Friday, March 31, 2006

High on work

I get high easily lately...wahahahaha...now I'm high on work...woohooo!!!

Guess u would figure I have just been working a lot lately...

After a week free from synthesis...I'm now back to the bench...smelling all kinds of solvent...got ethanol, toluene, methanol, butanol, tetrahydrofuran, benzene, ethyl acetate (EA), hexane, dichloromethane, chloroform...woohoo...

Had to continue with my synthesis after meeting up with my other supervisor, Dr Casey...now instead of making something like 20 or so compounds at the same time...I'll just synthesize 3-4 compounds first (from step 1 to step 3)...get them tested in Duke University...then see how...
My bosses wanna get another grant for my project by May...so suddenly they are rushing me to get at least a couple of compounds tested first....*stress*

At least I'm now the only person doing synthesis in the lab...no more honours/final year students...other postgrads are fighting for space in the clean room to do their bioassay...wahahahah :P

Besides doing synthesis...I also gotta do that QSAR study...i.e. play with the molecular modelling software again...
Finally got more compounds from Dr Casey...but...errr...dunno how useful are they man...seriously doubt it'll improve my previous study...inactive compounds still dun have exact values of their activity...so only got less than 50 fold diff in activity...
I need at least 100 fold or 2 log scale difference...actually preferably 4 to 5 log scale!!!! Oh well...

To make life more exciting...or more WA-friendly...I also have presentations to prepare for...finally got the dates...one on 8th Apr...the other on 19th Apr...most likely will present on the same thing...hehe...
Topic: Microwave Assisted Synthesis in Med Chem...now u not only cook using a microwave...u can make drugs too :D

...and then there are tests...one on 18th Apr...the other on 25th Apr...
Still got that PhD conversion exam too...dunno when's that yet...hopefully next month?

Woohoo...I'll be gg really mad soon....

Oh...I figured life's not exciting enough with all those work in school...so I worked at the pharmacy too...on Tue (TSP) and today (HBF)...

Since WA advocates working hard and playing hard...

So I did meet up for dinner...with Howard (aka the boy) n his Cupid...hehe...and Mei2...and err...Mei May...wahaha...they are sisters...with the same name!!! Soo Mei Mei and Soo Mei May...how confusing can it get...
It was really fun having dinner with them though...wahaha...we kinda "terrorized" (for lack of a better word) the waiters...Ivan, Jonathan and Chris...wahahaha...as though we know them real well...

Today supposed to have party for Mei2 who's moving out her stuff today...hmm...but I'm at work...dunno whether she'll still be ard when I get back...we can go KSP (that happening karaoke place just opposite our place we have to go to b4 Mei2 leaves) together!!! Woohoo...
Mei2 n sis will be moving to Sengkang...so we'll still be in the "NE line inner circle"...wahahah..

...and then I will be playing tennis tomorrow...sianz..
It's that match that was postponed from last Sat due to rain...

Then I'll go back to school try out another synthesis...I think...or shld I just stay home and prepare for presentations and tests...or shld I go for the swimming training for the charity swim...anyway....

I work, U work, We work, All work!!! Yippee...Wahahaha...

International Meetings

Just realized there are quite a no. of interesting international or major meetings/symposium/conference for mad chemists...oops...I meant medicinal chemists...or other legal drug peddling scientists...

Here are some...

International Symposium on Medicinal Chemistry
XIXth International Symposium on Medicinal Chemistry (ISMC 2006)

Date: 29 Aug - 2 Sep 2006
Venue: Istanbul, Turkey

AAPS Annual Meeting and Exposition
2006 AAPS (American Assoc. of Pharmaceutical Scientists) Annual Meeting and Exposition

Date: 29 Oct - 2 Nov 2006
Venue: Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center
San Antonio, TX

Pharmaceutical Sciences World Congress (PSWC2007) 3rd World Congress of the Board of Pharmaceutical Sciences of FIP
Date: 22 - 25 Apr 2007
Venue: RAI Congress Centre
Amsterdam, The Netherlands

My labmates and I most likely will be gg for the symposium in Turkey...woohoo...
Another senior drug peddler (but not mad chemist) has asked me to go for the AAPS one too...
...then the FIP one looks good too...esp since it's in The Netherlands...can go visit oyster!!! :D

Singapore Biathlon results

Results are out...

