Exam Results!! Year 2 Term 2

Yes ok. It's a rather belated report. The results came out about 2 weeks ago and I haven't actually done very much updating on this blog or any of my other me-sites. I think the most pitiful site I own is my drawing site. It hasn't been updated since before last summer. Anyhow, here's my report for the second half-term of 2006/2007 (remember that the CAS scale my uni uses is over 20):

Siew Mai's Report Card
EG2510
Engineering Mathematics 3 - CAS 20
Was expecting either 19 or 20 so this is ehm... expected? *ducks to avoid projectiles of rotten tomotoes and raw eggs*

EG2539
Fluid Mechanics and Thermodynamics - CAS 15
EEK!! JUST hit minimum expectation for myself. *sweats* I promise to do better next year when I choose my specific course of engineering. No points for guessing which branch that will be

EG2559
Electrical and Mechanical Systems - CAS 13
Ok. I know it's not that fantastic a mark. It's the bottom of the 2.1 class. But I really was having a lot of trouble with this topic. I just couldn't grasp it strongly enough. I actually gave myself a minimum of 10 to meet, so this is actually better than expected for me.

EG2579
Engineering Design and Practice 2 - CAS 18
Improvement by 1 point per term for this practical lab course... And - I regretfully admit - I didn't even put very much effort into it this term...

LOL!!

超かわいい～！



Yassu-chan cries coz Subaru stole his strawberry!! At first everyone thought he was just so moved by the food. Poor thing!

Incomprehensible World of Competitive Pricing

At Gramaphone (Takashimaya):
L'Arc~en~Ciel 4-in-1 China press box set -- SGD$22
L'Arc~en~Ciel 15th Anniversary Edition ray & ark -- Slightly less than SGD$25

In terms of general J-Rock (or J-music in general) availability, they have some of the latest stuff to come out but the range is definitely limited. How could B'z be missing from the range??

At Sembawang Music (Junction 8):
L'Arc~en~Ciel 4-in-1 China press box set -- About SGD$24
L'Arc~en~Ciel 15th Anniversary Edition ark -- Slightly less than SGD$21

Range is slightly wider than Gramaphone. BUT. It's mostly the old (really. old.) stuff, and mainly pop or trance. Not very well catalogued either. Took me about 10 minutes to find out where the Japanese section was and the J8 branch is a small branch.

Wonder how the other branches for either will fare... Next stop: HMV

NOTE: I'm hoping I can transfer this post at some point to a separate blog, so that people who aren't interested in my East Asian obsessions don't have to read about them if they don't want to. First though, I have to figure out a name for the new blog and plan it out. I already know that I want the title to include the word "VENEER", but it feels incomplete by itself...

Rings In My Mug

I've just realized something about my drinking (of hot drinks) habits. I'll make my desired hot beverage, then I'll put it aside for a while and do something else while I wait for it to cool a bit. HOWEVER! I'll get so engrossed in this side activity that I tend to completely forget about the existance of said beverage. When I finally remember it, the drink would've cooled enough such that its volume is reduced, and there is a ring around the mug marking the original level. Sometimes, there'll be two rings. (-_-''') I'll take a big swig then, while it's still relatively hot, then leave it and forget all about it again until a little later. By which time, yet another ring will have appeared.

What's that old children's rhyme/game we used to play/sing? "Round a ring of roses..."?? Well... Howzabout "Round a ring of coffee" instead?

S.K.I.N.始動！

http://www.yoshiki.net/jp/flv/skin.html

First live in California later this month. It's going to be HOT!!

Maybe I should just start a new blog to post about happenings in the J-entertainment world that interest me, or even just Japan in general. Not that anyone else would read it, but hey! Clogging up the world wide web with yet another useless blog? Hell! Why not?? Besides, it irritates me the way Singaporeans seem to just swallow fads with no real interest in them other than the fact that said fads are "in" now.

A while back when I was in JC, it was 哈日. Anything Japanese was IN, and therefore the thing to be seen buying and consuming. Now the tide has turned and it's 哈韩. Everything's suddenly Korean now. Not that I have anything against Korea or it's culture, but now it's SO difficult to find Japanese material, not to mention expensive. Thank God for Kinokuniya. Poh Kim? Oh yeah, they're great, except that their originals still aren't quite originals. I guess they could be legal, but when you can still see the earthquake warnings and TV programme announcements in the middle of an episode, you know it's been taped from a cable or satellite tv somewhere.

