the facades of umich

because pictures paint thousands of words, i'll let them do the talking here.

betsy barbor house: an all-girl dormitory. and my temporary housing for the first night. and you're asking me if i'm having fun?

the chapel beside barbor house. beautiful. a wedding was carried out here a few days back.

i've no idea what this building is. but it looks really good.

the big black spinning cube. it really does spin, i swear!

DJ and darren in front of the dunno-what building. i've been here for quite a bit already, but i'm still not familiar with the names of places. the brickwork on the walls of this building is pretty intricate. save the picture to your computer and zoom in to observe.

the gardening is nothing short of amazing.

no mama shops? no sweat. plenty of newspapers for you, as long as you have coins to spare.

there're plenty of this little furballs around. singapore has stray cats, ann arbor has squirrels. they're awfully cute, have super flexible tails that swish around and can cross the roads with ease. i've yet to see roadkill.

the carparks are massive; land isn't a scarcity over here. i've only seen one or two multi-storey carparks.

i'll leave you with an image of the center piece of campus: the clock tower. and yes, at 8pm, the sun is still up.

thank you

thank you for all the tags of support on my tagboard. i really appreciate it. i feel so loved and cared for. don't fret if you weren't able to send me off; you can always do it next year. i'll still be taking the same 6am flight though.

i just wanna say to those who turned up, that it was truly something special. thank you again for making the rite of passage extra memorable.

i've been really busy with all the shopping and orientation lately, hence the lack of new scribbles. i promise i'll keep the updates coming. in fact, i've quite a few photos to put up, but i'll save it for when i'm freer. right now, i'm just gonna crash onto my bed. jet-lag can chew up your brain and spit it out.

journey to the U of M part one: the long haul

it was an inhumanly 4am in the morning but cool friends still turned up.
yup, not surprisingly clarence was there for some jollibean delights. he didn't even call me to wish me well, so i suspected something amiss. then came his sms at 3.30am. "which terminal are you checking in at?" it was pretty obvious the cab was already on its way from simei green to changi "best in the world" airport.

the two lovely ladies also turned up to surprise me. thank you for coming, gwen and erin! i'd never expect to have both of you show up in support after not seeing you all for a good 3-4 months. i can't find words to express my heartfelt appreciation.

and erin, the michigan tee comes in plenty of colours. besides blue and yellow, they have it in grey to pink and even orange. there's even one that says "michigan girls rock". i don't know if you rock, but you could tell me which colour you do prefer. =)

of course, my family was there. it was a very emotional farewell. i told myself not to cry, but it was tough. i went down the line with my hugs, leaving my mom for last. her eyes just turned red. i couldn't help myself. from the corner of my eye, erin sobbed along. i felt so loved at that moment. i was looking forward to my michigan experience with great enthusiasm, but i had to leave behind the things closest to my heart in the pursuit of my dreams.

the moment kept replaying in my head like a broken VCR and it was hard to keep my spirits high. the landing at narita couldn't come any sooner.


the japanese people are funny. they speak like they do on tv! the security officer took a look at my boarding pass and gestured to the right lane, repeating "lie-to, lie-to" about two or three times. i was chuckling inside. i thought i heard someone say "biggu makku" at mcdonald's.

narita's a clean and cool place. i'm gonna visit tokyo some day.

the long slow goodbye part three

the past weekend has been long. time crawled by. by now i have met up with all of my close pals, and sent off a few others.

yet, time can't move any faster.

i am torn between elation and depression. happiness and excitement stems from the anticipation of new experiences and environments to come. sadness eats away at me when i think of the people and things that i can't take along and can't see when i'm gone.

the excitement is mind-blowing and at times i smile to myself. however, moments later, tears well up in my eyes, but i tell myself to be strong. it's safe to say, i haven't shed a single tear. this is all so tiring.

i just want this transition period to pass as quickly as possible, but i miss everything at home too much to want time to zoom by.

packing drains me emotionally too. as long as it's not completed, it's like a constant reminder that i'm leaving.

sigh.

