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Self Training for the week

Shaun
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Self Training for the week
My DS-Trainer XI!

There wasn’t any official track & field training this week, but with upcoming events such as the New paper Big walk 2006, Moulmein CC X-Country, EdgeGames Adventure Race, SP Poly 50, RealRun 2006 (not to mention 21km AHM at end August). I need to maintain my stamina & fittness during this few weeks of relatively toned down track training with our freshmen.

Progressive training as coach wanted, training is “tough” for the freshies but not intensive enough for us seniors, so I guess that very much boils down to self-discipline for our own training. Come to think about it, since I left the army, I had not been running alot too. Used to be able to clock in at least 30-40km/week totaling about 150km/month on leisure runs, excluding company training. Things are very different after you ORD, with many other commitments, work & stuffs eating into training schedules. I guess it’s the love of running which drives most devoted athletes to the sport, despite our differences. Moreover, I get rather restless if I don’t run for a week or so. An addiction you may say.

Leisure Run Log for the week
Sunset Way Canal Route Run, Monday – 10km
SP Gym 3 Sets Weight Training + Threadmill, Wednesday – 5.1km
Tiong Bahru Park Run, Today Saturday – 15.6km
Total: Approx 30km this week (Target Met)

Didn’t get to run as intended yesterday due to evening rain, nevertheless completed 15km today. Would be finishing the week’s worth of exercise/training with a (40~50)x50m laps (or continuous laps for 1hour) swim at Delta Swimming Complex Tomorrow Morning.

On a sidenote: I think I will give the Advanced Scuba Course next week ago till next year, as the monsoon season is coming in again, not a very good time for south china sea openwater dives at Eastern Malaysia.

Rock Climbing – SHOING!

Shaun
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Rock Climbing – SHOING!
SAC Rock Wall

➡ Wahha, today is the first day of our sports elective rock climbing program. Scaled the 3-4 storey flat rock wall as part of an introduction with a bit of sweat. But while doing the forward inclined rock wall… wah cannot sia, can’t even go up halfway. It’s my first time scaling a proper rock wall too (let be all the other kinds of walls I scaled in childhood… not counted!), while some in the class can just climb it effortlessly, considering it not being their first, but all for the CCA points.

I learnt with sore & throbbing arms (the hard way you say) that rock climbing is not all about shear strength, but intelligence, planning & a very conservative approach. Not meaning I do have any of those (duh!), but our coach recognised that its a natural reaction for beginners use the upper body to always pull yourself up, instead of the legs (right way), esp while climbing to safety – Climbing have to be done in a relaxed manner. No wonder my arms feel more tried than my legs! Makes me wonder so this is how some free climbers can scale steep 20 storey cliff like gorges in just 2 hours. In other words, a buff top heavy person can even lose or fail to a slinky light climber with the proper techniques. Not bad for a first try/lesson, anyway I did manage to reach the top on the “flat easy” (aka pussy) wall. Gave myself a target to conquer the wall I failed to climb today by end of the month.

😯 Think was crazy to go to the gym to do my usual 3 sets of X(20 benchpresses, 20 Weighed Ad strengtheners, 20 Tricep Free weights, 25 Pushups, 20 Shoulder presses, 20 Bicep Curls) before finishing it up 5km on the threadmill. I was not in condition to run the planned 10km distance due to insufficient sleep over the last few days & exertion over the previous rock climbing session. So I am like 5km short of my planned 30km for the week. 15km more to go, maybe I will finish the other 5km tomorrow in the gym again.


:mrgreen: Anyway congrats to Khow Ming who failed his driving test for the 2nd time in a row, we will remember to celebrate that in class tomorrow.

Overnight at East Coast

Shaun
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Overnight at East Coast
BBQ!

Woke up at around 1pm today, skipping my usual sunday morning cardio swim. Considering being only back at home 7.30am today after an overnight stay east coast park. Very much conked out after reaching home then.

