tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31676632011-11-06T22:10:19.359-08:00...Citius Altius Fortius...Shawnnoreply@blogger.comBlogger4411100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-65839116688182988402011-11-06T22:09:00.000-08:002011-11-06T22:10:19.372-08:00After 10 years, I have finally moved to a new host at http://un-circadian-rhythmicity.tumblr.comShawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-67733933218689085532011-10-03T08:36:00.000-07:002011-10-03T09:26:38.191-07:00So here I am. Two days ago was officially my 1 month anniversary of starting my new job. Honestly, I love it here. The people are amazing, the work is challenging and meaningful and I can imagine few better places to grow. My current case team is a small, tightly knit group and I really enjoy spending time on the case with them. Whether it is debating an issue over CTM, or casually chatting at Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-45652072115764559152011-07-01T09:03:00.000-07:002011-07-01T10:29:29.297-07:00After graduation, after travelling around Europe, after doing SEALnet in Thailand, I'm finally back in Singapore. Things feel different. People talk a lot about culture shock when they enter a new environment. What about reverse culture shock when you return to your roots only to find that you have changed and so have many things around you?I've been back to Singapore in my four years abroad. ButShawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-12238978710665624712011-05-18T21:33:00.000-07:002011-05-18T21:57:40.432-07:00Shawn's Bucket of Things to do this Summer:1) Tour Europe with Family (Frankfurt, Brussels, Paris, Marseille, Geneva, Milan)2) Service trip to help develop education curriculum in Bangkok, Thailand3) Learn Korean (Stage 1 + Stage 2 + Rosetta Stone)4) Learn more Salsa (Jitterbugs)5) Take random culinary classes6) Teach Social Entrepreneurship Seminar in Beijing, China (HSYLC)7) Tour Tokyo, BeijingShawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-43121249299910808982011-04-29T14:01:00.000-07:002011-04-29T14:19:14.878-07:00The Contract - William AyotA word from the ledAnd in the end we follow them -not because we are paid, not because we might see some advantagenot because of the things they have accomplishednot even because of the dreams they dreambut simply because of who they are; the man, the woman, the leader, the bossstanding up there when the wave hits the rock, passing out faith and confidence like life Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-66384056536818778012011-04-27T13:59:00.000-07:002011-04-29T14:20:05.364-07:00
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15.0px} p.p3 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-indent: 36.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'} span.Apple-tab-span {white-space:pre} Pendant mes vingt cinq années d’existence, il y a peu de choses qui ont eu une influence si Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-45289600118785108972011-04-24T00:16:00.000-07:002011-04-24T00:17:54.221-07:00Good evening everyone,Winning a Reflections award was the last thing on my mind. For one, this is supposed to honor Asian American seniors, and as you can probably tell from my accent, I’m not American, though maybe after today, I can apply to the US Citizenship Bureau to be an honorary Asian American. Two, for those of you in the audience for the first time, let’s just say you’re not alone. I’veShawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-45438906827912920022011-04-04T21:17:00.000-07:002011-04-04T21:27:53.094-07:00This post is going to be quite haphazard, because I'm just writing what comes to mind. It isn't really going to be organized at all. Life is good. I'll be going on a hiking cum stargazing trip this weekend to the White Mountains. Should be a great deal of fun. We're in the process of establishing the foundation for a possible SEALnet chapter at Harvard. New England Games is next weekend. It's Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-22820437366591510922011-03-27T06:46:00.000-07:002011-03-27T07:48:02.974-07:00More tales from Senior Spring! This is just a quick update of what's been happening with life. Not much time so here goes.1) Went to Montréal and Quebec City with Keito, Yuhki, Annie and Trieu for Spring Break! It was so much fun. The food especially was great. We sampled lots of french food in small bistros and also 1-2 nice fancy restaurants. Tried escargot for the first time (was pretty good!)Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-12170579743573790552011-03-04T22:27:00.000-08:002011-03-04T22:55:39.447-08:00Long but interesting week. Just came back from the HRO concert where they played Tchaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet, Piano Concerto No. 1 and Stravinsky's Firebird. Yesterday, I went to a film screening of Not My Life - a documentary by Academy award nominee Robert Bilheimer on human trafficking and modern day slavery. Following which, I went as part of Quincy House for the 163th Hasty Pudding Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-21344299917662155702011-02-14T16:36:00.000-08:002011-02-14T16:49:55.163-08:00Late last week, I came to a decision with Erin and Joe to publish my research. There is enough for a cohesive story and I think it'll be something that would interest the field. We're not sure where to publish yet, but I guess that's a question for later. For now, I need to show that these results are reproducible, which hopefully shouldn't be too difficult. I've actually already done it once Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-20012350421717783942011-01-23T10:07:00.000-08:002011-01-23T10:26:41.180-08:00I just watched The Social Network on the plane. Couple of thoughts, 1) The movie was incredibly sexist. I can't imagine that that many Harvard students today still possess such chauvinistic attitudes towards girls. As I type this, a couple of names pop to mind, but definitely not as pervasive as the movie would suggest. 