Archive for August, 2006

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Densha Otoko [Train Man]

Posted in Uncategorized with tags , on August 30, 2006 by mdjasrie

Shocked by the paper yesterday, Proteomics. So many questions i didnt expect to appear during the exams, and it did. And its a good thing. Coz its easy!!!

Personally i thought i wouldnt do well in this paper, but now that ive done it, i think i might do quite alright! The questions were straightforward, from the notes, and even questions from the first chapter came out for the paper! Unfortunately ididnt really study in detail the front parts of the lecture, but fortunately i remembered them :)

Its over anyway. Gotta study for the final paper and that is… Essentials in business management. Should be a problem. tips are clear cut, concise, as sharp as a knife, all listed down and ready to be referred. (thank you Mr Hang!!!!)

Oh yeah, before i forgot, on my way home, i bought this really good book that ive been waiting for it to be translated, and after many years, i finally got hold of this book. Its entitled, Train Man, or Densha Otoko in Japanese.


This is a true story that happened in 2004 about a geek guy who happens to save this young lady from being harrassed by a drunken fart while they were in the train together. They were complete strangers. So a few days later, he recieved a thank you gift from the same lady whom he saved back then.

But being a geek, he has no clue on how to respond to her thank you gift, should he call her, or ask her out. So he sought help from this popular forum and discussion board and told him his story happened. Soon swarms of people replied and helped him and advised himonline through the discussion board on all manners, like how to strike a conversation, ask her out on a date, what to wear and all those kinda stuff. So basically you see this geek, introvert and always getting the jitters when talking to girls transformed to a gentleman, confident and demure with the help of total strangers and it was truly a success! They get to know each other and fell for each other. They went on dates and stuff.

I dont usually read romance novels but i wanted to read this book so bad because firstly, its a true story and secondly its not a novel at all. The book actually compiles original forum posts of train man and the people who responded to him. there are thousands of posts compiled into a book, unedited, unscripted. So basically you get to see a series for response through a series of posts and some of them can be quite funny.

You can see a sample page here. This page accounts what happened on his first date with the girl. The date, time of posts are unedited except being anonymous. Till this date, on one knows the real identity of Train Man.

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Major reshuffling…

Posted in Uncategorized with tags , on August 29, 2006 by mdjasrie

Okie, so today SFG’s paper was kinda bad for me. Not bad as in dunno how to do bad, but no confidence in your answers kinda bad. And whats worse, i discovered i made alot of mistakes!!!!

Nevermind… its over, ill pass, but barely, trust me its bad enough. Its gonna get worse, tomorrow, PROTEOMICS. I so hate the module and i dunno if im gonna do ok (not well, just ok) in the paper. Man.. i just cannot wait to let this dreadful time pass by and be forgotten, but i cant accept the fact that doom looms ahead of me. ~ARGH~ Pulls hair~

So a minor update on my industrial attachment. There has been a major reshuffling on who is going where.

To make things short, Daiyu and Gad are no longer going to Brisbane. Considering the recent issues with Daiyu, her Visa and her acceptance to the University, Daiyu will now join Yamei’s group and go to Adelaide, while Gad, will join me and Shi Ming to Perth. So its 3 in a group.

So far other than that it has been going smoothly. We have more or less given the green light to buy our air tickets, settle Visa and accomodation. For my side, me and Gad has decided on the accomodation that my dad’s friend has chosen for us. Although Gad will be in her own room, which will cost more than me and Shiming in a single room with 2 beds, i think we can negotiate on the price a little bit to get a better deal. The accomodation that we have chosen can be found here. Hopefully by tomorrow i can get Shi Ming’s confirmation to accept our reccomended lodging and i can start booking the place for 2 full months. (yeah baby…)

And hopefully tomorrow we will settle the flight, date and time of departure, so that we can buy our own individual tickets.

Tentatively, though not confirmed, we will be flying off on the 9th of September, 2 days earlier, thats a saturday so that we can settle down and get to familiarise with the place abit, like how to get to the university, where to eat, where to shop, where to partaaaay!! (nah.. just kidding) We will be taking flight QF72, the morning flight, departing at 9am reaching at 2pm. I pray we can settle this by 31st of August, because Qantas Airlines is having a promotion!

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The Waiting Game…

Posted in Uncategorized with tags , , , on August 25, 2006 by mdjasrie

Second paper, Drug Development was okay i guess. Despite my lack of concentration in studying 2 days prior, i think i could have done better if not for the fact that i have to wait for a very important message from one of my lecturers. Damn that multiscale approach question was a tough nut to crack. Ah.. its over now.

