Palaver on Procrastination
April 9th, 2007
apart from cutesy cupcakes and dangly earrings, there is little else in this world that i relish more than a good, dirty, delicious dose of procrastination.
as i was telling the love of my life earlier (and before you ask, yes he is still very much the love of my life, contrary to what some of my emo blogposts and angry MSN nicknames may imply), i’d still not managed to untangle myself from the clingy, tenacious webs of yummy procrastination despite having a, yes you guessed it, Economics exam tomorrow. at this point i am wondering, WHY, after almost 13 years of academic participation, have i not learnt the finer points of the art of focus and/or sidetracking-aversion? and more importantly, WHY does it seem as if there is an economics test/quiz/exam to sit for every week or so?
so after talking to my beloved on MSN, which was the first of my Procrastinatory Activities (hereafter known as PA, not to be confused with Personal Assistant, of which i was one for a sad 3 days of my life, gloomily having to fetch coffee and blot make-up and the like, but that is another story for another day), i told myself : self, this is it! it is already 1am, and it is time to start mugging for this looming econs exam you have in about 8 hours!
but then i realized, 8 hours is a lot of time to cover 4 chapters. in fact, it is more than enough time. i dont even need that many hours! okay lah so i can chill for a bit. ooh, Bitcomet says the latest episode of America’s Next Top Model is 100% downloaded! yessssss, 42 solid minutes of one of my favourite TV programmes, and yes i like ANTM, what cannot izzit, at least i’m not one of those hypocrites who go, ‘yerrrrr why you watch ANTM wan!’, but then secretly go home and tune into Channel V every Monday at 8pm sharp to watch catty models steal each other’s food and whimper about how they miss their kids/husband/family back home. by the way, ANTM’s latest season is totally awesome, and this diversion has gotten so long that i forgot what i wanted to say. why the hell am i talking about ANTM again?
and so you’d think that after i had gotten my weekly illegal (torrented mah) dose of Tyra Banks’ infamous ‘X beautiful girls stand before me, but i only have (X-1) photos in my hand!’ and weepy eliminations, i would hit the books in a panic fit because i’d just lost 1 precious hour of study time. but no, what i did instead was indulge in another PA. it is the mother of all PA’s, one you are all familiar with, none other than the great WIKIPEDIA! Wikipedia, i must say, is the greatest invention for information sluts like me, as well as panicky exam-sitting students also like me; but tonight i wasnt wikipediaing Inflation Costs or Theory of Exchange Rate Determination like a good Economics student should, but i was in fact wikipediaing Grey’s Anatomy characters. yes, i WIKIPEDIAed Alex Karev, Derek Sheperd and Mark Sloan. and even Izzie Stevens. this is the utter epitome of Nothing Better To Do. i am shameless. just kill me.
fortunately, after my 52nd Wikipedia stub on fictional but very hunky TV show characters, my superego got the better of me, and i decided that i should start studying NOW. so i took all my books and notes and post-its and dumped it all on the living room coffeetable, because my ’study desk’ in my room has my laptop (by extension, also the Internet, which by a second extension, houses many other PAs of which i cannot afford to associate myself with at the moment) and therefore my ’study desk’ cannot be called my ’study desk’ because no studying can be done upon it. hence it should be called simply, ‘desk’. now you know why Malaysians like to call their desks ’study desks’ or ‘working desks’ instead of just ‘desks’ … it’s because Malaysians are not procrastinatory by nature, and the prefix to their desk actually does fulfil a role. either that or they just wanna make themselves believe that.
digression : is procrastinatory a valid word?
anyway as i was saying.. i dumped all my stuff on the living room coffeetable so i could get to my studying. but unfortunately, guess what was lying on top of aforementioned coffeetable? yes.. what else but the Leading English Daily In Malaysia, The Star. which i havent read yet today. dont pick it up!, my conscience twittered anxiously. study first, read newspaper later! ah, but Kee Thuan Chye has a new column in the Sunday Star!!! must read must read. i figured that if i skipped all the articles on the Machap by-election, i could cover the newspaper in 5 minutes. but noooooooo, there just had to be a three-page feature on Anwar Ibrahim as well as Huzir Sulaiman’s funny column. and of course, my horoscope. and my boyfriend’s horoscope. and all of my best friends’ horoscopes. argh. thank you, The Star, for playing the indispensable role of the evening’s PA #ILostCount as well as a contributor to my failing grade for Econs 203.
sigh.
