On The Move…

It’s been a while since I posted anything, mainly because it’s been a little hectic around here. 

From left: Erik Schultink, Adam Estes, Greg Bybee, Kevin Wecht, me

JF4 Dartmouth Race (17 Apr 2004)

The crew racing season has started, and so far I’ve coxed an 8 against Cornell and a 4 against Dartmouth, both victorious, kudos to the oarsmen.

Doug’s birthday at Fire & Ice (13 Apr 2004)“>

I’m done with HPIE (that went pretty quickly) and the homeless shelter (which has closed for the season), so my schedule has a few small openings now, which I will need desperately in order to catch up with the work I’m missing because of crew – all our races are away so we tend to be gone from Friday up till Saturday or Sunday.

Wanyi & Co at John Harvard statue (8 Apr 2004)“>

Two weeks ago I went down from Cornell (where we were racing) to NYC with Terence to meet up with Wanyi, who was visiting with various classmates from London.  And the UK Easter break also brought Natalie Morris over from Oxford with a contingent of debaters making a debate tour of US colleges.

Wanyi Terence & I in NYC (11 Apr 2004)“>

I don’t really have a lot to say here right now, so I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves.

Natalie Morris & Co (4 Apr 2004)“>

Summer is coming… See you soon!

PS: It’s been really warm and sunny recently – up to 82F (28 C)!

Spring Break is nearly at an end, which is tragic.  The weather has been pretty awful all week, blustery, cold and very wet – it rained incessantly for over two days.

By Monday, I will have worked some 22 hours for HUCEP, attended 12 crew practices (some 30 hours) and raced Tulane in a scrimmage on the Charles.  Hopefully I will have also read some hundred pages of my genetics texbook (I’ve got about 30 pages to go).

This week I finally visited the excellent Museum of Fine Arts and attended their latest blockbuster exhibition, the well-curated Gauguin: Tahiti. I also finally managed to borrow, and finish, Yann Martel’s riveting Booker Prize-winning Life of Pi: a novel and played my violin several times (thanks to Xin Wei for transcribing the theme to In the Mood for Love).  I made good use of my Netflix subscription, seeing the original The Thomas Crown Affair, All About Eve and American Beauty.

I’ve read, replied to and deleted some five hundred emails, swept my suite out (what a relief to have a clean floor again!) and replaced my broken full-length mirror.

I also managed to visit a supermarket (first real grocery shopping I’ve done since I got to Cambridge), as well as cook my first bowl of instant noodles (from the uber-healthy and tasty boxful Uncle Roy sent me at the start of the semester, much appreciated).

On the homework front, leaving aside the overdue Dan Mathews reflection I wrote for Rel1529, I’ve made little headway.  As of now, with under 48 hours till school starts again, I have a biology research report/presentation, a biology lab report, an ESPP final project summary, several Rel1529 responses (and I have to watch the loooong movies first!), a one-page French essay on Annie Ernaux’s novel La Place (which I probably should reread) and an Applied Math problem set.  Where am I going to find the time.energy to work on all of these things?  I don’t know.  And I’m not even really thinking about the FM ITM I have to finish by this week as well.

I’m still recovering from an URI, so I’ve neither seen the inside of the MAC nor have I managed to exercise any control over my diet.  The result being quite a number of extra pounds and increased girth.  Ugh.

If only Spring Break lasted a month.

So I now have a Summer gig.  I’ve committed about 50 days (7-8 weeks) of my vacation to an undisclosed through China as a research-writer for Let’s Go!  That’s Harvard’s home-grown Lonely Planet-style travel guide which only hires Harvard students.  They pay for all travel expenses and a small stipend to boot.  Should be fun, I think.

