First Trip to Downtown

My first trip to Downtown Sandusky was a full day affair together with Cherlyn and Chloe.

We first stopped at a scenic playground to take pictures. We then bummed around a little before stumbling upon a quaint little café called the Lunch Box. The food there was excellent, and the service was pretty good. I ordered a Latte, and a breakfast set of sausage, toast and eggs. It was so delicious!

After brunch, we stopped by the Merry Go Round Museum, where Cedar Point Employees were allowed to enter for free. Next, we visited the library where Chloe and I signed up for memberships! We then left to admire some of the Churches that were nearby.

And we concluded our day with a buffet at Walmart: just the three of us, plus a Bulgarian friend called Martina.

Doesn’t it sound like a peaceful day? It was pretty much… but in the evening, Stefan got a little annoyed with something, which was adorable. It was just a misunderstanding… I’m really not the most eloquent person when I’m tired. Just ask Cherlyn (my roommate), she’s had a taste of my crazy jumbled-up conversation skills once the clock strikes twelve.

My First Trip to the Mall

After spending an entire month in Sandusky, I finally made time to visit the mall yesterday. The shopping was pretty great; there were many hot deals that I’m just dying to check out again. The damage to my paycheck was minimal because I only bought a pair of slippers from Old Navy. They cost only $2.60 (USD) because they were on a 50% discount! I am cheap, I know… and I like it that way. Why pay more, when you can pay less for almost the same thing? So I only eye items on clearance sales, or on mad discounts!

The shopping was so distracting that I actually missed the shuttle bus back to cedar point! Arg… had to wait in the drizzle for the city bus… note to self: the American dream is something that doesn’t run on clockwork… always be prepared… and be early whenever possible!

Thursdays are Delicious!

I was supposed to work from 1.30 p.m. to 8.00 p.m. today but we were done with breaks early, so I got off at 7.10 p.m. Thank god for the few extra hours of rest. I am really exhausted from yesterday’s Niagara Falls trip. The trip was awesome; the views were just spectacular! And being there with Stefan makes the 11 hour bus ride a whole lot less crazy. I think that boy’s born to be a pillow (haha, I slept on him throughout most of the ride). Another funny note about the trip is that yesterday was Stefan’s first time putting on a poncho. He was so excited to be wearing one! Isn’t that just adorable?

Anyway, I really want to say that Thursdays are just delicious! Why is that so, you may ask… That’s because two drool-worthy boxes of donuts always mysteriously appear in the train station on Thursdays. So I hereby christen Thursdays, the Donut day! Who brings the donuts? Why are they there? Who eats so many damn donuts at supersonic speed? These are questions that I can’t answer… yet. But what I can confirm is that donuts from America are simply magical… So Samantha, my FYP buddy was right after all… these donuts are the key to happiness… I have to be careful not to get too fat from too happiness overload.

Oh yes, today I learned of an alarming news. The Bulgarian boy from our train station was very ill today; so ill that that were rumors of his deportment. And our assistant team leader is also sick today… Oh dear, do you think that it might be contagious? I really don’t want to fall sick and go home. Not yet. Not now. By the way, two of the girls from Singapore were sent back home just last week because they committed a serious offence. Scary isn’t it.

My First Month at Cedar Point

In the blink of an eye, I’ve already spent slightly more than a month in Cedar Point, America’s rockin’ Roller Coast. I can hardly believe that I’ve been living the American dream right here in Sandusky, Ohio.

And I’m ashamed to admit that I’ve abandoned (or neglected) my initial ambitious agenda of documenting my entire “Cedar-Point experience”. My only excuse is that I’ve been really, really, really busy with my job as a ride host, and I have barely enough time to eat, sleep, and hang out with my friends. Therefore, squirreling away all alone in my room to write about my life was really one of the last things on my mind. You’ll have to forgive me alright? Because if you don’t, I probably won’t write anymore… who am I kidding? I love writing!

Anyway, I’ll love to give you the low-down about how I spent my first month in Cedar Point:

Rides I Have Checked Out

• Ocean motion
• Sky ride
• Raptor
• Blue streak
• Dodgem
• Wildcat
• Iron dragon
• CP & LE railroad
• Mantis
• Cedar creek mine ride
• Maverick
• Gemini
• Magnum XL-200
• Top thrill dragster
• Power tower
• Wicked twister
• Giant wheel
• Disaster transport
• Early petting farm

A Brief Summary of My Current Life

• Weekly trips to Wal-mart for groceries
• Working 6 days a week at the railway for 10-hours a day
• Wrestling with bad internet connection
• Chatting my roommate Cherlyn into the wee hours of the night
• Having an average of 5 hours of sleep a day
• Anticipating my next paycheck

Events, Events, Events!

