Happy Halloween

This year's Halloween is a little boring since no one is around. But even if there is plans, I probably won't be able to participate since I am wrapping an experiment today - because I'm going down South on Tuesday!!! Actually, Southwest to be exact! It will be an interesting trip since the weather is so extreme. Haha, in fact, when compared to Michigan, the weather here is right in between the warm, SUNNY Phoenix and freezing cold, SUNNY Los Alamos. Yup, that is the key - the Sun! Steph also said that it has been snowing in Los Alamos. That will be fun too!!

Even though it is a quiet Halloween for me, I did managed to carve 2 little pumpkins a few weeks back. This is the first one. Hehe, I accidentally destroyed its nose!

Here is pumpkin #2 that ah boy and me decided to call it "Ah Bot". See who can guess where this name comes from...hint: if you don't know, then your English is not 'Hokkienized' enough. :P

I was trying to make it smoke a pipe but it failed. So I had to think of something else, but I didn't realize that I carved the pipe so close to the ear until I lighted it up!! Whoopss. :P

Last week, when I drove over to tai lo's house to have 火鍋 with Alan, MC and everyone else, I passed by this house...

Isn't it cute? It makes me miss all the good times with the girls and the M'sian gang!

There are also a bunch of cute decors around town like this M&M at CVS Pharmacy (the equivalent of Malaysia's Watsons).

Too many methods!

Arghghggh!!! 我快發瘋了啦!! 我在做一些 meta-analysis 關於 soil respiration. 讀了那麼多文章,沒有兩個用一樣的method. 我必須用他們的raw data 來自己變換和分析. 更難的是要猜為什麼他們用哪些做法. 真不明白為什麼some research group 喜歡收那sample in 4 or 5 degrees C for 1 week 或許 acclimate to 25C for a few days before carrying out the experiment. Grrrrr...the community is going to change and microbial activity will decrease! Hai, guess that is what happens when soil scientists don't talk to microbiologists.

唉, 還是繼續認真的讀好了. 讀完後就可以回家吃飯了!! 今晚的晚餐...

Hehe, 其實這是昨天的晚餐, 但還沒吃完, 所以今天還可以吃, 明天都可以吃! 是我最喜歡的美國素菜 - 紅蘿蔔(carrot)和西蘭花(broccoli). 華人素菜忠實比較好吃, 可是久久一次還會想吃這些菜. 另一個是豆腐炒雞肉. I am missing the chap fan back home!!! Hehe, Ping is starting to countdown to going home edi. Hopefully sampling will be done by early summer then I can 安心的回家!!

Cici Jelly Drink collection

Earlier this year, Pei got me this Cici Jelly Drink endorsed by Jay from Oriental Mart. When I went back a few weeks later, they only have the regular packaging ones. That means no 杰倫's face on it. Hehe, so of course I didn't buy any ler.

Last week, I went to 大華 to get some vegetable and as usual, will also wander over to the snack isle. Guess what, I found tons of Cici Jelly Drinks with Jay's face staring back at me!! :P

Am sure you all know the outcome of the encounter....

Hehe, can't help it. One don't come by Jay's merchandise easily in the States! Bleh. Malaysian fans are going to be so excited when he goes to M'sia to promote 刺陵 in December. Too bad, they won't be showing the movie in the States. Will have to get the DVD when I go back next year.

How do I get there?

Back in M'sia, this question is typically answered by "Go there and ask people lah" or when I am in Penang, "ask gee ku lah". Yup, we just wing it and eventually we will get to the final destination. The first time usually takes us a lot longer. I still remember all the hand-drawn maps exchanged between mummy and tua tiow or gee ku, depending on if we are in PJ or Penang.

Ever since I started learning how to drive in the States, going places is pretty easy - online maps! I used to get it from Mapquest but eventually Google Maps became more popular and satellite view is much more appealing. Both Mapquest and Google Maps are usually pretty accurate but recently, Google Maps have been providing directions that are not accurate or are hard to follow. After the first two not so good experience, I started looking closer at the directions by using the satellite view and zooming in closer to look at nearby landmarks and the street patterns around my final destination. Basically, I try to get a sense of the area just incase I am unable to follow the directions, maybe I could still get to the place based on what I can remember from the satellite view map.