My time and some stats (range and median) for the Women's Open...

Swim: 0:40:39 (0:22:46-2:05:11; 0:48:40)
Run: 1:00:24 (0:41:57-1:58:48; 0:59:51)
Overall: 1:42:35 (1:12:17-3:40:48; 1:49:05)
Positon: 45 out of 141 that completed...

Wow...I'm amazed...thought I would be much slower this year...

Then again...I more amazed at how long someone can stay in the water...more than 2 hours!!! and yet they still completed the race...*SALUTE*!!!

I work U work We work All work

Isn't it motivating when everyone ard u seems to be working hours and hours...

With housemates that come home past midnight...or stayed in the office and dun come home at all for a couple of days...or friends that dun sleep for a couple of days 'cos of work...or just dun have time to update their blog 'cos of work....dun u just feel motivated to work hard?

I work, U work, We work, All work...IUWA...yippee...

WA rocks!!!

Wahahahaha....I've gone mad!!!

Wanna meet more mad ppl...look for oyster or vorlacks...

Monday, March 27, 2006

Singapore Biathlon

My 2nd event of the year...woohoo...

It all started with a really really early day...
Woke up at 5am...had bfast, changed up...then off I go to the bus-stop to wait for 31...

Din have to wait long for the bus :D
Since it was a long ride...I decided to sleep...zzzz...
Got off at the end of Marine Parade Rd...and walked towards carpark F2 from there...I just walked and walked and walked until I reached the carpark...no idea how long I took man :P

Once there...I quickly go register and get my race pack...hmm...red cap again...and the bib got no holes at the corners one...well...gotta pin it onto the race belt then...next time shall bring hole puncher...wahahah...

After that I'm still very sleepy...and din see anyone I recognize yet...so just sit one corner and stone...really stone...

Soon I started seeing more and more ppl arrive...saw DO, mythos, jennifer, eunice, IMD, bala, cheow...blah blah blah...sorry can't rem who else I saw...was really sleepy and stone then :P

When it was ard 7.30am...I got ready to go to the starting line...

Oh ya...I saw Alvo and Meteor too..and sxuanjing...who were there super early to support...Alvo took this photo of me :D



At the starting line...listened to Alec Kuok give briefing....again...it's always him at the biathlon/aquathlon/triathlon...say the same things...one thing that I always rem him saying is...
"If u're a weak swimmer pls stay behind...otherwise the other swimmers are gg to make a submarine out of u"...wahahaha...

Then...hmm...he finished his briefing early...gotta wait a while b4 it's 7.45am...


I'm somewhere near the front at the left...can't see me though :P

At 7.45am...we were finally flagged off...


Again..I must be somewhere at the far right...away from everyone else

Swim leg was slightly different from last year's...but general direction is still the same...i.e. anticlockwise...
Got to the first buoy really really fast...then the second buoy was so far away...
Finally I got back after 40 mins...
As usual...even though I had my HRM on...I forgot to take the lap time to determine how long I swam to each buoy...sianz...
Anyway, it was a pretty pleasant swim as I was swimming pretty far out...so din have to get kicked/pulled or turned into a submarine...or do that to other ppl...wahahaha

After swim...as usual...take my own sweet time at the transition area...put on shades even though it was cloudy...otherwise I have to wear my normal specs and run :P
The run was the same as last year's...with distance marking at every kilometer for the first 9...and every 100m for the last km....again...forgot to take lap time :P
Anyway, I paced myself according to heart rate again...abt 170 bpm...until the last 1 plus km then I sped up a bit...

Always get overtaken at the run leg...used to it liao...saw DO and eunice running past...in the end...I think my timing was abt the same as last year's one...wow :D

During the run, I saw sxuanjing supporting somewhere along the run leg...can't rem where...could see her whip out the camera when she spotted me from afar...hehe...
I also saw Kelvin Choo (aka poot poot)...ex-E blocker (aka eguana)...running...he must have been 1 or 2 waves after me :D

Near the finishing line...I saw tiwazz, Alvo, meteor, renoh? etc...sorry din really see everyone as I run past...cheering on "PENGUIN!"...really loudly...thanks guys!!!

