finally got my internet access cos only got my ID and password for the VCU wireless network today. applied for social security and wachovia bank acct too.

written on 20 may (tues) 23:52

Moved into VCU ytd morning. Roomed with yue hao in the end but I don’t see the difference since the 2 sisters will always stick together and share groceries etc. haha. Like they’re both MIA now. Went grocery shopping at Kroger Food and Drugs. Bought eggs, milk, ice cream and microwavables. I think this time I’m really not prepared, cos I should have brought extension cord, pillow, kettle and hair dryer. And more shower stuff and mosituriser. I bot the pillow from housekeeping, and it’s damn flat :( couldn’t sleep well last night cos it was so cold (despite my fleece and the additional thin fleece stolen from china airlines), I wasn’t used to sleeping below a bunk bed, the mattress was disgusting, plasticky and pathetic, and the pillow was flat. Shall find a chance to go to walmart or sth to get another pillow and blanket soon. We came back ard 8+pm today so figured Kroger was alr closed and anyway they don’t sell much linens.

Woke up at 7am to catch the 8am bus to KD this morning. Volunteered to work, and did cleanup in the waterpark. It was gross scrubbing the urinals, boring sweeping clumps of dust, leaves and red bugs and wiping beach chairs but the rewarding thing and highlight of the day is that I GOT TO RIDE THE DOMINATOR!!! FIRST HAND! WITHOUT HAVING TO QUEUE!! The park wasn’t open today and I think they were having rides for VIPs and the like, or u can call them test-runs, to test the response from guests. In the midst of scrubbing urinals, we were called to gather and supervisor Les said “Who is interested to ride the Dominator?” woah, I was damn excited and jumped over to the “interested” side without a thought. Hee. On the walk there I was getting jittery and scared but I managed to hold out. Anyway I had to take out my specs so I couldn’t see much, and basically the ride was too fast for me to actually comprehend what was happening. But the whiplash was damn strong, there were times when we were speeding vertically up or down and I couldn’t lift my head cos of the pressure of the wind. If u watch from below you’d see all the high loops, twists, drops and bends but when you’re actually up there it’s all happening too fast, but there were times when we were flying upside down and I was afraid to fly out of my seat. Haha. But the restraints are strong and steady and new so no cause for worries mamee and papee!!! Anyway it was damn exciting, can’t wait to ride it again :D But when it officially opens on 24 may there’ll be loads of ppl so I don’t think I’ll get a chance anytime soon. But I like the adrenalin rush before and during the ride :) came down feeling like I was floating haha but nyeh nyeh I didn’t vomit my lunch of cornflakes. That’s officially my FIRST ride at KD, and it’s rated “5” (the max, for aggressive thrill ride), and it’s the newest and longest floorless coaster in the world and I got to ride it before it’s officially launched =) Am so happy! Heehehee. Actually planned on starting low, like those bumper cars and carousel baby rides rated “1”, but since I survived the Dominator anything shd be possible eh? Yay!

The police seem to be rather active in Virginia. Saw at least 3 policemen at “Five Guys”, the burger joint near Rhoads hall (our hall) when we had dinner, and I just heard the police cars from the window. Heard them last night too. Either security here is good, the policemen are doing their job or they’re really needed around here. Haha either way, I feel safe in their presence. Just looking at their belts loaded with stuff 360 deg around their waist will make u think twice about trying to be funny. Haha.

Anyway VCU is like SMU, its campus is scattered around a rather large area, and in between there’re many shops and old-town kinda churches and buildings. I learnt today from Bernard (yes, when scrubbing the stupid urinals) that Virginia is well known for its history, it’s where the first successful colony settled to form the USA and Richmond was the original capital of the USA. And now there’s D.C, which could be considered to be within Virginia too. And it played an important role in the rebellion during the civil war etc etc. (I know little abt American history so I kinda shut off cos I didn’t know what he was talking abt haha). And KD used to be first a battlefield, then a farm and finally a theme park like it is now, since 1974 (I think) =)

Ok I shall go slp soon, gotta wake up at 7am again tmr to go to KD to settle social security and the bank account. I’ve no internet access yet cos we weren’t given the user id and password to access the VCU wireless network so don’t think I’ve died k, it’s just that I’m temporarily shut off from the world. Haha. Then we start to realize the importance of the internet. I feel so handicapped and bored without it! Even tho there’s a fridge and oven in the room, there’s no TV (so can’t check weather forecast) and no internet yet (so still can’t check weather forecast) and no heater. So I’ve to rmb to wear my socks and my fleece pullover. Or I’ll freeze like I did last night. When I walked out of my room to the toilet, and even in the toilet, I was shivering man. Yikes. It’s still cold and rainy around here. Pretty nice weather save for the chilling wind and rain, but I can’t say I’m really looking forward to real summer weather, cos I don’t wanna get sunburnt again or dehydrated.

Btw ppl here (I shan’t mention the “A” word for fear of raising public outcry) are really quite retarded. We had to wrap the bins and park benches ard the Dominator in trash bags so they wouldn’t get stained when the Dominator was painted and the 3 angmoh supervisors spent an awfully long time analyzing the trash bags and benches and trying to figure out how to fit them on when we did it in just a jiffy. And the result of their bench was disastrous; they ended up wasting tons of tape and still not getting the whole bench covered. The PRCs kept laughing at them. Now they really do deserve getting laughed at, for always wasting resources, time and manpower. It seems to me Asians are the most efficient!

Ooh and today Les, the supervisor of Area 3 who happened to be in charge of us for cleanup learnt that I was “Jamie” when we were doing the volunteering to ride the Dominator and she was like “OOH! So you’re Jamie?! I heard a lot about you! And they’re all good.” Me: “HUH?! From who? What did they say?” Her: “From some of the other supervisors. They all say you’re very hardworking.”

*BEAMS* =) yippee! My effort is being recognized :)