2) I'm really psyched about developing ideas! I've always been drawn to Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-4219961157521517682010-12-17T18:11:00.000-08:002010-12-17T18:32:06.319-08:00"it's a great realization that if I died tomorrow, it wouldn't make a scrap of difference to the world"As I move towards graduation in 5 months, I realize that I don't really have any practical skills to speak of. A liberal arts education is great for the person. It frees you from the circumstantial bias of your birth and makes your mind a better place in which you can spend your leisure hours. Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-67500531091689875272010-12-13T17:58:00.000-08:002010-12-13T18:43:21.366-08:00I heard someone say before that life can sometimes be like a conveyor belt. You get good grades in your PSLE, end up in a good secondary school, which leads you onto a good junior college. If all goes well, you'll end up in a good university. That'll land you a good job and get you into a good graduate school (if you so decide) and potentially lead to onto a path of ever-increasing wealth, fame Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-2721404991365302462010-11-26T06:51:00.000-08:002010-11-26T07:05:19.966-08:00New York is seriously fun! There's so much to do and it's just a really great place to be a tourist! I've been here with June staying over at Charlene's on 42th for the past 2 days. There's nothing quite like the feeling of being flash-slapped by the glitzy billboards on Times Square, or the stately New York Public Library. Or nothing quite as Christmas-sy as watching families in the open rink inShawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-90888491245881551802010-11-18T22:53:00.000-08:002010-11-19T06:13:52.179-08:00Dispatches from the other side of Harvard people don't usually see. Excerpted from Harvard FML.Will Harvard kids ever get over themselves and actually prioritize human relationships over personal success? We’re all alone, perched up in our own little Ivory Towers, thinking we’re all the sh*t, set on our own life paths, imagining how we’re each going to change (or maybe even rule!) our parts of Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-54255096765903219422010-11-14T06:50:00.000-08:002010-11-19T06:22:21.782-08:00Grow Further. I'm so happy that everything is finally over with the job hunting. It was certainly both a sense of relief and excitement as I put pen to paper yesterday to sign the offer. It seemed like not too long ago that nothing was working out and the year might have ended on a terrible note. But fortunately, some things came through in the end and I could not be more grateful. I got one of Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-67052825542665371272010-11-07T21:18:00.001-08:002010-11-07T21:43:35.767-08:00So the crazy recruitment process is nearly over. After weeks of straight-laced networking sessions, weekends spent jetting around the country and all the crazy cover letter writing, I can't believe that it's finally going to be over soon. Recruiting season has finally moved into its last leg - the part where firms wine and dine potential recruits in an attempt to entice them to come into their Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-18393504191829259762010-10-11T19:40:00.000-07:002010-10-11T19:43:34.344-07:00就算轻轻的呼吸心还是感觉痛没有你的日子里我变的好脆弱轻轻一碰彷佛就要飞走～耶～口袋里的双手曾被你温柔紧握布满思念的空气该怎么去摆脱天灰的好寂寞快乐悲伤被你左右说一千遍我爱你也都还不够就这样不贪心我慢慢的走只要有你陪着我再苦我能承受说一千遍我爱你也都还不够有一天我总会看见幸福的彩虹相信你给的承诺我等候Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-60655938295917487682010-10-09T06:09:00.000-07:002010-10-09T06:32:59.907-07:00 It has certainly been a while since my last blog post. So much has happened between then and now. I'm now in the middle of the job recruiting season and as such leading the double life of being a student and also an interviewee. For those who are wondering, the recruiting process here at Harvard is everything that you think it would be - people are usually obsessive, the competition is stiff, Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-29708952423415622552010-07-15T21:20:00.000-07:002010-07-15T21:52:57.320-07:00I haven't posted a video in while, so I thought I'll do that. This is something that I've liked for a long time now. It's hard to capture what love really is in words. But I think this comes pretty close. Good choice of song as well. Probably my favorite quote in the entire video is the one that goes"love is like playing the piano. at first you play by the rules, then you play from your heart" Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-90503416216380896872010-07-12T09:27:00.000-07:002010-07-12T09:51:23.439-07:00I went back to Hwa Chong twice over the past week and seeing all the junior college students rush around in droves brought back many fond memories. It also made me realize how much I have grown and changed. Back in JC, I had always thought that I would get a scholarship, go overseas, and then come back to serve the civil service for the rest of my life. That seemed to be the thing to do. It was Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-17852220524661786932010-07-03T06:22:00.000-07:002010-07-03T06:49:16.948-07:00
Usually each post is accompanied by a single photo that I choose to represent certain themes in this monologue. Today, there are two. Two, because I couldn't decide between them and because I think they're both such wonderfully taken shots that I would be remise not to have included them both. I wish I knew who the sources were, then I'll be able to credit them properly.
Having been back in Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-31367973388522744952010-06-16T01:49:00.000-07:002010-06-16T01:52:36.596-07:00I had my first mock case interview yesterday with Jason. It was quite a disaster really, but also a really good learning experience. There's so much that I need to learn, read and work on. Thankfully, this is also a great deal of fun to read and learn about so hopefully, things will turn out better the next time. The for-profit sector is fast and exciting. It's almost like going to war. The nakedShawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-35356094987667980352010-05-27T09:45:00.000-07:002010-05-27T10:14:09.265-07:00This weekend will mark two weeks since I've been back in Singapore. Usually, I'll be preparing to fly back to the States, but not this time. I'll be hanging around for a little longer, quite a bit longer actually. Being back made me realize that as fast as Singapore's changing, I think I'm the one changing the most. Nowadays, I feel a lot like a