Miracle of miracles, I won again. Today we were playing in groups of three, matches of 15 points. The winner would go to the higher group, the loser goes to the lower group, and the one in the middle stays put.
The prof put me in the first group (*sigh* I wanted to start in the second!) with the previously mentioned two. And I beat that 2nd-best guy 20-18. :O If we hadn't ended it on this point we would have played to 21...'cos the prof said that first to 21 wins even if we were at 20-20.
So I stayed put the first round...and the next I lost both matches so I had to go down, whereas that guy (let's call him J) (Oh what the heck, why am I preserving privacy anyway, he's called Joachim) moved back up. And then I lost both matches again, one against someone I had already beat before, this time I lost 18-16.
That was the last round for today, and we're supposed to continue next week (though we might not, if the prof comes with another activity for us). So next week I'm supposed to be starting in the third group. Unless, of course, there are absents or today's absents turn up...it happens all the time.
However, the 3rd-best guy (this one is called Loïc) beat me twice today...the first time really easily and the second time with a little more effort, but I was nowhere close to winning at all. Oh well, you can't have everything.
So basically I beat the best guy there today (if we are to count it using the "ranking" before the holidays lol), only to be beaten by everyone else, including people I've already beaten before. How ironic...
And that is how I ended up going down and down.
And by the way, maybe there should be a new ranking. lol
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Musical in real life
Some stuff to share tonight. First, a sign about how to sellout correctly.
I guess those sponsors feel really disappointed every time someone does a "wrong" pose... :P
Then there is this wonderful musical :D
Another one (I prefer the first, though)
And another (this one seems to have been made earlier, it's of less good quality, but I like the policeman part more than the second one)
I love ImprovEverywhere! :D
Enjoy ;)
I guess those sponsors feel really disappointed every time someone does a "wrong" pose... :P
Then there is this wonderful musical :D
Another one (I prefer the first, though)
And another (this one seems to have been made earlier, it's of less good quality, but I like the policeman part more than the second one)
I love ImprovEverywhere! :D
Enjoy ;)
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Of hate and politeness
WP used to think that she hated cigarette smoke above anything else. But now she thinks that she hates hypocrisy more. Because while cigarette smoke assaults you physically, hypocrisy assaults you mentally.
All this to start another thinking post. What can you make of someone who asks you to help her with something, and then never manages to find a time for that? What do you make of it when she suggests to do something and you ask her to suggest a time and she never does so?
Is that hypocrisy? Or is that just a kind of "politeness" at the beginning, a kind of polite suggestion that wasn't meant in the slightest?
Politeness makes us hypocrites, really. Or at least, liars. How many times have you not told the truth because it would not have been polite to do so?
What a coincidence that I read this right after writing this post. That's mental assault for you.
All this to start another thinking post. What can you make of someone who asks you to help her with something, and then never manages to find a time for that? What do you make of it when she suggests to do something and you ask her to suggest a time and she never does so?
Is that hypocrisy? Or is that just a kind of "politeness" at the beginning, a kind of polite suggestion that wasn't meant in the slightest?
Politeness makes us hypocrites, really. Or at least, liars. How many times have you not told the truth because it would not have been polite to do so?
What a coincidence that I read this right after writing this post. That's mental assault for you.
“Have you ever seen a dog get hit by a car, but walk away? There’s this impact, and you know something terrible has happened to that dog, but it walks away and it doesn’t seem to even realise the implications ... ’ cause it just goes on. But you know that something terrible has happened inside this dog.”
Saturday, January 09, 2010
Of sportive destinations in Munich
On my last day in Munich, I took a day ticket for the whole public transport network (which includes getting to the airport) and so made the most of it by venturing out of the town centre.
My first stop was the Allianz Arena. Remember my visit into the miniature at the Munich airport?
where to get off
We can see the stadium upon coming out of the metro station
(the shadow on the top left is the fence of the overhead crossing which I was on)
I was there! lol
There wasn't anything special about the interior of the stadium; what's more, everything was closed and it was very cold, so I didn't spend much time there.
