Riverie's World

Not in Singapore....

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 09:05:57 GMT

I post-phoned my trip so I will be back in another week or two.

Thanks to (wink: you know who you are) for giving me a warm welcome thinking that I am back in SG.

heh

Melbourne accommodation

Thu, 11 Feb 2010 15:08:51 GMT

I am asking this for a friend:

My friend is going to do a 2 months internship in RMIT. Does anyone knows of any affordable temporary accommodation in Melbourne for students? It can be campus accommodation, a home stay, apartment sharing anything.

The period of stay is from June to July (2 months).

For those who want to know...

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 15:48:52 GMT

ITINERARY

Departing:	Paris(CDG - Charles De Gaulle Terminal 1) on Sat, 27 Feb 2010, 1115 hrs
Arriving:	Singapore(SIN - Changi Intl) on Sun, 28 Feb 2010, 0700 hrs
Flight:	SQ333 (A380-800) Economy Class

Departing:	Singapore(SIN - Changi Intl Terminal 3) on Fri, 26 Mar 2010, 2355 hrs
Arriving:	Paris(CDG - Charles De Gaulle) on Sat, 27 Mar 2010, 0640 hrs
Flight:	SQ334 (A380-800) Economy Class

See you in SG soon!

Yeah so happy!!

Geez....

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 14:13:48 GMT

Susan Miller is so scary!

Needed: MACbook help!

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 10:42:14 GMT

My macbook has been behaving weird since Wed. I was watching DVD on it and when I change the screen to see if I have new emails, everything just froze. I force rebooted it and after the reboot, everything runs really really slow, except for the mouse cursor.

When i say slow, i mean that if i click on the "apple" logo at the top left hand corner, it takes about 1 min for the pull down menu to appear. And if i run the cursor over, say, "restart computer", it takes another one min for "restart computer" to be highlighted in blue. When i finally click on it, it takes about 5-10min to respond and shut down/ restart.

Does anyone know how to solve the problem?

I didnt make any updates recently (nor backups, arggh!!)

I read some online forums and they talk about using Activity Monitor to see which program is taking up the resources. How do I open Activity Monitor?

Writer's Block: Mobile etiquette

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 14:20:03 GMT

Do you get offended if someone repeatedly checks their mobile phone when you're out for lunch or dinner? If so, do you usually say something?

Submitted By alexthaleo

View 893 Answers

I'll get somewhat annoyed (especially if there's just the 2 of us) and I might casually ask if he/ she is expecting a call.

Writer's Block: Leftovers of leftovers

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 09:58:38 GMT

What's the most unusual food you have ever eaten? Have you ever consumed anything without knowing precisely what it was and gotten sick when you found out?

Submitted By 8aimee8

View 810 Answers

The comb of the rooster, and chicken meat, both in sashimi style (uncooked), in a Japanese restaurant. I felt queasy even when eating it, but i was feeling adventurous.

Fugu fish sashimi.

Bee larvae omelet.

I guess i am quite brave when it comes to food! lol

Happy Birthday Newton!

Mon, 04 Jan 2010 01:14:07 GMT

interesting, his birthday falls on 4th Jan, the day we go back to work this year.

As his famous first law of motion says... an object remains in constant motion or at rest unless acted upon by an external force.

I must be the object at rest. :X

Did Newton also mention that inertia is a bitch? :P

Happy Holidays!!

Mon, 04 Jan 2010 00:47:34 GMT

Happy holidays + new year 2010 everyone!!

Just got back today. Over the past 2 weeks I ate and slept and ski...and received presents. Any nicer way to spend time than this?

I had so much food i thought of going vegetarian. lol

I slept so much my back aches. And I ski so much my back aches too... and my legs... and my shoulders...everywhere! but it was sooo fun! I am definitely a better skiier than I am a snow-boarder.

Back to work tomorrow... bleah!

Istanbul

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 00:20:01 GMT

this is the Istanbul airport dutyfree shop. I am very impressed by the wine counter and floor-to-ceiling display. Actually i posted this just to reactivate/ test my photobucket. :p

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 11:17:45 GMT

It's snowing! First snow in Toulouse!!

It's beginning to feel very christmas-y.... and damn, I feel an urge to go shopping....!

Laughter of the Day

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:26:55 GMT

You know hor, my translator is quite... erm...how should i say it...dim... or careless.

