Is Law such a boredom?!

... that I'd fall asleep or at least felt a heavy head?

I don't recall a single day that I felt that way when I was doing Economics. Well, I have slept in for some of my morning classes though, however, I never sleep in any of my Econ classes. But why Law classes?!

Blame it on the English accent.
Blame it on their style/method of teaching.

retard!

dumb fire drills. i just returned frm gathering outside with a bunch 85 of half asleep students. Like me, the rest of them had been awaken by the fire alarm. and I had just gone to bed just after i posted the previous posting.

"Thank you for being so prompt in exiting your premises within 3 minutes!! Now you can return to your bed!!", exclaimed the fire drill leader with the security officer standing beside her. "I'm sorry if we have to do this again because of our four friends here who just came out (2 mins late). So, please be cooperative and wake up your roommates within 3 minutes!", she continued her rants.

Fucking retards! If it weren't for the other four, we would not have to do this again. Thanks to them for taking their time... one of them even walked into the building (well, it's funny to see what people do when they're half asleep). the other came up looking as if he was already outside when he looked up the sky and back down the ground and up again and around us to self-assure he was in the right place.
Once again, all credits goes to them... Fucking retards! It's a drill!! retards...

zzzzzzz.........................

Fungal infection on my hands

I didn't know what I got but I had to know before they drive me up the walls. My hands are no longer silky smooth as they look rather wrinkled up and appeared to be 'wet' for too long. What I mean by 'wet' is that when you soak yourself in a swimming pool for too long (high chlorine) you tend to see your fingers wrinkle up and 'wet'. But mine's not wet as in perspiring wet; no. It's just awful.

Spent almost half a day looking up for it and found out that it's called Tinea Manuum. They're not calluses; and I know what calluses are.

How did I get this?! *banging head against the wall*
Why do I get sick all of the sudden and some weird things on my body?! *banging harder*

Wait, I'm not blaming myself now, am I? NO! Bah, self-pity i guess!

I don't even know if there's cure for this fungal infection thing. Probably I'll visit the super-nice nurse at the university tomorrow.

Happy 25th Birthday!!

Danneyy!! It's your birthday today!! Have you forgotten?!

Ah, how can I forget when both my parents tooked the efforts to call just to deliver well wishes while I was waiting for a bus at a bus stand. I was really glad to hear from them and told them there's nothing much arranged for me today in my horrible voice that just recovered from the nasty sore throat I had for the past seven days now.

At least I can shout out loud "TWENTY FIVE?!?!?!??!!?!!!!!!!!" years old I mean! Thank God I'm still in my twenties and having said that I think I would find it hard to accept the fact on that day when I leave the twenties and the number turns thirty! It's like it had to come... the nine pulling down the digit three on its left; and both digits a three and a zero flashes.

So, what did I do? Can you believe when I say there's nothing much I did? Well, I went up to Beckett Park Campus to have tea with our Vice Chancellor-- Prof. Simon Lee -- who just moved into his new residence on campus. I guess he had enough of ambushes from students when he's trying out his daily jogs uphill back to his current place -- Kirkstall Brewery, where I and many other students live as well. Students would pour out complains to him about bad internet connections, the noise levels, the English women are like sluts while the men(or boys to be more precise) are too rowdy.

If I were the VC, I think moving to a much more peaceful place with a huge garden pioneered by landscape architecture and design students on campus would be a very lucrative & wise choice. Wouldn't you think so? Well, unless you love to be harrassed with problems that are not of yours every minute of the day and week. VC have a life too... besides seeing you off at your convocation.

So, after having my first mug of Deuscher tradional beer (alas!!!) at Arcadia with the rest of "The Walking Club" members, I got pulled by several friends (from Spain) into going to "The Porn Party" downtown... just because it's my birthday! Live fucking sessions, no censorships, threesome, orgy, fetishes, Amsterdam live in Leeds!!! £4 to get in and for all that... £4!!!! Even before the bouncers let us in, the rest of us guys already pitched tents in our pants (okay, correction, we each only have one tent to pitch. that's exaggerated)

Well? We went in, I saw what I was suppose to see, didn't like it, I got out as it was too smoky, flagged down a cab, and headed home. Here I am now writing about what just happened.

Living in big cities like Kuala Lumpur, Calgary, Toronto, Beijing, I guess there's not much of a difference as you are just an individual and your friends are either that of your colleagues or clients, or your high school buddy. You can't trust nobody out there and that's reality. Not that I'm cheated of fell into somebody's dishonest shit schemes, no, nothing like that. This sexy lass, in her tiny dress her boobs almost spilling out and her nipples are taking a peek while her super mini skirt just wants to reveal the lace of her red thongs in between her tight butt curving towards her forbidden place, came around me and started to dance in front of me hoping I'd take interest in her and therefore take lead. I'm dreaming! This is not happening! "Then she was pressing her ass into my camping ground and oouff, I felt the camp fire was going out of place and the inside of the tent is feeling a little too warm now. Both my arms reached out for a stretch and bended inwards to hold her body and move to the hip-hop beats. Squeezed her boobs for a little and man, aren't they soft and squeezy!! Felt real good. Kept moving and it looked like she didn't mind at all. Soon I found myself pounding her ass... that's just because she was hitting on my tent. Drove me crazy for a while..."

