Pretty Butterfly

Sunday, March 28, 2004

Saturday, went for guzhen class. And the teacher suggested on taking guzhen exam at the end of the year. I really like the idea of getting a grade!! So i can show my parents that my interest is not 3 min fad. Really like the sound of guzhen on hk period dramas and here i am still learning!! haha....but with the intention of going overseas for further studies...will i get to continue learning guzhen?? with that i can't convince my parents to buy the guzhen now....haiz....
a gaming friend of mine had arranged to have dinner with me after my class. We went to Borders to take a look around. I wanted to buy a book call the The Lord of the Rings Location Guide by Ian Brodie, alas its not available yet. We went up to one of my fav stores above! The shop that sells figurines and toys! Love those machines that dispense capsules containing figurines. I got myself a little box with 40 miniature stickers plus a goofy plush. Then we browse inside the shop!! I saw those miniature food by jap toy company i always love to buy! Got myself another box and inside contains a pizza figurine! It was around dinner time and SS suggested we go for pasta in Wisma Atria but end up in Jack's Place as we can't find the pasta restaurant. We both ordered the march special, Mongolian Ribeye. Beef at medium rare with soup and dessert served with coffee or tea. The waiter came and lighted the candle on the table. I look at the tables beside us, can see couples. haha....The soup was thick and tasty with soft garlic bread much to my pleasure because i just went to the dentist recently. Mongolian ribeye steak came shortly, can hear the sizzling sound when the waiter laid the dish infront of me. The steak was quite ok but not really fantastic. The meat was a bit tough and need some effort to slice the beef and i kept chewing for quite long. I nearly got choke when the tendon just wouldn't slide down my throat. I prefer the carrots and the bake potato instead. After dessert came, i was really full. SS teased me about my belly...*tsk tsk* better train up after exams are over. After dinner, we slowly stroll towards HMV and browse through some cds and SS was really nice to send me home all the way to the void deck even though he stayed quite faraway. Overall, its a pleasant experience. We shared some interests and got to know each other better. :) Thanx for the dinner!!

Dreams never come true
5:10 pm |

Friday, went for a pharm plant visit, company call Aventis Pharma. It was still early when we reached there after an hour of van trip with Mr Wong at the wheel! haha....first time riding in a van driven by lecturer. Every 1 inside were quite excited. We were herded into a room waiting for the intro to start. We were cracking some jokes and Mr Wong joined in as well. ISPE(International Society of Pharmaceutical Engineering) had a AGM and SJ was appointed to be the treasurer....haha....so suay....voted on by us to represent our school in the commitee. An talk was given by the Site Manager,Roberto Gardellin. His voice was so soft and monotonous and i fell asleep! Couldn't help it....haiz...hope dun embarrass myself. Yeah! Next programme is the site trip. We had put on lab coat and safety helmet before going into the plant. We were lead into a 3 storey building where they are processing an active ingredient for asthma medicine from a stage 3 processed material to a stage 7 active ingredient to be shipped back to France. There were lots of machinery involved and processes to be controlled like centrifuges,blenders and stirrers etc. Then it dawned on me that PCI subject is really helpful in this environment and after looking at the real life examples of process,control and instrumentation did i know the significance. However would i want to work in this environment?? I dun really know. We went to take another short tour in another building, further seeing more machinery and computers taht help in the processes. Next we went to a quality control lab. A bubbly female lab technician was informed to explain to us the setup of the lab. The analytical euipment inside the lab like GC,HPLC etc...So far it was a pleasant place with helpful and friendly workers in Aventis Pharma. I was thinking probably these people got their jobs due to their personality and not alot on academic qualifications. This the feeling i get. We had a shot tea reception and we were off in Mr Wong's van. I was dropped off at Yio Chu Kang and took mrt to Chua Chu Kang...Its 9 stops away!! Didn't realized it was so far away. Haiz...what to do..went CCK to get 2 bottles of dish washing liq for mom. Its really good to use. A little can help clean ur dishes to oily dishes to squeaky clean dishes! Then took mrt back to City Hall to meet someone to buy FFX-2 game! 40 dollars!! Cheap!!!

