clean linen

Hello from Hong Kong! I am now writing from my parents' room on my dad's laptop in Prudential Hotel. My brother, sister and sister's boyfriend are all sleeping, while my parents are both reading books. As for me, I'm supposed to be working on my essay but... oh my goodness it's not helping that every one around me is doing something they are TRULY enjoying (or at least don't mind doing). I've a few more articles to read and then I really need to start working on my essay outline so that I can begin typing it all out by the end of this week. But, enough about work, when I'm supposed to be on holiday (oh my gosh this feeling really really sucks). In reference to my previous entry, let me tell you what is left of the to-do list I had posted up: 1) Eat something from a dessert store at the Purple Market 2) Get a pair of nice, simple, comfortable black pumps 3) Catch a movie in an actual cinema 4) Eat as much Japanese food as possible ... Ok lah, I better get...

Things I need/want to do while I'm here in Singapore: 1) Attend church (LSBC! Whoo!) 2) Eat the Purple Market's Hokkien Mee 3) Eat something from the dessert store at the Purple Market 4) Get a pair of simple, nice, comfortable black pumps 5) Take a public bus 6) Ride the MRT train 7) Catch a movie in an actual cinema 8) Have a McDonald's meal 9) Eat as much Japanese food as possible ... Nothing else has occurred to me as at present. But I assure you, the list has not been completed. Oh BOLLOCKS there's just NOT ENOUGH TIME!!!

In the newspapers today, it was reported that the unofficial World's Oldest Person died at the age of 116. It was said that this bachelor credited his long life to his relationship status - he could live to such a ripe old age because he had not married. It seems like staying single will guarantee you a longer life, based on this man's life and his claim. Meeting someone and getting married will probably create more headaches and problems for someone, as compared to minding your own business, not having to care for and think of another when you remain in the relationship status "single". But being alone can be a scary thing, isn't it? Dying alone seems sad. It can make one look pathetic in the eyes of others. Man needs at least one companion in life right? And who wants to live until the age of 116? I do not know in what state this man was in but he probably had to move around in a wheelchair, be served his food by others, may even have to be helped in taking his ...

I'm actually going back to Singapore. 12 weeks here in Nottingham has actually passed. It is just all too strange. And yet wonderful.

The perfect reason to not do work: "I've been packing all the nonsense in my room" The thing that makes you feel bad you're not doing work: Packing The thing that is actually making me feel happy while doing it: Packing So. My room is a lot more cluttered now because I've taken out both luggages, the box that Uncle Nam passed to me, and the bags that I can use to pack stuff in either for storage or to bring back with me to Singapore. I also just did my laundry, washing a lot of my tops and towels and who-knows-what before I go back to Singapore. One thing I forgot to wash: My duvet cover and pillow cover. I guess I'll just have to wash them tomorrow. Anyway last night, just as I was about to go to bed at about 2am, the fire alarm went off. Some bored idiots decided to have some fun at the expense of everybody else who was in FB at that time. So we all trooped out to the field outside of FB, waiting for the sign that we could go back into the building. About 10...

OH MY GOLLY GOSH I'M LEAVING NOTTINGHAM FOR SINGAPORE THIS SATURDAY! I really really REALLY cannot believe it. On one hand, I want time to fly past so that Saturday will arrive a little sooner. On the other hand, I don't really want time to pass too quickly, as that will mean that I really need to pack up ALL the stuff in my room (which is ALOT OF RUBBISH/NONSENSE, mind you), and the due date of my coursework is fast approaching... (I think I'm going to keep talking about my coursework being due until the day I'm actually done with them) Anyhow, my 11th, and come to think of it, my last weekend here in Nottingham for the year of 2007 passed by quickly and without much difficulty:- Friday: I spent most of my day doing work, preparing for the two tutorials I have this week. In the evening, at about 5pm, I left FB to go into the city centre with Daniel, where we spent most of our time in Marks & Spencer's (M&S) looking for something nice for his mother. As for ...

Reading cases, journals and textbooks has led me to the discovery of many interesting words that I have never used before in my entire life. I guess Law has its own special vocabulary, that granted, but there are really many other words that the judges use to "flaunt" their 'powderful' English, making their judgments long, dry and difficult to read. But I guess that's why they're judges lah, haha. Anyway, a few new words that I want to share with you: - apposite (I thought it was a typo error at first!) = apt in the circumstances or in relation to something - impugn = dispute the truth, validity, or honesty of (a statement or motive); call into question - obviate = remove ( a need or difficulty), avoid, prevent - corollary = a proposition that follows from (and is often appended to ) one already proved. A direct or natural consequence or result Wow. You've learnt 4 new words today (if you don't already know them)!