What then? Well... censored la. Just say I got quite a present. Don't even know her name... Will I ever see her again? Maybe never...

A taste of LL.B (Hons)

Here I am in James Graham building where the main library resides. Just right in front of JG bldg is an open grass area like that of The Bowl at the University of Saskatchewan. While the Leeds Metropolitan University is not the same as U o S, they called the said open area as The Acreage. Haven't I mentioned this before. I shall have a picture of the campus' surroundings soon so that you will have an idea.

Often we do see law graduates with LL.B placed after their names but have you ever wondered what it actually meant? I have and I found out that the double L's would sometime accounts for Legal Letters in the United States. But otherwise, it is an abbreaviation in latin for the plural legum (of laws); thus, LL.B stands for Legum Baccalaureus

So, there you go. That's what I'll get when hell's over for me... at least for the next 2-3 years or could it be 3-4 years? I hope it won't take forever.

Today's seminar/session was rather an interesting one. We discussed about contracts; whether if there was a contract or any form of agreement between the parties involved. They're rather basic but it's set to get us prepared for the real thing next week. We will have to produce a research paper or a dissertation, if you rather call it, by year end.

There's no way out of scrutinizing the library for books and law journals with cases dating 300 years old. I guess spoon-feeding in class is not a trend here like it is in Canada. Somehow our lecturer made a journal sound so interesting that it is a must read and we'll lose out and/or fail the course if we don't because she's gonna assess us with its contents. Sounds like an assignment! I guess that's normal!

Ah, my throat. My poor throat. My itching body full with rashes from a probable over-dosage of paracetemol. I think, no, I am sensing it's on its way to recovery. It's no longer a painful ordeal to moisten up (or down) me throat and that's a good sign. Phlegms that I throw out are mostly bloody in color that for a moment I thought my throat's punctured and blood from blood vessels tinted the ugly slimy yucky looking residue.

So, that's it for now. I shall bore you out with my lame stories that might be useful to only me, myself, and I 20 years down the road; or when I'm no longer around. ;) Long live Dannaayy!! Drink more beers and you live longer!

心想飞到北美

每天起床打开窗口四枫树对我挥手。
让我每一天都想起来了我在加拿大的日子
一天又过了一天真是一天三秋地感觉；
这里的生活在例子还行
不过前几天天气真是不得了领到我病了到今日
又过两天二十八日我就要过生日了。
看起来今年的生日还是这么寂寞的过去；
希望爸爸认真做个好父亲丈夫。 这就是我最想的生日礼物。其他的都不想要！

说过了我病了吗？现在吃得要对我又敏感但我不管。
不吃药就会疼
吃得腰敏感
全身体发痒
搔痒如饿猴
让3天希望全体医好

明天开学上课念法律学
想成为个律师
肯定不容易

如果有一天。。。无病。。。世界上却是一个无得比的地方！
如果有一天。。。我很想回去北美。虽然我不是北美的公民我觉得北美是我家。

如果今天。。。 [我]好像有人陪我去河边， 一起捡枫树的叶子， 眼对验收拉手同步走。。。这就是我就开心的日子了。没有其他的要求。

前上就是我傻的自言自语。
连我自己都看不懂。

Flatmates Are here

For over 10 days we've been expecting anxiously for that one girl who will eventually move in and live with us. There's a letter in our kitchen with her name on it. We -- Michael, Carlos, Bjorn, and myself, -- hoped to have 2 girls living with us just like the others in other flats.

Alas, our last 2 flatmates arrived. Everyone's asking everybody, "Where are the girls?!! Look here", pointing at the letter that reads Miss E Polyviou, "the letter says that we're suppose to have a girl to live among us".

Kittel, and Kristos, both guys are from Norway and Greece respectively. It is a huge disappointment.

"Then, who's gonna clean the kitchen for us??!", joked Carlos. We have good laugh.

So, here are they:
Michael is from Germany;
Carlos from Spain;
Bjorn from Norway,
Kittel from Norway;
Kristos from Greece;
and myself from Malaysia.

We all share one thing in common -- drinking the town dry.
I can't do this right now not because I'm in the perfect physical condition to do so but lets just say I am taking a break for now.

I'll get everyone to say "hello! How are you doing?" in their language.

Hallo! Hvordan har du det? (Norwegian)

hola! como estas? (Spanish)

γειά τι κάνεις? --> gia ti kanis (Greek)


Michael is not here. When he is, i'll get him to write here too.

Discovered a new allergy

While I wouldn't confidently admit the reality of this finding, there are no other reasons why I wouldn't believe that I have found a new allergy.

Paracetemol, the pain killer I've been on since yesterday, have been very helpful to ease the pain in my throat. At the same time, tiny rashes (or was it lesions?) emerges all over my body, both my arms and my back being the most obvious.