• Meeting Stefan of Bulgaria
• Coping with my friends’ reactions to Stefan
• Coping with Stefan’s reaction to my friends’ reactions to him
• Grove City Premium outlet mall Trip where I spent 235USD (mom, I’ll pay you back once I get home)
• 3^rd July: working to 1 am on the train (was pretty freaky because the ride was pitch-black)
• 4^th July fireworks at the beach
• Soak City after 4^th July party with Martina (a fellow Bulgarian otaku)
• Niagara falls trip with Stefan

A lucky lucky day with the sotongs at ion orchard

Ehehehe~ Sorry about the weird photos. I like goofing around with my webcam while still in my PJs! Unglamorous is the new GLAM, didn't you hear? Haha... I'm strange that way.

The sotong gang finally reunited yesterday at Ion orchard to hunt down a birthday gift for Char (another beloved member of our sotong council). And yes, I finally got my beeeeeee-lated birthday gift from the sotongs too! I like it so much thank you, you guys.

I think that our sotong telepathy powers are getting stronger with time. They made me guess what was on the card they made me.

• Sotongs: can you guess what's on the card? heh heh heh~
• Karen: yellow = simpsons!
• Sotongs: which simpson? :p
• Karen: *peers at the back of the card* round dome like head= Homer
• Sotongs: eh? Can you guess what he's doing? *nervously*
• Karen: eating a donut~ *RANDOM answer*
• Sotongs: YOU CHEATED!
• Karen: hahaha... did not! Xp

The funniest thing about yesterday was that although our number 1 priority was to get a gift for sotong Char, we kept deviating from the mission and buying lots of other stuff for ourselves. Haha... so sorry Char! The temptation to shop was too great after being cooped up at home for so long... I'm practically moldy, with mushrooms sprouting out of my head.

And the best part of the day was our unexpected gift from the OH-SO-GREAT-POWERS-OF-THE-UNIVERSE. We were ambushed by a girl doing a survey, she promised each of us a mystery lipstick if we went through with it. And so being curious about the gift *cough* and cheapskate *cough* I was all ready to be surveyed.

After the longest survey of my life... and after the other four sotongs completed theirs, we crept to one quiet corner in ion orchard (is there even such a place?) and tore open the black paper bag... Holy mother of God!

We each got a full-sized Chanel Lipstick!

I'm sharing this with you so that if you've got nothing better to do today, I highly recommend hanging out at ion orchard ><

kekeke~

Licensed to VRRRRRROOOOOM~

Hello! Hello! I got my license after four months of practical training at BBDC! OMFG! I still can't believe that I passed at my first try.

Because I was just terrible during my training sessions. I always went home after my training sessions feeling depressed and horrible because I sucked. So I did what every Singaporean did: be damn kiasu lor!

I booked many revision sessions before my actual test date until the circuit courses felt like second-nature. And when my instructor said "you're driving not bad already lah, book test a-not?", I knew I was ready... kinda of... XD

Alas, I was a nervous-wreck on my test date. Couldn't sleep, couldn't eat, was so jittery that I could barely talk. Haha... and when the tester said "are you ready, let's go", I exhaled deeply, and accelerated without releasing my damn handbrake! OMG, that was like two demerit points before I even started on anything!What the @#R!!#$R!!@$23123$~ $@#@

Then along the road, I made another pretty big mistake, and so by half the test, I was so sure I was gonna fail. I really thought that the second mistake warranted an immediate failure... so I was pretty emo for the other half of the test. I think being emo made me relax so much that I forgot I was on a test... so some strange reason: no mistakes when emo.

LOL!

And at the waiting room, I chatted with a guy from China. We were both so sure that we were gonna fail. And surprise , surprise... I got a letter that said I passed!!!

I shook my examiner's hand in overwhelming joy "thank you sir!" I said! And he returned my handshake limply... eh... why was he so shell-shocked? I only accumulated 10 points what... haha... anyway, I paid up, and am waiting to get my license by mail :)))

A Tulips&Fox Production

Pretty Feet, oh how u evade me!