After the race...found eunice at the transition area...she seemed to have been stung by jellyfish...initially I thought it must be some sea bugs...but it was not!! When we went to the first aid area...we found that there were plenty more that were stung...scary!!!

Then we went to meet up with the other sgrunners who were near the end pt...
Saw DO who has showered...so fast...hmm...I better go shower too...


Saw this 2 penguins at one of the stalls at the carnival...just had to let Penguin take a photo with them...hehe
Penguin still look troubled hor?


Later I saw Evan and Elaine...hmm...wat are they doing all dry and clean...Evan signed up but din participate...so here to collect goodie bag only...
I also met Shin (ex-KentRidgean)...hehe...she's not here as a participant...came to support her bf lah :P

After collecting our goodie bags and cert...we took some photos...


Participants


Participants and supporters...penguin included :D

Then it's time to go for lunch at Marine Parade...before I had to rush off to NUS for a lecture!!!
Such happening life...playing hard and working hard...wahahhaah

Mentioned abt my adventure that morning to my lecturer...that's when I found out that a colonel had collapsed and passed away in the race!!! Her son happened to be in the army...

Such a sad thing to have happened...my deepest condolences to the Colonel's family....

Life is really unpredictable...live life to the fullest...live as though there's no tomorrow...err...but dun forget to work hard if u r in WA :P

Just dug out the certs...they give u the certs with official timing almost immediately after the race...
2005 - swim 0:40:28, run 1:00:10 overall (includes transition time) 1:42:38
2006 - swim 0:40:39, run 1:00:24 overall 1:42:35
My transition time actually got shorter???

Saturday, March 25, 2006

Another week...

Another week has passed...so wat have I accomplished???

I managed to stay away from synthesis!!! Haha...

Just did some NMR, mass spec to confirm the identity of some of the previously synthesized compound...
A couple of days spent at the chemistry analytical lab doing my TA duty...

Then Thur and Fri...I din even go to school :D
Doesn't mean I din do any work though... :P

Firstly, I cooked some pasta and yam rice to last for a few meals...hehe...


Yammy yam rice

Also managed to get a fren to change my bicycle tire from a 2 inch mountain bike one to a 1 inch one...so now I have a hybrid :D
Not rich enough to get a road bike lah :P
Besides I'm not riding regularly enough to justify the need for a better bike :P

Before...


After...


I also went to TTSH to visit Buckies and Peisan on Fri...and at the same time get my final Hep A and B jabs...the previous nurse was so much better at giving jabs man...
Dun rem my arm aching at all the last time :P

Other than that...the rest of the time was spent on tidying up, preparing for presentations, tests etc etc...in front of the tv...haha...I'm very restless w/o a tv switched on in front of me...when I'm doing this kinda boring work :P

Today...went to YCK for the interclub singles league against S'pore Cricket Club...b4 that went to the AMK driving center...with housemate, Feei...to book a test date for basic theory...so that can convert our M'sian driving licence ;)
Housemate now planning to get a car soon?!!! Yippee :D

Tennis wasn't great...only played one game...not one set...but one miserable game...b4 it started raining cats and dogs...with lightning...
Shucks...gotta postpone the match to next Sat...wasted so much time man...hope boss dun fire me from WA :P

It was supposed to be a perfectly planned day...
morning do my own work at home...
noon go AMK driving center...and have lunch
after that play tennis...and shower
then night go work at TPY...

In the end...had to come home first...b4 gg to work...sianz...waste time again :P

It was a pretty busy time at work...with a super irritating customer's who called twice...to find out whether someone has come by to buy something or not...wah liao...wat kinda service r u expecting now...can't u just call that person and ask...ask me how would I know :P

Anyway, tomorrow is s'pore biathlon day...hmmm...followed by lecture in the afternoon...so I'm following boss' advice...gg to play hard and work hard tom :D

Friday, March 24, 2006

Tuesday, March 21, 2006

Events 2006

(updated on 5 Jun)

