On My Mind/Off The Record

I'm Bring Sexy (Blog) Back...

2007-11-10T18:00:00.001-05:00

Watch out world... my blog is coming back. in another form.. keep you eyes peeled for more info.

--MOVED--

2007-04-25T15:43:00.000-04:00

THIS BLOG IS NO LONGER ACTIVE.

One More... before I get back to coding...

2007-02-14T21:27:00.001-05:00

Hell yeah! 51% Nakata! HE WISHED! har har

Do I look THAT Bad?!

2007-02-14T21:17:00.000-05:00

At least Jackie Cheung is on the list!
Must be the silly glasses...

Happy Valentine's Day to all.
It's Happy VB (Visual Basics) -day for me... ><"

Move On~ Jet

2007-02-11T01:12:00.000-05:00

Well I been thinking 'bout the future
But I'm too young to pretend
It's such a waste to always look behind you
Should be lookin' straight ahead

Yeah, I'm gonna have to move on
Before we meet again
Yeah, it's hard
If you had've only seen

10.34: Flinders Street Station
I'm lookin' down the tracks
Uniformed man askin' am I paid up
Why would I wanna be that?

Yeah gonna have to move on
Before we meet again
Yeah it's hard
If you had have only seen
Take control
Don't be afraid of me

'Cause every once in a while
You think about if your gonna get yourself together
You should be happy just to be alive
And just because you just don't feel like comin' home
Don't mean that you'll never arrive

Yeah I'm gonna have to move on
Before we meet again
Yeah it's hard
If you had have only seen
Take control
Don't be afraid of me

That Cat Runs Fast!

2007-01-20T16:29:00.000-05:00

Interesting Articles

2007-01-09T20:22:00.000-05:00

1) "Little Asia on the Hill"

2) "Mr. Noodle"

Stress Reducer of the Day (SROTD)

2006-12-19T11:05:00.000-05:00

Spring is here!

2006-12-13T20:14:00.000-05:00

Okay, so it's not technically Spring yet, but the weather for the past few days have been miniskirt-worthy. Why haven't I been seeing more skirts around?

Decided to follow The Rabbit to the Citgo for the carwash since the weather was so nice out.
Not the greatest car wash, so prob wont go back there again. Still can't find a wash that properly gets rid of the spots on XH's skin. Also, have noticed a few areas on her face that's beginning to peel. Perhaps a visit to the dermatologist is in need.

XH outside the Carriage: "Go Blue! Beat the Trojans!"

Skillz

2006-12-13T20:09:00.000-05:00

Home Alone

2006-12-09T18:39:00.000-05:00

I hate eating alone...

Deck the Halls...

2006-12-05T10:31:00.000-05:00

It's finally starting to look like December:

Xiao Hei is Getting New (Snow) Shoes!

2006-11-30T14:44:00.000-05:00

XH is in the shop getting some new shoes. And by shoes, I mean these snow shoes. Thanks to global warming, AA experienced spring in Thanksgiving, and everyone is still scratching their heads from the fact that snow hasn't fallen yet and it's the end of November! However, Mother Nature has penciled in her schedule to dump all of what we haven't been getting tmrw. The boys at the AA Tires have promised me that these Nokian Hakkas are so good, that they "can climb up walls".

I'll take their word for it.

----

Maybe I'll switch from BP to Shell just so Schumi can chance my oil...

Wawasoo!

2006-11-26T17:44:00.000-05:00

Xiao Hei @ Wawasoo, Gaylord, Michigan

Because this guy has more talent than I do.... and cos i'm too lazy/sick to post

2006-11-10T17:26:00.000-05:00

AA doesn't always look like this...

2006-11-05T15:12:00.000-05:00

... but when it does, it's beautiful beyond compare.

Neighbours

2006-10-23T01:09:00.000-04:00

I haven't blogged for awhile...
too many hwk assignments...
a billion exams...
one interview coming up...
meals to cook...
and things to do...
places to be...

but i just wanna say that... i have AWESOME and very entertaining neighbours. :)

Where I wanna be right now...
Full Moon Restaurant, Hoi An, Vn.

For those who care about my current living condition

2006-10-01T10:33:00.000-04:00

Friends ^(Singapore Chicken Curry + Tiger Beer) = *heaven*

齊天大聖之憲在不准笑(音樂課)

2006-09-29T23:53:00.000-04:00

First Day of School

2006-09-05T01:11:00.000-04:00

yes... it's back to good ol' Ann Arbor. For those of you who have talked to me recently, you'll know that i'm not all that excited to be back in AA. It's not because of AA itself... nor the people. both of which are great. it's just that... home is back in Sg!!! and there's not 24 hr hawker centres here.
i miss everyone back home, esp the famfam and all the buddies.

Have moved into the new apt a few days ago, and even tried out the kitchet tonight with marginal success. here's the result:

voila! Meat sauce avec pasta a la Wilmot Post!

just to fill in the gaps. was in Singapore and then Montreal for a few days to settle Ying and Lin respectively in the new schools.

Pics to follow soon! i promise!

Watari Chips!

2006-08-28T16:18:00.000-04:00

If you guys ever see these chips, you gotta buy them! cos my cousin designed the packaging :)

Home... but not for long

2006-08-16T01:20:00.000-04:00

Summer has been a String of Saturdays

2006-08-03T00:13:00.000-04:00

About to leave for Danang.
Will be staying at the Furama.
Hopefully the weather holds up, and I'll be able to catch some rays.

Stay tuned for clicky pics!

Planning to visit Hong Kong mid Aug to catch up with old friends.
And pack on EVEN more pounds before commencing on my hibernation in Michigan.
Here's my ever dynamic flight itinerary before school starts:

Present - Aug 6: Danang/ Saigon, Vietnam
Aug 6 - 13: Singapore
Aug 13-16: Hong Kong
Aug 16-23: Singapore
Aug 23-29: Montreal, C-eh-N-eh-D-eh
Aug29 and beyond: Michigan

Thankfully airports don't charge rents.

Doing a Hilton

2006-08-01T12:04:00.000-04:00

"Doing a Hilton" has nothing to do with Paris Hilton. Not directly anyways.