left-hander in a world that was designed for the Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-3680172208043983152010-05-18T19:53:00.001-07:002010-05-18T20:06:48.235-07:00Junior year's over! I was really sad to leave Harvard this time, because this was such an incredible year. I started learning to play the piano. I found a new sport in figure skating. Lab was so much more eventful with the excitement of new discoveries and the stress of writing a thesis. Classes were great fun! I really enjoyed everything from learning about mechanics and EM, to the ancient Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-18695503052029964332010-05-06T05:58:00.000-07:002010-05-06T06:38:56.277-07:00I'm in the middle of Spring term exams. One French oral exam this morning, childhood literature tomorrow and physics on tuesday. I'm also taking my GMATs on Sat. And then I should be leaving Cambridge on Thursday for Singapore. Actually, I'm really nervous about going back to Singapore. This time is not like the other times. I'm not going back for 2-3 weeks (which is really the longest I've ever Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-52902841137666633322010-04-24T07:37:00.000-07:002010-04-24T08:15:19.683-07:00 An AlethiometerAdults too often, especially in Asian culture, rush their kids into growing up. They want them to be sensible, rational and to become miniature adults really, rather than being kids. But that does not recognize the valuable attributes of the child that few adults possess. The ability to dream without fear, the sense of wonder andShawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-15107408296242422902010-04-23T21:30:00.000-07:002010-04-23T21:45:33.313-07:00Today was another one of those crazy fun days that I've come to associate with Harvard. I had an early morning section discussing The Golden Compass (I love it so much!!). I wish I had a daemon, I think mine would be a dolphin, though that might potentially mean I would never be able to leave the sea. Or perhaps a lion. Then I played squash in the afternoon and read half of the Giver by Lois Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-23565119385789563272010-04-11T10:56:00.000-07:002010-04-11T11:13:58.762-07:00"Daybreak - Maxfield Parrish (1922)"grAce asked me that day what the difference was between a date and just two friends going out. In the end, we came to the conclusion that when two friends are just going out, it's really two friends out to have fun individually. Your primary concern is about having fun yourself. With a romantic date however, your primary concern becomes not so much how much funShawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-69483921462985212582010-04-06T20:27:00.000-07:002010-04-06T20:41:20.112-07:00Life post-thesis is good. Research is now just fun, minus the stress. I set my own timetable on when to go into lab and I've just been more free to pursue a couple of other pursuits. Right now, I'm busy preparing for the GMAT which I will probably be taking late April/early May depending on how I feel, and also helping with the organization of Southeast Asian Night and the 2nd New England Games Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-71800372999702539672010-03-30T12:34:00.000-07:002010-03-30T12:44:45.831-07:00Here's a letter that I recently wrote to the generous man who's paying for the bulk of my education - in short, my benefactor. I have omitted his name and the scholarship fund for confidentiality reasons. I once read Daddy Long Legs by Jean Webster, though at that time, I could never imagine myself being in almost exactly the same position that Judy Abbott found herself in.-----------------------Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-28881206022898083042010-03-28T21:46:00.000-07:002010-03-28T22:09:51.221-07:00I haven't been posting mainly because of my thesis. Now on the eve of my thesis submission, I think it's a good time to take a step back and reflect on how things have been going. Thesis was an incredibly exhilarating experience. It's the culmination of 3 years of work, even though most of the data came within the last year. But at the same time, the end of my thesis is really just a pit stop. Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-49835242748447236092010-02-27T21:19:00.001-08:002010-02-27T21:19:20.232-08:00http://harvardmagazine.com/2010/03/nonstopShawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-47500856337332886952010-02-23T20:24:00.000-08:002010-02-23T20:25:21.383-08:00Innocence has a power that evil cannot imagine. Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-16290387455704336742010-02-20T07:58:00.000-08:002010-02-20T08:20:33.759-08:00I'm just started taking classes in figure skating from the athletics department at Harvard. =) I think its really fantastic that the athletic facilities are just across the river from the Houses! It's perfect for serious athletes because then you don't waste time travelling to and fro from the training facilities and I've always found a use for a little late night squash. Plus the close proximityShawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-54989773600341962962010-02-13T07:06:00.000-08:002010-02-13T13:24:25.387-08:00I love Alice in Wonderland. It is a story of the richness of imagination in its lawless freedom, in short as Kant puts it - nonsense. It is the re-invention of childhood and the awakening of the idea that children are the ambassadors of a higher culture. One word comes to mind when one thinks about Alice. Curious. In both sense of the word. Her most famous phrase? "Let's pretend". The willing Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-54434858787524257362010-02-08T21:39:00.000-08:002010-02-08T21:52:15.398-08:00I attended a public lecture by Eric Kandel on the molecular biology behind memory, essentially Kandel's life work that led to his Nobel Prize in Medicine/Physiology in 2000. Science Center lecture hall D was completely packed. I mean, I walked in 30 mins early and already the hall was like 3/4 full. The talk was really interesting! He told us about implicit and explicit memories and how we Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-9414082632300128672010-02-07T21:43:00.000-08:002010-02-07T21:52:19.249-08:00I got into my Childhood Lit class! Granted the e-mail came pretty late