Earth Hour 2012

We were not able to celebrate Earth Hour at home this year. Juliane had a birthday party at Amazonia, Great World City, 7-9pm. We decided to have dinner at Kuishin-bo at 6pm before sending Juliane to her classmate's party at 7pm. While waiting to pick Juliane at 9pm, Marieann and her father went browsing around as I headed towards Coffee Bean to do editing on some book reviews . I chose to work at Coffee Bean because the cafe would be celebrating Earth Hour by dimming its lights. Since I can't celebrate it at home, I might as well do it at a place that is celebrating Earth Hour. :)

Glee 3 "Yes/No"

A bit late but this week's Glee songs about wedding proposals :)

Summer Nights (uploaded by LaloF94)


The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face (uploaded by GleeFullPerformances)


We Found Love (uploaded by GleeFullPerformances)

PhD Thank You and Thoughts

It is still pretty surreal that I have finally achieved what I set out to do - get my PhD.
Although the PhD is in my name, I could not have completed it without the contributions, support and encouragement of many people. I really have to thank the following people for my achievement.
THANK YOU to:
Dr Koh and Prof Paris, for their guidance.
Dennis, for always pushing me to think more critically and outside of my "tai-tai" box lol.
Yee Zher, for coaching me in statistics, my kryptonite lol.
Dr Chew, Dr Wong, Dr Foong, for their encouragement.
Aik Ling, Sharm, Azlina, Filzah, Han Jing, many other friends and colleagues, my former students, for their moral support and encouragement.
My parents, for putting up with all the stacks of books and articles I left all over the place and for putting up with my moods when I am stressed about my PhD.
My daughters, for putting up with the part-time mother I have been to you and for cheering on me when I was writing my extra thick "homework" of 300 pages.

Thank you to all for your support and encouragement. :)

My New Windows Phone, Nokia Lumia 800

A day after I passed my oral defense, I bought myself a new phone as a reward for myself! :) I have been eyeing a Windows phone because I just prefer a Windows phone haha. :P A Windows phone suits me well because I am not tech savvy. If I were to use, say an Android phone, I would need to be tech savvy enough to customise the user interface and every aspect of operation of the phone. I am more than happy with the user interface and every aspect of operation on the Windows phone. I did a bit of research and so far, Nokia Lumia 800 has very good reviews and there are hardly any problems reported. :) Originally, Lumia 800 comes in black, cyan and pink. Now, there is white too. :)
I have absolutely no complaints with my white Nokia Lumia 800! The build of the phone is very nice and easy to hold. The screen resolution is excellent, and the touch screen and sensitivity is great. The features are user-friendly and the camera's fantastic.
I love my white Lumia 800 in its lime green casing lol. :)
PS. I updated my particulars, no longer 'Ms' haha. :P

Farewell, Yee Zher

A good friend and colleague, Yee Zher is leaving. Actually he has already left and he is starting work today at another research centre. Yee Zher was one of the first few researchers who worked at our research centre when it started in 2003. Just recently, a couple of us who joined a few months later after him and still at the research centre, joked that we would get the 10-year long service award together lol. Now, we have one person less for the award. :(
Yee Zher is a good friend and colleague to many of us. He is always generous with his time and expertise whenever one of us needs help with statistics. He is my teacher when it comes to statistics. He taught me the statistics that I needed for my work as well as for my PhD. :)
Thank you, Yee Zher for your statistics coaching, for your friendship, and for everything. All the best at your new workplace! :) Keep in touch! :)

Yee Zher's farewell lunch, 26 March 2012

Finally, a DR!

At 11.20am, I am officially Dr. Wong Hwei Ming! :)
My oral defense started at 9.40am. There were four people in the panel, not including my supervisor who was present to give her support. However, the examiner is now in Hong Kong so we had to link via Skype. It was kind of unusual for me, presenting to four people and a computer lol. There was a small audience too, made up mainly of my friends and supporters and my PI! Haha.
I was pretty nervous when I started but the panel was really nice and put me at ease. It helped too that I could always look to the audience to see my good friends smiling at me and giving me the thumbs up. :) Thanks, Guys! Your presence really meant a lot to me. :)
Actually, the presentation was still not too bad lol. The most scary part was the Q & A. I thought I won't be able to get through it. But again, the panel was most encouraging. I got the better of my nerves and became more confident as I answered each question. Before I know it, it was the end. The audience and I were invited out so that the panel could discuss the outcome of my oral defense. My friends were really nice and waited with me even though they didn't have to. 10 minutes later, I was called back into the meeting room. The examiner was really cute and called me Dr Wong even before the Head of the panel could announce the results to me lol. :P
After the panel left, my friends came back into the room to congratulate me. It suddenly became overwhelming for me and I burst into tears. :P It's tears of happiness, tears of relief, tears of disbelief. After seven years, I have finally gotten my PhD.
Thank you to everyone who has given me advice, support and encouragement over the years when I was on my Phd journey.
It feels GOOD to have finally arrived. It feels GOOD to be called Dr Wong hahaha. :P

Throat Infection II

Besides taking western medicine, I have been drinking Chinese herbal medicine too. When my father knew that I had a throat infection, he was most worried about my oral defense on Monday. He actually started brewing some herbal medicine last night, and left the brewed medicine on the table at 1am for me to take. He is so sweet. :) Unfortunately, I was asleep by then and didn't know about it. :(
I will continue to take the brewed Chinese medicine (even though it tasted awful), and gargle with medicated mouthwash. I will CONTROL myself and NOT scream at the kids when they are misbehaving over the weekend! A good friend actually suggested that I should check into a hotel and stay until Monday lol. I really, really hope, by Monday, I can at least recover by 90%!