While on a Habitat for Humanity building trip in Kuching, Sarawak back in the pre-iPod days of 2001, a group of students were wondering about town during a night off. After a Hepatitis B-filled dinner of recently slaughtered seafood, a few of us were looking to release the incresing pressure building up in our intestines. You must understand that Kuching is not a very big town, and the best place we thought of was... the Hilton. So the whole bunch of us trooped in and took are respective shits... and left. Hence, doing a Hilton - the usage of a hotel's (the classier, the better) bathroom facilities (ie. taking a shit) when not actually a paying customer.

Why am I telling you this?

Cos just now, I did the Park Hyatt Saigon version of the Kuching Hilton.

Very satisfying.

Marble floors and white fluffy towels.

Lots of leg space too.

The New Audi TT... wipes drool

2006-07-28T10:08:00.000-04:00

Katie's Gift

2006-07-25T23:46:00.000-04:00

...I bought a gift for your birthday long time ago. I intended to send you a can of plant seed to keep you company in a cold place. I was proud of my idea before I know it's illegal by air . And it may be a silly idea because the weather is so cold in your place. Anyway,I plant it in my office now and I think of you everytime I see it.

THANKS KATIE! You're the Best! :)

Two New Top Favo(u)rites!

2006-07-25T12:30:00.000-04:00

...and their both from Japan!
I was channel surfing late one night and came across NHK playing music vids and these guys popped up...

(Wikipedia entry...)

PE'Z is a Japanese jazz instrumental band consisting of five young men. It is dubbed "The Samurai Jazz Band." The group members are Ohyama "B.M.W" Wataru (trumpet, born in Kanagawa), Kadota "Jaw" Kousuke (sax, born in Ehime), Nirehara Masahiro (wood bass, born in Niigata), Hiizumi "HZM" Masayuki (keyboard, piano etc., born in Kobe) and Kou (drums, born in Tokyo).

PE'Z began their music careers playing live on the streets of Shibuya in the center of Tokyo during the summer of 2000. Word of mouth spread quickly and they began pulling in large
crowds which sometimes totaled up to 600.

check out their vids on youtube...

Collective Mode - PE'Z
Akatsuki - PE'Z
Dry Dry Dry - PE'Z

NEXT!

Was watching the Miss Universe competition, which interestingly enough Mr Donald Trump actually has a stake in... ANYWAY.
SHE should've won. Miss PR looked like a man. SHE is THE Miss Mingter's Universe! DUN DUN DUN! MISS JAPAN UNIVERSE - Kurara Chibana

*drool...*
going to bed now.
g'nite

Flickr Pics Updated

2006-07-23T07:06:00.000-04:00

Honolulu a Yonder

I have uploaded more selected Hawaii pics to my flickr album. Let me know if you want any of them in high qualities. Enjoy!

Somewhere Over Japan

The Lighthouse

2006-07-20T01:35:00.000-04:00

Makapu‘u Point Lighthouse, Oahu, HI.

The Lighthouse

The rocky ledge runs far into the sea,
and on its outer point, some miles away,
the lighthouse lifts its massive masonry,
A pillar of fire by night, of cloud by day.

Even at the distance I can see the tides,
Up heaving, break unheard along its base,
A speechless wrath, that rises and subsides
in the white tip and tremor of the face.

And as the evening darkens, lo! how bright,
through the deep purple of the twilight air,
Beams forth the sudden radiance of its light,
with strange, unearthly splendor in the glare!

No one alone; from each projecting cape
And perilous reef along the ocean's verge,
Starts into life a dim, gigantic shape,
Holding its lantern o'er the restless surge.

Like the great giant Christopher it stands
Upon the brink of the tempestuous wave,
Wading far out among the rocks and sands,
The night o'er taken mariner to save.

And the great ships sail outward and return
Bending and bowing o'er the billowy swells,
And ever joyful, as they see it burn
They wave their silent welcome and farewells.

They come forth from the darkness, and their
sails
Gleam for a moment only in the blaze,
And eager faces, as the light unveils
Gaze at the tower, and vanish while they gaze.

The mariner remembers when a child,
on his first voyage, he saw it fade and sink
And when returning from adventures wild,
He saw it rise again o'er ocean's brink.

Steadfast, serene, immovable, the same,
Year after year, through all the silent night
Burns on forevermore that quenchless flame,
Shines on that inextinguishable light!

It sees the ocean to its bosom clasp
The rocks and sea-sand with the kiss of peace;
It sees the wild winds lift it in their grasp,
And hold it up, and shake it like a fleece.

The startled waves leap over it; the storm
Smites it with all the scourges of the rain,
And steadily against its solid form
press the great shoulders of the hurricane.

The sea-bird wheeling round it, with the din
of wings and winds and solitary cries,
Blinded and maddened by the light within,
Dashes himself against the glare, and dies.

A new Prometheus, chained upon the rock,
Still grasping in his hand the fire of love,
it does not hear the cry, nor heed the shock,
but hails the mariner with words of love.

"Sail on!" it says: "sail on, ye stately ships!"
And with your floating bridge the ocean span;
Be mine to guard this light from all eclipse.
Be yours to bring man neared unto man.

author
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Manana Island, Off Makapuu Point, Oahu, HI

Flippity Flip

2006-07-11T02:38:00.000-04:00

Finally got this RollOver Javascript to work! The script I got from various websites were right all along... just that I had placed it in the wrong part of the html! Silly silly me.
Anyway, here's something cool I found a week back.

Stare at the dot for 30 seconds. Then, without moving your eyes, move the mouse over the image.The image will look like it's in color until you move your eyes.

White Flower, Lucy's Garden, Maui, Hawaii.

Pua Mae ʻole

2006-07-05T05:37:00.000-04:00

Here are some selected flower pics from my recent trip to Hawaii...Enjoy!

Running Route

2006-07-03T08:24:00.000-04:00

Check out my 5k running route back in Singapore here!

This is a runner's dream app come true... Gmap-pedometer.

Sunrise

2006-07-02T23:39:00.000-04:00

Since I wasn't very good at blogging while in Hawaii... this will be the first of a series of pics based on differen themes.

Sunrise at Haleakala, Maui, Hawaii.

Life?

2006-06-29T11:33:00.000-04:00

7th floor, Elevator Lobby, Hai Phuong 2 Hotel, Nha Trang, Vn.

Images = too lazy to type a real entry

2006-06-28T13:06:00.000-04:00

Breakfast of Champions! some kopitiam, Sg.

5am swim lessons. Nha Trang, Vn.

View from our Hotel room. Nha Trang, Vn.