Should I stop taking it and change to another alternative? If there are such other alternative, I would. But it's Saturday today and nothing opens early. So, I guess I'll have to depend on it for a while longer. I rather not feel the awful pain each time I take a swallow to moisten up my burning throat. Just scratch them off whenever there's an itch although certainly at times I'd look like some ape full of flees.

The cause of the virus infection? Still, I have no clues.
There's another assumption -- spiders.
I just realized there are an awful lot of spiders around in the UK. Our windows do not have the nettings that would eventually prevent pests from getting in doors. One of these eight-legged and eyed pest could have slipped into my quilt and bit me but I have not found any where on my skin being bitten.

So... hopefully I'll be well by Tuesday!

The inflammed throat...

I couldn't lie in bed anymore knowing that I will wake up in another 2 hours just to clear my throat. It has been like that for the entire night. Having short bursts of sleeps like that gave me a shock when I realized in the middle of the night around 5am-ish eye-bags developed.

Pulled myself out of bed and headed off to catch the 9 o'clock bus at the gate to see a nurse at the Student Health Centre.

"Ouff! You've got a very nasty throat infection! I'll get you to see a doctor right away", the nurse commented while having the flat wooden stick in my mouth and flash light in her other hand.

Now that was a relieve to know that it's an infection. To get me to see a doctor right away was even better and not wait for 1 or 2 days like I've experienced in Canada

So, what was the infection all about? How did I get it?
I was told that's a virus infection and that's probably why I'm getting runny nose, and soreness of my neck. The cure?

"Just walk into any Chemist and you need to purchase Paracetemol. That is all you need to do".

Paracetemol is the drug's name used in products like Advil, Panadol, Tylenol (?). They are also pain-killers and anti-bacterial drugs.

I should be fine.
I should have a date tomorrow. ;)

Cheers!

Dammit!

Sore throat, then
sore neck,
muscles around the back of my neck sores
feeling cold but body feels warm.

fuck! I think I'm having fever!

great!
Pray for me to be well soon! Thank you!

Shot by: me -- Wanglu, taking a pose in the beautiful open acreage. This was just after her camera died on her. lol! I guess it's fated. 

Shot by: me, mounted on tripod -- posing cheerfully on the public square of Edinburg. We just arrived to the city and this was my first shot of myself. How vain can I get? Since nobody knows how to use my wicked camera there is no other choice but to make full use of the tripod. 

Shot by: me, mounted on tripod -- Posing on Edinburg's memorial grounds like that of Washington's where the obelisk stands. In the background to the left is yet another monument built for a brave person for his brave doings. 

Shot by: me, mounted on tripod -- This street is like that of France's Champ-Elysses. In the background is the gothic church pictured below. Looking very cheerful. 

Shot by: me -- The side of the Castle of Edinburg built on this cliff. One of the most beautiful profile of the castle. Shot using 300mm focal length with Image Stabilizer activated. 

Shot by: me, mounted on tripod -- There's Tanya, myself, and Wanglu; posing in front of the Castle of Edinburg. 19mm focal length... ultra-wide angle view. 

Shot by: me -- The royal emblem of the king who once resided in this historic castle of Edinburg just above its main gate. The blue label below it are latin inscriptions. 

Shot by: me -- Gothic designed church; this is one of the many beautiful churches around here in Edinburg. Click to save it so you don't have to rotate your head rightward. 

Shot by: me, mounted on the tripod -- The church that I went nuts with my camera until I had to be abandoned by the ladies. 

Edinburg, Scotland

THE PICTURES ABOVE ARE ALL RELATED TO THIS ARTICLE/POST.

The trip was made on the 18th of September in conjunction with the Leeds Metropolitan University's student's orientation program.

Here I am in this wonderful and thriving city 4.5 hours north of Leeds. I met 2 ladies from China whom were very welcoming and friendly. Their names are Tanya and Wanglu. I met Wanglu last week during a session of security and safety given by the Leeds Metropolitan Police in Beckett Park's campus auditorium. I sat beside her. It was rather an interesting coincidence here at Edinburg.

Both of them are not the only ones amongst the rest who owns a digital camera. I for one felt ashamed as I'm going around with my wickedly big film camera, an EOS 300v model. Tanya has a Sony T1 and Wanglu a Canon PowerShot A70.

I ran into them twice in Edinburg and the second time Wanglu asked if I can take a picture for them. Maybe one couldn't hessitate to ask as one has noticed how a professional I am weilding such a camera. *laughs* After that, her camera died on her, refusing to work. It could be the battery that went dead or it could be something else. She denied the possibility of a dead battery as she was certain the camera was fully charged the night before. It's dead anyway. So from there, I offered myself to walk with them, well, hehe... as well as my service as a quasi-professional photographer.

