Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Gone with my moustache, Underwater World

I wanna proudly say, I am no longer a coffee addict! I have quit! :D
I live a healthier diet. No fast food and no koi! Lol. (SGH doesn't have fast food outlets!) And I have been taking detoxification pills.


My colleague, CS, has been looking at research papers and read about an alternative method of shaving mice's hair. He always uses the shaver but wanted to try the hair removal cream on the mice. But he volunteered me as his guinea pig before he gets to the mice. Lol. Poor me! His reason was because I am the most hairy among them. It's true though. Hence, he used the cotton stick to apply some cream on a small patch of my hand. And after 7 minutes, I have absolutely no hair in the area. Lol!

Hence, I grew ecstatic cos I was going to try it on my moustache since they said I look rugged with moustache. LOL. I thought I look cool. HAHAHA! They laughed hard when I was applying the cream on top of the lip. And again, the moustache was gone!

Then he tried it on one mouse and its hair was removed effortlessly after awhile. It became from a white mouse to a nude one. So cool! Next time I don't have to use the shaver anymore. (I'm a rowdy person and may hurt the mouse using the shaver.)


I have been looking at Groupon and Outlet.com.sg for interesting stuff to do. And Simba and I paid $38 each for admission to Underwater World, Insect and Butterfly Park with free bird feeding, and high tea at Skybar.

So that rainy Sunday afternoon, we went to Sentosa!


Photobucket

It was raining heavily and we had to take shelter in the cave.



Photobucket

Everytime we go to Sentosa, we would often wear lesser clothing than usual since we are doing outdoor activities. But this time, I felt so cold becos of the rain! Thank God I have a cardigan!




Photobucket


I wondered how he always knows what to do with the objects around him to pose for a picture. His expression is so real~ Haha.



Photobucket

This is outside the Hershey's store. Simba was very embarrassed to pose with this since no one else was taking photo with it. Hence in the end I could only take a photo of its own.


Photobucket

Me with the Hersheys ~^^

Photobucket


Photobucket


Photobucket

The merlion looked spoiled.



Photobucket


Photobucket

And after a long walk from the Bayfront monorail station, we finally reached!
Simba didn't want to take a shuttle bus and we walked in the rain with an umbrella. Simba was holding the umbrella and half of me was wet the next few minutes we stepped out into the rain. He accidentally slanted his grip and a few times it hit my head. When I told him that, he laughed and said, "U have too much hair!"
Lol. Never once Simba apologized. :D



Photobucket

We saw a white peacock walking around. Wanted to go near it to take a picture but it was too shy!





Photobucket

After multiple attempts to pose with the peacock, Simba still failed.
It turned its back on him!



Photobucket





Photobucket

A touch pool next to the entrance. Meaning that the visitors are welcomed to touch the stingrays in the pool.



Photobucket

Simba went ahead to touch the different species of stingrays. They seemed very friendly and enjoy the attention they are getting. Lol.
Visitors were warned against taking the stingrays out of the pool.

Photobucket

He kept persuading me to touch one of them but I was too afraid to. I told him I only touch mice, nothing else.


Photobucket

These fishes can be touched too. I wondered if this is good for the psychological health of these fishes. Imagine yourself trapped somewhere for display and giants stretch their hands all the way in to touch you. Omg.

Photobucket


Photobucket


Photobucket

This is FUNNY.



Photobucket

This is a spider crab. :D




Photobucket


Photobucket

A part of this crab lights up when you press the buttons below. For example if u press the button indicting "stomach" the stomach of this crab lights up.



Photobucket

Simba's most favourite fish. It has a sword on its head. It was moving far too fast~




Photobucket

These jellyfishes changes color from time to time. So cool!
Can't get a picture with them since kids are crowding around them.



Photobucket

These smaller jellyfishes look like mushrooms. So cute!
They are of different colours. Some brown, some white, some black, some grey, some orange...

Photobucket

The zebrafish!