View from Ying's room. Riverside Apts, HCMC, Vn.

Lotus Flowers. Ben Thanh Market, HCMC, Vn.

The Lau's + 01xTittman. Sofitel, HCMC, Vn.

Sneaky Peeky

2006-06-21T05:49:00.000-04:00

Read this.

Look for the back of my head.

Aloha, Hawaii!

2006-05-19T20:35:00.000-04:00

It's been one week since i've gotten to Oahu and boy has the weather been good. To all those back in Michigan, i apologize for taunting u guys with the fact that the weather there sucks and the weather here rocks. It's been like a string of Saturdays with alot of relaxing in the sun and just general chillin'.

Day 1:
Yiyu picked me up from the airport and we went out for a quick dinner at a place called Big City Diner. The ribs just fell of the bones! Met up with Fetia later on and hit a club called Koi. The place was packed with alot of locals. took us FOREVER to get the drinks, which we promptly polished off before heading to another local joint called Aku Bone Grill, a real chill place. A few not so sober big hawaiian guys were singing a ktv screen that had just words.

L-R: Dana, Tia, Yours Truly

Day 2:
Beat this: BBQ on Waikiki while watching the Sunset!
Proof:

btw... i love ahi poke!

Day 3:
I ALSO love shave ice from Waiola Bakery:

Went for a drive around Diamond Head and past Black's Point:

Day 4:
Caught a FREE (something u dont get too oftenhere) Hula show outside the Hyatt:

and caught the sunset on the beach...

ok... phew... that's not all... but i'll finish the update tmrw.
connection here is crap so it takes hella long time to upload the pics.
but... stay tuned!

Take me out to the ball game!

2006-05-14T16:57:00.000-04:00

Free tickets to the Padres vs. Brewers games... EXCELLENT!
How GOOD are these seats!

Thank your Baby K for your hospitality and letting me crash at ur place.
Don't Fight the Funk! lol

I'm actually finishing off this entry in Honolulu, Hawaii right now. Haven't been able to get decent wireless connection since getting here, but I've finally found a spot in my hostel room where i can't tap into some free wireless. Score!
here's a teaser to keep u guys comin' back for more:

Waikiki strip in the afternoon

Kapiolani Park Sunset

Expect more updates and PLENTY of pictures to come!

Lookie here what I found!

2006-05-10T13:18:00.000-04:00

Hello World! I am not dead.
I'm in SD right now spending some quality time with BabyK.
Her and I go wayyyy back, and it's complicated... the customs officer at the US-Canada border had asked me who I was gonna be seeing in SD and how I know that person... and i had to think for awhile for how best to put it. Perhaps this long forgotten portal on the vast WWW will provide some clues: ASA Oxford 2k!

and since I'm lazy to type... here are some pics:

Cinco de Mayo Celebrations at Old Town

La Jolla Cove

San Diego Zoo!

Top Gear - Lotus Exige vs Apache

2006-04-24T19:52:00.000-04:00

Geography of a Woman and a Man...

2006-04-22T22:54:00.000-04:00

tee hee hee...

"GEOGRAPHY OF A WOMAN"

BETWEEN 18 AND 22,
A WOMAN IS LIKE AFRICA, HALF DISCOVERED, HALF WILD,
NATURALLY BEAUTIFUL WITH FERTILE SOIL.

BETWEEN 23 AND 30,
A WOMAN IS LIKE AMERICA, WELL DEVELOPED AND OPEN
TO TRADE, ESPECIALLY FOR SOMEONE WITH CASH

BETWEEN 31 AND 35,
A WOMAN IS LIKE INDIA, VERY HOT, RELAXED AND
CONVINCED OF HER OWN BEAUTY.

BETWEEN 36 AND 40,
A WOMAN IS LIKE FRANCE, GENTLY AGING BUT STILL WARM
AND A DESIRABLE PLACE TO VISIT.

BETWEEN 41 AND 50,
A WOMAN IS LIKE GREAT BRITAIN, WITH A GLORIOUS AND ALL
CONQUERING PAST.

BETWEEN 51 AND 60,
A WOMAN IS LIKE YUGOSLAVIA, LOST THE WAR AND HAUNTED
BY PAST MISTAKES.

BETWEEN 61 AND 70,
A WOMAN IS LIKE RUSSIA, VERY WIDE AND BORDERS ARE NOW
UNPATROLLED

AFTER 70,
SHE BECOMES TIBET. WILDLY BEAUTIFUL, WITH A MYSTERIOUS
PAST AND THE WISDOM OF THE AGES.ONLY THOSE WITH AN
ADVENTUROUS SPIRIT AND A THIRST FOR SPIRITUAL
KNOWLEDGE VISIT THERE.

"GEOGRAPHY OF A MAN"

BETWEEN 1 AND 70,
A MAN IS LIKE The UNITED STATES - RULED BY A DICK.

Hello, Mr Spring. Nice to meet you.

2006-04-16T11:56:00.000-04:00

Spring Blossoms, Diag, AA, Apr 06.

Nothing like good weather and great company to cheer the world up.
It's a been a good year with my new found friends.
But great things will always come to an end.
It'll be alil' different next year. :-/
Then again, it's the uncertainty of life that keeps me going.
Until then, finals.....grrr!

It's a Beautiful Day

2006-04-13T10:34:00.000-04:00

It's simply too beautiful outside for me to stay inside to study.
The weather is sooooooooooo nice.
and at the same time, sooooooooo bad for finals cos you're just not in the mood to stay inside.

Just a quick note on summer plans:
May 5-12: San Diego visiting Baby K
May 12-19: Oahu backpacking (anyone want to join me?)
May19-June12: Maui Internship
June12- ?? : Singapore!~ (everyone back home, make sure you keep ur nights free so we can go makan/drink/and be merry!)
July/Aug/Sept: Taipei (TBC)

Lemme know your plans!

Wolverine-like Powers!

2006-04-12T11:02:00.000-04:00

No. I'm not dead ... yet.
Finals are next week, and I'm bracing myself for the stress train to smash me in to pieces.
Tues- Chem, Engin Final Report, Engin Indiv Report (Ying's birthday!!!!)
Thurs- Math (8-10), Hist 205 (1330-1530), GIEU mtg (1800-2000)
Friday- Hist 352
Week after... Tues - Engin 100

I'm more concerned about the history classes and doing well in them. I know I have most of my shit down pat for Chem, Math, and Engin, remembering dates/events is just not my forte.
---
Check this out for regenerative superhuman powers!

ok... so u wont be seeing wolverine's spawns anytime soon... but this really is kinda cool. Imagine the medical possibilities!

