*Insert Title Here*

I am fully aware that the last time I updated this blog was eons ago, well actually it was about a month ago. But the point is, it felt like ages ago right? This brings me right to the heart of the Time Vortex theory. Once again, let me summarize the Time Vortex theory. This groundbreaking, or should I say, time-breaking theory suggests that there exits several 'black holes' all around the globe which not only suck time away from us, but it is able to regurgitate time back to us. In other words, these 'black holes' (or Time Vortex) is responsible for the instances when we felt that time flies, or when time drags on. What I did in my research was to find the location of every Time Vortex and attempted to establish a pattern for which the Time Vortex comes into play. The difficult part of the theory is trying to form a pattern for which when these Time Vortexes suck/regurgitate time. Thanks to my wit & determination (ahem), I'm finally able to answer these questions.

There are billions of Time Vortexes in existence. In fact, every living human being has (at least) one Time Vortex in close proximity. That explains why we can feel the full effects of the vortexes.

There is most certainly a pattern for when the Time Vortexes 'give' or 'receive' time. The vortexes drained precious seconds, minutes, hours away from us when we are enjoying ourselves and when we are rushing for something or meeting a deadline. On the other hand, the vortexes regurgitate time when we despise what we are doing, or when when we are waiting for someone/something.

My comments? Time is precious. Once lost, never recovered. The effects of the Time Vortex cannot be negated. What we mortals can do is to appreciate every day, hour, minute, second we had the privilege to use. In short, use time wisely.

Note: I can be contacted by email, phone and even Skype if the Nobel Prize Committee wishes to award me the Nobel Prize.

Apparently, the picture above is voted the most terrible thing you can see on Earth. Personally, I don't think it's that terrible, but I guess that happens if you don't cut your hair for 5 months.

Ah Malaysia. The land with great & cheap food, and unlimited internet (I am an optimist). No doubt after my university break, I will be fatter due to eating and red-eyed after hours of gaming.

To heck with exams

To heck with exams, okay not really, but I just felt like writing loads of rubbish, so why not update this blog at the same time. As they say, 'Kill two birds with one stone', wait, for this case, it would be 'kill three birds with one stone' as I am writing gibberish, updating my blog, and not studying at the same time. Awesome init?

So today I just had my first paper: macroeconomics. The questions were tricky, but overall the paper was alright, although I threw away a couple of marks for miscalculating an equation by forgetting to multiply that equation by ten. And here I am trying to major in Actuarial Studies. Here's a tip: If you ever hire me to do some actuarial work, or even some counting work for you in the future, do make sure to check that I remember to multiply whatever I am suppose to count by ten. So yes, I am very frustrated because of that.

So now comes the double whammy, with ATA (accounting) on 16 Nov followed straight by Linear Algebra (maths) on 17 Nov. Two of my most important subjects of the semester. Awesome init?

If you have been a loyal follower of my blog, you would probably remembered falling asleep trying to read my posts about my Time Vortex theory. WAIT! Before you hit X to close the window/tab whatever, I am not going ramble on about the Vortex this time. But I want just want to say this, I have a breakthrough in my theory that will revolutionize mankind's very grasp of time, space and dimension. It will blow your mind away, just like a mind grenade. Right now, I am temporarily putting my research on halt for my exams, but after my exams, I promise to publish the results of my research. I expect the Noble prize for this. Yes, it's that awesome.

Just like anyone else, I can't wait for my exams to end. At the back of my head, there's one thing I must do during my after-exams break. No, it's not studying, but

Mastering Microsoft Excel

I need to know how to use Excel, because really my knowledge of Excel is almost non-existent. I had a couple of assignments using Excel this year, and it was a nightmare.

Alright folks, thanks for reading. I probably procrastinated long enough. Have to try to study now.

Rambles

As I am typing this sentence, I have no idea what to write. *stares at screen* *light bulb lights* I guess I will start with my Time Vortex theory.

In my last 2 posts, I introduced my Time Vortex theory. According to the theory, there are several inter-dimensional black holes in existence around the world that suck time away from our present dimension into an alternate unknown dimension. Since August this year, I have been gathering data, trying to find proof to validate my claim. From my research, I conclude that many people agree that time flies. Sometimes 1 hour feels like 25 minutes etc. This is the strongest indication yet that my theory is correct.

However, sometimes time moves slowly. For example, studying for what feels to be 30 minutes may in fact be only 10 minutes. My research results are inconclusive, but I deduce that the Time Vortex not only suck time away from us, but also regurgitate time back to us. In other words, time can sometimes move 'slower' or 'faster'. So right now I will try to establish a pattern which in when the Time Vortex chooses to steal time and release time. So yes, (rather predictably) I will use the Time Vortex as an excuse of not updating my blog more regularly.

