Totally pulled this off Livejournal, but it should still work here, right?
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I got this meme by dongpeiyen1000! She threw an R at me.

1. Reply to this post and I'll assign you a letter.
2. List 5 songs that start with that letter.
3. Post them to your journal with these instructions

1. Rise; Will Dailey
This was from an episode of CSI:NY. I can't remember which one, now. But it was in Season 4, with Stella watching Mac play his bass, and CBS basically pimping Will Dailey. But it's a nice song!

2. Rangers; A Fine Frenzy
Uh. A friend introduced me to Alison Sudol/A Fine Frenzy, after watching (Once again) CSI:NY. I found this song :D

3. Relentless; Raised by Swans
Canadian indie band. Can't remember how I came across them. You can listen to this song on their website - raisedbyswans.com

4. Return to Innocence; Enya & Enigma
It's a nice song. And one of the few (I think) that I can actually hear what Enya is singing.

This is when I realize the tiny size of R on my playlist. Until I am forced to put THIS-

5. Rasputin; Boney M
This song is made of epic LULZ and CAPSLOCK. Seriously. It's very catchy. It's like listening to 'Moskau' by Dcshingis Khan. Haha.

I KNOW. I LISTEN TO WEIRD SONGS. 8D
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Oh, and ReGenesis is over. They DID have Lilith Sandstrom in the Finale! She's a paleovirologist! But they didn't have Ellen Page. They DID have 2 EP clips from Season 1, though.

Implications of human cloning. And suggestions of genocide. Science. Is rough.

OH, OH, AND CARLOS IS ALIVE! IN 2010 (The whole ep was this flash forwards/present thing.)! WOOHOO. AND MAYKO. SHE GETS HER BIOINFORMATICS BOOTH BACK ('Cause Wes is back at work and cured from his HIV. Miracles of Science/gene therapy.)

The final montage (Think 2 minute version, much sweeter montage like the one in Wilson's Heart) was really nice. I miss David's shorter season 2 hair. BUT. BUT. BUT. NO CAROLINE/MAXIM ROY. MAXIM ROY DOES NOT GET ENOUGH LOVE. WHY? BECAUSE SHE SPEARHEADED A SALARY RAISE BID? HUH? Anyway, Rachel. Oh, Rachel was last in the montage. I got really sad 'cause she's the only character who's dead. *sigh*

And this totally cool quote at the end of the ep:

I finally got off my ass to do this tag from Cheryl as I wait for the Finale of all ReGenesis Finale's to finish.


1. At what age do you wish to be married?
Um... When love comes around. HOWEVER; I actually, secretly - Eh, it won't be a secret anymore if I say it out loud. Hee.

2. If you were to be stranded on a deserted island, who are the 3 blog buddies you’d take and why?
- Jen : '
Cause she can kickbox, so she can defend us while people like me look for 'weapons'.
- Min Shen : Just because.
- Yih  Shan : She can do all the crawling around tiny spaces.

Honourable mention: Sue Mae, Kar Mun. I don't want to bring Li Za 'cause she would start panicking, so I'd die before we get rescued. Choi, touch wood, touch wood.

3. Where is the place that you want to go the most?
Uh... Like Cheryl said, Heaven. If you're talking about Earth, I'd say New York City, Paris, London, Monte Carlo, and Belgium (For obvious reasons)

4. If you can have 1 dream to come true, what would it be?
To be able to study in Columbia University/Graduate there, and achieve greatness in the future.

5. Do you believe you can survive without money?
I'd say yes and no. Yes, in the sense that money isn't everything, but no, because you need to pay for stuff you need. Ugh.

6. What are you afraid to lose the most?
*Quotes Cheryl* My loved ones!

7. If you win $1 million, what would you do?
Donate (Be it to charities/research/stuff like that), save up, buy myself some stuff.

8. If you meet someone that you love, would you confess to him/her ?
... I'll tell you once I've done that or once I've found a person I love who isn't a family member.

9. List out 3 good points of the person who tagged you.
- She's responsible
- She's a good friend
- She was my first pet sister! LOL. She was very tolerant with Julia and my weirdness.

10. What are the requirements that you wish from your other half?
Someone who's understanding, loving, respectful and balances me out nicely.

11. Which type of person do you hate the most?
Good question. I have taken to say that hating involves getting emotionally invested in the person. So I do not hate, because I couldn't be bothered.

