Quiet is the New Loud
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Monday, January 31, 2005
bewildering opposites
there are a few things that always puzzles and confuses me here in toronto. it isn't really such a big deal, but it's just that i'm not used to it.
1) for any vehicles on the road, the driver's seat is on the left side of the car (assuming you are in the car), while in spore or most of asia, it's on the right side. get the gear right.
2) public transport here seems like it is operating at a loss. why? as long as you take a bus or subway, you can take a transfer and go on to another transportation within a time frame. in short, you are close to paying only one fee for one way no matter how many buses or subways or how many stops you take. any profits?
3) to turn off the light here, you have to press the switch up, and vice versa to switch on. in spore or kl, it's the opposite. so at times if a light is on and i want to turn on another, i will automatically press the one that apparently seem to be off. ooops, darkness.
4) most public places (i'm sure about the shopping mall opposite my apartment) closes at 6pm-7pm on weekends, but at around 9pm on weekdays during the winter. understandable, but weird and funny. where's the nightlife?
5) there aren't any supermarkets in shopping centres here. only hypermarkets in big buildings that look like warehouses among apartments. do weekly grocery shopping.
6) no more 2 holes at the side of foolscap paper or folding worksheets into half to punch 2 holes in the side. it's 3 here. large punchers for 3 holes.
there are still other opposites. but i'm being sarcastic and cranky. i've to get the hang of it. changes are a must, and so deal with it.
face it, chihoe.
1) for any vehicles on the road, the driver's seat is on the left side of the car (assuming you are in the car), while in spore or most of asia, it's on the right side. get the gear right.
2) public transport here seems like it is operating at a loss. why? as long as you take a bus or subway, you can take a transfer and go on to another transportation within a time frame. in short, you are close to paying only one fee for one way no matter how many buses or subways or how many stops you take. any profits?
3) to turn off the light here, you have to press the switch up, and vice versa to switch on. in spore or kl, it's the opposite. so at times if a light is on and i want to turn on another, i will automatically press the one that apparently seem to be off. ooops, darkness.
4) most public places (i'm sure about the shopping mall opposite my apartment) closes at 6pm-7pm on weekends, but at around 9pm on weekdays during the winter. understandable, but weird and funny. where's the nightlife?
5) there aren't any supermarkets in shopping centres here. only hypermarkets in big buildings that look like warehouses among apartments. do weekly grocery shopping.
6) no more 2 holes at the side of foolscap paper or folding worksheets into half to punch 2 holes in the side. it's 3 here. large punchers for 3 holes.
there are still other opposites. but i'm being sarcastic and cranky. i've to get the hang of it. changes are a must, and so deal with it.
face it, chihoe.
Friday, January 28, 2005
"Missing" - Evancescence
Please, please forgive me
But I won't be home again
Maybe someday you'll look up
And barely concious you'll say to no one
Isn't something missing
You won't cry for my absence, I know
You forgot me long ago
Am I that unimportant?
Am I so insignificant?
Isn't something missing
Isn't someone missing me?
Even though I'm the sacrifice
You won't try for me, not now
Though I'd die to know you loved me
I'm all alone
Isn't someone missing me?
Please, please forgive me
But I won't be home again
I know what you do to yourself
I breathe deep and cry out
Isn't something missing
Even though I'm the sacrifice
You won't try for me, not now
Though I'd die to know you loved me
I'm all alone
Isn't someone missing me?
Please, please forgive me
But I won't be home again
Maybe someday you'll look up
And barely concious you'll say to no one
Isn't something missing
You won't cry for my absence, I know
You forgot me long ago
Am I that unimportant?
Am I so insignificant?
Isn't something missing
Isn't someone missing me?
Even though I'm the sacrifice
You won't try for me, not now
Though I'd die to know you loved me
I'm all alone
Isn't someone missing me?
Please, please forgive me
But I won't be home again
I know what you do to yourself
I breathe deep and cry out
Isn't something missing
Even though I'm the sacrifice
You won't try for me, not now
Though I'd die to know you loved me
I'm all alone
Isn't someone missing me?
schooling days
i know, it has been a long time since i last updated on what have been going on in my life here in canada. but it's just that school has started, and was busy and didn't have the feel to go blog.. so well, today is just the day.
let's see. i have been to chinatown for dimsum with my bro and our housemates on the previous last saturday, and the next day went to koreatown with my bro and some friends for lunch. then the weekends passed, and school started just last tuesday..
