Minimal

Since the end of the exams, I've realised my net time have decreased considerably. No longer am I online 24/7 nor am I blogging every couple of hours. But I can explain...haha.

1) My computer with the mysterious removal of the modem still have not been fixed so currently using an old pc that is proned to stuffing up

2) Have been watching tapes - but far out the LAST disk of the movie is missing!!!!

3) Working on my 1500 piece puzzle

4) Msn not working on this pc..not many people on icq these days....

Driving-log Day 1 & 2

Day 1: Miranda

Day 2: Burwood -> Hurstville

The rest of the time spent watching tv and working on my jigsaw puzzle....rather stay home where it's nice and cosy in this rainy, cold and windy weather...

A different perspective.....

Why seventeen years rather than four years that marks the end?? Simply because for the past seventeen years we have had carried a backpack (or similar items that holds books in particular) on our backs!!

To satisfy a hungry appetite I've decided to give a different perspective of the post-exam events that happened or (didn't happen yesterday), highlighting the KEY events!! :D

During the 4 hours in a dark room: Hmmm...what would happen in a dark room, with a tv screen, loud speakers, 2 mics, a box of tissue, not-so-sound-proof rooms and comfy couches...For someone with 3 hours sleep the previous night, the most automatic response would be to 'sit back and relax'. When one relaxes, sleep is something that comes naturally. BUT...with good background music, musical voices and entertaining people, that didn't happen as I anticipated! Truly entertaining!! I definitely prefer to sit back and listen to other people sing because its so much more enjoyable and fun - so don't worry about me!! The singing must have brought out the sun too because there was a 180 degree change in weather during the 4 hours.

Eating korean: Yay definitely the highlight of the night...glad you came as well M!! It wasn't the food or the place but the people!! Why? Because there was combination of "WAR and BEAUTY" and "CAMERA, LIGHTS AND ACTION" - plenty to see and hear...war as in physical aggression from 'person' under influence of alcohol and beauty as in the after-effects of alcohol. The infamous 'blush'! Plenty of candid camera shots as well!! Too bad F's camera couldn't capture RAPID action...

I was slightly concerned that a person may have consumed a ‘bit too much’ alcohol (partly cause it was my suggestion..hmmm - but hey she took up the challenge :p). But obviously her tolerance to alcohol exceeded my expectations. But no doubt it put her on a high. I was caught in the firing line because I was in between the physical action that occur. The seating of the table being in a long row, I had NO WHERE to run - could not even slide under table. Squashed...haha is all I could say. Alcohol seemed to have brought out her talent (a theory called social facilitation whereby a person performing a proficient task will perform even better in the presence of other people). Ironic in a way – a ‘drunk’ collecting money for the bill.

The end of a beginning....

Yesterday marked the end of a seventeen year journey. A journey with ups and downs, successes and failures and most importantly, the development of life long friendships :p

Maybe I'm excited about starting a new chapter in life. Maybe sad to leave the old behind but hey, life goes on. The next three months will be a time to relax, reflect, plan and organise for the next phase in life...the journey in the wild, the unknown, the working world.

MODEM PROBLEM...a bliss maybe??

Maybe it's SIGN a SIGN!!!!!

4 more days till the end...modem not working...it has been 'REMOVED' automatically. how weird is that??? it's internal so there's definitely no unplugging on my behalf. i seriously have no idea what happened or what to do about it! i could call up ibm help desk but what if they tell me to send in the cpu?? it's no longer under guarantee period..more headaches to deal with after the exams...

Helppppppp

I can't stop myself from checking 'someone's' blog ten thousand times a day - and i don't even think i'm exaggerating that much!!!

Mouse Potato (n): a kind of couch potato, except the time spent is in front of a computer screen rather than a TV

I don't think i've ever been so dedicated to the net during exam time for my entire four years..why does it have to be so different the last time round? Who in the world bombards people with offline messages...I can't help it

what are the chances of me staging a disappearance until next friday??? (Not just no blogging, but no connection to the net) If I do, I'll win the next big lottery....Fat chance...

