Mid-exam selah

I'm now midway through the exam season that marks the end of my first year in university.

Information Technology Skills and Foundations of Entrepreneurship on Monday, TITAS on Tuesday, and Introduction to Science and Technology Policy and Management today.

Cell Biology tomorrow, Introduction to Environmental Philosophy on Friday, and Principles of Chemistry and Biology of Populations next Tuesday.

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It was Earth Day yesterday.


Went with Kee Aun to Salvation, Evangel and Swensen's, SS2.

From Salvation, I picked up 4Him's Encore... For Future Generations at a super price of RM12.50 (down from RM13.90 with Kee Aun's card).

From Evangel, Kee Aun bought The Naked Truth (on male sexuality) and a 30-day devotional following the lectio divina model.


And at Swensen's we Earthquaked!

The flavours, as vaguely as I can recall (hence names may be incomplete or even slightly incorrect) were Banana, Butterscotch, Frosted Chocolate Malt, Macadamia Nut, Mocha Chocolate, Orange Sherbet, Pistachio Almond and Strawberry.

Edit 5:14 p.m., 26 April 2008:
We were served by an extremely helpful waitress called Vani.


Then we went to Rachael's house just before 10.00 p.m. and spent a good part of the night talking to her sister Christine about studying in UM. I managed to finish studying for today's paper (including the Mahathir speech and the part on science and technology policy in the 9th Malaysia Plan), while Rachael squeezed in as much of her Pentaksiran as she could. I believe Kee Aun wasn't quite as successful. :-P

The night ended on a rather sour note, but then we patched things up.

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It is World Book Day today.


This morning we were all at the Faculty of Languages and Linguistics to offer Christine support. Surprise of surprises, we bumped into Audrey (Leong, former VI Choir Conductor) who was also there for the interview.

Spoke to some of the candidates including Rachael's churchmate Annabelle who spent her secondary years at BBSP (Li-Shia's school), a Sarawakian from Sibu called Kevin Tan who was rather shy and reminds me very much of myself a few years ago, and an environmental nut of a girl called Thanusha.

It was a really, really memorable morning. I will not undertake to recollect all the details. Whatever is important I believe we will always treasure in our hearts; whatever our hearts cannot contain, I believe God will remember and bring to our recollection when He reveals His purposes.

Christine was originally fourth-in-line, but due to some mix-ups/rearrangements, she ended up going in second-last. Rachael and I had to make our exeunt before 11.30 a.m. (Rachael went first before Kee Aun made a round back to send me to DTC before going off himself) so we didn't get to see Christine enter on her turn.


Was really pleased when Dr Thiru (my S&T Policy lecturer) commended my term paper. He, Ramin and I were walking back together (he to the Science Faculty, Ramin and I to the Library) when he said, and I quote loosely:

Dr Thiru: I really liked your essay, Benjamin. You should win the University Writing Award.
Ben: Is there such a thing?
Dr Thiru: No. (Laughs.) I should get it photocopied and put up for people to read.


Met E-Von who was waiting for her sister at the bus stop, William Ung (formerly of 3rd) beneath the tree, Ann Jie and Rachel as they were passing (wondering why I was wearing a blazer), and finally Grace and Rachael (who wondered the same).

Went to Mid Valley with Rachael where we spent lots of time in MPH and had lunch/tea at the Food Junction. She had sizzling yee mee while I had a teppanyaki set. Long conversation.

Saw this book in MPH featuring pictures of Walden Pond accompanied by Henry David Thoreau's writings. On a signboard at Walden are inscribed these words:

I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life. And see if I couldn't learn what it had to teach and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.

--Henry David Thoreau


Got back in time for dinner with Beverly and Wani at Sahur. Well, they had dinner and Wani packed food for Chian Ming. I had ais kacang.

Another great conversation, from which came this quote (in the context of talking about us being in UM and choosing to stay on in college):

"The grass is greener on the other side, but there is grass here!"

(Edit 10.25 p.m.: Incidentally Rachael claims she also said these words at the Food Junction. I can't remember; sorry Rachael!)


Kee Aun and I don't believe in those mass-produced lecture notes.

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Edit 5:12 p.m., 26 April 2008:

Here's what Google did on Earth Day...


And here's a screen shot from Yahoo!'s animation in which the red 'Yahoo!' transforms into green...