talking about school, the first day of school was hell. so torturing. especially when most of the students were here last yr, so they had their own cliches and stuff. remind me so much of the time in amkss when i'm with my own group of friends. i miss you guys back in spore and schooling in amkss! i'm like a hermit during lessons. many people from my school are from hongkong and my cantonese isn't that good, so it's kind of hard to communicate. the first few days, there was this urge to like just hurry and return home to my comfort-zone. it's the weird kind of don't-want-to-be-here and terribly-so-alone feeling.
for now, the situation has improved. well at least i made a few other new friends. it's kindda fun during lessons sometimes. there's homework nearly everyday, and quizzes and tests are starting to roll in one by one.
the school students were recently separated into 5 different grps, something like school houses. and we have inter-house games every wednesday during break. this wednesday we played this stick-on-the-wall-with-ductape game. had this girl stand on the chair and then tape them to the wall within a time frame. and then had to pull out the chair and see who can last the longest. oh well, the grp i was in was supposedly the first to fall. huh.
oh yes, on the 19 january, last wednesday, i experienced my first heavy snow. there were some very light snow pellets, called flurries for a few days. well anyway, there wasn't any lessons (i found out only after i reached the school). the whole pavements and trees are covered with thick-white-blankety snow.
the weather now is quite cold but turning for the warmer side. thank god. every morning it's freezing cold. and when i walk to school, the cold wind will be blowing into my face making me all so dry and cracky. arrrgghhh..
this weekend i'm staying home. to finish my homework and study, and because my bro has an assignment due next wk. better go now. update more, soon, i hope. =)
let's see. i have been to chinatown for dimsum with my bro and our housemates on the previous last saturday, and the next day went to koreatown with my bro and some friends for lunch. then the weekends passed, and school started just last tuesday..
talking about school, the first day of school was hell. so torturing. especially when most of the students were here last yr, so they had their own cliches and stuff. remind me so much of the time in amkss when i'm with my own group of friends. i miss you guys back in spore and schooling in amkss! i'm like a hermit during lessons. many people from my school are from hongkong and my cantonese isn't that good, so it's kind of hard to communicate. the first few days, there was this urge to like just hurry and return home to my comfort-zone. it's the weird kind of don't-want-to-be-here and terribly-so-alone feeling.
for now, the situation has improved. well at least i made a few other new friends. it's kindda fun during lessons sometimes. there's homework nearly everyday, and quizzes and tests are starting to roll in one by one.
the school students were recently separated into 5 different grps, something like school houses. and we have inter-house games every wednesday during break. this wednesday we played this stick-on-the-wall-with-ductape game. had this girl stand on the chair and then tape them to the wall within a time frame. and then had to pull out the chair and see who can last the longest. oh well, the grp i was in was supposedly the first to fall. huh.
oh yes, on the 19 january, last wednesday, i experienced my first heavy snow. there were some very light snow pellets, called flurries for a few days. well anyway, there wasn't any lessons (i found out only after i reached the school). the whole pavements and trees are covered with thick-white-blankety snow.
the weather now is quite cold but turning for the warmer side. thank god. every morning it's freezing cold. and when i walk to school, the cold wind will be blowing into my face making me all so dry and cracky. arrrgghhh..
this weekend i'm staying home. to finish my homework and study, and because my bro has an assignment due next wk. better go now. update more, soon, i hope. =)
Friday, January 14, 2005
streets, movies, shops.
was out most of today going arnd toronto. didn't really go to downtown or places like chinatown. tmr i will be going to chinatown for dim sum and then some grocery shopping i suppose.
went to make my photo ID for the bus pass. the pic didn't come out as nicely as i hoped. so now i am using some tickets for buses and subway at a cheaper price. and when the new mnth comes, i will get the metropass which i swipe across the machine to enter. like swiping a credit card.
the place wasn't open when we arrived there, so we went out the station near downtown. the wind was howling and blowing like h*ll! the first time i found it cold in toronto! my ears and nose turned red and my ears went numb as we walked on the streets to find somewhere to eat.
stopped at an asian restaurant. the food there is nice. one thing in canada is the portions are big! the food is cheap in terms of canadian dollars, but when converted to malaysian ringgit or singapore dollars, it's expensive.
headed back to the shopping mall opp the apartment and met our housemate, nora there. we went to catch a movie- lemony snicket's a series of unfortunate events. the show is sooooo nice. there's violet, klaus and sunny, whom became orphans after their parents mysteriously died in a fire. then their inheritance is being eyed by this count and all the plot falls in where they move from one guardian to another after each one dies mysteriously. and their guardians are all related to their family in the same way. there's just so many secrets that have yet to be revealed in this show. i have read the storybook before, it's a series. so i'm sure there will be more of this to come. the storyline is so awesome and touching. the characters are funny and interesting, especially sunny!
