the last hurdle awaits...

Monday, 30th April 2007 – 4:11pm Singapore time

Four down, one more to go! *tiny booty shake*

The paper just now was actually quite a tough one… A few tough questions, but generally quite doable… But there was one question which I couldn’t do leh… And it was about the ethic of reciprocity… Like where did that come from? It was a question worth eight marks and I think for my efforts, I will get two… Haha!! However, I do feel much more relieved now cos I only have one paper left and it’s an *OPEN-BOOK EXAMINATION* hehe…

Of course, that doesn’t mean that I don’t have to study for it… It simply means that I don’t have to stress out about memorising the key words and concepts… I just need to get a better understanding of the subject I’m dealing with and how I can handle questions related to the subject…

This series of exams has proven to be my toughest one in NUS so far… I guess higher level modules require more brain juice from you… But like all stressful times, this one will pass…

Looking forward to the hols… Long hols!! Woo hoo!

Still a little concerned about not having a job though… I don’t know if I should look for other employment possibilities or if I should just wait for a call from Income… *ponder*

Oh well, time to lounge around a little! Happy Labour Day y’all!! =)

a tribute to you...

Saturday, 28th April 2007 – 1:35pm Singapore time

In very stressful and difficult times like these, you turn to your family and friends for support… Some people give you a little bit of support while others go all the way, just for you… I’ve come to realise that I have been very blessed to have a really wonderful family and some very, very good friends… This one’s for you, you know who you are… I love you a lot and appreciate you always being there…

sizing things up...

Friday, 27th April 2007 - 5:27pm Singapore time

Third paper is finally over! Big phew! I must say that is was kinda tough, especially the first question… It left me so stunned that I was just sitting there staring at the paper for while before I started thinking of doing it… But the second question was more doable… But then, it was only worth 40% of the marks… Sigh… Never mind, I am banking on the marks I have accumulated so far to help me with the final grade… Hehe…

Thanks to Aunty Evelyn for her well wishes! I am still kinda dying, but feeling better now… Just two more papers and it’d be time to shake my booty! ;p

My next paper is on Monday which means my weekend would be non-existent… Bleah…

By the way, I think it is kinda vulgar for guys to go out to eating places wearing their *really* short-shorts…. Like the ones some runners use while running/jogging… They are running shorts la, not ones to be worn in other contexts… It’s almost like wearing your swimming trunks out… Not very tasteful especially when you have elephant thighs…

Anyways, I received a phonecall a few days ago from someone from NTUC Income… She was basically offering me a temp position as a customer relations officer during the hols… I’ve been working for them during my hols ever since I was a freshie so this phonecall was actually kinda expected… But then, the same girl called me again today saying that they would have to put their offer on hold due to some unforeseen reasons which she was unable to disclose… Sian… I really hope it’s just a slight hiccup and that I will be ultimately offered a job… I don’t want to be jobless and useless for the next three months! Will die lor… *fingers crossed*

Oh, I like curry puffs and I like the fact that my landlords always buy them for me for breakfast… Nice, nice landlords… Hehe…

I also like putting things out in italics...

Have a good weekend y’all! =)

it's running through my mind...

Sometimes, when someone does something really bad to me and makes me feel so sad, I wonder: is this something I really deserve, or is this person just being a plain asshole?

When shit is stirred, it's not pretty at all... But you just gotta ride the wave and wait for it to settle... Some shit doesn't take too long to settle, but others do... It's this kind of shit which I really hate... Please just let it be over... Like totally over... Like now...

Went for dragonboat practice today after missing *five* practices... Let's just say I am happy to be alive... Phew!

especially for stella...

Adik, feel better soon cos the world ain't as beautiful when you're feeling down...

just keep swimmin', swimmin', swimmin'...

Monday, 23rd April 2007 – 10:02pm Singapore time

Had the Principles of Marketing paper today… It was a very draining paper! Fairly doable but absolutely draining… Almost didn’t finish it… But I managed to and I think I will get a decent grade for this class…

I am totally beat… Will go for a run later to relieve some stress later though… I need to be refreshed… ;)

Anyways, thanks to Yatee for the (hopefully) flattering comment… How did the magazine end up in NTU? And to Rohana, if you wanna see the cover, come to NUS and get it… Haha! I cannot post the pic here la… It’s not suitable for children… ;p

And thanks to Christine and Selena for actually asking for my autograph! Haha… So nice la both of you… Make me malu though… I'm a shy boy eh... But thanks much, much!! =)

Ok, two down! Three to go!

attack of the killer coverboy...