So here i am waiting for an important message. But still nothing. With that, we still cant buy our airline tickets, and get our Visa done. I hope i get the news asap. Anyway, we were researching the flights of Qantas, and i realised that Qantas flies twice a day, everyday from Singapore to most cities in Australia. For perth, it will be flight 72 and 78.

72 departs at around 9am and arrives at arond 2pm, while flight 78 departs at 7pm and arrives the next day at 12 midnight. Since theres only 2 choices, its obvious that the former is better.

But the problem is we dunno the exact date in which we have to depart. So we cant do anything except sitting ducks. The waiting game is frustrating…

That aside, i came across a particularly unusual encounter on my way home.I was on the mrt train, It was crowded and upon arrival to Yishun mrt station, this big burly english guy entered the train. He was standing diagonally behind me on the left side, and i noticed he was making this strange burping noises and he was like panting all the way. And there is this faint sweet musty odour about him. That smell was familiar to me but i couldnt recall at that time. He kept on burping and making deep sighing noises, like he cant breathe or something.

Then it hit me. I instantly recognized the odour. IT WAS THE SMELL OF ALCOHOL!! Every breath he made was reeking of ALCOHOL! I took a sideways glance at him and my god…. for once i was worried. He looked like he was about to puke. UGH~ Being in a crowded train, i was right next me from behind and i had my bag on my left side. when i saw his condition, i was like praying feverishly…. please dont puke please dont puke.. not my bag.. please!!

I was highly fortunate that my stop arrived, and before i alight the train, he took a vacant seat and he was sooo drunk! He looked like he was about to crash!

Now why would he get drunk in the evening and board a train packed with passengers?

Oh by the way, Pluto aint a planet anymore. So now we have 8 planets. Thats history in the making. At least you have something to say to your grandchildren, on someting significant that happened in your life.

~2050  Where the borders between cyberspace and reality is non existent and google is still powerful ~
“Ah boy ah… you know ah… that last time got 9 planets, but during my time it was downgrade to 8″

“Why?”

“Goooooooooooogle it”

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Smooth journey with occasional bumps

Posted in Uncategorized with tags on August 23, 2006 by mdjasrie

Today was the first exam paper of this final semester, MBID. The paper was fairly ok, but it wasnt the easy one. For one thing, William How’s questions, both of them, i didnt study for that at all! Spotted the wrong questions, none came out. Great jasrie, just great. As for the rest, i guess its alright, though not perfect.

Possible Outcome: Probably a B, the project is the final part of the whole balancing act for my results. Id kill myself if i get a B+

6 of us going to overseas attachment, went to see AK for some mini briefing regarding our final arrangements. There seems to be a minor problem on Gad’s and Daiyu’s side. As you know they are supposed to be paired together, but Daiyu will need to take time in settling her Visa for her entry to Australia. Her situation hangs in the balance because in order to get a Visa, (According to her) she has to provide proof and documents of her purpose of going there in order to get a Visa. On top of other things include financial status, an interview, and a 5 day clearance period, before she can finally get her Visa. Will she be able to make it? I pray for her. It will be sad if she cant go at the very last minute.

For that, there are 2 outcomes. First, she got her Visa, and they can both go together happily. The second, she has to stay behind, leaving Gad alone. However, Gad doesnt want to be alone, and she might be forced to team up with Yamei’s pair or my pair. In that case, she has to sort of reapply and confirm her position in either universities that both pairs are going. She might come a few days later than us, due to extra administration.

My hope truly, is that both of them can go together. If Daiyu can go, she would be the first foreign student to go on an overseas attachment via NYP. That would be great, and Brisbane is a fantastic place, it would be hard on her to miss this opportunity to go.

As for Yamei and Anthony, it would be another first, because they are going as a pair of opposite sex. (what a lot of firsts…)

On a high note, me and Shiming, who are going to UWA in perth, are highly fortunate because we are more or less settled in terms of arragments over at the university side. They have given a letter of invitation (in which we must formally reply our acceptance) and soon will be given an email attachment of the recommended accomodations to stay. Now that, im shocked. I didnt expect them to be so kind and efficient to the point of giving us choices of recommendations. Truly, when i get there, i must thank them feverishly.(Oh, thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you!!!) They have been very warm thus far and i truly look forward to it.

Tomorrow i need to go to the immigration office to extend my passport.

