firstly, we shall get all the negatives out of the system. and of course, the most significant issue right now being:

seriously, OMG UTTER HEARTBREAK! ): ): ):
like, how could she have done that to the one and only Elena Dementieva! o.O

Dementieva entered the US Open being the red-hot favourite, Queen of the hard courts this season, having captured the US Open Series crown. alas, only to be subdued in the second round by the 70th-seed Oudin. yes, that basically reads: major upset. (just imagine how she must be feeling right now!) who in her place wouldn't be completely disappointed, right. i must admit though, it was a really tough second-round match, which really isn't fair to either player to be pitted against each other so early in a Grand Slam.

Oudin played brilliantly and managed to find an effective game play against Dementieva. so essentially, Oudin was deserving of her win. but i felt that Dementieva wasn't giving her all in trying to stop her, and instead, was simply waiting for her to slow down and run out of steam, which unfortunately, didn't happen. one more thing - Dementieva should really really really work on her serve. in that match, Oudin matched her groundstrokes and athleticism, so a better level of service could've put her ahead. but oh well, she'll always have next year to try to truly secure her place as the Queen of hard courts. and we live in hope.

but hmmm, i don't know why, but Dementieva seems to run out of luck at the Grand Slams. remember how she captured the Olympics gold last year, and still not make the finals at US Open? and the two finals appearances in 2004? i guess she can only try harder. (:



okay, moving on. i was at En-Naeem mosque for tarawih prayers (the special night prayers during the holy month of Ramadan) last night, and i observed something delightfully heartwarming. okay, perhaps you won't find it oh-so-impactful, but it was to me lah at that moment. it was the simple action of a young man, who upon seating in the prayer hall, went on to pick up some small pieces of litter on the area around him and proceeded to throw them away. way to go for civic-consciousness! (: and i was wondering too, how many people still say their 'please' and 'thank you', however insignificant you may think it to be. like to the invigilators who distribute and collect your scripts. although such simple gestures may go unnoticed and unappreciated, well, what harm can it do to you right? if many of us still practise such basic courtesy, perhaps Singapore has done a fine job in teaching manners to its youth. (and this is a spin-off from the GP comprehension passage, haha!) main point - small things go a long way in making the world a better place, so let's strive to do just that yeah. and eventually, we'll all be many steps closer to utopia! (:

by the way, yesterday's econs case studies were generally alright lah. or so i think, until proven wrong by my results weeks later (touch wood!). but at least the micro econs question was manageable, while the macro econs one just fuelled my frustration with that branch of econs. what's new? so there.

oh, and go watch this interactive advertisement by Twix. it's quite cool and interesting i assure you! xD though it preaches a less-than-ideal way to get things in life by lying and manipulation, which i totally do not endorse. haha. so, strictly for entertainment purposes! =D

2:14 AM
sadikin

- Wednesday, September 02, 2009

let's blog!

alas, after almost a month of hiatus, i've decided that a blog update wouldn't hurt. =D haha

anyway, well, General Paper was manageable fortunately. though i am still rather annoyed that i didn't read up much on the Japanese elections, else i would've totally attempted the essay on opposition. and i think the comprehension was easier to comprehend as opposed to the CT 2 one, but the application question was uh, a little less straightforward than most other AQs, and the comprehension answers tend to be tricky, i.e. you could lose marks easily. but hey, all is done, so just pray hard it went well.

and yes, the Prelims season has begun, so here's wishing everybody all the best for your papers! (:

oh, and i finally figured out the original purpose of writing this blog entry, which is to share with you my interesting dream this morning. (aren't you excited! xD i know right.) basically, i dreamt that i rode pillion on someone's motorbike. but the thing is, i don't even know the guy, and that's very weird. i saw the guy's face in my dream, but it certainly didn't look like anyone i knew. perhaps i hitched a ride from him, but those details are a blur, as you should already know how dreams work - you don't remember much of them. so that got me thinking, how do random strangers enter your dreams? and nope, monsters/ghosts/aliens don't count. as in, how does the mind make up their features if you've never even seen the person. okay, maybe i've probably imagined him before, for whatever reason, but still. that's just very interesting and intriguing, no?

anyway, the US Open season is here too, and as usual, i'm rooting for Dementieva to capture her first Grand Slam, and Federer/Roddick/Safin/Verdasco (who are all, save for Safin, in the top half of the draw, unfortunately) for the Men's title. though i'm kinda supporting Clijsters too as she makes her comeback to the tennis scene; she's been playing really amazing tennis i must admit! (:

and finally, here's a rather full family photo of the maternal relatives, taken at the annual birthday dinner of the one and only fabulous Second Aunt (who is aptly pretty much in the centre of the picture).

at Royal Plaza on Scotts (for the third-year running)

alright, time to practise some econs case studies!

oh, and before i forget, Ramadan Mubarak to all fellow Muslims! (:

2:20 PM
sadikin