This week has been a pretty black week. Firstly is the terrible tragedy at virginia tech. Secondly is something at camp that I shan't talk about much. It involves some very annoying superiors making everyone's lives very difficult.

The virginia tech shooting is really depressing news. I still remember back in secondary school, reading about the columbine high school shooting and feeling sad for the victims, how their bright futures have been destroyed in and instant, and more importantly, hoping that there would never be such a tragedy again. But now it just gets worse. It's just to terrible. I feel so sorry for the victims once more, and yet I cannot do anything. When will it ever end? I really hope that more effective gun laws are put into place. If I do go Melbourne, I hope nothing like this will ever happen there. Australia do have school shootings too. Just a few years back there was a school shooting at Monash University, also in Melbourne, which took several lives too. I hope the pain ends here.

Well at least this evening there was something happy, I met with some of the 75 ppl, esp Elaine before she leaves for UK. It's always great to meet up with friends, I makes me forget all my troubles and sorrows, even if it's for a while, and reminds me that there is meaning in life. I guess that's what friends are for, to give you light in your darkest hour, to give you strength when you are failing. Hope we can remain friends forever and may all my friends overseas be safe.

I survived my longest field camp since BMT! It wasn't tt bad, since most of the time we were in tonners or training sheds sleeping or stoning. But all the mosquitoes and not having a proper bed does take its toll mentally. Anyway I haven been through worse. I'll never forget the BMT fieldcamp which rained lyk mad in the first few days and nights, leaving everyone drenched and miserable, not to mention our tents leaked, meaning we slept with water dripping on us. Honestly fieldcamps aren't tt bad, if you minus the mosquito factor.

Anyway I've just watched Blood Diamond on my com. And if you have not watched it, I would recommend you do. Its about diamonds that are mined in conflict zones in Africa and used to finance terrorist and rebel groups. Often, the rebels rampage through villages, killing many innocent villagers, enslaving others to do mining and taking in the children as child soldiers. Without watching the film, I could never imagine how much blood was spilled for one tiny diamond to get into that pretty showcase in the jewellery store.

The following phrases from the movie trailer.

"It came from the heart of the earth,

a stone so rare,

man will do anything to posses it.

And all who touch it,

are left with blood on their hands"

A stone that tears families apart, causes so much grief, results in so much suffering and death, would you still want to buy it? So much for diamonds being a girl's best friends.

Its always nice to meet up with the 75 ppl! We met last Sat at Amy's hse as always as amy n elaine are finally back! Elaine sure has change... I din noe she was such a pro at shopping... sounded lyk she was a shopholic! It happened to be near Jac n Stacy's bday so yup we celebrated them too! Anyway I lyk those avaitor shades in the photo, esp the one a my wearing! Seriously gotta get one of those. Pity it wasn't a stayover... all the med ppl still had their exams on. In fact, the guys came from a mugging session, possibly just for the food. I'll realli miss everyone if I go to Australia, but least yaqi n daphne are in melbourne so it wun be tt bad....

Speaking of bad I have outfield next week. 4 days 3 nights! Oh my god help me...

I was looking through the vet science syllabus for the first year and I realise there is good news and bad news.

Good news:

here are samples from the description of the modules:

Topics studied include the nature of variation, inheritance, genes and chromosomes, human genetics, DNA replication, gene action and expression, population genetics, selection, the genetics of speciation, molecular evolution, evolutionary biology and the origin of life, classification of organisms diversity of life, communities, ecosystems and the relationship of organisms to their environment, human impact, preserving habitats and genetic variation.

Upon completion of 610-141, students should have an understanding of the place of chemistry in society and the physical environment; the nature of gases; basic energy concepts; the nature of chemical equilibria; the structure and bonding of inorganic molecules; the nature of the solid state; the structures of hydrocarbon and main group molecules; the important functional groups; the nature of techniques of measurement; and the evolution of current theories.

Sounds great! I've learnt most of this in JC!

Now here's the bad news:

I've forgotten most of it. Isn't army just lovely?