Flash Countdown

Looking at the pics I took in Amsterdam, I realised..that maybe I really do look old. I'll blame it on the many late nights, long working hours and lack of a healthy lifestyle.

BOOHOOOOO.

A couple of weeks ago, a male colleague guessed my age as around 24-25.

Today, a female colleague guessed my age as around 24-25.

Hmm…… Is it the way I dress/walk/talk/act? Do I look matured….old?

It’s just like how very often that people would reckon I’m older than my older sister Tif. She’s 23, I’m 21. (well regarding this one, most pple tell me I look more matured than Tif… maybe cos she’s the jumpy airy fairy kind).

Haha… Or is it because they are expecting a person who’s gonna start their phd soon to be around the age of 24-25? No idea…

Oh please, I don’t wanna look like 24-25. Cos Ev looks younger than his actual age. If I look like 24-25, I’d look like I’m 10 years older than him. NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

Dad and I will be MIA for a couple of days....actually, we dont really know where we're going. But we're going somewhere... It's really last minute planning. But most probably to Switzerland via Luxembourg and back to Antwerp via Frankfurt.... Just maybe...

Have a good holiday everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :):):):):):)))))))))))))))

nnananaaa

I'm very thankful for the many angels I've been blessed with. My family near and far or no longer tangible. My friends, and the kind souls I've crossed path with some way or another at some point or other in my life who's left imprints in my heart, happy memories or less jovial ones, you've made me who I am today. Everyone who have been/are/will be close to my heart. Thank you for guiding me throught my journey to discover what is life, love, forgiveness, understanding, tolerance, patience, compromise, kindness, hope... there's still plenty to learn.

I was chatting with Ev today. He made the point that medical professions, be it bedside or benchtop (clinical or experimental research), is comparable to people trying to play God.

What's with medicines and groundbreaking therapies. Why do we seek treatments, why pop that pill to ease that headache. What's meant to be? What's not? Is a baby fated to be born deaf, blind, dumb, having hours to live? Not be able to live, learn, love, meet its parents, go to school, play with other kids, eat ice cream, go to the playground with its grandparents, learn to tie shoe laces, fall in (puppy) love, grow up.... Who are we to judge what's meant to be? Or perhaps its meant to be, or God meant us to be able to come up with all these technological breakthroughs, to decode the secret of life, to relieve our loved ones' pain...........

Am I trying to play God by doing biomedical research. Whats the aim. What's the purpose of all these? I am interested in neuroscience. What for....why why why. I want to know where all these emotions and thoughts and feelings come from. So what? So what if we find the miracle cure for heart disease? We brought it upon ourselves didn't we? What happened to the saying prevention is better than cure? So what if know the complete pathways of neural connections within our puny mass of lipids, liquids and proteins that we call our brains. So what if we know how to create new organs within the laboratory? A new heart of gold for ours are too tainted? A new listening ear so we can finally listen? A new liver because we've already damaged ours beyond repair with all the alcohol and junk we drown ourselves in?

So what if.......what if...so...

What is naught? And what is form? How do we know how to use the knowledge we have. What is right? What is wrong?

I'm getting too.................................................. pessimistic. Haha...sorry.

Perhaps...science is good, as long as we don't abuse it. But where to draw the line leh?!?!??!?!??????????

Since I told Mr B, my beloved supervisor, a few months ago that I'm going to Belgium, he's been real green with envy. As you may very well be aware, Belgium is "das bierland". And Mr B, being the beer fanatic, placed a long order with me. 9 beer glasses, namely Karmeliet(2), Orval, Duvel, Rochefort, Duinen, Grottenbier, Chimay and Lindeman's Kriek. On top of that, he had and I quote "one absolute burning desire", 4 bottles of Abbay of Saint Sixtus Westvleteren ^12 (which is voted by many experts and beer lovers as the best beer in the world). Therefore, it's bl**dy hard to get ur hands on it. It's illegal to sell Westvleteren beers in shops and you can only buy it from the Abbay....monastry....thing. And its not that simple. To buy the three types (Blonde, ^8 and ^12) of beers made by the Westvleteren monks ............... (copied this off their website)

How to make reservations?

1. You call the beer phone (+32 (0)70/21.00.45) to know when, how much and which beer can be reserved at that time.
2. You call back at the indicated time.
3. You make an appointment with the operator (date and time) and you give the licence plate number of the car that will collect the order.