Photobucket

I remembered I went a few times to Sentosa with my parents when I was young, and they brought me to Underwater World which brought about the deepest impression in me. I remembered this tunnel with a travellator that brings me to watch sharks and stingrays swim. I remembered smiling to the terrifying stingrays. I loved it!






Photobucket

Somehow it looks like the fish was going to reach me.


Photobucket

Then we played with the different settings of my camera.
This is the monochrome setting. :D Nice since my colour contacts is so obvious haha.




Photobucket




Photobucket

The poster setting. Love it the most. Makes u look like a celebrity. Lol.




Photobucket

Still poster setting. Look at how my face shines! :D




Photobucket

Fish eye setting. Lol. I tried to avoid this but Simba loves this setting. (He likes only ugly things, sadly.) I became his victim.



Photobucket

Fish eye setting. Hahahaha. So cute! So monster-like.




Photobucket

Poster mode. Fishes is our background.




Photobucket






Photobucket

U may think the yellow thing in the tank is a plant but u are wrong. It's a seahorse. :D





Photobucket

And we headed towards the Dolphin Lagoon. I knew I might find Wei Jian, my friend the dolphin trainer there.



Photobucket

Dolphins are so smart. They catch balls and dive gracefully at the sound of the whistle.




Photobucket


Photobucket

Wei Jian came with the sealion!  He is really cut out to be a performer. I remembered him being one of the organizers in our previous camps and also our class chairman.
He used to work part-time at a pet shop and his salary is $12 per day. He often helped for about 4 hours but he loves pets so he didn't mind the very low pay.





Photobucket


Photobucket

In this picture, Wei Jian was teaching one of the audience how to massage the sealion when it suddenly jumps out, scaring the poor lady.


Then we had dinner at a pizza place located in Siloso beach. I went there before once and had wine and pizza with Shi Xing and all.




Photobucket


Photobucket

Looking at the youngsters playing volleyball by the sea really made me feel old. It's been a long time since I last went to the beach with friends. Lols. I used to go there with either my secondary school or poly friends, when we were very active. We played ball, cards and swim! The last time I went to the beach was last year Miao's birthday. The reason we went there was because her boyfriend booked a Sentosa resort and got us to surprise her. But instead of playing by the sea, we headed for pizza and wine. LOL! :D



Photobucket

Miniature effect. Only a rectangular part of the screen is clear and the rest of it blurred out. This is good for focusing and emphasizing something.





Photobucket

Mango and lime juices. The lime juice was so sour and I couldn't finish it. But as it was expensive and Simba doesn't waste food, he poured it into his water bottle. Lol.




Photobucket

Guess this effect!





Photobucket

The service is so good. :D
The waitress offered to take a photo of us!




Photobucket





Photobucket

Picture was taken before we entered the Butterfly Park. It was still raining but Simba braved the rain in order for this photo to be taken. Lols.


But but.. We were told to come back when the rain stopped. Butterflies apparently don't come out in the rain.


Photobucket


Last photo outside the Butterfly Park.
We didn't go to the park in the end since the rain didn't seem to stop anytime soon and I really wanted to watch Alvin and the Chipmunks 3 that evening. Been craving for it ever since it first screened.

Made a deal with Simba to come back to the Butterfly Park and also buy admission tickets to watch the Pirates of the Carribean 4D show. And of course, go to the Skybar for high tea!


Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year!
I'm looking forward to 2012!

Monday, December 19, 2011

I love December!

I love December!
Last Friday, we had some xmas buffet with cheese and wine at 5pm. Ever got a little drunk in the lab? Lol! I did. It was only that day that I realized my colleagues have the same mentality as me. That we should try every wine which is on the buffet table. This ended up with Chuan Sia having a super red face and neck, and me super red ears.


And this Friday, we are having another xmas buffet fom 11 am to 3pm! With wine again! We can go home after that. So nice!

Got my first bonus too! :D So cool! I can now afford better xmas presents!