michigan beckons.

the long slow goodbye part two

today was good. first the pleasant present of a puma watch from my mom, then a brewerkz dinner with the people of 02S32.
back from ohio, erin didn't even seem a little bit different to me. it's like she never left singapore at all. she probably went to live in a cave in bukit timah and survived on rat meat.

she also claimed that she just cut her hair today. i imagine the number of pairs of scissors her stylist had to go through just to trim the shrub. gwen, on the other hand, said she hadn't cut her hair since she last saw me. yeah i agree, it's a good way to save money. very soon the amazon rainforest might have a new competitor, in terms of both flora and fauna.

oh lanky one popped by in his smooth new zara shirt that "absorbed sweat too well". hmm. about the smell on the mrt the other day...

they insisted that i took a picture of them with the bread pudding. i obliged. no prizes for guessing which is the most delicious.

oh, a step ladder! but something's wrong here: erin's not taller than gwen, she just appears to be.

and eddy! the cheapo late-comer with the NTU hall 2 cough syndrome.

it's great you guys turned up today. i couldn't have asked for anything more (maybe you all could've bought me ice cream. haha!). thank you for all the well-wishes. meetings are temporary, but true friendships are forever. i wish you all health and happiness (i'm old-fashioned). keep in contact and keep reading my blog. XD

summer 2007 in singapore will be fun.

shiny new thing

my new puma watch! woot!
i love it i love it i love it.

the simple, clean, black design struck me immediately when i lay my gaze upon it in the window. i feel very lasalle-ish when i wear it. pair it with my white spectacles, and i'll complete the design student look.

i'm not a watch person. my last watch was a white one which my dad received three years ago by signing up for some bank scheme. i got sick of wearing it and passed it down to my brother. but this puma one feels different, and i'm not just talking about the brand. this time, i chose it and i feel a special attachment to it. it's MINE.

i decided i needed watch in Umich, just for convenience. thanks mom! i love you!
(yes, now you know i'm a closet mama's boy)

the long slow goodbye part one

poptart was on my agenda last saturday. the bands kept playing till late. i just couldn't wait for the party to get started.

rachel was there too, with her bunch of wild pals.

thanks yongnan for coming along, all the way from jurong east. wee jian and kester, we had so much to catch up on, even if we had the whole night to chat, it wouldn't have been enough. i'm really glad that you all came. too bad the music wasn't to your liking, and the crowd took extremely long to warm up. fyi to all you indie-lovers and poptarts, the party only heated up at 2am.

i hadn't been to poptart in such a long time that i couldn't recognise almost all of the songs (usually it's just half). the dancing mood just didn't take over too. maybe i was too sober. or maybe i'm getting too old for clubbing and partying? hopefully, poptart will still be around in summer 2007.

bye bye bhong

the usual photo-whoring gang.

bye bye ben. it's a whole new world out there in new york. i hope you'll follow your heart to your dreams and find love and happiness there. we'll all miss you. see you next summer, or when i get to NY.

get! the fabulous pictures.

can it get any more cheesy?

just when you thought we've been through the spice girls and ketchup sisters, another weed has sprung up!
bubble gum pop just doesn't die no matter how hard you try to turn away. tweens will love it, but i stress only tweens.

and to make things worse, this new "band" Slumber Party Girls goes by the acronym SPG. singaporeans should all know the full meaning behind that tag.

i'm thankful that i'm going for poptart tomorrow. one last indie/alternative party before i fly.

how to blow $50 on the smallest things

$30 on stationery.
$12 on haircut.
$4 on katong laksa.
then add in transportation costs.

yup, that should pretty much sum up to $50. it's amazing how $50 can't get you much nowadays. and it's really surprising how the smallest things eat away at your budget.

the hood

the view from my bedroom window. now i can take this picture with me to michigan!

this is potong pasir for the world to see. it's one of the two opposition wards in singapore, and i'm proud to live in it.