This year I shall limit my participation to mainly swimming related events...in S'pore...except for AHM and SCSM :)
That's an average of one event per month :D
...and may consider overseas triathlon if Team Beyond Boundaries is interested :D

Grey - Events that are over
Pink - Events I participated
Black - Upcoming events
Red - Events I'm participating or planning to participate

January 2006

06 Jan
Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon (Dubai)
Check out the results and photos

15 Jan
Siemens Run (KL, M'sia)
Check out the results and photos
22 Jan
Great Eastern Pacesetters 30km (KL, M'sia)
Check out the results
Khon Kaen Int'l Marathon (Khon Kaen, Thailand)


February 2006

04 Feb
NTU Surf n Sweat (Sentosa)
Check out the results and photos
12 Feb
Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon (Hong Kong)
Check out the results and photos
Thailand Ocean 2 Ocean Relay Running (Songkhla to Satun, Thailand)
19 Feb
NUS biathlon (Tanjong Beach, Sentosa)
Check out the results and photos

NTU xphysique (Youth Park, Orchard)
Check out the photos
26 Feb
New Balance S'pore Dualthlon (ECP)
Check out the results and photos
Ironman Langkawi (Langkawi, M'sia)
Check out the results and photos



March 2006

05 Mar
Kuala Lumpur Int'l Marathon (KL, Malaysia)
Check out the results and photos
11 Mar
National Vertical Marathon (Suntec City)
Check out the results and photos
11,12 Mar
A Famosa Int'l Triathlon (Malacca, M'sia)
19 Mar
ING Thailand Temple Run (Thailand)
26 Mar

S'pore Biathlon (ECP)
Check out the results

World Harmony Run (MacRitchie Reservior to Merlion Park)
Saberkas RH Marathon (Kuching, Sarawak, M'sia)
Check out the photos


April 2006

02 Apr
Adventure S'pore (Singapore)
09 Apr
Kenyir Lake Int'l Triathlon (Terengganu, M'sia)
23 Apr
Kapas-Marang Swimathon (Terengganu, M'sia)
26 Apr
JP Morgan Chase Corporate Challenge (Esplanade)
29 Apr
Inter Collegiate and Schools Aquathlon (Sentosa)
30 Apr
NTUC Dualthlon (Esplanade)



May 2006

21 May
New Balance Pacesetters 15Km (KL, M'sia)
27, 28 May
Bintan Triathlon (Bintan)
28 May
National Runway Cycling (Paya Lebar Air Base)
Farrer Park Sports Challenge (Farrer Park Swimming Complex)



June 2006


04 Jun
Marathon Charity Swim (ECP)
Adventure Trail Challenge (Central Catchment Area)

18 Jun
Phuket Int'l Marathon (Phuket, Thailand)
Eco X-capade & Eco X-sprint (Hulu Langat, Selangor, M'sia)


July 2006

01,02 Jul
Osim Triathlon (ECP)
02 Jul
Milk Run (River Promenade)
16 Jul
Race Adventura (Singapore)
Shape Run< (Marina Promenade)
22,23 Jul
Port Dickson Int'l Triathlon (Negeri Sembilan, M'sia)
30 Jul
NUS Triathlon (ECP)
Penang Bridge Int'l Marathon (ECP)



August 2006

12,13 Aug
Miri Int'l Triathlon (Sarawak, M'sia)
27 Aug
Sheares Bridge Run and Army Half Marathon (Padang)
TBC
Splashdown! (NUS pool)
TBC
Real Run (Sentosa)


September 2006

02 Sep
New Balance Aquathlon Challenge (Sentosa)
02 or 03 Sep
Action Asia Challenge Singapore (Singapore)
09,10 Sep
Desaru-Pengerang Int'l Triathlon (Johor, M'sia)
17 Sep
Terry Fox Run (Sentosa)
TBC
Mizuno Wave Run (Kovan)


October 2006

TBC
Johor-Singapore International 2nd Link Bridge Run (Tuas)


November 2006

04 Nov
New Balance Corporate Triathlon (ECP)
TBC
Vertical Marathon (Swissotel)


December 2006

03 Dec
Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon (Padang)

Saturday, March 18, 2006

Wat's up this week?

Hmm...so wat have I done since my last post?

Been really busy I guess...

