photos from usp commencement at http://nus.facebook.com/album.php?aid=8847&l=c8fce&id=550432789

photos from commmence at
http://nus.facebook.com/album.php?aid=8524&l=6928a&id=550432789

everything's wrong with me these days:

like i left my laptop on for more than 24 hours becoz i forgot to check if it has totally shut down, apparently norton has prevented it...

then at work i've been forgetting to check the expiry dates of off-the-shelf products when i type their presciption, pasted the dispensing summary on the drug and vice versa, calling super busy outlets to check for certain meds, when i finally get thru, i forgot to ask them to reserve it for me, then when i finally get thru again, i forgot the patient's name.....stupid stupid stupid

feel like i'm getting stupidder by the day, and worse now that i've stopped all other activities, just to concentrate on work. and to top it up, i've been getting tension headaches every morning (hurts more then i climb the overhead bridge too fast or when i strain myself in the toilet, that's the worst, and when i look at my preceptor...) that kinda explains why i'm getting the headache...and no, panadol doesn't help, i just have to re take it every day, and again after lunch, when walking back to work.

ads nowadays are atrocious...haha...i saw this box, empty, in my flat...

it says "be safe" then "use protection"

then you see a sillouette of a couple.

then "for long lasting pleasure"

i was shocked.....

at the bottom of the box it says, warning: this product is not a method of contraception.

Guess wat is it

Weeks ago,

i think 3 weeks,

there was a fiesta at Xenbar. it was a dress-up fiesta/performance week/salsa congress for xenbar.

first up we had a pirate costume, with swords...not bad...can't find a picture with my boots though.

next we had the back to school theme... which i aced...two pony tails, and glasses...haha. but almost all pictures i take with deflyn turn out nice. =)

then also, we had a competition, only mentally prepared for 3 hours....that;s all. must say my partner did well for his first competition, he was totally nervous. but at least i'm okay with the costume, and its not some red leather/boy scout costume....e.eeeeee.....i like the top. and we got second.

Your Hidden Talent

You have the power to persuade and influence others. You're the type of person who can turn a whole room around. The potential for great leadership is there, as long as you don't abuse it. Always remember, you have a lot more power over people than you might think!

What's Your Hidden Talent?

today i discovered what a godsend stockings are...they preent your feet from blisters and protect your blisters (if its already too late, which for my case, is). and a change to slippers for breaks and after work...once again, my mom is right.

and marsiling is not that bad... at least i get a seat on the mrt, all the way to orchard.

found myself working my brain from it's sleep and rust on the first day. i reach my branch, pharmacist ask me what's the diff between seretide and ventolin....

what happened in my mind was....seretide...seretide...how do i spell it....ventolin...what does venolin contain ah....clogs start to roll....seretide...ventolin...seretide ventolin...then with blur face...aiyoh...so embarrassing. then slowly, i regain my memory...now still oilling the rusty clogs...

spotted expired box of medicine while doing the "tasks" that my preceptor set me. yeah!! scores points.

and i realised that levitra (similar to viagra) has braill on the packing...wonder why...levitra might cause some visual disturbances...braill..visual disturbance...hmmm...

feet still aching...ouch ouch...hungry hungry too, no snacks..

before i forget, i mut tell everyone my posting...for now till end of aug i'll be at gleneagles, then i'll be at ang mo kio till new year, then centrepoint all the way... yah.

Today Nigel and I taught our first rueda class.

it so happened that the NUS students union wanted to do a salsa mass dance for their orientation camp this year. and they had one session of boring, dry, basic salsa which they did not enjoy. the person who taught it, neither me nor nig can identify. but bearing in mind the lessons for our previous attempts to teach salsa (in one session to utter beginners), we decided to teach rueda. and not only that, we kept in mind the objective of the mass dance. that is, to have fun and interact.

we gave much thought on what to teach, and the level of difficulty of each move. conclusion was, "dame" was the most difficult step the beginners can handle. we shall not try to overload them with enchufla and what nots.

i started the class at the very very basics. i got the ladies to face the guys, and stand on the left, while the guys do the same. then, without holding hands, do the basic guapea footwork, emphasising that it;s just a walk. Reminder to myself: do not jump into hands after this. you have to get them to do just basic, and with music, and at normal speed. it's okay to send 15mins on this alone. it's very important for the beginners to get orientated and get the feel of salsa.

then teach hands: do a c shaped swing inwards, with the guys' left hand, on 1,2,3. on 5 ,6,7, use right hand pull the girl in then out. run thru a few times....then point out that the guys have to step outside on 5, so that they dont step on each other's feet. run thru until normal speed is achieved.

