Images of Fall

A scene from Lord of the Rings

Photo of the day

Nature's way of smiling...

Of IRELAND

'7 years ago, I prepared for UPSR...no problem. Then, I sat for PMR...ok, can manage. SPM came after that...shoot, this is challenging. A-levels, give me a break...Medicine...you gotta be kidding me...coughs, chokes on phlegm....drops dead on floor.'

It's officially week 5 of my course in Trinity College Dublin, so far so good. Interestingly enough, there are not many Asians in Dublin compared to in the UK. In my class of 173 students, there are around 40 international students. 16 Malaysians, 14 Canadians, 6 from the USA and another four from countries like India, Switzerland and China. We've had some pretty interesting lecturers, each with distinct teaching methods. Some of them tend to engage with the student audience more than the others. Others just make the students fall asleep.

Our classes are held in the spanking new Biomedical Sciences Institute. With all the modern facilities a medical student can dream of. The dissection theater is top notch, equipped with high definition cameras and large plasma displays. I can't tell you much about the dissections because I've agreed to keep things confidential. In physiology labs, we operate medical equipment via Macs. Awesome isn't it?

The medical course is demanding, many students break down midway...not that I've seen any. You fail your first year exam, you'll have to repeat the year. Pay another 30k Euro. Unlike the A-levels in which we were guided and monitored, University life is different. No one cares whether or not you attend the lectures, don't attend, and risk missing out on some really important teachings. Then you'll suffer in misery trying to understand that simple concept. 

The weather in Dublin is extremely unpredictable, one minute it rains, the next minute, sun comes out. When it rains, it RAINS! Plus the wind, it will give the average warm blooded Malaysian the chill of his or her lifetime. The other day I was riding my bicycle, and the wind blew me off the pavement. Imagine that! Just this week, major parts of town were submerged in ankle deep water, tram services were cancelled and many people fell sick. 

Plenty of Chinese/ Malaysian restaurants around town. Prices here are significantly different. 9 Euro for a plate of Nasi Lemak, no way. If you want to survive in Dublin, you'll have to do a lot of home cooking. Some things are cheaper here compared to back home, but rarely. 

That's all for now folks, stay tuned for more, Cheers!

Castle

New Beginning

 I set foot on new grounds, unfamiliar sights and sounds...

 ...setting aside all fears and anxieties, going against the flow, defying the odds...

 Pubs, beers, cheers, they come hand in hand...'Guinness' being the key word.

 In this place, old meets new, double-Decker buses streaming everywhere!

Here, Coffee reigns supreme

...and so begins, my life in Dublin, cheers!

The Beginning of the End?

Today, I browsed through my own blog. I haven't been posting in recent times.

In the comment box, I saw this...

Guest: Update please

And so, this anonymous 'guest' deserves some return for his/her efforts.

For the past month Starbucks has been my second home. I was preparing for a gap year.

 Why I chose Starbucks?
1. Free Coffee
2. I get to improve my interpersonal skills
3. learn how to make a good cup of coffee
4. Try out something I will never get to do for the rest of my life

 Spot the Grande mugs...

Top secret syrups...extremely concentrated. May prove fatal to diabetics.

Thermometer to ensure perfection of steamed milk.

Many friends took up higher earning jobs such as data entry, working in some financial firms, working as clothes salesperson etc. One friend pointed out the hassles of being in the food business. Getting messy was one thing, serving the ignorant and bashful customers was another. What they do not understand is that I'm not working for the money, I am here to learn. Enough said, the Starbucks journey was good despite me having to do closing shifts most of the time.

Most unforgettable moments in Starbucks:
-Hey, you have teh tarik arh?...yes we do, we call it black tea latte.
-One hot Milo please...only signature hot chocolate here
-One Cappuccino without foam....WTF, you mean a flat white?
-One Cappuccino...turns out they wanted a Frappuccino.
-during the Raya season...tons and tons of customers, it was like they didn't have to pay a sen for their drinks, bloody rich people!

I shall now educate you on the different types of customers:
-the first timers, stares at menu blankly, does not know what to order, usually depends on baristas suggestion
-old china men, gei wo yi ge hei kafei!
-regular customers, come almost everyday, baristas know their customised drink by heart
-Mainland Chinese tourist, babbling, noisy, thinks Starbucks is a market
-Hongkies, generally fussy, rich looking, also noisy.
-Singaporeans=Hongkies + mainland chinese + a tons of Kiasu-ism.
-Dickheads trying to act smart...dunno what they are ordering...stuck up!
-Baristas from other Starbucks branches...this one you must beware off
-Mat Salleh - they know what they want, usually order hot drinks


The gap year was almost certain, I registered for UKCAT(an aptitude test for admission to UK universities). I already rewrote my personal statement, all ready to apply to UK for the 2012 intake. Then one day, I received a phone call from IUMC(agent in charged of Irish Consortium of Universities), they had a vacant seat for one more medical student in Trinity College Dublin. I applied for this particular university earlier in the year, but got rejected. I did not know whether to jump for joy or remain silent. All these happened less than a month ago. You can imagine the amount of preparation and forms to fill in that short time span. As I type, I am halfway through sorting out my luggage, trying to fit all the medical textbooks and clothes into the many bags.