Last weekend was the spent mostly in school...
Sat morning was the open house...
Sun morning spent some time in the lab and also go impersonate a potential undergraduate at the open house...haha...collected some cute collar pins from the various department in Science...hehehehe
Then I went for lecture in the afternoon...


Check out the collar pins...cute hor...

Mon to Fri was spent in the lab again from 7 to at least 7...synthesizing, then doing work-ups and analyzing the products...except Tue since I had TA duty...

Hmmm...still got one more crude product to column out...I hate doing columns...hopefully this one will separate out very well....it shld...from wat I see on the TLC...one nice spot in the center with rubbish at the solvent front and baseline :D *keeping my fingers crossed*

Evenings...
Mon and Wed is life-saving day...
Tue is work at GWC day...went to donate blood b4 that...so end up at the pharmacy really early!!
Thur is rest day...
Fri went for some post open house dinner at UCC...and had a hair cut...hehe...again...


Mini-me with me...see the freshly cut hair...


In case u r wondering why that tigger is called Mini-me...

So I have been to school everyday since 5 March...

Finally a break from school today!!!

Ran to TPY in the morning...took some detour to make up to abt 5km...then swam for an hour...which turned out to be 2.7km or slightly more...if u include all the "siam"-ing of kids that were practically filling up the whole pool!!!
Kinda felt like in a biathlon where there are many hands and legs blocking ur way...except that I can see better this time...
Then met up with a fren (who used to be my boss?) for bfast...and tog we went to entertain another fren at the pharmacy (TP3)...haha :P

Then got back...had lunch...and work at GWC...

I'm sure my WA chairman, Mr Oyster would be very proud with wat I have accomplished this week...rite rite?
Btw, this WA is not a support grp...it's to encourage workaholism...anyone care to join us?

Tomorrow I'm gg back to school again...finish up the column...and hopefully do some analysis using mass spec...

Next week I shall take a break from synthetic work...just analyze watever has been left behind...then gotta prepare for the presentation for my ang mo supervisor...luckily he's not a chemist...otherwise I'm gg to have a headache reading up on the mechanism of my reactions...which I'm sure I'll need to know very well for my PhD conversion exam... *sweat*
I'll have 2 TA duty next week...which means I'll probably skip school only 1 or 2 days to do my work at home...sighz...

I really gotta do less synthesis for a while man...spend more time preparing for presentations and tests...

OMG...this workaholism has gotten really bad...

Sunday, March 12, 2006

"Deadlines"

Wow...I think I have a lot of important deadlines, test etc coming up this month or next man!!

1) Meeting with my ang mo supervisor on 28 Mar...need to present wat I have accomplished so far...
2) PR5212 (Advanced Med Chem module) continual assessment...one will probably be this month and the other next month
3) PR5212 presentation...2nd week of April
4) Seminar module presentation...shld be sometime next month...
5) PhD conversion exam (written)...shld be sometime next month i guess
6) PhD conversion exam (oral presentation)...not sure when will that be yet...hopefully b4 next sem starts?

That would be at least 3 presentations to prepare for within this 2 months..or rather this 1 1/2 month...and 3 test/exam too...if I dun include the life-saving (LS123) test I have to take sometime next month too!!!

Oh ya...I'm sure gg to be involved in the tennis inter-club singles league too...but wonder why no news so far...shld be starting next weekend...hmmm...

OMG it's gg to be madness...
Wonder if I have missed out anything...

Think I gotta attend more workaholic anonymous sessions liao :P
I have totally gone out of hand...almost wu2 yao4 ke3 jiu4 (direct translation from mandarin: no medicine to save me) liao!!!

Friday, March 10, 2006

Week of madness

Oh man...I'm so shack already...and I dun exactly have much time to rest this weekend too...

It's been madness...

Mon...in the lab all day...except that hour I went to attend a talk by Dr M. Foley on diversity oriented drug discovery...cool topic huh? Actually he's here to promote a very very cool training program in his company, Infinity Pharmaceutical in Boston, USA...an 18-month program to train chemist in drug discovery...sponsored by EDB!!
Found out I know a couple of ppl who are training there...Bee Man, fellow ex-NJ ASEAN scholar...and Chor Kian, pharmacy classmate...so cool!!!

