World with indo mee. Amen~

Back to the reality

2010-09-30T10:29:00.004+01:00

My mood of 'I still wanna lie on my bed for as long as I want' is abating and now it's more towards 'I wanna go back to Oxford!'

Pros

1) I have just had a last outing with friends in Brunei in 2010. Well, prob another one tomorrow morning if we're going to play squash. Anyway, there won't be any outing anymore here.

2) The thoughts of carrying boxes from a few hundred metres away and up the narrow staircases daunt me so much. I really wanna get it over asap and my life for the next nine months will be rescued from misery. Because I won't need to move out for my vac anymore-I signed a contract for the full nine months!!!

3) Sick of contacting my committee members via emails all the time. Back there, I could just fire a few texts or ring them up, or meeting. So much easier!!

4) Either the Oxford website or the Brunei internet sucks, or maybe both. Fuck it's insanely tormenting to access not only the 'intranet' but also the general public Oxford website. WTF! Back there, it's so much faster and easier. It's literally one-click away. Here, yes it's one-click away but it may take half an hour or more. Seriously, I'm not joking. I usually finish watching a show I've loaded while waiting. Or sometimes, 'The webpage can't be displayed' screen appears.

5) I wanna watch drama and the internet there is much faster duh. And my schedule is much more free than last year so I'll have more time to watch drama/anime wtv.

6) My course properly starts in 2nd yr so I really wanna see how it's like. You know, you're always ambitious before things start.

7) I wanna see the fresh bloods. hahhaha.

8) Alcohol.

Cons

1) Malas to cook and wake up in the morning.

2) Laundry is _l_

ANYWAY, this Summer is more productive than the two before.

1) I played lots of squash- exercise!

2) More outings maybe. Hari raya open houses!!!

3) The effect of jetlag subsided pretty quick.

4) I went to Penang and Sg.

What I ought to do but I didn't:

1) Kg. Ayer and Temburong.

2) Gym <-- damn it so much ahhahha.

3) A proper internship experience. Hey I did try but 'they' disappointed me.

Can't think of other stuffs. Anyway, cya guys and have a good start at your Unis. Safe flights for those who're leaving.

Two weeks to go

2010-09-20T08:10:00.003+01:00

The traditional-ish black tie holds a classy modern fashion when worn together with the slim-fit white shirt! So extravagant in a way. The button of my one-really-nice white shirt from Zara got loosed a few days after I bought it. So pissed~

I want that grey jacket-blazer as well!

Croaking frogs. Please shaddup thanks.

2010-09-02T16:44:00.005+01:00

I've woken up at an ungodly hour in a holiday- 715am. It was for the Oxbridge Roadshow at MD and I have to say that I really admire those who have brilliant presentation skills. Say the British High Commisioner and Her Excellency/His Excellency's wife (no idea the correct way to address her). Both of them are graduates from Cambridge. Their presentation took the form of a double act, really cool!

Many people, esp students, hate formal talks, dry and boring script-reading speeches. So I always love those kinds as if the presentators are talking about ideas that have just sprung to their minds- the extemporaneous speeches, but, they do have the script right in front of them. It's just the way you deliver the speech.

They can as well guide the listeners to the appropriate mood at certain parts of their speeches, which remain really interesting. Say with a change of the tone, the listeners do know 'he is serious now.' Awesome~

I wish I could be like them.. I did try but I think I failed lol. Quite often, I was like 'urmmm...'

Token of appreciation-pen and a trophy. Seriously, they don't have to give us trophies. Not sure if trophy is the right noun actually.

And yea, this then settles one of the tasks of being a Univ Ambassador (a scheme I have taken part in)- delivering a talk to a school so as to promote and encourage the students to apply to Oxford and providing necessary guidelines and helps to those who are thinking so.

I think I have signed up for and done way too many things to boost up my CV (well actually my primary aim is to meet more people so I can make more friends. Yeayea I know it sounds desperate) but then now I find it unnecessary lol. As if I can squeeze in so much stuff into a CV. But oh well, since I have get involved, might as well just do it till the very end ie till the half term of Michaelmas.

I seriously love the Oxford crest. It takes the shape of the crest of Uchiha Clan from Naruto. Well may be vice versa, since Oxford has existed way before Naruto.

Okay Ox crest looks much better than Uchiha's!

Youngest

2010-07-30T11:18:00.005+01:00

My aunts came to Brunei last week and I had to offer them my room so I stayed at my eldest bro's room, sleeping on his bed, with him. The reason why my room was chosen? Coz I have a double bed. And I'm the youngest. Whatever the valid reasons my other siblings gave. The main reason is I'm the youngest.

Since young, I've always been sacrificed, ok not to that extent, but told to do this n that, whenever no one else wanna do it. I don't mind since when I was growing, I was an annoying crybie and money-sucking dependent being. And the elder ones took care of me.

What I'm annoyed is whenever I go around, the adults (uncles and aunties), upon knowing I'm the youngest one, will say 'Oh youngest! Manja ni. I bet you get everything you want!' I smiled and gave them a literal 'haha', thinking 'Fuck off old man/lady! Shut your bloody mouth up when you dunno anything and stop stereotyping the youngest child for god sake.'

Ok lah, exaggerate again, but I do get very very pissed.

Hahah I still remember I always spent minimal amount of money since young so now my parents urge me to spend more money. And also my mum gave me $50 one day during the MS time cz she thought I didn't wanna spend my money on lunch and hence I was so thin. Hell no. I didn't eat much coz I couldn't eat quickly that time and the lunch break was only half an hour long.

Now my aunt came back from Limbang together with my one cuz, and they're staying in my room. I stayed in my elder bro's room (single bed) yesterday night cz he went to KK. Now he's back I'll move to my eldest bro's room again.

Faint

2010-07-30T11:01:00.006+01:00

Who's up for a full medical check-up sometimes before we go back? I'm interested in having a blood test only though. Just wanna check out if my blood cells count, cholesterol level, [Hb] (ie concentration of haemoglobin), iron, platelets, etc comply to my healthy appearance!

I hope I don't have hypotension (low blood pressure) nor high cholesterol. You nvr know. I have a sphygmomanometer in my hse and I was tested having a hypotension at that time and it freaked me out. I swore it's because everyone in my family was so worried of hypertension (they get fat easily unlike me the odd one out) that we have been eating healthy food (and I've been eating healthy food for nearly all my life, unlike them, again) so my blood pressure was lower than norm.

And frequently I also find myself close to fainting, or maybe not since I've never fainted and hence I don't know how it feels when you're abt to faint. Maybe I'm just tired. But fainting is a symptom of low blood pressure since not enough blood is reaching your brain and thus the glucose and oxygen.

I tested myself again using another sphygmomanometer in Mubin's hse. I'm normal. Speaking of paranoia.

And you knw, thin people could get cardiac problems too. Thin doesn't imply low cholesterol level and hence I'm worried.

But then, we need to fast beforehand. Urghhh, I think I'll faint after the blood is taken out from my body.

ps Do you know the IV fluid contains sodium lactate? Amuses me for lactate being used as the energy source here. And no, lactate is different from lactose.

Research Centre (?)

2010-07-20T09:56:00.005+01:00

I've told my friends that it's in fact not a research centre. The dept/ unit I'm working at is a Vet Lab to check for the presence of bacteria and drug in meats, as well as the health of animals through regular blood check.

Monday boring. Tue dead boring though the thrill that happened (nothing to do with the procedures) excited the day a little bit. Wed I was half-dead. That's when I met these few people: Owen, Chee, Dayangku and Shirah. And they told me to go to the lab they're working at i.e. drug residue lab on the next Mon. Thur Sultan's bday. Sat Big makan for some reason hence I didn't go.

Monday again. In the morning, I spent my time with a lady named Surinah doing ELISA and she allowed me to do some pipetting. Then in the afternoon and Tue, I spent my time at drug residue. It was insanely awesome.

You know lab is actually very boring. Pipette 50 microlitres of this solution into this tube. Add the sample. Centrifudge it for 10 min. Incubate it for 1 hr. Cool it for 10 min. Add this and that and put it into a machine and take the readings then analyse it. Or pipette some microlitres of this into some microlitres of that then into it, add some microlitres of this bacteria solution. Vortex it. Swipe it on the agar. Incubate it for a few hrs. Count the colony or manipulate the colony with further pipetting experiments.

Same as all other jobs in the world, the tasks are awfully repetitive and hence the tormenting boredom. So the best lab is one that has enough work for you to do so you don't have to stare into the space or the machine in front of you AND also an awesome crew!! I have had that experience in that drug residue lab.

Shirah is the permanent staff of the lab. Chee and Dayangku are permanent staffs but still on a rotation basis till the 'boss' fixes them into one lab, because they are new. Owen belongs to the Halal and since they, whoever they are, are still building the lab, those so-called Halal people have to observe and help out in the labs here. These four people just cracked me up so badly.

Because of them, I was thinking of continuing working there for the rest of the week, which I'm supposed to do so but then after some thoughts, I then told the boss that I would like to leave today for good. They are working graduates who are earning money and I'm still a first year and I'll leave this place at the end of this week anyway. They will part their ways in a few weeks time too due to the rotation basis and they're well aware of that. A friendship that won't last. Why bother sacrificing my holiday?

But I've to tell you that these two days have been my greatest lab experience ever. I just kept on laughing!! In Oxford, labs were just urghh. Every second counts or you will get out of the lab after six hrs instead of four. Everyone, well most people, works as fast as possible and it's a huge pressure on us. We brought our tubes/plates/apparatus around the lab as quick as our legs could carry us without bumping onto someone doing the same thing. And the worst thing was seeing half of the lab gone and you.were.still.there.

You know, it's really fun to spend time with normal people who don't care about the truth behind everything-Theology, Science, Philosophy, Economics etc. Normal people who do work for the sake of doing it and have a laugh while doing it due to whatsoever reason. Something funny that has happened in the family, some stupid error, some office gossips. Gosh, I miss my old life that I've lost so so long ago, back when I'm still a normal boy.

I really hope I'll be working in a jolly lab like this, but it's incredibly rare I've to say. Fingers crossed.

'Kau syaitan!'

'Kau antu puchong!'

LOL. I nearly ROFLMAO.

Btw, I met a few attachers and had a few conversations with them, I felt bad for not knowing urm, many stuffs.

'So what're you doing now?'

'ND'

'What?'

'ND'

'???'

'National Diploma.'

'So what course are you doing?'

'Science.'

'In...'

'... Science.'

It's raining

2010-07-08T12:04:00.003+01:00

Towards the end of my first academic year in Oxford, the rain was no more a drizzle and I told myself, 'Wow I haven't experienced such a heavy rainfall for long. It's just like Brunei.'

No it's not. Nowhere near the magnitude of the downpour here. JC!

Have been playing squash for three mornings in a row. Many people questioned why we played squash at such an ungodly hour-10am. I wonder that too... According to Chern, this is so that we won't waste our afternoon.

Hh bought me a grand piano ligo from JPN. So awesome!! And I've built it up- it looks awesome. Black and white and yellow and a transparent layer underneath making it all so classy!! Now only if I could upload the picture. Internet connection here sucks.

Words are evolving. Apparently the word 'evolvability' exists, even though I couldn't find it in my Macbook dictionary.

My first casual book in a year

2010-06-25T16:24:00.006+01:00

Cutting for Stone is the title of a book I read recently. To be honest, it started off pretty plain and described the background of each character too detailed to my likings. However, I did not stop reading. And I'm glad of it.

It's a big book that tells the life stories of many characters who crossed the paths of each other in all different ways at different environments across two generations. Genre of The Kite Runner but I like this book more. Perhaps I still couldn't get out of the book and hence my fondness for it at this moment. The author, Abraham Verghese, is too cruel though. Absolutely heart-rending.( I actually prefer it to be less tragic at one point).