since everything's pretty much old skool (due to the much publicised and despised upgrading priorities), larry compares potong pasir to the ghettos in hell's kitchen of new york. well, there ain't no gangstas or guns here, and sure as hell i don't see no rappers around.

here's a challenge: spot the plane in the picture! and of course you're gonna have to click on it first to view it in a larger size.

the haircut

i've had a few symbolic haircuts in my life (if you're wondering, yes, the BMT recruit one was pretty symbolic too), but this one is probably the most pleasant. i'm stepping into another phase of life. it's a whole new realm.
from long and flat to short and spunky. hair-wise, i'm ready for the michigan experience. bring it on.

farewell gifts

it's always nice to receive gifts, especially useful, thoughtful ones.
and especially if they're expensive too. =D

the cutest hong bao

a red pineapple flanked by two snoopys.

they bow to each other as you pull the hong bao out.

oh, and the bell at the top!

that's it, this is officially the cutest hong bao in the world. it's nice to finally blog about a cute item rather than just cute girls.

thank you aunty yimei!

of chocolate, fireworks and desserts

it looks expensive...

leonidas chocs! (if you're like "what?", i don't blame you. i'm not a chocoholic myself, but those precious pieces are fabulous!)

ben and jo were ready to 'cluck'.

burberry, abercrombie, pasar malam. XD

team new caledonia was impressive with the fireworks. it was evident when a little girl three metres from me started screaming. i can't say i wasn't excited; it was the first time that i witnessed fireworks from two hundred metres away.

i was happy i visited ricciotti one last time before i flew to michigan. here are two very good reasons why.
chocolate cheesecake coated with, yeah you guessed right, more chocolate. oh baby.

sofiato with chocoloate chip mint gelato. talk about a knockout.

oh, and there's a third reason to visit ricciotti: it's half price after 9pm.

the pandemonium at seah street deli.
more fireworks.

adventures of the ah beng chapter one: journey to the west

if zhen hao had a blog, this entry would be it. therefore, to enhance realism, i will be using his trademark beng-speak to do this post from his perspective, improper english intact. enjoy hor!

all my friends on bus 27, travelling from tampines. damn touching man, they all turn up to see me off leh. so i must intro them one by one. from left: yiwen, geri, yvonne, darius, ziyang. clarence was hiding behind darius cos he camera-shy. and darius too cam whore already.

weihong also flying off with me. now he gotta be my buddy. we must stick together like brother man. fellow singaporeans in usa. at least until i know some ang moh chicks. oops, better not let my darling see this.

the turtle! damn cute leh! from my one and only darling. i hugged it till it flatten. don't worry darling, i'll hug it every night la.

all my big family was there yesterday. i felt so loved. i know my parents are proud of me, and i'll make sure i make them proud. i must make my darling proud too.

once again, all my friends. now i must start my UIUC journey. everything in front of me is so exciting. to all my us-bound pals, see you all at mid-west games!

and thanks dan the man. your blog rocks!

all the beng-titude.

japanese pranks make for excellent tv

go ahead, laugh your ass off. i know i did.

i want to cable-ski! XD

the brothers

i've been saying so many farewells and well wishes these days that i think i've become too sweet and nice. i've lost my mean streak, my bitchy edge.

and here we go again.

i met up with brother jason and mr hardcore cheapo on friday. haha! the crazy bunch. we didn't do much, but it felt good, to finally meet with both of them.

bon voyage to gm, who's flying on tuesday. get the chicks man, i know you want them. virginia sounds very exciting.

as for jason, just keep it real, and keep it cheery. stay away from depression, and it'll stay away from your life. NTU is abound with new experiences and opportunities, so make the most outta them!

a little unXpected at wala wala / bye duckie

it was my second time there, but it was much more entertaining than the first. the band was kick-ass, especially the female lead. she did a pitch-perfect whine-scream rendition of Muse's "time is running out". and when someone yelled "rock never dies", she sighed "but rahimah's out". XD

there was also a 'live' filming session of MLTV.

ah, we'll all be split up soon. duckling left today. take care Ms Quack.

he did sign for a new team

reebok have unveiled their latest world-class signing.