Tue and Wed I had TA duty...they were supposed to be last week...but I had something on so I switched them...
So din do much in the lab...

Thur...animal handling course practical session...
Did I mentioned that I was taking an animal handling course...attended 2 half day session of lecture last wed and thur...this week is the practical session...
Learnt how to restrain, sex, inject and draw blood from various animals...mice, rats, rabbits, guinea pig...via video...
Methods were demonstrated by a vet at the animal handling unit...for all procedure on the mice and rats...for rabbits and guinea pigs, we were just shown how to handle them ;)
Then we also did hands-on for the mice, rats and rabbits...the ones my group handled were already sedated though...some were not...so I tried to learn to restrain a mice...which end up biting me :P
The mice and rats that we handled had to be sacrificed after the procedures we did on that...then we did a simple surgery on our sacrificed rats...open up the abdomen and stitch back...quite interesting :)
The guinea pigs were introduced for us to have a feel of handling it...no procedures done on them as they r really precious...anyway, all the injection and blood collection procedures are more or less the same for the different animals...

Dun think I'll be using any animals for my project though...at least not in the near future...boss just wants us to take the course anyway...

Fri...again...lab and also attended a seminar on virtual screening for drug discovery...very relevant to my work...but I was so tired...*yawn*

I also went for life-saving course on Mon and Wed...and worked at TBR on Tue nite...
So it's really been madness!!!

More madness to be expected this weekend...

Sat...morning...kena arrowed to help out in NUS open house...why why why am I arrowed...and more imptly...why can't that person who arrowed me have the courtesy to inform me? instead of letting me find out from a mass email informing everyone that there's a briefing...oh well...I'm just gg to be as slack as possible :P
Afternoon..I'm covering TSP...heng ah...otherwise kena arrowed to stay late somemore...

Sun...was supposed to go trekking to the tree top walk with a fren...but not anymore...wanted to go swim instead...but see how shack I'm first lah...
Afternoon...got lecture again...I'll probably go lab a bit earlier and get some work done...hopefully no more rat this time round!!

Plenty of events happening this weekend too...

NTU and SMU open house is also this weekend...
Sat...there is Biobiz at Biopolis which I would have attended if not for the NUS open house :P
Sun...2 events...NUS Legs and paddles at Kallang and NTU Vertical Marathon at Suntec..and..
A Famosa triathlon is over this weekend too...

Tuesday, March 07, 2006

Marathon Charity Swim

I'm planning to participate in the 4th Marathon Charity Swim...jointly organized by the Triathlon Family and Student Advisory Center...which will be held on the 4th of June 2006, Sunday...

Some information extracted from the registration form...

Three routes of participation will be available for swimmers to choose from. They are:

(i) Marathon Charity Swim Race - 10km. Swimmers will swim 5km down south towards Amber Beacon and then return to the start point near Bedok Jetty. Trophies would be awarded to the top 3 fastest finishers of different categories.

(ii) 5km Swim Challenge – This is a fun event for swimmers who would prefer a shorter distance may swim 2.5km down south before u-turning back towards the start point, hence completing 5km.

(iii) 2km Novelty Swim – (Student Category) An event for beginner swimmers, a loop 1km forward and back.

Both events will require participants to raise a minimum of S$500 to be donated to the adopted beneficiary, Student Advisory Centre. Swimmers of the novelty swim would need raise on S$100 to enter the swim.

Student Advisory Centre is a youth centre that helps mediate and reconciles youths who have run away from home with their families.

Objective of fund raising

By raising funds for the program, the centre is equipped with the financial capability to search for missing children, counsel them, provide for them temporary food and shelter, and ultimately reconciling them back home with their families.

The center currently works with schools and social service providers in the west to reach out to youths have runaway from home. More information on our work can be found here.

All donations above S$50 are tax exemptible (specific to each entry in the pledge card donation).


Being a truly MAD chemst...I'm planning to participate in the Marathon (10km) event...no intention to aim for the top 3 though...just participating for fun...
Yup...I'm MAD...so I call this fun :P

Hope u guys out there will support me and contribute to the donation :D
Just let me know ur intention to donate and I'll approach u for it ;)


For those who are interested to participate in the event too...here are some other information extracted from the registration form, which can be found here...