It was a lot colder there (and at the Olympic Park that I went to later) than in Munich itself, probably because these places were north of the town. In the town the snow had melted, but as you can see, the ground's still white around the stadium...
inside the metro leaving from Fröttmaning; it was empty because this was the first stop (only for certain times, usually the metro goes further than this station)
Before I left for Munich, Dinie told me that the metro there was great and that I'd love it. Taking the metro (S-Bahn) from the airport to town, I was wondering what was so great about it... It turns out that the U-Bahns (metros in the Munich centre) are newer than the S-Bahns (trains passing through the centre of Munich, but going further out of town, like the RER in Paris).
As I mentioned, my second stop was the Olympic Park (Olympiapark) Here's a map:
The guys I met the night before had said that they were staying there...probably in one of the blocks on the left. But they were working that day, so I suppose they weren't there anyway. I didn't walk all over the park since it was so cold, just went around taking a few pictures. It was nothing really special anyway...maybe because it was winter?
Olympic Tower
We can pay to go up, but the last trip up was at 11:30am and it was already about noon when I arrived there.
the swimming pool; it was wonderfully warm inside!!
The restaurant and souvenir shop on its left
the SoccaFive arena
I think it's rented out because:
Inside:
The BMW museum is just nearby, but I didn't go there. I wasn't planning to go there anyway, and what's more, the guys from the beer tour told me that it was just like a huge car showroom.
I don't know which one exactly is the museum...probably the big one and not the tower.
And actually WW was really lucky I went to the Olympic Park...I wasn't planning to go there at the beginning, and that was where I found the Bayern Munich souvenir shop! I was initially going to visit the Allianz Arena and then the Nuremberg Palace (without going in, just looking and taking pics from the outside) But those guys (again lol) told me that the Olympic Park was a good place to visit, and when I asked the guy at my hostel reception whether the palace was close to the tram station (we have to take the tram there, not the metro), he said that the palace was nothing special anyway. Which was why I finally decided to pass on the palace and go to the Olympic Park instead.
That's all for my touristic pics...though I believe I will be doing another post about Munich, with all the "odds and ends" photos.
My first stop was the Allianz Arena. Remember my visit into the miniature at the Munich airport?
where to get off
We can see the stadium upon coming out of the metro station(the shadow on the top left is the fence of the overhead crossing which I was on)
I was there! lolThere wasn't anything special about the interior of the stadium; what's more, everything was closed and it was very cold, so I didn't spend much time there.
It was a lot colder there (and at the Olympic Park that I went to later) than in Munich itself, probably because these places were north of the town. In the town the snow had melted, but as you can see, the ground's still white around the stadium...
inside the metro leaving from Fröttmaning; it was empty because this was the first stop (only for certain times, usually the metro goes further than this station)Before I left for Munich, Dinie told me that the metro there was great and that I'd love it. Taking the metro (S-Bahn) from the airport to town, I was wondering what was so great about it... It turns out that the U-Bahns (metros in the Munich centre) are newer than the S-Bahns (trains passing through the centre of Munich, but going further out of town, like the RER in Paris).
As I mentioned, my second stop was the Olympic Park (Olympiapark) Here's a map:
The guys I met the night before had said that they were staying there...probably in one of the blocks on the left. But they were working that day, so I suppose they weren't there anyway. I didn't walk all over the park since it was so cold, just went around taking a few pictures. It was nothing really special anyway...maybe because it was winter?
Olympic TowerWe can pay to go up, but the last trip up was at 11:30am and it was already about noon when I arrived there.
the swimming pool; it was wonderfully warm inside!!
The restaurant and souvenir shop on its left
the SoccaFive arenaI think it's rented out because:
Inside:
The BMW museum is just nearby, but I didn't go there. I wasn't planning to go there anyway, and what's more, the guys from the beer tour told me that it was just like a huge car showroom.
