading of the photos take so goddam long i get sick of it and i go to do other things. I'm going to get the collage software so i can load multiple photos in one photo.

some basic updates over the past month. I went to notts games, and got myself injured again. It's true. age does make a big difference. i'm starting to sink to the realisation that i'm no longer the sprightly young energetic young people i see in the first years. They're so idealistic, filled to the brim with wide eyed enthusiasm and never ending energy. I was there. I am there no more. Now, i feel like playing more field football, before my speed abandons me too.

anyway, got injured at notts first game in the day, was wondering whether i should pull out or not. i stuck in it, and managed to get a 2nd placing. i'm not disappointed. think i've already done better than my own expectations... considering i couldn't run very much.

OK. so the new month resolution is such that i must blog more. i aim to make this update once a week minimum. hehe.

Update!! Finally.

2006-10-24T15:17:00.000+01:00

Xiufang: Drop drop droppppp!! Thanks for the pointers man... they really helped. We won yesterday!

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Okie! Update!! I am now in year 3 of my 4 year aeronautics course. It feels strange to be in the 3rd year. Almost surreal. Like my coursemate Jay just told me like 1 minute ago, the worst thing about being in year 3, is that he didn't feel any smarter! Haha. me neither actually. Xiufang and Tingjun just asked me some year 1 question last week, and i actually had to go home and think about it. Damn i wish i had it all at my fingertips. But i sorted it out and it actually helped me to understand a tutorial question which i really should have done 2 years ago. better late than never. =P

This year, my main priorities are to focus on my studies, and for the first time in many years, to give my full commitment to playing squash again. I've been kept out for a while now due to a back injury and other extra curricular activities. Now i am back to full fitness, I have gotten back to the Imperial mens first team and i hope to improve my game from there. I also want to focus on my studies, and read up more on aspects of aeronautics that i am interested in, like mechanics of flight, aircraft performance, flight testing etc. and also, to spend more time with Vivian.

On spending more time with her, we went for a day trip down to Seven Sisters, the white chalk cliffs in the south of the UK. It's really nice! We didn't actually walk all the Seven Sisters, just one. I guess putting pictures would be more useful... so tada!

It was a long walk down to the cliffs so Vivian stocks up energy by having some chocolate croissants. yummy.

The picture above is the pebble beach after the long walk! where the white cliffs will be on our right. Hehehe.

We got nearer to the cliffs! Slowly.

Big Hug!

View from the top, looking across to the other six sisters.

Limited pictures uploaded due to internet speed...
TO BE CONTINUED......
Goodnight world!

The Shoppa Holik

2006-09-27T12:38:00.000+01:00

One of the skills i've learnt this holiday:
How to spend my money like it isn't mine.

I bet the economy feels stimulated.

Dammit. I'm broke.

Summer Dreaming

2006-09-22T10:09:00.000+01:00

As sure as day turns into night, it is time to return to London again. Somehow the fact that I am returning to London as a year 3 hasn't settled in. A third year student in a four year course! When i was going into my fresher year, i remember looking at year threes and thinking how cool my year three seniors were... pple like Wenbin, Bernard, Siangpeng, Joseph, Bingrong, Clement, Hai Jade, PC, and many others... Now, i am year three... and they've all graduated and have started on their careers. They say that time flies when you're having fun. I did have fun when i was there, but studying for exams wasn't that fun. So i say, time flies regardless of what you're doing. I guess the only thing we can do, is to live the present, treasure the moment.

I think the reason why my time flies all the time, is because I always have something to do. Now and then i will be lazy and take an afternoon nap... or blog... but otherwise, there is always something. Last summer and year 2 was crazy. This summer is better because i was able to spend more time with my family, friends, and myself.

One of the most memorable things about this summer, was of course my first anniversary with vivian. We had to postpone our celebrations because she was overseas doing her internship then. Only when she returned did we go for our celebration at a beautiful place. When i graduate, I plan to bring my family there too. It may be a bit expensive, but I'm never particular about treating if it is for some special people in my life... and if it is not like... everyday.

vivian and me.

Another memorable thing was accepting the 24th Singsoc ExCo's invitation to be an OGL. I was keen to do it partly because I felt that i have reached a stage where i know enough to help the freshers know more about life in London... but on a personal level, i wanted to find out more about myself. I wasn't sure if i had it in me to be an OGL. To me, an OGL had to be fun, exciting, enthusiastic, crazy during games, but also one who can become totally serious, mature and patient when the freshers have problems. I didn't know if i could do that. I will be honest, some of the juniors from the other groups didn't like me. But in all honesty, i didn't, and still don't, know what i did. I didn't talk to them. I don't even know them. Eda says that i am just an obvious target they pick on because my group is so strong in all the activities... Edwin says my group is too aggressive in one of the games. OK. So that's why they hate me. because of one game that lasted 20 minutes out of the whole day. Well... at least I am more than happy that i was able to help my group in some way before they depart to London. It was really good to work with Sanmay and Klement. Sanmay impressed me so much. I've alway thought.. she's a nice, quiet girl... but through the camp, i learnt that she has, in her own genial style and quiet confidence, a very likeable leadership ability. Respect.

OG Predeparture Dinner at Paragon Sushi Teh.