🙂 Yesterday was our track & field freshman BBQ, held at east coast. Met up with the gang at Bedok MRT where we made our way down with all our barang barang to the east coast BBQ pits via bus & foot. Almost all the seniors were there so were some of the juniors. Part of the spread includes the chicken thighs my dad prepared, together with potato chips I brought. Other interesting foods includes mushrooms, garlic bread, not to mention the usual chicken wings, hotdogs & crabsticks. We rented 4 bikes & 3 sets of roller blades overnight, given $6/bike overnight its quite good I say, not to mention an ease of convience. Night cycling is nice, quiet & peaceful at night, a moment to enjoy & appreciate too, not to mention at the bedok jetty where we spent some time on too. We found ourselves for few games of bowling around midnight. Where we cycled to & parked our bikes, (courtesy of the bowling alley owner who allowed our bikes into the complex).

Bowling at East Coast Leisure Bowl
Bowling at East Coast Leisure Bowl
The Bowl Group!
The Bowl Group!
Night Riders
Night Riders

Scored 83 for my first game & a dinky 76 tied for the 2nd, 3rd & 4th positions from the last.. haha between me, addison, elrick & weiwen. Coach & Pohfong were up against each other in the hundreds for a drink treat battle, haha best we insignificant scorers better leave them alone haha. While coach left for the night thereafter, the rest of the late night was spent on a rather interesting night cycle/blading to the ends of east coast park. In a gang of 4 Bikes & 2 Bladers (I was on blades). Naturally having never inline-skated for years, going high speed skating was quite a little clumsy at times.

Nonetheless, it was a very unreal & cool relaxing journey along the east coast park, not to mention the occasional lazy attempts to “hitch” a hook off the bikes to tow us inline-skaters along. Given surpluses in our chalet budget, we quick-booked a chalet room for $65/night for us to spend the night which came very much a welcome compared to sleeping in our tents & canvases by the beach. I didn’t bring any extra clothes so the aircon in the chalet proved to be rather useful to dry our sweaty clothes after the night blading, anyway thats what the army trains us to do right? able to sleep anywhere not matter how soiled your clothes are.

Elrick bugged us awake at around 7am, where Addison & me crawled our way to catch a cab home this morning.

:mrgreen: Oh yea, recieved an email confirming my rock climbing program starting next week. Tomorrow.. maybe I should go for a 10km run after gym at school to shed all the calories taken last night…

Blood Donation Drive @ SP

Shaun
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Blood Donation Drive @ SP
Blood Donation Drive at SP 03 May

🙁 Its another long 8am – 6pm day today at school today. Started with my dragging my feet into the lecture hall for a full morning of lectures, what else can I do but even think of donating blood at the end of the day? Held at the SP staff center, it was my 2nd time donating blood. The HSA volunteers were very kind & courteous, they just simply can’t stop thanking us for donating, its like we are really doing something great or like “heros” duh! Neither do they know that most students are donating for CCA points, but that is a tie-down between the students & the school anyway, with the HSA out of the equation. But I guess that helped alot on in-flux of donors to the staff center.

😯 Despite being a donor before, I still have to go through the long screening & registration process (up to 2 hours before being poked) even donning my donor card. I can understand the requirement for compulsory health screening on visit, but filling up of particulars? don’t the HSA have past donor info on their databases? *Hint*Hint*

😉 Donating was fast, with some interesting dramas happening around my immediate vicinity during my period of “draining” – Some feld dizzy/propped legs up, looked like they rode cockscrew 20 times in a row, waited like 2hours to donate only to learn that they can’t donate after they can’t locate a vein… pity them. Donation was fast & smooth for me, I even got a niffy blue bandage, chatted with the SP red cross volunteers about offers & qualifications they provide as a first aider, anyway, later do I know that my SAF first aid & CPR license can be converted to a civilian one quite easily if I join them. Moreover, if I have a driving license, I can even be an ambulance driver, (so as they require too). Duh!

My Biffy Armband!

🙂 I was greeted with another Fujitsu Laptop box back at home, this time its Sheena’s laptop which arrived today. Got about installing some programs for her before heading out for dinner at Redhill Market before cramping myself back in my room doing backups. This Fujitsu E series 8020 was purchased from Asiapac at a school discount rate offered to both SP, NYP & RP. The best deal from RP offering free upgrade to WinXP Professional, & bundled with Visual Studio 2005, Office 2003, not to mention anti-virus (which I don’t really need in place of norton) & niffy little anti ad/spyware programs installed. Anyway, anyone can buy laptops at the student rate as names & admin numbers are just needed for paperwork purposes. There are even groups on hardwarezone.com taking orders from the public to order the laptop as “students” for the extremely low subsidised prices. Nevertheless I did make 2 orders, one under my name as a rep in SP & the other through RP, being perfectly substitutable, I canceled my SP order & went for the RP one instead.