I don't know which one exactly is the museum...probably the big one and not the tower.
And actually WW was really lucky I went to the Olympic Park...I wasn't planning to go there at the beginning, and that was where I found the Bayern Munich souvenir shop! I was initially going to visit the Allianz Arena and then the Nuremberg Palace (without going in, just looking and taking pics from the outside) But those guys (again lol) told me that the Olympic Park was a good place to visit, and when I asked the guy at my hostel reception whether the palace was close to the tram station (we have to take the tram there, not the metro), he said that the palace was nothing special anyway. Which was why I finally decided to pass on the palace and go to the Olympic Park instead.
That's all for my touristic pics...though I believe I will be doing another post about Munich, with all the "odds and ends" photos.
Did you know that...
The first blood transfusion was performed by Cornish
physician Richard Lower in 1665. Using hollow quills, Dr.
Lower pumped blood from one dog into another. Years later
another physician, Jean-Babtiste Denis, became the first
to transfer blood from an animal to a human.
The liver is found only in vertebrates and is the body’s
largest gland. It is also the body’s own chemical plant;
carrying on a dozen important metabolic functions as well.
Phineas Gage became renowned when he had a metal bar go
through his head and he survived. However, his personality
changed. A man who was once content and considerate, became
a man who was moody and foul-mouthed. His injury paved the
way for an understanding into how the frontal lobe affected
personality.
People with the rare condition called “synesthesia” not
only taste colors, but see words and feel flavors. Each
person is unique in how they perceive the world; some smell
colors or taste shapes, while others associate colors with
sound, perceiving each note as a different hue. The
condition has been linked to less blood flow to those parts
of the brain that receive sensory stimulation.
The ancient Greek physicians maintained that the balance of
the humors, controlled a person’s temperament. The blood
(sanguis), made a person cheerful; phlegm (pituita), meant
slow moving; Yellow bile (chole), made one hot tempered;
black bile (melanchole), caused depression. If any of the
four humors were out of balance, it reflected on the body
and mind as a whole.
After being shot in the abdomen, Alexis St. Martin was
treated, but the hole did not heal or close. To keep the
contents from oozing out, the wound had to be stuffed with
a cotton cloth. He allowed his surgeon, William Beaumont,
to do experiments using samples of his stomach contents.
The experiments helped in identifying the stomach acid
(hydrochloric acid), and to study the stomach’s movements.
Pretty interesting...
(from here)
physician Richard Lower in 1665. Using hollow quills, Dr.
Lower pumped blood from one dog into another. Years later
another physician, Jean-Babtiste Denis, became the first
to transfer blood from an animal to a human.
The liver is found only in vertebrates and is the body’s
largest gland. It is also the body’s own chemical plant;
carrying on a dozen important metabolic functions as well.
Phineas Gage became renowned when he had a metal bar go
through his head and he survived. However, his personality
changed. A man who was once content and considerate, became
a man who was moody and foul-mouthed. His injury paved the
way for an understanding into how the frontal lobe affected
personality.
People with the rare condition called “synesthesia” not
only taste colors, but see words and feel flavors. Each
person is unique in how they perceive the world; some smell
colors or taste shapes, while others associate colors with
sound, perceiving each note as a different hue. The
condition has been linked to less blood flow to those parts
of the brain that receive sensory stimulation.
The ancient Greek physicians maintained that the balance of
the humors, controlled a person’s temperament. The blood
(sanguis), made a person cheerful; phlegm (pituita), meant
slow moving; Yellow bile (chole), made one hot tempered;
black bile (melanchole), caused depression. If any of the
four humors were out of balance, it reflected on the body
and mind as a whole.
After being shot in the abdomen, Alexis St. Martin was
treated, but the hole did not heal or close. To keep the
contents from oozing out, the wound had to be stuffed with
a cotton cloth. He allowed his surgeon, William Beaumont,
to do experiments using samples of his stomach contents.