Forbidden love, family secrets and a country in turmoil

Go fucking read it. You guys will love it so so so much!!! I can lend it to you!

my maths tutor

2010-02-20T16:03:00.002Z

Well he is in fact a physical chemistry tutor but he gives maths tutes to we humble biochemists. Anyway this is what he said.

'Maths is beautiful. Pretty. Like a lady. Unlike that woman. What's her name? Gaga? Gaga something?

'It's Lady Gaga.'

WHAT LADY? She's not a lady! It's the last thing she'll be. God! Did you see her with the *motions describing some stuffs on her shoulders*... It's like she's carrying a chair on her shoulders! Good God! LADY!?

Quotes

2010-02-18T23:54:00.002Z

'If you are not going to talk much in this enzyme class, I'm sure this will last for two hours, which is of not particular interest to me as well because I have enzymes growing upstairs.'

'I have given up in procrastination. Whatever it means...'

Cnt believe I finally have free days to do catching up. Behind what I've planned but pretty productive.

Only one lecture tomorrow, but cnt be bothered to go cz it's hell boring. Multicellular life. A common question in the prelims but even if it comes out, I won't do it. I'm sure I won't score high.

No labs tomorrow, cnt believe this. I think they want us to spend time doing the effing poster abt any lab session we've worked through so far. And a lecture was cancelled just nw cz the lecturer couldnt make his series of lectures this term. Thus these free thur and fri (except for the one lecture but who cares).

Will blog abt cny in london and jimmy choo soon. Yes, I met him and took a photo with him!!!! Oh, I love Oxford so much.

birds

2010-02-10T13:20:00.004Z

Didn't go to the 9am lecture cz I knw it's a useless one. Txtbook is far more helpful. Sunlight shining through my curtain, good day. Took a shower and simply put on a t shirt and a hoody and off to my 10am lecture. Cooling breeze cz I felt hot after a shower.

Then when I walked bck, it's quite cold. Tolerable though. Then all of the sudden, BANG!!!! All the snow just poured down. In 10 min, the snow accumulated. Then the rate of snowing decreased. When I thought it's gonna be over soon, the snow storm occurred. Such a heavy snow, yoi!!!!

But when I looked out of my window, the two fat birds that resided on the tree were still there, sitting on the branch. Not in a nest. I think they were desperately clinging onto the branch. So sad. I felt like asking them to come in my room. lolol. But seriously, y didn't they just fly to somewhere warmer, forgot the term used.

anywhere, yeah, everything is pure white out there as no1 has stepped on the snow yet. Luckily it snowed at the lunch time when I was cooking, rather than when I was walking bck from lecture or will be walking to an organic chem tut.

Oh, I can't bear setting my eyes on those birds. I hope they don't freeze.

I don't think you can see the birds.

Bright sunlight again now... wth. The snow's going to melt soon.

groceries

2010-02-08T18:31:00.003Z

If you look at the allergy advice of quite many products such as biscuits from sainsbury, it's printed 'Not suitable for milk or soya allergy sufferers due to the methods used in the manufacture of this product.'

Can someone kindly explain this sentence to me? Not that I'm expecting any one of you to answer this que. lol.

evil

2010-02-01T16:54:00.004Z

hahaha, I don't think I should be a statistician in diseases. I had a question that provides data for the haemoglobin levels in individuals infected by malaria and non-infected one; there should be significant differences. Then they want us to outline additional experiments to differentiate between the hypotheses 'infection by malarial parasites might reduce haemoglobin levels in the blood' and 'individuals with low haemoglobin levels may be susceptible to malarial infection'.

So without thinking much, I wrote: Obtain a sample of healthy individuals and measure their haemoglobin level. Then infect them with malarial parasite and measure haemoglobin level again and do a significance test. If it's significant, then it shows the first hypothesis.

For 2nd hypothesis, obtain a sample of individuals with low Hb levels and infect them with the parasite. Repeat with healthy individuals as control. Bla3.

Then after that, I was thinking, 'But the question wants an additional experiment meaning it's a follow-up experiment from the data provided already, and won't these be too evil and notorious...' HAHAHA, only then I realised I should have written 'Treat the infected individuals from the previous experiment and measure their Hb level to see if there's any significant difference.'

I do knw it's very bio n stats so not very understandable but basically I should have treated infected ppl rather than infecting healthy ppl to ans the que. LOL, and my first thought is the latter one. I'm just effing dangerous.

lovely day

2010-01-30T16:13:00.003Z

Sunshine!!! Even though it's cold but still, it's the Sun. lol. But I'm stuck in the lecture room having a training programme for Univ Ambassador Scheme. Basically, it's just a scheme to improve the access of Univ.

Ran through stuffs like procedures to hold events in Univ and to visit schools bla3. Then 15 min group activity to come up with an access event and talked abt it briefly. And the tedious CRB check again.

pffft, I've done it when I registered volunteering at the musuem, but it's not as tedious as this, which makes me kinda worried if the museum admin has actually done my CRB. Cz this time, I need to fill in various forms and provide different kinds of documents. And last time, all I need to do is providing contact details of two referees.

Not to mention I lost my CV file, in which I kept my birth cert and O lvl cert all those ultimately important documents. cb. Fking seriously need to find a time to go back to shr school to find if it's left there man.

breakdown

2010-01-29T17:51:00.002Z

yoi... So many people are breaking down at this period of time. So sad... My friend had just cried in a tute, and it's totally acceptable considering that kind of pressure our tutor put on her. Then heard from my friend who overheard his neighbour skyping with his gf, who is from univ too. And his gf totally broke down, to the extent that our international counsellor came to her room and had a chat with her.

Then an engineer's having a one week break coz our senior tutor gave him this break to think things over again. errrrrrr, sounds effing scary.

And I kasian the lawyers and PPP-ist the most loh. They don't even have time to break down cz their exams will take place at the end of this term. I've only seen my lawyer friend once so far even though she's just living at the next staircase. Must be cracking books like hell.

Then heard many sporeans like feeling depressed and evrything too. It must be winter. lol.

-

2010-01-28T13:44:00.005Z

gosh.. Questions like 'Why am I learning this?' have deepened my thought of changing my course lohhh. esp when so many ppl have dropped biochem already. Then some of my friends are feeling damn depressed (non-biochemist). But I'll feel damn guilty towards my tutor so yeah, not an option!! But seriously urrrghhh, my gawt!

Stupid collections and I thought I'll get good marks in MCB. I think I've written a perfect essay for one que and I only gt 80%, with no comments whatsoever. WHAT THE F***!? I thought my that essay would have pulled my average really high but apparently it did not. And all other essays were like 65, 60...

Bs! I wrote more than what the lecturers taught us man! Seriously don't know where the marking points are.

Non-essay science courses are much simpler in this sense; I don't mean much easier, just simpler. Cz when u ans the que right, then u gt the marks. As simple as that. This MCB, I don't even know what I should write, how much should I write, and I need to consider the time taken to write the essay. Then I gt a mark that I don't deserve.

Going to have a word with my tutor... So pissed off!!!!!!!

Btw, fuck biophysical chemistry. lol.

Bloody Monday

2010-01-20T09:20:00.004Z

Found this manga a couple of days ago and I finished reading it like in 2-3 days. Effing awesome and I just couldn't stop myself even though I did have works to do. It's pretty much the same, or maybe should I say exactly the same, as DN.

I think it should obtain some kind of attention like DN has. Personally, it's better than Liar Game, another manga with the same genre. The reason might be the plot of Bloody Monday revolves around a hacker and a deadly genetically-engineered virus, which is used as a biological weapon.

Just found out that S2 has begun 3 mths ago and it's made into a drama. Shyt, and I thought I could start doing my works now...

ps I bought a carton of milk but I left it at the window so it could get 'refrigerated' but apparently it didn't work. It had cuddled but I didn't mind so I drank it, just like the usual disgusting me. And now, the taste has turned into that of a cheese. Yes, it's fermented... HAHHA, I had to give it up now.

HT 10

2010-01-20T09:09:00.002Z

I'm supposed to be in an MCB (main module) lecture but but but, here I'm staying in my room, drinking a cup of milk (lol, anti-caffeine), reading a book I've just borrowed from the Radcliffe Science Library- 'Life's Origin'.

And why's that? I woke up at 830, had a breakfast -two slices of bread with nutella spread-, brushed my teeth and cleaned my face and fuck... it was 848am. It usually took me 10-15 min to walk/run to the lecture and this lecture room I'm supposed to go is a small one, so the late ones had to squeezed in or sit on the staircase or simply on the floor.

But I don't mind, so ignoring the fact that I haven't cleansed my intestine, which is really displeasing for me, I put on my jacket. When I got out of my building, oh great, it's raining, sort of heavily. So... I went back up my room! :D

Well, the lecturer did say this set of lectures is well explained and laid out in many biochemistry textbooks, which is the reason he doesn't give us any handouts. Fine, it's the reason for me not attending your lectures too!!

That's the difference between A level and Uni life. Love it.

Done

2010-01-16T13:19:00.001Z

I.Am.Done. I thought my exam started at 915 at the exam school like yesterday but apparently it started at 930am at 90HS Lecture Room. Palui, made me rushed like what and still ended up one of the earliest. cb.

Maths ppr. Pretty easy. A level F.Maths is much much much harder.

First day of collections

2010-01-15T21:44:00.003Z

Okay, freaky, it seems like the whole Oxford has entered a battle mode. A few colleges or courses have their collections in the exam school. This was the second time I entered it. Evryone gathered at the entrance hall, waiting for someone to announce through the microphone that permitted our entry now. Univ had their collections in the Southside Room. So weird that there were portraits of kings of various countries hanging on the wall, like Prussian king. I just found it odd.

Bangang ahhh the whole procedures for biochemists. First, our scripts and tutor were not there so we sat on the bench, looking at the others staring at the front page of their collection pprs. Thinking we wouldn't have our collections, damn it, the academic officer of Univ then brought in the collections que ppr.

Well, it went better than I expected. I was not too worried by organic chem to begin with and the difficulty of the ppr was as I expected. So yeah, no big deal. Couldn't solve a few questions but wtv.

Then the ppr should last for 2 hrs, and it was printed so on the front page. However, after two hours, he didnt announce 1st yr biochemists to stop writing. After a few minutes only then my mate and I raised our hands. And the chief examiner(?) who looked so young (probably just a tutor) said he was not notified. Then mcm apakan, but in the end, he let us go. lol. He's like so funny, playing his mobile game, wearing a 'nike look-alike' hoody, which he put his gown over. After playing his mobile game, he then read a book. And a few chunks of his hair stood up at the back.

In the afternoon, a hardcore killer MCB 3 hrs paper. Shyt, I was writing at my top speed for properly three hours. Well minus a few minutes here and there to think a little bit. But you guys who know how quick I write will then know how much I've written. Definitely more than 20 pages, with the aid of diagrams though.

As I said, I was targeting questions and three of them came up. I reviewed one essay that I had done before, like an hour before the collection and it was splitted into two essays in the collection. Thank god!!! So freaking lucky. I was expecting some good marks here coz of the amount of details I've included. Come on, 20 pages of scientific essays.

In the end, my handwriting just went so horribly ugly and I didn't even know what I was writing anymore. And my sentences began to start with 'while', 'because' etc, which didn't freaking make sense. Then when I realised that, I had to cancel them while telling myself, 'WTF am I doing?'

Most ppl were done but I'm not. Maths paper tomorrow, should be easy. Not aiming for full marks so yeah, couldn't be bothered to revise.

ps one third yr wore full sub-fusc. So malu.

pps i left my duvet and pillow over the vac and now they went missing. presumably kept by the scout (cleaner in a rude way) who I haven't seen yet. Well, the coldness helps waking me up so I don't mind.