This past weekend, I looked up the directions to the Livery Brew at Benton Harbor for Hannah's wedding on Google Maps. As usual, I zoomed in to the area around the bar to see the exact road that I will be taking and noted any nearby main roads. It is a pretty simple to get there as it is pretty much right off the main road that we get on just as we exit the highway.

The exit I should be taking according to Google Map is Exit 31.

But we (Jen went with me) couldn't find Exit 31! We saw mile 31 but there was no exit there. It was Exit 33, 32 and then 29! Did I wrote it down wrongly? So we exit at Exit 29, turned back (actually Exit 29 is not too faraway from the place either but I didn't know what direction I was heading so to be safe, we turned back) and took Exit 33. My instinct had told me that I should be taking Exit 33 when I drove passed it (because it says Downtown Benton Harbor) but I trusted Google Maps so I passed it to look for Exit 31. We did call the bar just to make sure Exit 33 is the right one. Once we exit, it was pretty easy to find it (although I did miss it again because I thought it was a one way street. Hehe).

When I got home, I checked it again to see if it was Google's fault or it was because I wrote the wrong exit number. Nope, it was Google's fault! In fact, if I had click on the camera button right next to that particular direction, I would know that I should be looking for Exit 33. The picture below is what you get when you click on the camera button.

Wanting to know if there really is an Exit 31, I zoomed in by clicking on the U.S 31 route. Guess what, the sign says Exit 33!!

Question: How did Google miss that?

Now I am curious to know how does Google calculates directions for us. Was there an Exit 31 sometime in the past that was then removed? It sure gets it using a different algorithm than Mapquest because Mapquest gives the right direction, using Exit 33.

Knowing someone is going to bring up GPS, nope, I am not getting one yet. I managed to find my way back with just regular maps and directional instinct from Sleeping Bear this past July and made it slightly faster than the wrong direction given by Google Map too! Unless I am traveling somewhere where I am not familiar with or going for a road trip, GPS is yet to rule my navigation skills. Hehe.

Guitar Hero 5

When I got my Wii console, one of the popular games was Guitar Hero World Tour. It was so popular that when I told my friends I got a Wii, they would ask me if I got the Guitar Hero too. But I didn't see how much fun it would be until I played it recently at John's place. Actually, I didn't like it very much when I first played it either. I kept missing all the notes and it just sounds crappy. But thanks to John's occasional nudge when we were at his place, I could actually play a couple songs (okay, not really, if you've seen John play). This game is similar to the Dance Dance Revolution games that ahboy and ahyong used to have for PS but instead of dancing on a mat, you play the guitar.

Earlier this week, they came out with a new version - Guitar Hero 5. Right about the same time, I received a package and guess what, it is a surprise gift from John containing the Guitar Hero 5! I have played it a few times since then and this game is actually lots of fun! It is also challenging because each song has different degree of energy even within the same level. Hehe. I could finally figure out what to do and play a decent song too!

有男朋友疼的感覺真甜蜜 :P 多十天我就能見到他!! 好期待喔!!

#Malaysia

The luxury of growing up as a Malaysian is that we were brought up to interact with people of different cultural background. There is always something new to learn and to explore. Despite all the negativity of racial bias and multicultural tensions, it is no doubt that everyone of us Malaysian have a sweet, touching story to tell about being in a multicultural community. With the coming up Merdeka Day (Malaysian Independence Day), there are lots of fun events to explore both in Malaysia and on the Internet.

15Malaysia is a project that compiles 15 short films produced by Malaysian film producers (Buatan Malaysia!). The theme of the films is on the socio-political issues in Malaysia. A Malaysian will definitely find that they can relate to each of the story, some might just be something that we have talked about among friends, or an event that we have witnessed, or even happened at some point in our own life. The films will be released every alternate days, with four already up online for downloads on the website as of today. My personal favorite so far is Chocolate by the late Yasmin Ahmad. (Mei, for some reason, it made me think of our Standard 6 days..hehe.) Will be looking forward to more great films!!