I'm going back to Singapore in a little over a week's time! Can't wait for it! And yet at the same time I'm afraid that once I go back, it'll be even more difficult to return to Nottingham. Furthermore, when I have to leave Singapore, it means I only have 3 days left to complete my coursework for Understanding Law and Contract, each due on the 7th and 8th of January respectively. But, it's still very exciting to talk to my Singaporean friends on MSN and at the end of conversations with them, say, "I'll see you in Singapore!" I wish I could go back earlier than 16th December though. John is leaving THIS MONDAY, Daniel is leaving Nottingham THIS TUESDAY! My goodness, I'm deathly jealous of them. Anyway, last night, I attended FB's Christmas Formal Dinner, which had its boring and fun moments. The tables were set out so nicely and we had the crackers to pull apart and entertain ourselves with before dinner began. At certain points of the dinne...

I'm into my 11th week here in Nottingham now. The weather has been relatively warmer, with temperatures between five to ten degrees celcius. This week's forecast is even warmer actually, with temperatures actually hitting numbers with double digits! You know, we always are amazed at how we now think a temperature like eight degrees celcius is warm when, back home in Singapore, we would think sixteen degrees celcius is too cold for us to take. But, I'm here to tell you about my weekend. So on Friday night, I ate dinner with Tzen in the hall and ended up hanging out with John, Po Yew and Daniel. Daniel had wanted to go out for dinner, but I had to eat with Tzen because if I didn't eat with her, she would be "alone" in the dining hall. So I ate with Tzen and was considering whether to join the guys or not, because (1) I'd already eaten dinner, but they were trying to persuade me to just sit there, watch them eat and just talk to them, and (2) I would be the o...

Seeing that it is Friday night of my 10th week here in Nottingham, UK, I shall just take a little bit of time off my work to blog properly about the weekend I spent in London last week. On Friday, 23rd Nov , I took the 3pm train from Nottingham station to arrive at London St Pancras at about 5pm. On the train, I was sitting opposite a loud man who, at one point, asked if I wanted to sit on his lap because there was a mix up in seats for a few people. I must have looked very embarrassed and scared because at the next moment he laughed and said, "Don't worry love, I was only kidding!" After which, I just listened to songs on my iPod as I slept here and there throughout the journey. At different points of the journey, I'd hear the loud man laughing with his 5 other friends, who were playing games with poker cards. After a long wait, I finally met up with Kay, who brought me to a small chinese restaurant in Chinatown that sold DELICIOUS roast duck and all other kinds of r...

As mentioned in my previous entry, Ben, Lydia and Josh sent me a box of chocolates that completely made my day yesterday. However, the internet was not being cooperative, again. And this morning, the main light bulb in my room blew. So, I'm now "borrowing" Erica's room (it's somehow brighter in the day and I had to leave my room empty for the housekeeper to clean, since it's cleaning day for me). Her internet connection is so much faster, so, I think there's really something wrong with my internet connection in my room. GRR. Anyhow, here's the photo: When I eat my first chocolate from the box, I will take more photos of it. But right now, since I'm not in my room, I can't take more photos from different angles of this wonderful box of chocolates. So, do content yourself with this angle;) All right, going to get back to work now. (And this is so random, I wonder why I'm writing it here but... I need to do my laundry man, my "basket...

I came back this evening from a lecture and saw my name on the mail list: I had mail. After dinner, I went to the reception where the porter was, and found that I had received a small box. From whom? I really had no clue. Excitedly, I opened up the box, with Tzen, Erica, Denise and Yang looking on, and I found that I had received a box of chocolates... (I intended to put a photo of the box of chocolates HERE but the stooooopid internet is not allowing me to do so. RARGH) ...from Ben, Lydia and Josh. This box of chocolates C-O-M-P-L-E-T-E-L-Y made my day. I was just feeling a little troubled over some little things, sinking a tiny little bit into something negative emotionally, wishing I could become someone invisible so no one could find me and bother me... And then I received this gift, and was reminded of the fact that people loved me. And I would be going back to see these people really really soon. Thank you very, very much Ben, Lydia and Josh! I wish I could give you a nice, great...

