this is out of point but i cannot work in absolute silence. Mad chaotic shopping-centre noise just doesn't cut it either. i need the slight hum of background noise, movement and action around me, things to see... libraries, in my opinion are good only for two things: books and in-between-the-shelves-action. gringringrin 

plus, damned fluoroscent lighting always hurts my eyes. 

yesterday, sweltering in warm yet overcast, humid weather (much like back home), I threw open my bedroom windows (of which there are many, seeing how I live in a converted livingroom) and started taking down all my tacked up photos of friends, family and assorted accumulated postcards. Then I emptied my closet (technically cosidered a Walk-in considering how it has a door and oh, just enough space to walk a full step in. Walk two steps and you'd end up pressed against the back wall... no, not very glam), whipped out the space bags and for the second time in half a year, tried to pack up my life into two bags.

One of which has already been completely filled.

teetering around the random mounds of stuff all over the floor, and the single inflatable bed in my room really only means one thing: i'll be back in Singapore pretty soon.

Currently Listening Tired of Hanging Around By The Zutons valerie see related

My last exam on the last day of exams on friday was strangely anti-climactic. I went in at 8am and was out of there by 8.12am. A whole twelve minutes, officially the shortest final I've taken to date, and no, I don't forsee myself breaking that record in the near future.

Leaving the lecture theatre for the final time (the past week was spent doing things for the "final" time, like buying my usual cup of coffee at T3, going to Chas, mass, various classes etc), there was hardly anyone on campus, and I walked right onto this:

And maybe it will. But no one really knows do they?

And admired these prettyful purple trees that dot around Irvine. Or at least the campus area and around where I live.

Then it was dinner and a party with the folks at 73 Woodleaf, another event thats pegged on to my long list of "final times". So it was more of a gathering with drinks rather than a party party. And unlike other house parties, I wasn't conjoined to the chip bowl this time around.....

Our last dinner: must have American food! (also because no one could really decide where or what they wanted to eat)

The lovebirds. Theres constant talk about how Chile is conducting "free-trade relations" with Australia.

Group shot!!!!

My to-do list for tomorrow:

1. Watch the World Cup on ESPN
2. Watch the World Cup and attempt to study during the boring bits i.e.non-red card moments, when players aren't fighting, in-between goals AND when they aren't showing any close-ups of muscular calves in knee-high socks
3. Watch the World Cup and do my laundry during half time (or something)
4. Watch the World Cup and run to the Post Office during... during... well, I'll find time to get to the Post Office.

I still don't get how America's so blase about the World Cup. Theres an insane amount of coverage about Jolie-Pitt's new baby rather than Wayne Rooney's leg injury, or even the World Cup in general. And this is the definitive sport that binds the world together more than the Olympics ever could. Up until this evening, I had no idea Togo was in the World Cup. Togo the African state? since when??

thank goodness for ESPN.

on the other side, you World-Cup widows and haters would love it here.

Currently Listening No Tomorrow By Orson see related

because i love it

i'm only going to repeat it for the hundreth and forty-fifth time (maybe more, but whos counting eh?):

If you want good music, listen to Virgin Radio online. Honestly, it really kicks ass.

Virgin pretty much played Damien Rice, Blunt, Orson, Gnarls Barkley, Snow Patrol, Richard Ashcroft, Stereophonics, KT Tunstall before all the other mainstream stations got them onto their playlists. Plus a healthy sprinkling of good old Brit Rock (but not always) classics like Pink Floyd, Rolling Stones and Van Morrison.

Good stuff I'm telling ya.

teee heee.... if anything, I got it from my dad!

I have no idea if its been proven, but I'm pretty sure some character traits are genetic, or at least it makes certain things a heck of a lot easier to believe. My stubborness for example. My mother and I know for sure it comes from my Dad, something which he adamantly denies... and tah-dah, stubborness in action!!

So I digressed. Until I left for America, my dad was email illiterate. Goodness knows how anyone managed to escape the internet revolution, but he did, except for the few occasions when he bothered to google stuff on mechanics or wine-making. So, it made for a very pleasant surprise to receive my second email from my dad (the first one was filled with supply orders for his wine-making endeavours) with cheesy attempts at jokes that made me giggle.

"I have a feeling you are not getting anymore bites not because you have changed to a new bedsheet. I suspect that while you were on vacation the lice or spiders or dustmites have also gone on vacation. Watch out! They may come back. Better keep your fingers crossed. Ha ha!" -- on my bite report

"After my operation I may not need to use the GPS anymore the next time we drive in the States. I"m keeping my eyes crossed." -- on his upcoming cataract operation 

So...anytime I crack a lame joke... you know where it came from...