Yay! Batch Gathering!!
Monday, July 31, 2006
2 more weeks left in Singapore, and I haven't met so many people!! I've already organised my JC class gathering (this Sunday), and I wanted to organise my sec class gathering also. Then yesterday, Shin Eik asked if we wanted a batch gathering, and I was like OK!!! So yah, I ended up organising the whole batch gathering, coz I was the most enthu bout it!! It's like probably the biggest gathering I'll ever organise. I've booked the whole of Mind Cafe for the whole Friday night, so yay! The outcome is very promising, so far my class got 16 ppl already, and haven't contacted everyone yet lor. Waiting for response from the other classes. Also good lah, ever organised astar gathering for like 40 ppl at Mind Cafe, so I know it's possible to squeeze people there.
The other day, when Gideon asked me to organise our primary school class gathering, I was like "Argh!!", already organising so many things, I organise anymore, I may not have time to turn up. But also good that there is this batch gathering. If everyone turns up, then there will be over 100 people at the cafe, but definitely got people never turn up one. So I'm expecting about 80-100 people. So EXCITING!!! This is our 5 yr secondary school anniversary, and I haven't met a lot of them for very long already, especially when some of them went other JCs.
I was also talking to my sispec frens, and we r going to have a gathering next week. Haha.. Plus I think I'm supposed to organise my BMT section gathering. ARGH!! How to have time??
The only free weekend I'm free would be next saturday, the day before I fly off. I'll probably have the SIMO gathering and BMT section gathering that day.
Oops Lawyer!! Wala wala cancelled coz u dun want, and now I'm not free that night coz my schedule super packed leh. Ok, will go for Fish and Co on Satueday as you have made ur 'decisive decision', but I'm rushing off after that. Anymore changes I cant tahan already, unless it's weekdays. To a particular off-key person who reads my blog, where's my ice-cream treat?? Muahahaha..
So many things to do, so many people to meet. Yet, so little time!! And I still have time to blog. hahahaha..
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8:01 AM
Reminiscing those Days
Friday, July 28, 2006
Those were the days when I was some blur guy who just came out of the army. I was super preoccupied with the JC Math Olympiad training, then it was this pre-departure attachment at I2R. Initially, I was quite skeptical of the attachment. How can you get any results in 2 months? How to interact with the people there with such a short time? I was wrong on both instances. In fact, I made many friends whom I know I will meet again, and again, and again. They were the people who made my attachment fun, and it was definitely my most memorable research attachment ever. We took photos of ourselves yesterday, at La Tasca, on top of I2R.
I2R Gang!!
Trina just look perverted!
Trina molesting herself.. 
A happy me after realising for the first time my camera had a timer functionThis is one bunch of crazy and cool researchers, and I know I will miss them once I fly to Cornell. :(
I also went out with Shin Eik and Gideon for dinner yesterday. It was such a heart-warming and refreshing feeling to be able to see them again! We have come a long way, meeting each other in primary school. I remembered in primary school that of the three of us, my mathematics was the lousiest, but at least all 3 of us had a strong interest in mathematics. All 3 of us went for SIMO training, but only I stayed till the end. Well, different people choose different paths. Both of them chose the Physics Olympiad path, and I know that our careers will be very different. I'll go into research, Shin Eik will go into teaching/curriculum stuff, while Gideon will go into econs/stocks/business. It's a pity that Colin wasn't able to make it for dinner. This also reminded me of the pact that I, Colin and Ruijie made. If I'm not wrong, I still have about 7 or 8 years left to make a ground-breaking discovery. Colin still has 7 or 8 years left to publish a major book. And Ruijie has like 17 or 18 years to be a somebody in Singapore (i.e. some very high-ranking person in SAF or mebbe politics?)
It was only years ago that we were once small little kids with big aspirations and ambitions. As we grow up, some of our aspirations changed, some didn't. But whatever the case, we made choices in life, and many years from now, when we have some mass gathering, maybe we can be awed by how similar or different we envisioned our lives to be, as compared to our actual life stories.
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6:52 AM
Forgetful me!!
So I decided to study mathematics today, beginning at noon. My mum asked me whether I wanted lunch, and I told her that I'll eat later, with every intention that I wanted to eat lunch. And I continued studying, and studying, and sms-ing a particular someone as well, not really aware of the time.
It was when I smelled a whiff of yummy food that made me hungry. I looked at the clock to learn that it was already 4.40pm. Good, I spent 4 plus hours studying about half a textbook. It was only moments later that I realised why I was feeling hungry. Coz I didn't eat lunch!!! AGAIN!!!
Argh!!! I keep on forgetting to eat meals! This is not the first time I FORGOT to eat!! Very very bad..
And another peculiar habit of mine is that once I 'realise' that I'm supposed to be hungry, I get very distracted. So from 4.40pm onwards, I couldn't concentrate on my math, and I was like jumping around, getting very restless. Took a bath to 'cool' myself down. It was only at around 5.30pm that I got to eat an early dinner, and finally.. my stomach was appeased..