Sunday, 22nd April 2007 – 12:15am Singapore time

So at the age of 24, I finally make it to a cover of a magazine! I’m a coverboy now! Yay! Haha, cheap thrill… The picture above is of me and the sweetest most gorgeous girl in the world Stella Leong and I’m actually holding up a copy of ‘the ridge’ with me on the cover! Yay! But I purposely covered some parts of the cover cos I want this blog to retain its PG rating… Haha…

Some very good and nice comments about how I look… And stupid Jianbang said something not so nice… Grrrr… But the truth hurts sometimes eh? Kudos to him for having eyes which are (annoyingly) sharp…

First exam is finally over! Four more papers to go… I think today’s paper was a good start despite it being a Saturday… The paper was a little tough but quite manageable… So thanks Dr. Ho! ;p

This next picture is of me and Christine Chen Huiqing! Ain’t she cute y’all? I’m really blessed to have such gorgeous classmates and these people have very good hearts too! I’m gonna miss you when you’re gone… ;) But must still ‘haunt’ me ok? Hehe…

The next two weeks are gonna be pretty tough… Lots of late nights, early mornings, pimples, eyebags, bad hair and crappy outfits… But all in the name of academic love and the thirst for success, right? Right…

I have a flower in my garden and it looks like it could grow to be something really beautiful… I give it water and sun and air and love, but it keeps on wilting and its leaves start to grow brittle and dry… What am I doing wrong? I dunno but the flower keeps on being so… So maybe it’s what it is to me: the flower and I are not meant to be…

Asraf is so cryptic sometimes… =)

even tyra has exam stress...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdHpYMR4ljY

Amazing what exam stress can do to you... Damn, if I had my own talkshow, I'd be doing the same thing too... =)

just nip it...

Wednesday, 18th April 2007 – 1:50pm Singapore time

Sometimes, it’s better to nip it in the bud… Especially when you are not sure if it will bloom into a beautiful flower, or into a monstrous and fugly stupid-ass weed…

happy birthday melvin!

Wednesday, 18th April 2007 - 12:44am Singapore time

Happy 28th Birthday to Melvin Gan Kang Wei! Yay! Melvin is like my bestest friend from the Canadian Dragons... Always very reliable, motivating, approachable, nice and always co-concocting super lame-ass jokes for me to laugh at... My favourite one so far is the 'post-war leftovers' one... Not forgeting the 'rendang babi' joke too... Hehe... Here's to a great celebration of you... I wish that you be blessed with good health and good fortune always... And all the best with your 'Mat'... Haha... Hope to have many, many more years of great friendship and camaderie with you... You're truly a friend to be treasured... =)

Ok, on to today's update... Well, there's nothing much to update leh... Was in the library the whole day studying... What else am I supposed to do? Oh, I did meet up with my adik today... That poor girl kena sunburn... Of course I saw it as an opportunity to inflict even more pain on her by rubbing the raw skin on her back... Hehe... Dunno why she still calls me her abang... ;p

I am expectedly stressed out about the exams, but also handling the stress quite well at the same time... Hope this mood stays for the whole period...

Oh, and I realised that since this is the end of my 3rd year, I have taken 25 modules in NUS (excluding the six I did in Oslo) and this means I have 25 sets of ex-classmates... No wonder I see familiar faces on campus all the time... You just keep forgetting which class you had them in... Oh well, smile can already la... Hehe...

[I think like this]:

I have been here for a very long time
I see many people I know

because of this, I feel something good
I want other people to know I feel something good
I move the whole in my mouth upwards to create something good
this something good is what people call a smile
when other people see this, I want them to feel something good

*THIS* is what you learn in Uni! Tee hee!

Good luck to fellow muggers!

things are a-bubblin'...

