I'd never thought I would say this...

but I'm really enjoying my 4th year in architecture now despite how busy I am.

All the late nights and stay-overs in school almost everyday..
Eating Macs for supper...
Getting hyper due to lack of sleep...

I'm doing what I ought to have been doing since year 1 and finally I feel quite comfortable being in school
and a bit more a of true archi student now.
I'm also learning a few things this sem..
It's really much better designing as a group and learning from one another...

But I'm still not sure if I want to be an architect in the future, haha.

Sometimes I  could strangle my super "babo" (foolish) Korean guy friend, Chang, in exasperation...and I mean this in the nicest way possible, haha.


WHYETSINPEIMELISSA ( melissa [고기 주세요~] ) says :
chang
WHYETSINPEIMELISSA ( melissa [고기 주세요~] ) says :
i need your help!!!
WHYETSINPEIMELISSA ( melissa [고기 주세요~] ) says :
do you have information on SI HE YUAN?
WHYETSINPEIMELISSA ( melissa [고기 주세요~] ) says :
hahaha

허창 ( /선물/ ) says :
who is she?

WHYETSINPEIMELISSA ( melissa [고기 주세요~] ) says :
-_____-

허창 ( /선물/ ) says :
why do u need her infrom?

WHYETSINPEIMELISSA ( melissa [고기 주세요~] ) says :
si he yuan!!!   (the Koreans studied this when we were in Korea and they know the Chinese pronunciation of it, or so I assumed)
WHYETSINPEIMELISSA ( melissa [고기 주세요~] ) says :
the chinese courtyard house   
(after mentioning this, I assume he was just kidding me when he insisted he didn't know so I played along a little)
WHYETSINPEIMELISSA ( melissa [고기 주세요~] ) says :
-___-

허창 ( /선물/ ) says :
i dont know who she is
허창 ( /선물/ ) says :
can u tell me abt her more?

WHYETSINPEIMELISSA ( melissa [고기 주세요~] ) says :
JUK EUL LAE!
WHYETSINPEIMELISSA ( melissa [고기 주세요~] ) says :
??
WHYETSINPEIMELISSA ( melissa [고기 주세요~] ) says :
-____-
WHYETSINPEIMELISSA ( melissa [고기 주세요~] ) says :
si he yuan...has long hair...big eyes...square face..with trees on her head...remember her??

허창 ( /선물/ ) says :
sorry
허창 ( /선물/ ) says :
i have no idea
허창 ( /선물/ ) says :
is she architect?

WHYETSINPEIMELISSA ( melissa [고기 주세요~] ) says :
are you for real?
WHYETSINPEIMELISSA ( melissa [고기 주세요~] ) says :
you know that chinese courtyard house
WHYETSINPEIMELISSA ( melissa [고기 주세요~] ) says :
you and junyoung made a model of?
WHYETSINPEIMELISSA ( melissa [고기 주세요~] ) says :
and jeeseon cadded?
WHYETSINPEIMELISSA ( melissa [고기 주세요~] ) says :
that's called "SI HE YUAN"
WHYETSINPEIMELISSA ( melissa [고기 주세요~] ) says :
in chinese

허창 ( /선물/ ) says :
haha
허창 ( /선물/ ) says :
of course i dont know

WHYETSINPEIMELISSA ( melissa [고기 주세요~] ) says :
i wanna kill u

허창 ( /선물/ ) says :
i haven't
허창 ( /선물/ ) says :
studyed
허창 ( /선물/ ) says :
studied
허창 ( /선물/ ) says :
chinese
허창 ( /선물/ ) says :
for my lifetime

WHYETSINPEIMELISSA ( melissa [고기 주세요~] ) says :
but many koreans know

허창 ( /선물/ ) says :
that is sa hap won

WHYETSINPEIMELISSA ( melissa [고기 주세요~] ) says :
SA HAP WON
WHYETSINPEIMELISSA ( melissa [고기 주세요~] ) says :
okok
허창 ( /선물/ ) says :
ok
WHYETSINPEIMELISSA ( melissa [고기 주세요~] ) says :
SA HAP WON

허창 ( /선물/ ) says :
just a sec

WHYETSINPEIMELISSA ( melissa [고기 주세요~] ) says :
you mean you truly didn't know what I was talking about?
WHYETSINPEIMELISSA ( melissa [고기 주세요~] ) says :
OMG

At times, I'm reminded of how much more adept I am at being a good friend rather than being a filial daughter.