12. If you are given the chance to go back to the past and make a difference, will you?
There are things.

13. What is the thing that will make you think he/she is bad?
Read answer No 11

14. What do you think is the most important thing in your life?
God, family, friends, education and currently, the prefects. (I'm stupid that way, I know)

15. Are you a shopaholic or not?
Depends on where in the shopping mall you stick me in. xD

16. If you have a chance, which part of your character you would like to change?
Hmm... That bigass procrastinator bit. Yeah, I've always wanted to be more disciplined, but I procrastinate at it. Ew.

17. Who is the person that you can share all your problems with?
God. That's for sure. I don't really share my problems with people. I know I build walls around me, and recently, I've been feeling the effects of it. But I REFUSE TO CHANGE, EVENTHOUGH I WOULD ASK YOU TO VOTE FOR CHANGE. I DON'T KNOW HOW BARACK OBAMA GOT INTO THIS MEME.

18. What’s your weakest point?
Being so self-centred. Trust me. You may not realize it, but I am. And I tend to berate myself for it. OH, and I usually lack a brain-mouth filter. I'm not *that* blunt at telling people something, but sometimes it's pretty bad.

19. What’s the thing that you’re most proud of?
Being able to handle myself properly and staying out of trouble.

20.What do you think of sarcasm and irony?
I love sarcasm. And ironies can be nice, and yet annoying. I guess that's why things are ironic anyway.

Tagged peeps:
JEN (THIS IS A DEMAND FOR AN UPDATE)
MIN SHEN
YIH SHAN
PEI LYN

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My 5th uncle's coming down next Tuesday with my 2 younger cousins.

I can't remember when was the last time he came down. In fact, if he did, I was probably too young to remember.

I've cleared my table, and I'm ready to start work. It's a good time to start having some discipline. It IS the exam year, after all, and as much as I doubt SPM is as important as my college results, I still need a good foundation. Especially since it looks like I may have to suffer Physics for another year.

Yenn Ling and I were talking about paleovirology and retrovirals yesterday. The conversation started off with me blabbering about ReGenesis, and since I was at the Ontario Genomics Institute site, and reading about paleovirology, I was chatting with Yenn Ling about it. Then we were talking about the difference between a retrovirus and a vaccine. And about autoimmune conditions and stuff like that.

My dad turned on the TV just now, and Sportscenter was on. And so happened, a Justine bit. So I scooted to the television just to listen/watch. Funny how Justine looks so much more relaxed and looks younger after retirement. And it's weird to think that she's only 25 (Going to be 26 on Sunday! HAHAHA!). Then my mum was like, "Who's that? Justine Henin?" (She pronounces it as it is spelt. And I don't bother correcting my mum, 'cause she's my mum, Justine's retired, and mum wouldn't bother remembering how to pronounce Justine's name anyway). Ah, Mum has experience.

No more ReGenesis. Oh, well.

So, now, no TV show downloads 'til September. The ReGenesis space in my computer would probably be taken away by Damages next season.

OH, but House is on TV soon, and CSI NY! And I've been watching Chuck. It's kinda funny, but I wouldn't put it as a favourite TV show. I've been turning AXN on just to see House Season 4 adverts. Multiple "You're fired!" by House, and the whole Amber "You're fired! You're number 6!" and Kutner going "No I'm not, I'm number 9". Hee.

And there was one, "Care to get a job with a boss who wouldn't bother to remember your name?" ROF: Dr... 13: Just call me 'Thirteen'. HEE.

OH, and did I tell you that it's weird on CSI NY that Carmen Argenziano has hair? But he did a great job in the episode which involved his character's daughter. THEN HE KILLED THE RAPIST. NOW GERRARD STANTON (Or is it Stanton Gerrard? I never remember) KNOWS WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE IN MAC'S POSITION. He'll always be Wise Ridiculous Old Fraud (Who used to audit lectures in Columbia, meaning his character used to live in NY/still lives in NY - Maybe he IS Deputy Inspector Gerrard in disguise as Henry... something! Wait, DOBSON! Yes! He named himself after the guy who jumped off the roof which caused Gerrard to go all POLITIK! on Mac)

Oh, yes, CLIOD.

WILL SERIOUSLY GET TO THAT TOMORROW/TODAY.

HAHA, OMGOODNESS I JUST REALIZED SOMETHING.

In Season 2 (I think) of ReGenesis, I remember them mentioning Levadopa, which was mentioned in House (Levadopa is used to treat Parkinson's) and then there was the whole Physostigmine thing ("And act like a nerve gas, make [House's] heart stop, [House'll] go to heaven, and [House'll] be omniscient!") on House (Physostigmine is an Alzheimer drug), which was mentioned on CSI:NY.

No wonder why, when House mentioned physostigmine, it sounded familiar. Because Lindsay mentioned it the week before!