So Adam Lambert performed in Malaysia. Somehow, I am not surprised that certain parties (you know who I mean) objected Lambert's presence here. Alright, we know that he has a rather eccentric taste for fashion, and is a self-declared homosexual. But ignoring that, he is a singer (a good one too, if I may say so), and he came to Malaysia to perform, nothing more, nothing less. As long as he doesn't do something outrageous, which he didn't, then I say let him do what he does best: perform. It should be noted that this same group of people objected to planned performances from Rihanna and Beyonce too. Apparently they are worried that these artistes will influence young people. If that's the case, they might want to lobby for the ban of Internet use among young people too.

Omigodd!

It's Week 11 this week, and that means exams are around the corner and (everybody says this) I am not studying as much as I like. And yet here I am typing away. So there, I have done my part, and you do yours by reading this post.

The Time Vortex

Blousers!! (Isn't that what Goofy always says ?)

Is it Sept 26 already? Time really flies. This certainly adds weight to my Time Vortex theory I highlighted in my last post dated August. Basically the Time Vortex is some sort of invisible hole that exists in Melbourne. Precious seconds, or 'time' as we know it, leaks into that hole, giving us mortals the feeling that time really flies. I agree, time does flies, but in reality it 'flies' into the Vortex. I estimate that every year we lose an average of 33.5 minutes per year. This translates into 335 minutes lost in a decade, and indeed, time is something we must hold dear. Previous 'Time Vortex' advocates have failed to pinpoint the exact location of the Vortex. I believe I am the first to have prove that there is a Vortex right here in Melbourne, although I also strongly believe there are at least a couple more somewhere in the world for the Vortex effect to be felt worldwide.

Anyway, it is the end of the first week of my two week mid semester break. I would like to emphasize that I did absolutely nothing that bears resemblance to any uni work (such as assignments, revision etc). Today, the first sentence that comes into my mind when I look at the pile of work (not literal pile) that needs to be done is 'SH*T! That's a lot of work.' Yes, I guess I need to be starting sorting out my work tomorrow. I can hear people screaming at me: 'Procrastinator!!'

So what did I do so far in the break? I will tell you what I have not done, which is going for the $50 buffet somewhere in Docklands. Yes, I do not know the exact restaurant, but I will be following some of my floormates there. According to them, the buffet is fantastic. Let's see how the buffet will hold up in the eyes (or should I say in the stomach) of Jeric Lam, the well-known food worshiper.

I will let the pictures d the talking. Here are some photos from what I did over the break.

1. Attended the Tesselaar Tulip Festival

2. Visited the Great Ocean Road (more pictures in my Facebook album, 117 more photos in my personal album in fact)

3. Went to South Melbourne beach. Actually wanted to go to Albert Park, but got lost after we reached Andrew's Burgers. By the way, many people consider Andrew's as the best place to get your burger fix in Melbourne. I admit, the burger tastes great. No picture for this one, all in Facebook.

4. Even celebrated Mooncake Festival here in Melbourne. Not surprisingly, only Asian groceries and bakeries sell mooncakes.

5. What esle? Of course I eat. The first picture below is my roasted beef chop with salad, hard-boiled egg and boiled potato (not in picture).

This second picture is my salmon pasta with tomato sauce.

P.S. I actually wanted to prepare more of what I consider 'elaborate' food, but I gotten lazy and just stuck with my standard cooking.

Of course that is not all I did, but most probably the more notable ones. With the Time Vortex lying around, I wager that my next post will be not anytime soon. Cheers.

A Post About Something

In accordance with Malaysia’s 53^rd Independence Day on 31 August, I have decided to stray from my usual path of blogging, and write about issues that this country is facing.

In the light of the recent events that threaten to stir resent among Malaysians, I feel that these events occurred at a time so close to Merdeka Day as a reminder to us all that a wide racial divide in still exits after 53 years of independence. This suggests something somewhere has failed.

The 1Malaysia concept is laudable, but it fails to address the root of the problem. The concept promotes ‘oneness’, meaning unity of Malaysians regardless of race and religion. But how can we expect complete and sincere unity among Malaysians when our political and education systems are out-of-date. Our political system is suitable to the pre-independence era, where political parties exist to protect the interests of each race. But now, it is irrelevant and needs a revamp. Where on earth can you find a government that is made up of a coalition of race-based parties, other than Malaysia? If our leaders cannot co-exist in a single uniform party for the interests of the whole nation, how can they expect the people to do the same? What I am suggesting is a formation of a multi-ethnic party, much like PKR, but in a greater scale in the sense that it is able to stand on its own without relying on alliances with other parties. Our leaders need to show that they can work together regardless of their background to move the nation forward.

Our education system needs a serious re-look too. We cannot expect integration among our schoolchildren with the vernacular school system. Traditionalists will argue with me by saying that any student, regardless of race, can enter any of the vernacular schools, but the truth is (for example), how many schoolchildren of Malay heritage studies in a Chinese vernacular school? Not many unfortunately. I am a product of a Chinese primary school, and when I entered a national secondary school, I was shocked to know that Muslims actually fast for a month and Hindus traditionally don’t eat beef. Prior to entering secondary school, I only mingled with Chinese students and am blissfully ignorant of the other races. How can this situation help narrow the racial gap in this country? A single uniform national school system is possibly what Malaysia needs.