Is he HOT or what??

considering....considering.....OR

$%^&*

have done nothing productive apart from eating. noodles, crackers, ice cream, fruit and all.....i am on the verge of adding some profanity on this site but am resisting. today is ummm.....thursday. I should be studying accounting. I really should. But damn it. I can't cope. The amount of work I do in a day is minimal. I'm sure 2 hour solid work would equate to the amount I get done during the whole day.

Is this what you call exam anxiety or exam avoidance? Either way, come monday I will have to do the exam. So why can't I just study. Only one more week. Why can't I do something about it??? I keep telling myself that I SHOULD and HAVE TO study. But sitting at my desk, I read the same words over and over again. The sun is slowly setting and my room is getting darker...slowly..and slowly. Although the day has progressed, my work has not. Self discipline is what i need. Self control. Self motivation.......i know i've done nothing but complained. its not the first time nor will it be the last. but bear with me for another week...

is studying really that hard?????

In pain......

what is worse than a computing crashing on you? it's when microsoft word asks if you want to save the document and you click NO instead of YES!!!!!!!

MUST SEE!!!

This is a must see site: http://manimiafonyesblog.blogspot.com. The blog of my ever famous twin...aka F, Fi, Manimiafonyes, Bull-shitting Queen or simply My TWIN! Well it's really a come back, resurrection if you like of her long abandoned site. So show support, show encouragement!!!

Well, if anyone else wants free advertisement on this site just let me know. There's no guarantee it will be a success but at least a chance is better than no hope!!

A link is added under the chatterbox for future convenience!!

Oh gosh...i should be studying...what the...have been very distracted today..haha. can't concentrate - i must be affected by the weather too!!! Now I'm starting to feel all sentimental and dreamy....i'm complaining again...can't help it. some days are productive, other days are not. Today is one of those unproductive, frustrating days. i've eaten, i've play, i've watched tv, i've advertised...but just haven't worked. please my working soul..come back to me...plzzzzzz........i am consciously aware of the time...i MUST maximise my productivity, esp following the memory blockage in the last exam. concentrate...ok i'm blabbering...whenever i do that you know its not good. i know its not good.



Ok i've found a site:
CONCENTRATION-SOME BASIC GUIDELINES
1. Set aside a place for study and study only!
A. Find a specific place (or places) that you can use for studying (for example, the campus libraries, vacant classrooms, quiet areas in the student center, bedroom at home, etc.)

B. Make a place specific to studying. You are trying to build a habit of studying when you are in this place. So, don't use your study space for social conversations, writing letters, daydreaming, etc.

C. Insure that your study area has the following:
- good lighting
- ventilation
- comfortable chair, but not too comfortable
- desk large enough to spread out your materials

D. Insure that your study area does not have the following:
- distracting view of other activities that you want to be involved in
- telephone
- loud stereo
- 27-inch color TV
- roommate or friend who wants to talk a lot
- refrigerator stocked with scrumptious goodies

2. Divide your work into small, short-range goals.
A. Don't set a goal as vague and large as ... "I am going to spend all day Saturday studying!" You will only set yourself up for failure and discouragement.

B. Take the time block that you have scheduled for study and set a reachable study goal. (for example: finish reading 3 sections of chapter seven in my Psych. text, or complete one math problem, or write the rough draft of the introduction to my English paper, etc.)

C. Set your goal when you sit down to study but before you begin to work.

Set a goal that you can reach. You may, in fact, do more than your goal but set a reasonable goal even if it seems too easy.

OK..LET ME TEST IT OUT...

Death by dinner plate

Feel like being a bit gruesome tonight since I'm studying about cancer, AIDS and the like at the moment. Life is too short to enjoy everything. One can never really know when they would die or what would happen to them. So why not live life to the fullest and enjoy every minute of it. Also maybe a warning of broken cutlery as well...take care - don't fall over and break any glass!!!


