E x c l u s i v e

I was in Monash for a record

12 hours and 50 minutes yesterday.

The Monash library has not ONE, but TWO of this. Well, THREE if you count the one of the library's first floor. No idea if there are any on the second floor.

Today's story is about a wondrous machine known as ...





JUST KIDDING-lah. ;)

As if I'm going to do a story on photocopier-printers. Not that there isn't a story in it, I'm sure anything can be made interesting!

This week was so eventful that I just have to record the chronicles of this ordinary Monashian on this extraordinarily ordinary blog. :)
But as a result of spending a seemingly-endless more or less 13 hours on campus yesterday - from (as my parking ticket shows), 8.35am until 9.11pm. ... I have now fallen sick. :( I don't know why I'm so susceptible to sore throats and losing my voice ............. okay, OKAY, I do know why - it's because I talk damn a lot - but I also refilled my water bottle (finally learned how to use the water fountain in uni! :D) half a dozen times.

This week kicked off with a crazy Monday, from being in a really drugged-out state after muddying through 2300 words of FTV1010's major essay. Monday was the deadline for FTV, Tuesday the deadline for COM. Apparently dubbed by some of my friends as having the "Early Bird Syndrome", I'd already finished my COM assignment last week - but that's because I thought it was due last Thursday (was unable to foresee the future that the lecturer was going to give everyone a 1-week extension)...

But that only meant that it was time for me to start working on MonGa's "assignment" for me. So on Tuesday, I met my assigned partner, Kimberly Lim, for the first time - and we charted a rough plan for the article. :)

Something else to remember, along the lines of journalism as well, is the guest lecture my Feature Writing class had on Wednesday -- given by Citizen Nades from The Sun. There was even a video camera on him the entire time! I'm guessing it's for (1) Monash records/cheesy commercials that say stuff like "We also have guest lectures from prominent individuals!" and they'll show a clip from Mr Nades' talk (LOL), and (2) for Chin Huat to screen for future Feature Writing students.

Not directed by Jung Ai, but I did suggest for her to stand there for a shot. :D

I think I will always remember meeting Citizen Nades, because:

1) He spoke directly to me.

2) He made fun of my story idea a first time.

3) He made fun of my story idea a second time.

4) He made fun of my story idea a third time.

Hohoho.

It's so typical that I would get picked on highlighted. It's my size, I tell you. It's because I'm a giant among normal-sized people. :(

But I didn't expect my story idea (why did he have to ask ME?) to be the running joke during his 2-hour lecture. I took one for the team, man... hahaha.

Then at lunch, Cyren read my tarot cards and all our palms!! :D

And everything he said was eeeeeeeriely accurate. About the past, at least. Don't know about the future stuff. :)

After classes on Wednesday, all the interviewing for MonGa began. Jacqui (MonGa's current Head of Writing) assigned me to do a piece with Kimberly (a 3rd-year Science student) - and it's totally awesome, because I've (a) never met Kimberly before (so, NEW FRIEND!), and (b) seldom get the opportunity to work with another person for a story.

And I'm all for new experiences. :D

I'm digressing here, but speaking of new experiences - I sat in my first group "spiritual reading" session before the interviews. I met 3 of Kimberly's (really friendly) friends - 1 guy and 2 girls (the only girl's name I remember at the moment is Apphia, coz it's such a unique name) - and got to read half a dozen passages myself. It's a really cool, "unified" sort of feeling, where you read a text with other people - and then discuss what you've read. The book was called "The All-Inclusive Jesus" or something like that. I may consider joining more of their sessions, they're such nice people! :D
I also befriended another one of Kimberly's friends - Caroline - yeah, Kimberly, I'll remember her name now, lol! Haha. My bad for forgetting it the first time round. :( So funny how I meet someone on Wednesday, then totally forget it by the next day and make friends with them all over again. HAHAHA.
First band we interviewed:

I thought Ray was so cute. Hehehee. His personality's very much like David Archuleta's on-screen. Hahaha. The same laugh somemore man! If you can't get enough of Archuleta, you should definitely consider going for all of London School of Economics' gigs. :D
Second band we interviewed:

I thought Sidharta's name was the coolest, ever! I even told him that, hahaha. Yeahh I'm very shameless wan. This isn't the pic we're using in MonGa - that one's even funnier. Look out for it when the magazine comes out! :D
Third and fourth interviewees:

Ganesh was so funny-lah. Actually all of them were really funny and charismatic. I started to feel like they deserved televised interviewees or at least radio interviewees, instead of mere print. :/

And Tristan/Jeremiah (I can't remember who said it) said that this is a really good picture of Kennedy. :D Unfortunately, this isn't the one we're using in MonGa (Kennedy e-mailed me one of his own, so I thought the other alternative to "publish" it would be on my own blog!).

Interviewing, as it turns out, is a LOT more tiring than I had expected.

Some random amusing pictures before I wrap up "Wednesday":

Thursday arrived right after Wednesday (abuden...). I interviewed one band before/during my Feature Writing tutorial (since they are my classmates, haha):

I love Rashaad's t-shirt. HAHAHA. "Citation Needed". How cool is that!

Lisa: Are you looking at the camera?

Rashaad: No, no, no...

Lisa: OK, me neither.

And we interviewed 2 more bands after classes:

[Tristan in orange, Edwin in green, Jeremiah in red]

Kimberly and I planned to write the article from 1pm to 3pm - but as plans often go astray, ours definitely went down in the history of plans going astray. We started the piece at 1pm - then Jeremy came at around 1.30pm for his interview - then the 3 of us were chatting until, like, close to 3pm - then Tristan and Edwin came for their interview at 3pm - and were shortly joined by a (very funny) Jeremiah at 3.15 - and their interview/chat lasted until about 4pm - and after they left, Kimberly and I were starving - so we had dinner in the cafeteria. :)

Interestingly as well, one of my classmates, Adelina, participated in the Monash Cosplay contest of some sort. It was held at about 2-3pm. I really wanted to go, but Kimberly and I were exhaustedly slaving over the article... and I totally forgot about it! :(

The rare opportunity I did have was to see what Monash looked like at after 9pm at night:



And let it be known that there are STILL Monash students in campus late, late into the night! I counted 26 other cars in the paid carpark when Kimberly and I were walking to my car.
Oooh and I've finally seen the MPAC booth! I'm planning to go - and Cyren told me I can get tickets after the mid-term break (which, for me, today is officially the first day of) - anyone else want to go? :D Cyren's playing one of the lead characters in the play! :D Must show some support, y'all! I think the tickets are only about RM10.

All right, going to watch my Amazing Race: Asia rerun now. :)
Have a good Hari Raya holiday, all!