Malaysia trip, PASSED Driving! Mugging, Mugging, Mugging...

Lots have happened since returning to Singapore, had a two driving lessons just days after touching down, went to Malaysia within the week I returned, came home to have another two more lessons, took the driving test, and PASSED!!! Met up with a few friends, got re-acquainted with my computer, re-discovered the comfort of studying in my room. That more or less sums up the last two weeks I've spent at home...

Post touch down, Pre Malaysia holiday
Was sleeping in the afternoons, and waking up at 3 am in the morning, still orientating myself to home... Had two driving lessons.

Paid a visit to Shian's house after one of those lessons... Had a great time catching up! Showed me what he's been up to since our paths parted after secondary school, He's a real genius!

I've always been a fan of his works, from his page flipping animation of prefects being mutilated by t-rexes, and Kremple being pursued by Apaches emerging from behind the hills, off the corner of the amaths textbook; to his computer animation, to his literary works...

Here's a sample of his genius that is available online...

HCH, if you're reading this, you might want to get in touch with this guy... He created an animation of a light saber fight, and he got the sound effects from a game! Chew on that!

Left for Malaysia on Thursday morning, before I could even get settled into life in Singapore...

Malaysia, Cameron Highlands, Cookout! Great time of retreat and reflection...

Us on the boh tea plantations of Cameron Highlands

So we were off to Malaysia in a Camry. The four of us, stuck together in an enclosed area for extended periods of time... Discovered, during this time, that my mother's been following every single entry in my blog since the day I left, and she knows more about my friends than I do cos she's been reading my friend's blog O_O. (Anyone linked to this blog who is adverse to a friends mother reading your blog, please let me know, I'll remove the link :P) She could even quote obscure portions of a thousand word entry from my past posts :S

In some ways it's a good thing, cos I need not spend money calling home, and they can be assured that I'm ok, and even know what's happening in my life. It even has a multiplier effect: I can keep my mother busy with reading my friend's blog ;) But just realised the potency of blogging. It can be dangerous if someone else other than your mother knew so much about you... Come to think of it, it's dangerous for your mother to know so much about you, let alone a stranger!

Anyway, the long car ride and discussion allowed me some time to reflect on what's been happening throughout the past two months in Cambridge, and helped me put things in perspective. It gave me an opportunity to withdraw myself from the tiring situation of having to constantly take care of my own needs, so that i can see, from a third person, how I can do things better... Came home with a few recipies (i.e. chicken soup, beef stew, and agar agar), and a renewed sense of purpose... I'll blog about the recipies and purpose in the days to come...

During our stay in Cameron highlands, we held a cookout to give my family a taste of my cooking! Cooked spghetti and tang yuan... Everyone liked it, if only because I was the chef...

I also got a chance to understand some of the differences between cooking spghetti in Cambridge and in Malaysia: In Cambridge, we are quite blessed to get fresh produce - from the beef to the mushrooms. The cost of making spghetti in Cambridge might actually be cheaper than making it in Malaysia! Cos the beef and the spghetti over there is very cheap... Also, I thought that somehow, the spghetti I cooked in Cambridge tasted nicer than the one I managed to churn out in Cameron Highlands.

Also did some mugging on the trip... Realised that participating in mindless activities in between studying aids in the digestion of the concepts. Activities like travelling on the road and watching TV actually are very good ways to relax and internalise the subject. I'll need to recreate such mindless activities in my room in Cambridge. Perhaps strumming on the guitar might help, I haven't tried that yet... Waiting for my cousin to return my guitar this Sunday before I perform the experiment.

Returned home on that Monday to have driving lessons the next day.

Driving lessons, Driving test, PASSED! Christmas party at Sam's house
Took another two lessons before sitting for the test... Did much better than before. My legs were still trembling during the test, but learnt how to keep my foot off the clutch and accelerator when it beginned to tremble. The tester hardly worked his pen while I was driving, and in the room, he just ticked a few boxes to give me some demerit points, and then he passed me! I was actually quite indifferent on the test day, a sentiment shared by some of my friends who retook their driving. So didn't really feel particularly happy when I passed. Just relieved that I don't have to worry about making arrangements for more driving lessons, and having to spend more money on it...

Went to Sam's house for his cell's christmas party, was nice to see everyone there - HCH, EZ, Hohohohoho, and a few new faces... Great to be with familiar people again...

Drove my father's car home after that event... drove it from bishan MRT home. Almost gave my mother a heart attack and my father had to pull the steering wheel several times! They remarked that I passed by a miracle, I don't disagree :P

At the end, I couldn't even park the car properly! I know vertical and pararel parking within 4 poles, but I can't park head on within the for corners of the parking lot!

Looks like I'll need a lot more practice...