The National Service programme is an attempt by the government to promote interaction and integration between youths of various backgrounds. Speaking from personal experience, it does, but only to a certain extent. Youths of the same race still tend to stick together, even while in the National Service.

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Once again, I apologized for the lack of updates. But this post you are reading, it’s actually my third or fourth draft since like 2 weeks ago. Before you go ‘OMG! You spend way too much time on your blog! And your blog isn’t especially popular too’, I just like to put in some effort in the things I do. I want this blog to be different from a typical young person’s online space.

I admit the article above have some loopholes in it, but it’s the best I can produce at the moment. I am not saying these are only problems and solutions, I am just highlighting the points I feel strongly about. I may not be patriotic, but I don't want Malaysia to remain stagnant too.

I am into Week 6 of my second semester here, and the amount of procrastination I have indulged in blows my mind away. After this post (and my lunch!), I am going to have to rolled up my sleeves and hit the books. Step 1 of my transformation process is already completed, since I already un-installed Starcraft 2 (The end of the world?!). Is there a way I can purposely block Youtube? Sadly, I am an all-too-frequent user of this website. (I just remembered, my parents know about of my blog!)

I would also like to expand on my theory of the time vortex in Melbourne. I am still gathering evidence and data, but me and a handful of other Malaysian students feel that time passes really fast here Down Under. My theory is that there is a time vortex somewhere in Melbourne, where this vortex sucks precious seconds away from our lives. I believe that the time vortex always shifts its location, but it tends to hang around in the University of Melbourne area.

Of writing and articulating

I admit, it's almost impossible to articulate my thoughts. Right now, I am thinking (or should be) about hundreds of different things, and yet here I am struggling to write something. It could be because my brain stem is not properly connected to my hands or some other medical condition (I am a commerce student after all), but for me, it's difficult to put my thoughts into exact words. But it is my sacred duty to update this blog periodically, so here I am duly fulfilling this obligation.

First and foremost, I would like to say how glad I am with the Premier League season starting soon. World Cup was a disappointment (come on, you gotta to agree with the lack of goals and easy-on-the-eye football), and I can't wait when the domestic season finally swings into action. First match is the Community Shield between Manchester United and Chelsea. It's kind of obvious which team I support if you actually found the URL to my blog.

It is at this moment I find myself staring at my laptop screen longer than necessary. Yes, I am experiencing a 'I don't know what to write' moment. Speaking of writing, I was told a couple of times that I could write well, and my blog is evidence of it. My mum actually wanted me to do a creative writing course in addition to my actuarial science course to further enhance my writing skills. Honestly, it's very flattering to hear compliments being lavished on me, but I think I would just stick to casual writing. I can't really imagine myself being a professional/full-time writer or journalist. Come to think of it, I think the media (be it electronic or what not) needs an overhaul. Issues that deserves attention are not getting enough attention. Instead, we get news like 'Lindsay Lohan going to jail' or 'Paris Hilton don't know how to spell hamburger'. You get my drift. On a side-note, I vow never to stay at a Hilton hotel if I can help it. I don't like the idea of my money eventually going to a certain Paris.

On my last post, I promised to put up a photo of my room just after I got back from Malaysia last month. Well, here it is.

By golly, it's August already! 2010 sure feels short. Before we know it, it's Christmas. Ah well, time flies. I may choose not to take writing seriously, but at least I shall leave my writing legacy (if any) here for my loyal readers.

Hangover

It's official. I am currently suffering from an acute case of hangover after last night. No, I didn't drink (and I don't really drink by the way). The hangover I am suffering is not alcohol induced, rather holiday induced. Just last night, I returned to Melbourne after my enjoyable holiday back at PJ. Eat, play and having fun. Yes, what more can I ask after a semester break like that. Well, actually now I feel like asking for an extended semester break.

(PJ = Petaling Jaya)

Less than a full 24 hours in Melbourne, and I want to fly back to PJ already. I am sorry, it might be homesickness, but that's how it is. Like I told my friends, at PJ I can act like a king, simply because I am very comfortable and familiar with things there (not to mention I don't have to do all my house chores like cooking, washing etc). In Melbourne, it's a different story. Melbourne might look familiar to me, but I don't have the feel of being genuinely familiar here, even though I am probably more familiar with the city of Melbourne than the city of Kuala Lumpur (I am a PJ guy after all). I know how to get to Queen Victoria market, but I am not too sure about going to Central Market.

I think now it's time to be nostalgic and try to remember everything I did back at home. These are the notable ones:

1. Attended Shell's scholarship pre-briefing, then the actual interview.

2. Watching most of the World Cup matches, and highlights of every single match.

3. Catching up with my E3 mates, the E3 way!

4. Went back to Taiping to see my grandparents, not to mention to eat too! Seriously, Taiping has great food.

5. Attended two Great Eastern scholarship assessments.

6. Spending quality time with family (in accordance with my belief that family is important -check the post before this).

7. And of course eating!

Anyway, I wanted to upload a picture of my room when I was in the middle of unpacking, but my laptop can't recognize the camera when I plugged in the USB cable. Excellent, after I brought it all the way here from PJ.