I'm more used to having my mother care for me than me having to care for my mother

and when she falls ill,
I am at a loss as for what to do. 

The bicycle rental uncle is charging me $74* for his worker's OT pay and overnight rental charge.

I'm blacklisting that shop instead.



*originally $90 before my friend bargained for me.

I should be off to bed but suddenly I feel emo. -_______-

A mix of emotions...

1_
Traumatised by the East Coast bicycle rental shop uncle.
I rented a bicycle and I forgot to return it till it was way past their closing time.
Saw my name on a notice written with poor grammar outside the shop.

Whye Tsin Pei
You are late! (the handwriting was terrible so I thought he spelt "hate" at first and I got a shock")
You have to return
the bicycle tomorrow
or we will report lost.

with love,
bicycle rental uncle
9*******

I kid about the sign-off but he did leave a number so I called him back.
I don't live in east coast!! What on earth do I do with the bicycle now!?!

Me: Hello uncle, I'm sorry I forgot to return the bike!!
Uncle: YEA! It's too late you know! It's 11pm now, we closed shop long ago! We cannot do anything now!
Me: So what do I do with the bike now?
Uncle: You have to return it tomorrow!!
Me: But I don't live in East Coast! How??
Uncle: I DON'T KNOW! We waited till 9pm for you, you know!
Me: Sorry...I was at a BBQ pit nearby *meek voice
Uncle: CANNOT BE! I sent my men to look for you! They cannot find you, you know!!!
Me: Er...okay then. *resigned
Uncle: ....

Thank goodness one of my friends live nearby so he'd bring the bicycle back for me tomorrow.
I think I just got myself blacklisted from the shop.
It was entirely my fault but I couldn't help feeling a little shaken (yea timid) by this incident.
Hey, he has MEN working under him okay?

I don't know why but he didn't keep my IC. (Is it illegal to retain someone's IC?)
Lirong said he probably trusted me because I look like an innocent little girl.
I guess that trust is broken now.
 

2_
School's starting soon.
I have to ballot for my tutor and I just can't fill in my 4th choice.
There are 6 candidates and I've filled in 3.
Basically I have to pick the lesser of 3 evils for the last choice but I don't know who that is exactly.

One tutor warned that his studio is going to be "traumatising" and that he wants students to fully experience the site (which is going to be NUS) by rolling on the NUS greens, climbing NUS trees and smelling the plants.
Yes, I guess that makes him the most evil.

Now I pick the lesser of 2 evils.



3_
I'm really really worried about the next semester.
I barely survived the last semester...how do I deal with the next?
I'm going on year 4 whereas in terms of standard I think I'm only year 2?
Why is architecture school so demoralising?
I think I'm really lacking passion and aptitude for this subject (yet I manage to pass every sem).
I feel sad because I do want to do it well but I just don't get it.
I feel lost because if this is not my calling then what is?




4_
Why are some people so complicated and hard to read?
I'm scared of such people.



SIGH.

It's happened once, it's happened twice.
Guys I reject seem to get attached between 2 weeks to 3 months after my rejection.
With such a record, I should open Singapore's first dating agency where I reject guys to increase their probability of finding a girlfriend, haha..

I like it when Korean friends visit Singapore as and when they wish because it feels as though Korea is just nearby and that this connection I have towards Korea is still very real (how do I put this in better words??? Urgh).

I've been bringing my Korean ex-colleague, Dongwon, around and I made two new korean friends - Chang eun & Hee Kyung this week. Later this week, I'm expecting my Korean studiomate, Heewon, in Singapore...and next week, the new batch of Korean exchange students.  I'm dreading repeats of the merlion movie I have to watch in Sentosa. I've already caught it thrice this year T-T.

It's been a year since I first embarked on my exchange to Korea.
Amazing how time flies.
Cliche but true.

