Annui

This is gonna be another compilation of recent events I've been at since these will be more interesting than anything I can think of now.

TEDxKL 2012 (14th July)


I've forgot how I was aware of TED. I believe I knew of TEDxKL first before of TED itself. Being invited to  the previous TEDxKL events but failing to attend, I surely could not miss this year's since there was no other commitment for once! The "x" in TEDxKL means that is is an independently organised TED event, sort of a spoof of the original TED talks, which are held in Long Beach, California. Thus, TEDxKL is an independent TED event held in KL, the Temple of Fine Arts in Brickfields to be exact.

This event did not disappoint. It brought together speakers of different disciplines and backgrounds as they spoke on the theme of "Interdependence"( though sometimes I really had to decipher where actually were they coming from with this theme for certain speakers).  An album on my Facebook was already uploaded featuring pictures of each speaker with pretty lengthy captions summarising their talks.

TEDxKL stage

Had a really enlightening time. One disappointment was that they ran out of shirts before I could buy any. Hoping to volunteer for the next one in 2013(or who knows, TEDxYouth at the end of the year?:D)

On twitter, we had people commenting how so many events were going on on the 14th of July. There was TEDxKL, Malaysian Student Leaders Summit, Bon Odori and MTV World Stage at night, the Scout Campfire(this applies to CHSians only though). Earlier that week, I had won a pair tickets for World Stage, my brother took one and headed off to Sunway Lagoon by 3.30 while I decided to only head there after TEDxKL was done. 

Justin Bieber and KARA were already done by the time I got there, it was Mizz Nina's turn. I assumed she was the last act and as people were leaving after she was done, I followed suit. I assumed wrong of course, Jay Park was last instead(brother commented that it was probably a last minute rearrangement after noticing that people kept leaving after each performance, they were probably worried most of the crowd would leave  if Jay Park had gone first). However, I didn't really want to reenter and feel claustrophobic again so wait for brother in Pyramid.

MTV World Stage- Mizz Nina performance

More running!

Got up the next day (15th July) for the BHP Orange Run. Was really indecisive about this because I actually signed up for MSLS as well. In the end I did end up running, thinking I might make it back in time for MSLS. Ended up going back home to catch up on sleep instead. It wasn't necessarily a bad thing, seeing the tweets from MSLS, they discussed topics I wasn't so well-versed in anyway. If you accumulate all the distances of the runs I've taken part in this year, I've already ran a full-marathon yay!

Mizuno Wave Run (Jan 2012)- 10km

Standard Chartered KL Marathon - 10km

MCS Fun Run- 5km

NTV7 Feel Good Run - 7km

BHP Orange Run - 11km

So we have a total of 43km >:D A full marathon is techinically 42km. Nevertheless, I'm still a pretty slow runner. Sigh, more training needed. There's Adidas KOTR and Penang Bridge International Marathon coming up in September and November respectively. Nike We Run KL is one to look out for, but Nike has yet to reveal anything, rumoured to be on the 14th of October with registration opening in September.

Took this at the NTV 7 Feel Good run. I do support our shuttlers! Go for Gold!

Met up with S2 classmates on the 21st. Attendance honestly wasn't that good, not even half made it. But it was still good seeing those you have not met since SPM results. Good to hear that everyone's doing fine. There are quite a few aspiring doctors among those present too. 

At Italiannies. Taken with Xue Ying's phone. Wan Jin left already though.

Singapore!

Was there for 4 days( 22nd- 25th July), mainly to visit the Harry Potter exhibition and to wJuatch Annie the Musical. I was in Singapore a few months back with the classmates too, though this time I needn't worry about lodging as I was staying with my cousin. Visited Marina Bay Sands, Orchard, Bugis and Serangoon. Ate a lot of nice food too :D

Justice League figures and Marvel Villains :O Cousin's hubby is a big fan. I rarely see anyone in my circles putting that much in the fandom. There are stacks of comics all over the living room too, read a few while I was there XD.

Flying Ford Anglia :D The prop which I could take a picture of since it was outside the exhibition.

The Marina Bay Sands hotel viewed from the Art Science Museum

 Batman lifesize model in a mall. There was Bane and Selina Kyle too.

 Doggie Style Cafe. You are allowed to bring your pet dogs in and even buy food for them. Only 1 dog was here that day though D:

 Wrap from Salad Stop. Pretty good ahhh. This one is spicy-crab flavoured. The one behind is a Japanese style salad, with soba and all.