Geez... One of these days the tide will turn again and fad junkies will find themselves embracing... Oh, I don't know.. The latest Mongolian fashions, or the latest pop idol from Luxemburg, or suddenly there will be a spiked interest in Malagasy (language of Madagascar, which is actually related to Malay! Bet you didn't know that).

Pah!

Not My Best Blog Post. Don't Read This.

Yeah. Believe the title. So why the hell am I even posting when I know it's not going to be a remotely interesting post? Coz I'm jet-lagged, dazed and still trying to sort out the fuzz in my brain. Thought this might help. Verbal diarrhea.

Anyway. On to the boring blog. Don't read it.
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Arrgh! Was in Takashimaya's Gramaphone yesterday when I saw the special 15th Anniversary Extended Editions of "ray" and "ark" by L'Arc~en~Ciel... I was SOOOO tempted to buy them!!! In the end I caved to cheaper prices and just bought the cheap China press of a 4-in-1 box set that included the albums Best Clicked Singles 13, REAL, ray and ark (normal editions). It was a good price. $22 for 4 of them... The two special editions were going for about $24.80 each. *bangs head* Generally I'm glad that I'm not an extreme fanatic when it comes to these things (already am bad enough, I think), but sometimes it would be convenient to be. Coz then, sensible thoughts wouldn't factor too much in purchases such as these...

Sigh. Somebody buy me a 雅-miyavi- cd. I like how he calls Gackt "Gaku-nii" on his blog. Hey. That was random. Nono.. get me the latest MUCC ones. No, spitz. No wait... *continues mumbling as the people in the white coats come to collect her*

FINALLY!!! No more exams!!

Siew Mai's 2nd Year, 2nd Sem Exams
Monday 21 May, 3pm
EG2539 Fluids & Thermodynamics DONE

Thursday 24 May, 9am
EG2559 Electrical & Mechanical Systems MURDERED. MASSACRED. UTTERLY AND THOROUGHLY DEAD.

Tuesday 29 May, 9am
EG2510 Engineering Mathematics 3 DONE

SKIN

来た！！
THE BAND is called SKIN.
The official line-up is now:
YOSHIKI (drums)
Gackt (vocal)
SUGIZO (guitar)
雅-miyavi- (guitar)

And they'll be performing at the Anime Expo 2007!!!!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!! Somebody send me to the US NOW!!

I think if I become any more fan-girly I will actually have a stroke.

[edit: 28 May 2007] More info:
Yahoo!Japan News
Oricon Career
Sponichi Annex

Yes I realize the new links are all Japanese articles. Maybe after the exams I might be inspired to try translating them. But at the moment...

Seriously Shit

I hate it when I try to speak about something seriously, and no one takes me seriously. They tease and they joke and they just flat out refuse to realize how bothered or how concerned I may actually be. Most times, I guess I can see their side of it - the funny side or ridiculous side of the matter. Those times, frustrated as I may feel about not being taken seriously, I can still laugh it off. Sometimes, the issue bothers me too much. Sure. I'll may laugh it off with them at the moment, but afterwards I still just feel like shit about it.

Or have I actually become so much of an over-achiever that people around me can no longer believe me when I tell them that I'm worried that I've failed. Again. I doubt it though. I'm still the lazy-ass person I've always been. Maybe I'm just hardworking compared to the people here. In which case, then they are all just stupid little shits. Well. They always have been stupid little shits. I guess this just makes them even more stupid, and more shitty.


I failed once. Big time. I don't want to fail again.

SO SWEET!!

Hot Chocolate~!!
ヨシキ様優しい～！！かわいくて、格好いい！！

ヨシキ様くれてココアがほしいなぁぁぁ～～！(*_*)
行きたいな～Jロック革命コンサート。

Shot In The Head

o.
m.
g.

Resits here I come... (T_T)

J-ロック革命

行きたい！！すごく行きたい！

この事です。

Do you think if I wish hard enough, yoshiki will be inspired to organize something similar in the UK? Or Singapore for that matter?

I mean, just look at the line-up!!! *spurting nose-bleeds*

girugamesh and DespairsRay are actually PREEETTY GOOD bands to look out for! kagrra and MUCC are possibly a bit too metal for my taste although some of the stuff I've heard on Last.fm is pretty good. Don't know much about the other bands though.