A Victorian man bled to death after accidentally cutting his throat with a broken dinner plate, ambulance paramedics say.

The bizarre accident occurred about 6.10pm (AEDT) yesterday, when the 57-year-old Point Lonsdale man finished dinner and was taking the leftovers outside to give to his dog, the Geelong Advertiser reported.

The man fell while carrying food on a bowl or plate, said Rural Ambulance spokesperson Jessica Li.

"The bowl shattered and somehow cut him across the neck," Ms Li said.

"It's horrible. What are the chances the plate is going to break and you are going to fall on it that way?"

The man was unconscious when paramedics arrived, and they were unable to revive him, said Ms Li.

She said he bled to death.

from SMH

Just a little trivia: Heart attacks are most likely to occur on Mondays in the morning between 6-11am. Why? Because after waking up from dreaming and becoming active after waking up, people have higher blood pressure which increase platelet clotting. My guess on why Mondays, its because Garfield hates Monday and also people get stressed about having to go to work.

Memory failure

Reality has struck hard. I had a blank canvas in my mind during the exam....spent one week studying ONE subject. It always seems to happen :(

Now I have 6 days to study 3 subjects....its going be bad....maybe I would have benefited from a lesson in prioritising...

Stresssed

Stressed and really feeling it now. Up to this point, I've just been procrastinating and working at a really slow pace. Now I'm very stressed. Feeling the exam anxiety, the pressure and getting scared. Feel like crying. Feel like a nice long sleep but do not have the time for that. Don't know why I'm blogging....maybe to release some frustration. Crying...screaming...silently....

Bad timing....

- library book got recalled before i even had a chance to look at it

- sudden feeling of lightheadedness and bluriness

- 1.5 days left - much to cram

- strange dreams

- tiredness

- exactly 13 days to go......

Tip of the tongue (TOT)

People often say if you can explain concepts to others then that is when you truly understand it: let me have an attempt..what is tip of the tongue?

Tip of the tongue occurs when you know you have something in memory but temporarily cannot retrieve it. e.g. you remember that face from somewhere but you cant quite remember the name....sound familar?

there are two theories related to this phenomena. the first is called the Baker/baker paradox and the other is the 'Cinderella and the ugly sisters'. the baker/baker paradox refers to a study which found that participants remember occupations of people (baker) better than people's names (Mr Baker).

The reason is that remembering the name requires 3 steps in this particular order: perceptual, conceptual (C)and phonological (P). in order to move for C to P, it involves a lexical connection when considering a common name, baker. However when considering a proper name, Mr Baker it involves another step called a person identity node (PIN).

The distinguishing feature between these two is that there are many possible conceptual links linking C to the lexical level (e.g. concepts of baker include kitchen ,bread, getting up early), which subsequently prompt the phonological name, baker (so it goes something like visual - conceptual - lexical - phonological). But for proper names, the lexical level only has one activation node, which is the PIN (Mr Baker) hence the proper name is harder to come by. in laymans term, it is easier to come up with examples or concepts relating to a 'baker' than to the person 'mr baker'....

now onto the cinderella story. a study found that another reason for TOT is the blocking of action slips. An analogy was made such that the memory search (prince) tries to find the correct word (Cinderella) to fit the defintion (slipper), but the related words (ugly stepsisters) intercept the search effort. The ugly stepsisters divert the prince's attention from Cinderella....i quite like this analogy (but I wonder what happened to the fairy godmother???)...haha.

congratulations for reaching so far down...i think i've confused you enough. i should go back to cramming...have been rather unproductive...could do better....

Scared...

I'm just scared about the exam...i'm not ready for it...this has become my portal for complaints...haha.

freaking out...the frustrating thing is process is going real slow. i really don't want to fail anything....but.....