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Countdown…

Posted in Uncategorized with tags , , on August 22, 2006 by mdjasrie

After the big news that im going overseas, i just cannot concentrate on my studies… AT ALL. There soo many things that ive been thinking, the excitement, the rushing feeling over going there all by yourself, freedom, and notion of independence.. man i jst cannot contain it. Ive been dreaming of this moment for many years ever since i step into NYP. I imagine myself going overseas for my school related stuff.

All feelings aside, it seems that there is alot more to prepare and settle during this short span of time, and its kinda worrying for me. Accomodation wise, ive been fortunate for now.. since my dad’s friend is in Perth right now and he might be able to scout for a location or 2 for our accomodations and pick us up at the airport. So at least we wont feel lost upon arriving.

Gadisti and Daiyu are going to Brisbane, while Ya Mei and Anthony, are going to Adelaide. Oh what fun, 6 of us going to australia together. Its an amazing feeling right now. I mean, we are already talking to setting up a special blog just for this ocassion, adding our unique experiences in this special blog for others to read. Its gonna be great.

I hope this blog doesnt get discovered by my parents. If they did im gonna shut this down. Its not like i dont trust them.. its just that im already clinging to watever freedom and privacy i have left. All they can read is the collective blog that 6 of us are gonna contribute. This blog will still contain the exact post i had in the other travel blog, but there will be extras for sure.

Today i got another surprise. I finally got my formal invitation from the university itself through email in pdf format. It says inside that on behalf of School of Biomedical, Biomolecular and Chemical Sciences, they are happy to offer me a visiting student internship from 11 september to 1 december. Ill be under Professor Peter Hartmann, from the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology discipline.

This means that they are already expecting me on 11 september. So tomorrow i gotta ask AK whether i have to fly off earlier than the stated date, and how do i report to this professor, wat time, and so on. Im sure he has more details tomorrow.

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Onward to University of Western Australia, Perth!

Posted in Uncategorized with tags , , on August 22, 2006 by mdjasrie

The news was out yesterday through sms again. AK smsed me and i got the news that ill will be going to the University of Western Australia in Perth. I didnt know that I recieved that message till Shi Ming told me through msn to check my phone. And yeap, thats right, im going with Shi Ming.

I was shocked when i read the message, i mean for a moment there, i couldnt believe that this was happening in the first place. Im going on the 11th of September and already im thinking of soo many things to prepare and settle. Airline tickets, accomodation, passport, Visa, and all those personal things i need to settle before i fly off.

Looking a bit into the future, i think its gonna be an adventure. What more to enjoy with my good friend. Shi Ming. I think Perth is gonna be great, and i hope i get the best experience out of it. Id look forward to the university itself and get to know the university environment there. I hope i do ok. However, i must take note that this is NOT a holiday and there is work to do!!! But then again, i hope working in the lab in a foreign place, in a foreign school would be fun indeed. Must be disciplined! be prepared, expect the unexpected! Do whatever must be done, be inquisitive, ask!

Well, with that being said and done, i got a music video for you, entitled “a little pain” by Olivia Lufkin. I heared she’s half American and half Japanese. So she doesnt really look like a japanese person at all. She has a hint of ang moness in her. She looks a little bit like Natalie Imbruglia in my opinion. Its a japanese song, featured in this hit anime and manga series, Nana. Enjoy. For more info, visit this Website

For the Japanese and English Translation, go here

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Confirmed! But where?

Posted in Uncategorized with tags , on August 20, 2006 by mdjasrie

Well, i got the big news a couple of days ago. Yeap, AK smsed up to update out resumes and told us that our overseas attachment applications has been more or less confirmed. Though he didnt say where we will be posted to, but i guess, he will have a meeting with us to discuss in greater detail.

Man… im excited, but abit worried as well. Having to expect the unexpected and being resourceful in a foreign place, thats really not my forte. On the other hand, im quite excited to be own my own to a certain extent and for me, its a journey of self discovery on how well i can actually handle and take care of myself on my own, without the clutches of my ‘rents. Its really an interesting notion to test youself as well.

But not forgetting the true purpose on going for an overseas attachment, it is to gain knowledge and experience over there, and its something i will never forget. Once im there, ill make a personal daily reminder on my true purpose her and will use every moment there to get the best out of it.