AND MIYAVI?!?!?!? *faints from excessive blood loss* OMG! I was a convert when I saw this video. Go watch it NOW!

PLUS!!! Yoshiki has said on his MySpace blog that he'll announce the 4th member of his new (SUPER) band during the show. Gackt and Sugizo are already involved, and he just needs a second guitarist and a bassist!! The rumour mill has it that miyavi is that second guitarist. I'm going NUTS here!!!

Damn this post turned out longer than I intended it to be.

Avoiding Electrical Circuits

In a desperate attempt to once again avoid studying, here is yet another random post...
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I think I'm actually more stressed than I think I am. There was a revision lecture scheduled today at the usual time, to be held in the usual lecture theatre. So, desperate as I was for any kind of help and possibly exam hints, I trooped down to the University and up to the assigned room.

There was no one there.

So I called my classmate, NM...

NM: Hello, Su Mei!
Me: Hallo. Uhm... Where is the alleged lecture supposed to be?
NM: The usual place.
Me: But... There's no one there.
NM: Er... Maybe because it's at 4pm?
Me: Yes, but... Wait, what time is it now?
NM: A little after 2?
Me: ... (-_-")

And the crazy thing was... I was actually aware of the times on some level. I know that Electrical on Mondays is always at 4pm. But for some reason when I looked at my watch at 1.40pm, I also just knew that I had to get moving if I wanted to make the lecture in time... (-.-''') Something is wrong with me.
****************************
Made a new friend yesterday! Yay!! Yes, I know I could've mentioned it in yesterday's posts but I was busy talking about AFJ ok? (AFJラブラブ!) Anyhow, yes! New friend! Met him in church and we invited him out for lunch with us. Pity he's only going to be here for a couple more weeks.
****************************
From The Amazing Death Predictor:
Van Su Mei: At age 52 you will die from an equipment malfunction in an exciting, fear based reality game show. Your death will receive the highest ratings of any episode of any reality show, ever.

Random Flat Conversation 7

Haven't done one of these in a while...

[Woke up late this morning. Open door while simultaneously deciding to look for something in my closet...]

Me: (sleepy grunt) Hrumph...
R: [who's slightly hungover still slightly drunk but still puttering around at 9am in the morning] Ooh! Was that a Mei-sound?
Me: Yes. [Slight consciousness creeps in] What's "Mei-sound"??
R: A sound which is made by a Mei!
Me: ...Huh...
R: If there were more they would be Mei-soundS!
Me: ... ...

AFJが大好き！

Been meaning to post an update for AGES!!! ごめんなさい、皆さん。

Ok, so let's start with last Saturday, 5 May. That was the day that the Aberdeen Kendo Club, AU Kendo Club and Aberdeen Friends of Japan worked to gether to organize the 3rd annual Japan Day as well as the annual Kendo Competition. Think there were only 3 participating universities (Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow), but since I had very little to do with that, I want to rave talk about the Japan Day fair!!

Went with the people of the newly set-up Nippon Connections. We were supposed to have been there for 12pm to help with the setting up and all. But lo and behold, we didn't count on the International Market being on in Union Street so all the buses were diverted and traffic was about twice as bad as usual. We ended up being almost 20min late and there's was very little left for us to do by the time we arrived. Still we managed to make ourselves useful in one way or another throughout the day. Doriana, Nikolas and I appointed ourselves (ok, I appointed myself) "official" photographers and went around blinding everyone with our digital cameras while managing to participate in the fun at the same time. My memory card is with Doriana at the moment, so photos will have to wait. Despite being a really small fair, there was a really great turnout. I was amazed at the number of people who turned up for the event. And I learned ikebana and some calligraphy. Chiho-san made me write ゆず (a small citrus fruit). Don't ask me why. I suggested writing the kanji for "one" but that was denied. Later tried writing my name but I screwed up the メ "me" character.