Wanglu didn't think it was necessary because Tanya, her friend, still has a working Sony T1. Now, T1 is an awesome digital camera the size of a credit card with an amazingly big LCD screen as viewfinder. It's one of my wish item. We walked up a hill and just around the corner there was a man dressed up like Mel Gibson in the movie called Braveheart. His face painted in blue and weilding a broadsword and an war axe. He'd poses for tourists and/or passer-bys like us for photos. That got Tanya interested and she asked if I can take a picture for her. Of course! We tried three times and three times her T1 failed on her as the battery indicator flashes before me and wouldn't allow me to shoot any pictures. We tried for another time but Mr. Braveheart had to come over and advice us that the camera has run out of battery. How nice of him!

In the end, they gave up and accept the fact that their cameras are useless. Whereas on my part, I no longer felt like a total loser carrying the bulky camera around mounted on a heavy tripod. I felt for once that film cameras (like mine) rules and that digital cameras have issues pertaining to battery lifespan.

We toured around Edinburg for 3.5 hours together; visiting shops, churches, castle(s), and historic buildings. Skies are always changing as clouds floats pass quickly dragging along rain clouds and then back to sunshines against clear blue skies. It was very windy. We went into this church but we moved our separate ways as though we have mutually agreed to meet somewhere after certain minutes later. Essentially, I lost them and they lost me. I walked outside hoping they'd wait for me but none of them were to be found. I left the church feeling sorry for my carelessness and blamed it on my enthusiasm towards photography. I was too busy shooting the interiors of the church but I guess Tanya and Wanglu didn't share as much interests as me in the designs of church interiors especially during the 15th-17th century Roman Catholic days. Colorful glass tints, murals, stone sculptures, and gothic wooden carvings, etc. took my breath away. It didn't for the girls. ;)

So, again, I walked out leaving the church thinking that I'll be walking alone again. Why again? I was with a group initially but because a nun from Ukraine stopped me asking for donations ans stuffs chatted up with me. She was interesting to talked to so we chatted for a good 15 minutes. Because of time constraint, I suppose my group left me there didn't want to interrupt my conversation with the nun.. but they were thinking I was flirting with some lady there. So, that's justified. Just as I stepped out, I saw them on the other side of the broad pedestal walk lane and I quickly walked up to them hoping to give them a surprise. Surprise it really was to them, especially to Wanglu. She almost yelled at me asking where I went and how inconsidered I was being selfish and stuffs I can't really remember. But I knew she was mad at me for my sudden disappearance. She said she went back into the church twice and shouted for my name in vain before they decided to leave. I explained and soon we're all cool about it.

That's about all that happened on this day. It's worth another visit I think. 10 hours journey to and fro and only spent about 4 hours tops in Edinburg is not something anyone would consider as satisfactory. The place has so much to offer in a different aspect compared to Leeds. It has the landscapes, the medieval buildings, history, cultures, and Braveheart! Leeds is just a huge metropolitan that houses countless of discotechques, clubs, pubs, bars, shops that carries various brand names and services that proclaims its own sovereignity.

However the story goes, the least I know is that I have met and got to know 2 ladies, of course, they're good people, and good friends! In this big city of Leeds, I hope I can get to know them better rather than passing them as people I've met.

So, cheers everyone!

Thursday morning

True enough my throat is inflammed and sored. To moisten my throat is a painful attempt each time.

Thinking back, this is my first sore throat since 8-10 years ago.

I need a Fisherman's Friend right now. Hope it helps!

gawd! this soreness is killing me. not to mention, the weather too!

Just as bad

I woke up to a sense of soreness in my throat. Then I figured how can a healthy me fall sickly? I have nothing else to blame but the weather, which is just as bad as in Malaysia!

Feeling my forehead now, I'm not too sure if I have chilly palms or that I'm sensing a fever. Nose is runny and throat is a little sore. Great!

I haven't done anything much these few days but just preparing myself for 3 yrs of school. The kitchen part is the major part and needs a lot of my attention. There are still stuffs to get that will allow me to live healthy -- food. The way the kitchen is setup really sucks. Sigh, there are no other way but to put up with what I have for this academic year.

Tomorrow I will decorate my room with the Canadian flag I brought with me. My room will be the party room for all Europeans and Asians. ;) Will it happen? Whatever I do will always happen.

Don't wanna go outside. Going outside means spending money and I haven't got a lot to spend now. I think I shall fast for a month with the moslems as their holy month is approaching. It's been a long time since I fasted. My motive? Well, one of which will be to save some money, but mostly is to replenish my soul in ways of discipline, determination, patience, and peseverance. The list goes on but I should know what I'm doing.

later! cheers!

Your seeing through my eyes 

Something is missing

Photos, or if you'd like you may call it pictures, are what make up half of this blog as photography is as well part of me.

I like to share what I visualize with people.

So, where are the pictures for the last few weeks?!

I don't yet already have a digital camera. The photos put up here in the past weeks were possible because of my father who owns *glances at item with envious look* a Canon 300D!

I can't go photo-nut with a film camera. And thank God I brought my camera! I almost left it at home because there wasn't anymore spaces for me to lug them over here to the U.K. My mother was also discouraging me but I was like "mom, i'll go insane if i don't shoot anything within a year" It's like somebody taking away what you loved most and you gotta live with it... but I know i can't let it happen. My mother is not taking away anything from me but it's more like pursuading me to put it on hold until the "right" time comes. Again, I know I can't let it happen to me.