and I had already completed 2 stats problems sets by then, but I'm sure there's a reason why 400 people decided to lottery for that class. I mean, how often do you get to study Little Red Riding Hood, Hansel and Grethel, Lolita, Turn of the Screw etc all in one class? It counts for Core credit too! The best part of all, my Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-10512438679663567732010-02-01T06:02:00.000-08:002010-02-01T06:41:13.376-08:00I'm falling in love...with music! The melody, the accompaniment, the passion, the emotion - everything! I'm not sure if people realize how much of music they are being exposed to on a daily basis. From advertisements, to cartoons, from theatre to the band performance on the football field. While some might never have heard of Wagner, most would surely recognize his wedding march. Tchaikovsky's Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-56074149917809391802010-01-30T18:54:00.000-08:002010-01-30T19:01:59.852-08:00This was a really packed week that I decided to take a snapshot of my schedule and post it up in lieu of my usual vladstudio picture. Shopping period wasn't really that exciting though I did end up taking French 55 - business french, which is fun and useful =) I'm wondering if I should also take business chinese at some point. I was lotterying for this childhood lit class which I didn't manage toShawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-4825578689032547172010-01-23T11:00:00.001-08:002010-01-23T11:15:22.828-08:00As it turns out 2010 has started spectacularly =) San Francisco was a great deal of fun and it was great to see friends whom I've not met in such a long time! I've never really been that much of a wine person, but I think Napa Valley really changed that for me. While I was touring SF, I kept thinking what a wonderful place it was to live..hahaa. Possible job location in the future. On my way backShawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-55841163334014271792010-01-16T01:51:00.000-08:002010-01-16T02:10:52.363-08:002010 promises to be an incredibly exciting year. Many things will happen, and one way or another, I think I will be in a very different position at the end of the year than the one that I am in now. Emily was probably right. There's only so much that you can plan, and even if things do not go according to plan, it's definitely not the end of the world. Planning confines us within the our Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-13639315399264068992010-01-02T06:50:00.000-08:002010-01-02T07:06:37.124-08:00Random musings, so this will probably not be sorted. Just whatever flows. The new year heralds if nothing a ton of work. There are figures to create, experiments to run, papers to write, applications to make, preparations to do, exams to take. X'mas and New Year's this year was relatively quieter. A lot of it spent making figures and planning my new series of experiments. I was fortunate enough Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-1915575215815992172009-12-16T15:25:00.000-08:002009-12-16T15:45:55.269-08:00Honestly, sometimes it's just hard to do things for the right reasons. The spirit of the Olympics is to compete, not to win. But how many of those swimmers that jump off those platforms or runners who push off their starting blocks don't have the medals on their mind? As I write my thesis, it's really hard to ignore Hoopes. The substantial prize money aside, there's also the prestige of winning Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-42241155435388410112009-11-28T15:37:00.000-08:002009-11-28T15:58:03.218-08:00Sometimes I think I work in really weird ways that I don't even quite understand myself. I feel like I'm perpetually living in a managed float state. I'm usually quite stable, and when things appear to spiral out of this endless limit cycle, a fail-safe switch is tripped that will trigger a rationalization response to prevent me from falling off the curve. In particular, this seems really true onShawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-12539511769719462832009-11-16T22:11:00.000-08:002009-11-16T22:24:47.066-08:00After 2.5 years of lab fun, squash and many more years of service work related stuff, I'm thinking of joining modern dance =) perhaps I'll audition in the spring, which will give me 1.5 years to pursue it. Hahaa, I'm reminded by what someone told me about life here. You should do 1 or 2 things throughout and then every once in a while try something different. Otherwise you'll really be missing Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-85796604194213408982009-11-03T20:45:00.000-08:002009-11-03T21:02:52.180-08:00Today was such a crazy day! I feel like it's one of those "typical days" that you so often see in a college prospectus or high school prospectus. Every time I read one of those, I'm like, right, so they do 35325235 things in 1 day and that's considered typical? hahaa. Crazy crazy schedule today...9.30-11am: Physical Sciences 211.30am-1pm: French 311-2pm: Lunch with friends2-5pm: Physics Lab6-8pm:Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-88401507278021628302009-11-01T21:49:00.000-08:002009-11-01T22:17:39.034-08:00Have you ever wanted something so badly that you don't dare to hope because you know how much it'll hurt to be disappointed? Have you ever felt like you could give up everything for just one person? How can expectations not exist when love already has? It feels right, it thinks right. It's not often that the mind and heart can have a single yearning, albeit perhaps for something so true. For a Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-83039583845888038402009-10-12T17:57:00.000-07:002009-10-12T18:39:30.070-07:00The Nobel Prizes were all recently awarded. This year's peace prize in particular generated lots of controversy because many felt that President Obama had not done enough to merit the award. But I think as Obama himself pointed out, the peace prize has traditionally not just been awarded to recognize significant contributions to humankind, but also been used to lend momentum for movements and Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-30337318843768988902009-09-30T14:34:00.000-07:002009-09-30T14:36:47.439-07:00Out of My LeagueIt's her hair and her eyes today that just simply take me away and the feeling