The experiments helped in identifying the stomach acid
(hydrochloric acid), and to study the stomach’s movements.
Pretty interesting...
(from here)
Thursday, January 07, 2010
Of coincidences
Oh, and right after writing that post, I went on Facebook and found a friend request from the Pauline I mentioned. Hmm...will it snowball? (my blog is linked from Facebook)
And I found out that she shares my birthday! This is the first time I've found someone who shares my birthday...I know a whole bunch of people who have their birthdays around mine, but not anyone on the same day. Till now, of course.
(the title refers to the two coincidences, the timing and the birthday)
And I found out that she shares my birthday! This is the first time I've found someone who shares my birthday...I know a whole bunch of people who have their birthdays around mine, but not anyone on the same day. Till now, of course.
(the title refers to the two coincidences, the timing and the birthday)
Of being "too" Chinese
Just thought this might be noteworthy. Especially since I wrote about this before.
Anyway, it was a classmate this time...he didn't react as "surprised-ly" as Etienne, but he did admit he'd always thought that I came from China, together with my other Chinese classmates (come to think of it, I wonder whether some people think that my Vietnamese friend in GE is a Chinese too...)
This time, the discovery was brought about by our poly (textbook) for speech processing. Inside the cover was a quote from Confucius, and he was asking me, wasn't this guy banned in China? (or something like that) I slipped in a "warning" - "I don't come from China" - before replying...
Oh yeah, and the term started on the 21st of September, so this guy discovered it in less than 4 months, which was quicker than the one at my internship :P
There was another guy, also in my class this year who discovered a little earlier (a few months ago) Looking back at my time-table, it was the 16th of November. A Chinese guy had been invited to give us a lecture on a piece of research he had done. He was from the Harbin University of China, and my classmate wanted to know whether I had heard of the university. So same thing, I slipped in my "I don't come from China", and he went "oh, really?" (or something like that)
You see, they usually just ask, thinking that I'm from China. And if I were to simply answer, they would just continue thinking that...
As I mentioned in my previous post, it isn't likely that these people will come to my blog. But either way, I'll just say this: It is at least nice of them to have talked to me enough to finally find out that I'm Malaysian. More than half of the class (my new classmates) have never actually spoken to me before, nor acknowledged my presence.
So, Jacques and Julien, you guys are cool ^_^
Oh, and Pauline probably found out today at the same time as Julien since she was sitting just next to him. There are still a few people who have already spoken to me a few times and are quite friendly, but I still wonder whether they know I'm Malaysian or whether they have simply assumed their guess that I'm from China correct.
A voir... ("to be seen", literally)
Anyway, it was a classmate this time...he didn't react as "surprised-ly" as Etienne, but he did admit he'd always thought that I came from China, together with my other Chinese classmates (come to think of it, I wonder whether some people think that my Vietnamese friend in GE is a Chinese too...)
This time, the discovery was brought about by our poly (textbook) for speech processing. Inside the cover was a quote from Confucius, and he was asking me, wasn't this guy banned in China? (or something like that) I slipped in a "warning" - "I don't come from China" - before replying...
Oh yeah, and the term started on the 21st of September, so this guy discovered it in less than 4 months, which was quicker than the one at my internship :P
There was another guy, also in my class this year who discovered a little earlier (a few months ago) Looking back at my time-table, it was the 16th of November. A Chinese guy had been invited to give us a lecture on a piece of research he had done. He was from the Harbin University of China, and my classmate wanted to know whether I had heard of the university. So same thing, I slipped in my "I don't come from China", and he went "oh, really?" (or something like that)
You see, they usually just ask, thinking that I'm from China. And if I were to simply answer, they would just continue thinking that...
As I mentioned in my previous post, it isn't likely that these people will come to my blog. But either way, I'll just say this: It is at least nice of them to have talked to me enough to finally find out that I'm Malaysian. More than half of the class (my new classmates) have never actually spoken to me before, nor acknowledged my presence.