And knowing this weird habit of mine, I recalled a time when I was crazy into doing my research, and I would close myself in my room, draw the curtains so that I can't tell day from night, put away all clocks so that I have no idea of time, and just concentrate on thinking. I get to skip a few meals like this, and I do get quite a lot of progress this way. And when I'm desperate for time to study, I also do this.
This is VERY unhealthy!! Skipping meals, whether conscious or sub-conscious.
I think I am crazy.. ARGH!!
Ok, whatever.. I ate slightly more for dinner.
ramblerambleramble..
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5:50 AM
Superhero to the rescue!
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
I had a really strange dream last night. It involved a very complicated save-the-world plot, with lots of characters, and it was super long. Unlike most other dreams I had, I had no role in it this time, and I was like watching a movie in my dreams! That also meant that I overslept and woke up in the afternoon.
There was one scene where Superman (mind you.. I haven't watched Superman yet, and I'm no fan of Superman) met Superwoman (not Wonderwoman), and both were trying to hide away from a group of super powerful villains. Superman just saw a group of mortals in peril, and he was about to zoom to them and save them, when Superwoman quipped, "Why should we save them? Just let them die!"
So Superman was trying to convince Superwoman that saving the world was worth every bit of effort, while Superwoman wasn't convinced, knowing that the group of villains chasing after them consisted of humans, the same kind Superman wanted to rescue.
After much persuasion, Superman had a brainwave, and he asked Superwoman to build this huge monument of all the gods and deities that mankind worshipped. Intrigued by such a suggestion, Superwoman tried it anyway, and when she was done with the creation of that monument, the evil villains came towards their direction.
With such a remarkable monument, all the villains stopped in front of it, and all of them started kow-towing and praying, as if asking for repentance. However much evil these villains had in their hearts, there were sincere and true to their gods and deities, and Superwoman was touched by their sincerity, that she finally agreed with Superman, that mankind was worth saving. Those villains were just misguided.
So Superman and Superwoman zoomed past the villains unnoticed, and proceeded to save that group of mortals in peril.
HAHAHAHA!! So action-packed.
I couldn't remember the rest of my hours-long dream, but I was sure it would make a good blockbuster movie, filled with lots of philosophical themes.
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6:04 AM
IMO Blog
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
Finally!
I've compiled all the blog entries on IMO 2006 and created a separate blog just about IMO. Check this out:
http://imo2006.blogspot.com!!
I have 'broadcasted' this blog address on Mathlinks, hopefully many people will see it.
Yay!
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5:43 AM
Day 10 - 19 July (Wednesday - Paris)
Monday, July 24, 2006
Today was our last day in Slovenia. The bus to Ljubljana International Airport was leaving our hotel at 1.40pm. The whole morning was spent shopping for last minute souvenirs. I bought quite a lot of stuff, including some home-baked cookies, chocolates that supposedly do not melt, a nice jacket, clothes, and other little souvenirs. Of course, being the last day in Slovenia, I couldn't resist buying myself two big scoops of ice-cream!! LOL (Ok, I skipped breakfast today, so I don't feel as guilty :P)
Gary and I went to this place called Pizzeria (they sell pizza), and had a very satisfying european-style lunch. I ate some turkey steak, while Gary ate some pasta with some sause whose name I cannot remember. Prices were reasonable, considering that it was a restaurant with good ambience. Later, we found out that all places that sell pizza were called Pizzeria.
Gary has been scarily moody since he lost his IMO bag and camera charger, flaring up frequently, but I shall not go into the details. Let's just say, when he flares up, you better not say a word to him.
So our flight from Ljubljana to Paris was from 4pm to 6pm, and while waiting for our flight, I wasted no time in buying another Bacardi Breezer (Gosh! I'm an addict!!) We reached Paris at 6pm, and with all the haste we could have, we rushed to take the shuttle bus at 6.30pm to Paris, and we reached Paris a few minutes past 7pm. Thankfully, it was summer, so it was still very bright in the evening, and we could take lots of photos!!
Our bus journey to Paris
Taken in one of the French tunnels
French Jam
Arc De Triomphe
Jiawei left his camera in his luggage
Arc de Triomphe again
beautiful streets
Original French Toast found here
Eiffel Tower in the distance and getting closer to it..
Same view close-up
Le Corner
Le Cool Street de Paris LOL
First English words we saw
A restaurant serving tennis balls??
Cafe Klebber (very close to the Eiffel Tower)
Le Eiffel Tower!!!!!And how can we not take some corny photos of the Eiffel Tower?? Hahahahaha..
More Eiffel Tower photos!!
Unfortunately, we didn't have much time, so we moved along.
Looking up..
A bottle of water here is sold for 3 Euros!!!!!
Acting cute
Jaguar!
It's quite strange that at 9.40pm, when we took the bus back to Charles de Gaul Airport, the sky was still quite bright. Thankfully, at least we could see quite a lot of Paris in so little time. We reached the airport at 10.10pm, as there was no French jam this time LOL, and we boarded the plane at 11pm, this time really saying goodbye to what had been a magical IMO journey.
3 Countries.
1 IMO.
Countless friends made (including one shuai Jap guy).
Precious memories that will last a lifetime.
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5:08 AM