So right now the plan is to go home for a couple days after my finals, then fly off to China sometime during the first week of June, and then return back in August for a final month relaxing in sunny Singapore.  Following that, I’ll be a sophomore, and in the Dins 🙂

The day the Freshman class recieved their House assignments, Annenberg the area outside Memorial Hall and the Science Center exploded into an energetic riot of upperclassmen cheering for their Houses’ new members.  They gave out t-shirts and candy, screamed House slogans and taunted each other, for hours on end without a rest.  Music blared from huge speakers and there was a real sense that Carnival Harvard had descended upon us.  It was great, something I wish would happen more often.  It helped that the weather that day was glorious too 🙂

It’s official!  I’ve been placed in Quincy House, second closest to the Yard (after Adams), and whose (I think awful) dining hall is being redone over the summer 🙂 

*Did*Not*Get*Quadded*!!! 😀

Freshman roommates!  Taken just as we were about to leave the Boston Park Plaza Hotel at 1.30 in the morning (I couldn’t find Ryan earlier to take a picture because he was too busy dancing with the lovely L 🙂

Alright ladies and gentlemen…  have I got news news news.  Friday, March 19 is officially the longest, most momentous, and possibly most fun day I’ve had so far at Harvard.  Forget the French quiz, back-to-back classes and desperately-needed naps that filled most of my day – the best parts of the day were before the sun was up and after it went down.

I’m Din #170!!!  It’s unbelievable, but it’s true (I’m not sure when I’ll get over my shock).  After four years of hoping and working and watching and trying (and failing), I was raucously roused at 6.30am in the morning by the Dins and handed a tall G&T.  I’m not sure if I’d ever tasted anything so sweet.  So starting this Fall, I’m going to sing with the Harvard Din & Tonics 🙂

It’s becoming a tradition of mine – the ever-lovely Thai restaurant where the golden bags are excellent and everything else on the menu is a must-try 🙂 

From left: Doug, Xin Wei, Imran, Vivek, Louisa, Ryan, Emily, myself, Sarah

Freshman Formal Chilli Duck dinner 19 Mar 2004

Hours later, I went to my first formal at Harvard.  The Freshman Formal, held at the Boston Park Plaze Hotel.  There, after a lovely dinner at Chilli Duck (the Thai restaurant I like to feel I ‘discovered’) with hundreds of my friends and classmates we danced the night away.  It was better than any celebration party I could have planned myself.  For more pictures, go see Xin Wei’s online albums (where more of my pictures have been posted): http://community.webshots.com/album/126913158JYKCyK 

From left: Doug, Sarah, me, Xin Wei, Ryan, Emily

Thayer 101 et al at the Freshman Formal (19 Mar 2004)

I’m back from a great weekend at a debate tournament held at Bates College up in Maine.  My partner (Jeremy Raper – thanks mate!) and I were 2nd novice team and 10th overall in a tounament of 22 teams, which is decent, though we ought to have picked up the EPA case and perhaps broken to octos.  But it was still a good experience.  Oh, and Jeremy got a novice speaker award too 🙂

Back to the grind.

As I wrap up yet another weekend (by putting off going to bed and writing a blog entry), I thought I’d dash off a quick entry for the benefit of whoever reads this blog.

New stuff:  I now have a job, with HUCEP, the safety walk program, which involves three and a half hours of striding about campus in a neon yellow vest chatting with people as my partner and I walk them to whereever they want to go.  It’s good exercise, pretty fun, meaningful, and pays well (better than dorm crew!).  I’m not sure if I’m going to stick with it, but it looks likely.

Also, I’ve started spending Monday nights volunteering overnight at the Harvard Square Homeless Shelter.  It’s been a good experience so far.  I’ve actually managed to constantly get more sleep and more work done there than an average night in the dorm.

I’ve been cleared by the NCAA (at last!!), so I’m back to spending about 2 hours at the boathouse daily.  We should be on the river from this week.  yay.  sort of.

Next week I also have to start teaching International Relations…  I don’t know how that’s going to turn out though, just because everything is so up in the air.

—

Some weekend highlights:

1) Went to Park Street, after missing a week during what was a uber-hectic last weekend.  I’m pleased.

2) Saw American Splendor, which is very, very good.  A must see for the discerning film-buff.

3) Went to the gym, and together with walking to Inman Square and HUCEP, I think I covered about 6 miles this weekend.  First real exercise in two weeks.

The partial corollary list of things I had planned but didn’t do:

1) Shabu shabu!

2) Biology lecture video and lab report

3) ESPP assignment

Let’s just focus on the positives 🙂

—

I’m praying for you, mother.

So for those who may randomly wonder what I do everyday with my time…  here’s a day in my life (approximately 24 hours):

Last night I chatted with Doug about blocking, and many other things, until 4.30am, then forced myself awake at 8.30am to look at my Chem15 script, on which I found a grading error worth 4 weighted points, which won’t make a difference to my final grade, I don’t think.  