DAME
explain Dame=give me one==change partner. then show difference from basic, which is only on 5,6,7, guys use left hand to push girls away. and both end up facing "in front" on 1.

form circle. do basic. do dame, now end up facing center of circle.

teach basic again, highlighting difference for guys (guys noew step forward instead of back on 1). 1,2,3...1,2,3...1,2,3....then tell girls to face guys on 3... but guys stay. then tell guys to have right hand behind girls by 3, and girls left hand on this shoulder. on 5, gently push the girl across yourself, bring her to the left, and face her on 7. (cross body lead footwork too diff for them, girls can handle footwork though). then repeat basic.

try at slow speed, then faster, then try with slow music, then normal...another 30 mins burnt here...

FUN
after every one has gotten the toughest step (dame), tell them that rueda can be very fun... introduce Una Bulla (shout), cucharacha, and Fly, Fly dos. for Fly, dont need to do 5,6,7 after clap. let them wait and then start on next 1.

after they master all those, you can try dancing to La Bomba...it has very strong beat, and very "high" feeling, leaves beginners very satisfied and accomplished...

Tada....Salsa mass dance in 1 hour

just came from breakfast at LJS. it's super filling!! but the good thing is the butter is really thick, and the french toast is cinnamon powder sprinkled over it....yumm! no pictures though.... sorry.. just thought all of ya show go to LJS for breakfast more often? and boycott Macs....yeah..boycott Macs....

Finished... today i've finally finished watching Da Chang Jin. took me one week, everyday 10 episodes.

and i have arrived at a conclusion, VCDs or DVDs are bad. they are bad for you, bad for your eating habits, bad for rest, bad for health. and so i fell sick too. then i couldn't do to my dad's hometown which is very much further than KL to attend some relative's wedding. then he got very pissed, saying we always find excuses not to go. not only that, i also forgot about joyce's performance. feel so bad, cannot go for performance and i made my dad angry also. only consolation is that i can accompany my mom who would have been alone at home if i went too.

YQ's salsa congress is in 8days. the congress is the week that my work starts. this time i can't be going around to perform at various clubs and venues partly because of work, and also because my partner is also very busy. so no time too practise. and he doesn't like the way things are done.

i remember feeling like this last year...the classes which i went to were repeats, and it really felt like a waste of time. but, the truth is, you can never do it perfect, and you can't expect to learn something new in every class. everytime we have new members, we have to revise all the steps again, at a very slow pace, and we'll get impatient. when the "new" members from last time commented about this, i cannot help but laugh to myself, "well, at least you are going through this one less time" there are a few ways to react. one is go for every practice, and put patience to the test. the next way is to lessen the burden of the teacher, teach it instead. the last, is don't come.

we all know which way is the best. but if you don't have enough "free" time, then don't come. the most economic way is the second though it requires more patience than from the first and time, which the third cannot afford.

everytime i come to such a junction, i'll find myself rethinking why i like salsa so much. at first, it was the chance to dance. now i have achieved that, i can social dance anytime. but it's not enough for me. when i see my classmates being so successful in applying for pHDs and places in MNCs, i feel that i should be able to achieve something as worthwhile as well. then people will come and tell me working at guardian has no future to it. an SMU lecturer said, even if you move into a managerial position, that's the furthest you can go...how sad is that?

what am i to do? work starts in one week. some of my classmates have already started work. i want to establish myself as a salsa instructor too. but how? i have to gain some "championships" under my name. it's so difficult to do that, i never had the luxury of preparing for my competitions. i would fall sick under stress. and i'm not a talented dancer, i have to do it by diligence. diligence needs time. but everyone only has 24 hours and Grace has to get enough sleep everyday otherwise she will fall sick.

how how, so depressing. can't do anything right

Have sort of settled down in my newly rented flat.

it's like a new beginning to me, new clothes, new place, new (first) job, new hairdo, but not new boyfriend.... haha..

like all new places, we needed to get used to the place. we imagined a large area, large place when we heard it was a jumbo flat. but the truth is, it's just 2 three/four room flats adjoined. if we only expected a flat, then we would have been pleasantly surprised.

big dining area, but not sure how the stove works. or how to turn on/off the gas. never used one in singapore before. and the owner didn't cook in this house before!!! so the knobs are rusty and some cannot even be turned...

problem number 1 was my mom's car. it was too small. we loaded the "necessities". and it took up the whole back seat, together with the boot. so me and my 2 sisters had to take taxi down to the custom and travel to the flat via public transport while my mom drove and my bro got a free ride coz he was supposed to carry the "heavy' stuff.

in the end we got there at the same time, so we all moved the stuff up. took us 3 trips, with 5 of us. my mom stayed in the flat on the last round. pity her, it's the most exercise she has done in a year.

next, no shower. then, no heater. right, so we were supposed to bail cold water from the bucket to bathe. then...as night fell, we realised there was no light....
cannot find the switch. called the owner, said it was probably fused.