Dreams never come true
4:43 pm |

Sunday, March 21, 2004

Yesterday, finally understand what's biopharmaceuticals is all about. A talk was conducted by a guest speaker from a biopharm company located in Science Park 2 near Buona Vista. It recently become privatised and the only company dealing with biopharmaceuticals in Singapore. He began to explained whats actually his company is dealing with. Instead of using chemicals as raw materials for the manufacture of drugs, they use cell lines. Since cell lines are like livings cells in our body and have requirements similar to us hence parameters like temperature is needed to control and ensure the survival of the cells. Unlike chemicals where reactions are direct and easy to control, cell lines are complicated and require lots of precise conditions for them to thrive and not get contaminated by growth of other harmful contaminants. He had shown many pictures of bioreactors and complicated system of pipes attached. Gowning is required to work in these premises in such a clean environment and some miscomforts like getting dry skin and only able to replenish ur fluids at the end of the shift. All this is compensated with a high pay as close to degree holders. However, this didn't really interest me that much as it involves machinery. It was a eye opener. After the talk, SJ told me she had a question for him. So we went down and ask some questions. Another chem eng student was concerned about whether she was able to work in a biopharm company when she doesn't have a background in bio. Well, our guest speaker has a assuring and convincing reply that its ok to have no previous knowledge at all but however its important to learn as much and collect and read up more info about them. SJ ask something about how the local companies can compete with the other overseas companies that have set up here. He answered that we can prove our worth through effciency and capabilities by convincing investors that we have top notch facility etc. While i asked him how will biomedical be link to biopharmaceticals, he said they are somehow related to each under as they come under Life Sciences which the governement had been fiercely promoting these days. And draw a line explaining how quality control of raw materials require maybe chemists,biochemists to analyse. Followed by calibrations that can be done by a mathamatician, bottles and labels which is bought from other companies, contracting out deals like refrigerators etc.....so the link is almost inevitable. It dawned on me that the degree we are taking probably be our interest of study and not necessary will be really what we will probably end up doing. He further add that we should experience as much as we can and slowly work up the ranks, most importantly be willing to learn. And not doing a job for how much it pays but how much experience u can learn in the process. He quoted an example that if a person started off being a supervisor,he will probably not understand how a cleaner feels about the job and the difficulty she face. If the supervisor started off as a cleaner and slowly work her way up, she will understand and be able to manage and implement changes to further faciltate the work. Ah..such insightful information. After this brief encounter with this former poly graduate with almost 10 over years of experience, i found him to be really intelligent and wise. Truly enlightened.

Dreams never come true
11:27 am |

Sunday, March 14, 2004

Yesterday was a terrific day except maybe for the OSH seminar....Then we went to have lunch at TM...was the first to leave, so guess no 1 will care if i left anyway... haha..went for guzhen lesson..ah...music is just so melodious..can't help it. After guzhen lesson i took mrt from bugis to Bukit Batok for secondary sch gathering in one of my sch mate's condo. At the bukit batok mrt around 5.30pm, i saw 2 familiar faces. Ah...its yongkok and junqi!! yongkok still look the same and junqi has grown taller...haha...remembered him as quite short compared to other guys in secondary sch days...lolz Their A lvl results were not bad, feel happy for them. Soon they will be in army. Then came April and Li leng....my closer friends...:) We were early when we reached there and met our host, Sandy and met siew wen inside the house marinating the stuff for bbq. After nv seen each other for 2 years, they still behave and talk the same way. It was really comforting and funny to know they are still the same. Even though the sky's darken and lightning was rumbling, it didn't dampen our mood as we bake the food for bbq in the oven. We exchange hp numbers and email to keep in contact. I was glad i brought my camera and tripod to capture these candid and fun moments to be worth remembered for. We catched up on our gossip and ideas for the future and presently our life now. Some finished A lvl with good results while others were not really good. And the rest of us in polys. We have taken different paths but i'm glad we took some time to catch up the good times we use to share. While i was watching tv and eating, Jiaqi and Pamela came over respectively. Pamela came in her soccer jersey and shorts with a big bag. Looks like she came back from a practice and was amazed that she is now a member in the women's national soccer team. It came as a no surprised as she was pretty active in sports and good in them last time in sch. When ever she's ard, the atmosphere becomes moree lively and fun too. She love to crack jokes and a class clown who entertains us..haha...all the actions were captured in a videocam...lolz..i quickly took out my camera and captured some candid shots too! We recalled our fun and silly experiences in sch and laugh all about them...miss those days. Finally i took out my tripod and camera to have a group photo together!! Enjoyed this day! I hope we meet soon for another meal!!

