Lethargy....

Its been quite a few days since I last posted and i would attribute it to sheer lethargy. I've just been feel so tired and lazy the last few days that I've got to force myself to study and while studying i have this irritatingly strong urge to just go online and slack. i seem to be spending time online reading stuff more than reading my books.

it just doesn't stop there, I've been having problems sleeping at night. I only tend to fall asleep at close to 3am and wake up by 0830. hence, i feel really sleepy for the rest of the day. God alone knows what's happening to me.

Well besides studying, i went to church Novena this afternoon. On the CFA front, I'm at the last chapter of Economics which I was too saturated to finish today and have left it to tomorrow. The next book is on 'Financial Statement Analysis'. Its going to be totally new compared to Econs (which I read in jc) so I'm going to have an interesting time ahead. I'm determined to clear it the first time round so that I won't feel that i wasted the last 6 months. Well I found something to motivate myself as I was surfing the net so here it is;

Krishna said,"Do your duty, Arjun, as your nature dictates. All work fetters, as all fire gives smoke. Only selfless duty saves. Fix your mind on me. Surrender all deeds to me. All problems will be solved by my grace. Pride will lead only to your moral ruin. If, filled with pride, you say, 'I will not fight,' it is all in vain. You are foolish. Fight you will, your nature will make you fight. Your karma will make you fight. You will fight in spite of yourself."-Mahabharata, Book Six: Bhishma (P. Lal)

So thou shall do my duty of studying and surrender all my deeds.

Visa Blues

Yesterday, I went to Raffles Hospital for my medical check up. The whole places was packed with students and people from China, I didn't know Singapore now offers mainlanders immediate citizenship. Anyway the check up and x-ray was only about 20mins but I took me 3hours to get out of that place. The doctor who did the check up found all the question asked quite hilarious. Later in the evening the nurse in charge of the clinic called to let me know that the doctor who did the check up was authorised by the Australian Embassy and so I had to go back again today to see him.

The visa drama didn't end there. just as i was going to make my online application for the visa, on the page where it says 'Click here to start application', there's a statement saying "Visa applications can only be made 124days before the course commences" and it isn't 124days yet. So to sort all this out I went to the Australian High Commission after my visit to the hospital. The lady at the counter told me that the medical records are valid for 12 months so I can just apply nearing the time I need the visa.

So for those of you who plan on going to US, UK or Australia on a long term basis, please start preparing early for all their visa requirements. They don't plan on letting Asian brats like us on their good land easily i guess ;-)

The Hakka!

For those who have never watched the All Blacks play, they traditionally perform the hakka just before the game. Its the Maori war dance so this is for those haven't seen it before...



The old Hakka thats normally done...

09/09/07

Quite an interesting date it is...it is more interesting to think where I'll be or what I'll be doing on 09/09/09. By that time i would have finished my masters and hopefully be well settled in my first job.

Yesterday, Srikanth and I went to Oxford Tailors to order his suit after which we had lunch. Looks like it'll easily set us back close to $800, I'll make mine sometime in December or January. Since I'm down with a sore throat and running nose, i decided to stay home yesterday evening and catch the rugby match. New Zealand All Blacks VS Italy. What a trashing that was, 76-14....great game. In cricket, India just lose the series after a disappointed match yesterday.

Well that's really all there is for now. Tomorrow is my medical check up at the Raffles Hospital. It's a really lazy Sunday and I'm having a hard time getting myself to work.

Its Friday...

Its the end of another week, which means I'm one week close to my CFA exams as well. I've not gone out anywhere since coming back to Singapore as my gf has gone on a holiday with her family. Another week before she's back in SG, so for now its Economics from CFA that's keeping me company.

To those who plan on going to Australia to study, start doing stuff for your visa early. Firstly, the embassy website occasionally will not load. Secondly, you can be put on hold for an hour and nobody will attend to your call. Lastly, the forms are so long and detailed that it'll take you quite sometime filling them up. Called Raffles Hospital which is one of the designated clinics for the visa check up to enquire about the cost and the procedure, so I'll be going down on Monday to get it done. Tests include test for mental stability, intelligence, HIV, Hep B & C and VD. There's an x-ray as well to see if all your limbs are in place.

Tom morrow, Srikanth and I are going to Oxford Tailors to order our suit to bring with us to Sydney. He's in a rush to tailor it since he wants to bring to it to India with him but I'm only getting mine done sometime in mid-November. Probably have to tailor some good shirts to bring with us for presentations and etc. For the sg guys who fuss about wearing a tie, the minimum dress code at an interview in Australia is a suit.

Found something interesting on Wikipedia so for those who understand Tamil take a read.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madras_bashai

Back in Singapore...

Landed in Singapore yesterday at around 0730hrs. Since all I got myself in Chennai was 4 shirts i went to the duty free and got myself the Polo Black which I had been wanting to get for sometime. The duty free price was close to $30 cheaper than the normal shops so it was quite a good deal.

For the updates on the rest of the trip, on Friday we went to Thirupathi. After a 3hrs plus drive we reached Thirupathi and then another 3omin drive up the hill to Tirumala. We had a good darshan except for the pushing and shoving by people there. They were acting as if God was going to run away. I think if the whole crowd was more organised, everyone could still have had their darshan and it would have been a more pleasant experience. Anyway that's how India and Indians work i guess....

On Sunday night, we went for a night show to watch Sivaji-The Boss. The movie stared Superstar Rajinikanth, Shreya and Vivek. I was interested in going for it cos the posters all over Chennai looked damn dumb especially the one where Rajini had blond hair. But when the movie started and Shreya came, goodness i was in total awe. She's just drop dead gorgeous and her dance moves were awesome. I'll add some pics of her to give u a better 'picture'.

Anyway now I'm back to my routine here. The university has sent me the documents to apply for my Australian student visa. So I've just got to go for my medical check up and then apply for my visa which is supposed to take only 2days. Anyway its better to get stuff like this settled asap.