Put one strawberry in your mouth, put one blueberry in your mouth...now start munching and let the sweetness melt in your mouth. a nice refreshing treat. ok i should go study now...

Trying.....

hope endocrine is going well for you mp..hehe.

no such luck for me. i've been stressed about the amount of work i need to get done. knowing me, there's no better way to deal with it than procrastinate. i start looking at one thing and then go, nah, i better study something else. the constant swapping between subjects and topics is driving me mad...not to mention, its making me go nowhere!!! i need to settle down, take it one step at a time and digest the info. but my digestive system is not doing too well.

maybe tonight i can do some stuff...time is ticking...i sense everyone is studying hard but myself...

good luck guys!!!

Falling.....

I am falling....

Falling in my studies...have been desperately trying to study for the past couple of days without much success. Went to uni for two days, 'trying' to study. Day 1 was productive. Day 2 was hopelessly helpless. No concentration at all.

Falling in....what's that four letter word that's hard to articulate??...I really shouldn't be watching tv a week away from my finals...but some people just have that special power that draws you towards them. So sweet, so caring, so kind...

Falling....hopefully I can pick myself up quickly over the next day or two so falling won't turn to failing.

It's so hard....but i will keep trying...

This is what you do when you study....

Your Brain's Pattern

Your brain is always looking for the connections in life. You always amaze your friends by figuring out things first. You're also good at connecting people - and often play match maker. You see the world in fluid, flexible terms. Nothing is black or white.

What Pattern Is Your Brain?

Your Personality Profile

You are elegant, withdrawn, and brilliant. Your mind is a weapon, able to solve any puzzle. You are also great at poking holes in arguments and common beliefs. For you, comfort and calm are very important. You tend to thrive on your own and shrug off most affection. You prefer to protect your emotions and stay strong.

The World's Shortest Personality Test

You Are 50% Weird

Normal enough to know that you're weird... But too damn weird to do anything about it!

How Weird Are You?

Slow and Steady

Your friends see you as painstaking and fussy. They see you as very cautious, extremely careful, a slow and steady plodder. It'd really surprise them if you ever did something impulsively or on the spur of the moment. They expect you to examine everything carefully from every angle and then usually decide against it.

How Do People See You?

Drink to old age....

For those 'moderate' drinkers out there...you might be doing yourself some good!!

Older people with a history of moderate drinking may suffer less mental decline than those who do not drink, a new study suggests.

The study, carried out by the Western Psychiatric Institute in the US, was based on data collected from more than a thousand people in Pennsylvania, aged 65 years and older, over a period of seven years.

"Health professionals have generally paid more attention to alcohol abuse and dependence, and their adverse consequences," said the study's author, Dr Mary Ganguli. "Our study suggests we should also consider the potential benefits of more modest patterns of alcohol use."

The study's participants, none of whom showed signs of dementia at the start of the study, were divided into three groups: one that did not drink; one that reported minimal drinking - once a month or less; and a third group that reported moderate drinking.

The study participants' mental function was assessed at the start of the study, then with periodic assessments every two years.

Overall, those classified as minimal and moderate drinkers exhibited less decline in their scores on tests that measured general mental status, executive functions and psychomotor speed, than non-drinkers.

Minimal drinkers also showed less decline in their scores on tests of learning, including learning a word list, and naming, than non-drinkers.

Potential reasons for the benefits of moderate drinking may be related to its cardiovascular effects, Dr Ganguli explained. It may also have a beneficial effect on the brain's neurotransmitters, or chemical messengers.

Despite the findings, Dr Ganguli insists the study "should not be interpreted as recommending initiation … of alcohol consumption to preserve mental functioning in the elderly."

She added: "What is needed now is not for people to run out and get drunk in the hope of preserving their brains, but for more studies to be conducted on the precise effects of alcohol on brain structure and function."

Previous studies have pointed to the benefits of moderate drinking - for instance, the beneficial effects on the heart from drinking red wine.

from SMH