X-cape! (Day 6)

The last day of the conference was a half-day program, which left us time to do some last minute shopping.


And we ended up teaming up by age group.


Which means we two young 'uns shopped together...


And youth is such that after finishing our shopping (at around 9 or 10 pm) and eating dinner we, on a whim, decided it would be a GREAT idea to watch X-Men 3. Without telling the elders.


Haaaayyyy. I am too easy to influence in a bad way.


So we ended up going back to the hotel at 1AM. And my roommate, the head of the other department which presented a paper, it turns out, had been quite worried.


Good girls should have told, I know. Just so the elders wouldn't worry. Ewan ko ba.

[sneaking out was kind of fun though...]

And I hit upon a realization: to be able to stay out late, I would have to be in another country. I would have to be a jetsetter!


Brilliant!

Gala Dinner and the Toy (Day 5)

The fifth day is worth mentioning for these reasons: the gala dinner, which was surprisingly fun, in a geeky sort of way, and because after that, all of us snuck out to Mustafa's Place (or some name like that, its an electronics emporium within the Little India compound) and shopped til 2:00 AM.

That's right folks.












And I came away with this baby ---->









Yes.... it's a thing of beauty. And so far, it plays everything. Can you tell I'm in love?

Free Day (Day 4)

Wednesday was a free day for the conference participants, and we used the time to go around town.


For the morning, we got on the SIA Hop-on/Hop-off bus, and got off the Botanical Gardens, Little India and the Esplanade.






Then in the afternoon we went to magical Sentoooh-saaah --- Singapore's Island Resort!



Rode the cable car, saw Underwater World and watched the Fountain Show.











And Joseph is right. Underwater World is small. I wouldn't know if it's worth S$20, but he didn't seem to think so. Oh well. Animals are still fun to goggle at.


The Fountain Show is pretty good though. Water as projector screen. Sugoi!


I think Kiki the Monkey is a bit demented though. And I don't mean in the clinical psychology sense.

Clandestine Meetings (Day 3)

After a day of listening to paper presentations, a secret meeting at He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named's place.


A funny, brief interlude: the tour agent at the hotel lobby chatted with me as I was waiting to be picked up.


Then Maritess and I met Lee (Malaysian?), Taufik (Malaysian?), Joseph (Singaporean) and Eugene (Singaporean?). Joseph is funny. A Singaporean who's down on Singapore.


I think I must've sounded like a bigot to Lee and Taufik. Hey, but they were asking about first impressions. Actually what I answered weren't first impressions but expectations.... Hmmmm...


Take-away thought for the night: I still forget that sometimes, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named can be really horrible.

I present to you these two droids..... (Day 2)

"...both are hard-working, and will serve you well."

--- Luke Skywalker to Jabba the Hutt, Return of the Jedi

And that's how I felt I guess, on presentation day. Like I was going to be offered to Jabba the Hutt.


Well, not really. But my fingertips were cold as I waited for my turn.


Apparently however, I needn't have worried.


For the first day, the presentation sessions were arranged 2-3 per hour, with coffee breaks and lunch interspersed after every hour. Paper presentations were divided among 4 venues, so that for each hour, about 8 papers were being presented, in groups of 4, simultaneously. (I hope you got that).




Which is my long way of saying only 10 (or less) people stayed around to listen to ours.


It didn't help that we got the last time slot either (1630-1730).


Some interesting comments on our presentation though:

- Nigerian delegate, coming up to me and saying that I was a role-model: "A girl talking about math... you are a role model!" (which made me feel like I was 12).

- Chair for the session: "I almost forgot to ring the bell (to signal that we had gotten past the 20-minute time limit), I was listening to your presentation."

- Singapore delegate, the next day: "Did you present yesterday? Because I heard from my colleagues that 2 Filipino presented yesterday, and it was very good." (are they required to say this because they're the hosts?)


So it went well enough I guess. I'll do better next time though!

Cut-Off (Day 1)

My first day in Singapore... and Smart's roaming feature failed to activate (on time, is my guess)...


I want to sleep now, but I'm supposed to prepare for a presentation! But since I bought S$15 worth of 5-hour wireless internet connection, I feel I need to make full use of this first!


Haaayyyy.


So what did we do today? Pigged out in Chinatown and dropped by the afternoon cocktail event for the IAEA participants. New foods I tasted today: Peanut Soup Dessert, Oyster Omellette, Beef Jerky and Red Caviar. I felt like I was going to have indigestion...


We walked from Chinatown to River View Hotel and I realize now as I think about what I was thinking back then while we were walking: I have this amazing ability to turn all wondrous things into the absolutely mundane. I mean, I seem rarely to get impressed by anything. Earlier today I was thinking how Singapore really just looked like the better parts of Hongkong, which really just looked like the Makati Business District. Talk about blase.


Well, let's end here so that I can pretend to prepare for tomorrow :D

Namida

I felt like crying.


Today I saw you again.


And I regret.


And wish. And despair.


I need to look forward. And start walking in that direction too.


Just a little more work. I know I'll get there. To the point where all this won't cut so.


But when?

Lost

... is how I feel.


There's more to say, except I'm not in the mood to elaborate. Because it's almost midnight, and I have to be at work by 7:30 AM. But part of what scares me is this: I don't know how to burn enough to keep at this. Regular job during the day, "pet project" at night after work. So it's like 17 hours of work a day. Well, not straight, but it takes the zing out of the work when you start something you know you won't finish soon but is needed ASAP. And staying after hours isn't the solution because it just ruins your head for the day job.


What a problem.


I want a solution. Sometimes a solution crosses my mind... but I'm afraid to consider it.


I want to find my passion.


Oh wherefore art thou passion project?


I want to know what it's like to never work a day for the rest of my life because I love what I'm doing.