After the day was over, we all trooped over to Yamazaki-sensei's place for a barbecue! とても楽しかった！！ありがとうございました、山崎先生! And what I thought was the HIGHLIGHT of my day was meeting the Vice-Consulate General, Yokohama-san. Although I might have given him the impression of a crazed otaku fan-girl. Haiz. Got over-excited. After hearing that the Consulate General of Japan would be coming, I was actually hoping I might be able to have a serious conversation with them about how I became interested in Japan (and hopefully gain some brownie points and some good networking points). But that didn't quite work out. I realized too late who Consulate General Takahashi-san was (and he was actually speaking to me for a while.. DOH!!!). By the time I finally realized, he was engrossed in a game of Go, and I was too chicken to approach him with small conversation. And then I botched up the introduction that Naomi-san gave between Yokohama-san and us Nippon Connections people. My Japanese went totally haywire (didn't even know how to say I studied Japanese for about 2 years in Singapore. One of the easiest statements to make and I blanked. (>_<) Kill me.). Then I made the otaku fan-girl impression by teasing Bart about Akihabara in a slightly over-excited manner, due to my suddenly being so flustered. Kouki accused (teasingly, but still...)me of going to Akihabara as a maid. (T_T) Damn. I'll never be the diplomat my grandpa was. Anyhow, this Saturday was slightly better. It was a potluck lunch to celebrate the coming of Spring as well as a farewell party for a couple who were flying off to the Russian Island of Sakhalin. Made a lasagne that everyone seemed to really like (thank GOODNESS). There was SO MUCH FOOD!! It was unbelievable. Chiho-san made this really nice stewed chicken with soy beans!! おいしい～～！！Someone made croquettes as well. I could've cried from happiness. And there was this apple cake. I don't know who made it but it was soooo nice!!! I love this group. And met some new people as well! Kaneko-san, who's lived in so many places, Yeejin from Malaysia but who's worked in Japan, Yumi-san and er... ok, I don't remember the rest of the names. But oh! So many new people!! YAY!!! Silly Kouki, Doriana & Nikolas kept telling people that I could speak Japanese despite my trying very hard not to. Don't really like it when people do that to me coz then everyone starts yammering to me in really fast Japanese, and I'll panic and just NOT remember anything. Yet, somehow managed to tell Fumiko-san and Yumi-san that basically, it's down to not having practised very much and have little confidence in my Japanese. Fumiko-san told me to make use of Kouki while he's here. Hoho. Kouki will die. ほほほぉぉぉ～～！！！

Oh, by the way, I'm now the Treasurer for the First Aid Society. Did I mention that?

Everybody sing now... "Money money money~~"

Walk This Way ~ Let Go Your Burdens, My Friends ~

According to a study commisioned by the British Council, Singapore currently has the fastest walkers in the world, about 30% faster compared to the 90s. It's insane. You can read about the findings here. And London's actually placed 12, much lower than Singapore! What? How?? Are we actually THAT much more competitive compared to other major economies in the world? Looks like the Singaporean "Kiasu-ness" is truly a force to be reckoned with.

And Copenhagen. 2nd! I used to have this general impression that the Danish were pretty relaxed about things. Guess I was wrong. And now look at this. Happiest people in the world, the Danes. I remember actually seeing the map some time last year, and all the rankings. Singapore was like some pathetic number down the listings. But back to the Danes. Happy, yet very much in a rush. Maybe they really like being stressed out?

****************

Had quite an indepth heart-to-heart with R last night. He was pretty upset about some things, which I'm not quite at liberty to repeat here. I always feel at such a loss when I find out that any of my friends are having problems that they're struggling to deal with. I'm not a very good advice-giver, nor am I one to dish out fantastic consolation lines. I'm seriously LOUSY at that. The most I can actually do for anyone is just to listen, open my arms and heart to them, and really just wish like hell that there was some way I could really share the pain and frustrations; that there was some real way I could actually stop the pain. But I know I can't. Listening is all I can do, the only thing I know how to do.

Of Thermo Tests, Earthquakes & The People Around Me

In a desperate attempt to forget that I have a thermodynamics test this afternoon and that I should be desperately cramming for it, how about some random bloggings?

Earthquake in Kent!! WTH??? I didn't know that you could GET earthquakes in the UK!! It's insane! According to this BBC report, the most recent quake in the UK was in December! In Dumfries and Galloway! How is it that this isn't actually bigger news?? Granted that the last major quake was in the 1580's (around scale 6) but still! So are earthquakes actually that common in the UK that the media no longer see them as newsworthy? Coz I didn't know that until yesterday. I guess everyone is now more caught up with the 2007 elections and why the modern fairytale couple that is William & Kate actually broke up. Pooh.