 Chocolate Frogs and Every Flavour Beans

Annie :)

Was back at CHS on Friday (27th) for the Girl Guides AGM. Was really interested in the selection of this year's Top 4 since our Form 4s this year were pretty good. Am happy with the results and it actually was according to number of votes though there was a pretty intense discussion between teachers and the Form 5s.

The seniors who returned :D There are about 5 generations here. Once a Guide, Always a Guide ;)

I have also been teaching at the United Learning Centre for the 2 weeks already. My classes are on each Wednesday of the week :) No photos yet. For now, I can say that it can be difficult sometimes, with language barriers and all, but to seem them so eager to learn and how they rush up to me when I arrive is just heartwarming. 

3rd class is tomorrow. Should get back to brainstorming on how I can catch the attention of a group of  rowdy 7/8 year-olds.

Fragile Things

Despite what I try to tell myself otherwise, I am feeling pretty down. I know I have no right or reason to be but that feeling just wants to nag at me. Grateful I am for all the wishes yesterday but I feel a human touch lacking. I disabled posting on my timeline yesterday, so those who still intended to wish me did so through Facebook Chat, those with Twitter did so through that and a few of my older,close friends did so through SMS. (yes, seems that friends I've met friends last year resorted to social media instead,coincidental that only these certain people chose SMS, either that or using SMS establishes that our friendship is stronger and  longer lasting, as smses seem more personal and intimate). There were no phone calls, not that I felt like conversing in such a way anywho. Family faithfully celebrated with a homemade cake after dinner, brothers chose to not mention anything to me though.

Yet, yet, besides family, I didn't actually speak to anyone in person. Disabling my timeline posts did enable me to strike conversations with friends and acquaintances I have no spoken to in a while, but it was all through the internet. Basically, with the exception of dinner, the rest of my birthday was "celebrated" online, and I do find that quite miserably pathetic.

Well, it's not like people aren't busy, and my birthday was never celebrated on the actual date these past few years(not counting family), and it's not like I've done for anyone else's except my teachers, but they deserved it! I should really just do away with this mentality. There's no use comparing. Furthermore, our birthdays mark another year of us being alive, then every day we're alive should be celebrated. A very merry unbirthday to everyone.

Sherlocked

With all the runs I've been going for lately, won't be surprising that my wishlist currently comprises of running equipment. What I really need now is those armbands for you to place your iPod/Phone into, because really, it is a hassle to carry it in your hand throughout the whole route.

A pair of running shoes would be good too, preferably with Nike+ features. My current pair are too tight around the toe area D: Haha, am only shamelessly proclaiming my wants because my birthday...was around the corner. 

Also, I've just finished watching this series (by finish I mean up to its most recent season). 

I think the address above is already a giveaway if you don't recognise the characters themselves. Above are the two main characters of BBC's Sherlock, Sherlock Holmes himself( Benedict Cumberbatch) and Dr John Watson (Martin Freeman). This series has actually been out for quite a while now, Season 1 aired in 2010 while Season 2 was shown earlier this year. I have come across it through reviews in magazines and papers but only started watching now since A-Levels is over and I noticed a friend fangirling about it over Twitter. 

Note: If you intend to watch it, due make sure you have at least about 2 hours to spare, as 1 episode is about the length of a movie (1.5 hours/88 minutes).

There are currently 6 episodes in total, with Season 3 scheduled to air hopefully in 2013. Each episode holds reference to at least one of original stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle himself. The difference between this and other SH productions of the past is that it is set in a contemporary setting, thus you would recognise some familiar London sites in the movie. What to look out for, as with all other SH productions I guess, is the relationship between Sherlock and John. Oh yes, they call each other by their first names here, a different take books. Sherlock is arrogant and as he says "a high-functioning sociopath", while John has to constantly put up with his antics. Another character you to watch is Moriarty, (he's already mentioned in the first episode so not much of a spoiler), who is just plain psychotic as Holme's antithesis. 

Now, I'm even more excited to catch the Hobbit. Martin Freeman will be playing the lead role of Bilbo Baggins in the prequel to Lord of the Rings. Benedict Cumberbatch too will play the voice of Smaug the Dragon/The Necromancer in the movie.

Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins

Another thing is that Sherlock and John have their own websites in the movie, John's being more of a blog of their cases. You can see him updating it frequently throughout the series. It contains recounts of the cases they solved in each episode, even with comments from the characters of the show.

So, yes watch it. It has gotten this writer, as stated in the title, "sherlocked".