then, no bed (it's supposed to be furnished). only one queen sized bed. but my tall sister can't sleep along the width of it, her legs would be popping out. so today we went to buy mattress. it was so big that when i carried it on my back, i looked liek a turtle, and i had to say endless sorrys becuz my shell kept banging into people. next came the plart where i had to go into the elevator...i had to approach it sideways, and with the help of people to squeeze my shell in. the worst part was stuffing it into the car. we managed it alright, then we couldn't see from the rear view mirror anymore. not to mention that i carried the raffia handle on my shoulder until it left abrasion marks.

last but not least the only entertainment: tv. first we forgot the remote control, which allowed us to tune the tv. so the next day we got it. then we couldn't get any channels (given my sis was very patient and approached it in a mathematical way of trying all the combinations of configuring).

no internet as well. singnet says 5 working days. then one more day to wait for installation. (activation comes before installation..huh?)

no fridge, for cold water, ice, or even fruits. so we went to buy one.
my printer is spoilt, and the service centre is far away, so my mom said throw it. and we had to get a new one, coz my sis has lots of homework to print from IP. their system is so like uni. the have something like our IVLE where they have to download and upload homework to.

washing machine....dunno whether it works. owner says there might be some problem with the spinning. *keeps fingers really crossed*

erm, so who wants to come for housewarming? ticket is "suggest what to do in a house with no tv, no internet and no cooking facilities". there's a toaster and electrical kettle. toaster has not been certified usable.

i did it! i manage to make my mum ban me from dance. i was supposed to move to the new flat tmr.

today, i tried to go for isolation class. then it happened....it rained.

so she started by telling me not to go to school to donate my labcoat, no point spending so much time and effrot in the rain to do something which is "useless"

then she asked how long i've learnt salsa. 2 years. today you go for what class? to learn. you can teach already still must learn meh? learn so many years still must learn meh? how much you spent on school fees already!!!!!

then the rain got too big, the wind too strong, a tree fell on the road.

don't go for your dance already lah, rain so heavily, cannot see the road. but but if you go home it's the same as sending me to singapore, we are already 90% there!!!!

you all are all the same, sharon wants to go support her school's football team, tell her don't go, she go. jason wants to train for cheerleading during vacation, rent the hostel just for that, still want to go thailand for it. now you want to go for dance....

(even wondered why we all turn out the same? coz you never allowed us to go, so we have to go, to see it for ourselves, what's so bad about it that you don't like them? turns out, we like what we see, thus we think you are always unreasonably keeping us from good things...)

you know i rent the jumbo flat half a month early just so that you can go dance. (then she thinks that it's absurd to be paying 350 for 2 weeks, only for me to stay, coz my sisters will not be needing accomodation as school holidays are here, but i think they'll still have stuff to do in singapore and the flat will be a blessing)

then, as if not allowing me to donate my labcoat, not allowing me to go for salsa is not enough, she said, "don't move in so early lah....when you start work then move in"

i knew it was too good to be true.

Nice? this is the crystal of catechin. it is the reason why we drink tea, the cancer-prevention, the protection against CVD. Guess what! it's green.

That's why green tea, which has more of such compounds, is green in colour!!!

Drink more green tea for prevention of flu and improved cognitive performance
Cordyceps, mushrooms, nuts, chocolate and soy beans might prevent cancer

Sigma blade mixer (low shear granulator)

for all my classmates who have no idea what it looks like coz our prof sucks at powerpoint drawing

and always remember:

Validation=money
Accuracy=money
Wastage=money
Time=money

Went for make-up class on friday and the lesson was very interesting: Gothic Makeup.

The general guideline for Goth make-up would be black eyeliner, black mascara, bright red eye shadow for the bloody effect, black lipstick and sliver/white blush. Not forgetting the grey shading to make hollow cheeks.

While waiting for me to finish, (i was late) everyone's creativity came alive, and Ivy started drawing blood red tears, then stitches evolved, then blood drips from the mouth, and well, bite marks...

After that, there was a photoshoot. Instead of smiling, we have to continuously growl and contort our faces to look the part. For most of us it was our first photoshoot. We learnt how to pick costumes for ourselves, and brainstorm for poses. In this aspect, Rebecca was the best. It was as though she had always done it.

Glaxo even produces tissue paper packets to educate the public on the need for Hepatitis Injections...

Was very lucky to walk pass the opening of Gobi Desserts at Central shopping centre yesterday. Central is the shopping cnetre that's built above clarke quay mrt. and they had very nice "reception". they made samples of their desserts and had champagne and red wine. it was superb to eat the desserts and the sip the champagne...It feel as though the 2 were a match made in the stomach...

they had nice lights too...but aiwen didn't want to tell misch about it because of what happened earlier... haha, payback/revenge!! pictures from the "earlier" event is here...: http://photos.yahoo.com/gracecwz/