after that, we walked arnd for some window shopping. there's a wide variety of winter clothing and it's cheap, once again in canadian dollars.. went home after that. did laundry and then dinner. oh well, leaving now. bye..
went to make my photo ID for the bus pass. the pic didn't come out as nicely as i hoped. so now i am using some tickets for buses and subway at a cheaper price. and when the new mnth comes, i will get the metropass which i swipe across the machine to enter. like swiping a credit card.
the place wasn't open when we arrived there, so we went out the station near downtown. the wind was howling and blowing like h*ll! the first time i found it cold in toronto! my ears and nose turned red and my ears went numb as we walked on the streets to find somewhere to eat.
stopped at an asian restaurant. the food there is nice. one thing in canada is the portions are big! the food is cheap in terms of canadian dollars, but when converted to malaysian ringgit or singapore dollars, it's expensive.
headed back to the shopping mall opp the apartment and met our housemate, nora there. we went to catch a movie- lemony snicket's a series of unfortunate events. the show is sooooo nice. there's violet, klaus and sunny, whom became orphans after their parents mysteriously died in a fire. then their inheritance is being eyed by this count and all the plot falls in where they move from one guardian to another after each one dies mysteriously. and their guardians are all related to their family in the same way. there's just so many secrets that have yet to be revealed in this show. i have read the storybook before, it's a series. so i'm sure there will be more of this to come. the storyline is so awesome and touching. the characters are funny and interesting, especially sunny!
after that, we walked arnd for some window shopping. there's a wide variety of winter clothing and it's cheap, once again in canadian dollars.. went home after that. did laundry and then dinner. oh well, leaving now. bye..
life in canada .cont'd
i went to my school, madison academy, yesterday with my bro. had quite a hard time searching for it. we found it eventually.
the school is so small! it's like a tuition centre, with a few classrooms and some vending machines and stuff. it shld be ok, since i'm only in the school for 7 months. no uniform, cool. i'm taking 6 subjects in 7 months. for the first 4 months i will be taking: chemistry, biology, english, and advanced functions & introductory calculus. the remaining 2 months will most probably be geometry & discrete mathematics, and physics. i'm still undecided about the last 2, so i have yet to apply for it as it is for a later part of the course. the timetable is the same through the week. from 8.55am to 4.10pm with a lunch break in between. arrrrggghhh!!!
i have to take 2 buses and walk a while to reach the school. it's kind of like the way me and my sis travel to amkss in singapore, only that it's a longer journey and the outside view of the bus changes from time to time as the weather here is so unpredictable!!!
talking about the weather.. yesterday noon, it was around 14 deg celsius. so i went out with just a sweater. and just overnight it is now -3 deg celsius. but it feels like -11 deg celsius because of the wind. and it's said to dip further down! for more, check the.weather.network
oh well, later on i will be going out for some banking and to settle my bus pass (metropass) and just go arnd. then it will be laundry and off to the mall opposite my apartment with my bro and a housemate to catch a movie.
so cya! *shiver shiver*
the school is so small! it's like a tuition centre, with a few classrooms and some vending machines and stuff. it shld be ok, since i'm only in the school for 7 months. no uniform, cool. i'm taking 6 subjects in 7 months. for the first 4 months i will be taking: chemistry, biology, english, and advanced functions & introductory calculus. the remaining 2 months will most probably be geometry & discrete mathematics, and physics. i'm still undecided about the last 2, so i have yet to apply for it as it is for a later part of the course. the timetable is the same through the week. from 8.55am to 4.10pm with a lunch break in between. arrrrggghhh!!!
i have to take 2 buses and walk a while to reach the school. it's kind of like the way me and my sis travel to amkss in singapore, only that it's a longer journey and the outside view of the bus changes from time to time as the weather here is so unpredictable!!!
talking about the weather.. yesterday noon, it was around 14 deg celsius. so i went out with just a sweater. and just overnight it is now -3 deg celsius. but it feels like -11 deg celsius because of the wind. and it's said to dip further down! for more, check the.weather.network
oh well, later on i will be going out for some banking and to settle my bus pass (metropass) and just go arnd. then it will be laundry and off to the mall opposite my apartment with my bro and a housemate to catch a movie.