Also went to watch Jess dance. When Tian and Jess were in London, we were so close together, but didn't meet up in the end. Now that i am back in Singapore, i was really happy when Jess told me that she's got two tickets and she asked me along. Honoured. She can really shake, that girl. How time flies... Tian and her have been together for like... since I was sec three. that's.... *counts* 8 years?! correct or not... *counts again* about there right? hmm. 22-15 = 7... bah. Anyway, it was good seeing them!

Viv, Jess and me! I love my shitty situations Tshirt.

There is also the attachment which i had at Aerodynamics Branch. Speaking of which, i got a dinner with them which i must go prepare for now. Will update this post soon!

Beautiful.

2006-09-15T10:25:00.000+01:00

Xiufang! : hullo Xiufang!.. haha. looks like the ! is part of your name. like the !Kung bushmen. hawhawhaw! and the ! is actually a click sound made with the tongue. so it's the *click*Kung bushmen. now u can add this to all your other unimaginable sound effects ho ho ho! *click*

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Ok. Ever since the flooble chatterbox died, i've been replying comments like this. While it's a sad thing that nobody ever tags here... it's probably my fault as well for not updating this blog as often as i would like to. But in all honesty, i like this way of leaving comments and replying them. It somehow feels more... sincere. and personal. Maybe because it takes more effort than a flooble. so i'm not going to get myself another chatterbox. But i will be bringing in somethings to decorate my blog! i'll bring in the little e-pet adopted by Vivian and me!! The name is Ma ling! named after a luncheon meat brand. hahahaha. Super low maintenance pig. woohoo! and mabbe add in a clock or two from clocklink. ok i'll do that later.

Now, it's time to blog! after like... 2 months of inactivity.

This summer has been good. The best thing, of course, was to see my family. The beautiful thing is that it makes me realise all over again what a pampered little brat i am. how fortunate i am for a loving, supportive and whole family. Sometimes when i am in bed, waiting for sleep to settle in, i just wish that time would stand still. We would never grow old. Everything will remain the same. better still, rewind it. So i can go back to the childhood days. Filled with laughs and simple minded playthings. Everyday i was a different person in a different adventure... a cook. a policeman. a pilot. a soldier. a bus driver with a hoola hoop for a steering wheel. simple things, made beautiful by imagination.

But those will now remain as memories. I am now grown up. I can approve my own expenditure, go for excursions without consent forms, legally watch R(A) films. But the most beautiful thing about this summer is to have realised that i am living a dream. My dream. I have a photo in my room, yellowed with time. A little me, standing in the Singapore Science Centre, beaming in front of a display which highlighted my little size, entitled "Developments of Aircraft Systems". That picture is but the the beginning of a dream. And now, 17 years down the road, i am still trying to move closer to that same dream. I'm closer. But i'm not there yet.

Such beautiful machines. Powerful enough to bring people across oceans and continents in mere hours. Powerful enough to end lives in a flash. But yet elegant in their motions like in a ballet. A balance of power and control, these beatiful creations of perfection still facinates and captivates my imagination.

I was accepted into Imperial Aeronautics on the Centenary of Flight. Think about the potential. Think about how much we have still to find out. In a mere 100 years, we have gone from paper+plywood planes capable of a 22 second flight time to composite aircraft breaking the sound barrier many times over. One day, i want to be there in the forefront, pushing them beyond known limits.

This vacation's attachment back to the RSAF was beautiful. I was posted to the Aerodynamics Branch. Met people from the flight test centre, and also engineers from DSO. And it only served to enhance my desire to work with these passionate people and amazing machines. I spoke to people from many places, and learnt about their ideas, experiences, joys, and pains.

When you think that everything's great, life loves to give you a slap in the face to remind you - it's not all beautiful. Roses may smell nice, but they come with thorns.

Even though i may sound idealistic till now, I am not naive. i was warned that not everybody shares our passion, and beyond all the dreams looms an ominous shadow which threatens to swallow all things meaningful. I am glad that at my level where stakes are low, i am not really prone to them yet. But even so, i am beginning to see some things. It makes me feel sad, because it happens even now at this level, and from unexpected sources. I shall elaborate no further. the disappointment is too much.

Meanwhile, it is time for a proper holiday. I am glad that i have worked hard, because it has now served to make me appreciate the luxury of a good, lazy holiday. I love doing nothing.... every once in a long time. Beautiful.

Ok. time to go for a run. later folks.

My Number is...

2006-07-22T16:02:00.000+01:00

You Are 6: The Loyalist

You have strong relationships and are intensely loyal.

People find you easy to love and care for.

You like your world to be stable and secure, no surprises.

You're cautious. You prefer your inner circle to the outside world.

What Number Are You?

2006-07-12T15:28:00.000+01:00

OH... Did you watch eutotrip??? THIS IS WHERE THEY FILMED IT! and we found it!!! it's actually just across the canal from the Berliner Dom. When i recognised it it was really OMG. hahaha. so viv and i took a picture to try to imitate the one in the movie. I'm the geek of course, and she's the beauty.

2006-07-12T15:25:00.000+01:00

Berlin Wall's CV..

2006-07-12T15:24:00.000+01:00

Berlin Wall.

2006-07-12T15:23:00.000+01:00

The Berlin Wall and me!

2006-07-12T15:22:00.000+01:00

Me and a friend in the Berlin Wall.

2006-07-12T15:21:00.000+01:00

Berliner Dom (cathedral) with the TV Tower in the right background!

2006-07-12T15:19:00.000+01:00

My favourite Brandenburger Tor! With a big blue ball put there for the World Cup! and... the world cup trophy is inside!!!