My goodness, I've been away from home for 10 weeks now... And I'm actually going back for a "visit" in a matter of 2-3 weeks now. It actually feels strange, knowing that I'm returning home for about 3 weeks, then I'm coming back here again for another 2-3 months... Well, my internet connection has been so freaking slow that I'm getting very frustrated. Suddenly, after not using my internet for the weekend because I was in London, I come back and websites take the longest time to load. Something about not being able to open the page because the server stopped responding. Can somebody PLEASE tell me what is going on with my internet? Last night, I got so frustrated having to keep reloading websites, especially when I couldn't gain access into WestLaw, the place I log into to download case reports and journals that I need to read in preparation for my tutorials and seminars. Eventually, I got so annoyed that I was getting nowhere and that I couldn't d...

Hello! I had a fabulous weekend in London, eating loads of Chinese food, watching "Rent" the musical, doing a lot of walking... I am very glad that I went down to London this weekend. I ended off this week, ended off my Sunday, with dinner at Sukho Thai with Daniel and Tzen. Then had Krispy Kremes with Tzen, Erica and Trang in Tzen's room as dessert. Accompanied by loads of girl-talk. At the end of everything, we came to the conclusion that, no offence to guys but, BOYS=TROUBLE. Yes indeed. haha. Anyway, I definitely have photos of all the Chinese food I ate and of the people I hung out with over this weekend. But I will upload them, along with a proper entry on my weekend, tomorrow or something. For now, just know that I'm back in FB, Nottingham, safe. And the work is calling out to me. Oh. What joy.

Hi! Just thought I'd quickly put in this short entry to let all of you know that I'm doing fine here in Nottingham, not dead yet. Haven't had a nervous breakdown or sunk into severe depression or anything like that. I will DEFINITELY blog and put in a few photos. Soon:D

I'm not feeling especially articulate right now so I'm just going to write in point-form: - (Wed afternoon) Met Tzen after her last class of the day to go into Beeston to do some grocery (and other more general forms of) shopping. It was a fun time! At one point in time, we found ourselves picking clothes from the kids' section of a shop called Peacock's. Tzen was most pleased to find herself able to buy kids' clothes. - (Wed evening) I got my heater! Well, I already do have a big one in my room, which is connected to the central heating system. However, it comes on at the most unexpected or weirdest times, so Uncle Nam passed me a small one that he has with him here. It's really cute! Makes a lot of noise, but really cute! - (Wed night) Tzen came over to my room to study with me. I must really thank God for such a hallmate and friend like her. She really looks out for me, even though, of course, we still have our differences and there are some things that I fin...

Now, the weekend that just passed was completely terrible, emotionally, for me. You know, while some of us may look forward to the weekends, I don't. There is absolutely nothing to do other than to study. And you would think, "oh, you're supposed to be a little bit more relaxed on weekends. Since it's the weekend!" But what can I do to relax? In Singapore, there'd be the Saturday morning Macs breakfasts with Tina, worship practice in church every alternate week, Youth Ablaze, hanging out with the 19-year-olds, going out for dinners with my family or friends. Here, nothing. Just eat in the hall with my hallmates. Return to my room. Otherwise, we head down to Beeston for a simple dinner and we go to someone's room to "just talk". OR, there is the alternative of going into Nottingham's city centre to do a little bit of shopping and walking, but that would just mean MORE temptation for me to buy things I want but don't really need. Besides, t...

Please don't... - Say I'm going home soon. Yes, I know I am. So don't remind me already. It's not helping me to feel better, not helping me to overcome all the negative emotions welling up within me. - Say everyone else is studying and feeling very stressed back home too. They have their friends in Singapore. I'm here, alone. Hall mates just don't beat having my close/good friends in Singapore. ---- I'm going to be fine. I have to be. I will get through this. I'm fine. I'm just great.

Unbelievable. I'm beginning another Saturday, my 7th to be exact, in Nottingham. So far, I've been very happy here. Yes, there were the lousy moments, the troubled periods, the depressed hours, but God brought me through all that, helping me in keeping up a positive attitude. Besides, I've wanted so much to study Law, to study here in the UK in the past, why should I not be "living it all up" now? On a less reflective note, let me tell you what I've been up to over here. Thursday : I had my contract tutorial - went in confused, came out even MORE confused. We were dealing with the topics of consideration, estoppel and duress. And I am completely lost on these topics. I have now come to the conclusion that Contract Law is the most annoying and confusing of the different types of Law I'm taking now. However, after my tutorial, I got to talk to the 2 British girls in my tutorial group for close to an hour because we had an hour break between our tutorial and ...