This month, many people will be flying overseas to further their studies to countries such as the UK and US. Many others got places in local IPTAs such as MU, USM, UKM...All the best to you guys and I hope to see you soon in the near future...Always remember, when you are over there, you are carrying the Malaysian flag, never forget your roots and do come back home for that occasional bowl of Asam laksa...

In Tribute to the Yellow Warriors

 

"Bersih seems more successful in uniting Malaysians from all walks of life in 3 weeks than 1Msia tried to do in the last 3 years."

Help me...win!

Everyone, I need your favours. I entered this logo design competition organised by the government. I was required to design a logo for our county's up and coming MRT project. Grand prize is RM10,000! I need all of you to like my entry.
It's one of the only green ones, underneath says posted by KIN MUN. I also posted a red and blue version...like them too!

To vote, you have to log in, but this only takes less than a minute! CLICK HERE!

 

LOGO RATIONALE

This logo for the 'My Rapid Transit'  applies the ease and friendly nature of their vision and priorities within the Transport sector. The colors used are a soft blue and a darker blue. The soft blue demonstrates a friendly, well balanced and caring company, while the darker blue reveals the more stable and functional priority of the company’s vision. Below the initials of the company - which stress the name of the company for ease of remembering for the audience - are two arrow looking shapes pointing in opposite directions which represent the MRT commuters moving rapidly.

A slanted and bold 'Avantgarde' font is applied for the initials of the company, giving it a sense of vision. The graphics used are kept as minimal as possible so that the logo is pleasing to the eye and not too aggressive.

Messing Around with Photoshop-colour selection

Making Dark Images Look Better

For people who do not own SLRs like myself, Photoshop can help improve image quality significantly. For underexposed shots like the one below,  use shadow/highlights or levels to brighten up the image. Then increase the vibrancy to make the image look 'prettier'. Images like these are very noisy. Use the smart blur tool to minimize this noise. Careful not blur the image too much as this will reduce the detail of the image.

More About Colours
By tweaking the the colours of this plant using the selective colour option  under adjustments we can give a surreal Avatar-ish effect to a normal looking plant. Also try to adjust the levels of the image...see what turns out best for you. Happy trying!

Important note: There is no right or wrong in Photoshop...as long as the final product turns out great, then you good to go!

The last four months...

A roller-coaster ride. That's how I would describe the last 4 months.
For the first 3 months of the last 4 months, books and past year papers became my staple. I had revision notes for lunch and dinner.

 My daily routine for the 3 months:
-wake up
-attend class
-lunch
-homework
-dinner
-revision
-sleep

The A2 exams lasted for less than a month. Surprisingly, it felt longer than that. Some people, a majority which includes myself,  tend to eat more during the exam season. Some of my friends experienced noticeable horizontal growth throughout this period. Fortunately for me, I swim on and off, no weight added.

Exams over, everybody planned their class trips and celebrations. Sweet victory at last! My class did initially plan a trip to Langkawi, but due to budget constraints and certain complications, we had to abort the 'mission'. I came to a compromise and suggested a Malacca trip instead. Thankfully, almost the whole class came for the trip. I glad they had fun in my hometown, trying out the cheap food and visiting the famous landmarks. Hurrah!

I always believe pictures tell a better story than words. Here are some moments I captured using my camera.

I came face to face with this metal cup. The UEFA Champions League trophy.

Had Jogoya Japanese buffet for the first time with friends. Food was so so, not as good an Tenji in my opinion. But all was worthwhile because we were entitled to the buy one free one offer.

Harvest Generation Churchhad it's first large scale Easter musical 'The Velvet Rabbit'. More than 450 people attended the event and it was a huge success.
never expected the play to turn out so well! It was held at Taylor's lakeside.

Had Chemistry practical for the last time.

 Biology practicals for the last time with Ms. Irma

My push towards the exams. I'm a very last minute person. Imagine finishing up 10 years of pass year just two days before the exams. Hoping for good results...they're not out yet. I'll find out this August.

First time on board a KTM commuter. A group of friends invited me to come join their Taiping trip.Overall, it was a memorable experience, not because Taiping had great food and all, but because I got the opportunity to witness a side of Taiping previously not known to me. i appreciate the host for having us around and allowing us to stay at her mansion for a couple of nights.

One word to describe the sceneries at Taiping lake, 'Breathtaking'

Became tour guide for 2 days. Brought my classmates around the historical city of Malacca.

Group photo with classmates from college. Although the A-level course was just 1.5 years, I made a lot of good friends. Worthy enemies also....just joking.

A year ago, I caught a glimpse of my elder brother's Triple A Ceremony, an annual event every Sunway A-level student is required to attend, also our 'Graduation Night/Prom". Before I knew it, my turn came. A splendid night indeed with great food and good company, everyone was at their best. That night was also the last time I saw most of my friends.Farewells were bound to take place.

'There will always be a time for meetings and a time for separation. 