that I'm falling further in love makes me shiver but in a good way All the times I have sat and stared as she thoughtfully thumbs through her hair as she purses her lips, bats her eyes and she plays, with me sitting there slack-jawed and nothing to say 'cause I love her with all that i am and my voice Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-90717669290236629862009-09-29T20:00:00.001-07:002009-09-29T20:36:24.149-07:00I've recently had the privilege of listening to two heads of state speak at the JFK Forum. One was Alvaro Uribe, the president of Columbia and the other, Dr. Yudhoyono, the president of the Republic of Indonesia. These forums, held nearly on a weekly basis during the term, are usually lively events and attended by faculty and students alike all across the Harvard community. Listening to them Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-36024554093784742082009-08-30T07:35:00.000-07:002009-08-30T07:58:01.086-07:00I'm leaving Singapore again - more wistful than ever. The past 10 days have certainly been like a dream. As usual, it was great to catch up with good friends and see how everyone's doing. But this trip back was really important to me for another reason. This time I'm leaving behind a part of me, a part that holds my love, dreams, aspirations and hopes. Honestly, I would much rather that I weren'tShawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-52755356913715936912009-08-19T22:10:00.000-07:002009-08-19T22:18:14.727-07:00This is probably the longest I've gone without returning back to Singapore. And now that I'm back, so much has changed. I'm suddenly more conscious about my accent. I'm noting buildings that never used to be there. A new multifunctional contactless card by EZlink. The new coat of paint that coats my 5-room HDB flat. A new formula one racetrack and the Singapore flyer. New MRT stations and roads. Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-45073391796474104162009-08-11T19:32:00.000-07:002009-08-11T20:06:08.482-07:00Final couple of days in lab before my parents arrive and I head back to Singapore. As you can probably imagine, there's just a lot to do, and so little time. I'm the middle of my last experiment, which unfortunately can't be put on hold till I get back because of radioactive decay. I still need to pack and then there's cleaning up of my place. Need to take the sheets for dry cleaning etc. Add Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-44259132672528957592009-08-09T12:59:00.000-07:002009-08-09T13:23:58.992-07:00More and more experiments! I'm not sure if it's a good sign that I'm starting to relate to a lot of the scenarios being presented in PhD comics. The origin of species that's occurring right in your 1980s laboratory refrigerator. That 10am-2am are acceptable working hrs. That everyday of the week feels exactly the same, and you actually have to think about what day it is. The late nights and a Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-34335932122505616932009-08-08T19:59:00.000-07:002009-08-08T20:14:44.931-07:00It's funny how so many people are so focused on climbing higher and higher. I wonder if they ever stop to check if they are on the right peak? The higher you climb, the greater the fall I guess. People keep seeking more degrees, certifications, scholarships, career prospects, do they really know what they want from it? Honestly, it seems to me that if you cannot imagine how doing those things Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-78642801104487024162009-08-08T06:15:00.000-07:002009-08-08T06:44:09.298-07:00I watched Persepolis for the second time that day and it made me really sad. Overall, the animated feature was really well done. Not too melodramatic, but full of subtleties and allusions. After all, it did win the Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival. But more importantly, I think it tells the story of the Iranian people through the eyes of a young girl. Il est tout en français, mais selon Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-62502768759261021762009-08-01T03:29:00.001-07:002009-08-01T03:44:34.350-07:00I've done my 2nd lab overnighter - hopefully something more productive than the 1st overnighter. This time to run a series of rate reactions which I have to hand sample over 30hrs. I'm definitely need to stock up more on coffee when I start doing the radiolabel stuff next week. Having a radioactive spill in at 3am in the morning when you're dressed in t-shirt and shorts is not exactly the best Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-6013395848590914262009-07-30T20:14:00.000-07:002009-07-30T21:04:58.602-07:00I haven't blogged in a while - have been rather busy with thesis work. Thesis proposal is in - submitted nearly a week ago and should be hearing back about it within another 2 weeks or so. I've been rather fortunate to have gotten good data in lab thus far, so hopefully this good run will continue. You never quite know with science really. Just when you think you know what's going on, science Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-82161534144985479432009-06-30T18:03:00.000-07:002009-06-30T20:35:20.747-07:00The trends are even more striking at the top end where we have been tracking the bright students with at least 4As and a B3 in General Paper at the GCE A-level examinations. Of the bright students of the 1996-1999 GCE A-level graduating cohorts, more than one-fifth of them are not working in Singapore a decade later. Of those bright students who studied overseas without a scholarship bond, more Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-59422301898649025552009-06-26T17:17:00.000-07:002009-06-26T17:41:38.292-07:00One of the best things about growing up for me is that life becomes so much more interesting. Things are no longer divided into black or white, right or wrong, boy or girl. Instead, I'm noticing the subtleties and appreciating the details. It's confusing at times, especially when we get caught in the small details and lose sight of the big picture. However, being able to see the small intricaciesShawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-60312022081075409042009-06-14T19:57:00.000-07:002009-06-14T20:43:51.592-07:00Watched Disney-Pixar's Up in 3D at Boston Commons. It was sheer and utter genius really. To be honest, I