When I went to tesco to get my groceries today, I found that the salmon price reduction had ended. So no more salmons for me till the next sale :(
On another note, price of milk went up by 5.3% to GBP0.80 (the last time I bought milk was mid-May). Meanwhile, 2 kg rice went up in price by 25% to GBP4.99. That's a massive increase. I am pretty sure the little asian shop in Cannon Park is maximixing it's monopoly position by "stealing" from students. And their failure to provide price tags for all the items on sale annoys me even more. I thought UK is pretty strict bout these things but I am so wrong.
Friday, 30 May 2008
Thursday, 22 May 2008
Steam fish
8 months later, I tried steam fish for the first time in UK. All I did was put the fish into the bowl, add some soy sauce and oil. Then I figured that I can't be bothered with cooking vegetables and ended up dumping the mushrooms in. And then, I needed to use up my tomato which was showing signs of expiring. Left the whole thing in a steamer for about 30 minutes and it's done. I think I could actually reduce the time since salmon can be eaten raw. Heavenly...
Friday, 16 May 2008
Post-exam pre-final celebration
I have been wondering how it feels to be finally completing the whole examination process. Will I be elated? How will I react upon stepping out of the exam hall?
6 weeks had gone by since I began my exam prep. 6 long weeks, trapped within the four walls of my room, only to step out occasionally for survival and to fulfil my destiny (i.e. sit for the exam). I don't think many people can understand how painful and demotivating those times were. Many times, one began to question one's existence and purpose. But with each exam paper being completed, the painful journey became shorter. Yet, the agony continued to increase further. Towards the end, the spirit had already reached a new low. It was getting more and more difficult to memorise anything. Looking back, I couldn't understand now how I manage to cram in all those stuffs or how I can remember numerous equations and pages and pages of essays.
Day in, day out, I stuck to the same routine, 24/7. Sleep at 2am. Sometimes 3am. Wake up before 9am. Try to study each day with properly set out targets though I seldom meet my target of course.
The final paper had to be the most depressing paper I have taken throughout the whole process. Had the paper been held from the very beginning, my spirit will be destroyed to bits and there will be no more hope for the rest. It was not like I didn't read for it. I have been reading those stuffs at least thrice. Given more time, I still wouldn't be able to do it. So, what went wrong? Till now, I cannot figure it out. But it's over. That's a fact which I cannot change. I only hope that what I wrote did actually made sense despite not being sure of the final answer. Oh, and I had a paper cut on my wrist. That must have been a sign...
Unhappiness aside, having completed the final paper, a burden was lifted. Suddenly I found myself with time again in hand. Time to do proper, normal human things. Like shopping for grocery, taking a walk, lunching with friends etc. However, at that very moment, my whole body began to ache. I have been telling myself that I cannot fall sick during the exam period and it cooperated. Now, it's telling me I have to stop the strainous activity. Yet, here I am writing at 2am in the morning. Staying up late had became a habit which I will get rid of soon. Tomorrow.
And now some nice post-exam pictures. I know...it's always about food with me. I dunno why.
Gammon steak, Salmon
Lamb kebab
6 weeks had gone by since I began my exam prep. 6 long weeks, trapped within the four walls of my room, only to step out occasionally for survival and to fulfil my destiny (i.e. sit for the exam). I don't think many people can understand how painful and demotivating those times were. Many times, one began to question one's existence and purpose. But with each exam paper being completed, the painful journey became shorter. Yet, the agony continued to increase further. Towards the end, the spirit had already reached a new low. It was getting more and more difficult to memorise anything. Looking back, I couldn't understand now how I manage to cram in all those stuffs or how I can remember numerous equations and pages and pages of essays.
Day in, day out, I stuck to the same routine, 24/7. Sleep at 2am. Sometimes 3am. Wake up before 9am. Try to study each day with properly set out targets though I seldom meet my target of course.
The final paper had to be the most depressing paper I have taken throughout the whole process. Had the paper been held from the very beginning, my spirit will be destroyed to bits and there will be no more hope for the rest. It was not like I didn't read for it. I have been reading those stuffs at least thrice. Given more time, I still wouldn't be able to do it. So, what went wrong? Till now, I cannot figure it out. But it's over. That's a fact which I cannot change. I only hope that what I wrote did actually made sense despite not being sure of the final answer. Oh, and I had a paper cut on my wrist. That must have been a sign...
Unhappiness aside, having completed the final paper, a burden was lifted. Suddenly I found myself with time again in hand. Time to do proper, normal human things. Like shopping for grocery, taking a walk, lunching with friends etc. However, at that very moment, my whole body began to ache. I have been telling myself that I cannot fall sick during the exam period and it cooperated. Now, it's telling me I have to stop the strainous activity. Yet, here I am writing at 2am in the morning. Staying up late had became a habit which I will get rid of soon. Tomorrow.
And now some nice post-exam pictures. I know...it's always about food with me. I dunno why.
