8.31.2006

Chichi Xpress

Here are some fresh photos of my kawaii niece, Qiqi (aka Chichi)!! She is going 6 mths old this September, about 66cm long and 7kg heavy! Her favorite pastimes are flipping, galloping, and sucking on anything she reaches!













Well...she refuses to look at me. :(

8.29.2006

It's Fall 2006...


So the new semester has started yesterday. Sigh-- it will be a busy one for me. Top-most priority, I need to get into SIFE ASAP so I can graduate!!

My new place still needs a lot of unpacking done, but I always procrastinate. I guess that is the only thing that I prioritize it lower than school work/studying - cleaning. And I kinda dread having to take the bus to school...always afraid that I might be late.

Well, my room is fine...I like it quite a lot, but I have a weird neighbor right opposite me. The door is always open (except late night/early morning) and there's this smoked cigarettes smell coming out of the apt. Occassionally you hear a guy coughing but you never get to see who's in there. All you see is a room full of junk and a rather fat cat lying around, as if guarding the door. Feels really freaky. Tim joked that it could be someone like Kramer. lol On the other hand, there is a 5th year archi staying on the same floor as I. Good to know that at least there is someone from CMU right where I am.

I met Akiko yesterday. She seemed fine. She claimed that she's going to work hard this semester. But then, that's what we both said last semester when we took Econ Theory together. hehe but the process didn't go too well. Saw Kenneth this noon. Finally not an archi anymore. I think he's going for business. We didn't stop to talk coz I was on the phone with mr. goh. Too bad. I hope we meet soon again.

Wenchun (Emma) msged me this morning and linked me her new blog! I suppose it's new coz it looked different from the old one. So here it is: 0110101011000110111

Chibi's Road Trip

Beginning Friday afternoon, my sister, tim and I took Chibi out on a long journey to Pittsburgh. It was Chibi's first road trip! Whenever she was forced out of the house (like to the vet) she would cry very loudly. That day was no exception.

We got her a disposable litter tray and couple of canned food (she loves those with gravy) but she just wouldn't eat or use the tray! She was so stressed up that she kept shedding. :( Poor Chibi...you could tell that she was really scared, she didn't dared to come out of her crate.


Then, she got slightly better and was able to sleep on the couch instead. But the timid baby was so shy that she quickly hid under the seat and buried her head like an ostrich, when she saw the person serving us at the drive-thru. Such a kawaii little baby~~ <3

Finally, after near 15 hours of driving, we arrived in Pittsburgh and here is Chibi's and my new home!


The room is still in a mess, I haven't unpacked all my boxes. But check out the new pink chair, new red trash can (left pic), and the new shower curtain (right pic) from Ikea! Chibi's litter tray is new too, from Petsmart!


Here's where I placed my bed. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to find the screws I took out from my bed frame, so my fulton is laid on the floor for the time being. Chibi's corner is right beside it, but of course, Chibi roams around and sleeps anywhere (hopefully under my blanket in the winter :P)! Right now, Chibi is sleeping right in front of my keyboard. One word: cute!

Chibi has fully adjusted to the new environment. She is no longer afraid of this new place and furthermore, she's become a sweet sweet baby, constantly asking for pats now! I love how she rubs her face against me. So adorable :D

8.24.2006

My 1st steps in Europe - Part I: Vienna/Wien

This summer I was very lucky to be able to go on a trip to Europe (Austria/Germany) with my eldest sister and brother-in-law! Hehe I should really thank Singapore for the dumb policy of not letting me extend my stay there.
So we flew to Vienna the night before Singapore's national day, stayed for 3 days, then flew to Munich for the weekend, and went to Kitzbuhel for the next week, where my sister was in for a Client Leadership Workshop (CLW).

Vienna [8/9-8/11]

The afternoon after arriving in Vienna...

we ate lunch at Leupold (look beside the horse carriages passing by); typical Austrian cuisine: Old Viennese Pot au feu (beef broth with veggies) + Hungarian Goulash (beef stew); that was a LOT of meat :\

checked out the city center

saw statues of REAL people and many more along the street


Dinner at...

a fine Italian restaurant

pizza + pasta with CAMPARI SODA *yucks* VERY bitter, had to drink it with tobasco and lemon on the side XP


The next day...

we came to the ancient palace of Austria

with a huge imperial garden!

and a very grand view atop the hill

also has an imperial zoo and a maze/labyrinth surrounding the garden

with little adventures to play with

e.g. kaleidoscope

e.g. this box thing that allows you to talk to ppl outside

e.g. a playful step that spurts water onto your feet!

e.g. bouncy steps that make you lose balance

e.g. musical steps

e.g. water "rocking-pump"

e.g. a mathematical teaser

e.g. and something to climb on :P


Then we went to Danube River...

for a cruise that was over 2 hours long

because we had to wait for water to fill up to a certain level before we could be released through the dam :(


We...

took the tram

went to the parliament

came to the MOMUK museum @Museumsquatier

they had very interesting seats outside


next is the Albertina museum, celebrating Mozart's 250th birthday this year

went to the Gasometer City to "shop" (there was literally nothing there) but got an architectural treat instead :)


In the night...

I had Tafelspitz (steak that "melts" in your mouth) for dinner with Austrian white wine

then a Mozart orchestra (since it was his 250th bday) to end the night; the musicians even dressed up like in the old days for a bit more Mozart atmosphere


To be continued if I'm not this lazy and if I still remember things hehe.

A New Friend

Met a Korean girl here in Atlanta.
She's a cousin of my sister's friend.
A very nice, sweet girl who grew up in the countryside.
She wants to become an English teacher, so she came here to learn English.
And we took a picture together!

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