Collections

2010-01-14T21:53:00.003Z

OH MY GOD, i'll be either really screwed and achieved quite a good result coz i'm targeting questions for MCB module. If the que I have studied do come up, the only challenge present is' Can I write five freaking essays in three hrs?'

The problem is not the understanding part but the memorising part. gosh!!

I tot i'll need to wear full sub-fusc but it turns out to be the gown only over casual clothes. phew~ thank god my friends told me or I will be overdressed, like a retard.

Morning, 2 hr organic chem, afternoon, 3 hr MCB. Sat morning 3 hr Maths.

I'm supposed to be studying more essays in case the one I read won't come up, choi choi choi touchwood, but yeah, cn't be bothered anymore.

Wish me luck. Whoever ur! So freaking paranoid now.

torrents

2010-01-05T23:51:00.003Z

Oh I'm so glad that I'm here. Jay Sean, Rihanna, Chris Brown, Beyonce, Kesha, Cheryl Cole...

Btw Jay Sean's Down has a 'candle light remix'. And it's so good!!! Much slower and soothing.

Reminders

2010-01-05T21:20:00.006Z

-Boxing day at Westfield: Pepe jeans' jeans, Zara black shirt, Ted Baker boxer and socks, EA boxer.

-Madrid: Sol, flamingo, royal palace, museum, real madrid, 14th century chapel, egypt thingy, nights in the hostel, a bath, food and more food. Pic up on fb. Waiting for others to post theirs up.

-Celebrated 2010 in a chinese restaurant with chinese loads. A well mixed of colours. lol. Didn't regret it cz of the scary rumour and the duh omg crowds.

-Drinking game at vien's. Witnessed something.

-Ikea to buy cooking utensils. Yes, gonna start cooking using my rice cooker or maybe the pans etc if I bother to go to the next building to use its kitchen.

-Slept at chern's place cz we went to visit shin at vien's place. So happy cz they said I looked ~10kg heavier than my actual mass. Ohohohohoho, couldn't suppress my smile for so long. They said that my bone looked dense so I looked heavy.

-Leicester nw. Staying over in the hse of mubin, mal, fai, mimi. Enjoying their ultra-fast virgin wireless and TV. Downloaded many songs and mv. Snowing nw btw. And the food here is damn damn damn damn cheap like totally unbelievable. So jealous like fuck.

ps transport in london is damn expensive nw. Wanna get an ISIC for free bus rides. That will save so much money.

pps metabolism outburst. My appetite increased like shit again. Hate it so much. My money has all wasted to nothing, like seriously nothing. Unless u wanna talk abt carbon and nitrogen cycles.

ppps one jr! found someone to punt for me next yr.

Welcome to the teeniesss

2010-01-05T21:12:00.005Z

The sat of 0th week, Naughties bop!!! (Nt quite sure of the date lol) Wheeeeeyyy, let's start the Hilary term submerged in alcohol and dance music with the univities. I've checked my timetable, well, it's almost the same as before somehow. More prac, but less 9am lectures, which make me very happy. I'll rather you guys make me work to an inch of my life in the afternoon than waking up to a 9am lecture.

But before the bop, collections. oh gosh, I'm so underprepared esp MCB. There're just too many facts to remember and to put (some of) them in the form of five essays in three hours time is a pain in the ass.

All the activities that I've signed up for will start next term too. kinda looking forwards to it. Charity events, international students activities, access campaigns, volunteering bla3. 2010 will start off horrendously busy but I'm sure it will be damn productive and very possibly the best eight weeks in my life.

Oxford, I love you! Except for the fact that it's so ex.

ps chern n I are wondering if it is actually a new decade cz we think new decade should start at 2011, no? wtv, i'll go with the flow. out the naughty and come the teeny.

Academics

2009-12-15T00:10:00.003Z

Okay, six weeks seems to be just barely enough. I totally underestimated the amt of my workloads. The workloads that I set for myself though- reviewing what we've done in the term.

Fucking lecture notes are so useless. Cnt believe they squeezed in so much information into one slide. I was so shocked when I read through the txtbookSSS and found out all those were what weought to digest and make notes out from them. MCB u r one damn mother cb.

And the diagrams are so small and I couldn't find some relevant information in the reference textbooks. I cnt even understand my lecture notes. pfftttt!!

My perfect term will comprise of:

1) Lectures on biophysical chem and organic chem but in the afternoon

2) All other lectures- MCB, biological chem, maths- are cancelled but lecture notes are given. Coz I think it's plain useless to go to these lectures. I didn't learn much thing as compared to reading the textbooks in this past week.

3) Tutes and classes in the afternoon as usual!

Lol, I just cnt be bothered to wake up. Well, scientist's schedule. I've to stop asking for the impossible.

Yeah, enough of this slightly geeky/ academic post.

window shopping

2009-12-15T00:00:00.002Z

My bro has just gone back to brunei so when he was staying in london for 2 days, I simply showed him around. I brought him to Bayswater to eat in cnr, then to oxford, regent street. All the way to pic circus, leicester sq and chinatown.

We ate in chinatown then went to trocadero and walked arnd the fair in leicester sq. Then we went to Haagen Dazs for the ice cream/cookies/fruits with hot melting choc dip. So full. But that night I couldn't sleep till I sent him off cz of the tea we drank presumably. Btw, he bought a naruto wallet and a bleach sword keychain.

Anyway, that's my first proper shopping since I arrived. My most fav designer brands are defo ralph lauren and AJ. Fuck me!! Their designs n cuttings are just simple but damn elegant. Btw, A&F attracts me a lot too. I like topman cz the british actors in the teen drama like skins wear them and it just looks great AND gt my size haha. Cnt believe they do xxs; even I cnt fit into it. I found one brand namely Humor. The colour combination and the designs are kinda weird, but i love them.

Whereas for wallet, fossil is defo good for me. Thx to zaki n chern who bought me a fossil wallet. I can officially say goodbye to my old wallet. Accessories from fossil, diesel and D&G are damn elegant too, esp the bracelets coated in silvery metal.

No particular preference for shoes but a few gucci shoes and flip-flops stole my breath.

If only I have enough money...

sasak ku...

2009-12-09T19:55:00.002Z

cz the Oxford Union invited Shakira as a speaker on monday but I was in London already. I learnt a lesson: stay in london for at least five days after the end of term. Coz there are many things going on in oxford that I really wanna take part, like a few volunteering sessions that I'm damn interested (+ gt free food from the session...)

London!!!!

2009-12-05T19:58:00.002Z

It was so different from the London I know. So packed and I was squeezed like sardines. Coz there was a xmas festival; market next to primark, roaring dinosaurs models in the middle of the road; loud music from the stores etc.

There is Ben's cookies at Oxford Street now!!! And a few new shops i think. Not spectacular one though. Btw, do u guys knw Borders is closing down. I tried to find it at the oxford circus but I couldn't. Wonder if it's closed down or I simply lost my way looking for it. Aiyer, closing down sales leh... Haven't read the lost symbol and found a couple of good books i wanna read too...

Last day

2009-12-05T19:45:00.005Z

It started off with a lecture abt genetic issues. The lecturer was good cz she asked the questions in a way that we didn't realise the decisions we've made subconsciously. There were many good ques of coz but I've thought abt them before so I was quite bored. There was however one really good question that I've nvr thought of.

'Should abortions be allowed if the foetus was 22 weeks old?' duh, everyone said no. Bla3 we moved to genetic screening. Then 'Should abortions be allowed if the foetus was diagnosed with a genetic disease that it won't survive more than one year?' Duh, now many more ppl said yes. Then she threw a sentence, 'Did you realise you are setting a value for life now? It's alright of course, but just bear that in mind...' That struck me.

Anyway, I don't wanna go too deep (too many factors to consider) like all the other fking annoying oxford geeks, and many of them are my friends so I'm really pissed off esp when it's the last day n they were still debating abt the existence of metaphysics.

I swear this is the busiest day in Oxford with so many cars from many places pouring into Oxford from mid-day to night to take their children back.

The lab was fun n easy; just pipetting, spectrophotometer and calculations with xmas songs as background music. At the door, there were chocolates and vac works! Vac works for lab...

Packing and packing and packing and bop and fking lots of drinking. That ended the term!

p/s a few days before, the queen visited ox. and i didnt knw it so i was wondering why there were police on horse at the road.

cambridge formal

2009-12-05T19:32:00.002Z

I've forgot to mention I went to cam on 27/11, which was zian's birthday. but anyway, i was worried i wont make it cz of my lab, but thanks god, my lab partner and I did a really good job and we were amongst the few who finished first.

Fitzwilliams, zhao's college. The food was quite good. At night I biked with chung sun to get some stuffs. So cool (literally too)! The last time I biked in England was when I went to Williams' tute from TC. Anyway, then I slept in his room.

The next day, we went to take photos for Yazid's grad. He is Hanif's bro. But before that, we hanged out in starbucks with many current and alumni oxbridge-ians. And i was stuck in bet the postgrads. And they were voicing out what have been haunting me, which of coz I was ready to face, but to hear it from ppl who were facing it nw is a whole different level.

Good experience till when we wanna go back and the bus was fucked up as well as the weather as that's when the temp dropped in britain. We went to eat soto in kam's hse when we arrived in ox. Thx Kam n Mai!!

4

2009-11-30T12:54:00.002Z

Four more days and I'm done. Oh, it's just so quick. Can't believe friendships can be built so easily. Just mere two months and a total of six months in a year!

Anyway, yes, FOUR more days. Actually I'm typing this cz I really cn't be bothered to do my essay. I have my textbook opened and my essay is halfway done (did it halfway last week) but I just COULDN'T BE BOTHERED ANYMORE coz I still have four more days, and my last lab is an easy one.

Xmas parties, formal halls, bar quiz, bops, tea parties are going to happen all in this very last week of term to celebrate our survival!!!! So yeah, it'll be an amazing and happening week.

Stressed out!

2009-11-26T13:29:00.004Z

Lol, stressed out only towards the end of term. Well, just bcz it's going to be the end, everyone just gets slacky a little bit and when u've realised, there is so much works piling up. And.. that's the case for me. A tute sheet, a lab report and an essay. o-m-g.

wtv, I've given up in my chem tute sheet. So effing hard. Im just going to write, 'Sorry sir, i really wanna do the last few que but i just couldn't find any good reference books.' HAHHA, hope it works!

And that effing lab report, I couldnt even find any relevant information in my txtbook and internet. Bullshit, so yea I just bullshit it. Lab doesn't matter anyway; it's not counted.

Last sat, went to volunteer again at the Bate Music Collection. There's one guy who created many musical gadgets. So you just need to move your hand over the sensor, or shine a torchlight on the sensor the music will be played. And by the speed moved and distance of your hand from the sensor, the pitch will be different. So cool!

Asian Food Festival on sat night. I found it really good even though many asians-just-arrived-in-england think that it sucks. Well obviously, you cnt compare the foods with the one back in our countries. So considering that, i think they did a great job. Korean food sold out first damn it. And I want Thai Fish Cake!!! It sold out so quickly. The University Club (where it's held) was damn packed.

Yesterday, wed, 24/11. Defo the best day of my life in Ox so far. 10am lecture!!! FINALLY! Have been waiting for it. And... one lecture only which is the 10-11am lecture. Have lunch in union (3 quids for that sandwich is jst damn cheap!) Went to the union library for the first time too. Shopping. So fun, havent shopped since I came here. And it's the first time I entered Debenhams here. Bought myself a black and a white tie from Next. Come on, Next did a great job in ties. lol.