Throat Infection

This is the worst thing to happen now when my oral defense is just three days away! My throat was feeling sore in the morning and I thought it could be the allergic reaction to the MSG in the chips I had last night. But by mid afternoon, it seemed to be getting more painful. I got permission to leave earlier and went straight to see my family doctor. I made it to the clinic just 10 minutes before it closes at 5pm.
I had a throat infection with mild fever. :( I asked my family doctor to hit me with the strongest medicine he has got as I really need my voice back for Monday. He did, short of giving me medicine that could cause me allergic reactions.
I can only hope and pray that I get well by Monday. Finger and toes crossed!

Tired

Feeling kinda tired rushing from one job to another job.
After counselling, I rushed back to my research centre for a meeting because the overseas consultant is here this week. I had to switch mindsets because the nature of the two jobs are completely different.

Glee 3 Extraordinary Merry Christmas

We are either three months too late or nine months too early for Christmas lol. :P

All I Want For Christmas is You (uploaded by GleeOnFox)


Blue Christmas (uploaded by gleefulldii)


Extraordinary Merry Christmas (uploaded by ChristianVonRappard)


My Favourite Things (uploaded by gleefulldii)


Santa Claus is Coming to Town (uploaded by gleefulldii)


Christmas Wrapping (uploaded by ChristianVonRappard)


Do They Know It's Christmas? (uploaded by GleeOnFox)

Happy!

My former PI (Principal Investigator) is back in Singapore! He is here as a consultant for my project. The purpose of his visit is to examine the data and see how it could be analysed further. Even though that means I will be very busy this week with data analysis, I am really happy to see him again! :) :)
Oh he is my co-supervisor too. It is really good to see him just before my oral defense, gives me a boost of confidence. :)

John Carter

We spoke to my nephews via Skype much earlier than usual today. Reason being my brother is taking them to the movies. They are going to watch "John Carter". Hey, that is one movie I am interested in watching. Boys, remember to tell 姑妈 if "John Carter" is good, ok? Maybe I will bring your cousins to watch it too. :)

(uploaded by DisneyMovieTrailers)

Getting Ready

The girls are getting ready for Term 2. By end of today, they have completed all their school holiday homework and have kept them in their homework files. They have also tidied up the ring binders for their various subjects (and I have signed all the worksheets and checklists that needed my signature). They have also checked and completed any online homework that they had to do.
Tomorrow, we will check one last time and the girls will be ready for the new school term, starting on 19 March 2012.

Movies

There are a couple of movies that seem interesting - Act of Valor, John Carter, The Woman in Black. But where do I find the time to watch them?? Every day, after work, I have to supervise and monitor the girls' homework. The weekends too are usually burnt with the supervision of school and tuition homework.
Maybe one of these days I should take one day leave and just watch movies and eat popcorn for the whole day. (I have done that before, a record of 3 movies in a day lol).

Back to Office

I brought the girls back to my office again. They brought their work to do and they have been warned that I would not have time to look after them as it is my official working day on Thursdays. They did their work quietly, quickly and without mistakes! I was surprised lol. Later they told me that the lack of distractions in the office (i.e. no tv, no computer, no iPad, no bed) allowed them to focus on their work better. Hmm, I may seriously consider bringing them to work during their next holiday.
After work, as a reward for them, I brought them to Raffles Marina. It is located at the Western Tip of Singapore, adjacent to the Second Link Bridge connecting Singapore and Malaysia. The girls were excited to see the yachts and boats at the marina. It is also the first time they ever saw a lighthouse. We sat down near the lighthouse to watch the sun setting. It was beautiful. :)









The girls really enjoyed themselves. They said that they want to come to my office again during the next holiday. :)

The Lorax

"Unless someone like you...cares a whole awful lot...nothing is going to get better...It's not."

Dr Seuss

As promised, I brought Marieann and Juliane to watch The Lorax.
It is a really good (and entertaining) movie with something to take away at the end of it for both children and adults - if we do not pay attention to what we are doing to our earth/ environment, it will come back to haunt us with dire consequences.

(uploaded by trailers)


After the movie, I brought the girls to my office. The last time they were here, my office was in a different building. They have not seen the current place since my office moved here a few years ago. Some of my colleagues couldn't believe that I have kids! Haha. Some couldn't believe that my girls are so big and they thought we three look like sisters haha. :P Thanks.