You know, receiving snail-mail gives me such a FANTASTIC feeling? I'm slowly filling up my room's cork board with letters and postcards friends and family have been sending me. It is really so heartwarming to see familiar handwriting, familiar return addresses. Every other day, I see my name on the list of people who have mail to collect from the reception. My heart skips a beat when I see my name and I am reminded of how ridiculously privileged I am to be receiving proper mail (not bills or advertisements) when my hall mates say, "Mail AGAIN, Lynn?! I don't get ANY mail!" Then there are the e-mails from my family and friends. The loooong ones filled with so much information about what is going on in good friends' lives, as I reply with MY long e-mail, and sometimes ranting, of what is going on over here. Every morning, I wake up and switch on my laptop hoping to receive yet another friendly e-mail that never fails to cheer me up. I also mustn't forget the...

And I am now in my 7th week here in Nottingham... HOW TIME FLIES! (I think with every week that is over, I'll definitely say "how time flies!") Yesterday was Bonfire Night, where it is an English tradition to celebrate the death of Guy Fawkes. He was a criminal who tried to blow up the parliament along with all the parlimentary members and King when Parliament was in session. However, his plan was thwarted and he was executed. I know there are a few terms to describe his punishment. Something that describes him being cut up, torn apart by being tied up to 4 horses running in opposite directions and finally being burnt alive... I'm not very sure in which order he was punished. But, that's pretty much all I can remember from what Richard told me in my stay with the Band family in Bromsgrove. (Talking about the Band family, they have now left the UK and have gone to Singapore. Oh, how I long to go back to Singapore with them to eat the food there, to watch some TV, l...

It has been an interesting weekend for me actually. Haven't gotten much sleep, didn't do LOADS of work (but definitely did do some), but I've been out of my hall quite a bit... Maybe that's why this weekend seems not as boring. Maybe that's why it seems like one of the more interesting weekends I've had so far in Nottingham. Friday night : Yee Tzen, Erica and I popped by Jae's house to wish her happy birthday with a slice of delicious white and dark chocolate truffle cheesecake after dinner. It felt a little bit awkward because there were 3 other girls with her in her room. We knew them by name but at the same time, we just didn't know them that well. They also seemed to be in "their own world"... Anyway, I don't think I've mentioned Jae before? She used to stay in Florence Boot hall but moved out to Broadgate Park (self-catered hall) about 2 weeks ago because she just couldn't stand the food served to us in FB. She's from South...

The sun is out, shining very brightly and nicely. The temperature is LOVELY (in the range of 8-18 degrees celcius)! I only had 4 hours of sleep last night in a desperate bid to finish my preparation for my Constitutional (consti) law tutorial this morning. Yet right now, I still feel wide awake, eager to blog, eager to email friends... Last night, I had my first Formal Dinner in FB. It was nice to see everyone all dressed up - the girls looking so pretty in their dresses and heels, the guy looking all dashing and more-handsome-than-usual in their suits... It got a little boring during the dinner though, because I was sitting between Oli, my neighbour, who didn't seem to want to talk to me much (maybe because there seems to be nothing to talk about), and Emmanuelle, a French girl, who has a very poor command of English so it can get quite tedious talking to her. Emmanuelle is a very nice girl though, so I tried my very best to make conversation with her and to get to know her better...

Po Yew's on a "tagging" rampage on Facebook, what with him tagging each and every person in all the photos we've taken on the group outings we've had so far... So in looking at the photos I've taken with him, such that he could have tagged me in quite a great number of photos, I came across this photo that we took the night of Po Yew's 21st birthday in my 2nd week here in the Nottingham (first week of school). It then occurred to me that I should introduce to you guys the Singaporean people I hang out with. So in future, if I do mention a name, you'll have a face in mind to match that name to. Therefore, from left to right. Angie, Lynn (that's me!), Yang, Daniel, Po Yew, Gordon, Hongzhen, Denise, Janice. We're missing one though. His name is John... Aiya, I only just realised this photo doesn't have him inside... Well, I just thought I'd post this photo because it's such a nice photo. The Law students with whom I hang out the most a...

What's not for me? Well... Clubbing, haha. Last night, under pressure by Angie and Po Yew, I caved in and attended the Countdown to Halloween party organised by the Malaysian-Singaporean Society (MSS). People were supposed to be dressed up, but because I was so reluctant to go, Angie and Po Yew didn't force me to dress up in some kind of costume. Besides, I only decided to go at 5pm yesterday, the day of the party. In the end, I just threw on a dress, wore heels (because, apparently, girls should wear heels when clubbing, according to Tzen) and went into the great unknown. This was my first time clubbing and... I have come to the conclusion that it's not for me. I can handle the drinking part (don't worry, I only downed one cup of an alcoholic mixture of redbull with something else, quite nice actually. AND the drink was from Yang, a Singaporean I hang out with, he doesn't take law though). But I can't take the dancing. It's not that I can't stand it... ...