I just finished designing the matriculation brochure for Campus Crusade after 1.5 weeks  and now I can finally go out in peace!
I'm not entirely pleased with it despite many revisions, but I think it will do.

I must admit, throughout designing I would grumble and  think, next time I'm not going to agree to such last minute favours again!
(because I was given poor photos to work with so much so that I sourced for new photos myself)

Then I was reminded once again that God gave us gifts so that we may put them to use in gloriying His name and serving Him. That was why I agreed to do it in the first place.



A4 folded into half. One side coloured.

If you like Humming Urban Stereo, you'd like Casker too but they have more instrumental pieces as compared to H.U.S.
I don't know how to describe their music...indie, bossanova, electronica, jazz, korean?? Okay don't listen to me, this is why I don't make a living reviewing CDs.


If you've never heard of them, it's because they are korean artistes!


Listen to Casker here!
From the playlist, I like Someday pt.1, Static Electricity, Tango Toy (which is sort of like a remix of that famous tango tune), Last Smile, Hidden Track, Ba-Raen Go-Baek (from Coffee Prince? I didn't know that)....okay too many to mention. Just let the playlist run ok?


I've downloaded  bought their second album, Skylab, and I'm waiting to download buy their 3rd album, Between, because I'm only allowed to download buy one album a day. :(


Anyone wants to download for me? Haha


Let me know if you like them too or not!


Edit:

I found out that the tune that inspired Tango Toy is called Libertango..I'm pretty sure you've heard it some point in your life.

Here's Yo-Yo Ma's version!
At first I thought it was Yo-Yo Ma prancing around and I got pretty scared. Fortunately it's someone else.

I have a new-found love for Tango music now.


Libertango -  Yo-Yo Ma



PS: Yo-Yo Ma is coming to Singapore next year in April I think and I'll definitely be attending his concert!

Lirong and gang got me some eye makeup for my birthday because previously, I mentioned to LR that I would like to try the "smokey eyes" look, haha.


If you can't already see where this post is going and you don't want to read another gratuitous self-indulgent post, it would be a good time to close this page now.

So anyway, despite having the tools for the job, I did not have the skills for it. Nevertheless, I decided to attempt this look secretly in the bathroom, like a little girl stealing her mother's makeup.

It was really quite difficult because I don't usually apply eyeshadow. I dug out my mum's old brush and started painting my lids an unnatural colour. Black pigments were falling everywhere and soon I looked like a coal miner (which is also quite a cool look). So I cheated and painted on a huge black surface and then erased the excess with makeup remover. Is anyone still reading at this point? Haha

So here is the final result from one side only because I couldn't be bothered to do the other side. I was contemplating a close-up on the eye but the photo of my own veins(?) in my eyes scared me so I shall refrain from sharing it with everyone else.





Excuse the dark eye rings. There are many versions of the smokey-eye look but this is my sad beginners' version (Wah it is really hard leh!).


So how? Do I look goth or punk or lian enough?

So I turned 22 over the weekend and many people, including really random people I've only met once in my lifetime, came to wish me a happy birthday all thanks to Facebook, haha.

Honestly I don't have any gripes about that because I don't make it a point to remember birthdays and Facebook does me a great service.
Still, I can be really really lazy when it comes to wishing people on their birthdays. However since many random friends have done so...I shall attempt to be more sociable and be the No. 1 birthday-wisher on FB! Kidding.

This year, I celebrated my birthday by having a simple dinner with different groups of friends...yes, no more kuazhang 21st celebrations like the one I had last year. Afterall, the next kuazhang celebration should be my wedding right (which may or may not come)?



With the people I love!

I don't feel any different turning 22...because I still feel like I'm 18 or something, seriously. *in denial

Right now, I am really happy where I am.

A blog post, in FML, MLIA, MLIG style..without the vulgarities.


Today, while instructing my dad on what to buy for dinner, I realised that I am starting to sound like my mum. *ML.

Today, I carried out my almost-daily routine of 1000 steps on the stepper machine. I did 1008 steps instead. I didn't appear any thinner. MLIA.

Today, I randomly clicked and watched The Princess Bride; a movie made in the year I was born which could possibly turn out corny and cheesy. I found it hilarious instead and I loved it! MLIG!