Made a new friend yesterday! Brunei guy, K, who landed in Aberdeen just 3 weeks ago. He contacted G through ex-SS president FreDICK Fredrick, and so we all met up for lunch after church. He's here on a company posting and works in the oil & gas industry. From what I heard yesterday, he's led quite an interesting life. Practically been all over the world since his dad used to work for the embassy. Think it may be quite worth the effort to get to know him better. Plus he's gonna get a car. Hir hir hir... >=D

And one last thing before I go back to crunching thermo numbers... CJoe, know that you've been pretty down and stressed out lately, what with one thing and the other. I won't say the usual cliches like "it's ok" (coz it never is) or "don't think too much about it" (coz how can you not?) or other things like that. Instead, I'll just say that you're in the hearts of all your friends here, so if ever things feel like the world's about to fall apart on your shoulders, you can always find an extra pair of shoulders to help share the burden. (^.^) And if Ah-Leb gets too irritating just don't hesitate to kick him. I'm sure he deserves quite a fair share. Hee~

Ok. Lunch (Indo-mie) & thermo. Heat transfer from the fire, to pot, to water, to noodles... (@_@)

New Sidebar Feature

Hmm... Added a little radio station thing-y on my sidebar, but I'm not sure what I think of it. Unlike the YouTube videos, the player doesn't quite follow the resizing dimensions, instead parts of it are cut off. But if I don't, the player won't fit into my sidebar. And it kinda looks ugly if I put in where my Ticker is at the moment.

Well, let me know what you think of it, if you think it works for the blog. I don't necessarily want to make it a permanent feature, just thought it'd be fun to try. If it works, I'll keep it.

Although I must say something about this online radio, Last.fm. I'm LOVING it!! Finally I have found a source of great music that I wouldn't normally be able to access in the UK or even in Singapore in some cases. And it's advertisement-free!! woot woot!

Happy Happy Birthday~!!

Haha... One more year before I hit the quarter-century mark. Hahaha...

This year's birthday was GREAT!! Omg, I don't even know the words to describe it. It was simple but I was just SO HAPPY!!

I suppose it really started a couple days before when PL called to "book" me for dinner, so I knew we were going out. Then at 12am Thursday, she, G & CJoe called to wish me "Happy Birthday", which was so sweet! And before that I was already receiving messages from Singapore (Neko-chan!! Jemalelinh!! Luv you guys SO MUCH! \( ^3^)/ chuuu~!!)

The day started off normally enough - go for tai chi, jog home, do some exercise, go for classes... I didn't say anything to the flatmates, coz I had decided to keep it low this year. I knew we'd exchanged birthdates before casually, but I wasn't expecting them to remember, and I wasn't about to go around announcing it. But N caught me out when she asked if I had any plans for the night and I invited her to join us for dinner.

"We know it's your birthday you know."
"..." Busted.

Turns out that the three of them were planning to cook me dinner if I didn't have any plans at all. So touched!!

So it ended up with a fun dinner at the Ashvale Fish Restaurant with the people I love the most in Aberdeen. And the cake was just so cute!! Look at this!

Isn't it just adorable??? I almost didn't have the heart to cut it!! And when PL, G & CJoe revealed their present, my breath was just taken away...

I can only imagine the amount of effort that went into this. It's amazing!!! I only wish that I had the space in my room to actually prop it up somewhere. It's one of those where, the more you look at it, the more you see. WAH!! And I've only really gotten to know these guys in the last year!! (T_T) I wish there was some real way to describe how I felt when I received this.

And just when I thought the night could get any better, the flatmates surprised me when we got home with this....

A Peace Lily and "The Hogfather" DVD!! Waaaiii~~~!!! I know I told N & R at various times that I was waiting for the DVD to come out, but I didn't think they would actually remember it. And now I have my very own plant for my room!! Oh my goodness!! I love it! Oh! I promise to take such good care of it! Hope I can find a suitable plant-sitter for the summer though...

Heee~~ (^_^) I just couldn't stop smiling that day. And I don't think I've stopped. Haha!!

There are more photos from the day, they'll be uploaded onto Flickr soon enough (i.e. as soon as I get down to uploading the rest of my Easter vacation photos... (>_<)