My dog hates nothing more than having his toe-nails clipped. Sigh... he much rather trod on with his werewolf-like claws then let me have a go at snipping them off. Whimpering and whining; making his protests loudly as I pin him down to snip, snip, snip.

Gosh foxy, it's just nail trimming @-@ why do I have to "pretzel" myself like a pro-wrestler to pretty-up your paws? Your squirming and escaping ain't helping ><

Life with a Fox was never a bed of roses!

Can someone help me drag my dog out from under the couch?

It's time to make his paws pretty again!

The Dog Knows Something that I Don't

The Cat's Hammock --> the World's my Bedroom

It's not Easy to be A

This has got me rolling with laughter... Emma Stone is wicked funny!

New flash: Chihuahua on the loose!

Have you ever wondered why dogs can sleep anywhere and everywhere? Why ten+++ hours of sleep is considered a necessity and not a luxury for our furry best friends?




























I think I've found the answer! Because I caught my chihuahua...

















In the act of completing one very long and strenuous "chin-up" under my bed!

And sometimes, it is just so tiring to follow your owners out to a singtel shop to get an iphone... especially if you get stuffed into a smelly, wobbly dog carrier.

Oh well. What can I say? It's a dog's life afterall...

Unexpected surprises with FYP

I can't even begin to describe to you how much I'm in the holiday mood already! It must be the christmas decorations in Jurong Point that reminds me of snow and presents!

Anyway a be-earlied christmas present is that I got a email from Prof Tam telling me that I got selected to do my FYP at his lab! Surprised? Believe me, you can't be more surprised that I was! I literally shouted "WTH" when I saw the email... It's a nice nice nice surprise.

Thank you Prof Tam. Will put you as my first choice :))

Best friends

The funny thing about best friends is that when mine is feeling down, I can tell without her uttering a single word. What makes this possible? Is it telepathy? Or maybe it's the enduring years of friendship.

No matter, when my best friend is sad I can't help but want to cheer her up!

So I hope u feel better!!! Don't give up!!! I will always be here for you!

Fighting!!!!!

Meditate, breathe, and live again. :))

FYP meetings and Europe

Aunt Juvina and Uncle Doug embarked on a thirteen day ( I think?) trip to Europe last week. LOL... and they actually forgot to bring their camera. I wonder if they're back already? I send Aunt Ju an sms during the weekend but she hasn't replied me. Having one too many beers in Prague maybe? ;p Please give me a shout/sms when you guys are back in Singapore.

The weather's been really crummy this week. So sadly, it's already almost Wednesday and I've yet to get my much needed dose of adrenaline rush at the pool :( make the rain go away! >
Damn the stress levels are especially high this week. It's because at least 60% of the year four students are rushing off to meet professors about FYP projects. I've got my eye on some projects... so I'm gonna keep my fingers crossed! ;)) Pray for me!

AFA on Saturday anyone?

If cats could sing

Le duo des chats

Bill Kaulitz v.s. Alice Cooper

Wow... Bill is all grown up already? Where's Tom???

Water Baby by the poolside

This short clip got me a good night's sleep. Sometimes I get so caught up in the stresses of the day that I forget what life's all about: feeling good about yourself. So take a step back and enjoy being yourself again. Detach youself from all stray thoughts and bask in the moment... just relax... and that was how I realised that life is just great. So happy to be alive :)

Another personal accomplishment today: I learnt how to swim the freestyle! Yahoo~~~ major thanks to my Aunt Ju and Kellie for being patient instructors. Haha... seriously I think swimming is way easier than riding a bicycle ><>

This morning, we went to Aunt Ju's place for a swim. Even Fox came along, so he babysitted/dogsitted Foxy while we swam. Omg... we met this really cute Indonesian baby boy at the pool! He's the most adorable thing ever! He played peek-a-boo with us, and "raced" me in the pool. He gave me a hug when he "won" and refused to let go. So cute! He was like a tiny koala bear!

Oh yeah. My journey to Cedar Point in Cleveland in Sandusky, Ohio, is pretty much confirmed. I went for the job interview yesterday and got my dream job! They'll be letting me help operate the rides in the theme parks! Omg... can't believe it! An exchange programme to Europe, and now an adventure to the USA? Wow... I'm so excited!

Say no to bullying

What is the deal with bullying? It's ridiculous! Stand up to it and protect your friends.

And on a very very important note it's the holidays!!! Officially term break!!! Whoo-hoo~~~ :D

A Parody of my current fave song

Little Megan Fox is so adorable!