Then I went to EP to earn money by allowing a dr. (i assume) to do some right handed experiment on me. 15 min for 5 quids. (Y)(Y). Walked arnd a little bit and rushed back for master's drink. Then the Masters' Lodging Concert.

I need my fking holiday nw!!!! 3 more tutes, 2 more labs and i'm done!

Ice Age

2009-11-14T23:29:00.003Z

Sporeans have gone down to cambridge for the cambridge sporeans games. pfffft. Was entirely occupied from 1-4 for another volunteering session in natural history museum. It's a family event so it's pretty fun. Met another volunteer lady, who I thought was a uni student.

But she turns out to be a graduated German lawyer who is working in London but lives in Oxford because she is MARRIED to a physicist who is working in the university (i assume as a lecturer). Fuck, that totally stunned me. So she travels to london n back everyday... And I saw her husband, damn, I should have grabbed that opportunity to ask for his name so I can ask helps from him next time. Biophysical chem is defo my struggling-module now.

Anyway, they had to smash the ice to dig out buried ice age animals models, do jigsaws, ans que after a natural history museum trail, colouring and pasting, and making a penguin. That penguin is fucking hard to make. It's supposed to walk but mine didn't walk. Damn it.

Basically, at the base of the hollow penguin that you have made, you insert the top part of a hollow plastic cup ie the hardest part. Then you put a rubber band over it and place a plasticine in the middle of the band. So when you put the penguin on a table and roll it backwards then release it, E.P.E. --> K.E. (that simplifies evrything), so it will move forwards on the plasticine, in a wobbling-penguin way coz the release of the band to its original form is not a smooth motion. I'll teach you next time rue.

And the kids get to put their forearms into a REAL polar bear's arm, which is made hollow of course. Well I assume... I didn't get to help out in that part.

p/s the fucking full official video of lady gaga's paparazzi is damn weird. The storyline of the video has absolutely no link to the lyrics. peace!

Halfway through

2009-11-08T23:35:00.007Z

Four more weeks to go!!! It's 5th week. Though I'm convincing myself that 8-5=3 so there are three more weeks left (we have eight weeks in one term). Just to clarify yur doubt of my usage of 5th week, it's a convention here to use nth week rather than the date, so basically no one here says the date but says, the thur of 5th week.

And there'll be a unicef comedy night on thur of 5th week. Please do come if ur an oxonian or by coincidence ur here on that day, which is very unlikely.

Life is getting busier with the works, social life and non-academic commitments clashing or followed one by one.

Time does fly... but I hope it flies slower in the weekend and flies faster in the weekdays, esp Fri when I gt lab works. I'm sorry but I really don't like slow ppl to be my lab partner. And by slow, I meant ppl who took 5 min to read every five instructions, or 3 min to put on the gloves. And I don't like to be stuck in the lab at 2pm when 3/4 of the group have left, and I'm among the 1/4. I AM TIRED AND I AM HUNGRY AND I'M SICK OF LAB.

I'm actually very disappointed by the lab here. But considering the cost of the apparatus, I forgive you, whoever ur. It's a really nasty feeling queueing for an apparatus and you can't do anything besides waiting and staring and thinking 'oh, those ppl will be able to go out half an hr before me later, if only just now my lab partner...'

I'm learning the way to gain patience in the lab, and I'll succeed, hopefully. Working slower will prevent us making mistakes. And yes, he saved me a few times. So yea, I need to convince myself.

Organiser does come very handy in uni life when you have more than one or two events at the same time and you gt to choose or rearrange events. Eight weeks are indeed very short and I begin to feel the 'At the end of the year, you'll realise that you didn't actually spend that much time in wtv u think u've spent it on.'

To those who r wondering how's my life, I'm alright. Still manage to sleep a lot, and I've nvr done midnight works, unless it's completely out of interest, rather than it's due the next day. So to the jr, don't be intimidated by ox life. And I'm struggling to conserve my money and not touching my savings. I'm nw recording what I've been spending on.

Organic chem tute sheet is impossible. Organic chem tute is fun however. Recommended textbooks r nothing more than shit - they contain nothing. I'm stressed when staring at the 'recommended' textbooks, trying to find the solutions but there aren't. And... physics is another interesting but demanding shit.

Peace to the physicists and engineers and phy-maniac. Btw, Stephen Hawking came to Univ and I saw his registration to our college, and he made a mistake so he crossed a word out. At least I didn't make a mistake HAHAH. apakan, atu saja aku proud.

Volunteering at a family event at Harcourt Arboretum. A really pretty place that smells of mud. There are many peacocks too. Heard that the peahens were eaten by wolves. This was really fun that I didn't realise I've worked for 3 hrs.

The volunteering at Ashmolean on the other hand is so boring- taking coats from VIP. Btw, I saw Philip Pullman!!!!!! That's the main reason I went to volunteer at Ashmolean. fyi, it's the oldest british museum and it's just been reopened after yrs of revonation and without any doubt, it's really beautiful with sense of latest fashion designs. Gonna find a chance to look at the mummies!

I've joined Chapel Choir. Been to two services only though. The main reason is for the free formal after the service, which saves my money. When I need to attend dinners on sun, then I wont go to the rehearsal and the service. I'm really cb. Well, nt that I need it for CV in brunei...

Guy Fawkes' formal. I invited Geena, a sporean biochemist from st. hilda. More pic in fb. So freaking embarassed when taking the photos cz the univites dont really like photos, unlike st hildas -ians, as what geena said. Some of the british even hid themselves when I took this photo.

A massive bonfire night on sat night of 4th week is totally awesome. Waiting in the cold and paying for 6 quids did pay off. I think aku sakai that's why. The fireworks are so pretty and everyone just burst out the 'wows'. And the bonfire was really big. After that, we went to Hanif/ Kam's hse to play rock band.

p/s a KFC here is officially made halal.

weekend is good

2009-10-24T23:28:00.005+01:00

This fri is defo the longest day I've ever had since I came here. Lecture, lab, tutorial, choir practice, dinner, and clubbing till 3am on sat. Just had about one hr staying in my room. We had pre-clubbing drinking till 12am in Ellie's room then only we went clubbing, but most said they were tired. So only four of us went to Clems. Haven't been mixing arnd with them actually.

It's meant for a celebration of Johannes's birthday, which fell on tue and Luke's on the day itself, but Johannes didn't go to the clubbing...

I believe this is my first sat in my life that I don't have to wake up for works during term-time. So good!! Wearing my pyjamas till 3pm.

Finally I've gt my college hoody!! I can start wearing my new hoody so no one will talk about the only hoody that I've been wearing for weeks. And a college hoody is a hoody u can wear everyday n no one will give a damn abt it.

I could actually get a free beanie with it, but I wont enjoy my student discount. It's actually better in terms of cost to get the free beanie, but it's just pure ugly. And univ scarf is more expensive than the hoody. wtf.

Week 2 now...

2009-10-21T11:39:00.005+01:00

The periodic table that I mentioned (for u, zakiah)

I think that's when we ran away from the anime society seminar at oriel college just when the presentation started and the lights were dimmed. everyone laughed at us when we escaped from the very ahem thingy. we thought there were free drinks...

random horses at cornmarket street. aku sakai.

m'sian fresher makan malam. the guy on the right is not a fresher tho. 2nd yr maths n stats.

Fucking hate people talking on the line 'Oh my god, this is so hard. I hope it won't get harder. I mean... it's alright but it just takes time to understand,' after a difficult lecture which is usually biophysical chem. SHADDUP!! yea yea yea, we knw it's hard n no one can get it besides u. pfffffft.

That's fucking more annoying than people who, i believe, get in here by mistake and doomed to get a 3rd class. They just pissed me off too by asking obvious que during the lecture. Just do the maths; substitute it then square it then rearrange it n u can get the derived formula. *to the readers: it may sound hard, but it is not, really.* use yur oh-so-almighty brain (courtesy of rue) that brings u here!

Anyway, I feel young here cz many ppl did gap yrs or national service in their homelands. And some are exceptionally old. (Y)(Y) ha-ha-ha-ha.

Matriculation 17/10

2009-10-18T14:31:00.015+01:00

'Finally we're the official students here!!!'

'So what should we do?'

'Do works...'

'..........'

Woke up fucking early just for the matriculation at 8am. While putting on the sub-fusc, my bow tie was torn. omfg, I hope it's nt some bad omen since it is if your shoe lace was torn. Anyway firstly portrait individual photos were taken. Then we need to sort ourselves according to height. pfffft.

'It'll be funny if other people know how long it takes for oxford college students to sort themselves according to height.'

Yes, it took fucking long. Then group photo bla3. Then we moved to the Sheldonian Theatre, where in it pic are not allowed to be taken. But no one cares. When the 'speaker' (whoever he was) came in, silence befell, which was broken by the sound of camera flashing. Everyone chuckled.

A vice chancellor and the speaker exchanged some latin as if we all understood it. Acts of putting on and removing the hat and bowing were conducted in bet them. Bla3, it ended.

When we went out, we were just some animals in display, to be watched by the tourists. Feels good actually!! HAHAHHA~~

Then we went punting, as one guy, liang yi said it's a tradition for us matriculants to punt, which I then found out to be false. Punting is damn hard.

Had a squash in trinity college, onn's college, and a night with the bruneian seniors in hanif's and kam's hse. That ends the long day.

Johannes, Me, luke, Owain

Univ biochemists -Me, Emma, Kerstin, Andreas

Standing in front of the Sheldonian Theatre

In the theatre

The 'speaker' came in

Univ

Punting

uploading photos

2009-10-17T18:40:00.003+01:00

Seriously, does anyone know y I can't upload the photos in one album already existing in 'my pic' folder to folder all in once??? When the uploading is completed, I get 'unexpected error'.

altschul dinner

2009-10-14T13:31:00.003+01:00

It's my first formal dinner and it was actually on last fri night. But I forgot to talk abt it. can't seem to take a photo, so i didn't. they gave us a choc with the univ logo printed on it though. pretty cool!!

fri and sat of week 0

2009-10-10T18:24:00.003+01:00

apparently everyone gt sick. freshers' flu... but i dont have a fever so it's nt really flu. maybe a cold. that didnt stop me to go to the club on fri night which turned out to be a great shit. fucking regret it cz i paid a fucking 6 quids for it.

had my safety lecture abt fire bla3 and bought a lab coat. slightly big but alright. then had an introductory lecture. it's fun in the beginning then it gets colder so i get bored. lol. i tot the coldness is due to a developing fever so i went to get myself a thermometer. and i turned out to be perfectly fine.

omg, just nw, sat, i had my virgin rowing experience. i waited for a few hrs n i was still sick, but it totally paid off. rowing is tiring but is actually FUN. i cant believe im saying this.

gawt, im seriously thinking if i should properly sign up for rowing but i dont really wanna wake up at 6am to do some sports... and none of my friends is signing up i think. hmmmmmm.

and now coz a chinese girl is joining the chapel choir. that makes me wanna join too. cz apparently if u contribute more to the college, u'll have a higher ranking so u get to choose the rooms before the lower-ranking ppl next yr.

there's gonna be a toga bop later in the college bar. nt even sure how to make a toga.

freshers' fair

2009-10-08T17:45:00.003+01:00

The best free stuff I gt is OMG A FUCKING NEW VISION OF THE PERIODIC TABLE. I'm sorry that it's so geeky but it's so fucking cool like -i cnt describe my exciteness-. It's called chemical galaxy II.

It's arranged based on the subshell. So you have hydrogen right at the centre then it spiralled out in an anticlockwise direction with the increase of subshell and shells. So it's a shape of galaxy, in fact, there's a galaxy at the background. So fucking awesome!!!

Once again I would like to apologise.