Took off my bandage only to see a small exit hole, surrounded by a 1cmX1cm light blueblack. I guess the most painful part of donating blood is not the needle, but the part when you have to pull the plasters off the wound without plucking any hairs off your arm!

Dinner at Annalakshmi

Shaun
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Dinner at Annalakshmi
Annalakshmi sign

Eat for free? these are the words which came through my mind after dining at Annalakshmi this evening. Whats more, this is the place where mum always wanted to dine at for the last month (which in turn resulted in 3-4 unsuccessful Hillstreet visits over the weeks). Uniquely, this is unlike any other restaurant. Firstly as it serves only indian vegetarian food & secondly, it is run all by volunteers. Whats the catch? – There are no prices on menu & you get to pay whatever amount you like! Furthermore, all proceeds will go in benefit for Charity. The spread is relatively good, though I will usually need double the usual serving portions to fill me up. Despite being purely voluntarily, the kitchen is hygienic with an ‘A’ grade in cleanliness. Service was fast, friendly & responsive, moreover the place is very well decorated & furnished with a rather indian palace ambience & distinctive aromatic scent.

No prices!
No prices!
Food served at Annalakshmi
Food served at Annalakshmi
Annalakshmi interior
Annalakshmi interior

The interesting thing is the bill payment part, where you can pay any amount you seem fit. Whats more, even Visa payment options are available though cash is often the popular mode of payment here.

😈 With this, Singaporeans often get to rear their ulgy head – With some paying only $10 for a table of 4. Heard from mum that there are even people paying $2 for a 3 pax full meal. We paid $30 in all for our table of 4 based of the quantity & dishes we ordered & would have even gave more if the food waiting time were to be shorter (Averaging 20mins per order). But its not as if the staff are not doing their job either, often seen frantically running in & out of the kitchen & serving guests during the peak hour dinner period, so I guess we can give & take on that. To avoid that, daily lunch is served buffet style, which will definately be more appealing.

I remembered having a hard time gauging how much to order as I usually base portion sizes off the price in the menu (which is obviously lacking in this case!). Food portions are generally half the standard servings I eat, so its was mostly doubles for me most of the time as a general guide. Food is of good texture & mostly served hot, (no cold dishes on my part). There is no cheap feel to it either, definitely a place to recommend for good indian vegetarian food with a unique twist.

:mrgreen: Now I wonder how will it be like if I were to bring my friends over to the place for dinner… will we empty the whole place upside down & pay only $1?

Evil us…

P.S First post on my T4020, whee!

Dinner at Ban Seng

Shaun
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Dinner at Ban Seng
Night at Singapore River

Was a Plaza Singapura to close a deal with a client on a school social networking site, headed to the Simlim area thereafter for lunch with my colleague Andy before dropping by Simlim square to shop for a speed ball & bluetooth module for my laptop. Andy wanted a CRT monitor for his friend who got a new computer but ended up going for an LCD after combing the whole of Simlim & considering that prices aren’t actually that different either.

Ultimately, the monitor purchase was held back due to delays in the delivery of the new Acer computer. Nevertheless I am looking to sell my current 17″ Viewsonic E70f+ Silver & Black Flatscreen CRT for at leat $60 + a Maxel Brand Screen Filter, which Andy might consider getting too. Currently my monitor is still retailing at $178 in Simlim Square presently, so I guess that quite a good offer I guess.

Interestingly, Mum is at it again with all our special evening Dinner, this time at an old restaurant called Ban Seng where we used to frequent, now moved near the Riverwalk area. But later do we know they moved again across the Anderson bridge to the Quayside night pub area. Near the spot where the very first Cyber Cafe opened in Singapore (& where I got to surf while still in primary school with cakes & drinks… thou there is not much difference to that & my habits presently).