I just spent the whole morning searching for fabric at Spotlight as well as People's Park and I couldn't find what I needed!

All I want is a white cotton fabric with embossed white dots (stitched). Sounds common enough, but it's impossible to find!
Almost every shop offers those colourful satin fabric with gaudy prints.. T-T

I'd have to try Arab street...if not Ebay. I won't settle for less because the right material is SO important in creating the correct feel and silhouette.

Oh this fabric is for this dress I'm going to attempt to sew myself! Haha

I'll post the pic of the dress I'm gg to make another time..

Well, I am uber free now..so free that I can sleep half the day off. What a difference from the stress of April!

Needless to say, I survived the submission, but not without the help of some seniors, the support of my friends and tutor, and the grace of God.

For the first time in my life, my panels were finished way ahead of time at like 10.30am when the submission was at 5pm but I still had to get them printed. I had time for breakfast - yong tau foo laksa - which is when I also got scolded by the stall owner for not eating my yong tau foo while it's still hot. I was waiting for my friend's order of porridge to arrive. The lady boss of the stall was afraid I'll get an upset stomach (and perhaps sue her for food poisoning) if the coconut milk in the laksa went bad.

Strangely, the submission was the most stress-free submission I've ever had. I felt that this semester was also rather stress-free because all in all I was only juggling 3 modules. Strange for a semester that is supposed to be more horrible than a normal aki semester (which is already considerably horrible enough).

Anyway in my usual scatterbrained fashion, I realised after panel submission that I forgot to include my section cuts on my plans...so on the day 1 of the crit period I had to print my section cuts on transtac and layer them upon my panels frantically.
Yes, It is sad but aki students have to resort to such means to avoid getting penalised for the careless mistakes made in a state of constant sleep deprivation and stress.

So, six months of architorture culminated in the production of these 6 panels for RIBA. I can say that I am rather satisfied with them, but I could be more proud if I had managed to complete the feat all by myself, which is what I have to aim towards in year 4. I think this my most resolved design to date (which is not a great feat considering my past last-minute designs) but it's not a great design. I do think that I am improving slowly throughout the years though, I just wish I could improve faster but I'm always a slow-learner.









Anyway, moving on..

I need a job because right now I have absolutely nothing to do except to watch online movies (I found the best free movie/drama streaming programme ever!) and go through my daily routine of reading fashion blogs...and of course shopping! What else is there left to do in Singapore except to eat and shop?

Oh, and I caught The Kangxi Emperor: Treasures from the Forbidden City exhibition at the ACM and it was quite interesting, to me at least because I am always interested in dynasties and that kind of stuff. It kind of reminded me of the exhibition I saw at Korea's National Palace Museum though the latter was much more extensive. Really, all the manuscripts, scrolls, paintings were similar because in ancient Korea, Chinese characters were used. Go catch it because it's free for NUS students!

To feed my cultural cravings further, I'm also attending Much Ado About Nothing at Fort Canning Hill with Adeline from aki, her best friend Sarah, and Lynn which should be fun! Sarah's friend got us a staff discount of 25% I think! Heehee, oh how I miss those AC days were we would attend strings and choir concerts at the Esplanade all the time. I do miss going to the Esplanade...I want to catch a performance at the Esplanade with SC3!

Since I'm so free...I've also created collage of fashion inspiration for myself with the theme being stripes! I wanna wear stripes this summer!
I also figured that collating looks that I like would also help me gain better focus in shopping and not get distracted in buying something I do not need (which has always been the case...but is improving with much shopping practice haha) Yes so with my new plan I'm going to dominate the world in stripes! For some reason, I'm also very partial to the colour blue recently.




I felt very happy creating this post because I haven't done a picture post since JC days!
What has university done to us?
Maybe it's just me.

You know, Korea is starting to seem so surreal.

Was I ever there? Did I really make an awesome bunch of friends there?
We live so far apart and we're leading such different lives. 
It's almost like entering Narnia through the wardrobe and coming back to reality months later.
It's hard to believe we once lived and played under the same sky.

By the way, yesterday I learned that I have another niece borne by my cousin (girl) who is one year younger than me.