I wrote an email to ask for a quote for translating my driving license into French. As usual, I signed off the email with my name. My emails has, by default, a footer which cites a quotation which I like which says:

--
Discoveries are often made by not following instructions, by going off the main road, by trying the untried.

-- Frank Tyger

I got a reply from the translator which goes... "Dear Mr Frank Tyger, ...."

LOL LOL

paradox

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 23:11:39 GMT

how is it possible that i am so happy and so sad at the same time?

The Office: Version Japanese

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 20:10:56 GMT

Accurate portray of the Japanese office.

Yes, the girls do talk and laugh like that. LOL

I died laughter watching this. And the morning exercises....

For an explaination of the language (and acting), read this.

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Dune du Pyla

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 12:15:38 GMT

Dune du Pyla:

This is one of the most magnificent places I've ever visited in Europe, and i thought it is worth an entry. Check out the photos on my FB!

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=102086&id=523672853&saved#/photo.php?pid=2462519&id=523672853

It is the first dune I've ever visited and it is indeed breath-taking!

Quickie

Mon, 07 Sep 2009 08:26:18 GMT

Recently, in Scandinavia, i spent quite a bit on clothes. *blush*

May i introduce to you 2 of my recent loves:

Vera Moda / Sweden (this one is old love actually)
http://www.veromoda.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/TopCategoriesDisplay?langId=110&storeId=13601&catalogId=10201

St Tropez/ Danmark
http://www.sainttropez.com/aw09/_content/00_home/cont_flash.html

If HK is the weekend shopping getaway for Singapore, then Copenhagen is probably the equilvalent for France. But we also have Spain which is like going to JB for shopping. LOL

Hello!

Fri, 15 May 2009 20:36:21 GMT

Been MIA for quite while.... Not much time to update my blog. Been traveling much.

Last weekend i was in Genova, Italy, this weekend I am going to Sete (seaside beach village south of France). Next week I will be in Munich. Two weeks ago I was in Bordeaux. On weekdays I am working of course. Life has been good!

Just dropping by to say Hi, and if you crave photos, check my Facebook. =)

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/profile.php?id=523672853&ref=profile

For Sale

Wed, 25 Mar 2009 12:11:16 GMT

Paige Denim
Roxbury Crop Skinny Jean
Size 32 (shopbop.com says this jean runs small)
Brand new with tags
Recently bought from Shopbop.com
Asking for 50 euros (S$100) plus postage from France

Description
Leave it to a former denim fit model to make a super-flattering skinny. Ankle-length denim pant with 5-pocket styling and single-button closure. 12"" opening at skinny leg. 7"" rise. 28"" inseam. 98% cotton/2% spandex. Wash cold. Made in the U.S.A.

More pictures here.

This picture below shows the exact one I am selling.

If interested, please drop a note by this weekend. Merci!

Bonjour!

Thu, 08 Jan 2009 09:08:00 GMT

Bonjour de France!

It has been quite sometime since i last updated. oops.

I have been in France for almost 2 months now and it has been so fun i hardly find time to sleep. :p

yesterday, it started snowing heavily in my city. As we are in the south-west, the weather is milder and it usually snows for a few days a year, and when it snows, the snow melts right away. But yesterday it was snowing and snowing and by the time i came out from my pilates classes 1 hour later, there was a good 5cm of snow on the ground already. As the city's people are in general not used to so much snow, the cars were moving very very x100 slowly (i walk faster than they drive; if you know my speed (or lack of) of walking, you'll comprehend ;p). Some roads were so covered that i couldnt recognize which is the road and which is the sidewalk. But i decided to walk instead of taking a bus, which was a good choice because the buses stopped operating even until this morning. (i almost fell down 146 times walking to
work today - it's a wonder i can be here typing).

It became even more dramatic when i reached the street where i live, which is on a gentle hill. There was a major traffic congestion there, as cars were ramming their engines, the wheels were spinning like mad, but the cars are not moving up the slope. It was quite funny ( i am sure the driver disqgree with me). Those that are able to inch up the slope, they looked like there were skating. People were pushing the 'cannot make it' cars off the road out of the way like one would push a trolley. At the top of the hill, there was almost no traffic and people were ice skating on the roads!

My roof window (what is the proper name for those windows in the ceiling, on the roof of the house?) is all covered with snow. The fragranced candles I bought from Zara Home keeps my room nice and cosy. :)

Dounut on Stilts

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 16:02:52 GMT

Getting ready to go out today, I put on my ex-favourite pair of white strappy sandals. I took 2 steps and felt instantly like dounut on stlits... really wobbly. I checked the heels and they are only 2".