haven't had much faith in Disney ever since they starting churning out half-baked stuff during the late 90s. But Up, like Wall-e, was inspiring and uplifting. I liked the message. I marveled at the presentation. I'm not an easy person to tear - especially at animations. But Up, like Wall-e, Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-10521808906696320982009-06-13T18:22:00.000-07:002009-06-13T19:01:50.476-07:00Today was such a beautiful day! The Cambridge River Festival was incredibly fun! There were food stalls, crafts stalls, street performances and the weather was just perfect. I went to the festival with Kimmie and there we ate, sat by the river, played with hoola hoops, watched little children "surfing", met the Berryline artist and wow, I'm still bubbling from the excitement...hahaa. I got a Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-85899079427345062882009-06-12T10:34:00.000-07:002009-06-12T10:47:14.291-07:00Summer has been good so far. Lab's a little frustrating because of just stuff not working but I think I know what's wrong. So hopefully can rectify within the next week or two. Cambridge has been bustling with activity. Last week was the dragon boat race, then this weekend is the Cambridge River Festival and then next Thursday, it's food galore with the Taste of Cambridge.People are starting to Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-32466671532461831322009-05-29T20:41:00.000-07:002009-05-29T20:59:11.570-07:00It's official! I've just been accepted into the UTEP at the Education School. I'm going to get my teaching license! =) Though I don't think that I will eventually stay in teaching for any long period of time, education as a whole is a domain that speaks to me. To be able to mold young people into creative and imaginative thinkers. To bring out the best in them and to help them fulfill their Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-23854528073864396362009-05-25T20:05:00.000-07:002009-05-25T20:22:59.831-07:00School's out. And I've moved into a new place at Somerville just north of my lab. Seriously, my room is beautiful! Comes fully furnished and almost like it has been interior designed! =) Plus two new flatmates from georgia tech who are in boston for the summer. Summer thesis work's gonna be fun, exciting but also a great deal of hard work. Still keeping fingers crossed for the paper to work Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-3757391019557097582009-05-19T20:10:00.001-07:002009-05-19T20:13:07.644-07:00Ellen DeGeneres Commencement Speech at Tulane. I really liked the message that she tries to put across. Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-1829686980395108252009-05-19T16:30:00.000-07:002009-05-19T16:49:01.915-07:00My picture of choice today is the American flag. No, I'm not considering migrating, and I am just as Singaporean as the many of you reading this blog. I took part in my second ever protest today to seek greater transparency in the wake of Harvard's budget cuts. The event held outside University Hall brought together students, janitors, workers, faculty and the Harvard community from all across Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-87122841811143804462009-05-17T13:19:00.000-07:002009-05-17T13:50:24.149-07:00I thought this song "Sous le Vent" by Céline Dion et Garou described my sentiments aptly, and so I'm embedding it instead of writing a whole lot. I've stopped thinking, stopped wondering, stopped hoping. I do what comes most naturally. To flow momentarily with the passage of fate. To sail the river of life where the winds of change bring me. I don't think it'll be forever, but for now, it seems Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-7754909975303605312009-05-06T09:31:00.000-07:002009-05-06T09:59:17.453-07:00 Here's some music accompaniment as you read! I used to wonder why we have to grow up. Adults are pretentious and often take themselves way too seriously. Children, on the other hand, are often true to themselves and never bear malice, hurt or guilt. Saint-Exupéry's Little Prince dit "Les grandes personnes ne comprennent jamais rien toutes seules, et c'est fatigant, pour les enfants, de toujours Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-65917693062357688372009-05-03T18:09:00.000-07:002009-05-03T18:58:13.948-07:00I wonder if I've been ever so subtlely influenced by Harvard's notorious liberalism. I think I'm still pretty much the same person when it comes to how I interact with friends and the type of things that interest me. However, my perspectives have gravitated increasingly towards the liberal end. Not that it's an issue here since most faculty and students are liberals anyway, but I find it Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-83352896561880706812009-04-30T07:11:00.000-07:002009-04-30T07:31:45.001-07:00Memorial Hall, Harvard University. (Graphic / Matthew Battles/ Javier Zarracina/Boston Globe)The school term quickly draws to a close, and exams will start in about 2 weeks. I'm actually rather looking forward to reading period I must say - a time of basically nothing except swotting to do. Quite a bit has happened this month. I went for a really cool 10 people sushi-making class in the master's Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-84823382154599663302009-04-17T08:28:00.000-07:002009-04-17T08:56:47.937-07:00South-East Asian night's tonight and SIAMA's putting up a performance - Puteri Gunung Ledang plus a rendition of one of the songs in Zouk's famous mambo night. Performing is fun! Rehearsal after rehearsal and just spending time with friends. The stress and the silliness, the laughter and occasionally, the frustration. Actually thinking back, although I've never been involved with any performance Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-1553102106397800882009-04-11T11:08:00.000-07:002009-04-11T11:14:16.150-07:00"In the end, it's these small things that you will remember. the little imperfections that make them perfect for you. So to my beautiful children, I hope one day, you find yourselves life partners who are as beautifully imperfect as your father was to me"I loved this short film. Its message resonates truly with me. Who are we really looking for in the life partner? I say again, "it's these small Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-30640162336160930082009-04-10T22:02:00.000-07:002009-04-09T22:04:56.399-07:00"...because that's all we're going to be..."Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-64898905233164568362009-04-09T11:05:00.000-07:002009-04-09T11:52:31.984-07:00Love me for who I am, Not what you want me to be. Love me for who I am, And we can get along. If I like you and you like me, Then good friends we both can be. If I like you and you like me, Then we can get along. -Charlotte DiamondWe keep hearing how you should love people for who they are and not who you want them to be. Exhortations like these take an all too simplistic view of the world. Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-7224020747343619492009-04-07T08:14:00.000-07:002009-04-07T08:48:38.723-07:00On the Nature of Friendship"P.S. please if you get a chanse put some flowrs on Algernons grave in the bak yard."- Daniel Keyes, Flowers for AlgernonI was interviewing a 15-year old as part of H236: Adolescent Development - a class that I'm taking at the Grad Sch of Education as part of my teaching certification. Interestingly, the interview centered largely on the issue of friendship. Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-75177450832722642152009-03-23T21:23:00.000-07:002009-03-23T22:34:04.642-07:00If you've been reading my past couple of entries, you will have realized that they all centre around the theme of bias against non-gender conforming behaviors. It is something that I feel that I do not know enough about, and yet also a matter that is highly controversial even in the United States, much less Singapore. From the legalization of gay marriages in Massachusetts to Proposition 8 in Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-39549344569416986092009-03-22T14:27:00.001-07:002009-03-22T15:09:35.639-07:00Recently, I received an invitation from Radcliffe Science to a private luncheon with Elaine Fuchs - a noted cell biologist. For those not in the know, Radcliffe used to be the old name under which women graduated from Harvard until both institutions formally merged in 1999. Since then, the Radcliffe institution has been active in promoting women in science and in other traditionally Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-72362279472613647992009-03-11T22:29:00.000-07:002009-03-11T22:49:14.692-07:00I had a powerful lesson today - one that would fundamentally change the way I view and interact with the Queer community. As part of Adolescent Development H236, a class I'm taking at the Education School for my teaching certification, we went through a series of readings before hearing guest lecturer Colby Berger talk today on issues surrounding LBGTQ youths.It was a frank and open discussion. Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-68785008801293507382009-03-09T21:02:00.000-07:002009-03-09T21:30:02.144-07:00Seriously, I've seen better days. Two midterms that didn't go well. Sigh. To be fair, because of the resurrection policy, they'll both probably count for either nothing or a really small percentage of my final grade. But that's not the point. Back to the drawing board I feel. Ups and down. Thesis proposal due in July. I actually cannot wait for summer to come, and then I can finally get down to Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-44489145162910681732009-02-21T13:35:00.000-08:002009-02-21T13:44:53.853-08:00I feel like a person who is preparing to climb a mountain. You look at it day after day, planning and plotting. You know exactly how you will feel when you reach the top. But until then, there are so many obstacles to overcome and challenges to face. Not many have gone before you, and not many will follow. It is a path off the beaten track. I've been there before and that's where I find the Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-18621556376296610802009-02-15T10:08:00.003-08:002009-02-15T10:24:57.342-08:00It's President's Day weekend plus it coincides with Valentine's Day. Qi, one of my blockmates, was performing the Vagina Monologues at Agassiz Theatre on Friday so my entire blocking group went to watch the show. It was kinda a surreal experience for me just because it's one of the few plays that I've actually read before I've watched. The performance was great - the cast and crew. One of the Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-21036880116639251742009-02-13T14:38:00.000-08:002009-02-13T14:55:32.210-08:00SIAMA had a gathering at Uno's yesterday for a light night deep-dish cookie dessert with the USP Singaporeans who came as part of the Harvard College in Asia Program (HCAP). Most of them were 1st and 2nd year USP students and it was really nice to see the Singaporean connection in this foreign land. One of them even turned out to be someone who was from my BMT company, and as usual - the somewhatShawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-48501664083713395372009-02-11T10:56:00.000-08:002009-02-11T11:07:49.991-08:00I don't think I've been this excited about any one of my plans for quite a while. The thrill of coming up with an utterly outrageous plan is ineffable. You think and you think - then suddenly, an idea grips you and it holds you. The possibilities start to emerge, quickly but surely, everything starts to fall into place. You shift things around, adjust your own expectations, negotiate your Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-29966514609257867262009-02-08T07:40:00.000-08:002009-02-08T07:59:45.321-08:00I'm considering taking a year or semester off from school to study in France. The Rockefellar International Experience grants that just opened is really tempting. So what if I graduate a term or a year later? I feel like I really should make full use of the resources available whilst I'm still a student, and more importantly make full use of this station in life. I'm not bonded, tied to any Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-90097567770562995122009-02-01T19:21:00.000-08:002009-02-01T19:56:11.875-08:00True friendships are not complicated matters. Friends love you for who you are, and not what you are. There's no need for false pretenses or second glances. You don't need to think how you would act around them. You just do. You feel like you can tell them everything and anything and your heart bears open all secrets. You would trust them till the ends of the earth, and hold them close lest they Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-61726642251087696332009-01-23T18:09:00.000-08:002009-01-23T19:37:59.077-08:00过了三个星期的奋斗和努力，考试期间也终于到了结尾。