Then signed up for so many things. The most absurd ones are dances, self-defense of all types (nvr heard of many of them) and a female science society. HAHAH.

A few pens, mug mats (wtv u call it) are typical gifts. Oh, got free domino's pizza slice and crisp sama dips nya. nyaman brabis. pepperoni lagituuu pizza nya.

works

2009-10-08T17:22:00.002+01:00

Just gt a worksheet for organic chem. I'm fucking in ox when I saw the que. We haven't even learnt all those stuffs. BS.

My coursemate is happy tho cz finally she gt something to do as she hasnt gt a laptop and she just gt a phone maybe yesterday. Then she didn't go clubbing. Must be seriously bored. Well, need to grab a txtbook from the library before it runs out. Btw, meeting the tutor is quite intimidating too.

'You need to work hard. Of course uni life is nt all abt work... but u do need to work hard. really hard... It's all abt balance but u need to work hard.'

Yes I knw I have to work hard. She's kind pulang. Then she kept on saying hw busy and out-of-control it would get starting from Week 4. I find it funny sometimes, mcm mau chuckled ku. lol~~ I'm still that happy-go-lucky guy.

Partyyyyyyy

2009-10-08T17:10:00.003+01:00

Another club night. This is effing amazing. UV Bubbles. The club was so fucking packed towards the end. Someone, presumably my friend, elbowed my nose. So fucking hurt. Then after that, I pushed everyone away while dancing to protect myself. My ears are still ringing. Couldn't hear well.

Before going to the club, I went to an informal classical univ concert at the Master's Lodge and drank two glasses of champagne. Then I went to my friend's room to drink about one shot of vodka (I drank from the bottle) then half a mug of Absent (nt quite sure hw u spell it) solution. So fucking disgusting cz we didnt have sugar. Taste like mouthwash.

That got me really heated up literally I only wore a T-shirt and walked 20 min to the club without sensing the coldness. I think we reached at 1030 then we went back at 2am. Had two shots of Apple Sour in the club. I like it, mcm juice. Grabbed a burger otw back.

And otw back, it's like so crazy. So many freshers from so many colleges came out from a few clubs. The street just went crazy with shoutings, singings bla3. I sang too hahahah~~~ So this's the legendary night life of ox.

Then I had to wake up at 915 cz there was a radcliffe science library induction. So freaking sleepy.

Yohannes and me

Allie and Jack

Someone and Owain and me

long dayssss

2009-10-06T17:07:00.009+01:00

Just to clarify my previous post, the 'friendliness of the new international students' means the other international students r nt that friendly. It's not the ppl here acting unfriendly towards me.

I have been mixing arnd with the ppl here only, rather than my initial aim of mixing arnd with msian and sporean. I've met them only yesterday in the international student induction programme. Gawt, finally, I've heard that familiar 'english' accent. Quickly gt their names and phone numbers and added them in fb, as well as hk ppl. Desperately getting friends at that moment. They totally acted like ppl who have gone into ox much more than the british/ westerners. no offense and peace!

I've gone to the club and it's totally awesome. I've gt myself, or the other guys gt me, two shots of something and two cocktails called 'sex on the beach' and 'woo-woo'. I think it's spelled so. Yea, and I get myself so tipsy or maybe wasted. Good night. We headed back at 1am.

I'm gonna go to another clubbing on wed, when at the same time held the univ music concert, which is, I assume, a classical one.

Freshers' week so far have been some big and long days. I couldn't even find myself time to stay in my room. I've done so many things which are completely out of my hands. wtv, fuck it. ............................. I signed up for rowing club with my friend, Luke.

A small group of us decided to walk arnd ox. It's kinda fun, coz we acted like tourists, but only with access to everywhere, as we hold the ox card-the bod card.

Finally after visiting so many colleges and walking arnd the town, I feel like I'm in ox. And especially when I went in the BOD library and Radcliffe camera (another library). Fucking awesome. The security measures at the entrance are as close as in an airport. And the books there are awesome. Ancient and massive. No photography allowed. Too bad!

Exeter College

The Bridge of Sigh (with construction)

The Bod Library (those r my mates)

Me and Luke

Radcliffe Camera

fresher in univ

2009-10-05T20:03:00.006+01:00

I've just bought the sub-fusc (gown, hat, white bow tie). Great! Meeting the tutor a few days later in the gown.

Met a number of guys who r not into football.

Met a number of guys who r not into clubbings.

But I'm going to the clubs for the purpose of socialising, which might be a mistake.

My college sucks in the aspect of friendliness of the new international students. But in other aspects, it's totally awesome!

So yeah, the 'guys' I mentioned above are british.

My course mates turn out to be a british, an estonian, a cyprus-ian, and me a bruneian.

I'm fucking alone here.

I'll just go with the flow. Wtv. Don't wanna make any tough decision at the moment.

last day in brunei in summer break 09

2009-09-30T16:28:00.002+01:00

I went to Li Gong and have the all you can eat. Ok only nia, but so expensive...

Sad man rimba ppl, 3 straight nights of blackouts. Apparently it's due to some flaw in the fuel system, which is still under more investigation.

'Our national reputation is at stake...' How true!! Blackout in bandar and so many parts of Brunei-Muara district and a few areas in tutong and belait districts.

A paradox as the civil service and BSP are coming to celebrate some anniversaries.

Restaurants and shops are forced to close; their food stocks and frozen products are in troubles; people trapped in the lifts bla3.

And... kalimantan, can yur people stop creating hotspots, even though I knw it's for yur food supply, but it's so hot and stuffy like 'omg, i cnt describe this feeling.' The sweat just couldn't evaporate at 38 degree celcius. Then u guys warn us countries not to present this matter in the UN general assembly.

blackouts

2009-09-29T18:12:00.003+01:00

Yesterday, 28/9, my place aka Jangsak, beribi, gadong, kiulap, rimba and maybe other places have all suffered from a massive blackout that stretched from around 8pm to 2am. Effing bullshit. Jerudong and bunut didnt kena, which is just a few metres from my hse. So unlucky!!

The slight haze then shot up the uncomfy feeling that was brought by the already high temperature and humidity to a whole new level. I couldn't sleep. And there was an effing mosquito.

Then just nw, 29/9, another blackout occured, but in a weird way. Along the road, there were a few places with blackout but some not. From above, it might look like a checker board, alternate black and white. It affected rimba and some parts of gadong.

The man responsible will be in some deep shit troubles. I haven't read the papers abt the cause yet.

27/9

2009-09-29T18:00:00.004+01:00

I've witnessed so many chinese traditions that I read in a book or watch in the TV regarding chinese weddings. Some woke up at 6am to 'jiap xim niu'/ 'welcome the bride'. I couldn't be bothered to 'jiap' so I just went to the broom's hse and waited for the new weds to arrive that was accompanied with the thunderous continuous chinese firecrackers exploding.

Bla3 need to 'pong teh'/ 'serve the tea (to someone)'. The new weds' uncles and aunts have to drink the tea served by the new weds. Then photo sessions with each family. So hot and sleepy and tired.

Then at the night, it's my birthday party, again. But hey, this is right on the day (n the chinese birthday man, it's incredibly rare mates!) Then we went back home to cook the mi sua and an egg that we have forgotten.

But I ate the egg late cz I didn't boil the first one hard enough. It has passed 11pm when I ate it, which by chinese culture, it's the next day.

Pretty happy, might be the happiest eventful birthday I have ever had.

visa

2009-09-25T09:02:00.002+01:00

After all the troubles I've gone through and I mean hell lots of them, I could only make my visa in UK cz my almighty uni cant manage to get me a visa letter and post it to me in time. Heard the students from that other place just narrowly missed such a situation.

We've been emailing amongst each other and came up with a conclusion two days ago that I will do my visa in UK if I could travel with my old visa. And I found it out. The ans is yes.

And while I'm typing this, I received an email saying they have sent it using FedEx. omg someone~ pls tell me what's going on nw.

phone

2009-09-24T12:26:00.002+01:00

KP500 of LG or T700 of Sony Ericsson?

Updates

2009-09-23T12:17:00.003+01:00

It's raya. Have been visiting houses which was pretty good. I have missed hari raya in Brunei for three years I guess due to O Level and UK. I received only one green packet, we are all too old.

A few parts of my skin of my right hand have rotten, cracked in, like when u stepped on glasses, a mosaic pattern. And my mum said it's coz of the dish washing liquid. I'm nw typing with my left hand and my retarded baby fingernail. Seriously hope we can get an amah the next summer I come back.

Nearly get into a major accident if my leg didnt step on the brake at that very second due to a stupid car driver who made a wrong signal.

Have been searching for file converter that can convert all the files to avi in search engine. And I ended up getting one from apple software. What an idiot I'm?

Get to know my biochemist mates at Univ tru fb, and one of them remembers Aaron. What a memory!

Finish my anime Major S1, S2, S3 in 1 week or slightly more. Not that impressive compared to other anime fans, e.g. roland poh. And my Big Bang Theory and Little Britain are still buried there waiting for me for mths lol.

Finally, an indian added me as a friend in fb. I dunno him, we have no mutual friends, he was born in 1983, and he wrote me a message in a foreign language, in which the only word I could understand is Chiao. Presumably the indian language, what's it called again?

101st Week

2009-09-19T17:00:00.003+01:00

After joining so many groups in fb abt freshers' week and reading the wall posts, I'm seriously thinking that freshers' week are not made for freshers but the others so they could enjoy and get the most out of it , like price, much more than us freshers.

So far I only knw two biochemists freshers in my college. One more left to know. Both are girls; the name of one of them sounds russian to me, another one might be british (i think).

Before I'm worried if biochem is a female course, I found out a senior male biochemist. lol, I added him instantly in fb.

More and more friends hve left. And I'll enjoy my remaining 1-2 weeks here.

100th post

2009-09-14T16:09:00.004+01:00

Someone has left. The earliest one in my group. Two more weeks for me to go. I'm not excited nor sad over it. lol. No feelings lah.

I've been watching piano videos. You must check these out. They are effing awesome and talented. I'm just utterly stunned!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VU8cyDNVbQo&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXfqcyIeV_Y&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jweDYU_QC_I&NR=1

They are all winners of the PTNA competition 2008 held in Japan in different categories.

my 19th advanced birthday

2009-09-11T16:41:00.004+01:00

I think it's pretty good. lol, besides I came late and I didn't invite some people so I hope they won't get angry. Then hope none felt left out even if I didn't talk to them throughout the night.

But really thanks to u guys. And thx for the presents. Though the skinny jeans are meant more like a joke I think. And some pretty random presents. lol.

The pics can be found in FB. Though I'll like to get some pic from zimin.

p/s I saw a car with the license plate that begins with BAA.

wow

2009-09-06T15:54:00.003+01:00

So I'll be having my two birthdays on the same day. The Gregorian and the chinese one fall on the same day exactly. The chinese one is 8th mth, 9th day, meaning 'rich forever.'

Majal talking abt my birthday lol.

Anyway, I'm really impressed by someone who I have just known. I was sent speechless by awe, and some feels of sadness for him. But no matter what, ur really cool n awesome! Your life is just like from some TV drama.

p/s maria sharapova as well as so many top seeds lost...

what've I been doing?

2009-08-30T06:53:00.002+01:00

1) Gatheringa + farewell + birthday parties.

2) Dealing with visa, uni, moe, that sorts of tedious stuffs.

3) First part time job in British Council for one day. lol, bruneians are actually quite nice. If I were them, I would just ignore the staffs and just walk in rather than doing the registration and survey, and responding to the staffs, 'sorry, no.' At least they did say, 'no,' though some in a rude way. I wont, seriously, that's me.