---

Here's a lil something I thought I'ld share. It's from a book called "Who Will Cry When You Die?" by this lawyer turned monk/inspirational speaker Robin Sharma.

Maintain Your Perspective:

One day, according to an old story, a man with a serious illness was wheeled into a hospital room where another patient was resting on a bed next to the window. As the two became friends, the one next to the window would look out of it and then spend the next few hours delighting his bedridden companion with vivid descriptions of the world outside. Some days he would describe the beauty of the trees in the park across from the hospital and how the leaves danced in the wind. On other days, he could entertain his friend with step-by-step replays of the tings people were doing as they walked by the hospital. However, as time went on, the bedridden man grew frustrated at his inability to observe the wonders his friend described. Eventually he grew to dislike him and then to hate him intensely.

One night, during a particularly bad coughing fit, the patient next to the window stopped breathing. Rather than pressing th button for help, the other man chose to do nothing. The next morning, the patient who had given his friend so much happiness by recounting the sights outside the window was pronounced dead and wheeled out of the hospital room. The other man quickly asked that his bed be placed next to the window, a request that was complied with by the attending nurse. But as he looked out the window, he discovered something that made him shake: the window faced a stark brick wall. His former roommate had conjured up the incredible sights that he described in his imagination as a loving gesture to made the world of his friend a little bit better during a difficult time. He had acted out of selfless love.

This story never fails to create a shift in my own perspective when I think about it. To live happier, more fulfilling lives, when we encounter a difficult circumstance, we must keep shifting our perspectives and continually ask ourselves, "Is there a wiser, more enlightened way of looking at this seeminly negative situtation?" Stephen Hawking, one of the greatest physicists ever, is reported to have said that we live on a minor planet of a very average star located within the outer limits of one of a hundred thousand million galaxies. How's that for a shift in perspective? Given this information, are your troubles really that big? Are the problems you have experienced or the challenges you might currently be facing really as serious as you have made them out to be?

We walk this planet for such a short time. In the overall scheme of things, our lives are mere blips on the canvas of eternity. So have the wisdom to enjoy the journey and savor the process.

Absolute Nonsense

2006-04-06T23:00:00.000-04:00

This is actually on UM's server space! hehe

Ann Arbor on a Good Day

2006-04-04T12:20:00.000-04:00

Ann Arbor on a Good Day

It's bright and sunny outside... just the way I love Ann Arbor to be. Although AA/Michigan is not synonymous with warm weather, the lack of it sorta makes it special. I feel so much more invigorated and cheerful when the weather is nice out. I know that the weather is unlikely to last (weather forecast for tmrw: SNOW!) but maybe knowing that it will come to an end makes it all that more special. An analogy to life? You make the connection...

I wanna go out for a longgggg run as I haven't been keeping up with my training in the past week, but this essay on How the Communist Revolution of 1949 changed China is sorta in the way... :/ Have put on abit of "healthy padding" since Xmas break, all those late night pizzas, weekend beers, and dining hall ice creams are starting to weigh me down haha... but i know i can get it off once summer comes around and i have more time to train for the Chicago Marathon this coming fall. Have this grand plan to run everyday while I'm in Hawai'i! No better way to get some sun.

Things to do this week:
- engin presentation
- China History essay
- START REVIEWING FOR ALL CLASSES
- Bar Crawl on Saturday night!!! woohoo!!!

Wet Wet Wet

2006-04-03T12:05:00.000-04:00

Count down

2006-03-30T20:30:00.000-05:00

It's almost summer! Maui, Singapore, Vietnam, and (perhaps) Taipei beckons with all the warm weather, good food and great company!
But before that, finals are only 3 weeks away. I feel rather unprepared for the upcoming exams. Hopefully I can pull off what I did last semester and get some good grades. I just wanna get it over and done with and enjoy summer and all the warm weather my tropical island body have been lacking! I dunno how I can even stand the crummy weather here in AA. I guess it does make me appreciate the good weather.

...

Y'know... I've come to the conclusion that many of us inherently 1) think to much about the past and 2) worry too much about the future. I guess it's rational/natural/normal. The past is something we've experienced, and really all we have to reflect back on. We think about all the good times and try to cherish it, and to relive it. Our mind wonder off and think about all the shitty times and a surge of emotion hits.

The future represents a certain amount of uncertainty. For me, expectations (external and from myself) is a source of pressure that in someways keeps me going and what I'm doing. I fear not reaching those expectations. I keep telling myself that failure is something we all must go through and that we shouldn't be afraid to fail. [Actually... Dad told me that! Dad: i still remember the letter after graduation :) thanks!] The feeling of defeat is not a nice feeling, but sorta like the cold weather in AA, it does make me appreciate the good times I've had.

having said all that... why should we think about the past too much and worry about the future too often when the only thing you can influence/act on is the present.

yeah... dunno what i'm gettin at... so i'm just gonna end this post with some random picture from my collection :)

enjoy the weekend!

Oh! What a Day!

2006-03-26T14:54:00.000-05:00

Headed to the 34th Annual PowWow held here at UM at the Crisler Arena. Some really really awesome costumes, beats, and singing. By far the most cultural event I've been to in a while. It was something that I have no previous knowledge of and thus was a really eye-opener. I was left in awe and frankly quite fascinated. I'll let the photos speak for themselves:

After that, I went up to North Campus for Tzu Ching's Tea Party. It was mostly just the organizing committee members as well as the usual familiar faces. We got together to play a couple of games, watch two short vids on Tzu Chi's origins, and what UM's Tzu Ching have been doing. The Shr Gu's from Troy graciously brought some superb home cooked food for us to eat. Thanks Shr Gus! It really did feel like a small family and the warmth that people are willing to give sometimes overwhelms me. I hope I can do the same for other people too, what other have done for me. :)

Next!
Dashed back to the dorm to change and trotted over to East Hall Atrium for the SEA Culture Night for some awesome SEA food and performances. Sel: Good job ! :) Don't say I never support hor! hehe... I spent my USD10 worth of coupons on mostly desserts like cendol, ching chow, and even goren pisang! Even coerced Rabbit to have most of the uncommon food. I reassured her that the nothing that I bought used to be alive.