Dreams never come true
12:50 pm |

Tuesday, March 09, 2004

*Sobs* My luohan just left me on 7/3/04.....haiz...this year dealing with 2 deaths...SJ suggest that my pets die to help get rid of bad luck or misfortune in place of me. That means 2004 will be a difficult year? Who knows till i experience it..My luohan had not been eating for 1 to 2 weeks...some how i know it'll be leaving soon but quite shock to see it turning upside down. A bit scary and helpless, can't seem to help him/her. Hiaiz...Next morning, my dad send it on its road........

Dreams never come true
9:01 pm |

Sunday, March 07, 2004

After stressing on the PCI lab, still have to endure another 3h of report writing in BPharm. With all the remaining energy sap from me, the thought of eating in Little India perks me up! :) Yogesh broght JH and myself to another restaurant in Little India. We walked a short distance to the restaurant from the bus stop by passing by the temple and the previous vegetarian restaurant that i ate before. We came to New Chettinadu Restaurant located at 41 Chander Road. The restaurant surroundings are modest looking, accompanied by humble people that served us. Yogesh asked about our preferences of mutton or chicken and communicated with the friendly servers and took a seat. Before long, we were presented with 3 banana leaves. A server came up to us with 3 metal like buckets that contained yougurt salad,bitter gourd and spanish. We were given each a serving. Rice with curry came later together with curry mutton. 2 pieces of papadum for each of us!! Love them to bits!! Yogesh was so nice she gave me hers!! Yippee! Then it was time to start eating, and Yogesh suggested we eat with our right hand! I dun mind trying so we took up the challange. I tried the yougurt and its tinge sour, bitter gourd tasted bitter as always and spanish is not bad. Rice with curry is always my favourite in Indian cruisine...hmmmm....The mutton was tender....curry and mutton are a heavenly combination. Some fried fish aside from mutton too. In the midst of the dinner, we were presented with rassam soup that contains coriander leaves, tamarine, pepper and tomatoes which suppose to aid in digestion if i'm not wrong according to Yogesh. It was a delicious dinner that never risk the expanse of the wallet, the dinner cost S$4+. How can we miss walking along the shops in Serangoon after a heavy dinner.? So we decided to take a look at Mustafa Shopping Centre much further down the road which took around 10 minutes to reach. I was informed that Mustafa had expanded into another building. Wah..rich businessman ar..We went to look at the newer building that sells lots of silver and platanium in the first level and gold in basement 1. Wah...there's a distinct change in colur, from pure silvery colour to a loud red and yellow just by tilting ur head. No kidding. My eyes was quick to spot electronics at basement 2. Haha...i like those LCD tvs on display. Slick and thin however money is thick. From basement 2 we can cross over to the older building and soft toys came into view. We were attracted by the toys and games they sold. There are just too many stuff to list here but whatever u ask, they probably have it. So i think its an ideal place to bring tourists to visit and have fun shopping within these premises.

Dreams never come true
12:17 am |