A sequel to Weddings

2009-08-25T16:11:00.002+01:00

It's confirmed one of my cuz will have his marriage 'celebration' on 27/9 so I can definitely make it. So what day is it?? ahem ahem. My close friends should know what day it is.

ni hao ma

2009-08-21T16:24:00.002+01:00

lol, malas to type in chinese. That's the first song in the album of ah 超 (can't find the chinese character of ah.) He is a sort-of new singer and his songs are so good. I like his 好人 soo much!!

Apparently he posted his 好人 to his blog and was then viewed and heard by 100 000 people.

He has released two albums. Those songs are found in his first album.

20/8

2009-08-21T13:28:00.003+01:00

It's Mimi's birthday!! lol, as well as the result-is-out day.

Going to the hell soon.

Not entirely looking forward. It's troublesome to get new CLOSE friends.

Well done everyone.

To those who are disappointed, including jr, cheer up!!

Not that happy at my module marks. And fuck off to those who r gonna say, 'ur right genius!' in that annoying sarcastic way. I believe 'those' refer to all readers of this blog.

Doesn't make sense

2009-08-21T13:22:00.003+01:00

English language just does not make sense. Lol, there are just too many exceptions.

If I were you... 'Were' is used rather than 'was' because such situation can't happen. At least there's an explanation for this exception.

But why 'dream come true' but not 'dream comes true.' lol, majal. So yea, Hau, pls come out with an explanation?

Then pronunciation is always a pain in the ass. I just found out Ohio is pronounced as ohhh-haaaai-yo. I have always thought it was pronounced ohhh-heeee-yo. Thus I have been questioning why a place with such brazilian or wherever name is located in US.

Ghost festival

2009-08-19T17:06:00.003+01:00

Ghost festival has officially started. Damn it, I thought I still have one more day. Seems like I need to spend my whole afternoon later to fold the papers into the 'wedge' shape.

I find it funny to being so traditional, folding the paper into the ancient China money shape, while reading a japanese manga, chatting online, and listening to Black Eyed Peas' 'Party All The Time.'

Celaka, none of my family is helping to fold them this year. I'll get the sole protection from them then, shheeesh.

Apparently I'm the most traditional among my circle of friends, and I knew it long ago actually. How weird I'm and I've just realised it.

Weddings!!

2009-08-19T15:52:00.003+01:00

Despite having a huge dad's side family that comprises fifteen uncles and aunties whose age ranges from 30 to 60+ and twenty+ cuz whose age ranges from 5 (i think) to 30+, I haven't sat somewhere near the centre table in a chinese wedding party/occasion. And now... my 8th aunt, two cousins who are the son of my eldest uncle and the daughter of my eldest aunt are going to formally confirm their partners for eternity pretty soon.

Unfortunately, one will take place in Oct, one hasn't been decided but I guess I will be in England too. One might take place in the end of Sep or early Oct, which is the only one I can go.

I really wanna sit near the centre table coz you feel special. Lol. It's like, 'Come on. I'm his/her close relative man. All you guys are just calafares.' At least that's what I felt towards the 'near-/ centre table' people when I went to the weddings.

My sincere congratulations anyway to them!!

p/s 7th month/ Ghost festival is arriving in no time and my parents have just bought the necessities two days ago. Now, being the free one, I need to 'fold' the paper like what. A little bit annoyed coz I have been reminding them more than ten days ago.

you gotta be kidding me

2009-08-11T17:21:00.007+01:00

I'm sorry for bragging abt all these designer brands but I'm being sakai here. Have been watching many fashion shows in youtube on brands like D&G, gucci, burberry, armani, ck. I've nvr done this before.

White suits, white jackets, white shoes, white bags, white shirts, white trousers are simply utterly irresistible to me. I swear I'll save so I can get my hand on one of those gucci S/S 10 white jackets and white shoes that I adore so much. The problem after I've saved my money is, which one to choose. All of them are awesome. ~~And none looks like chern's.~~

I didnt realise gucci is effing effing awesome. All the jackets do melt me, especially the long jacket overcoat look-alike. I particularly like the first two shoes (the same pair) and the sandals. I'm now a fan of Frida Giannini. She's plain awesome and pretty, and of course talented.

Bah, I'm going to check out FW 10. I can't believe it's out already in youtube.

p/s I gt all the photos from http://www.fashionising.com/pictures/b--Gucci-Mens-SpringSummer-2010-runway-1913.html. So yea a disclaimer here. Please don't sue me.

reduced price

2009-08-11T15:16:00.002+01:00

Apparently due to economy or whatsoever reason, a few or perhaps many superbrands are reducing their prices of their clothes during the FW 09-10 and S/S 10. (Y)(Y)

The prices of the shirts in winter 09 are half of those in summer 09. But it could be coz the materials used for winter is cotton which is cheaper than the silk used for summer.

I gt this from the youtube comments so don't blame me if it's wrong. lol.

Gucci Men

2009-08-11T12:28:00.009+01:00

Gucci FW 09-10 have really many good clothes which absolutely hit my taste. Damn it, if only I were rich, i would have bought so many of those clothes, accessories and shoes. Esp the clothes like the formal shirts and the winter jackets are damn awesome!! A few of D&G formal shirts are very good too.

And says who I'm too thin. Those fucking male models were effing skinny, and not to mention they are tall too so that totally makes them a stick/tiang. Their legs did shock me. I wouldn't wanna put my legs into those jeans and trousers. It's too tight. But well, it's the fashion, effeminate men.

Look at that jacket!! There's an even better one but I couldn't find it as an image. But this is really cool too only if it totally fits him and someone get rid of the shiny parts. And check that pair of shiny shoes out, awesome!!! For some reason, I'm kinda into shiny shoes now. I used to think they are too eye-catching.

I really love this suit, though a blue suit is kinda a no-no to me.

And thus I have one question, why couldn't I find small size clothes in these superbrands when their models are wearing them?

Change my address

2009-08-10T03:53:00.004+01:00

This is fucking pissing me off coz I can't change my address at UCAS. Mubin did it and everything was alright. But when I wanna edit, there was a system error. I've tried countless times. I could only change my phone number and that's it.

*middle finger

Edit: Shin said it's the fault of my internet so I need someone else's internet. So troublesome!

Economic and finance

2009-08-07T16:33:00.002+01:00

I thought the only way a bank earns is getting interests from its customers who have bank loan. So if you loan $500,000, a bank might earn the interest of $200,000. Of course the bank still needs to pay interest to the customers who deposit a sum of money but it'll be much lower, so a bank will have an overall earnings.

Then my mum told me another way a bank can earn money, in a way like BIA. When a bank has an amount of money, it will lend the money to other banks from say other countries for say three days or over the weekend, and earn the interest. Then the staff has to evaluate the 'cash position' instantly and quickly 'invest' their money in other banks again. All these are done electronically. No true money is exchanged.

Then my mum talked abt Big Four, the international auditing companies and how tricky the auditing job is. A company might fake up their a/c to attract more investments from the shareholders. But their earnings might not be what they present in the a/c. That's when auditors come to play.

However, it's impossible for auditors to check all the stocks and the monthly accounts of the year and make sure everything is right. They usually pick out the accounts of a few months randomly and do the auditing. And when the company collapses, the auditors will be sued by the shareholders for not evaluating the accounts properly. Monthly auditing can be done but it's usually done by internal auditors, not the public auditors. And it costs way higher.

ACCA holders are employed in China for B$10,000. That's really high... Here, hah, forget about it. It's quite sad for the people here who have ACCA, e.g. my bro. He worked in s'pore but there were hell many accountants and many have ACCA. So my bro came back here. I think it's really a sad thing when you are not given the chance to demonstrate your strength and get a well-deserved earnings.

p/s zakiah sent me an email 'you think english is easy?' Unfortunately, I have never thought so!

85 unread emails

2009-08-06T09:02:00.004+01:00

This seriously shocked me for a split second which then I immediately knew it must b fb photos.

I realised I'm not quite updated with the abbreviations. What are QT, CT, FML, mte?

I'm guessing QT is cutie coz chern was making the typical hk girl pose... How abt ct and fml that vien use? And mte that hh use?

Anyway, first time to be in KB and Seria and have a tour there. It's too engineering to get me as excited as the others aka zaki zati chern. Zhao has seen the nodding donkeys for too many times I bet.

Serious pollution and burnt grass and trees. What a pathetic sight. I dropped my tears, but it's not me who cried but the nature. <---- How's it chien hau? lol.

ps Omg, Zhao lives in front of a mosque. I'll not want to be in his position lol.

Freaky

2009-07-29T09:37:00.003+01:00

My instructor told me just now there was an accident.

Apparently an indon girl newbie didn't know anything besides stepping on the accelerator, fully. The handbrake pulled by her instructor was of no use thus and the car just rushed out. It leaped over the huge drain and banged onto a tree.

Smoke puffed out. The door was damaged so it's hard to open to get them out. However, the indon girl was just mildly injured and the instructor was not hurt. Shocked though I supposed. Maybe she's considering to quite the job now.

Seems like I'm the only one who have been posting like brabis...

Excited

2009-07-28T11:34:00.003+01:00

Having a driving lesson at the main road at 130pm is seriously no joke. My gears are constantly at 1, 2 and neutral. That's it. And I have to focus on the road so I knew if the car was moving, even if it's just 5kph, or not moving at all, even for 1 second. Coz I have to change my gears and do all the clutch and accelerator shyts.

Effing hard, and so tiring.

Btw she brought me to the highway again and I went up the overhead bridge near batu bersurat. It's so syiok and I drove above 80 haha.

Final lesson tomorrow!!!

Then exam in the morning. Apparently the spaces for parking during the exam r bigger. Made the whole thing easier then.

My instructor said her car tayar pancit again before I had my lesson just now. She then found two nails in it. lol.

Hard drive

2009-07-27T13:21:00.002+01:00

There is a massive reductions at concepts at the new kiulap. And I bought a 500GB acer hard drive for $168, from $198. It comes with a case that totally fits and both the case and the hard drive look good. Not awesomely good but definitely presentable. And it's so light like what man.

No matter if it's divided by 2.3 or 3, it's still cheaper than in England. Now I just hope it's as great as other brands. And it's compatible with my Mac.

Btw, do you guys back-up with your hard disk? Should I?

Tayar pancit

2009-07-27T13:07:00.004+01:00

So effing embarassing to have your tyre flat when you were having a driving lesson at a main road. We didn't realise it till someone horned at us and made some gestures.

It happened just when I was going to turn into a lane which would lead to a junction. It's quite hard to describe but basically, I had to stop in between two lanes. On my right side is the main road, and on my left side is a side-tracked road.

Then my instructor called other instructors to help us. A policeman who drove past then helped us to change the tyre. And all bruneians would stop and look when they saw a big police car stopped in the middle of the road and got disappointed when it's just a 'tayar pancit', and not some road accidents.

Even the policeman said if it were an accident, everyone would roll down the window and ask for more details. Then all the instructors were a little bit hyper. They exchanged quick burst of brunei malay and made the gestures to slow down the traffic, as if they were the police, while bellowing, "PERLAAHAAAANNN!!!!"

I think this is the first time I heard Bruneians mummies burst out brunei malays. I've just realised most of the brunei malay words ended with 'a'.

Then one of the instructors parked her car on the other side of the side-tracked road so basically that road was trapped in between two driving-lesson cars. So all cars had to slow down no matter what. And for some reason, it happened to be quite busy with a number of trucks. SO EMBARASSING!!!

Like I totally refused to get down from the car until I really had to.

And it was not a good day because it rained and there was a road block at where I had to drive repeatedly.

My driving test will be on this thur. Wish me good luck mates.

ps nowadays I saw license plates 4444, 666, 6666. wtf...