So, Jacques and Julien, you guys are cool ^_^
Oh, and Pauline probably found out today at the same time as Julien since she was sitting just next to him. There are still a few people who have already spoken to me a few times and are quite friendly, but I still wonder whether they know I'm Malaysian or whether they have simply assumed their guess that I'm from China correct.
A voir... ("to be seen", literally)
Wednesday, January 06, 2010
Of "the end" approaching
I have written rather candidly in my previous post. In part, it's because the guys I were talking about don't read my blog. There is no way they would know of its existence, anyway, since I only see them at badminton and we don't even actually talk to each other. (or else I am very unlucky. lol) But in any case, it's not like I'm saying anything bad about them.
This post is another reflection on how things are. Before, when I wrote about stuff like that, I was always keeping in mind that these people might come to my blog one day. But somehow, in this final year in INSA, I feel a sort of finality coming, I feel like everything will come to an end, and my choices are made taking this into account. It isn't as if I don't think of the possibility that people who don't read my blog now might drop by one day, and might stumble onto one of my posts about them. It hasn't slipped my mind. I just feel that it is way too far-fetched.
I just feel that I won't meet anyone new in INSA and get to know them well enough to actually become friends.
Or is that being too pessimistic?
But maybe it's not pessimistic because that is just how it works.
Oh, and by the way, my wish was not granted. And snow is forecasted till the end of the week. I guess the snow took a break during the holidays as well.
This post is another reflection on how things are. Before, when I wrote about stuff like that, I was always keeping in mind that these people might come to my blog one day. But somehow, in this final year in INSA, I feel a sort of finality coming, I feel like everything will come to an end, and my choices are made taking this into account. It isn't as if I don't think of the possibility that people who don't read my blog now might drop by one day, and might stumble onto one of my posts about them. It hasn't slipped my mind. I just feel that it is way too far-fetched.
I just feel that I won't meet anyone new in INSA and get to know them well enough to actually become friends.
Or is that being too pessimistic?
But maybe it's not pessimistic because that is just how it works.
Oh, and by the way, my wish was not granted. And snow is forecasted till the end of the week. I guess the snow took a break during the holidays as well.
First badminton session of the year
I suddenly won today. I beat the 2nd best guy in our badminton group (in sports class). And twice. :O
I don't really know how it could have happened...usually he beats me pretty easily. And the last session, before the holidays, I beat the (maybe) third best in the group. That was pretty unexpected as well...and I was so happy. lol Though maybe it was because he was a bit tired by the time he played with me.
Both these guys have already beat me oh-so-easily before. Once was during a sort of internal championship (with a little luck in the drawing of opponents), where I finished 3rd (I say they're the 2nd and 3rd best...at that time the "best" wasn't there) I played with both of them in the "3-way finals", and lost to both. And lost easily. So I really don't get how I managed to win today. And twice. The holidays must have done something to him. lol
And oh yeah, it felt good to play after 3 weeks :)
I don't really know how it could have happened...usually he beats me pretty easily. And the last session, before the holidays, I beat the (maybe) third best in the group. That was pretty unexpected as well...and I was so happy. lol Though maybe it was because he was a bit tired by the time he played with me.
Both these guys have already beat me oh-so-easily before. Once was during a sort of internal championship (with a little luck in the drawing of opponents), where I finished 3rd (I say they're the 2nd and 3rd best...at that time the "best" wasn't there) I played with both of them in the "3-way finals", and lost to both. And lost easily. So I really don't get how I managed to win today. And twice. The holidays must have done something to him. lol
And oh yeah, it felt good to play after 3 weeks :)
Tuesday, January 05, 2010
Uncertainty everywhere
I think it's been some time since I wrote a spontaneous post like this, just to give some news on what's going on. I don't know how you people like this kind of post, but I feel like writing one, so here goes!