_________________________________________

As for my revisions, oh im screwed alright. After the news, i just couldnt concentrate as well anymore. The exams are indeed coming and its strange that i dont feel the urgency of it. Looking back, i haven really done much an by this point of time, i should start to worry. Ah well, i dont think ill do well for the exams, i sense a really bad vibe this time. Proteomics and SFGs are a pain in the ass to revise, much less look at the notes!

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Forgive me for I have sinned

Posted in Uncategorized with tags , on August 18, 2006 by mdjasrie

Well the pics are here. I was a bit relunctant to post it up, but the hell, it doesnt hurt. If my parents see this, im screwed. Enjoy!

I swear i didnt drink any of this! See that ice cold water with a pinch of lemon cup? thats what i was drinking all along. I swear!

See an illusion? Big is small, small is big….

I dunno what this guy’s doing.

Oh yeah for those who still dont know, you can look at a bigger version of all the pics that you see here. Just click on it and it will direct you the full, unadulterated, uncensored super big size picture. So dont be shy. And do comment! click comment link.

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Where the Hell is Matt?/Where the Hell is Jasrie?

Posted in Uncategorized with tags , on August 16, 2006 by mdjasrie

I came across this video on youtube and i find it pretty inspiring

It basically shows Matt, travelling around the world in all 4 corners of the globe, and as he travels, he recorded a small snipet of the location and his dancing as a testament that he has been there.
Its pretty awesome, because he travelled to lots and lots of places and im so jealous of him!

So after watching that, i was thinking and toying around with an idea. I can actually do that too!! And what better places than in Singapore by itself!

I think it would be fun if someone would record thier own dancing just like Matt, but showcasing all the malls in Singapore. There would be clips of Northpoint, Lot 1, Sun Plaza, Causewaypoint, Westpoint, Centerpoint, Ngee Ann City, Wisma Atria, Paragon, Lido, Wheelock Tower, Scotts, Tangs, Far East plaza, Heeren, the list are endless!!

If not malls, we can also do park, we have lots of those here in Singapore, or how about housing estates, or how about MRT stations! It can be anything!

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Pizza Madness the Second…

Posted in Uncategorized with tags , on August 16, 2006 by mdjasrie

6 of my classmates and I went out to have dinner together in town. Guess what? Pizza Hut again. But this time, we go there for several reasons.

Firstly, there 2 vouchers that we can use so that we can save some money eating at pizza hut. (didnt make any difference at all actually, since we paid the same amount as last time per person)

Secondly, some of us just wanted to get out of the house desperately and not study for the exam (me included)

And thirdly, we just want to have fun before everyone part his or her own ways.

We met at Ochard MRT station, and rendezvous with Allen later on. I had a bad headache this whole afternoon (Bad form of sugar rush). But it got better later during the night. Must have burned off all the excess sugar and energy walking.

So we went to eat neat somerset. We ordered together with the vouchers, 2 personal pan pizzas, 1 regular cheesy picks pizzas set and 1 large cheesy picks pizzas set and also a 10 piece spicy chicken drum-lets (i think). So we ate and talk and talk on alot of stuff. It was enjoyable. Before that however, we went to play pool for about an hour nearby. Hock, Allen, Evans, and Benjamin played. Ididnt play and Cheryln was studying (gosh). She can practically study anywhere anytime, and i admire her for that. Really. Honestly.

So after we ate our stuff, we decided to have a stroll down town to Millenia Walk. It was quite a journey, but it was cool, since we needed that walk to digest our food. There was Candy Empire there, and i wanted to check out if there are any new candies. And indeed there are. But ididnt buy those. I bought this kinda wierd candy that you dont see everyday.


Its this liquid candy that is packed in a shampoo/facial soap bottle (and it does smell a little bit like typical shampoo fragrance, its pretty freaky.) Its extremely sweet and sticky and really artificial. But its something different that your usual candy so i must give some credit to that.

The shop was about to close and we had to make our selections pretty quick. It was around 9.30 at that time. So after that we were deciding on where to slack and hang around and hold and behold! We decided to go to a nearby pub called bistro 21 (i think). I swear that was the last of all places that i wanted to be in. It was my first time there (dont laugh) and its great i think. Since it was my first time there, i was a bit reluctant. These arent really my kind of place. I didnt buy any alcoholic drinks (I swear!!) but the rest of them did. They ordered pints of beer and the rest ordered cocktails and stuff. And poor me i had to drink ice cold water with a pinch of lemon.

After that we went home, catching the last train. There will be more pics later tomorrow or the day after. Look forward to it. Right now i need to sleep.

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