It is what we make of these times that will change a portion of our lives forever, 

for better or for worst.'

 View of Lagoonview Condominiums from my room.

  I packed my room, which was initially in this state. JUNKYARD

My cupboard collapsed, lucky for me...the doors supported the rest of the frame.I survived. The cleaning up and packing took me a whole day. I didn't realize I stored so much junk in my room. Many dilemmas during packing, to throw or not to throw. In the end, haiyah! Throw everything-lah.

Emptiness.

Last cell group meeting for me. Don't be mislead by the number of people here in this picture. U5 cell has grown tremendously over the pass few months, with the number currently standing at 27.

I'm so fortunate to have been sent to Sunway College to pursue my pre-U studies, meeting new people,and learning to be more independent. Now that it is over, I can finally come back to Malacca and have a much awaited rest. Next step is university life, hopefully I'll be able to secure a place in a reputable university taking this pre-U experience as a stepping stone for what's to come in the future.

END OF POST

 

I'm now in my third semester of A-levels. Will find it harder to update this blog. My maths teacher just reminded me the other day not to take things for granted. Just because I got an A in my AS doesn't mean I'll do equally as well in A2. As for now, I'll be busy preparing for my mock. With the new semester, I see many new A level students coming in. It doesn't seem too long ago that I stepped foot in Sunway College, but time really flies. Already a year! In another three months, and I'll finish my A2...Won't have time to blog anymore from now on. There no such thing as a free lunch, I will thus have to sweat it out on my study table. To all January or March 2010 A-level students out there, this will be our final push, the finishing line is near. Work hard, and who knows you'll earn yourself that lunch!

Y-Ear of the Labbit!

Yup, it's officially the year of the Rabbit everyone...the little cunning creature makes a comeback after twelve long years. Melaka experienced one of the longest rains in history, imagine three days on non stop downpour. Just when I thought the wetness was going to remain, suddenly on the eve of CNY, the sun decided to drop by. As the saying goes, better late than never. This year, I celebrated my Chinese New Year in Petaling Jaya. My grandmother finally got fed up Seremban for some unknown reason. Celebrating in PJ also means lesser time taken to travel up north to Ipoh later on.

This CNY I promised myself a few things:
- not to be to greedy when eating
- finish all my homework
- do some revision
- respect my elders more
- learn to appreciate the real meaning of CNY
- catch up with secondary school classmates
- polish up my driving skills

1.Not being greedy when eating
I have the tendency to overeat during Chinese New Years. Reason is, I get too overwhelmed when good food is presented to me. In my previous mega encounter with CNY food, I gained 3 kilos in just 2 days. This year however, I've decided to control myself. When you first dig in to quality food, no doubt you'll feel good, but after a while, taking in large quantities of food can make you feel sick. The problem with me? Well, I don't know when to stop!

 How can I not be greedy with so much choice? You tell me LAR!

 The biggest Yee Sang mankind has even seen!

2. Finish my homework
Let's not talk about homework shall we...to be honest, I just finished my mathematics assignments just a few hours ago. Way behind schedule.


3. Do some revision
I never did revise, was busy the whole of last week including preparing for my IELTS test!


4. Respect my elders more
I personally think I tried my best to do so. No more hearing these phrases from my mother:
"Say hello to aunty lah!"

5. Appreciate the New Year
When I was young, mention Chinese New Year to me and I'll start thinking of the red packets of money-ang pao. Not anymore, my mindset has changed. 2 ringgit ang pao, 5 ringgit ang pao they are all the same. Psst...only 50 ringgit will make a difference. Just kidding. This season is a time of reunion, getting together, catching up with one another. For some of us, it's the only time of year in which we can meet up with the rest of our family members.

Ang Pao collection

6. Catch up with secondary school classmates and friends
Before heading off to PJ, I joined a group of secondary school classmates for buffet dinner at Carry On steamboat. It's been ages since I caught up with them, so it was really nice to see them. After Ipoh, I managed to squeeze in a couple of badminton games with the former badminton gang! So good to be playing quality games at cheap rates back in my hometown. My college classmate Fong Zheng also had a new year party at his house. Huge house I tell ya.


7. Polish up driving skills
No car in Sunway never mind. Most importantly, go back to hometown can drive. I did a lot of driving back in Melaka. My younger brother suffered from a torn ankle ligament so I had to fetch him to school. I became the family driver for the week. 

The car I drove most. It suffered a heart attack recently and has to go for a  major by-pass.


Random images:

Small red lantern makes a big impact to the surrounding gloom.

My auntie's new house. It's considered good luck to have lions visit your house for Chinese New Year to rid all the bad luck.

 Cabbage plays a pivotal role in the lion dance ceremony

 Never seen a lion stretch like this before...

 Firecrackers...bloody loud!

 Lovely orange-pamelo conjured out by the lion dance troupe!

 Drinks stock for the thirsty.

Paper fans made from ang paos by my yee poh

 First experience with 孔明灯 thanks to some college mates

Mandarin orange eating competition held by this year's A-level committee board.

College level lion dance performance

This Chinese New Year was great, looking forward to a better one next year!

THE END