It snowed last night...the weather forecast said that there would be "a few flakes" last night and this morning. (oh yes, the weather forecast plays an important part in my life in France). But instead of a few flakes, there were quite a lot...not big flakes, but by the time I looked out of my window last night, there was already a white coat on the cars and bushes outside...and this morning it was all covered. The snow was at least 5cm deep (probably more...I'm really bad with visual measurements)
And this year's internships...I got one last month, but I was still searching. I was thinking all was probably lost when today I suddenly received a phone call from a lab asking me to call back. And when I did, I was told that I had the internship if I wanted it. As he said, the ball's in my court now...and I'm not quite sure what to do. I really thought I wasn't going to get that internship...
The thing is, I just went for another interview today, which kinda went well...okay, it really went well. The guy said that we would need to do an interview with the actual company people tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, and that I would know right away whether I'm accepted. It sounded like he was in charge of finding someone for the company, and that most probably the company would just accept the person he had chosen. I also found out that I had a "rival" for that offer...and that he had already accepted an internship somewhere else. (I'm the pathetic one, still looking) So it's looking pretty optimistic for this one...though of course anything can happen.
And I still don't have all the info about this internship to say whether it is the one I want... Uncertainty everywhere.
(If this post seems to be "blur", without much details, it's meant to be that way...explaining everything would take too much time (and words) )
Oh yeah, and I hope the snow will melt soon (I mean fully melt, so that there's no trace left), 'cos I don't have practical shoes for this weather. (or more like this kind of ground) My shoes are pretty much all "dead", even my sneakers have a dangerous hole in the sole, which isn't "through" yet, but might be if I'm not careful. And when I was in Munich, snow and pebbles found their way into that hole and got packed tight inside...it scared me for a moment, I thought the hole had gone through 'cos the snow was making my foot really cold! (thank goodness it was only conduction ("only", hmph... and "conduction" for cold instead of heat...what a choice of wording, huh?) )
So...practically all my shoes are only fit for dry weather. So for goodness' sake dry up quickly, so that I can go out without worrying about footwear!
It snowed last night...the weather forecast said that there would be "a few flakes" last night and this morning. (oh yes, the weather forecast plays an important part in my life in France). But instead of a few flakes, there were quite a lot...not big flakes, but by the time I looked out of my window last night, there was already a white coat on the cars and bushes outside...and this morning it was all covered. The snow was at least 5cm deep (probably more...I'm really bad with visual measurements)
And this year's internships...I got one last month, but I was still searching. I was thinking all was probably lost when today I suddenly received a phone call from a lab asking me to call back. And when I did, I was told that I had the internship if I wanted it. As he said, the ball's in my court now...and I'm not quite sure what to do. I really thought I wasn't going to get that internship...
The thing is, I just went for another interview today, which kinda went well...okay, it really went well. The guy said that we would need to do an interview with the actual company people tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, and that I would know right away whether I'm accepted. It sounded like he was in charge of finding someone for the company, and that most probably the company would just accept the person he had chosen. I also found out that I had a "rival" for that offer...and that he had already accepted an internship somewhere else. (I'm the pathetic one, still looking) So it's looking pretty optimistic for this one...though of course anything can happen.
And I still don't have all the info about this internship to say whether it is the one I want... Uncertainty everywhere.
(If this post seems to be "blur", without much details, it's meant to be that way...explaining everything would take too much time (and words) )
Oh yeah, and I hope the snow will melt soon (I mean fully melt, so that there's no trace left), 'cos I don't have practical shoes for this weather. (or more like this kind of ground) My shoes are pretty much all "dead", even my sneakers have a dangerous hole in the sole, which isn't "through" yet, but might be if I'm not careful. And when I was in Munich, snow and pebbles found their way into that hole and got packed tight inside...it scared me for a moment, I thought the hole had gone through 'cos the snow was making my foot really cold! (thank goodness it was only conduction ("only", hmph... and "conduction" for cold instead of heat...what a choice of wording, huh?) )
So...practically all my shoes are only fit for dry weather. So for goodness' sake dry up quickly, so that I can go out without worrying about footwear!
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