Event Procedures

Due to popular demand of establishing it as a charity race event, timing's will be taken of all participants. There will hence be no compulsory rest stops throughout the journey. Rest points and drink stations however, will be set-aside along the coast of the swim to allow for rehydration.

There will be two events briefing for all registered swimmers. The dates are scheduled to be on 30th of May and 1st June 2006 respectively (subject to change). All swimmers are required to attempt the briefing. The venue is tentatively set at Student Advisory Centre.

Training Sessions

Non-compulsory weekly Sunday training sessions are held to prepare swimmers for the event. Training will begin on 5th March 2006. Alternatively, you may contact and join Triathlon Family for the routine swim sessions.

All trainings are free except for entrance fees to the pool of S$1.05 ( W/GST)

Swimming Trials

For marathon swimmers, an endurance trial of 6km to be completed within 3hrs (exclusive of rest) is necessary for swimmers who have never completed this event before. It will be conducted to ensure swimming stamina and ability. The time trial is conducted in May and the details will be revealed at a later date.

5km swim challenge and 2km Novelty swim. Swimmers would simply need to show certificate of completion of a 1.5km swim within 45 minutes to join the event. A time trial conducted in may (date to be confirmed) will be conducted for swimmers who have not completed such a mileage before.

Pledge Card System - Fund Raising

As this is a fund raising event, we will be using the pledge card system to invite swimmers to help raise funds for the centre. Swimmers are requested to help raise a minimum of S$500.00 to contribute to the centre's Youth Intervention Capability Fund, a fund used to help out runaway youths and their families to get together once again on better terms. Each participant may collect the Pledge cards from the centre or during the training sessions, once he/she has sent in the completed registration and indemnity forms.

Closing date of registration
In view of the limited vacancies and time needed to raise funds, please register with us early to confirm an entry slot. Registration closes on 1th of May 2006 and all pledge cards to be returned by the 31th May 2005.

Sunday, March 05, 2006

Do I need to look older?

The not so subtle signs ppl think I'm much younger that I actually am...

1) At the age of 17, I was charged children's price (i.e. under 12 price) when I went for a buffet dinner with my parents...

2) At the age of 24, I had my IC checked when I went to watch an NC-16 movie with my frens!!! OMG!!! Well...maybe it's not really as bad as the following one...

3) Recently...on 2 separate occasions...I was woken up by 2 separate nice fella...on bus 151...when we reached the secondary school just b4 the bus turns into NUS...pointing at the secondary school...
Does that mean I can still pass off as a 16 year old or younger?

The more subtle signs...

1) Ppl ask u how old u r when u r at work in the pharmacy...or they just comment that u r very young...or they just ask ur pharmacy assistants how come the pharmacist look so young :P

2) Ppl dun give a second thought when u tell them u r a student...well...technically I'm :D

3) At the age of 24, ppl kinda look at u weirdly when u r in casino...that was in Vegas...ang mohs tend to look older rite :P

So wat do u think?

Guess wat I've found

Arrive in lab at 9 plus today...and guess wat I've found...

I shall not post the photo I have taken here...
Instead...here's a link to the photo...

Caution: Dun open the link if u get squirmy with gross stuff

Btw, the thing is still moving and making a lot of noise right in front of the fumehood I'm working at!!! Ahhhhhh.....grosssssssss.....

By 12 noon...it has shifted to this position...
Check it out here....

I sure hope it doesn't disappear tomorrow...

Oh shucks...it's gone...
It was still there when I left to get the lecture venue ready at 1.45pm...when I came back during the break at 3pm...it's gone...OMG...where is it now??!!
Here's wat's left...

Saturday, March 04, 2006

Photos from Similan....

Check out some photos from my fren, Jasmine's recent dive trip to Similan :D

I'm trying to recognize and name more fishes n other marine life so that I know wat I see next time when I'm in the sea...


Top: Racoon butterflyfish
Mid left: Lined butterflyfish
Mid right: Black pyramid butterflyfish
Bottom left: Meyer's butterflyfish befriending another ??? butterflyfish
Bottom right: Pair of red tailed butterflyfish in the present of ???