I have not met either of my nieces because, well, I don't know if I should elaborate but I wish that I'd get to meet them during the next CNY reunion.

OMG take me away from the autocad screen already!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I seriously feel ill just by staring at the screen.

Remember this report about kids getting sick from watching anime on TV due to the bright colour rays emitting from the TV. (Okay I know this sounds ridiculous and I'm not exactly sure but I sort of heard it on TV loooonggg ago) BUT what I'm trying to say is staring at the autocad screen has the same effect I tell you!!!

Click here if you have no idea what an autocad screen looks like.

JUST A BLACK SCREEN WITH NEON LINES THAT SUPPOSEDLY REPRESENT YOUR DESIGN

And it takes FOREVER to cad...explode, block, explode, trim, extend...

I'm going to select myself and type the command to "explode" .

You know how sometimes names often illicit a pre-conceptualised image of someone?
Let's say if you were bullied by someone by the name of Tom when you were young, you'd never name your son Tom because in your mind the imagery attached to "Tom" is, of course a bad one?

Here are some names I would never name my daughter.

In no particular order..

Tammy
Sounds like a girl who is a bimbo, clubs a lot, and may take amateur porn vids of herself  
Rhymes with non-appealing words like "clammy"
(disclaimer: has nth to do with TammyAnneWhyPea)

Jamie
Sounds like a harmless bimbo..but a bimbo nonetheless

Megan/Ashley (though I do like the name Ashley)
Sounds like a very outspoken, social butterfly who flirts a lot, and clubs a lot and speaks with a fake angmoh accent..and is b*itchy.

Scarlett
Is a nice name for an angmoh girl but not an Chinese girl. It's also extremely difficult to live up to that name. Imagine a generic, meek little girl called Scarlett...it's just wrong.

Dawn
Sounds like a very pretty girl who is popular whom girls would love to hate. (Again..it's totally not related to Dawn Y*ng)
Too common..and too "act chio" though I think it's a nice name *contradicts myself

Sarah/Sara
Too common

Irene
Sounds like she's middle-aged before she's anywhere near there

Julia/Julie
Very country-ish (has it got to do with the image of Julie on Julie crackers?? Or the fact that Julie Andrews ran atop hills in Sound of Music??) and my mum has a theory that all Julia(s) are fat. :\


Names of any fruits like Apple or Orange sold in SG wet markets
-___- 


There are more but I just can't recall now.
This are purely my own opinions, influenced by past observations..Any similarities with any characters, living or alive is purely coincidental ... And it's not that I actually know of anyone by those names who have done smth bad to illicit such a response from me.
It's just that I'm sure names have tags attached to them and these tags may vary from one person to another, which I find interesting..

Lastly, not to worry if you are a Tammy and you're my friend, because obviously getting to know the person plays the largest role in understanding what the person is like!

This post is pointless.

I have so much to do but I'm oddly at peace.
I thank God for it.
I know many of my friends are crumbling under the stress and gosh I know of at least 4 girls (including me) who has cried over this project and many others who are probably crying in secret.
Good news...I've just managed to come up with a seemingly workable space plan.
Let's see what else I've gotta do to catch up BY THURSDAY!

I shall rate each one on a time-consumption and/or difficulty scale of 1-5

1. Space planning (4)
2. Cad actual plans (5)
3. Sketchup a model (4)
4. Come up with project title (1)
5. Write 100 words to describe crappy project (2)
6. Come up with a technology driver for design (5)
7. Come up with some structure nonsense (5)
8. List materials you wanna use (2)
9. Find photographs of details you can use (3)
10. Explain why you are using said material (1)
11. Cad 1:20 sectional drawing (5)
12. Layout panels (4)
13. Print panels (1)
14. Make model of NEW design (5)

Deadline: Thursday 1pm

Did I say I'm at peace?

For me, it's okay being told that I'm going to fail, as long as someone else believes in me and tells me that he/she thinks otherwise.
For that, I'm thankful that I have such a supportive tutor and such wonderful friends who are so worried for me.
나궨찮아   그리고   고마워요.
I will try my best not to fail and not to let everyone down  :)