Got back to the dorm to change (again) for Billy and Chris' Stoplight Party. Realized that I'm in serious shortage of green shirts, so i settled for a dirty brownish green kinda polo shirt. Got there a demolished a few fools who thought they were any match for my awesome Beer Pong skills. Ha! Good times. Good times.

Mad Skillz: Ronaldinho vs. Inamoto

2006-03-25T00:06:00.000-05:00

The Weekend has Landed!

2006-03-24T11:50:00.000-05:00

"Trust yourself. Create the kind of life you will be happy to live with all your life. Make themost of yourself by fanning the tiny, inner sparks of possibility into the flames of achievement." ~Foster C. McClellan

-----
The weekend is finally here! Which means more time to do homework, and catch up on history reading without the distruption of class! :P It's gonna be a packed weekend. There a film showing at 2pm later this afternoon of "The Passion of Mao" by Lee Feigon. I have a paper due on April 10 on Mao ZDizzle which I have yet to start. :S TWSA KTV night tonight from 7 till late. Prob head back "home" to the Penthouse for some much needed rest after last night's shitty sleep, and this morning's 8am lab.
Saturday! "Dance for Mother Earth" Pow Wow from 11-1pm-ish... then Tzu Ching Tea Party from 4-6pm... then SEA Cult Night at the Math Atrium for some (hopefully) good SEA food (Sel: there better be nasi lemak!)

Sunday! um... hwk... *sheepish grin*

It has been a busy week with a couple of papers due, various hwk assignments as well as a Mx214 exam. Nothing toooooo strenous, but still rather time consuming.

Sometimes, I feel as if school sorta gets in the way of things I actually wanna do and learn. but I know college is a necessary thing that I have to do for great future endeavours. I'm quite happy with what I have now... I think that we should always be grateful for what we have b/c there's many more ppl out there who don't have it as good. We get so caught up with our wants/needs that sometimes we can't properly differentiate (Calc?!) what is a want, and what is a need.

For me, ... I just want to be happy. And making people around me happy, and being happy with other happy people makes me happy :)

Ethan and Austin, Milwauke. Thanksgiving Break '05

天才手語表演

2006-03-22T11:12:00.000-05:00

They Told Me...

2006-03-20T12:45:00.000-05:00

"Satellite" ~Asha

"They told me
that if i tried
there aint no mountain high enough
they told me,
that if i prayed
that there aint no river too deep for me
so up the ladder, high on top
higher and higher, never stop
reaching for the destiny that
god has laid for me
on and on without a doubt
fighting hard, not giving up
trying to appreciate the struggles that i hate...
they told me ...."

Good Ol' Days

2006-03-19T19:58:00.000-05:00

I talked to Sarah (thanks!) earlier this morning and take a look at what she sent me! Ol' School pics of the good ol' days! I present to you, class photos from Chinese International School, 1991-1996-ish. 5,000 points and a free drink for whoever finds me first in each pic!

Primary 2: Way back while schoolin' in Causeway Bay

Sarah and I both think that i'm the one in the pink mask at the back, on the right :P

Primary 2: Class Photo. I was excited standing next to two girls! until I realized that so was everyone else....

Primary 4 (missing P3 for some reason): Gotta love those sexy cardigans!

Primary 5: check out Jason Yu's (second row, first from the right) hair cut. Stylin' it, bro!

Primary 6: "You were Harry Potter!" ~Sarah

Oh! the days when we were young... when nothing mattered and nothing to worry about. Met up with Jason Yu while I was in NYC over Spring Break.

Bug's Eye View

We were saying how somethings just dont change, and I think that's quite true about this gang of kids I knew from Hong Kong.
I mean, we all lead different lives in different places now, but we all had that common bond of growing up together as childhood friends few people have. Hopefully i'l be able to meet up with a few more you guys in the near future!

If you're reading this, and know of someone in the pictures (or from CIS) drop me a comment and leave ur msg after the beep!

Sunrise :: Sunset

2006-03-16T14:37:00.000-05:00

Penthouse Sunrise: Law Quad, Early Fall 05

There are days when u just dont feel like doing anything. Today is one of those days for me.
It's St. Paddy's Day today and in proper college tradition, students from all over the country started to drink (not water, silly) starting at dawn. Michigan was no exception.

During my quick 5 k run around the campus in preparation for this sunday's race, I encountered at least oh.... several dozen drunks donning anything green they could get their hands on. haha... quite a sight really. OH! Kids these days... :-P It got to a point where I couldn't even differentiate whether ppl were drunk of not.
I need a drink tho. but there's no one to drink with. :-/ no one legal anyway...

Had lunch today at TKWu on Liberty with Wilson. So, I was happily eating my bowl of beef noodles, which by the way is actually pretty good, and noticed something shiny submerged in the soup, lodged in between a noodle and a piece of beef. Identified the foreign object as a piece of steel wool! Woot! Who says there's no such thing as a free lunch in this world? :)

Headed down to Arborland mall to get some stuff for Engin at ACE Hardware. I was absolutely overwhelmed by the choices of caulks and glues! They have friggin' glues for every fuck thing. Wood on wood, wood on metal, wood on plastic, plastic on plastic... the possible permutations are endless!

Hopped on over to Cold Stone for some Rocky Road...mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!
...

It's been a long week with alot of things on my mind, and even more on my To-Do list.
- hist 352 essay/exam
- hist 352 read CP
- hist 205 essay
- hist 205 read read read research
- mx 214 prac exam
- mx 214 hwk
- engin 100 #7
- GIEU journal #5
- summer travel plans (those who are in Toronto, Cali, Vancouver, Maui and Taipei, YOU BETTER WATCH OUT, COS I'M COMIN' TO VISIT!)

and this is just for this weekend.
sigh... it's gonna be really busy... hopefully I get most of this done.

in the mean time... i need a rest and a few pints.

Happy St Pat's Day, World!

Sunset on the other side of the world: Phan Thiet Winter 06

Perseverance

2006-03-13T09:28:00.000-05:00

Just woke up after 7 solid hours of sleep, something that I haven't been getting the past two nights. It's another Monday, the start of another week week of work, obligations and studying. My mental To-Do list is getting longer and longer, and by no means am I meeting all the due dates I have set for myself. I really am having a hard time finding motivation to persevere. But I know that perseverence is much needed right now to get me through the home stretch and to the (shortterm) goal of SUMMER!!!