So, back to studying and cooking, washing etc. Hello Semester 2.

Alas

Yes, the end of July is near. This signals the end of the month (thank you Captain Obvious), and also means that I have to return to Melbourne soon to resume my academic adventure. But definitely, I have enjoyed my last few weeks in Malaysia, be it with friends, family or food (the 3Fs). I dare not weigh myself, fearing that if I would crush the weighing scale if I were to step onto it. Alas, I overindulged in my consumption of the fine food here.

Anyway, sometimes I wonder how many of us do actually sit down and start to appreciate the many things in life. At least we don't wake up to terrorist attacks in our neighborhood, or war in our country.

We bury ourselves in Facebook, iPads and admire them, but how many of us wake up early enough in the morning and appreciate sunrises?

We might be whining about how difficult it is to study, or how did that lazy idiot get the promotion, but at least we got a roof above our heads. When things take a turn for the worse, at the very least we got a home to take refuge in.

Alas, not many people appreciate the things in life. But perhaps the most under-appreciated 'thing' is family.

More often than not, many people spend very little time with their family. Even having meals together is becoming increasingly scarce. I believe that family is the backbone, the foundation of our lives, and if we have healthy family relationships, we can live life better.

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Frankly, I was quite disappointed with the recent World Cup final between Holland and Spain. I drudged out of bed at 2.30 am to watch the live telecast, but soon wished that I continue sleeping instead and perhaps catch the highlights later. There was a bitter taste in my mouth, the way the Dutch played, the way they pushed, shoved and even karate kicked to disrupt Spain's passing game. (Note: I was supporting the Dutch)

I was hoping to see some eye pleasing football, but got 80,000 fouls instead, wait, sorry, there was the attendance at the Final . If FIFA chooses not to use technology, at the very least they should have a rule that forces teams to play some attractive football. Alas, the World Cup was a let-down, with many teams playing defensively. The problem was that everyone was so afraid of making mistakes. Being a purist, I would definitely want more teams in the future to play more attacking football.

Besides, what happen to fair play? Like when Frank Lampard's shot went over the line and the German keeper saw it but kept quiet. Or when Luis Suarez used his hands to prevent Ghana advancing to the semi-finals. Disappointing.

Now I Know

When I arrived back home from Melbourne a few weeks back, there was something I felt it was different. Refreshingly different. No, it's not the weather, not the food, not the people. Okay, I lied. It's something to do with people, females to be exact. No, it's not that Melbourne chicks are uglier or Malaysian girls are prettier. The truth is

*drumrolls*

*raised curtains*

I see less make-up here. Yes, I honestly think that way too many female homo sapiens at Melbourne wear make-up. I think its way better to see less make-up because (obviously) I don't like girls wearing make-up. I see tonnes of university students wearing make-up, some even really heavy make-up. I mean, why la? Are you modelling in university? Or do you have so much free time in the morning before leaving for classes? So yes, after about 2 weeks of bumming around in Malaysia, I finally realized what was different that was poking at my conscience all this while. Yes, the answer is girls' make-up.

Okay enough of that. Inevitably, I will now talk about the World Cup. Like many football fans out there, I tried my hand in predicting results and to see whether is there a future for me as a football pundit. So, these are my predictions prior to the respective matches.

1. France will fare badly in this World Cup

I was right. What a French farce.

2. England would reach the semi-finals.

I was totally wrong. The English players even had the cheek to say they were bored in between matches.

3. North Korea would at least get a point.

I was wrong. Come on, you gotta pity the North Koreans. Apparently, they have to work in coal mines as a form of punishment. Talk about severe punishment.

4. Portugal will get knock out at the group stages, with Ronaldo failing to score.

Wrong, again. But Ronaldo played as if he was the only Portuguese on the pitch, often ignoring his teammates. Note to Ronaldo, football is a team game.

5. Germany will beat Argentina.

I was right. Maradona is the coach after all.

6. Spain will beat Paraguay 1-0.

Spot-on!! Seriously, I actually predicted Spain will win by that scoreline.

7. Germany will beat Spain.

We all know the real result.

8. Netherlands will be the new world champions.

We shall see.

Not too shabby right? If Prediction #8 is correct, I would get 50% of my predictions right, and that is, well, actually, not too good. Paul the Octopus is a way better football physic than me.

Monday Rants

Despite being on my semester break, I am feeling the much derided Monday blues. With the sort of the lethargy displayed by a slug, I slumped out of bed this morning, not at all surprised that the the short hand of the clock is pointing at 10. I put the blame solely on the event that is known as the World Cup, although it is anything but the cup of the world (excuse me for the bad joke, the Monday blues are getting to me).

After I watched the Germans put four goals past England, I was wondering, what did the overpaid, overrated and over-pressured English players thought of themselves. Yes, they can point the finger at some bad refereeing decisions, but they should also take a good hard look at themselves for several insipid, uninspiring displays in the World Cup. Another thing to note is that the German team is a few years younger than the English team, and this is a tell-tale sign of the lack of young English talent. This can be explained by the lack of investment and faith of the Premier League clubs into their respective youth academy to churn out young talent. I also wonder what Mick Jagger (who was in the stands) thought when he saw the the likes of Thomas Mueller and Mesut Ozil tearing apart John Terry and company.