My girls enjoyed going to my office and they have asked if they could go again tomorrow. I am really surprised lol. Thought they would rather stay home with the tv, iPad, computer and bed lol.

Glee 3 "Hold On To Sixteen"

Totally enjoyed the songs, even the MJ songs in tonight's Glee 3, episode 8. :)

Survivor/ I Will Survive (uploaded by GleeOnFox)


ABC (uploaded by ChristianVonRappard)


Control (uploaded by ChristianVonRappard)


Man In The Mirror (uploaded by ChristianVonRappard)


We Are Young (uploaded by GleeOnFox)

Glee 3 "I Kissed a Girl"

I missed Glee 3, episode 7 "I Kissed A Girl" on tv last week but managed to watch it on Youtube lol. Most of the songs were great.

Perfect (uploaded by ChristianVonRappard)


Girls Just Wanna Have Fun (uploaded by ChristianVonRappard)


I'm The Only One (uploaded by gleefulldii)


I Kissed A Girl (uploaded by GleeOnFox)


Constant Craving (uploaded by gleefulldii)

One Year On

It is one year since the earthquake and tsunami happened in Japan on 11 March 2011. It was the day we were supposed to leave for Tokyo for our family trip. We were lucky.
The Japanese are in the midst of rebuilding their lives after the disaster. I wish them courage and hope.

Big Event(s)

My mother took Juliane and Marieann for a hair trim. In two weeks' time, Juliane is going to be the flower girl at my godsister's wedding so she has to look neat. Since I went along and was at the hairdresser's, I might as well have a trim too. My oral defense is in 2 weeks' time too. I should look tidy for my big event as well lol.

1st Run

I had my first dry run today for my oral defense. My sup said it was good - the number of slides were appropriate and the pacing was just right. I just need to add in a few lines to one of my existing slides.
Phew. I thought it would be a mess. Now I just need to do another dry run or two with my friends to familiarise myself with the pacing and my notes. :)

Anti-climax

Apple has revealed its latest iPad. No, it is not iPad 3. It is simply known as the new iPad. Hmm... not sure what to think of its name... kind of an anti-climax...

iPad 3 Out Today?

Is iPad3 really coming out today? Is it?! Is it??!!
Anyone knows?! Do tell!!

Dry Run

Made further revision to my slides for my PhD oral defense. It is now version 7. :P Gearing up now for my dry run with my supervisor this coming Friday.

Bali Trip 2012

Well, it looks like it will just be my mother, my girls and I going on the Bali trip 2012. The girls' father refused to go, citing that Bali is boring. *Roll eyes*. Oh well, it will be an all girls' trip again, like my Bali 2011 trip but this time, it is three generation of grandmother, mother and granddaughters. Maybe it is better this way as we can really go shopping to our hearts' content haha. :)

Family Time

Almost every weekend, my girls saw their cousins, my brother's boys. My parents as well. No, my brother and his family are not back in Singapore. They are still in England! The girls would see their cousins over Skype lol. Well it is the only way for the cousins to get to see each other until either the girls go over to England for a visit or my brother and his family comes back to Singapore for a visit.

"Post" Birthday Gathering

Juliane invited her 3 classmates, Miranda, Stacey and Shanyce from SCGS and her classmate, Catherine from MMI to her birthday gathering which was a soap-making workshop at Soap Ministry. The workshop started a little late, around 3.15pm. It was supposedly an hour workshop. However as the girls were so excited about making their own soap that they took quite a while to choose their soap molds and their soap scent. The shop owners/ instructors, Peggy and Elaine were really nice and didn't mind that our workshop went over time to almost 2 hours, ending around 5.15pm. Really grateful that they made the girls' day, especially for Juliane. :) The girls enjoyed the soap making process very much. While waiting for their soaps to harden, they had cupcakes. The girls were really pleased with their hand-made soaps.

The girls with their maternal grandparents before leaving for the workshop

Juliane and her friends and Marieann before the workshop started

The girls with their hand-made soaps at the end of the workshop

It was close to 6pm when we got home. We had a simple birthday dinner at home for Juliane. We also invited Catherine for dinner. Juliane and Catherine played for a while before dinner. After dinner, we had the birthday cake.



Juliane had a really great time with her friends and family. Oh today is her Chinese birthday so technically it is not really Juliane's post birthday celebration lol.

Refresher/ Reunion

I attended a parent workshop on P3 & P4 Math and Science. The girls' father wasn't interested so I had to go. My former colleagues at SCGS were surprised to see me attending the workshop lol. Reason being - I have taught Math and Science before and little has changed since then in terms of the teaching approaches. But it was good as a refresher for me as well as it being a reunion time for me with my former colleagues. :)

Happy 8th Birthday, Juliane

Happy Birthday, Juliane.
Wishing you everything happy for today and the coming year!

As it is a school day, we couldn't do too much in terms of celebration for Juliane, except with a birthday cake and a birthday song with her family at night.