Overall the food was ok till the fish dish came, the fish meat was bouncy & hard, though cooked. Like as if the fish was caught & cook while still tensed & contracted in shock. They refused to take the fish back so, a move they can make but won’t see us a a returning customer so soon either. So much for an early birthday celebration dinner for dad! Chilled out around the area (besides grocery shopping at cold storage thereafter.. duh) before calling it a night.

Computer Arrived! Day Driver

Shaun
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Computer Arrived! Day Driver
SP at noon, thru tinted class windows

Got a call from 8 flags Computers around 5.30pm on thursday afternoon which I missed (was in the gym during that time after school). Recapping, dad loaned me the car for today just in case I needed to drive to the store to collect it (so as after he found out the “interesting-ness” of bus commuting to work). So its very much a car commuting day me for to school. Called the store right at morning opening hour while still at school to confirm the order, yes indeed it had arrived, all spanking new from Japan, in one week too, my Fujitsu T4020. Strange that Sheena’s laptop order was placed earlier but had not arrived yet. Nevertheless, linked up with mum after my last class ending noon at school where we drove to NTU for yong tau foo lunch at Canteen B, followed by the collection of the laptop.

😯 The interesting thing is that 3% extra is charged when we pay by Visa, a payment mode preferred by mum for an expensive $3100+ laptop. Anyway, neither do we know finding ourselves almost emptying the NTU’s ATM machines just to draw out cash from both our accounts to pay in cash overall. Thank goodness the Progress Package came early, if not I would had definitely left a big hole in my account! Checked for dead pixels at Canteen B just outside the store, so as they have a policy not to do so in-store, weirdos. Anyway the initial boot & check was a success, no dead pixels & system functioning a-ok. Drove mum direct to work thereafter, as her bus fare there will be just as much as the ERP into the CBD anyway, then back home to open the bag of goodies.

My Fujitsu T4020

On top of the system, a lapmate thumbdrive, optical mouse & Fujitsu haversack was included as well. Marcomedia Studio 8 is in the package but have to be collected at a later date due to expired stocks. The interesting thing is the laptop haversack, out of the ordinary old traditional black laptop sling bags. This one definately not only looks contemporary, its also most importantly, discreet. Back at home, what else can I do but to get installing all my programs & benchmarking with 3D Mark 2001 & 2003. Scores are a little dingy at 5000 3D marks, but its a business work lappy anyway, so I guess its very much acceptable, just Doom 3 is largely out of the question. Nevertheless I love my new lappy!

:mrgreen: The afternoon was very much spent warming & customising the system, till the evening where Sheena & me drove to SGX to pick my mum from work, followed by dad. Dad’s working overtime so he caught us very much late at 8.30pm+ where we made our way to Red Lion Zhe Cha at Redhill Market for Dinner in place of the vegetarian buffet at excellor hotel near Hillstreet, or even the intended Zhe Cha at Zion Road food market. This time I can really say I took the car for the whole day, driving my family all around & finally back home at the end of the day. Man the millage… & man was I tried.. but otherwise happy with my new toy!

Knowing the class better

Shaun
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Knowing the class better
Mechanics II Class

It more than one week in class, & finally with updated news, our Mechanics Lecturer is actually our class tutor! Mr Goh Kim Seng is a contemporary stylish lecturer, who is well, not very much well-known in the looks department. But he sure is a good teacher and behaves really professionally as an educator, very unlike the standard stereotypical teachers at his age group.

Looking forward to him and his lectures to come!

There will be a blood donation drive going on in school, would be considering donating as 2 CCA points are awarded for successful donors. Details as follows:

A blood donation held on campus next week:

Date: 02 to 04 May 2006, Tuesday to Thursday
Time: 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Place: Vanda Room (Level 2 Staff Centre, next to the swimming pool)
Please bring along your NRIC or International Passport, 2 CCA points will be awarded to successful donors.

This will be my 2nd time donating blood, & the first time CCA points are actually awarded for donating in SP (The previous semester drive didn’t give CCA points. So no points no blood! too bad! wahahaha). Umm anyway, its also for the good & generous giving I guess? 😉 Now I just got to find my HSA blood donor’s record card for ease of the donating process.