Albums

2009-07-26T15:55:00.003+01:00

I have just downloaded *counting* five albums: Jason Mraz's Mr. A-Z and We sing, we dance, we steal things, Taylor Swift's Fearless and Kelly Clarkson's Breakaway and All I ever wanted.

It's a big deal for me coz I've nvr downloaded any albums, but only singles. Usually I grabbed songs from the others. lol.

I personally think that Jason Mraz We sing, we dance, we steal things contain a few good songs besides I'm Yours, though many ppl might disagree with me. Lucky, Butterfly, Love for a child are really good.

And from the album Mr. A-Z, Mr. Curiosity is EFFING GOOD. It's just my own taste so don't hope for something almighty good, it's, however, for me, especially the piano chords. Gosh!! So beautiful. I like Life is wonderful and Song for a friend too.

I'm addicted to Mr. Curiosity.

25/7

2009-07-26T12:20:00.002+01:00

Si pisang punya birthday yo. Without braces sudah thus it's utterly different. And she was late...

The theme is blue but she wore yellow and black dress. To stand out I think. Then you could see so many camwhores. Mubin was in charge of the dance floor, thx yoo.

And cali brabis si Khaliq. Cb brabis, I just couldn't stop laughing when he talked and did something!!

Yeah, caught up with lots of anime and japanese stuffs with huan hui and zakiah, till mal gt pissed off, 'ARE YOU GOING TO EAT!???' And some people from our table gt pissed off tuu. And I'm sorry Nisa, haha.

Anyway, happy birthday to the banana and hope you'll like my present which I didn't write it's from me lol.

More driving

2009-07-25T09:36:00.002+01:00

Celaka, I drove at the main road at a peak time. Now and then there were some cars who didn't obey the rules and I had to brake and everything. Fuck them.

Then I had to wait for a very long time at junction or just moved to the another lane.

Not that I'll use manual after I passed my driving. pffttt. So annoyed when you have to stop in the middle of the road coz there was a car which braked suddenly then I had to change gear. And it took time so when the car in front of me moved, there was quite a distance in between us before I began to move. *middle finger

The good thing was it didn't rain when I was driving but only after that.

'Lim, cana tah driving mu ni? 10 hrs (as in do I wanna take the total time)?'

'Mana saja. Liat lah.'

'Bah, liat lah kami cana. Boleh extend tuu one or two hours.'

lol, I don't want yo.

If the clouds don't clear...

2009-07-24T07:02:00.003+01:00

... I can't do my fucking laundry. It's annoying that I have to pick a nice day to do my laundry unlike in England where you just chuck everything into the dryer. Here, I personally prefer sunlight, natural UV ray to kill all the microbes. Then there is or was this stupid haze due to a fire in Seria.

I hate it when my youtube loads stuffs so slowly. Come on, my life depends on youtube now coz I have no TV. When the loading's halfway done, I'll click on the link to the next part of that video, I'm sure you guys know what I'm talking about here. But then, due to this Mac, when I wanna right click on the link to next part, I actually left click it so I need to load the whole thing again. It happens so many times, and I gt especially pissed off when it's loading like a siput.

That's why I like to youtube in the morning like from 8-11, coz it's really fast. I think coz my bro's not using internet; he's sleeping. That's why I sleep at 11 and wake up at 8. Though I woke up at 6am just now for my driving lesson then I went swimming till 930. And my parents were late as usual, at least it's just a 15 min late. I was angry however, coz they nvr texted me they were gonna be late. Five times.

p/s wonder when can I take my driving exam??? So fed up now.

Few days before I left Shr

2009-07-20T12:04:00.010+01:00

All the paper I threw before I left SHR School. I threw all my Bio and Chem ppr, C1-C4 M1 and S1. And the notes from Si Chong and Si Azrul which I brought from Brunei.

The receipt written with Chiao is Azim's and with Chaio's friend is mine. Celaka wahh si Azim to say his name is Chiao. Then when the lady asked what's my name, I said, 'Just write the same name.' Then she wrote 'Chaio's friend.'

It's my name and she spelled wrongly when she wrote on MY receipt. How ironic!

Yesterday and today

2009-07-20T11:32:00.002+01:00

I'm so damn tanned now. And stop your 'Could you get more tanned?' Yes, of course I can. My music teacher and her colleague said, 'Why everyone gets fairer when they come back from england but seems like you are as dark or even darker?'

Lol, the same things repeat every time I come back. Pretty much used to it.

Anyway, I went to the Berakas beach with the CHMS gang yesterday. Just like last year, I didn't know many of them but wtv hahaha. At around 3pm, a horrifying strong wind started blowing suddenly. It looked raining but when you looked carefully, it's not rain but small leaves/flowers.

Ervyone there got quite panicked, and we kept on looking at the sea for fear seeing tsunami. Lol, tbh, I won't b surprised if I saw it coz the wind is really scary. You just had the feeling something bad was gonna happen. However in the end, we just made use of the wind to take some stupid cool photos.

p/s I saw my points on restaurant city 44444. So soi.

The life story of my mum and her parents

2009-07-17T04:32:00.005+01:00

Something happened to my grandma's family which I couldn't remember and so she stayed with her mum's brother's family, aka my great-granduncle's. She worked like a slave there; they only bought her a pair of not-so-good shoes once every year but expected her to do all sorts of things.

My grandpa who came from Spore and started a big business in Limbang then wanna marry someone I think. So my great-granduncle saw this as an opportunity to marry my grandma to my grandpa.

My great-granduncle was one of the filthy richest guy in Limbang. SOAS III and him were friends so SOAS III would pay him a visit when he went to Limbang. They were English-educated so as the way they dined. During CNY, he was the first one to be paid a visit. He had a long dining table covered with a white cloth. If the food was not tasty enough, he would waved his arm across the table and crushed all the plates along with the food to the floor.

He had a daughter who was married to a mentally-illed guy. This mentally-illed guy would go crazy every full moon (hahahahah mcm werewolves) and would beat his wife up till she was greatly wounded. So she escaped to her dad's home. My great-granduncle was licensed to have a gun and he pointed the gun to this guy and said, 'Dare you come near her again and I will pull this trigger!' Yoiiii, that's so cool.

I forgot the stories abt my grandparents. I would ask my mum again. I knew something happened during WWII.

The life story of my mum and her brothers

2009-07-17T04:19:00.003+01:00

I had eight uncles at my mum's sides. And you do know that guys were treated better in an old Chinese family coz they could be of better uses in terms of labours and they inherited the bloodline.

So basically, they were more spoiled sorry to say this. They took dignity more than anything else. Most of them were educated to a primary school standard, a few to a lower secondary. My 5th uncle however went to Kuching or Spore and obtained a degree in Electronics. However, his dignity prevented him from working under the instructions of someone else. So he went back to my grandpa's shop and worked there ie taking care of the shop. He then taught in a school opened by my grandpa in Limbang or is it which he donated quite a lot of money into. My mum said my grandpa contributed a lot to the education institutions in Limbang.

Btw, my mum was just guessing on all these dignity stuffs bcoz no one knew the reason he refused to make use of his expertise. The obvious characteristic of this uncle is he smokes using the thingy Sherlock Holmes used. You might have seen him for the shop was one of the shops you could see once you arrived in the town. I was pretty familiar with the streets and shops and some shortcuts of Limbang coz I always went there when I was young, not now anymore though...

My dad had the same life as this uncle of mine. My dad obtained a degree in electronics in Taiwan too but then he ended up taking care of my grandpa's shop. It's all coz he applied to the American uni to further his education but the best one didn't accept him but only the sort of second best. So my dad felt angry and he came back to Brunei. Then Brunei didn't recognise the education qualifications of Taiwan.

Anyway, my second uncle was now staying in Labuan. My third uncle and fourth uncle in KK. My third uncle used to stay here, taking charge of the cinema in Bandar. None of you should know it coz it was closed when we were pretty young. It was owned by our relative too, who is the owner of the Terrace Hotel. My brother and I used to sneak into the cinema to watch some films, which they rented from Spore.

My eldest uncle stayed in Kuching and I have never seen him before. The others are now staying in Limbang.

The life story of my mum and her sisters

2009-07-17T03:53:00.006+01:00

This is just a random conversation in bet my mum and me. And I decided to post it coz I know I'll forget it soon. And I find it rather interesting.

When she (second eldest daughter) has finished her upper secondary in Limbang, she waited for my 3rd auntie to finish her education too then both of them left for Singapore, without informing my grandparents. They left when my grandparents went to somewhere. They travelled by boat for three days and went to a college which they knew from Borneo Bulletin. They obtained their school fee from a customer of my grandpa. It's quite clever.

Only then they realised it's not a boarding school so they had to find a relative and stay in his house, which was already sort-of full coz he had six children. They then applied for an accommodation in something like Young Christian Ass. thingy. Food was included. $180 per month. She said they were treated like princesses; servants stood around the table and when required, they would come over to pour some drinks. My mum and aunt didn't know any of the rules to dine and they couldn't speak english too so it's rather hard for them.

Whereas my 4th auntie went to Canada and obtained her degree in Computer Programming. She then came to Brunei and worked with my mum. However, she couldn't stand the heat here so she went to Aus and married to a guy named Jacky. They then gave birth to a son and a daughter. They worked in a restaurant and Jacky always instructed my aunt to do all sorts of things in a bad manner. He then said the children were a burden to him. They divorced. Jacky got married then divorced then got married again to a Hong Kong mum who has had a child already who he met on internet.

Their son lived with his dad but then his grandma (father's side) raised him up coz Jacky couldn't take care of him. However, his grandma was not a great lady too so he returned to his mum, ie my aunt. Her life was quite hard coz she has spoiled her daughter so much that her daughter would actually punch and pulled the hair of my aunt. She was only scared of my youngest aunt who slapped her hard on her face once.

And about my this youngest aunt, she went to England to further her education. Knowing no one there, she asked the sister of my mum's friend who was staying in England to fetch her. Bear in mind that they knew nothing about each other, not even how they looked. She is staying in Brunei and married to a guy here too. He is not a Bruneian pulang. He was in charge of the Rainbow Stationery Company branch in Brunei and many big companies of Hua Ho level ordered stocks from them. So basically I went there to buy stationeries at a retail price which is much much cheaper. She is now staying in Aus though, coz she much prefers Aus than here. She has once stayed there before too for a few years after she left England.

Whereas my eldest auntie was staying in Kuching. She has a son and two daughter. The daughters are now working in KL. One day in Limbang, she left a note on a desk and was gone. Yeah, she ran away from home. Then my mum had to suffer coz she was the next eldest one. She had to wash the clothes of everyone else, including my eight uncles. This story took place quite a long ago; there was no washing machine. She hand-washed all the clothes, which my ex-maid sometimes was required to do too coz it was cleaner. She then said something she needed to boil some glue and spread it over the clothes so the clothes could be set hard and it was easier to press. Then something about leaving your clothes on the grass overnight would make them look perfectly clean coz the dew would have cleaned it. She then had to make some food like fried banana, cakes for sale.

Driving lessons

2009-07-17T03:27:00.003+01:00

Eh, OMG, so freaking hard. During my first lesson, I wore my one thick shoes so I couldnt feel if I have pressed the clutch and the accelerator. So yeah, mati engin all the way. The instructor then asked me to drive to the main road. I was so damn scared. Like please green light all the way.

I have just had my second lesson just now at 7am. My instructor lives near my hse so she drove the car to my house and WANTED ME TO DRIVE TO STADIUM. Shyt man, then there was a bus in front of me at a red light, and I gt so panic that I stalled the engine, at a main road. It's so embarassing.

Parking is damn hard!! Like turn the wheel to the left twice then right, then clutch brake acclerator bullshits. Like bullshit lahh. I think it will take me two weeks to get me to the exam. HAHAHAH.