I feel so discouraged since my queue number for the Hougang 4-room flat is 979 when there are only 610 units! First timers are given twice the chance in the ballot but think we are too unlucky. My cousin and her mum are looking to buy a flat near Serangoon. They also wanna get the same flat as us! I also knew it the last time Cousin talked about it. She said she wants to be my neighbour and will come over to my house everyday until one day the unbearable Simba chase her away. But her queue number is 1369. Omg!
Hope we can get a better flat next sales launch. :D


I'm going to dye my hair. After so long! After so much persuasion from Simba. :D



Have u watched "You Are The Apple of My Eye"? Yes I have! Also watched "Already Famous" directed by Michelle Chong and "Alvin and the Chipmunks 3". Yea, Michelle Chong is awesome!

Anyway, I think the theme song of the movie is really nice!




And the main lead actor is really cute. Omg. Don't you think so?

I'm 3 months into work!


Photobucket

The hardworking me at my desk! Hahahahahaha!
(Pui Haan asked me to act like I"m very focused at doing my stuff but I can't help but smile! I look so fake!)




Photobucket

Pui Haan also used my camera to take a photo of Chuan Sia. That's him and the mice in the cages!





Photobucket

And we each have a box of chocolates and this small xmas hat from our German collaborators. Inside this hat were many chocolates too. Chocolates they brought from their country are so different from ours. I love their version more! Much much more!

Finally the busy week with the Germans is over and I must say I learn something again. :D






Photobucket

And Chuan Sia took about 100 photos of me in order to get 1 ugly photo so that he can email Pui Haan and she can post it up on Facebook. Omg. And sadly, cos Pui Haan said something evil to make my expression dull and her accomplice, Chuan Sia, took that ugly shot of me. So sad! Can they not annoy me just for one day?




Photobucket

And that's me with the 3 bullies in our office.
Pui Haan, me, Kar Perng and Chuan Sia. We are all 24 years old! Do we all have the SCIENCE look? LOL.

At the first look, u may think that I'm the only girl in the picture but look again! :D
Pui Haan likes to keep short hair but she is a girl!

Have been hanging out with them too much. Omg! Overdose of each of them. But I'm really glad that I felt very comfortable with them. So comfortable that I will keep saying to them, "你们好烦!!!"
Sometimes I wonder how old they are when:
Pui Haan taps me on my shoulder from the back and pastes stickers on my hair.
Chuan Sia types "I am a pig" on my computer.
Kar Perng keeps chanting "cheese and wine" once the clock strikes 5pm and our 4pm talk still hasn't end.



Photobucket

This is another photo of us, this time in the lecture hall. Our supervisor took this photo using her camera and emailed us this photo. In her email, she stated, "Hello boys and gals, here is your "gang" photo." Lols! I like the way she calls us boys and gals. Sounded as if we are kids.

I have gotten feedbacks from these 3 bullies that I smiled awkwardly. They said I should smile with my teeth shown. U think so? One friend told me not to show my vampire teeth when I smile and she thought that looks better. I'm so confused now. Told my colleagues I will smile the way they want me to next time and make the smile more natural.


After being a little drunk that day due to the Cheese and Wine session, Simba wanted to go Waraku for dinner. We ate the Xmas dinner set that includes wine. Lol. Yes, definitely a painful dinner for me!


Photobucket




Photobucket


Photobucket

Caught a piece of evidence that he was playing his Tiny Tower on iTouch again! Lol.
I think the game is very addictive since it was rated Top 1 iPhone App.


Photobucket

When he said, "Hey look!"
I forgot what he was pointing at anyway.

Photobucket

Lol! He has grown fatter and was very worried about it. Hence, he decided to slim his face down by making long faces.

Photobucket

It's me with the horrifying white wine.

Photobucket

Our raw smoked salmon. It was meant for 2 to eat but I'm afraid of eating raw stuff, so poor Simba stuffed everything on that plate down his stomach.







Photobucket

His smoked duck with spagetti. Nice!






Photobucket





Photobucket

Our big dessert that made us really full. But it's really heaven!
It's chocolate banana fudge cake.