1Malaysia is an effort initiated by our current Prime Minister, Dato' Sri Mohd Najib Tun Razak, to reduce the gaps between all the different unique races and cultures in Malaysia. Recently, a contest to pick a song that could represent spirit of Malaysians, where race and culture differences no longer holds valid. If one were to think back, what exactly is the cause of such strong racial tension in Malaysia? It is definitely not something we experience in our daily lives until we have to face the rules and regulations posted by the government. In fact, the racial tension is not a true racial tension. We don't pick our friends or who we hang out with based on their race, we do not decide not to eat at the nasi melayu stall at Jones Road just because it is not managed by a Chinese. It is our dissatisfaction over the way the government expresses their opinions on policies (which often take advantage of radical religion beliefts) that creates a scenerio that looks like racial tension.

Well, back to the main topic, the competition has picked the best 10 songs and is now open for public to make the decision of which song will represent 1Malaysia. Have you rank your top 10 1Malaysia songs? Here's mine.

1. Inilah Malaysia
2. Lagu Rakyat Satu Malaysia
3. Satu Malaysia
4. Nyanyikan Lagu Mu
5. Malaysia Satu
6. Sehati Sejiwa
7. Kami Anak Malaysia
8. Keranamu Hati Ku Malaysia
9. Perpaduan 1Malaysia
10. Satu

I find myself liking lyrics with the Rukunegara in it. It will be a great reminder to all Malaysians that when Malaysia was founded, the segregation according to religion was never incorporated into the principles in which the government is built on. True, "Belief in God" is the first principle but it says nothing about the path one takes to do that.

I dropped by Western this weekend when I went soil sampling. What a delight to see that the M'sian flag is flying high!

心酸

翻著我們的照片, 想念若隱若現...
讓我哭笑不得.

雖然星期一已經說了再見, 今天才真真的感覺到哪心酸的感覺.
從今天開始, 我們就各過各的生活了. 好奇怪喔, 一直以來, 我都是一個人在校園走走. 剛才, 掛電話後, 想起一個人在校園走走, 好想很孤單. 哈哈, 是不是很怪呢? 不知道在這個短短的四個月裡, 我什麼時候讓他進了我的世界. 好不捨得喔...幸好在工作上, 回一直忙到九月. 那我就可以見到他了!! 還是現認真工作好了.

但今晚, 還是很想念他. Hmm...如果我們只是朋友, 我還是會哪麼想他嗎? 好想也會吧, 只不過會比較難過的想念. 現在只是戀戀不捨. :)




I didn't mean for this to go as far as it did.
and I didn't mean to get so close and share what we did
and I didn't mean to fall in love, but I did
and you didn't mean to love me back, but I know you did.
-Plain White T's -

Flickr

Blah!! Super frustrated with the organization for Picasa now! Want to upload all the photos me took the past few weeks and Picasa is just driving me nuts! So will be uploading the photos on Flickr instead. Plus, now that I finally figured out how to edit photos with Photoshop (okay, sort of lah. Still have no idea what I'm doing sometimes. Bleh), there really is no need to upload the photos on Picasa now. In fact, it is a lot easier to transfer photos from Flickr to Multiply than from Picasa.

Photos to be uploaded soon!!

Oh yes, Flickr has a way better organization settings than Picasa. With the Flickr Uploader, it is even easier! Uploaded some of the photos last night --> http://www.flickr.com/photos/ahping/

記憶拼圖

今天真的好累...回到家已4.30am了. 但, 在桌子上有個郵包. 本來想等明天才開的, 可是心痒, 卻開了. 是什麼呢? 是一張記憶拼圖!!! 看到那照片的時候, 一點都不覺得累了. 哪些照片是從我們開始一起出去完到現在的一點一滴!! 每一長照片都有很開心或者搞笑的回憶. 這, 真的是我從朋友受過最棒的禮物了!! It is the small things that 可以讓人動心.



哈哈, 好了, 該去睡覺了.