Me thinks that the Argentines got a little lucky in their 3-1 win over Mexico. Their defense is definitely their weakness, and it will be severely tested by the Germans. Anyway, I, as a Manchester United supporter, is drooling over the performance of Javier Hernandez, who scored more goals than Wayne Rooney in the World Cup by the way.

Just to fill in the space and to make my blog seem more impressive, let me introduce a few quotable quotes.

'Time you enjoy wasting, was not wasted'. - John Lennon

Interesting quote isn't it? This means that my ratio of time wasted to time well spent will drastically drop. Not that I am saying I waste a lot of time in the first place *winks*.

'A lot of people are afraid of heights. Not me, I am afraid of widths'. - Steven Wright

As everyone should. *Glances nervously at my own bulge*

'You are unique, special & one-of-a-kind....just like everyone else'. Anonymous

This is one example of contradicting opinions. We are always told each and every one of us is different, we are all unique,special etc but if everyone is special, then no one is special. This is definitely a matter of debate.

'Drawing on my fine command of the English language, I said nothing.' - Robert Benchley

One word: LOL.

Liberation

Once again, I find myself apologizing for my lack of updates and using the over-used excuse of 'I am busy'. But really, I was busy (notice I use 'was' instead of 'is'). My last paper was on Tuesday (15 June), and my verdict on my first ever university exams? Not so good. For all four of my papers, I didn't have that 'Hey that paper wasn't that bad' feeling. And honestly, my exam preparation could have been better. Littered with distractions, my exam preparation was constantly disrupted. Ah well, my exams are now considered 'sunk costs'.

My flight back to Malaysia is this Friday (18 June). *Silent Cheering* I definitely won't be in Melbourne for the worst of winter season. Personally, I can't wait to sink my teeth into good old real Malaysian food, not to mention cheap and affordable (compared to Melbourne). At the very least I don't have to taste my own cooking for the next few weeks.

So what did I do after I finished my last paper? Nothing much, just my favourite pastimes such as eating, playing games, working out, eating, eating and eating. Yes, in case you didn't know, I love food and I am not the guy who 'eat to live'. Just today, my friends and I went to Ikea and Victoria Gardens Shopping Mall. So in short, that's what I did so far.

This is probably one of the shortest post I wrote, but I can promise that there will be more updates in the future. Cheers.

The week that has been

Chelsea won the EPL by one point

Unless you had been living under a nutshell (does that sound right?), you should know that Chelsea has won the English Premier League by thrashing hapless Wigan 8-0. This means that Man Utd, the defending champions, were unable to win a record 19th English championship despite a 4-0 win over Stoke. It was reported that, for some unknown reason, Liverpool fans all around the world were celebrating after the Chelsea win.

Gordon Brown steps down as British PM after his Labour party ‘lost’ the elections

Sticking to England (or Great Britain), after an inconclusive elections, Britain’s Conservative and Liberal Democrat Party agreed to form Britain’s first coalition government since World War II to oust the ruling Labour Party. So, David Cameron (who is the head of the Conservative Party) is the new British Premier with Nick Clegg (Leader of the Liberal Democrats) as his deputy.

The World Cup squads announced

In case you didn’t know, the World Cup is just around the corner and each participating country has named their respective 30 men squads, and will trim down to 23 men soon. So, no Ronaldinho, Benzema, Veira, van Nistelrooy. And as usual, no Malaysia.

The Melayu Bangkit rally

The controversial Melayu Bangkit (Malays Rise) rally that was supposed to be held on 13 May at Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia was postponed after receiving much criticism. The rally was planned to coincide with the May 13 racial and political riots in 1969. Despite this and the fact that the rally was named Melayu Bangkit, the rally organizers have repeatedly maintained that the rally is not to induce racial and political unrest. If that’s the case, I can also say that the Malaysian government is free of corruption solely because there is a commission to deal with corruption. Anyway, I am shocked that the police actually issued a permit for this rally, making it a ‘legal’ procession. To put in crudely, what the f***?! It is damn obvious that the rally is of offensive nature, and in my opinion to cause racial unrest. This raises the suspension that this rally is actually a political gimmick ahead of the Sibu election.

Malaysia...tak boleh: Malaysia knocked out in the Thomas Cup on homeground

The writing was on the wall when the Malaysian badminton team lost to Japan in the first round of the Thomas Cup. Although they delayed the inevitable by beating Denmark to proceed to the semi-final, their opponent in the semis is none other than badminton powerhouse China. The nation was hopeful that Datuk Lee Chong Wei could start the ball rolling by defeating Lin Dan in the first singles, but once again Lin Dan outclassed Chong Wei and China ran out 3-0 winners. In other words, Malaysia was ‘China-nised’ once again. There is talk now that when Lin Dan finally retires and hang up his racquets, he will become a professional strip dancer.