Photobucket





Photobucket

And it's me with my beef steak.

Photobucket

Cute!
I'm still loving xmas!




Photobucket

Merry Xmas everyone!

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

I am a mouse murderer


Today as my senior colleague was busy, he wont be able to help me catch mice for my measurements.

I caught six of them one by one, made them breathe in some anesthetics and took measurements the whole day.

But one died as I may have suffocated it with too much cotton wool. :(

Although all mice will be killed by my colleague right after my measurements and the time that I accidentally killed it was just right for further analysis, I feel so bad.

He killed 5 and I killed 1 today. And he said as soon as I get my license, I should kill all on my own.

My supervisor was amazed that I'm not afraid of mice. Lol! I said I was amazed too!


I realized maybe Simba influenced me to like animals. I like to put them onto beds, cover them with blankets and stroke them.

I feel bad that I have to kill hundreds next year. :( I promise to be more gentle tomorrow.

Sunday, December 11, 2011

The Artifacts of Titanic

Hi dears!
My colleague says I suffer from Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder. Do I?
Maybe u won't think so until u work with me. Lols. She said it can get more and more serious if I am unaware of it.




For your info from Wikipedia:


Obsessive–compulsive personality disorder (OCPD) is a personality disorder characterized by a pervasive pattern of preoccupation with orderliness, perfectionism, and mental and interpersonal control at the expense of flexibility, openness, and efficiency.
The primary symptoms of OCPD can include preoccupation with remembering and paying attention to minute details and facts, following rules and regulations, compulsion to make lists and schedules, as well as rigidity/inflexibility of beliefs and/or exhibition of perfectionism that interferes with task-completion. Symptoms may cause extreme distress and interfere with a person's occupational and social functioning.

Okie, maybe a little! Lols. I think this disorder is contagious. Simba passes it to me! Haha!
Well.. I still think it's not hard to work with me. Hahaha. At least I hope so!


Oh no! I like a dress from ASOS. It costs ~SGD$250! I have to refrain myself from looking at it everyday at the web. Hahahaha! Good luck to me! (I promise myself and you my friend that I will save $1,000 per month, which is not considered difficult since I have income from giving tuition too.)

I have a very strong feeling about wanting to buy a book! "Hard Truths to keep Singapore Going". :D


Simba has been hurrying me to post an entry here. He said I haven't been faithfully blogging ever since I started working. So today he wanted me to go home early to blog for my faithful readers, you guys!

Working drains my energy away. Hahaha! But it has made me a much happier spender! Hahahaha! Here is how:


Went to the "Ruins of Titanic Exhibition" at the ArtScience Museum. It was fascinating, I tell u! I love every bit of it. Locals have a 15% discount. The entrance ticket for us Singaporeans is $20 instead of $24.
I only ate a little bit of my lunch and so we went for some cupcakes before going to the museum.

Simba took me to Twelve Cupcakes Cafe at Millenium Walk. Millenium Walk is one of Simba's favourite places to go since he used to work part time there and has since fall in love with that place. Sometimes, I think he's strange. Lols!





Photobucket

I chose the Rainbow Vanilla Cupcake. It was heavenly I promise!
I always have a prejudice against cupcakes and muffins. Simply said, I don't really like them. But in order to not turn down Simba's choice I decided to give it a try. And wow it didn't disappoint me.


One cupcake costs $3! Simba was considering about buying 11 of them back for his colleagues as xmas treats. Makes me wanna buy for mine too! Great xmas gift idea!






Photobucket





Photobucket


Photobucket

If u like it soft and creamy, u are just like me! U will love these cupcakes.



Photobucket

But the Iced Latte is kind of diluted. Try it at your own risk!
Love the colorful and happy menu.
;)




Photobucket

Nice high heels.


And we entered the exhibition. No photography was allowed in there. I was very disappointed. I brought an extra battery for my camera in case it runs out of one. I promised Simba not to break the rules but told him I will just hang the camera on my neck and may accidentally take one or two photos.

