Chugging Ahead

Today has been really decadent by recent standards, I think. Have finished the memorisation phase of my studying, and now shifting into the practice phase. Shall pull a Joel and do as many essay plans as possible, according to how many question I have on hand. And shall just read essays...Joel's stuff is amazing. I would be happy just reading all that stuff all day long, except that I can't spare that kind of time. But I have to say that with the memorisation done, it looks like a friendlier world. Memorisation is deathly boring. Well, the materials are interesting, and memorising bits of the modern stuff was fun because they tend to be funnier, but it's just numbing. It's a relief, really, not to have to face another full day of quotes.

So happier now, now that I can start putting all that effort to good use. At least can vindicate to myself why I actually put myself through all that memorisation. Going to start on Econs soon! Must get going already, time is really running short. Heh been freaking Joel and Soph out with my schedule. It's not that I cannot deviate from it, really. It's just that I need to show myself that it can be done, that I can push myself that gruellingly. And anyway I've always been like that...sort of have to see things through all the way once I start on them.

It's fun, the arrangement we've got going now. Conan, JY, Joel, Soph, and occasionally whoever else happens to be around, studying downtown. Yesterday dinner at Carl's Jr, which was really insane! Joel invented some sort of cocktail involving a pile of lemons garnished with about half a cup of F&N grape. And what you do is to crush the lemons until the pulp turns purple. Then stick your straw into the mass of lemons and suck. You get this enormous rush of fizziness. It reminds me a bit of some sort of alcoholic drink, though I can't remember exactly what. But yeah...amazing what people can come up with =P

Soph is so enthusiastic about her iBook that I'm fast becoming a convert too. It really is ergonomic computing...a computer that's so adaptable that it moulds itself to your every conceivable need. Rather nifty how that little thing can contain so much information and so many ingenious programmes. Was rather impressed with the post-it programme that lets you paste stuff on the desktop (or dashboard, one of them). Heh I remember trying to do something like that back in Sec 2 with Visual Basic. Too primitive, though, that programming language. And now some inspired Apple guy has done it. Impressive. Heh even today while studying one of the foodcourt staff came over and asked about her computer, and where to get one. It's just seductive, that machine.

Well, I guess you'd want to know about the interview. It was okay, I guess. Not particularly confident that I impressed him very much, but it was a nice chat, at any rate. For the record, we talked first about conflict resolution, then migration rights, then democracy vs benign dictatorship, and then finally conscription. And I was asking him about Cambridge life (interesting stories he brings over from that town =P), and the other interviews. He said that the interviews have been pleasant enough so far - that's a shout-out to everyone else who had my guy for interview. He even mentioned specific people, who I don't think I should name here. Sufficeth to say that there have not been big catastrophes.

I have to say I'm very impressed by the Doctor. He is far more conversant than any doctor I've encountered in Singapore. The only problem is that it gets hard, when you're discussing theory with a doctor who hasn't read the classical stuff on sociology (not that I have, either...but how to bring in stuff like the Social Contract and make it comprehensible?), to discuss the more theoretical ideas. Strange thing...I ended up being the theorist while he became the practical man demanding to know what all my gobbeldygook means in real terms. At some points I think he got frustrated because I kept missing the point of his argument. Ah well. But it was a pleasure on my part at least. Heh, I just hope that it wasn't too much of a drag on him...three solid days of interviews can't be a walk in the park.

Hmm...well, we'll know what happens soon, at any rate. The thing now is that it's no longer in our hands, so we have to turn to more pressing concerns. Russian Rev essays tomorrow, and a maths paper. Back to work, then!

pondered by phoenican @ 26.10.05