Week 11 is starting this week!

There are 12 weeks in a semester, and this coming week is Week 11! Amazing, time really flies. After Week 12 will be SWOT VAC (study break) before end of semester exams. After exams, I will be going back to Malaysia. *Silent cheering* But for now, I will have to content with studying for the exams. University education is really like the express version of my March intake last year. Yes, you read it right. University education is the express of the express course. It’s really hectic, with assignments and tests thrown in into the mix.

It ‘Shell’ be done

To my surprise, I got a call from Shell Malaysia today saying they will call me on Tuesday afternoon for their scholarship interview. I was pleasantly surprised because after a long period of silence since submitting my scholarship applications for Security Commission Malaysia, Sime Darby and Khazanah, I pretty much thought, ‘Hey, they don’t want me.’ After the disaster that was the Maxis scholarship interview back in April, I really hope I don’t flop again this time. Scholarship interview? No problem, it shell, er i mean, shall be done.

Alright, tomorrow I have an 8am tutorial. Once again, thanks for reading my blog. I have to return to the world of academic struggle. Cheers.

For the sake of updating

You ever read those kind of of blogs that goes:

I love my life!! Today, A and B came over and asked me whether I want to mamak with them or not. Then I said yes and we bumped Z along the way. So she said...

Or:

Last night, we went clubbing but for some reason I didn't enjoy it because some inconsiderate...so I was sarcastic to everyone...C, my best friend tried to cheer me up...told him the party sucks, my gf could not come down...

The previous 2 examples aren't really blogging. It's just narrating your life story. Personally, I cannot stand reading these kind of blogs. So what if you didn't like the party, or you are upset that your other half couldn't turn up, I couldn't care less. When I read blogs, I look for 'quality' posts, preferably with a touch of humour. Sure, I am interested in reading about your personal opinions and what you did the past few days, but not all the time, especially if 'I's are overused.

So, there are three golden rules when it come to good blogging. There are:

1. Don't write too much about yourself; Relate to everyone else

2. Be creative in expressing yourself; Be unorthodox

3. A touch of humour never hurts; Be humourous

Okay, so its my turn to make this post interesting. Rule #1: I am not going talk about myself, I am going to talk about a random person named Ah Meng.

'Today, Ah Meng woke up at 10am. He wanted to start his Intro to Micro assignment but instead played Starcraft II for an hour. By the time he open his book, Ah Meng's friend Ah Choong asked him out for lunch together. So Ah Meng procrastinated and decided to do his work later. By the time he got back from lunch, he realize it's late but instead of starting his work, he opened his blog and started updating. '

Epic Failure

Okay, let me try this again. Rule #2: Maybe now I do it dialog style (Be different).

Officious bystander: So Jeric how was your day?

Jeric: Okay, okay, I completed my assignments, subject to changes.

Officious bystander: Excellent. Anything else interesting happen today?

Jeric: Yeah, Jeremy told me he is flying back to Malaysia for the Sime Darby scholarship interview.

Officious bystander: Didn't you apply for the scholarship too?

Jeric: Yeah I did. But I didn't get any email saying I got shortlisted for the interview.

Officious bystander: Are you implying ad hoc that you are disappointed not to get shortlisted?

Epic failure, again

Note: The blogger would like to disclaim any liability related to his efforts in making his post more interesting. The blogger explicitly states that he is inexperienced in making things interesting, and he is not liable for any injury or mental harm caused to the reader by reading this post.

Okay, seriously, Jeremy is going back to Malaysia for his interview, and I didn't receive any mail telling me whether I got shortlisted or not. *Sigh* I quote, 'when one door closes, a bigger and better door opens.' So, it's not the end.

For the first time as long as I can remember, I will support Liverpool tonight!! Yes, I am not joking, I want Liverpool to beat Chelsea so that Manchester United can claim top spot and be champions to at least end a bad season on a high. Hehe.

Anyway, right now I am looking for a cheaper accommodation in Melbourne as my lease ends on 2 August. I got a few options, and I am still weighing them. It really depends on the circumstances. Worse come to worse, I will just make university's library my 'room'.

Rule #3: Okay, to make this post more humourous, I will attached the photo below. Don't get the photo? Here's a tip, look at the 'stairs' closely.

Sob Story?

Once again, I would to apologize for the lack of updates recently. I am going to use the usual 'busy la' as my excuse for not regularly updating my blog. And the last week has been quite turbulent for me.

Probably it started when I could not, despite the best efforts of me and my dad, install the Quickbooks Student Edition into my laptop. I need Quickbooks for my accounting assignment, but to my frustration, I just couldn't install it. I tried to contact Reckon (the company which created QB) for help, but much to frustration again, they just sent me on a wild goose chase. I don't want to go into the details, but what I can say is when Reckon finally responded, they had the cheek to offer help at 50 dollars for 10 minutes!! WTF!

Anyway, sorry, I don't like to get all boiled up when blogging, but yeah, I am just so pissed off (oops) with QB and Reckon and what not. In the end, I found out that there's something wrong with my laptop that somehow doesn't allow QB to be installed. *Sigh* Just my luck.