Gammon steak, Salmon
Lamb kebab
Tuesday, 13 May 2008
A moment to ponder
It's been more than a month now since I started preparing for my exam. When was that? 4 April to be exact. The day I came back from London. The preparation has stretched so long that I am reaching my point of saturation. It doesn't help to see more and more of my friends who started the exam at the same time or some who started later, completing the whole process and are moving on with their life. Most of the postgraduates I know are in the final stage of the masters i.e. writing a dissertation. They have their titles in place, met their supervisors and did the presentation. While I am only beginning the process when the exam is over (it's still not over by the way).
At the same time, my course requires us to attend one more module which is "Research Technique in Finance". Nothing can be even more depressing than getting the email from the professor in the middle of the exam period, providing us with reading lists for the first two lectures, together with his lecture slides and the course outline which states that we have to complete two projects by 30 June, with around 3,000 words each! I finally understand why my dissertation length is shorter than most people. I did not get a better deal at all in this case.
Despite my unhappiness with the intensity of the course (I believe they are attempting to cramp too much in a one year program), I am glad that these 8 months had been a very fruitful time. Although I struggled day by day, I knew that not a moment was left idle for me to engage in empty activities. Time had become something really precious that every second counts. I have never had so much fun in learning, discovering new things every day or suddenly understanding a diagram my professor had drawn 45 minutes before the exam.
Lesson of the day: If you stare at something long enough or you keep reading the same material over and over again, you are bound to learn something new.
That's exactly what I am going to do for my final paper on Thursday.
At the same time, my course requires us to attend one more module which is "Research Technique in Finance". Nothing can be even more depressing than getting the email from the professor in the middle of the exam period, providing us with reading lists for the first two lectures, together with his lecture slides and the course outline which states that we have to complete two projects by 30 June, with around 3,000 words each! I finally understand why my dissertation length is shorter than most people. I did not get a better deal at all in this case.
Despite my unhappiness with the intensity of the course (I believe they are attempting to cramp too much in a one year program), I am glad that these 8 months had been a very fruitful time. Although I struggled day by day, I knew that not a moment was left idle for me to engage in empty activities. Time had become something really precious that every second counts. I have never had so much fun in learning, discovering new things every day or suddenly understanding a diagram my professor had drawn 45 minutes before the exam.
Lesson of the day: If you stare at something long enough or you keep reading the same material over and over again, you are bound to learn something new.
That's exactly what I am going to do for my final paper on Thursday.
Monday, 12 May 2008
Post-exam plan!
A list of things I wanna do immediately after exam:
1. Have a Japanese-theme dinner party
2. Picnic by the lake in Kenilworth
3. Have a long walk on the field behind HB
4. Fox and deer-watching
5. Take photos of ugly ducklings before they disappear
6. Shopping for summer clothes
And finally, prepare for dissertation (yeah right!)
1. Have a Japanese-theme dinner party
2. Picnic by the lake in Kenilworth
3. Have a long walk on the field behind HB
4. Fox and deer-watching
5. Take photos of ugly ducklings before they disappear
6. Shopping for summer clothes
And finally, prepare for dissertation (yeah right!)
Friday, 9 May 2008
"Unofficial ritual"
It's official. Driving out for a good dinner after a long tough exam has become our unofficial ritual to treat ourselves for the hardship we went through. Well...it's only our second time. The first time was after IFM in which we drove out to Kenilworth, looking for a nice pub for dinner. The second time was yesterday when we drove out to Coventry to have some persian food. Now we are ready for a third outing, immediately after the final paper on 15 May.
These outings represent the only time I can get away from my room for more than a km. For 7 days, the furthest I had been away from my room was the kitchen which is a door away. I shall repeat this same pattern for the next 4 days and I am certainly not looking forward to it. This will also mean I have not been grocery shopping for more than 2 weeks. How did I survive? Mainly on frozen food and instant noodles. In between, I found some angels, who offers me fresh cooked food and who buys me grocery. I am truly grateful for their help. Without them, I would not have the energy to carry on. Mom must have been praying real hard for someone to ensure that her daughter does not return thinner than she was.
If working is hazardous, try doing a master.
These outings represent the only time I can get away from my room for more than a km. For 7 days, the furthest I had been away from my room was the kitchen which is a door away. I shall repeat this same pattern for the next 4 days and I am certainly not looking forward to it. This will also mean I have not been grocery shopping for more than 2 weeks. How did I survive? Mainly on frozen food and instant noodles. In between, I found some angels, who offers me fresh cooked food and who buys me grocery. I am truly grateful for their help. Without them, I would not have the energy to carry on. Mom must have been praying real hard for someone to ensure that her daughter does not return thinner than she was.
If working is hazardous, try doing a master.
Friday, 2 May 2008
A spoonful of coffee
Music: Spoonful of coffee helps to keep you up all night. To keep you up all night. Keep you up all night...
Tiramisu making-process
Left: Preparing the coffee using an Italian coffe-making "machine"
Right: The breads (not really "savoiardi")
Left: Arranging breads soaked in coffee into the tray
Right: Pouring the cream (made of mascarpone cream, sugar, eggs)
Sprinkling cocoa powder onto the tiramisu as a final touch. Keep in fridge.
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