Friday, 13th April 2007 – 9:13pm Singapore time

Friday the 13th y’all! But it was a pretty good day, despite the bad thunderstorm in the afternoon… Super loud thunder and super freaky lightning… *shudder*

Got back my Pragmatics term paper today… Didn’t do very well… Sigh… I think it was because he has too high expectations of me… Or am I not good enough to be in an honours-level class? I don’t know la, but I hope I will do well for the final exam and hopefully that will help to boost my grades a little…

Anyways, on to the positive things… Had lunch with Christine today… Fun la, I’m gonna miss you so much when you graduate!! Since you’re gonna slack for one year, must come to NUS and kacau me ok? Especially after the new arts canteen opens… And I will try to be online more often…

Also confided some stuff to my little adik Stella… I am surprised at the level of comfort I feel when I’m around her even though we’ve ‘officially’ known each other for only four months… That just shows how quality is more important than quantity… You’re godsent la, adik… Heart heart you a lot… Hehe…

Rohana: I don't want to carry umbrella around la... Too leceh... And I am too stubborn (and vain)... ;p

It was also Writers’ Night tonight… Lots of nice bubbles and crazy people… Haha…

Time to watch the news now… Ciaoz!

PS: Think I’m finally in the right frame of mind to start mugging… Rejoice!

trying to head the right way...

Thursday, 12th April 2007 – 11:14pm Singapore time

I just got back from practice… It was a good session and I actually tried to cox the boat today… Verdict: disaster!! I almost killed my team-mates cos my steering was so bad I almost crashed the boat into a wall… And not once, my dear reader, Asraf Angullia attempted homicide *twice*… Sigh… But it was a good attempt… Or at least that’s what everyone said in front of me… Hah…

Anyways, I am so hating the rain… Too much of it la… So annoying… I got drenched yesterday when I jumped out of my bus to the bus-stop… And that was barely a second of exposure to the rain! Crazy la…

Last class of the semester tomorrow morning… Although I am happy about that, I am also stressed out cos it means full-time mugging has to begin! Yikes! God help me…

don't speak...

Wednesday, 11th April 2007 – 11:22pm Singapore time

Why do people lie? I’m not talking little white lies here… Everyone does that… I’m referring to big huge-ass lies which never stop… Lies which are perpetuated so many times that they become a reality of the person who constructs them and possibly of the ones around them too…

I know someone who lies a lot… This person lies to me, lies to everyone and even though some of the lies are believable, many are not… It really sickens me everytime I have to listen to this person lying… And sometimes I wish I didn’t have such a good memory so that I can just forget all the inconsistencies in the little tales that this person tells me… And I so wish that I can shut this person up one day and tell this person that I am worn out from listening to all these fantasies used to create this imaginary world and life which never will exist… Simply put: some things are just too good to be true… Life is *never* perfect…

Please stop lying… Cos I don’t think I will ever tell you to… I know it will hurt you too much…

it all comes tumbling down...

Tuesday, 10th April 2007 – 6:44pm Singapore time

It’s the last English Language class for Dr. Ho Chee Lick today.

Good luck in Chinese Studies Dr. Ho!

It’s the last week of school (for this sem at least).

It’s the last day of me having long hair.

Rejoice, you anti-long hair people. ;p

not sure what i feel inside...

Monday, 9th April 2007 – 11:16pm Singapore time

Hi Tharin,

I’m sending this email to inform you that I am withdrawing from the 10km race next Saturday.

This is because I have an exam from 1-3pm on that day and since the event kicks off at 1pm, I would not be able to make it for the race on time.

I apologise for any inconveniences caused.

Regards,
Asraf

Aaaargh!!

I was so looking forward to taking part in this race… And now I have to wait another @#$%-ing year! Why must we have exams on Saturdays?!! Why? Isn’t it supposed to be a NON-working day?

I am seriously pissed and disappointed….

In other news, I got back my Principles of Marketing report and presentation score… Our group was awarded 4.9/6 for the presentation and 10/12 for the report… I would say it was better than expected… Don’t feel like bitching about it any further… Not like there’s a point to bitch about it cos it’s over and done with… Like my chance to take part in the 10km challenge…

I also received an email with the grade of my Media, Discourse and Society presentation… Our group was awarded the A/A- range… Not bad I guess, but somehow my mood is still down…

Last week of school before exams start… Stress is at an all-time high…

kittens in urgent need of a new home!