I'm pretty pissed off by my dad who doesn't wanna teach me driving, and my mum who doesn't wanna teach me cooking.

My next lesson will be at 7am on sun again. Bet she'll want me to drive to the stadium again. Good practice though... I don't mind such an early time coz I usually wake up before that. lol, what a holiday to wake up before 7am and sleep at 11-12pm, naturally.

Livejournal

2009-07-11T09:35:00.002+01:00

I went to my livejournal just now and read quite a number of posts. OMG, it's so funny. I can't believe how much fun we had back then. All those reckless and ruthless days. Insulting everyone who got into our lives then discussing abt the insults that we've just made, without any guilt at all. Then before my flight, I quickly made a big apologies post coz I'm scared of flight.

There are some events that I totally forgot and I was like, 'Huh? Did this happen?' or 'Hey I remember this. It cracked me up last time.' or 'Shyt, what a twat I'm to act like that!'

Hahah, and the way I typed was so disgusting. It just made me feel like retyping all the posts with a more proper english. I do admit I acted like a twat. But hey, you can't blame me, blame on the stressful education system and the heat wave Brunei is constantly suffering from.

Those days are really fun, and yes, we were acting immature. Ryt, ws, rue and chien hau? Lol, mcmth we r so mature now~~

One fact that I picked up: Simpsons movie is a legend.

huh?

2009-07-11T03:25:00.001+01:00

I entered a youtube link. And I gt this: This video is not available in your country due to copyright restrictions.

WTFFF IS THIS PIECE OF SHYT!???

Investigation

2009-07-08T23:21:00.002+01:00

Hey hey hey, I need as much data as possible. It's regarding jetlag.

At the moment u arrived in Brunei at 9-10am, please tell me yur sleeping patterns till yur jetlag is over. Your replies are greatly appreciated and will be of massive use. Thanks.

Yer~~~ formal!!

Last summer, I didn't have much issue coz I think I slept in the afternoon when I arrived. However, in the last easter and this summer, I didn't do that; I held myself till 12am or later only then I slept, thinking it'll solve the prb. And maybe that's the problem.

Cold

2009-07-07T12:54:00.003+01:00

I'm pretty sure that I caught a cold, not the swine flu. So dreadful coz the combination of jetlag and congested nose is just so not good. It's very hard to sleep, and I checked the w-website abt cold (lol, jobless), the symptoms will only resolve after 7 days. My god!!! It'll be better if I gt a flu, not that I want to, coz at least you will have a fever which aid sleeping. lol.

I just hope that I didn't get swine flu or I might get the same symptoms in addition to fever after i recovered from the cold. celaka.

p/s I have just known that cold is caused by virus...

Coincidentally, it's one of my names...

On the last day in school

2009-07-06T07:10:00.003+01:00

I saw this bullshit. What a disgrace!! I thought a Third-former owned it, which is enough to embarass himself.

To allow u guys to have a rough image of its size, it's compared to Poh.

It's found outside Rigg's, so obviously you know who owns it if ur a Salopian.

Symptoms

2009-07-06T07:05:00.002+01:00

I have runny nose now. Sort of sore throat but not exactly at pharynx/larynx, but somewhere at the end of nasal palate. Stiffness at my neck and some parts of my body.

I hope these are due to dehydration, and carrying heavy luggages followed by uncomfy postures on the plane. I always get the runny nose and sore throat thingy when i gt seriously dehydrated.

Well, it's not painful joints ryt. And no fever, headache bullshits.

Come to think abt it, I don't seem to have flu since ages ago. The last time I have fever is due to prolonged diarrhoea and then dehydration.

Random stuff

2009-07-06T06:58:00.007+01:00

Poh accidentally smashed the machine instead of the drums once. so funny!!

Sarah dropped her tomato, top burger bread and an onion ring at Westfield GBK. She is not meant to eat a tall burger.

Amazing sales

2009-07-06T06:51:00.010+01:00

I'm not thin

2009-07-06T06:39:00.003+01:00

Check this out.

Look at their legs.

Summer in London

2009-07-02T11:47:00.002+01:00

I'm still staying in BH in London. My gawt, despite my fear for swine flu in London and on plane, I won't regret staying here for such a long time. What a sale!! Xmas sale is bullshit man as compared to Summer Clearance Sales. Oxford Street, Regent Street, Old Bond Street, Selfridges, Harrods are on 50% sales. Designers like Prada, D&G, Versace, Polo, Ted Baker are on 50% sales.

The annoying things are they r mostly XL or XXL, or simply ugly, or still omg-expensive like some D&G sportwears yg lawa but the long trousers are 200 quids and the sport jacket is 100 quids. But I still managed to find something (Y)(Y) from polo.

And I can use unlimited oh-so-fast (courtesy of rue) internet in my room, using Gresham Hotel 1 Wireless. Tq!! I've just finished watching Kekkaishi and downloaded so many MacGames, which are mostly sharewares...

Sighh stupid swine flu. I wanna learn driving asap but for public health concern, I think I'll qurantine myself at home for 1 week after I've reached brunei. It'll be a whole different story however if I've gt swine flu and need to be quarantined in Tutong. If there is internet in tutong, mana saja pulang. Lol. Touchwood nevertheless.

As for BH, it's so damn hot in the afternoon, but it's alright for me in the night. I can sleep comfortably. The boiler is broken so there is no hot water, which supposedly does not affect us coz it's hot ryt, but we r wrong! It's not cold water we have, it's freezing water. So yea, it's not easy to take a shower. And heard that the PRs here have been suffering for weeks. Irony.

ticket

2009-06-30T00:41:00.002+01:00

I've requested a ticket on 4/7 but frankly it's full so I've to fly on the 5th, which I don't really want. Nevertheless, I've obtained the email to fly on the 4th. So I'm thinking of exchanging air ticket with someone who's going to fly on the 4th if that person doesn't mind to fly on the 5th.

But my name is specified in that email ticket which I'm gonna print. Does it actually matter? Since air-tickets don't specify names ryt... Helps pls...

7 years

2009-06-26T14:43:00.004+01:00

Eyeshield 21 has finally ended last week. Seven years man!! So long. I began watching/ reading it since form 3 or 4. So it's been around four years. Another series down.

2009-06-22T22:54:00.002+01:00

I've just watched a yahoo video '10 hottest female tennis players'.

10) Venus Williams

9) Jennifer Capriati

8) Ana Ivanovic

7) Sue Barker

6) Martina Hingis

5) Serena Williams

4) Steffi Graf

3) Gabriella Sabatini

2) Maria Sharapova

1) Anna Kournikova

Seriously, who the fuck made this list and upon which aspects? The William sisters!? Well Serene surprised me in the video. She looked quite good in casual but maybe it's coz the video is of low quality.

And the Anna Kournikova looked like the bitch who Mubin'll like, attitude yo. But I doubt her hotness as compared to Maria Sharapova.

When everyone is enjoying their summer...

2009-06-20T23:28:00.004+01:00

... I'm still stuck with one last paper, the notorious FP3. Lol, tbh, I'm quite chilled. Fp2 is hard but a standard paper. i can't do 2 que.

I've just been to Bull Ring. The main reason I went there was just to chill out after so many days stuck in the school doing revision and reading novel. There was nothing that caught my eyes AND I could put them on. So I returned empty-handed. Well, at least I tried my best to avoid Azim buying another pair of shoes there just two weeks after he had bought a pair in London. He's pissed off.

The Mozart's Conspiracy and The Medici's Seal are some great books! It's the thrilling nature of the novel that kept me going, not the 'history or science' behind.

I went late to the Bio exam coz I just couldn't get my hands off The Medici's Seal. And I continued reading it immediately after my exam, and finished it off that midnight, despite having two Chem papers the next day. Lol. And I deserved those mistakes that I made, which are minor so I hope the examiners wont notice.

Finally, I could get rid of all those bullshit useless bio environment topics, which, for fuck sake, came out in the synoptic paper. So wanna tear the paper. Stupid exam board that still wanna torture us through the very last exam.

As if I care abt the population density of ladybugs. As if I bother commenting on and providing reasons for the changes of the numbers of three different species of the ladybugs in UK after the introduction of one species. HUH!? pfffft. cb.

Should I buy shades? The shades in Fossil r actually quite good and cheap. I bet mubin'll reply, 'YESSSSSS!!! BUY!!!!'

Prize-giving

2009-06-12T22:57:00.003+01:00

The star is Philipp duhh. He won five prizes. Four prizes are about Maths and Physics and one is about music.

The teachers came in 'robes'. What do you call that piece of cloth that is so thin but cool coz it wavers when the wind blows? Anyway, all of them look the same. The girl Dr. P wears a unique one though; blue colour. But it's way too big for her. She should have given that to guy Dr. P.

Many people tripped in front of me. Buduh, were them blind to notice such an obvious slightly-heightened floor?

Si milf ada yooo, jealous mubin. High heel lagituu in her robe. Si wilson punya basar and panjang gila robenya, that's definitely an XXL size.

Conway wears a robe with white fur around his neck. I'll get that when I graduate. I'm going to the same college as him just for those who dunno him.

Si housemistress omg brabis. When she emerged from the entrance, she took off her hat and laughed with si kipas. Tbh, if I saw her in a dark ally, I'll be damn freaked out, thinking what she would turn me to. A frog maybe... She looked like a witch, not those hot one, but a proper classic witch.

And yea, si kipas laughed all the way while welcoming whoever who came. I was simply amused by his capability to do so.

'The school is a population,' said the geneticist and the molecular biologist, who is the governor of Shrewsbury School and was invited to be the guest for this event. 'The diversity is however not caused by mutation and recombination, but by entry and exit. There is always a flow in the gene pool in this population. The entry of girls increases the diversity of the population by 100%!'

Marathon

2009-06-12T22:53:00.005+01:00

Don't get me wrong! Not the running marathon, but an exam marathon. The first one is done. M3, 2 Chem papers and 2 Bio papers in three consecutive days. Damn boring for the Chem and Bio.

M3 was fun though, the toughest M3 paper ever. It's a compilation of a few of the hardest questions you could find in the textbook. I curse those who have extra time, coz my brain was working till the very last second.

Next marathon will be next week. S3, FP1, Bio in a day, followed by 2 Chem the next day and FP2 the another day.

Half Term

2009-06-06T01:31:00.003+01:00

During half term, I met two people who looked like Oakley and Adri respectively.

Ani mcm Adri brabis brabis. Sorry the guy in pink shirt confused the one who you should put your focus on.

Oakley sigup!!

Bicester Village

2009-06-06T00:16:00.004+01:00

Mubin and I went to Bicester Village to do some questionnaires 'Is appropriate racism essential to maintain national identity?' Yea right, lol, who will b such an idiot. We went there to shop!

I bought D&G jeans and tie, two CK boxers and one swimwear, one Ted Baker T-shirt. All for only £165. Lol, because there were further reductions to the already-cheap prices of all designer items. Mostly have 50% discount. This sudden cold weather in London just painfully reminds me of an awesome Burberry hoody, which I din't buy coz we were short of time.

During half term, Azim and I entered the Ted Baker shop at Regent Street and by pure coincidence, they have a random discount day. They even offered beer, wines and flavoured water (I forgot the name of the water). Syiok lahh summer ni, so many random coincident discounts.

I do admit I only buy stuffs when there is a discount. I didn't buy Hollister shorts at Westfield coz it was not on discount and it's £40, when everything else was on discount. I just felt kinda unfair so i didn't buy. But... lawa~~~ I went there with Mubin and Zaki, looking for stuffs to wear for Zati's birthday theme party 'Blue'. I believe this sort of acts as an announcement right, Zati?

Mubin and the cock of mannequin in Diesel