I have to shoot!
Shoot something, shoot someone!
A shutterbug is what I am.. only with a digital body.

I am quasi-professional when comes to 35mm films/slides.
I am a nut case when it comes to digital cameras. I'll just go photo amok. really!

So, just wait for the pictures. in the mean time, read what I have to say. Improve your imagination... especially when I say "that girl's got a nice tight arse bootilicious" (she will have to be an african!)

A day in market bay

I was in downtown earlier this afternoon scouting for a rice cooker that I should have brought with me but because I already had a hand-carry, I didn't buy any. Surprisingly, I saw a few students on the same flight as mine carrying 3 hand-carries! Anyway, I ended up in Chinatown and saw that they're selling rice cooker -- for 88$pounds!! ($ = british pounds; there's no pounds symbol on the laptop's keyboard)

Looking at the price in disbelief, I shook my head and walked away. After 2 hours, I managed to find a store (Argos; www.argos.co.uk) that sells the almost similar rice cooker I had in S'toon for 22$.

The weather here is amazingly insane as it would rain and then sunshine with strong winds then back to light rain for several times within 2-4 hours; now that I have been here for 7 days, I can see that it happens almost every day. Where is the snows?!!

Perhaps there will never be any snows, at least not as much.

There are a lot of Europeans over here and most of them have come to do their business degree and hospitality studies here. I have met quite a number of them and got along with some and hung out a bit.

It's hard to understand the British's accent and I find that a little difficult to manage at time. A lot of people are of Yorkshire's background and I think they do speak Yorkshire (an English dialect). They're intonations and stresses on words are totally different that what I've been hearing for the past 20 over years now. I know it takes time to get used to it. But you know what? In my opinion, I think it's so much easier to pick up the English accent than to North American accent; not that I want to but believe me, it's as infectious as rabbies compared to N.American's.

I have done half of my groceries already but the other half , I think I will have to wait. Clothes, heater (the one in my unit is not working), lamps, clothing racks, laundry stuffs, etc. are among some of the smaller & useful things. hopefully i have dad's consent to use the card for these items. the remaining cash balances I will keep for "just in case" there's no money coming in for the next 2 weeks.

When courses begins, things will be pretty quiet. i'll just live on steam rice and be vegetarian for 4 months to save a bit. vegetables over here are cheaper than that in Canada... so, why not?

Cheers people!
-dant-

More interesting experiences on the way... so, stick around!

Time stamp

If you had taken notice of the timestamp at the end of every posting, it is the correct time when I posts up any blogs. The time is set for here and has been effective since September 17th.

We're on the GMT (0:00) so if you're reading from Saskatchewan, I am 7 hours ahead of you. Malaysia is 7 hours behind. Anywhere in between, you can do the math. Just so you know...

Cheeers.

Leeeeeeeeds!! Leeds! Leeds!

We went up to Scotland and saw the historic Castle of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, erected in the 14th-17th century yesterday and it is still standing in all its splendor. The line was too long and not only that was a turn off but the tickets weren't economical too. But looking at such wonder(s) has already made my day even though I still think it could have been better for my curious mind to have visited the interiors.

Edinburgh is every shopper's paradise. It's much like Champs-elyses in Paris, or St. Lawrence Street in Montreal, where shops and/or stores never seems to end on both sides of the street. Scottish men in their kilts playing their instruments for charity and some just enjoyed doing it while promoting something else.

I found myself falling in love. The medieval architectures and designs of buildings intrigued me countless of times and ever since I arrived in Leeds and Edinburgh, both cities has never ceased to dazzle me. They have everything to offer and offer shall they to you of their everything!

It's nothing like Saskatoon. Uh-oh, I think I might just be denouncing my favors for the city I lived in for the past 3 yrs... poop! Anyway, then again I don't think both of this city can be compared side-by-side as one is a small city probably thrived from farming businesses, and the other is just a huge metropolitan.

Leeds is indeed a shopping paradise too! Believe me, it's not just that. If you're lookiing for night life, this is the place to be. There are things I saw that might have just affirmed my conclusions and I don't think it'd be appropriate to paint you the pictures. However, on the second thought, I might just as well now that I have mention it. There are thousands of pubs and clubs all alike playing all sorts of musics from samba to spanish, to R&B's to all recent popular genres. Entrance fees from nothing (free) to about 15$ (pounds) per head. English girls all dressed up as though they have a label on their foreheads and/or chest saying "Take me home. These are your toys, play with me. You fondle they wobble"

A group of Spanish people and some of their flat mates invited me along with other friends (just met) for a night out. One night experiencing the night life here is already enough to convince me that I will not be too bored here.