so cya! *shiver shiver*
Wednesday, January 12, 2005
life in canada
okay here's an update on my life in canada.
i have to say that there isn't much life here, well maybe because sch hasn't started for me yet. but even so, at night, it get's so dark and gloomy and it feels like it's already very late in the night when in fact it actually isn't!
i'm living in this very cosy house in this suburban place known as don mills in scarborough, at the north-east of toronto. i share a rm with my bro, and the unit with 2 other housemates, nora and juyenty. they are nice, cool ppl. very funny and caring too. haha.
have to clean the place and do our own laundry. we cook our own food too, and sometimes we do share if we have extra. it feels sooooo good to eat the food we cook on my own. sometimes it's like trial and error and if the food doesn't turn out as good as it shld be: hack, we just eat it.
i have already unpacked all my stuffs over the last few days, and practically slacked as i watched canadian tv, eat, slp and shiver. yes shiver. it's not to say the weather here is really damn cold, though it has been arnd zero degrees celsius over these few days. it's just like the air-condition turned on really high.
it has been foggy with drizzles now and then. the temperature is said to drop further and then rise. haven't experienced any snow yet, but i do see them spread out on the ground and stuff. it get's very slippery sometimes on the pathway.
will be going to check out my school tmr with my bro after he finishes his classes. haven't really been arnd toronto yet for sight-seeing and stuffs. took the subway while going to some places nearby. there's a subway station right near the apartment i'm at. have been to ikea which is just a station away, and to a korean restaurant for dinner.
nothing else much to say. fri my bro will be free the whole day, so maybe i can get to go downtown toronto. my school is starting next week! update more soon.. =)
i have to say that there isn't much life here, well maybe because sch hasn't started for me yet. but even so, at night, it get's so dark and gloomy and it feels like it's already very late in the night when in fact it actually isn't!
i'm living in this very cosy house in this suburban place known as don mills in scarborough, at the north-east of toronto. i share a rm with my bro, and the unit with 2 other housemates, nora and juyenty. they are nice, cool ppl. very funny and caring too. haha.
have to clean the place and do our own laundry. we cook our own food too, and sometimes we do share if we have extra. it feels sooooo good to eat the food we cook on my own. sometimes it's like trial and error and if the food doesn't turn out as good as it shld be: hack, we just eat it.
i have already unpacked all my stuffs over the last few days, and practically slacked as i watched canadian tv, eat, slp and shiver. yes shiver. it's not to say the weather here is really damn cold, though it has been arnd zero degrees celsius over these few days. it's just like the air-condition turned on really high.
it has been foggy with drizzles now and then. the temperature is said to drop further and then rise. haven't experienced any snow yet, but i do see them spread out on the ground and stuff. it get's very slippery sometimes on the pathway.
will be going to check out my school tmr with my bro after he finishes his classes. haven't really been arnd toronto yet for sight-seeing and stuffs. took the subway while going to some places nearby. there's a subway station right near the apartment i'm at. have been to ikea which is just a station away, and to a korean restaurant for dinner.
nothing else much to say. fri my bro will be free the whole day, so maybe i can get to go downtown toronto. my school is starting next week! update more soon.. =)
Sunday, January 09, 2005
here i am
i'm now blogging from toronto. i have arrived!
ok the time difference is driving me nuts. here i am just ast midnight when in spore and kl it is noon.. weird. so guys, from this post onwards, the time of my posts are now according to the time in toront. my whole blog posts have gone beserk with the timings.
the weather here is damn cold! it's now zero degrees celsius. and when i breathe, there will be mist being blown out. fun eh.
the plane ride was okay. long, but some of the views were breath-taking. from kl i transited at hong kong. from hong kong, the plane made it's way across the pacific ocean, and stopped at anchorage in alaska, usa, for a refuel. the view there was totally mind-blowing. i could see the ice-cap mountains spreading across the land. wooo! and then there was this point where the plane was above the clouds, and the sun was shining on the plane, forming a shadow of it on the layer of clouds beneath. what's more there was a rainbow ring, with the shadow right in the centre. must have been some kind of refraction. physics. bummer.
oh well, better go unpack and slp. tmr will be a cold, long day.. bbbrrr!
ok the time difference is driving me nuts. here i am just ast midnight when in spore and kl it is noon.. weird. so guys, from this post onwards, the time of my posts are now according to the time in toront. my whole blog posts have gone beserk with the timings.
the weather here is damn cold! it's now zero degrees celsius. and when i breathe, there will be mist being blown out. fun eh.
the plane ride was okay. long, but some of the views were breath-taking. from kl i transited at hong kong. from hong kong, the plane made it's way across the pacific ocean, and stopped at anchorage in alaska, usa, for a refuel. the view there was totally mind-blowing. i could see the ice-cap mountains spreading across the land. wooo! and then there was this point where the plane was above the clouds, and the sun was shining on the plane, forming a shadow of it on the layer of clouds beneath. what's more there was a rainbow ring, with the shadow right in the centre. must have been some kind of refraction. physics. bummer.
oh well, better go unpack and slp. tmr will be a cold, long day.. bbbrrr!