No one in the museum was taking photos and I didn't dare to at first. I secretly took a few photos using my iphone and showed Simba. He felt that I have violated the rules and kept telling me to delete them.



Photobucket

And after a while, I have mastered the courage of taking the camera hung over my neck and take this first shot. Of course Simba unwillingly posed for it. Lols.

Photobucket

This is the first class cabin of Titanic. Titanic was then the largest ship that was built and was aimed to provide the most luxurious facilites and sturdy structure for the passengers. It was claimed to be "practically unsinkable".
It looks very grand and impressive I must say. First class passengers at that time had to pay about $2,000 (about $500,000 current value). Only opulent people could afford such tremendous amount of money. Or should i say atrocious! I know, it's crazy.



Photobucket

While this is the third class cabin where 4 strangers slept together in the same cabin. It was cramped but still provided better facilities than the 3rd class cabins of other ships. Real mattresses were supplied instead of straws.
However, only 2 bathtubs were available and had to be shared among 700 third class passengers. Hence they resorted to bathing once a week.

Photobucket

The elegant staircase where first class passengers mingled on.



Photobucket

The hallway to many cabins.


Titanic sank on 15th April 1912.

Felt my eyes go watery when I read about the individual disaster victims.
There should be 32 lifeboats on board to cater to the 2,200 passengers but there were in fact only 16. And all the lifeboats weren't at full capacity when they sped off from Titanic. Many men died as priority to go into lifeboats was given to women and children. Many men waved goodbye to their wives and children while they stayed on board. 1,500 died while 700 survived. Laws were then enforced on giving training to the staff on dealing with cases like this and placing adequate lifeboats on board. This was a painful lesson to learn from.

The ruins left behind by the wreck was only recovered lately. Submarines were sent to the deep oceans and divers suffered hardships to dive in the deep seas which have little oxygen and light. I'm surprised that over 100 years, thousands of things were still properly conserved underwater. One of such is some perfume samples. They still have a strong scent even till now.



Photobucket




Photobucket


Photobucket

A kind tourist volunteered to help us with this photo! SO nice!




Photobucket


Photobucket

Photobucket


And another tourist volunteered to take few photos for us. He set different camera functions to suit the scenery. Wow! Some stranger knows my camera better than me.

Tourists are really nice!
Photobucket


Photobucket

Went to Singapore Flyer for dinner.

Photobucket


Had Bah Kut Teh. Tasted great!
Everything there has a vintage feel to it.

Photobucket

Look at the cup with such an oriental design!

Photobucket

He tried a new bottled drink. Tasted like chocolate milk though.




Photobucket

Yes, I'm not adventurous. Still Fanta Orange gives the safest taste.



Photobucket

Cute reindeer!

Photobucket

I have to do something silly by the end of the day. This necklace is what I bought as a sovenir from the Exhibition. This necklace was popular in the Titanic era and it costs $39! Omg! I'm a big spender.

Bought something in Titanic era for Miao as my xmas gift for her from this souvenir shop too!
I have bought 4 xmas gifts for my friends and spent about $120~ Faints! Still I had fun shopping for them. If u kept on searching, u will eventually find something they like. Cool!

Still 3 more gifts to go!

Merry Merry Xmas my dears!

Monday, December 05, 2011

Diving!

I wanna go diving! My newfound idea! :D

My colleague loves diving and after hearing from him how beautiful the ocean is at those small islands he went to, I wanna go diving too! I wanna touch the fishes!
Hahahaha. I am sure Simba won't mind going with me.


Will be very busy this month with work~! But it's getting interesting cos our overseas collaborators are coming to teach us how to place implants into the mice's bodies.
You know, with some work experience, I may be able to apply for PhD studies, skipping Masters. Sometimes, I think about it. Other times, I think I am crazy. When u reach Research Fellow level, u own a lab, supervise and life will be easier. Lol! Must be that my supervisor, the Senior Scientist, who is too nice, has made everyone in the lab so nice. She made me wanna be like her. LOL.