The other draw back is that after all the raves and parties, it was time to get back home but there's another longer line at the taxi stand. Cabs were already too busy to be called and all have to be waiting in the line that'd seem to be there for another 90 minutes or so before it's your turn. There are PRIVATE cabs and when it's private I meant it's private where they'd rip your pants and mini-skirts off till you're naked and hump the daylight out of you. For a desperate trip and not wanting to be in the long taxi line, they'd charge from 30-60$ (pounds) per trip depending on the distance whereby if you had waited for a cab, you'd expect to pay no more than 10$ pounds. Now, the former is a rip off... and I thought FutureShop is a rippoff case. Over here, the "private" cabs are!! Totally ironic! Then, here's the best part: we did not queue up for cabs but instead we walked down Headrow Lane (the main city's artery, if not mistaken) and flagged down a couple of cabs for 10 of us. Had we waited in the line, it would have been at least an hour or two.

I think the weather over here is even crazier than that of Saskatoon. It rains here and that suxx! The rain would set in at random and it's not just a one time thing. Over the period of 2 hours it can rain and stop and rain again for 5 times. We get light rains most of the time so walking in the rain (which is the other thing I am deprived of while in Saskatoon) is not a problem. I'd rather it snosw as frequent as it rains here.

That's about it for yesterday.

Classes don't begin until 28th, on my birthday. I have convinced myself that life as a single bachelor guy here would be awesome! Not that i'm going to screw around... but... certainly I will practice what I preach to others, protection!! So, you make up your own conclusion. English girls are jewels here... yummy.
Cheers!

City tour with new friends

from all over europe/

got drunk by Sminorff Ice 3.5 bottleesss!! v ah! i'm droppin dead un myt bed now.,
see youy soon. hooplefully i'l be able to have a 4 hrs sleep befind heading off to ?Edinburgh n ext lrn ki g\ morning!

drs see yhou lads!

From dollar$ and cent$ to £pounds and Pence

We (Nurwati and I) went downtown today scouting for cellphones, banks to open an account, shopping malls, and computer stores. €verything is cheap if you were to compare dollar to dollar basis. As I have mentioned earlier, a can of 325ml Coca Cola costs no less than 49p and that is approximately CAD1.13, which is the exact selling price of a can from pop machines in Canada. However, 49p is approximately RM3.34. "Is that cheap?", you may ask. It is if and only if you can see it in your currency other than £.

There is, therefore, a risk for me to overspend without realizing I have thrown away thousands of ringgit malaysia when it's only £150 over a few items of small electrical appliances, mini tables, clothes hangers, and other unimportant necessities.

I am really afraid to spend here. I prefer to take whatever amount I have right now and spend it in Canada.

Could it be that i am not used to living in the city center? I have been in Saskatoon, a not too big nor too mediocre sized city located in the Saskatchewan province, for a little over 3 years. Leeds Metropolitan is very densed and quite populated and to make matters worse, it rains here! It rains here almost everyday and if it doesn't I guess the rain clouds just love to pass obscuring healthy sunshines and clear blue skies from us. To make it even worst, it doesn't snow here! Well, it does but not as much as 1 metre of cumulated snow over the winter. The amount of snow fall here over the past 5 years is not even knee deep.

Sigh!
I have not had any proper meals since arrival. I have been living on sunflower seeds I brought over from home and water. I can't seem to re-live my habits I've been used to while in S'toon here; one of the major impediments of achieving that is this transition from dollars and cents TO pounds and pence.

One last note, I thought I've seen a couple of Proton Wira's on the road but they are called a different name. I squinted my eyes trying to read the model's name but it looks like the more I squint the further the car went, thus, the smaller the texts are to my impaired eyes. Tough luck!

Lost in the metropolitan

I had a really good sleep after being deprived of it for over 30 hours. The short bursts of sleep I had on flight didn't really help much, however, I knew I had to stay awake until the right time to sleep to quickly get over with jet lags.

Today is the second day and it sure feels like it's been up to my neck level already just trying to speak the English I have been speaking yet at the same time the English have a way of making us (me) feel as though we're speaking an entirely different language.

In an occasion, I had to pick up the keys to my room from the security office and the officer in there explained to me how to use my keys. The keys are a small sized plastic brown in color with, I supposed, electronic chips within the flat sides.

"You will see a panel at the door and you have to push this key", he lifts it up to show me which key it was that I had to use, "upward and into the panel. Wait 2 seconds and then a buzz would come up. The door will then open.", he looks at me waiting for a respond.

I nodded to indicate to him that I understood what was said but I was actually laughing my brains out because the accent was too heavy that in actual fact, I only understood the first half of it when he lifted up the keys. I had to ask him again about what would happen after 2 seconds and had he not used the word "hear" I would not have thought about the buzzing sound he was relating to me but rather "boozing" as in beers. "... and then a booze will come up!". When I heard that I was like all happy. But I know that couldn't be true.

The entire ordeal was totally humorous limited to their accent only. I must admit that British accent is waaaaaaaayy easier to pick up than Canadian/American accent, in which I find them rather 'flat' as in monotonous with a little twist. British accent has all the twists and bends as to where to stress a syllabus or two in a word or phrase. So after all, it is in this sense that I am lost in the metropolitan.