Woah, this is what 2 years in Japan did to me. I got so used to wearing flats that I find it difficult to walk even in 2" heels! But I have never felt so tall in a long time. :)

Cameltoes

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 13:37:06 GMT

I was watching SouthPark and they talked about cameltoes.

What the hell are cameltoes, I thought.

Oh! That!

Am I slow? Who knows what a cameltoe is without googling, put up your hands.

Tagged by Bluesotong

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 06:20:26 GMT

RULE #1 People who have been tagged must write their answers on their blogs and replace any question that they dislike with a new question formulated by themselves.

RULE #2 Tag 5 people to do this quiz and those who are tagged cannot refuse. These people must state who they were tagged by and cannot tag the person whom they were tagged by continue this game by sending it to other people.

1. Do you have secrets?
Not major ones, but yes. In general, my life is like an open book.

2. Would you fall in love with a boy younger than you?
I've been infatuated with one before, does that count? ;-P

3. Do you enjoy going to school?
The grass is always greener on the other side.

4. What would you do with a billion dollars?
Invest, renovate my apartment (one can only dream right? I don't have a permanent apartment at this time), go on holidays

5. Will you fall in love with your best friend?
Possibly

6. Which is more blessed, loving someone or being loved by someone?
Being loved by someone who you loved. - Great answer, Blursotong!

7. List five favorite movies.
Not really into movies since I moved to god-forsaken land...

8. Favourite sports activity?
Recently, tennis.

9. Is there anything that has made you extremely happy?
As I get older, it takes more to make me extremely happy. Maybe I am getting more demanding. Or maybe I am getting more retarded, because I always feel blessed and happy on hindside, when i recall the memories.

10. Do you have any regrets?
Yes, a couple. But nothing that consumes me.

11. How would you see yourself in 10 years time?
Successful and happy, hopefully?

12. Who are currently the most important people to you?
- mum

13. What kind of person do you think the person that tagged you is?
- sweet
- down-to-earth

14. Would you rather be single and rich or married but poor?
Single and rich

15. What is your favourite colour?
black, white, and recently, grey. Maybe pink but I am slowly weaning off it.

16. Would you give all in a relationship?
Yes

17. If you fall in love with two people simultaneously, who would you pick?
The one my heart goes 'ohhh....no" for if I pick the other one.

18. What are the top five countries on your 'to-go' list?
- South America (ok, i'm cheating here. I've been to Rio de Janeiro and I loved every bit of it!)
- Portugal
- Spain
- Russia
- Egypt

19. Do you prefer being single or having a relationship?
Probably being in a relationship

Tagging these people:
anyone who wants to do this.

daydreaming...

Sat, 04 Oct 2008 06:58:10 GMT

All I want for X'mas is a French-English electronic dictionary.

:)

OUCH

Sat, 04 Oct 2008 01:29:04 GMT

I just electrocuted myself when working on my high-voltage high-vacuum chamber. A sudden and strong jolt on my right thumb passing right through my body to my left hand.　　Never in my life have I been electrocuted so strongly before.

Thank goodness I am still alive.

Lack of updates because I have been super super busy at work. It is a lucky day for me if I can squeeze out 5 hours for sleep. Last week I was in Tokyo, Hakone and Yokohama with J and in 2 weeks I'll be off to Matsue for a conference. Then 1 week after that it'll be bye bye Japan and hello Singapore and France. Imagine the packing I have to do, which is not happening because my awake hours are all spent in the lab. :(

Osaka Part 2

Fri, 12 Sep 2008 07:12:22 GMT

You know they always say that academics are poor. They're not joking.

The most crowded place during the conference is where there is free lunch. Some companies organise lunchtime talks to make advertisments about their products. In exchange for our time, they lure us with free lunch boxes, limited to 400 a day (there was >2000 participants at the conference), exchangable only with the lunch coupon issued on the morning of the talk. I hardly think anyone of those people collecting the free lunch were interested in what the companies were selling.

It was near the end of the conference. People were already leaving and there was not so many people at the lectures anymore. Suddenly, at lunch time, a big crowd gathered... coupon in hand... anticipating... with one goal in common...

Free lunch box!

apart from the rice which is like a brick, it is really quite scrumptous!