The beer is always sold per kind and in limited quantities.

Please consider the fact that our telephone lines can have very long queues and that you can therefore get the busy tone. We would like to thank you in advance for your understanding and your patience.

Step 1 was easy. Last week, I called the beer phone. The voice message said that I have to call back between 9-10am, Monday 2nd April to reserve the beer. And that currently, only Blonde is available. (however, what Mr B is desiring for is the ^12).

Step 2: to call back at the indicated time. That wasn't too hard I guess....I just had to pick up the phone and dial right? Let's see.....between 9am-9.40, I was calling the line but I kept getting the busy tone. From 9.40 onwards, I just called non-stop. Call, busy tone, hang up, call, busy tone, hang up...etc.etc... and at 9.58am I got through! I must the last caller for the week. Hah...

Step 3: made an appointment for the 14th of April, an exact time slot was given and I'm to go to the abbay to buy either 1, 2 or 3 cases of Blonde beer......


Mr B better be thankful for all the trouble!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Or I'll break all his glasses after he pays me!!! MUAHAHAH *EVIL LAUGHTER*

Dad and I drove to Amsterdam on saturday. It took around an hour and a half each way. We left home quite late (12.30pm), so by the time we got there, it was way past mid-day. And being the photographing-holics me and Dad are, we made full use of whatever time and natural light we had to capture whatever fancied our eyes. Dad and I managed a total of more than 700 pictures.

There's lots of tiny rivers and small bridges in downtown Amsterdam. And there's pple who live in boats parked along the river. I thought it seemed pretty dangerous to do so since anyone can look into their "house" and climb onto their boat. It looks so easy to break in.

Walking through the tiny streets downtown Amsterdam feels a little different. It's sorta a mix of the buzz in Hongkong city, and the airy fairy hippy atmosphere of Brunswick street Melbourne. There were very interesting buildings that are slanted, tilting slightly outwards towards the streets (which dad reckons is because they wanted to create more "space" within the house).

It was kinda rowdy cos some soccer match was on, and guys in pubs and bars were cheering and booing. Then I saw girls, sorry, ladies sitting/standing behind the windows of the shops as if they are merchandise on window display. The ladies (even older ones) of all shapes, shades and sizes were dressed to impress (mainly bikinis).  I have never seen anything so blatant and "in your face" before. So this is the Amsterdam red-light district for ya.

Here's some pics...

Boat house


One of the many many rivers


Many bars have that sign stating the max allowed no. of pple


Street performer from canada doing the escape stunt, with around 300 onlookers.


Hmm....


Dad stealing a bike....
I mean taking a picture :P


Another boat house


Fake pearls anyone?


Admiring the guitars.....yummmyyyyyy


Testing it out


Trying another one....


Hm....which one to get?! I was actually waiting for that guy on the right to leave so that I could buy that guitar.. :P


And I got it!! yipeee




Cute car


This building is slanted.




Cute dented car




Real public toilets....for males only...




Slanted buildings





Red-light district.....ladies in "window display"

But apparently I still buy kids' shoes.... Here's what happened...no dramas..

I was walking in downtown Amsterdam on a street full of retail outlets.... then I past by a shoe shop and saw a pretty shoe. I went into the store trying to look for it but couldn't find it. So I asked one sweet salesgirl. I pointed the shoe to her and she walked towards the back of the store, which I didn't bother looking cos it was the "Kids" and "Men" section...........and I was like "is it a kid's shoe?!?!". She didn't reply me.

Then we found it. It was INDEED a kid's shoe. I asked for my size and they have it!! Hahaaa..... And so I bought it... Though I was pretty embarrassed when I was queuing up and paying cos I'm holding a kiddy shoe box....

So yes, I'm 21, but sometimes I feel much younger.

Just to justify myself, I dont think it look kiddy AT ALL. Well, look at young girls nowadays. Sometimes I think they dress even more matured than me....I mean..they are not dressed for their age!!! Whats with the handbags and lipstick and HIGH HEEEELSSSSSS on 5 year old girls WTF!!!!!!!!!

I just tried pressing that "cocoa" button on that huge-ass coffee machine. And the hot-chocolate is so yum!!!!! I'm gonna drink it all-day everyday!








....nah....can't... I'd get so fat -_-

It's kinda funny what alcohol can do to you. The loss of inhibitions means that you can say both things that you really mean or don't really mean.