Sleepless in Cupertino, CA

I am now in Cupertino CA at the Zulina's. I left Singapore last Saturday for US. The first part of the flight from Singapore to Hong Kong was a breeze... a mere 3.5 hrs but the flight from Hong Kong to San Francisco was a disaster... and I will tell you why. You see, I was clamped between two men (it would difinitely a lot better if they were women :P) - one was definitely overweight and the other kept turning and scatching himself. Holden was right about this route of SQ flight... I watched "Just Follow Law" and I can definitely relate it to my current working enviroment. Mr. Bean entertained me too. I had such a hard time between HK-SFO, it was warm, dry, immobile, and the food were bad. Economy class seat can never beat Super VIP Bus seat.





I was greeted by immigration officers at SFO who were polite and felt bad that I needed to go through the special registration thingy - all Malaysian males must go through this regardless of ethnicity. Just follow the law I guess. I almost lost Arafat's racket while waiting for Zulina...





Zulina picked me from the airport and we headed south. Noubar is on overseas trip. She had nasi lemal ready for me! We spent Sunday around the area. I checked in the hotel early Monday morning and met Ron to discuss matters related to the book in the evening. It was a little cold for me... I miss Singapore heat! I had such a terrible dinner Monday night that Zulina decided to take to Chinese buffet Tuesday night.





My presentation was yesterday. It went OK, not great. I decided to cut it short and moved back with Zulina to prepare slides for Sematech workshop. Changed my flight to Boston a day earlier.





The following days I will meet Jason, CK, George, and possibly Sharon before heading to Boston. Am anticipating... hope those in Boston will save me some nice weather... I have low tolerence for nasty weather now.

My jet lag is not completely gone yet... I woke up at 4:30 this morning CA time :(

BTW, did I tell you I met Sirirat the Thursday before? We had such a sumptuous steamboat dinner... but didn't make it to the Ang Moh Dessert on Beach Road (Belgian waffle in hawker center). She remained lovely!



September 27, Thursday, 11:12AM, Cupertino CA

One year on...

Before I know it, it has already been one full year since I joined NTU. One year on, it is natural for me to write something here. I think it has been a great experience for the most part - great benefits and the work load is more than manageable. But things remain slow, I mean research work. As a friend used to put it, "running hard on a treadmill yet not going any where." I am excited for a fruitful year ahead... I think this past year I got all the ground work ready, so I that I can fly high in the following years. I am eyeing on one of the big grants... I know it is difficult but I keep my fingers crossed.

Bro has his by-pass surgery today, hope he is well and recover soon.

Tuesday, Sept 18, 2:05PM

What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas

I was at Tanglin Club last Friday evening. DC, on her vacation in Singapore and club member, invited me over to rekindle good old time. I have not met her since she went to London to further her study in Imperial College. I was introduced to Han, as she preferred to be called, that evening. I arrived slightly ahead of time but was waiting at the wrong area only to find out later (I assure you this was not the first time). I joined them for a movie featuring Nicholas Cage, Next. "Quite intense," as DC put it. Apparently Cage can "see" future, but as he put it at the end, every time he looked at it, it changed and everything else changed. It reminded me of quantum teleportation - you destroy the information once you read it.

It was a lovely evening. I will meet DC again in Boston in Oct! She will spend a semester in Boston, on leave from IC. Maybe this time I will buy her a drink? As Cage quoted in the movie, "What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas." I will put it as "What happens in Tanglin Club stays in Tanglin Club". :P

I should start preparing for my US trip today.

Sunday, Sept 16, 9:09AM

Feel l'm going back to Massachusetts

"Feel l'm going back to Massachusetts, something's telling me I must go home ..." This is a favorite song from Bee Gees. Indeed, I am going back sooner than December! Following VMIC in Fremont CA, I will head to Boston for a week till Columbus Day weekend before going to AMC in Albany NY. Susan has summoned folks to have dinner with me during my stay. Stephen, Nisha and Susan took me to Brown Sugar (a Thai restaurant) when I was there last year after Thanksgiving. I can't wait to meet them again soon! I will also get to meet many others. Some like JHO, CH, Zeke, Yangs, have offered to host me. I think a road trip and apples picking is being planned. And I am going to write to Liz that I might be walking for this year "5K Walk for Vision", she will be very thrilled. I am thrilled too. I feel good, but the pre-departure anxiety gets me a little bit.

Last evening I joined the Kulim gang at a Hakka restaurant in Tanjong Pagar celebrating Lily's birthday (one day earlier). These are newly found old friends! It is a pleasant surprise that Meiling is at NIE! She will be my new lunch partner :)

A full day of rest at home makes CS strong again. Let's go jog tomorrow morning, no morning rain please!

Saturday, September 8, 10:14PM - Happy Birthday, Lily!

Would gyming help when you are sick?

I have been sick for the past week, the recent trip added to that. I felt lousy and bloated because I have not been gyming for close to two weeks. It sucks! Gyming takes lots of effort, as anyone would agree, I would buy it if I could:) But I went to gym anyway, just to keep myself in shape before the hard earned muscles (which is not a lot to begin with) melt away into fat!!! I feel slightly better after coming back, and am contemplating on an evening jog - Wish me luck please!

Peh Qi and Ai Lin sat for UPSR this week and I think they did OK. No pressure anyway... I know how this thing feels like. Been there, done that!

And you may ask why am I so early today? It is only 4:30PM? Well, I was sick and came home early to rest, ring a bell now?

Thursday, Sept 6, 4:35PM

Happy Birthday, Pei En

I was at home from Aug 31-Sept 2. Pei En celebrated her 7th birthday on Aug 31 (Friday). Yes, she is the Merdeka girl in the family and 3rd Bro missed it by one day. She demanded Barbie Girl many months ago and I kept my promise. We bought her a cake and there the party began. I think she was happy and had fun. She has grown up from a shy and timid girl to a rather talkative and active girl. I am sure she is the joy of the family for the most part. I am eager to watch her growing up. Happy Birthday again, PE!

So we finally decided to buy a house in Taman Mahsuri - a semi-D at 135K. Everyone seems to like the location and house. Hopefully we can get loan from bank, I do not mind a higher down payment. Will see. This will be a family house, so it is important to make sure things are in order.

On my way back Sun evening to Sg, bus 52 did not come in time so 2nd Bro drove me to BW to make sure that I catch the bus. We did it, but bus broke down in Yong Peng and I got back to NTU at 10:30AM on Monday.

Working from home today, got the CRP proposal draft ready and sent to Wei Jun. I think it needs more massage and the next few days will be just for this on top of NRF Fellowship proposal. I have been writing way too many proposals now and am a bit jagged :( Sent 1st Bro some cash to help him over this difficult time.

IMEC folks sent in their chapter, so I sighed a relief. Hopefully the remaining chapters will arrive without much unexpected hurdles. Praying hard. I think this is my first and last book editing, the amount of effort just does not worth it.

Tuesday, Sept 4, 10PM