I dreamt about mountain biking last night. Bizzare. I took a jump from a mound of dirt that didn't look big enough to give me much air. But I soared and got up pretty hight. As I was on the way down, I saw the ground and thought to myself "I'm not gonna make this. It's impossible! I'm gonna crash!"

But I didn't. Instead I landed with a soft thud and carried on pedalling away...

I wonder what all this means...

Untitled#1

2006-03-11T01:29:00.000-05:00

just a quick post before I head to bed...

There has been alot of things on my mind lately. Expectations, uncertainties and insecurities being the three main themes. I have talked to many about it, and have received much good and pragmatic advice from them. To those whom I talked to... thank you very much for showing you care and know that i really do appreciate it.

I should be alright...

I'm starting to feel the pressure of an 18 credit semester!!!!! ahhhhh...
I just feel like giving up. but you know I wont... cos i'm good like that.
but i hope i do get thru it and make it to Hawaii in a stable state of mind.
Btw, updates on my Mauiming blog... go check it out!

I still do want to post up summaries of my New York trip. but that will depend on how much of my school work i get done next week. chances are, they prob wont be up for awhile.... if they ever do.

FINALY DECISION: I WILL NOT BE APPLYING FOR TRANSFER TO COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY
thought about it... decided upon a course of action... moving on.

anyways.. it's late and it's day two of the GIEU orientation program that has burned up my whole weekend. hopefully i get to squeeze in some time for studying... somewhere.
oh... and dinner with Rabbit tmrw night too :)

goose night!

Welcome to Singapore!

2006-03-08T09:12:00.000-05:00

"A tour and celebration of the sights, sounds and culture of Singapore. Includes sections on food, culture, religion, art, parks, museums, wildlife and history."

This film is kinda old, but it does give a pretty good run down of what Singapore is like. STB: please contact me for further services :)

gotta love the "dong dong qiang" music.

NYC Dreaming...

2006-03-07T10:11:00.000-05:00

Day Deux

2006-03-02T23:28:00.000-05:00

So, woke up to a weather report that said it would be "Messy".
Oh boy... WAS IT MESSY, alright.
It began with flurries the size of quarters, progressed on to sleet the weight of quarters, and finished off with a concoction of something between hail and rain.
"Messy" is an understatement...

Met up with Sue at the heart of Chinatown - Mott and Canal, and nibbled abit on the best Fried Yam Cakes (see above) at some dim sum place that I'm certain is run by the Triad.

Headed up to the west side of Central Park and completed a small part of the American Museum of Natural History. Tired out my feet and came back to Lissy's place for another heartwarming home-cooked meal thanks to Auntie.

Jay Leno, wine, and ice cream to finish the night off... gotta love it!

The ESB in the clouds

Life: One Way Street?

2006-03-02T00:04:00.000-05:00

Somewhere on Bleeker St. towards W 4th St

Instead of giving you plenty of details about my trip in NYC... I'll give you periodic "foto feeds" to satisfy your visual cravin'. The full updates shall come after I get back to the world of Meijer: Ann Arbor.

So... ctrl-D this site, and come back often!

out. mingster.

Pre- New York New York

2006-03-01T09:05:00.000-05:00

On my way to New York City! woohoo~
I'll be crashing with a good friend of mine, Lauryn.
We go wayyyy back... long enough that we use to chat on ICQ! (what's that?!)
I haven't seen her in a long time and it's gonna be a blast.
Having grown up in big metropolitan areas, I always miss the city life - perpetrual hive-life pace of life, the buildings, the honking cabs, public transportation...
Better get going.

Expect many more updates to come!

The Correct Answer is "b"

2006-02-28T11:23:00.000-05:00

Here's a question I would like to ask my audience (yes, YOU!):

What is the purpose of life?

What reasons do we have to live? What exactly are we striving/trudging towards everyday? What's your motive for all your actions? What is it exactly that you want to do? Is there even a rational answer? Why? Why.... What is that you want in life?

Is it because you've been told to, and therefore will obligingly carry out this "task"? or perhaps it's because you don't want to let someone down? Do you go from one ultimatum to another without really knowing what is it that you want?

Is there even an answer?

I believe that life is a beautiful gift. A gift that is the first door that leads you to the Hall Way of Opportunities. If Life is a journey, then your raison d'etre is the search for what you want. You may not find it straight away; you may have thought you have found it, but realize that it is not yours. But you MUST keep on searching, because once you've given up searching, you're lost.

I'm not too sure what I'm getting at. But this is what's on my mind right now.
What do YOU think?

Comments?/Questions?/Small animal noises?

Alishan, Taiwan '05

Spell with flickr!

2006-02-26T23:05:00.000-05:00

spell with flickr!

For more fun with flickr check out this article I found from Wired: Ten Best Flickr Mashups

Well... I feel like being hardworking so I'll just list the links to the flickr mashups:
Retrievr
Spell with Flickr
Tagnautica
Flappr
Captioner!
Fastr
Colr Pickr
FlickrFling
Flickrball
Flickr Sudoku

phew! that was alot of Ctrl-C's and Ctrl-V's. haha gotta love technology.

DISCLAIMER: The above links may be potential addictive and cause much of your so-called "time on your hands" to be wasted. Please use in moderation. Pregnant women and those suffering from heart disease are encouraged to follow the links since they have nothing else better to do anyway!

Mingster's Johari Window

2006-02-23T22:02:00.000-05:00

Here's something interesting about finding out who you think you are, and what others think of you... and see how closely they match!
try it out!

Fill mine out here!