Yay for House/ReGenesis/CSI NY degrees.

And I'll be updating about CLIOD soon.

Random notes from my 3 days of doing absolutely nothing but sitting around.

- The House finale was made of win. They killed 2 characters. That's just depressing.
- The CSI NY finale isn't anywhere as near as depressing or as good as the House one, as I don't give a shit whether Mac's gonna die or not, because he won't. And because we've had too many Mac-centric episodes already. Seriously. 10-ish episodes on the 333 stalker- isn't that enough Mac already?
- So I can see that I will be more stoked to watch House than New York in the beginning of the new season, and I'll love NY more in the end. It's always like that. I start out liking one, but end liking the other more.
- Season 4 of House and NY on AXN starting June 2 and 10 respectively! Squee! House keeps its Monday 10pm timeslot (Which has been House for the past I don't know how long, since they didn't put anything but House on Monday nights, even after Season 3 ended) and NY will be taking back its Tuesday 10pm timeslot, which was taken by Damages and Terminator:The Sarah Connor Chronicles after Season 3 ended (Which I both watched. I love Damages. T:TSCC is like, meh, I'll watch it for the Lena Headey).
- I was watching Season 2 House yesterday on TV. Cameron's voice was so high pitched, I LOL'ed through half of the show. JMo has been speaking with her lower voice this season, and Olivia Wilde isn't as high pitched, it took some time to get used to.

Things that need to be done:
May:
- 26th, Taylor's CLIOD programme! Haha. ICPU in 1 day. Wonder what it'll be like

- Clean/rearrange my cupboard
- Clear my table. The organized mess is getting disorganized.
- Renew my passport before Singapore June 14.
- Finish up the accounting from the t-shirts. Ugh. Afternoon sessions lost me RM 1400. Sheesh.
- Get some ideas for Reunion video.
- Catch up on the homework that I left to rot before the exams
- Study study study

This is the obligatory

"Exams are over, I'm free"

and

"Holidays are here, whee"

post.

I leaned across, to close my blinds, as the glare of the sun was getting unbearable.

My chair hit my hip, and it didn't spin around to accomodate my movement, like it used to.

Then I remembered. I have a new chair in my study now. Min Shen's favourite swivelly black chair's down in the TV area.

I watched ReGenesis and wrote some stuff down for the fun of it.

Then I remembered that none of my regular readers watch ReGenesis. Heh.

OH, but I LOL'ed when David had a phone call from Lilith (His daughter who was shown in Season 1 who was acted by... Ellen Page), must've been something about her going to uni or something, cause he was like, "So, what're you going to study? Molecular Biology? Or Molecular Biology?" Now THAT'S what you call trying to get your daughter to do what you're already doing. Hee. I wonder whether Ellen Page will turn up in any form in the ReGenesis finale. In any form. Solid, living, breathing Lilith Sandstrom or by voice or a photo, like in Season 2. I mean, next week isn't just the season finale, it's the SERIES FINALE. IT'S LIKE, OH MY BROKEN HEART. THE SCIENCE. I LOVES IT. THEY DON'T EVEN DEAL WITH PHYSICS.

Anyways.

I wonder whether they'll kill Carlos off. I hope not. It's in times like Bob emo-ing during this episode that I really, really, really wished that Rachel still existed on the show. *sigh* Rachel was such an awesome virologist.

I still don't regret staying up late, late nights on Thursdays and Fridays after PMR. It brought along one of the coolest TV shows I have ever watched that made me squee about the science. Oh, the science.

BM 2 tomorrow. Xueli has my KOMSAS book. *Dead'ed* *Resorts to reading a Kamus Peribahasa and checking out my Tatabahasa book*

Also wik, Chemistry wasn't as tough as the February one. I am so doomed.

I feel better already. Still have a bit of flu-ey feeling, but not so bad now.

3 weeks of exams definitely drain one of other thinking ability.

Trudging through Chemistry right now with a slight fever and annoying runny nose (Must remember to pack extra tissue paper for tomorrow). But I am still alive.

I cannot wait for the holidays for peace, quiet and, I'm assuming, some hanging out with my friends. Hopefully.

On another note, Justine's name has already been removed from the rankings. *sigh*

I find it funny that Justine was offered a place in the Bollitieri Academy many, many years ago. She said no because it meant that she had to go to Florida. LOL.

Imagine if she did go.

She'd have that awful-looking forehand (Like Sharapova's, Jankovic's, Vaidisova's, etc) and her agents would've been, like, IMG.

I LOL at the prospects.