And the last few days, I could say I was emotionally rattled. To be honest, I used to take pride in my ability to remain cool and keep a steady head when things get rough, but the last few days, I feel really 'unsettled', although now I am much much better, notwithstanding the fact that I still don't have Quickbooks in my laptop. Now, I have a personal grudge against QB and Reckon.

Actually, upon reflection, ever since I was in Melbourne, a lot of things don't seem to be going my way. First, there was frustrating issue of my university subjects, where I wasn't good enough to take Accelerated Maths, and the Commerce student center didn't even tell me. Secondly, there was a problem with my Epson printer I bought here in Melbourne. The printer couldn't print properly, and I wasted so much time adjusting the papers, ink etc, and in the end I found out that I actually bought a faulty printer and had to bring it back to the shop.

Then, my laptop had to act strangely, and truthfully, it got me really worried, because sometimes when I on the laptop, I can't access my files and saved data. Next, I tried my luck in applying for the position of the First Year Representative for the Actuarial Students' Society, and when I went to the interview, the interview panel basically told me I won't get the position because I am taking Calculus 2 instead of Accelerated Maths. WTF.

After that, I went to Malaysia during the Easter break for the Maxis scholarship interview. When I was checking-in at the Melbourne airport, I was told that my name was on the system, but wasn't on the flight. Obviously, I panicked and had to endure another hour of waiting before it was resolved. Anyway, the interview was tough and I had doubts about it, and sure enough, I wasn't awarded the scholarship. More hard work down the drain.

Okay, enough of my sob story. These adverse situations can 'build my character', and yeah, it's really a matter of perspective. It's how we see and react to problems in life that matters. With a positive and never-say-die attitude, surely any problem can be overcome. We might be facing lots of problems in life right now, but we can be assured that nothing, even hardships, lasts forever. Even as I am typing this, I think, "Hey, it's easier said than done". It's true, it's always easy to talk about our grand plans for the future, but sometimes no action takes place. But what I am trying to say is, all of us have problems, and we all have our own way to deal with it. But if we know that 'we are never tested beyond our capabilities' (I quote, from a secret source), our problems will seem smaller and more manageable.

Wow, I have to say this post is rather wordy. But if you have read it till this point, thank you!! So now I will attempt to put in some pictures.

If you Google search 'problems' under the images search, you will come upon the above picture. I don't think it's very encouraging if we are going through a difficult period. The picture seems to suggest that our problems could be greater than perceived.

Yup, this is how I feel the last few days. Frustration is the word.

Food for Thought

Here's something for you to think about.

If the government choose to interfere with the free market, by introducing tax, tariffs, subsidies etc, will society as a whole be better off or worse off?

Which is better? Equity financing or debt financing?

What is the relation between sech x and arc sech x?

When spouses enter into agreement, do they intend their agreement to be legally enforceable?

Do you go 'Huh? What the heck is this about?' ? (notice: 2 question marks!! Never mind...)

Yup, these are the kind of questions I get thrown at me since I started my semester. And that's only scratching the surface. Okay, I won't bore you with more uni-related stuff, but I suppose it's worth mentioning uni life isn't very relaxing. I remember not too long ago I was told university life isn't as hectic as secondary school and college times. Well, I guess the statement:

'University life is not so hectic.'

is rather ambiguous. Why? It's definitely true I have more time on my hands (I only got 14 hours of lectures and tutorials per week), but that time is being taken up by the astonishing amount of work I have to do. Okay, this part seems ambiguous again. I don't have to do all the work, but I feel rather guilty if I don't complete it. So I guess it pretty much depends on each person. And the fact that I still spend my time on Facebook and Soccernet doesn't help my workload.

Okay, enough with the uni stuff (notice that I said something along that line a few sentences earlier). A few Saturdays back, I went to the Melbourne Aquarium for free!! Fine, it's not really free, the Melbourne Aquarium is part of Unilodge's (the place I am staying) planned activities for their tenants. Everyone who is staying at Unilodge has in a way already paid for these kind of planned activities as part of their rent. To be honest, the Aquarium was a little boring, because I have been to other 'aquariums' before, so it's pretty much like 'seen-it-all-already'.

Did you know there's a restaurant on wheels concept in Melbourne? The restaurant is on a tram and it moves around the city while the diners inside eat.

Once again I apologize for the grainy photos. Unfortunately, I only possess a 3.2 mega pixels camera with me, so the quality of the photos can only be that good.

So, right now, I am at home in PJ, back in Malaysia. Yeah sure, I didn't tell a lot of people I came back. The main reason I return home is for the Maxis interview which I just went today. It was tough, and honestly, I don't think I did well enough to get my hands on the scholarship. The questions they asked, coupled with my inexperience in interviews, didn't really help my cause. In other words, I don't have a good feeling about this.

I brought some books over from Melbourne to study, but so far, I have been procrastinating. Until now, I have not open my books and tomorrow is Wednesday already. I must start...tomorrow.

