Harlow everybody,

Okay, this is a stupid post so brace yourselves... to all those ppl who are wondering if I'm dead, this is to inform you tt I'm alive and kicking in Evanston now. This is a really beautiful place and I'm enjoying the air, the breeze, the weather, the trees and those adorable little squirrels that keep munching on nuts across my dorm.

This is the funny bit: I actually got to know some guy called Kyung Min. The first thing I asked him was, "Are you Korean?" (he is). Then I wanted to say, "Hey,I know of a Kyung Min too but she's female" (I didn't coz I was afraid I may hurt his feelings). Then, one of my frens told me tt there's a Malaysian girl staying in his dorm who loves badminton as well. Oh, this is so good.... =)

Anyway, I've got a picture of Tony Gunawan and my fren on my tabletop instead of a family photo (sth else to add on the badminton fanatic page). Actually it's coz I looked super gross in the pic so I didn't wanna see it anymore.

I'm enjoying my last few days of freedom before school officially starts.... AAAARRGGGG!!!!!!!!!!!!! After nine mths of bumming ard, I don't even wanna picture myself in the classroom again!

Adel

ps. Dun drink smoothie on a cold autumn night. I was freezing all the way back to the dorm.

Taste overcoming the pain of cold, that smoothie must tasted very very goooooood.

It was too sweet.... raspberries and bananas. =)

Make a trip to Canada this winter to experience sub zero temperatures.

I went one better. Ice-cream on a cold autumn night in the outskirts of Paris:P:P

Now i know how to keep u ladies warm on a cool night. :)

i guess i was ryt after all.

Hi Adel,

Welcome to the States! Hope you can find a place to play badminton that is within a reasonable train ride from campus.

BBN, Chicago gets a fair number of winter days where the windchill is below zero. Probably every other winter, if not more often, the windy city gets genuine sub-zero temperatures. It's not as cold as some parts of Canada, but plenty cold enough. Adel, if you have not purchased winter clothing yet, if I were you I'd get an insulated parka good down to -10deg.F, a polar fleece jacket, some sturdy Gore-Tex hiking boots and some warm wool socks. The best website for finding top quality, highly discounted outdoor gear is www.sierratradingpost.com. You can also find high quality gear and some decent prices at the following sites: campmor.com; llbean.com; landsend.com; and cabelas.com. LL Bean and Lands End make some polar fleece lined jeans and khaki pants that are excellent on a cold day.

Enjoy your new school and environment.

PS. Don't become too much of a Chicago Bears fan. The Green Bay Packers will trounce them this year in devastating fashion, so there's no point in getting your hopes up too high.

one wonders whether Brett is juz offering gud advice or promoting/advertising sth.

May, sorry to disappoint you, but I have no financial or other interest in any of the companies I listed, except that my fiancee and I make purchases from them several times a year. Given that Singapore is only a few degrees north of the equator, it occurred to me that Adel might not be fully prepared for a real winter in a much colder climate like Chicago's. I was merely trying to be helpful to her, the same way that other people in this forum have been helpful with advice on the best badminton shops to visit in a particular region.

BTW, May, what are the temperature extremes that you encounter in Singapore? What's the coldest temperature you have experienced there, and in which month did that occur? Thanks.

hahaha.... do we have any 'cold' temperature here in the first place?

Harlow there Brett,

Thank you for the information. I have already bought some warm clothing but I'll definitely check out the websites you listed. It isn't all that cold at the moment but the wind is definitely killing everybody (not just me). =) And I was complaining last night tt the weather makes you wanna eat, eat and eat.

I'm having a hard time pronouncing the R sound in Korean so I say R-r-r-r-ra Kyung Min everyday to myself.

Adel

yes, the frozen food section of your local supermarket

hahahahahaha. dun worry, practice makes perfect.