今天望着慕名前来的外地旅客，我突然感受到对哈佛一股强烈的归属感。光阴似箭，日月如梭。我在美国虽仅仅度过了一年半载，却仿佛已成了这儿的当地人了。初次到哈佛时，我对于如此竞争激烈的学习与生活环境还是不太适应。哈佛子弟不仅在课业方面互相拼搏，甚至在课余活动也有时争得你死我活。哪怕是球场上，还是舞台上，这些一贯名列前茅的莘莘学子一旦放眼目标，除非天塌下来才会罢休。夺冠的荣誉似乎无法脱离哈佛生本身的生活乐趣。可想而知在此所必须承受的生活节奏和压力可真不简单。况且，压力不单单来自他人，在很大的程度上也是来一个人自我的要求。好和坏都是相对的。要说一个人在某方面好，就是说另外一个人在那一方面逊色。 一般的哈佛生都是自己高中的精英份子，一向都是班中的佼佼者。他习惯自己比别人强，对于失败还很陌生。我觉得自己当时也不例外。在我的第一年里，我加入了壁球队，Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-65829025265611939712009-01-14T19:55:00.000-08:002009-01-14T19:58:00.945-08:00Chanson: Les Filles Les filles parlent des garçons Elles vont aux toilettes à deux Ça fera pas une chanson Une chansonnette au mieux Les filles mangent du chocolat Elles ont trop chaud ou trop froid Ont mal au ventre, à la tête, Au cœur, elles vont mal en fait Les filles travaillent à l’école Elles ont de belles écritures Elles gardent des mots, des bricoles Dans des vieilles boîtes à chaussuresShawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-51144419945934999512009-01-11T03:07:00.000-08:002009-01-11T03:20:08.173-08:00The title of this short film is "Marry Me". It was directed by Michelle Lehman and won last year's Tropfest Australia. It's a story about "a little girl who likes a little boy and a little boy who likes his BMX bike". I thought it was really sweet.Maybe love shouldn't come naturally - because if it does, you will not recognize how precious it really is. 爱是得到时不珍惜，离去后又后悔的感情尤物。Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-10322046038015853512009-01-09T05:58:00.000-08:002009-01-09T06:03:15.973-08:00Loin d’être la patrie des forts, la solitude est la patrie des faibles. Il faut que l’on rende compte que la solitude n’est pas une émotion. Il est une réaction à une émotion comme un effet à une cause. La solitude n’est rien de plus qu’une zone protégée pour des faibles lorsque la vie devient trop mal à accepter. De temps en temps, on sera tous affronter les déboires de la vie. Toute chose Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-49212856343757024782009-01-04T02:05:00.000-08:002009-01-09T05:55:59.131-08:00I came across this rather interesting video that day entitled "my name is lisa". it's about a girl who lives with her mom who's gradually succumbing to alheizmer's disease. wouldn't that really be a true test of love? even without consciously realizing it, we often structure our relationships upon the idea of reciprocation. you don't hear of one-sided bff relationships at all do you? it's this Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-79829835937159202222009-01-03T12:02:00.000-08:002009-01-03T12:12:41.948-08:00Managed to quantify my results for the 27ºC run. 1 gel screwed up, but thankfully the other one turned out well. It's funny how I seem to be a lot more productive during the term than over the summer. I'm sure I'll have to repeat these experiments especially if the goal is to publish at some point but at least for now, these data is good enough for me to move on to the next stage of my Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-80212138665267187732009-01-02T08:36:00.000-08:002009-01-02T08:51:04.810-08:002009. 10 years ago was 1999. 10 years before that was 1989. Ten years before that, I didn't even exist. I wonder where I'll be 10 years from now. Christmas and New Year lights were pretty. Weather outside's incredibly cold though.Oh what persona should I fill? I'm too flippant for those who know me, and too serious for those who don't. Can't seem to find a good middle ground. Seem to be giving Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-39783892089301617842008-12-24T11:13:00.000-08:002008-12-24T11:17:53.403-08:00If you're going to judge, or think that you're someone who judges others, then I implore you not to read on any further. Seriously. I spend a lot of time thinking these days. Increasingly about me, my life and what it means. I'm not being self-centred, and clearly the world doesn't revolve around me. But I think what a friend mentioned that day in passing to me bears some thought. I'm not sure Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-30486125195310117942008-12-20T09:27:00.000-08:002008-12-24T11:19:57.748-08:00It's so difficult to be different. But at the same time, so important. Things don't happen when no one challenges the status quo, pushes the boundaries or boldly go where no one has gone. There's a huge difference in plain foolish thinking and being unconventionally brilliant. Unfortunately, one is too often mistaken for the other.I really shouldn't be 22 years old.Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-80604781276681543742008-11-13T13:58:00.000-08:002008-11-13T14:59:15.490-08:00Once upon a time, there was a small faraway planet inhabited entirely by children. This planet was a strange one for it was filled with many active volcanoes. The volcanoes would erupt every now and then, destroying trees and all the fruits of the jungle that the children needed for food. Because the planet was so small and there were many volcanoes, the children had to constantly move around to Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-15701701479655204202008-10-21T15:27:00.000-07:002008-10-21T15:29:06.405-07:00« Les grandes personnes ne comprennent jamais rien toutes seules, et c’est fatigant, pour les enfants, de toujours et toujours leur donner des explications »- Le Petit Prince (1943)Il n’est pas nécessaire qu’on renonce à nos enfances pour être adulte. À mon avis, il serait très triste si une grande personne ne s’est pas souvenu comment voir le monde par les yeux d’un enfant. Tandis qu’on Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3167663.post-11122992334932137772008-10-20T13:36:00.000-07:002008-10-20T13:59:15.434-07:00A Little Snapshot of Quincy HouseAs the Fall draws to a close, there's so much that's happening in the Square as people rush to savor the last moments of "not-having-to-wear-a-gazillion-layers-everytime-you-walk-out". The Oktoberfest parade and street-market was last weekend, and this weekend was Head of the Charles - apparently the largest 2-day regetta in the world featuring several Shawnnoreply@blogger.com0