By 10am I had managed to get dressed properly, send out some emails, pack a quick breakfast and pick up my Annenberg bag lunch (which I will eat thrice weekly for the rest of the semester).    French at 10am, Applied Math at 11am, Biology at noon, ESPP10 at 1pm, a tiny break from 2,30 till 3pm, during which I turned in my study card and proctor evaulations (due today) and took a ten minute nap. 

At 3pm I woke up and went to Religion 1529.  Brian Palmer is amazing, he really is, and most people already know this.  His class is astounding, truly life-changing and undeniably fascinating, and I’ve only heard two of the superlative guest speakers – Cynthia Enloe and Swanee Hunt. 

Between 4 and 5pm I checked my mail, wrote some emails and then saw Wong Kar Wai’s lovely In the Mood for Love (yay Netflix!) till just past 6.30pm.  Dinner was Korean BBQ at Boylston Hall, compliments of the Asian American brotherhood, and dessert of apple crisp and soft-serve at Adams House dining hall. 

At 7.15pm I went to the Crimson for FM’s weekly writer’s meeting, although I don’t think I’ll be writing anything this week.  I do have something out in this week’s issue though, the first issue of the semester with the historic first colour-print cover too.  At 8.15pm I headed to buy dinner for Neil and ice cream for Emily, whose room I hung out at for half an hour (and where I picked up the biology section manual for Ryan and I from Xin Wei).  

By 9pm I was back in my room, where I sent out my application to volunteer at the Harvard Square Homeless Shelter, read various other emails and downloaded the theme to “In the Mood for Love” as well as SATC 617.  From 10pm till just past 12pm I very slowly read half of the Biology reading for Friday and chatted with Neil about blocking.  

Around midnight I snoozed briefly on the futon.  I roused and went to wash up at 12.30am, after which I sectioned online for Religion 1529, then started blogging and reading blogs at 1am.  I will be in bed soon, just past 2am.  I plan to wake up at 9.30am tomorrow.

Goodnight

As I told Devon, I can’t believe I’m feeling so happy to turn *twenty-old-two*.  But that’s what a whole lot of friends and a surprise birthday thing can do to you.  Thanks y’all – I’m truly touched :))

Thankyouthankyouthankyou! My first surprise birthday party, and it only took two decades a bit more to plan 😉  It’s the night of the Grammy’s, and the Black Eyed Peas are being nominated for Best Song with their plaintive hit “Where is the Love?”.  So where is the love?  For a couple of hours, it was in Wigg H-22.  *Beams*  It was beyond gratifying to unexpectedly find my roommates, so many of my friends and my fellow Singaporeans in one room.  From the bottom of my ageing heart, thank you.

And of course some people came late…  so we had take more pictures!  🙂

It’s almost absurd to think my 21st year has already ended, given how brief and event filled it has been.  In 365 days I was promoted to Lieutenant, left the army, came to Harvard and finished an eventful semester.

I made a wish.  I pray it gets realised.

—-

It’s sad, but I have to go do some work, now.  Happy birthday, me :p

And all is well as shopping week continues.  I still love my classes.   (We saw the documentary Blue Vinyl in ESPP 10 today – I’m so lucky to *have* to take this class!)

I’m a bit too tired to ramble on having gone out to dinner tonight and spent the last couple of hours formatting pictures to put on this blog.  My favourite postcard style picture:

US Supreme Court, 31 Jan 2004“>

So go see the photos!  I cropped and tweaked and captioned them for hours, so make it worth my while by clicking here (or on the “Index of Photos” link on the left sidebar).  They’re mostly from the Intercession trip, although there’s also one from tonight and one from back in Singapore.  I’ll think about putting more online when I recover from the energy spent putting these ones up.

Happy Birthday Wojtek!  Legal Sea Foods has been named the best seafood restaurant in the US several times, so it’s no surprise the food was excellent.  Never mind that we had to trudge through ankle deep slush and puddles to get there 😉  We still love you Wojtek!

Tonight was also Woitek’s birthday (Happy Birthday!), so we went out to dinner at the Legal Sea Foods near the Boston Aquarium.  Yummy food, good times.  Seems like we’re all getting older really fast 😉