傻瓜

今天有一件事讓我覺得以前的萍萍真的好傻哦. 因為要讓對方開心, 自己的努力變成負擔. 以為每一件事都是要自己主動. 當對方不開心的時候, 都覺得是自己的錯, 因為不能在他的身邊陪著他或幫他什麼忙. 但, 那根本不是愛情! 那就是傻瓜! 對方根本不想奮力那曾經甜蜜過的愛情. 因為那相隔已經太遠了, 那愛情也變了不值得追求. It was always about him. 如果他覺得太麻煩, 那就是我不夠努力. 那甜蜜的話和承諾, 只是空口白話.

當我從我的夢幻醒來時, 我答應自己: I will not let history repeat. 我不會在喜歡上一個不會在我身邊的人. 何必讓自己愛的那麼辛苦呢?

喜從天降, 我卻喜歡上一個快要離開的人. 雖然自己一直提醒自己, 我的心, 卻不想聽道理. 再一次, 我又選擇了一個遠程戀愛. 但, 這一次, I got a good feeling about it! 今天, 他讓我感到, 他對我們的感情是認真的!! 這個感情, 我不再是一個人了. 原來, 被喜歡的感覺真的很棒! 最重要的是, he cares. :)

我不是一個傻瓜了!! 我真的可以與他一起去Rocky Mountain 了!!



相信付出會有代價, 代價只是一句...傻瓜.

但, 如果兩個人都肯付出, 那代價就是...幸福.

甜蜜

原來,喜歡一個人的感覺就是那麼甜蜜的.
原來,被喜歡的感覺就是那麼溫暖的.
原來,這種的緊張會讓人心跳加速.
原來,這種的害羞會讓人臉頰火紅.
原來,喜歡可以把哪緊張變成勇敢...給了我勇氣來緊緊的抱著你.

當你起床的時候,第一個思想就是他,
刷牙時,發現自己在傻傻的微笑,那是什麼意思呢?

我...好像...真的...喜歡上一個人了.



我...也好像...一步...一步...走火入魔了.

Determination

只要有決心, 目標一定可以達到.
Was walking by the river when I saw this turtle trying to climb up to the 'shore'. It took almost 15 minutes to finally get up there. The waves (even though seems like nothing to us), kept pushing it back into the water. But it was determined enough to want to get on land so it made it!

一條很長的路.

突然覺得我再走者的一條路, 真的很長. 最近一直聽到朋友們回去拜訪爸媽, 或者於爸媽一起去旅行 (美國的朋友, 當想念爸媽時, 隨時都可以回家, Pei 又剛剛回到爸媽身邊). 這些消息讓我覺得我正在走的路真的好寂寞. 雖然有時候很喜歡一個人的感覺, 卻有時候還是會想要有人陪的感覺. 我的未來, 到底是在那裡呢? 我的孤單, 到底有誰能帶走呢?

只想要一個緊緊的擁抱.

Softball!

This is going to be a surprise to all Ping's family members - I am in a softball team!! Hehe...that is 100% reality. No hidden meaning!

Ping has never played any games that involves ball/shuttlecock...wait, actually Ping have never participated in ANY sports at all! During Pendidikan Jasmani (Physical Education), Ping would always try to find a reason not to be participate unless it is 100 m run or passing baton run or 'gotong-royong' (group clean up) sessions. Of course, Ping can't always get away so Ping actually did try to play volleyball and netball but didn't get good enough to be excited about the game.

When Tom annouced that we will have a softball team this summer, Ping's first reaction - can I not play? But because they required females to play, Ping did end up playing in the first game, which unfortunately we lost. That was the single elimination game (meaning that if your team lose, it is out). Since there are enough people who wants to play, we end up joining the intramural league. Ping did try to get out of it initially (I had a good reason - I was at KBS!) but end up playing her first game on Monday. Not knowing what is going on or how to play, Ping did really bad at batting. When we played the field, Ping gets to be the catcher so it wasn't that bad but wished that I knew what was going on.

Ping finally learned how the whole gameplay is about and today, during Ping's second game, softball is actually fun! This is definitely the first game that makes Ping excited enough to want to play again next week! The best is, Ping finally made contact with the ball!!! Twice too!! Yippee!!! 好興奮!!! Now the next goal is to actually get to run up to first base!!! Hehee...真得隴望蜀.