Hi y'all!

If you know someone or if you are keen to adopt a (pair of) kitten(s), please contact me ASAP! We have a cute pair of little four-month old kittens in our house and they have to be given away cos my mom is developing an allergy to them... Here are some details:

Sex: Both female

Colour: One's a brown tabby and the other's a patchy gray. Both are shorthaired local breed.

Toilet habits: Both fully litter-trained

Temperament: Playful and manja, but not overly so. Both very good at killing cockraoches, so if you need a long term pest control solution, this this could be it... :)

Call Asraf at 9665 2207 or email him at kovue@yahoo.com if you want more details or if you're keen to adopt either one or both of them...

Thanks!

goody good friday...

Friday, 6th April 2007 – 11:08am Singapore time

Happy Good Friday y’all! Hope everyone has some nice plans for the long weekend…

Anyways, I have *finished* my last term paper for this semester! Woo hoo! Actually finished it yesterday, but had to time to brag about it… Hehe… It’s such a relief la cos I am beginning to feel really tired of doing term papers… But after saying that, I have to say that this paper is the most enjoyable out of all the papers I had to do this sem… I think it was because of the inspirational pep talk thingy which our lecturer Dr. Ho gave in class… That kinda made me realise the kind of attitude I should have when doing something academic…

Anyways, April 17th is Ben & Jerry’s free cone day! All you ice-cream lovers must go and get your free ice-cream ok? Just click on the little poster above to find out the outlets which are participating in this promotion… Special thanks and lurve to Aunty Evelyn for the tip-off…

I had the night out with my dragonboat peeps Alicia, David, Melvin and Lars… Alicia’s friend Daniel from Amsterdam was in town for a vacation and we went for dinner after practice followed by a chill-out session at the eM Bar at Robertson Quay… It’s actually a very nice place… Very cute and young waitresses also… Haha…

Got home pretty late but training wasn’t too tough, so I wasn’t really tired… I am now getting ready to go for a wake… Not sure if you guys remember my friend Mark whose dad was critically ill over the Chinese New Year period… Anyways, Mark’s dad passed away a few days ago and I would like to pay my respects before the funeral tomorrow…

And then I will have some time to maybe have some relaxation time at the pool or something… We’ll see…

Christine: I wonder why you wanna take so many pictures at next week’s Pragmatics class… More precisely, I wonder *whose* pictures you will be taking lor…. Gatal! ;p

Rohana: I also am looking forward to The Simpsons Movie! I hope it won’t be disappointing….

Meatball: Hmmm, are you hinting that you should graduate to Beefcake now? In order for that to happen, you must provide me a lifetime supply of eyebrow vibrating services, can? And go update your blog also la...

beginning of the end...

Monday, 2nd April 2007 – 2:33pm Singapore time

It’s my free day today! Woo hoo! But not so free cos I am working on a term paper… In fact, it is my last term paper for this semester! Yay!! Happy happy joy joy… Progress on the paper is very slow but I am getting a better idea of what I want to do and how to angle the main thrust of my paper… Let’s hope we’ll be done soon ya?

Anyways, I had a pretty good weekend… Met my fellow ex-BMT instructors (Ah Tat, Shangfeng, Stanley, Ronald, Zafar, Meatball, Child Bitch and Han Wei) for dinner on Saturday night… It was really great fun… We were laughing so much that many a happy tear rolled down a cheek… What were we laughing about? Err, some jokes lor… I can’t put up these jokes cos I know some readers of this blog are below 21… Heehee…

I went for a wedding reception on Sunday afternoon… I generally don’t enjoy attending wedding functions of people whom I don’t know but it was really nice to see Nenek Minah again… She is like my most favourite old person in the world right now… Love her to bits…

After the reception, I went to Bugis to meet up with David to get some pictures taken for the paper that I am currently working on… He had to take some pictures of the Bugis area for his dissertation and since I also needed some pictures, we went together… It was a quick trip as we had to head back to my place where we had dinner with Lars and my little brother…

And now here I am, writing this blog entry when I should be working… =) Till next time!