However, I am also very lost in another way the most people are familiar with. It's like being put in a jungle with or without trails on the ground and not knowing if you've been going around in circles. Perhaps I have been so used to the block systems used in the North America. You will not get lost because you just can't if you know how to count. Streets runs are numbered in order and runs from east to west; whereas avenues runs from north to south. If you don't know where you're going, you can simply get on either a street or an avenue and start counting up or down to your destination. Over here, like I said it's like you being put in a jungle. Road systems here are haphazard and are evidently confusing. A similar street's name can become another name at certain point (usually at intersections). To make matters worse, it's very hilly here in Leeds. I was lost yesterday and I had to go back up the hills and down the slope just to get back to the point I was familiar with. Again, I'm [VERY] Lost in the Metropolitan!

So, what about the people?!

The British people aren't as open as the Canadians and that is the result of my observations. I can't chat up a stranger about anything without feeling ignored or disregarded of. Maybe "conservative" is the right word for them. The Canadians are conservative too but at the same time very open that you won't feel intimidate talking to a stranger... if you know what I mean. And they are not very initiative too in the sense of helping out.

I needed help for something and I was referred to another table where the volunteers would be able to help me out according to the person I spoke to. I walked over to that table effortlessly and stood there. There were a lot of people behind the table a couple of them were standing and looking around; more like dreaming... had nothing to do. Nobody helped me out nor even made the initiative to ask a person looking lost if he/she needed any assistance. There I was standing for over 10 minutes looking at everyone. I headed back to the person who referred me and he said just go over there and speak to the lady, he pointed out which lady he was talking about. I went back there and 'this' lady as well as everyone else had been ignoring everyone. I interrupted her conversation with her colleagues and related to her my problems. She helped me out.

So, what's the big deal? The person who referred me did not even bother to walk over with me and get somebody to talk to me. Nobody had the initiative to ask if one needed anything/help. Where is the courtesy? This is perhaps another cultural shock. I have been so used to the way of life in Canada. Whatever it is, everyday is a learning process and hopefully it won't be too difficult.

Speaking of which, believe me or not, I too had a culture shock back in Malaysia when I was there for 6 weeks. I am guilty of ignorance and people would accuse me of this crime. I have lost a couple of friends because of this. Now that I realized losing friends because they cannot understand where I have been for the last 3-4 years has changed my habits and beliefs, they are really not worth being friends after all. Memories of them just haunts me but I pray for comfort and peace and hopefully they will be expunged from my subconscious mind, thus their existence, as my days here in Leeds gets more interesting day by day.

Ah! Cotton candy clouds floating in the clear blue skies. What a sight I missed so much from Canada and none to be seen in Malaysia's hazy & rainy days. I can see 4 maple trees just outside my window and they're about 3 storeys high-- I live on the 3rd floor by the way. They are on my side of the riverbank. Yes, a river steams across horizontally to Turner's building, where I live. It's not too deep as I can see pebbles and stones and weeds through the crystal clear water. On the other side of the river bank is a running or bicycle track that trails along with the river's bends and arches. Surrounding it are all sorts of other trees whose name only botanists know. I am certainly not one.

Speaking of maple leaves, I should have seen many of these trees while in Canada but I have not and that's because I was not in the right place. Maple leaf is depicted on the Canadian flag. They are mostly found in the east coast regions -- Quebec, Ontario, Nova Scotia, New Foundland, New Brunswick. Here I am trying to forget my wonderful days in Canada yet I will constantly be reminded of by the 4 trees that are just outside my window. It is fated...

O Canada, our home and native land
true patriot love in all thy sons command.

with glowing hearts we see thee rise,
the True North strong and free.

from far and wide,
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

God keep our land glorious and free!
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

---
Hmm... maybe I am thinking: "O Canada, I will return to thee. (repeat x3 to fade)"
By the way, that's the national anthem for Canada. It's a very nice song.

bye for now. will write more soon.

University of Leeds

I'm glad to have finally arrived here safely. The flight was smooth and peaceful until touch down when the aircraft dropped on the runway with a frightening bang that sent all passengers on board to a temporary panic. It was going too fast and I thought the captain was drinking and flying since drinking and driving are more prone to be apprehended by the authorities. Who's gonna stop the pilot for breathelyzer test anyway?! Everything went accordingly and the immigration officers at the Manchester International airport didn't complicate my entry to the country.

It was raining lightly.

2 hours later all 14 students from MH12 arrived Leeds.

"Welcome to Leeds Metropolitan University", Chris Clayton announced with a smile, representative of International Students Office.

I've checked into my room. It looks a lot like Seager Wheeler Hall when I was living there in Saskatoon for the academic year 2002-2003, but the only difference is that I was my own washroom. I was looking for the switch to switch on the lights of the washroom and that took me like 10 minutes. It is impossible to have lamps on the ceilings and exaust fans but didn't have the switches. They were supposed to be on the walls. After spending half a day looking for it (at least it feels like half a day looking for the switch that is supposedly to be on walls) I gave up. Just as I exit the shower room, I noticed 2 long strings hanging from the ceiling. It's like those of window blinders when you pull you'd pull up the blinders. I pulled it and the lights came on! With the aid of the lights, I noticed the strings are of similar color as the walls. How helpful can that be!? But it's neat.