Nino the fish

Ping got a new toy! It came from Cedar Point, where Ping's brother won some game.It is an orange smiling fish!

But then hor, it is too bright for the family lah! It becomes the focus point because it is sooo orange! Hehe.

Cici Jelly Drink

Guess what Ping got from Pei today! It is the Cici Jelly Drink endorsed by 杰倫!! Hehe..felt like a kid when Lin showed it to Ping. Who would have thought that Jay endorsed products will be sold here in the US! What more in Michigan!!

Happy Birthday to Mummy and Daddy

A surprise is on it's way. It has something to do with the picture below.
Their birthday is actually on the 12th but if posted too early, the surprise is bound to be exposed. So Ping shall keep at this until they receive the surprise.

Cool gifts

Ping is not big on giving birthday gifts or any gifts at all. It is only when Ping see something and Ping thought of a certain someone then will Ping get it. It is probably because when growing up, mum and dad was never big on giving birthday presents. It was more spending time with the family and having a nice dinner somewhere or home cook dinner by gee kim. The other thing about gifts that deter Ping from giving is that you don't really know what the person wants or need.

Recently Ping found out about this program by Heifer International. While most organizations simply bring food and send their volunteers to help out people in the third world country, Heifer International actually help the people take charge of their own life. They preach sustainable development. Have you heard of the Chinese proverb "給他一條魚, 你餵他一天, 教他釣魚, 你餵他一輩子" ? It literally means "Give the man a fish, you feed him for a day. Teach the man to fish, you feed him for life". In the ancient Chinese, it used to be "授人以魚, 三餐之需. 授人以漁, 終生之用" which basically means the same. This is the basis of their programs. Instead of giving money donations, you buy the family a cow or ducks or some kind of food source animal. They have volunteers all over the third world countries to help them start their own farm so that they can feed themselves. Pretty cool!

So when you are not sure what to give someone for their birthday, buy a flock of geese under their name.

Short, short, short.

Ping needs to keep her sentences short. Gotta reduce using words like while, then, hence, therefore, which will be,....

This should not be that different from the weekly report Ping writes up but why the thought that Ping is applying to NSF makes it all so much more tense. Seriously, should I even be submitting this? Gosh...can't imagine how it would be like when Ping finally starts writing up the BGE chapter for her dissertation. Scary.

8 more days to go.

Colors of Fall

The temperature is starting to drop. Ping's red sweater is no longer enough. But Sunday was pretty sunny that it felt wasted to be spending the entire day indoor. So Ping, Jo and TT went to Hawk Island County Park for a walk. Initially Ping wanted to walk the new trail towards Potter Park Zoo but we ended up at some residential playground somewhere in Lansing. Will try out for the Potter Park Zoo direction next time. We have gone to the park several times for bbq but only Ping had ran the park trail a few times over the summer. We have also explored the Potter Park Zoo last summer - definitely nothing compared to Zoo Negara! At that time, we drove there but this summer, Jo and Ping discovered that it is actually pretty close to walk to by following the river trail from University Village, just right outside campus.

We started at the trail in Hawk Island County Park, heading into Scott Woods Park and exit at East Greenlawn Avenue (TT, you're right...there is a health care center right there. It is the building that was on the other side of the playground). Most of the leaves have already fallen but those that are still hanging out have pretty colors.

Ping like this a lot - colorful leaves with blue skies. It was cold but the sky was clear that afternoon.
The red ones are the ones that stand out most...
but Ping's favorite is the apple green, even when Ping was a kid, Ping also pick this green when coloring trees.
This is Ping's favorite scene! A simplicity that can bring lots of fantasies! Doesn't it remind you of a scene in Disney's Snow White? or Bambi? Imagine a deer standing by the creek, a world of its own, untouchable, away from disturbance. Nature is still the prettiest.
Just before we left the park, we saw this cute little thing here (although looking at it made Ping felt itchy!). Not sure what kind of caterpillar it is but it reminded us of the 'cheng'. Remember when we had to clean our white shoes back in school every weekend? When we clean, we had to use the black cheng which is very hard and Ping preferred the brown one that is smaller and softer. Wonder if the person who created the 'cheng' got the idea from seeing this little creature here?