Friday, January 07, 2005
here i come
tmr is my flight!
how fast.. i'm quite excited, though it's a little nerve-wrecking. the first time i'm taking a long distance flight, and what's more, ALONE!
sort of finished my packing. had to clear some of the summer wear of t-shirts and shorts, so as to make space for more thick clothing and misc items.. i can only check in 2 luggages each not exceeding 32kg. we went to weigh it today, and thank god, both didn't. in fact there is quite some extra weight for me. phew!
had to leave the farewell album my friends in spore gave me. sorry guys! maybe now i can smuggle it along now.. if not, i have taken out some pics to keep with me. miss you guys!
my parents and sis are coming in from spore today. tmr will have to wake up early to drive to klia. aahh.. better wrap things up. the next time i will blog, will be from toronto, canada!
how fast.. i'm quite excited, though it's a little nerve-wrecking. the first time i'm taking a long distance flight, and what's more, ALONE!
sort of finished my packing. had to clear some of the summer wear of t-shirts and shorts, so as to make space for more thick clothing and misc items.. i can only check in 2 luggages each not exceeding 32kg. we went to weigh it today, and thank god, both didn't. in fact there is quite some extra weight for me. phew!
had to leave the farewell album my friends in spore gave me. sorry guys! maybe now i can smuggle it along now.. if not, i have taken out some pics to keep with me. miss you guys!
my parents and sis are coming in from spore today. tmr will have to wake up early to drive to klia. aahh.. better wrap things up. the next time i will blog, will be from toronto, canada!
Sunday, January 02, 2005
ok it's less than a week before i fly off to canada. while others in spore are starting their new yr and sch term, here i'm slacking away.
well not really. i have bought nearly all the stuffs i need. spent the whole day today packing my luggages. i just have too many things i want to bring over! i hope i can handle my big, heavy luggages at the airport or something.
can't wait. mixed feelings of excitement and nervousness. it will be cool.. oh well, better go now. i'm becoming too lazy to blog!
well not really. i have bought nearly all the stuffs i need. spent the whole day today packing my luggages. i just have too many things i want to bring over! i hope i can handle my big, heavy luggages at the airport or something.
can't wait. mixed feelings of excitement and nervousness. it will be cool.. oh well, better go now. i'm becoming too lazy to blog!
Saturday, January 01, 2005
2005 A.D
happy new year! it's 2005!
okay, maybe not really such a happy new yr. with all the depressing news appearing on tv, how can we actually celebrate the past of time into a new yr when ppl are out there suffering?
for those who are so ignorant, this is what has happened: an underwater earthquake with a magnitude of 9.0, making it one of the largest quake in time, rocked aceh in northern indonesia on 26 dec 2004. and that's not it, there's still the aftermath. tsunamis were set off that hit and crushed coastal areas in south asia like sri lanka, india, thailand, maldives and even somalia in africa! imagine how big that earthquake must have been to send torrents of water over large distances destroying lives..
the death toll of the whole disaster stands at around 130000. and it's still expected to soar. so devastating.. what a mood to end 2004 and start the new yr of 2005.
i hope 2005 will be a better year..
- prayers for victims of quake and waves
okay, maybe not really such a happy new yr. with all the depressing news appearing on tv, how can we actually celebrate the past of time into a new yr when ppl are out there suffering?
for those who are so ignorant, this is what has happened: an underwater earthquake with a magnitude of 9.0, making it one of the largest quake in time, rocked aceh in northern indonesia on 26 dec 2004. and that's not it, there's still the aftermath. tsunamis were set off that hit and crushed coastal areas in south asia like sri lanka, india, thailand, maldives and even somalia in africa! imagine how big that earthquake must have been to send torrents of water over large distances destroying lives..
the death toll of the whole disaster stands at around 130000. and it's still expected to soar. so devastating.. what a mood to end 2004 and start the new yr of 2005.
i hope 2005 will be a better year..
- prayers for victims of quake and waves