Mingster's Johari Window

Arena

(known to self and others)

adaptable, caring, independent, reflective, sentimental

Blind Spot

(known only to others)

able, bold, cheerful, clever, confident, dependable, extroverted, friendly, giving, helpful, intelligent, kind, logical, loving, mature, modest, observant, relaxed, searching, sensible, silly, spontaneous, sympathetic, trustworthy, warm, wise, witty

Façade

(known only to self)

knowledgeable

Unknown

(known to nobody)

accepting, brave, calm, complex, dignified, energetic, happy, idealistic, ingenious, introverted, nervous, organised, patient, powerful, proud, quiet, religious, responsive, self-assertive, self-conscious, shy, tense

All Percentages

able (9%) accepting (0%) adaptable (18%) bold (18%) brave (0%) calm (0%) caring (36%) cheerful (27%) clever (9%) complex (0%) confident (36%) dependable (36%) dignified (0%) energetic (0%) extroverted (18%) friendly (27%) giving (9%) happy (0%) helpful (18%) idealistic (0%) independent (18%) ingenious (0%) intelligent (36%) introverted (0%) kind (36%) knowledgeable (0%) logical (27%) loving (9%) mature (18%) modest (9%) nervous (0%) observant (9%) organised (0%) patient (0%) powerful (0%) proud (0%) quiet (0%) reflective (18%) relaxed (9%) religious (0%) responsive (0%) searching (9%) self-assertive (0%) self-conscious (0%) sensible (9%) sentimental (18%) shy (0%) silly (9%) spontaneous (9%) sympathetic (9%) tense (0%) trustworthy (18%) warm (9%) wise (18%) witty (18%)

Created by the Interactive Johari Window on 24.2.2006, using data from 11 respondents.
You can make your own Johari Window, or view mingster's full data.

Magandang Umaga Po!

2006-02-23T20:47:00.000-05:00

The Three Lil' Lau's

I miss my sisters! Lin + Ying! You two better be good girls and not give the rents any problems. Lin: perseverence is the key to your eventual (Come to UM...)success. Keep studying and ace those bugger IBHL/SLs. A few more months and you'll be thru. (Come to UM...)
Ying, I know you dont like it much in Vn... but keep at it ok!

It's been a good day today. The weather started of really nice this morning, but progressed on to become grayish. Flurried for about 15 mins then went back to bright and sunny. The weather god is fucking with us here in Ann Abor.

Went to our first GIEU Pacific-Philippines Team Meeting.
I'll be in Maui this summer for 3 weeks from May 22-June 12.
I know what you're thinking. Maui. Maitais on the beach. Surfin'. Soaking up the sun.
Sure, there'll be some of that (we'll be staying at the Maui , but the main purpose of this trip is to document the lives of first generation Filipino plantation workers in Maui.
Our visit will include visits to local historical sites, museums, celebrations with the local communities and performances.

I'm definitely looking forward to this trip. A light at the end of the tunnel! :-P
Ever since KSIIS 2001, I've always wanted to go back to Hawaii. I identified so much with the Hawaiian Island culture and the ppl. Haven't been able to ... until now!

Anyways... won' disclose too much about the trip. I am thinking of ... no... WILL be starting up another blog to record my thoughts/reflections/plans/events of my GIEU experience.
Stay posted on updates of that!

In the mean time... figure out what the title of this entry means, and win yourself a free drink of your choice from me!

Count the Candles Old Man

2006-02-21T11:20:00.000-05:00

Count the candles

Yes yes. it's that time of the year again. When you realize that you aren't as young as you used to be, half as nimble, and losing your memory. It is also when you surround yourself with people you care and have a good time.... STUDYING.

With two exams on Monday, I spent most (all) of my birthday studying for history. but I did have fun on Saturday night just chilling and eating cake. mmm... cake...
Thanks to Paddy and Rabbit for oh-so-secretively going to Krogers to get the cake and ice cream.

Thank you Lucy 大姐 and Jingshen/SiewJin for the cologne and blender respectively. Now I can smell sexy and make a smoothie at the same time. Excellent!
Also, thank you to Joyce, Ginny and Ying for the dinner, cupcakes and fried ice cream.

Can't touch this

I totally love the fact that the container transforms into a convenient mug. INGENIOUS!

The frog looks like he just blew a load

Although this birthday wasn't the most havoc, or party'd out birthday, I really did enjoy the wishes, gifts, and time spent with everyone. For those who forgot about my birthday... have you seen the new Audi S4? *hint hint*

Les Garcons d'Anniversaire ... Please excuse my french

Thanks guys!!!

Kiss

2006-02-18T01:22:00.000-05:00

Blasted comfortable bed!

2006-02-17T15:08:00.000-05:00

Pretty pretty colors.

The crisp morning sunshine plays hide and seek with the fluttering curtains, momentarily blanketing my face with warmth. I stir, finding it rather bright for it to be 7am... cos it ISN'T FUCKING 7am!

So yeah i was late to my chem lab this morning by 1 hr. I was really kinda afraid that Neil would ask me to "go fly kite" and sign up for a make up lab, especially after how half the class was late for the very first lab in the beginning of the term.

On the way to lab, I came to terms with the situation and had accepted the fact that it was better to face the consequences than to beg for forgiveness.
In the end, Neil just waved it off and asked me to join my group.
Thanks to Mike, Victoria, and Emily for understanding! I promise I won't do it again!

Senior Prom 2002

2006-02-15T11:18:00.000-05:00

Ah... good ol' times in high school. Its already been 4 yrs (and 28kgs lighter).
I feel so old!
Most of my friends I graduated with in high school have moved on to work/post grad degrees while I'm still in my freshman year. Do I regret having to go thru the army?
No.
I think if anything, the army has made me what I am right now. Not just the (obvious) physical part of it, but also the mental strength that was inculcated in all their programs. It is not to say that my tenure in the army was smooth sailing and picture perfect. If that was the case, I would have learned nothing about myself, my limits, my shortcomings, my failures and my weaknesses.
Only when one recognizes he is fallible, can he gain strength, and persevere on.

To tell u the truth. I really do miss my army days.
The screaming, yelling, quiet moments in the middle of the Brunei;
The pressure, the anxiety, the failures, the fuck ups, and the sheer joy of satisfaction in our accomplishments;
The bastard sergeants, the saboh king, the chau kengs, and all the other brothers in arms standing up for you just because;

I really do wanna go back to those days.
But the days are over, and there's only ahead to look forward to.

Invincible Bachelor

2006-02-14T00:39:00.000-05:00

Michigan Union
Home of Student Organization Meeting Locations, Wendy's, and A Creepy Guy who surfs the net in the MUG

I hate Valentine's Day.
But I do have a Valentine's ;) Khairin, you're mine tonight!
Vday is just another excuse for commercial businesses to jack up prices of cheap chocolates and fading flowers (alliteration!), to be sold to poor souls suffering from the sickness of Lovertitis. Yes, I am bitter. I am the Invincible Bachelor.

Besides, who cares about V-day when it's a mere 5 days from an even better day: my birthday!
How old am I? Too old... when graduate students start to ask you what you're doing your master's/Ph.D in, you know you're over the hill.