CNC Machining Class

😈 One week & the heat is really coming up, if its not the lack of coolant in our CNC machining, its projects, presentations & homework piling up. The SAA called me up yesterday morning during class to confirm my nomination & application for the Nigaloo marine park research project on Whale Sharks in Australia. They gave the impression of very tough requirements needed to get into the research team. Shortlisted will be interviewed & must spot not only good attitude, but must be able to swim very effectively as well. The prestige is relative either, as selected will not only represent SP in a team of 3 out of the total 6 for the project but will be like an indirectly representation of Singapore, sponsored by NYAA & HSBC.

👿 With that aside, my phone’s short battery life is definitely getting on me, hope its a software drain or so as it can only last like 2 full days or normal usage, even if it’s a hi-capacity battery. Previously it can last like 4-5 days tops. & a single short call won’t reduce the battery by 50%. I was really hoping that my trusty Siemens SX1 can last me more another year or so.

🙄 2 Laptops still on the waiting list from Asiapac, but no word from them yet, though they said they would all me end of the month. Grrr why it takes so long for them to get laptops from Japan?

Band-Aid Weaving

Shaun
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Band-Aid Weaving

Weaving your Band-Aids not only keep them on for longer periods of time, but keeps your wounds clean & hygienic as well. & who else will think of such interesting – oh – I – never – thought – of – that improvements our japanese friends can think of!

:mrgreen: Its a very neat way to apply bandaids securely & cleanly on your fingers. It just a matter of splitting the tape end of the bandaid & fold to stick them according to your needs. Moreover its allows comfortable & secure application on finger joints – a troublesome spot for bandaid application. Watch the video to find out more!

Dinner at Holiday Inn

Shaun
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Dinner at Holiday Inn
Dinner at Holiday Inn Parkview

Saturday’s dinner was a Holiday Park Inn, where Mum treated for one of her clients in thanks for them their family purchased more than 3 units of land from her land banking job. What’s more, we are there too to join them as part of a dinner gathering as well.

Mum does Land Banking as a side job on top of her day job & I guess shes getting along quite well with it on the start. She does land banking with Walton International & is a Canadian based company who is known to offer very safe low-risk investment opportunities over a moderate short-mid term period. The way this works is buying raw land when its dirt cheap, let Walton put in the development plans & cash in on the exit when developers buy over the land, usually with at least 200% increase in value. Sounds simple? Yes moreover as raw land value can only go up, on the norm, you will never actually lose investment value with a cash out of at least the value you invested initially. The bad points are the relative large capital barrier to actually buy units of land at the start & cash pumped into the investment won’t be liquid for years (ready cash) till the exit procedure, when you “cash in”.

Holiday Inn Parkview

It had been sometime I’ve eaten at Holiday Inn parkview, being tucked in a corner from orchard road in the Cuppage area beside the CTE. Being an international buffet, you can very much expect the usual few like sushi, local, indian & western flavours, not a very big spread I say, focussing mainly on local dishes only. The Lor Mee section is self help & prata is self serve too.

There is no Seafood either, only variant are prawns & crabsticks seen mixed as cooked food or in salads, can’t ask much for about $35/head either. Overall the ambience is quite professionally done, service is not disappointing but otherwise not that impressive either. A good place to eat in good comparision to furama/alson hotel of similar budget caliber. Oh yea did I mention their ice cream is one of the richest I ever tried?

Thats definitely a plus to end the dinner as desert too!

Track Freshmen Meet

Shaun
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Track Freshmen Meet
Track & Field Booth

And there we have it the first week of school, all done with the CCA booths, scholarships applications & such. The scholarships are very hot this semester, with long queues & crowds for application submission in the SAA. Wish I can get it, (as I didn’t last year). Hope my results can at least bring me somewhere or at least a viable mean of removing some financial burden of some new purchases over the month & so. Overall the week ended quite in a manageable way, lots of design, homework & revisions up on the first week already due next week, not to mention presentations to give on the third week of school. Food-wise, my favorite Yong Tau Foo store at food court 3 changed tender again, this time from fried Kaka Yong Tau Foo to the regular fresh healthy versions now, very much a welcome & overall very much cheaper too (7 items + rice/noodle) about $2.20. But I guess it can’t beat NTU Food court B $1.60 Curry Yong Tau Foo.