Actually, I wanted to post some pictures of my Melb Aquarium trip, but the photos are still in my mobile phone (er, I meant camera) and there's something wrong with the battery. First my laptop, after that the room light, then the plane ticket, then the interview, now the handphone. What the heck, nothing going right for me.

Speaking of food, since last Thursday, I was on a strict diet. Strict diet in the sense of eating as much as I can. Whatever weight I have lost over the last few years, surely it is appearing again in stomach. I feel flabby and unfit, and for some weird reason, lost my appetite for exercise. There's something wrong with me.

So, I did my part and finally update my blog. To GOD, it your turn to do your part.

Peanuts

Warning: If you are allergic to nuts, or anything nut based, it is highly advisable that you do not continue to read this post as it might contain peanuts. The blogger shall not be liable to any damage that might be caused to the reader of this post. If you expericence discomfort while reading this post, please cease reading and see a qualified doctor immediately.

I just realized, I never posted any pictures of my 'awesome, spacious' room I currently renting here in Melbourne. Here are some hard facts of my room:

1. It is 10 sqm in size.

2. It has a small sink that requires you to bend down to half your height to use it.

3. Originally, it has no air-cond and fan.

4. My room's window faces the hostel's BBQ courtyard, where people gather to talk, drink and sing loudly every night.

5. The afternoon/evening sun shines directly into my room. So if you want to be tanner, just let me know. No service charge included.

Contrary to the tone I used earlier, I actually like my room. It's small, but its easier to clean and manage, so I try to keep it tidy, although my mum would argue that it is still in a mess. I don't really need an air-conditioner, because now it's not too warm. But I would say the table is too small, at least for me anyway.

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The two above pictures are taken in one of the many rooms located within the State Library here in Melbourne. The library is HUGE, and it's not too crowded. And they even provide chess sets, and there's a single Chinese Chess (Jong Guo Xiang Chee) set, too. Credits to Jason Lim, who introduce me to the place. Yeah, I totally destroyed you in chess (:

Peanuts! The last Malaysian Airlines kacang that was in my room before I gobbled it up. I really miss cheap Malaysian food. Here, one bowl of curry mee can cost up to 9.90 dollars ><

Australian food = BBQ

Why is the above equation true? It's because the Aussies, or the poeple here love BBQ. BBQ here, BBQ there. Just got back from the MoMu Welcome BBQ, and this Thursday got another BBQ at my place. Wow. I lost count the number of BBQs I have attended.

I don't much free time to burn actually. I was busy the whole Saturday buying grocery and cooking for the week ahead. Today I promised myself to hit the books, but I haven't been making much progress. Really no mood to study weih. To those people who are still bumming around and complaining of boredom, appreciate it while you can.

Week 3 starting this week!! The workload isn't easing up. I got accounting assignment to complete!

Hailstorm Baby!

Just this afternoon, Melbourne experienced a rainstorm and a hailstorm at the same time. This is the first time I actually seen a hailstorm. Basically, its just pieces of ice dropping down from the sky. Okay, the pictures don't help much (sorry la, I don't have a chun camera), but in the picture below, you can see the ice as the little white stuff. Look closely enough and you will see it. The two photos above are taken when water and ice are dropping down from the heavens at the same time. Luckily, I got back from grocery shopping 15 minutes before the hail started, or I would be drenched from the rain and hit by the ice.

Anyway, I finished Week 1 of uni. On Monday, my subjects finally got approved and I got my complete timetable at last. In short, I arranged my timetable in such a way that I will be busy on Monday and Tuesday but relatively free on Thursday and Friday. In this case, I believe in sien koo ho tian (now bitter, later sweet). OMG, I feel like I got so much to do. Throw in uni reading, tutorials, cooking, shopping, laundry,paying bills etc and I don't have much time left. Since this is the very first time I am taking business subjects, I certainly hope that I will be able to cope. Haiz.

Surprisingly, I continue to find cooking more and more enjoyable. I guess because for cooking, I am not under-pressure to produce wonderful results (like tasty food), unlike academic work (><). I can experiment and it's okay not to get the desired end product. Not trying to sound boastful, but the first time I prepared dark soya pork (above dish), it actually tasted good. The same goes for my fried rice. Hmm, maybe I should start selling my food and get some money (: I just marinated some chicken in char siew sauce, so later this week I can sink my teeth in some char siew, er, chicken.

At my place, I have cough up 4 bucks just to use the washing machine. To use the dryer, I need to pay a further 3 dollars. So, not wanting to make Unilodge any richer, I use nature's free dryer, by hanging my laundry in my room, and hope that the weather is warm enough for my clothes to dry quickly.

Socially, I haven't been making much progress in Melbourne. I dislike attending social events, as I feel awkward, and this certainly doesn't help my social life. Come on Jeric, this is Melbourne!

Like a sickness that won't go away even if you tried all the medication in the world, I still feel homesick. By doing stuff, I don't feel so homesick, but its just like eating painkillers, the sickness won't be cured. Fortunately, its not the super serious 'homesick' feeling that makes you want to pack your bags and go home.

Just a random photo. Even Coles support the red half of Manchester :)