My dad got me an awesome awesome Christmas present.
I have no idea what it is yet.
Niether does he.
amazon.com = dangeresque

Where?!

2006-02-11T19:28:00.000-05:00

Body: Sore...

Ears: Sister's iPod mini. manually replaced the battery pack. The battery life is still shit tho.

Mind: Where's my motivation to study? the fire? where?!?

If only it came in the form of a pill. Pop it three times a day before meals. Better yet, in the form of a McD Value Meal. Upsize it for 50cents and get a large Slimming Fries, and large Flat Abs Coke.

argh... anyways... back to reading more History.

Huber Penthousers

2006-02-08T00:20:00.000-05:00

L-R: Fag-who-peed-on-floor, Yours Truly, Psycho Rabbit, Paddy, Oat

what am I gonna do next yr with out these mofos?

WTF

2006-02-05T03:13:00.000-05:00

it's 3:13am, my roommate, TIM, just crashed out of bed, pissed all over the floor and got into my bed which he mistook as his own.

looks like i'll be spending the night on the futon.

Woof Woof

2006-01-28T18:32:00.000-05:00

Body: Easy 35mins on the bike. Holdin' myself back from running.

Ears: Flipsyde

Eyes: "China: A New History" by John K Fairbank

Mouth: Regular Dark Chocolate/Banana Milk Shake from SteaknShake

Mind: I really have to figure how the fuck to post pictures on blogger... any one wanna teach me? :-)

Oracle:
HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR !!!!!!

Caution: I Fart When I Run

2006-01-26T23:46:00.000-05:00

Body: 2200hrs. Easy 40 mins on the treadmill. 4miles. 32mins. Right hams are still whining like a lil' kid. It sucks not to be able to push harder. It's like a pimple you can't squeeze... haha. Gross imagery...

Mouth: Beef Casserole and Chips brought to you by South Quad's gourmet dining service. That might actually explain the farting...

Ears: winamp's online radio. rip vids/music with streamripper.

Mind: Was almost late to engin lecture this morning. Woke up at 8:48am for a 9am class. Thanks for all the turn outs in OCS, I was dressed, packed my books and breakfast and out the door in 2.5 mins. Thank god for Michigan Time, and got into class at 9:11 and promptly plomped myself down on the first chair I saw. Sadly, it was the most useless lecture ever.

The weekend has finally landed. The week has been abit of a blur with minimal work. I feel as if I haven't accomplished much nor getting far with anything. Perhaps it's b/c classes arent as intensive as last sem. I'm takin two history classes (Modern East Asia and Imperial China), math is a easy (for now) and engin100 is basically a writing class. oh.. then there's Chem lab at 8am on Fridays. Who in the right mind would trust college students with hazardous materials at 8am on a freakin' Friday!? Which reminds me... prolly should get some Zed's in before I end up doing a repeat of this morning.

Oracle:
8-11: chem lab *puke*
12: haircut (must cut hair before chinese new year!!!)
3-6: TWSA CNY Celebration set up
6-??:EAT, DRINK, PLAY and BE MERRY!

Sleep is Overrated

2006-01-26T00:45:00.000-05:00

Body: 40mins easy on the bike. right ham is still bugging me. suspect that it's slightly torn.

Mouth: Jimmy John's. #11 Country Club on wheat. With hot peppers please.

I've been recently appointed the Taiwanese Student Association's Engineering PR Officer. Despite the fancy title, my main responsibility consists of booking rooms on North Campus for events. Apparently only engineers can book rooms on the engineering school, hence the creation of this position. Tada!

I find it quite ironic that the Singapore Student Assn AGM and Elections were held last week, and no one nominated.... not that I was expecting to be nominated seeing that none of the Sgreans here know me ("Who the hell is Kai Ming?!"), nor did I have any desire to serve... then Alice basically offered me the Engr PR post! and I'm not even Twnese.

...

time for bed...

No Longer a Blog Virgin

2006-01-25T09:56:00.000-05:00

*stares at screen for 3 mins*

wow... this is an odd feeling.

To be able to transmit information to the rest of the world via a keyboard... and i don't know what to say.

well, i've been wanting to start a blog for awhile now just to jot down the thoughts that run through my mind. But, i just never found the time (and by time i mean courage) to actually embark on something that i felt was abit of a committment.

testing testing one ... two ... three...

here we go...

On My Mind/Off The Record

I'm Bring Sexy (Blog) Back...

--MOVED--

One More... before I get back to coding...

Do I look THAT Bad?!

Move On~ Jet

That Cat Runs Fast!

Interesting Articles

Stress Reducer of the Day (SROTD)

Spring is here!

Skillz

Home Alone

Deck the Halls...

Xiao Hei is Getting New (Snow) Shoes!

Wawasoo!

Because this guy has more talent than I do.... and cos i'm too lazy/sick to post

AA doesn't always look like this...

Neighbours

For those who care about my current living condition

齊天大聖之憲在不准笑(音樂課)

First Day of School

Watari Chips!

Home... but not for long

Summer has been a String of Saturdays

Doing a Hilton

The New Audi TT... *wipes drool*

Katie's Gift

Two New Top Favo(u)rites!

Flickr Pics Updated

The Lighthouse

Flippity Flip

Pua Mae ʻole

Running Route

Sunrise

Life?

Images = too lazy to type a real entry

Sneaky Peeky

Aloha, Hawaii!

Take me out to the ball game!

Lookie here what I found!

Top Gear - Lotus Exige vs Apache

Geography of a Woman and a Man...

Hello, Mr Spring. Nice to meet you.

It's a Beautiful Day

Wolverine-like Powers!

Absolute Nonsense

Ann Arbor on a Good Day

Wet Wet Wet

Count down

Oh! What a Day!

Mad Skillz: Ronaldinho vs. Inamoto

The Weekend has Landed!

天才手語表演

They Told Me...

Good Ol' Days

Sunrise :: Sunset

Perseverance

Untitled#1

Welcome to Singapore!

NYC Dreaming...

Day Deux

Life: One Way Street?

Pre- New York New York

The Correct Answer is "b"

Spell with flickr!

Mingster's Johari Window

Arena

Blind Spot

Façade

Unknown

All Percentages

Magandang Umaga Po!

Count the Candles Old Man

Kiss

Blasted comfortable bed!

Senior Prom 2002

Invincible Bachelor

Where?!

Huber Penthousers

WTF

The New Audi TT... wipes drool