Now I recall cartoon characters pulling a string dangling from a bulb above their heads when ideas came up. So, that's where they got this idea.

Kirkstall Brewery is where I live now. It was a brewery that produces beers to be exported to Australia in the early 18th century. It's a long walk (about 40 minutes) to Headingley campus where most of my classes will be.

That's all for now. i wish I have a digital camera to show you what I see as I am not very talented to paint pictures with words.

Right now it's about 11 degree celcius--cooling and comfy!


a piece of towel cost £7! a can of coke costs £0.49

20 hrs & I'm on my way

I'm all packed up and ready to leave [again].
It's been 5 months since I touched a [text]book and thought critically analytically or whatever -cally... and soon I'll be facing heaps of mind-boggling textbook sizes (hehe, usually they are humonguous!) behind genius Dilton's glasses (the cartoon strip; who gets bullied everyday for at least most of the time)

Then I have been asking myself if I am mentally prepared for it. 5 months of nothing-to-do-ness should be ample of time for this mental preparation... to having a bad life in the books.

Had a real good Thai food with my parents and their friends today. It was a superb seafood dinner and I think I'll be deprived of for the next 3-4 years assuming I do not return.

20 hours! I'll be on MH12. I'll keep you posted with updates with what's going on and stuffs. Check back often! Stay healthy and always, always, practice safe sex!! Michelle, remember that!!

There is a companion for me

I just found out that Justin Timberlake sang the "I'm loving it" song from which is the current McDonald's advertising theme song (how back-tracked can I be?!). Personally, the song sounds way better than the laaaaaamest "ba ba pa paa paaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa, I'm loving it!!" ! Geewhizz! I wish I had a quarter for every time I heard it. Man, I would be rich!

Anyway, my friends over are ever so busy leaving me companionless that I had to resort to ciggarettes as my next best friend. That and the best beer on earth, Heneiken (whatever the spelling is). I don't admit that I am a ciggy person nor am I a chain smoker, but shiat it looks like that's the only thing I talk to and feel relaxed especially when my mind bangs at me that I have no one to hang out with. Before I knew it, I had a lighted ciggarette as my dream. I gasped when I woke up and thought hell, I'm hooked to it! However, i'm not really concerned about being hooked to it ... but not just yet for now. Well, heck, maybe I AM concerned. what am i talking about!? Ciggarette addictions are more finger-to-mouth habit and I didn't think I have cultivated that. I don't intend to anyway. Whatever it is, I can be assured that as soon as I'm back to study (I have things to do), there will not be a lighted tabacco in my mouth, if you know what i mean.

Speaking of which, I just can't wait to get out of here, Malaysia. There's nothing to do and my nose has not been very obedient. 6 more days. Funny, I was counting down the days I was to leave Saskatoon and felt really really miserable -- that I wasn't really looking forward to go back to Malaysia. Now, it is not that difficult to put the puzzle together why I am really looking forward to get out of here.

I really do wish I would settle down outside of my home country and start life anew. There's not many people I know over here, therefore, it would not make any difference if I begin a new life in another place in a different environment. Malaysia is a great place to be and there is no doubt about it... but only for visits in my opinion. I really owed this to both my parents for giving me the opportunity to experience life in the other side of the world. After all, our planet earth is not quite a small place to be and it has endless landscapes to offer. So, I didn't think it would be fair to life per se to be in just one place for a person's lifespan. Neither am I encouraging myself a nomadic lifestyle.. after all [again], Malaysia is my home country; My home is planet earth, therefore, I can make every inch of earth my home. that puts me to think When am i going to earn my first billion dollar!

Would you take tour to the moon? Heck, I feel like I'm on the moon now; nobody around me. I know I won't! But I will go for the ISS trip/tour.

I bought a few stuffs for the computer I will assembled when I get to UK soon:
1. Asus 9550 GamerEdition 125MB Raedon
2. Creative Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS
3. Sony dual layer DVD-+RW
4. Microsoft Wireless desktop's kb and mouse.
5. Asus P4C800 Deluxe mainboard

cool stuffs. The other thing apart from computer stuffs I bought in Malaysia are:
6. Canon Speedlite 420EX (auxilary flash unit)
7. Nokia 6600 and a Nokia Bluetooth (HDW-2)
8. Music CD's; poop! been spending like a nut on CDs thinking there wouldn't be CDs in the UK. Well, they are expensive over there so i guess that justifies it.
9. Durex Ultra-thin condoms... man, I need more of these! Magnum XXX size!
10. Chinese caligraphy brushes and books. I still can't believe I'm doing this and imagined that I would be a master in chinese caligraphy!

I wish... I wish for a Canon EOS 1D and a range of L lenses!!! Gawd, these will be my second wives! My first will always be a human female, never a genderless thing!

Write later! that's all for now.