king henry may have turned down the riches at barcelona, but he certainly didn't shun reebok's advances.

personally, i think it's a good move, cause now he can direct the development of equipment. besides, nike's over-saturated with other big name players. he'll be the reebok icon. and he's just what reebok needs to rise to the heights of their 90s success.

change is good for everyone

i'll be leaving sunny singapore on 23aug. it's alright if none of my friends sends me off because the plane flies at 6am and i don't think i have any zombie pals.

but on to my thoughts now. leaving isn't easy, but i figured that if i concentrated on the positive aspects, the sadness won't be too harsh a blow.

the pull factors:
- student life
- new pals
- new environment
- new weather
- american cable tv
- snow
- self-reliance
- freedom
- driving license
- holidays
- chicks of all colours

the push factors:
- weather and humidity
- boredom
- overbearing government
- lousy shopping
- naggy parents
- unbearable friends

after listing down all of the above, i feel so much better now. i'm glad i'm leaving some things behind.

i'd also like to take this opportunity to apologise to anyone whom i've wronged or offended. you don't have to forget what i did, you just have to forgive. that's all that i'm asking for. let's drop all the ill feelings and let me go celebrate americana.

fuck sadness and reluctance. say hi to adventure and spontaneity!

and what a great way to start with my mantra: i had char kway teow, beef hor fun, oyster omelette, chendol and ice cream for lunch. i'll be having none of it in michigan, but i'll be happy. when my ankle feels right again, i'll have to jog it all off.

munshi pool

as part of my eating mantra now, the munshi people moved to enjoy local delights at far east plaza. the chicken rice store that i usually ate at was closed. for good. ugh! the replacement was mediocre.
however, the yin yang drink at the basement was an eye-opener. who knew mixing milk, tea and black coffee could make a helluva drink? the three layers of fluid look like a lethal concoction.

the zoo outing was over even before it started. thanks to the ice-cold response and a few last minute pull-outs, the animals got less visitors that day. then, we all lapsed into a sudden pool mood. i don't know, but girls during my time in VJC didn't play pool (gasp, am i that old?). and now, we had two willing female participants: the pinkish duckling and the greenish lyn.
pool pics always look cool. if you manage to look dorky in a pool pic, you probably have a zero for attitude. oh, and what was darren thinking, humping the table like that?

since i was in the orchard area, i had to try the Food Republic hokkien mee; the reviews have been favourable, and there's none of it in usa. i shared a plate with KK as weihao enjoyed a plate of roti prata. luckily the chilli in the mee was sufficiently spicy to counter-act weihao's reflex freeze action.

oh, i observed that Wah Eng's Beef Noodles was kinda eng too. the aunty must have been saying to her mahjong-kaki over the phone, "WAH jin ENG leh!"

time is moving so fast and everything seems like a blur now. frank's flying tomorrow, while the UIUC gang will disappear next week. i'll be leaving in two weeks. anyway, bon voyage frank!

get your individual pics!

one last chalet

sunburn still fresh on my lobster-red skin, i rushed down to zhen hao's aranda chalet.

i made it just in time for the delicious buffet dinner. my ravenous self took over and i had three rounds. drumlet after ngo hiang after fish fillet after curry chicken, my appetite was insatiable.

is it any wonder that i got to know zhixian (the one with the crazy-ass face) and zhenhao through clarence? clarence is the living, breathing version of friendster. friendster, not datefinder. cause if he were datefinder, i might have a girlfriend by now.

the CT coucillors showed up in support of the biggest beng the VJC CT council has ever seen.

the DSTA early birds. darren, ziyang and liksin joined later. and missed the lip-smacking chocolate cake.

mr ho dropped by to send well-wishes to his favourite scholar beng. or beng scholar. which ever.

one big happy family.

oooh, imagine sinking your teeth instead of that knife into the cake. you hungry yet?

this is starting to feel like zhenhao's blog already.

that should be the one last chalet that i attend before i fly off to detroit.

the rest of the beng-titude pictures here.