Dear everyone How are you doing? I apologize for not writing as much as I should.Here it goes:
The Spring 2009 Issue of the has recently been published with my article on invasive species. At this time of writing, we are currently submitting our articles for the Fall 2009 to our faculty advisors (which are profs in NUS) We have already submitted our articles to the international liteary board. For checking For this issue I have already submitted my SUJA for this issue as I am short of time to write another essay. With some edits and rearrangments and updates , the article should be ready for publication after the profs have gone through it =)
This semester, besides my writing work, I have become involved in the admin stuff of TTH. I have been promoted to Managing Editor “unoffically”. From the compliation of articles for the Spring issue to the handling of recruitment matters. This was also my job for the Triple Helix. We have succcesfully recruited some new writers for ourselves. So I handle interviews with my colleagues and sometimes with my editor in chief. I must thank Mabel, my editor in chief, for patiently instructing me in my new duties and her trust in me =) and my various colleagues who I worked with this semester for a good working relationship. =)
On the 16th December, my auntie who is mum's younger sister came to Singapore with her family. She stayed in MBS with her family for one night. My mum and sis and I came to the hotel room and stayed the night there. We did ate a lot as they went out quite a lot to eat. We ate in the food court at MBS which recently opened in the afternoon and ate at Gluttons Bay at night. My cousin brought for me Wendy's for lunch when I came to the hotel. Yum.Besides, this we went swimming in the infinity pool. Sounds Cool?
Cheng Long rang me up on last Wed to inform me that one of our 4E1 friend's mom had just passed away and asked me whether i wanted to go to the wake. So for the next couple of days, I found myself at someone's else wake for the first time in my life. (Yes, I am such a greenhorn at life) On Thursday afternoon, I metup at Cheng Long's house and we went to the wake in Toa Payoh. I was told by Chenglong that the block of flats where the wake is being held used to be the residence for 2 of our 4E1 classmates. At least I learnt about something new that day.
We were not the only ones to take the time out for our friend in his time in need. We saw some of our 4E1 mates taking time out to attend the wake. We caught up with them over a very simple lunch of fried rice and other stuff like salted vegetable and over peanuts. We spent the the rest of the afternoon folding paper ingots. After a crash course in paper folding by Cheng Long and Kai Siang, I was managing passable efforts in making paper silver ingots that just manage to resemble like ingots and maintain their shape.
At night, only Cheng Long and Binzan and I stayed back for dinner. It was stuff like braised prok buns and curry. There was ceremonies throughout the night and Cheng Long did explain to me their significance as best as he could. We kept ourselves occupied by playing games with his iPad which he already showed me once after school on the bus back home. Nevertheless, it showed me how good were my game playing skills ---- which is simply awful. No matter what game they played, I found myself at the losing end.Nevertheless, it was a great way to keep us entertained.We got back home after witnessing the burning of the paper house ,servents and ingots. It was 11.30pm by the time we got back.
The next day, we were back at the wake in the morning. The rest of the guys were present as well. Kai Siang drove us to Mandai cermatorium. We witnessed the last rites and saw the coffin wheeled out to be cremated. It was a solemn time for the rest of us. After that , it was back at the wake for lunch before we went off.
We hung around together in Citysquare mall. (This was the first time I have been there with friends previusly I have been there with parents). We explored the mall and some of us took the chance to do last minute Christmas shopping for girlfriend visit/ gift exhange/ whatever. We browsed toy stalls, NTUC and Best Denki electronics stall etc (It was fun to peek at 3D TV at the latter.) After that, Kai Siang drove us all back home in his car. It was the end of an eventful 2 days for me.
At Christmas, my family went to Sakura at Shaw house for dinner. I received biscuits and choco pie for Christmas. We definitely ate a lot until I had a bloated tummy, which was easily resolved by chinese rubbing oil and powder for tummy troubles.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!
