The weekend of Mambo and Roskilde

Okay, just printed more pics, anyone else wanna complain they're not up on my wall? I need to leave space for my Amsterdam trip this weekend, as well as the Easter break. Shoots. It was meant to come as a surprise. Oh well, you'll know sooner or later when I don't update my blog for some time. Mr D I believe you know where to find yourself...and if I haven't sent you that pic from Commencement 2005 yet, please remind me to. To Lia, I couldn't find a nicer pic (of me with you) so I took the one at Mezannine where I was intentionally looking away from the camera. Heh.

Anyway I had been busy with several things lately, partly the Dynamics of Machinery project (which I really haven't done anything for because I was trying to introduce myself to MATLAB first before I can keep up with the rest), as well as late night meetings with the other Singaporeans to discuss the "grand" Europe trip we all have in mind for June/July. The initial plan drafted out by Grace was remarkably ridiculous considering how we zip around half of Europe in a zig-zag fashion, but it was based on the cheap flights (on average 30-40 Euros per leg, including taxes). In "retaliation" I proposed an alternative route, which made more sense since it covered a slightly circlular path so we don't spend more time on the plane than on the ground. But we haven't yet finalised anything, and we're only planning such stuff early so as to capitalise on cheap flights, like how we did in January for this coming Easter break. And transport is only a third of the battle procedure, the other 2 include finding afforable accomodation, and researching places of interest.

But in every project or planning committee, etc, there will always be leechers. It's a joke SY, don't take me seriously! Ooops. Don't worry, Grace, YH and I will do a good job, you just flash your Platinum at the right time can already. Heh. Luckily your easy-going and accomodating nature makes things easy too. Feel better already? Heh.

Anyhow, let me not digress.

Friday night was the first time DTU held a party in Building 208, themed "Disco Night". After pizza and lasagne in my container, all of us headed to check out what a DTU party was like. What I was impressed with was the enthusiasm of the students who came dressed up with retro-hairdos (some even had combs stuck in their afro-styled hair) and glittery tops. Imagine holding a party in between LT 7a and Engin Auditorium back in NUS, with the security counter turned into some "drinks-dispensing bar area" and peusdo-Mambo music playing from temporary speakers placed strategically to get your feet grooving. Higly unlikely or even impossible in NUS. Even NUSSU's Jam-And-Hop at Forum doesn't get us dancing/drinking. People just have an immense amount of eye-power and critique what's happening on stage and with the organisers.

On saturday (despite lack of sleep), I woke up at 9 to meet YH, Daren and Grace, who planned on going Roskilde and Hillerod in a day. Roskilde used to be where the Viking Ships and all originated, whereas Hillerod offered a sight of the Frederiksborg Castle (however we only reached Hillerod in the evening after 6.45pm, so we pretty much rushed to the castle perimeters where we snapped a few shots, and then "fast-marched" back to the station to hop on the train back to Lyngby while our tickets still retained it's time validity.) Had it not been for me and my Canon Powershot, we wouldn't have gotten such a nice picture in extremely poor-lit conditions. What looked like this on most cameras
looked like this when I set my manual settings to a 6 seconds exposure and 3.2 F-stop. Oh before you start the applause, I think I also deserve some credit for the excellent pizzas I made on Sunday night. And it was from first principles, ie, flour! Thanks to Fili who taught me, Grace for donating her can of tuna, and Chang's can of pineapples. I was highly motivated to serve a piping hot tray of pizza without it being overburnt that I suffered a slight burn in my palm when taking out the tray from the oven. Why didn't anyone take pictures?!?! Just cos the photographer himself is busy doesn't mean you can slack! Grrr. No more pizzas people!

*pats back at this moment in time, bows for applause*

Right. I knew you'd say I'm being narcissistic again. Sometimes I wonder how someone like me could get used to be being used. No one really understands anymore. They just see how colourful the surface is and neglect who or what lies inside. *shrugs*

On one hand I miss you UCC peeps, all the events and post-event suppers, on the other hand I almost forgot how to roster duties and even feel our new "management" is a turn-off for me to return to UCC to work. The looming possibility of dropping everything I've built up seems all too easy, and migrating even popped into and out of my mind last night when the Singaporeans here were discussing how Singapore will die once our northern neighbours build their side of the bridge (leaving our southern ports less attractive to stopover), or when our "first-class" airport doesn't hold it's title anymore.

Enough brooding. Time to get back to MATLAB and understanding the unfathomable. Sorry for the laziness for the comments in the pics. It gets tiring after a while, that you should know. Hope to blog again before I leave on Friday to Amsterdam for the weekend. Cheers~!

http://ableabel.myphotoalbum.com/view_album.php?set_albumName=album15

Oh by the way, Happy Belated Birthday SueAnn! Please wake Pingggg up and collect your presents from my house soon hor. I better not find it lying around when I get home. Heh. Happy Birthday to Koko too!