Graduated!

I'm finally a graduate! I would like to thank my 3 best friends for taking time off from their work to attend my convo yesterday. * So touched * The flowers are really nice, but I don't know what to do with it...maybe I'll bring it to office to display. The RMIT degree was a bit large, but I carried it along (with all my other barang barang) to BBDC where I took my final theory test and passed! Now I could finally just concentrate on learning to drive. I think I'll be able to drive out in my next practical lesson. Hope I won't get too nervous and stall the engine again.

My 3rd driving practical lesson...

It was raining during my first 3 practical lessons. I remember an instructor mentioning that a past learner failed his practical test because he was unable to operate the screen wiper. I guess that won't happen to me. My braking is super lousy, as I was always braking too hard even though I have tried my best to be gentle with the brake pedal. Guess I'm not really the gentle type of person, haa. My engine stalls whenever I tried to be gentle on the accelerator pedal in half-clutch position (it was too gentle) or when I depress my clutch pedal late. My dear instructors, please be patient with me. I think I need more practice, but more practice means more costs. I hope I could complete all my practical lessons in 30 sessions. May I become a better driver soon and make life easier for both the instructor and myself.

Happy Birthday Singapore!

Yesterday was the first time I ever watched a NDP performance on the floating platform. I went early and got really good seats at the front! The weather was great and cool till the evening when it starts to rain. Everyone took out the poncho from their goodie bag and I didn't see anyone leaving the place even though the rain gets heavier after 30 mins. The performers continue their performance despite the rain and the hosts continue to host in the rain without any caps. The performances were great except for the few singing parts where the solo singer went really high pitch and loud. Maybe I'm just one of those who don't really know how to appreciate the high tones. Anyway, all the performers and staffs worked hard to make the show a success and I think they deserve the credit. May Singapore continue to prosper!

At home on 12 July...

I've finally made the decision to do something to my hair, which is getting too long and difficult to manage. After searching online for comparison of different hair services, I decided to go to a home-based salon, for my rebonding and cutting. There were various good comments about this Jurong West home-based salon, that only charge $60 for rebonding. Unbelievable cheap right? I've booked my appointment for the coming Wed...

I just finished watching the final episode of the Korean Drama "Love Truly". It's not boring at all (even though it is 34 episodes long) and I really like it. The theme song sounds like the 881 type of songs, haa. The first line of the song - "Really, really like you" in Korean sounds like "Really, really smelly live prawn" in Hokkien! It was like "Jin Jia Jin Jia Chao Wa Hei" in hanyu pinyin. The story reminds me of Da Chang Jin. The female lead is an aspiring cook in the Korean presidential residence who put her heart into the food she cooks. As she was poor, she did not have much formal education background and was often bullied by two of her superiors. The male lead is a very comical bodyguard at the presidential residence. Do watch it if you haven't do so.

I finally completed the korean drama - Devil (also known as "The Lucifer"). It is like a detective story, very mind-engaging. I do not like the ending, as it was so sad that both male leads have to die! The story brings out the bottom line that good and evil are just a line away, and revenge is not as sweet as predicted. There are some parts that got repeated with every new episode, which I found quite irritating. Otherwise, it is a good show.

Basic Theory lesson started...

Today is my first day attending lesson at BBDC. Luckily, I'm not late for lesson, even though I left my house later than expected. I didn't read the basic theory book before I go (thinking that it would be very easy) and had a hard time answering the MCQ questions on the touch screen during the practice session. I wonder whether it's normal to not be able to answer 280 MCQ questions in 45 mins...I've only completed half *sigh*.

The NDP ticket collection queue last Sunday was surprisingly short and it took less than 3 mins to get my tickets. I always believe that good luck come after bad luck to maintain a balance. Right after the ticket collection, I went over to Suntec City and to my dismay, the walkway was so crowded that I feel like a sardine between two pieces of bread...Think it may be due to the IT Fair and events going on in the mall.

I've made some changes to my US trip itinerary...instead of just visiting Florida, I'll also be going over to Portsmouth to stayover at my best friend's place. It'll be the first time I ever experience winter...hopefully, it won't be so cold that I would fall sick. * Touchwood * However, that also means I'll have to spend $700++ more to change my air tickets...I should have bought the tickets later to save the $150 change penalty fee. Guess I'm just a typical Kiasu Singaporean, haa.

I'm currently waiting for SIM to announce the graduation date....hee, I'm finally a graduate! The two years were really tough...lack of sleep, lots of research and reading, weekends spend completely in the national library or school...finally it's over. Luckily, I graduated before they stop the supply of refreshments. I always look forward to those snacks during teabreak, as some are really tasty and there is always a variety of snacks to choose from.

I finally found a good website to play online mahjong. This website is really cute - www.viwawa.com. I like the cute wawa(s) very much. Xin, you could practice your mahjong skill there. Haa.

Friday the 13th...

Yesterday was Friday the 13th and it was indeed an unlucky day for me...

I made my 1st visit to BBDC alone to enrol as a student and was surprised that female needs to attend much more practical lessons than male, which means higher fees to complete the driving course. As someone working office hours, I could only book for peak-hour slots and it will add up to around $2700 ++. Upon hearing the costs of each items, I quickly search for my mobile phone to calculate the amount. To my dismay, it couldn't be found... I quickly make a number of calls to my office to check whether I have left it at my desk. Many of my 10 cents and 20 cents coins were confiscated by the phone everytime a voice mail is reached, which was so annoying. I felt guilty for hogging the phone as there was a lady waiting behind me. After confirming with a kind colleague that my phone is locked in my drawer, I hurriedly took a bus back to office.

I have recently booked my Orlando air tickets from Northwest Airlines after several comparisons of price, flights timing, airline reputations...I hope there will not be discount in the near future that would made me regret my purchase...Today, I saw from singtelshop.com that the N82 I have just bought has dropped in price by $200!!! Argh...hopefully my bad luck will go away soon.

Tomorrow, I'm going to collect my two NDP tickets at the floating platform (At least something lucky has happened to me...). I hope the queue won't be very long....(keeping my fingers crossed).

At home relaxing...

Yeah, the stressful exam period is finally over. The exam results will be released on 4 Jun...hopefully the results are to my expectation, so that I can happily graduate.

Before my exam, I have went for a one-day Batam tour and used my new biometric passport for the first time. It is so much more convenient! I don't like Batam's ferry terminal. The queue gets so messy when the crowds from different ferries come in and the tour guides are openly helping their tour members to cut queue! The passengers leaving Batam also use the same passage way as our queue to enter Batam, which makes it very irritating, as there is already not much space to move and yet they keep pushing with their hands and luggage. Some words to say to an irritating Uncle - next time don't use your palm to push a lady ok? It is very rude to push a stranger's back and I can sue you for molesting! The other people in front of you got through our crowd without having to push me!

I'm so glad to have my best friend back from USA for visit...Thank you for your Nike cap and chocolate! Have a safe trip back and see you in December at Florida!

Everything is so unexpected in this world. Recently, there are so much news on the Myanmar cyclone and China earthquake...it is so sad to see how lives could be easily gone and how lives could be dramatically changed. Singaporeans are so much luckier, as we do not encounter serious natural disasters (hopefully we will NEVER encounter such tragedy). We need to cherish whatever we have. From the news, I see people getting their legs or arms amputated to be able to escape from the rubble....I hope the search team will be successful in their rescue effort and may all the survivors find their way out soon.