Top left: Long-finned bannerfish
Top right: Regal angelfish
Mid: Powder blue surgeonfish
Bottom left: A parrotfish??
Bottom right: Scribbled filefish



Top left: Red saddleback anemonefish
Top right: Clark's anemonefish
Bottom left: A sandperch??
Bottom right: A wrasse??



School of damselfish


School of snappers?


Top: Boxfish...left: yellow boxfish, right: female spotted boxfish
Bottom: Pufferfish...left: sealed face puffer, right: toby puffer?



Top left: Scorpionfish
Top right: Black blotched porcupinefish
Bottom left: Black blotched porcupinefish and a couple of ?? porcupinefish were sleeping
Bottom right: Someone woke up the black blotched porcupinefish...so cute hor



Top and bottom left: Harlequin ghost pipefish...wonder if it's the exact same one as the one we saw...
Bottom right: Smooth flutemouth



Top: Moray eel
Mid: Green turtle?
Bottom left: Some stingray
Bottom right: Leopard shark



Top: Seastars
Mid left: Sea urchin
Mid right: Coneshell
Bottom left: Tiger cowries
Bottom right: Egg cowries



Top: Giant clam!!!
Bottom left: Some sea slug?
Bottom right: ???


So Jas saw quite a number of cool stuff that we din...like the turtle, leopard shark, and little sting ray....no manta rays and whale sharks for us though :P

Hope I managed to name them correctly :P
Do leave a comment if u notice anything wrongly named or would like to fill up the ??? :D

Boring things

Boliao...so decided to list some of the boring things I have to do in the lab

1. Wash glassware...gotta do it practically everyday...sometimes more than once a day!!! It's dangerous too...haha...managed to cut my thumb which took more than 3 weeks to heal!!

2. Cut TLC (thin layer chromatography) plates...at least dun have to do this so frequently :P

3. Run TLC...I always end up over-running the plate...

4. Run column...super boring!! and I also hate the washing of test tubes after that..

5. Recrystallization...need to figure which solvent to use...and the recrystallization process is just too slow...or is it I'm just lousy at it :P

6. Order chemicals...getting quotations for my chemicals is such a waste of time...

7. Transfer solvents...from the big big 16L tin to smaller 2.5 or 4L bottles...it's hazardous too...with all the fumes we inhale while transferring...

8. Fill up the acetone bottle for rinsing after washing

In conclusion, synthesis is fun...but it's associated with too many boring things during the work-up and after...sighz...

Weekly update again

Hehe...been too busy lately...nothing very interesting happened anyway...

Have been in the lab all day again...somehow with our boss missing, we spend even more time in the lab...

Din go lab last Sun since I had to work...

Mon and Wed I went for life saving course at night...been wanting to do that since undergrad time...but somehow...never did...
Then last Aug after the mass swim...almost signed up for it...but was really busy preparing for my trip to Sri Lanka...end up din sign up...
Recently someone from Trifam was asking abt it...so that's how I end up taking the course...

Tue I ponteng school...haha...went for pharmacist training in the morning...then instead of gg school after that...I went home instead :P
Din plan to do any lab work mah...why go to school when u can do ur work at home :P
Besides I was working that night at TSP...which is nearer to my home than school ;)

Thu...tried a new synthesis...involving the Suzuki reaction...one of the chemical just arrived the day b4...
Let's hope the yield is not too bad...reported yield is only 50% :(
That afternoon I went to visit my boss again...since Sheau Mey wanted to visit her...she jio me along...was at her place for 3 hours!!!
That day I finally got home earlier then the rest of my housemates...that has not happened for a very long time...wat to do...I'm a workaholic...
Intended to sleep early that nite...but ended up fixing our washing machine and setting up our Singnet broadband...previously using Starhub...but Singnet cheaper now..hehe...and I always preferred Singtel...
Anyway, slept quite late again :P

Fri..finally slept early...and woke up pretty late on today...hehe...
Worked at HBF in the afternoon...

Tomorrow...back to mad chemist mode...go lab in the morning...afternoon got lecture ;)