Collected my Scuba Sea Card today at the Scuba club’s CCA booth, very much in hand with a NYAA (National Youth Achievement Awards) program. Initially I knew about the program coming around through the school intranet email.

NAUI Scuba Diver Card

Response wasn’t so good with no students signing up so far. Maybe that was a blessing in disguise when my classmate Khow Ming hinted me to join the conservation project, partly as he himself is in it as well. The project will be a 1 week project held during our term holidays, on the study of whale sharks in a lagoon western Australia, sponsored by NYAA themselves & HSBC, totaling $55,000 in all for 6 volunteers (3 from SP).

Basic requirements is the ability to swim at least 200m & skin dive to a depth of 5m, not something which I can’t do, being a Scuba Diver myself, I guess being a skin & Scuba Diver definitely gives an edge in the project, not to mention able to camp underwater for hours with gear on, together with my love for marine creatures as well. Ahh the harmony of interests… not it a matter being approved for it now… But not bad while others have to frantically go through nominations & paperwork to sign on the project, I got all of mine done within a few hours, efficient? Maybe because I know my resources…

The day ended with the first track training with the freshmen, where we seniors each have to take a group of about 6 freshmen, totaling about 6+ groups in all. Quite a healthy sum. We get to lead them all through the warm up run to the stretching process, drills & eventually having to compete in a friendly relay match. Strengthening exercises followed thereafter with proper cool down then a ending pep talk by coach before dismissal. Overall the attendance, though good, coach speculated that only about a handful like 30%-40% will only stay as regulars, the others more of less just “testing the water”. From the relays we can really tell who are the better & fitter runners, not to mention the probability of them staying, I guess all these can be rather uncharted as well.

Ordered my T4020

Shaun
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Ordered my T4020

Dad left the car with me again today! Why? cus I will be dropping my NTU to purchase my T4020, so transport is essential today, if you wonder what a T4020 is, just read my previous blog posts on it. Anyway, drove down to NTU from home with mum after breakfast to meet Shup Ping (aka Shuppedo) at the NTU innovation center where we made our way to 8 flags to place the order, they say it would be available in about 2-3 weeks time, hope it will be down in time for my presentations out in a few weeks time. Had lunch at the nearby Food court B, a bowl of yong tau foo (5 items) with noddle & curry soup for only $1.60! A record low price I may say.

Dropped mum off along the Clementi AYE bus stop where she could take a bus trip to work. So as she requested as there’s a direct bus from there to her workplace, so its kinda convenient for her to take a bus rather than me fetching her into the CBD which is ultimately more time consuming & costly. Also considering the possibility of me being late for class later in the afternoon by doing so. With that, I got the car for me for drive to school! Technically speaking, mum is just there to “foot the bills” otherwise a mobile ATM you may say, haha anyway how can I fork out like $3100 at one go? Of course not without the magic magnetic cards your parents have, oh well that if the facts are right.

Drive to NTU

The last time I drove Dad’s car was early this week, before that, was months ago. But I guess driving & handling are very much second nature to me now, you can afford not to drive for a few months & yet the controls & handling comes on very naturally, you don’t have to think how to change gears, revise foot paddle positions, etc which is good I think. The only thing bad is that I forgot some routes on the area I was travelling due to familar landmarks being removed due to road resufacing/painting, particularly around the BKE/KJE – PIE split on the highway from NTU, man was that part disorientating with a 4 lane highway suddenly splitting into 2 at the center!

Millege for today: Home – NTU – SP – Home – Dad’s workplace
I was almost tried of driving at the end of the day, so Dad took over the wheel after I more or less “brought the car to him” (where I picked him from work). Went to pick mum up from work before making our way for zee cha dinner at Red Lion coffee shop at Redhill Market. When its time to call it a day thereafter.

I recalled a section in class of our teacher explaining to us the personality aspects of left & right brainers, he even had a test for us to take to determine our active brain side. 18/20 in my class are left brainers, only the remaining 2, Khow Ming & Me are right brainers, is that bad?

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