I haven't quite had the time to sit down and type about recent activities.

I guess I'll write about Justine first, since I know I'll be squealing more about House, NY and ReGenesis next week. After all, there's no more squealing-about-Justine's-amazing-matches and annoying the hell out of people by blabbering about Justine almost 24/7. At least the worst was over. I think I reached the peak of obsession around Form 2/3. LOL. OH, and last year.

So, bear with me what will probably be the last long post about Justine and how awesome she is to me, blah, blah, blah. You guys have gone through it for at least 4 years, now. Why worry? Hee.

Justine retired a World Number 1, the first to do so, and only the 4th Top 5 player to retire. She had 117 weeks at the top of the tour (Counting this week, the last week in which her name will be in the rankings), 41 titles (Which include 7 Grand Slam titles, 2 YECs and an Olympic Gold Medal) and is holding on to 2 titles this year, and still holding on to another 7 from last year.

There are people out there who think that Justine's retirement isn't worth anything. There was this person who commented on an NY Times article saying that, 'Sure, retiring when I'm 25 with about 20mil USD in my pocket's really hard, after a decade.' But I guess what people doesn't realize is how hard it is to stay at the top for such a long time. (Don't even talk about Federer. He's just... ew.) I'm sure it's even harder to retire when you're RIGHT AT THE TOP, with a 1700+ point advantage to boot. Why retire now? Why not stay on for a few Grand Slams, one last ditch at winning Wimbledon for the Grand Slam?

However, when the passion isn't there, it's gone forever. And for someone like Justine, who's been so dedicated to tennis all her life, losing the passion for the game is quite big a deal. It's like running out of gas petrol when you're driving in the middle of nowhere on your way to, say, Singapore, and there's absolutely no one around. I find it ironic, since just the day before her retirement, I had been making a banner, adding her quote,

"I've hung on to tennis. I've done so for the past 20 years. It is something that is in me. It is me."

If that's how she's looking at tennis, I don't doubt that she probably has lost some sleep over considering whether she wanted to continue her career or not.

It is admirable that someone so young, and yet so old can walk away from the trappings of fame and fortune, just for the simple pleasures of life. She certainly has learnt how to live in the past year or so.

I will, though, miss waking up in the middle of the night just to watch her play a match. I will miss seeing her slide on clay. The beauty and the fluidity and focus of her tennis. Hell, she was unique among the top players, and she sat right above all of them. I will miss her nailbiting matches, those days when someone would tell me halfway through a match, "Pfft. She's going to lose," and I could say, "You wait and see," as we watch Justine claw her way back. I will miss that oh-so-awesome backhand (No words can describe its lethal and aesthetic values), and that lethal forehand, which has been developed over the years to become on of her greatest weapons.

She was definitely a first for me. One of the first individuals I actually, properly admired as they are. And she was definitely the first person I saw grow on the tennis court. Not just age. It was her playing style. How she matured over the years, strove to overcome the barriers of her relatively-small physicality. How, as I remembered when I first saw her play, she barely had a forehand (It was this strange, bouncy thing that was just... bizarre). Her serve was more pathetic than it is now.

Over the years, we've seen her change her serve, add more variety to her game. Improve that forehand to the lethal whip we see today. The rackethead speed she produced every single shot was just amazing, putting her whole body behind that one shot. The sublime dropshots (Which are especially wonderful to see on clay) and those overheads.



Now that she's retired, there's no one to fill in the gap she's left. No one as of now who has as beautiful, technical, tactical tennis, or even as much focus she has in every single match. It's not just a big loss to tennis. I think it is also a big loss to sports in general (And I haven't even talked about Annika Sorenstam retiring yet. Damn.). As Billie Jean King had said, Justine was, pound for pound, the best athlete out there.

All I will do now is sit back, take a break from watching tennis, wait until another day comes that another girl would come along to take my breath away with such beautiful, perseverant tennis. I hope, too, that one day, the graduates of Justine's academy can bring back the beauty of tennis.

The beauty of the one-handed backhand.



But that is only hope. And every individual is unique. And Justine would be one in a million.

However, thinking of her spending time, devoting herself to new loves and new life is quite interesting. The simplicity of life, life off the fast lane, life with her family, life with friends. Going back to study and fulfill the promise she made to her mother.

9 years on tour. 7 years I've been a fan. I've enjoyed every minute of it.

All good things must come to and end, people say. Justine's career ended. But I personally think that her life just started.

Thank you, Justine, for being someone I could look up to for inspiration.



(I have this gut feeling that this post has been quite repetitive. Forgive me. It's 2.30am. Coherent thought = Not there)