after i finished reading the newspaper cover to cover (yes i did eventually read all the articles on the freaking Machap freaking by-election and the 49853rd article featuring Tan Boon Heong and Koo Kien Keat) i didnt actually start studying but i spent about 15 minutes trying to find a testpad. i dont know why we call those things testpads, because i have been met with many blank stares when asking for testpads, so if you dont know what i am referring to when i say testpad, what i mean is an a4-sized notebook where you can tear loose sheets of lined paper from. to my defense, this is not actually a PA, searching for a testpad i mean, because i need a testpad to study for my exam. need to write notes and all mah. aiyah actually it’s a PA also lah, because The Search For The Testpad eventually led me back to my ‘study desk’ on which sits my laptop, which is connected to the Internet, which as we know houses many many many many many many many PA’s, one of which is
WORDPRESS.
(for the uninitiated, it is the blogging tool on which i log-on to to blog)
and that is why there is this 1048-word post on the index page of quaintly.net, when the Pinkpau should be busy studying for her Econs exam instead. yes, i did in fact copy and paste this whole post onto Microsoft Word to determine its number of words. Microsoft Word is another PA, did you not know? so is Solitaire, the shortcut icon of which sits beckoningly on my desktop. hmm..
no no no no no no no no no no no. GO AND STUDY.
edit : i have found a new PA!!! and that is searching on Wordpress for blogs i wrote while procrastinating on studying for econs tests and exams. i found four. one, two, three, four. see, i told you i have damn a lot of econs tests/exams.
edit edit : stop reading my blog and go back to whatever it is you are supposed to be doing!
33 Comments Add your own
1. k0k | April 9th, 2007 at 4:54 am
it’s 2.17 am in India… and there is this Pathology assignment (incomplete) still sitting on the floor beside me. You should have put your second EDIT at the top. ‘-.-
2. pinkpau | April 9th, 2007 at 5:29 am
it is 5.22am in KL malaysia, and i am sitting here replying ur comment instead of studying the mechanism and policies of the US federal reserve. sigh. i feel u, bro.
3. Esther | April 9th, 2007 at 10:49 am
procrastinators unite! lolx~
4. miss p | April 9th, 2007 at 12:27 pm
hey where do you get your torrents for ANTM? i really like the series too but.. i cant find the torrents! been watching from youtube. the screen so small :( not tangible enough.
5. bs | April 9th, 2007 at 1:17 pm
man, i thought i could procrastinate… it’s good to know that mine is not the most serious case.
we should hold a PA(Procrastinators Anonymous) meeting.
“hello, I’m bs. And I’m…. a procrastinator”
6. ronin | April 9th, 2007 at 2:48 pm
The reason why I only have a bachelor degree instead of at least 2 PhDs is because I PROCRASTINATE big time. Young people should never ever pick up this habit. Trust me … time is not retrievable.
7. irina | April 9th, 2007 at 7:39 pm
‘edit edit : stop reading my blog and go back to whatever it is you are supposed to be doing!’
hahaha thanks for that! i’ve three *lovely* assignments a-waiting, so seriously, thanks.
8. k0k | April 9th, 2007 at 8:34 pm
The mechanism and policies of the US federal reserve… Fascinating.
At least I get to look at lots of pictures of necrosed/mutilated/leprous human parts in Pathology :)
And 5.22 am? You’re my kind of girl. I studied for each of my med skul year one subjects that way too. Hope you aced your Econs exam today!
9. wy | April 9th, 2007 at 10:25 pm
hahahaa! i have an english test tmr n here i am =D nice post nice post!
10. Michelle | April 9th, 2007 at 10:56 pm
You’re right lah. I’m procrastinating now. I should go back and delve myself in a world of literature.
*Nods head solemnly*
==
11. MichelleSY | April 9th, 2007 at 11:02 pm
Hmmm, now that you mention it, you do seem to have an abundance of Econ exams…not good, not good. But never mind, these tests give The Martian a chance to flex his intellectual muscles and coach you over MSN right? =)
And I’m not going to say ‘go study’ - mainly because it’s too late in the piece for that anyway. But I am going to give you a *hug* =) Whatever it is you thought you should have done/ didn’t do it’s over now (although I can empathise with the sheer frustration/ ‘tak-nak-ness’ of it all).
With a little help from The Martian, a few less PAs/ distractions and the oodles of brain cells that you have, you’ll be fine. Actually, I’m willing to bet that you did better than you thought today anyway =)
ps: I am an information slut too!!!! Yay - wikipedia rocks! Not that I *ever* used it to look up the cast of Grey’s *ok lah, I so did lah, more than once lah actually*
12. Jen | April 9th, 2007 at 11:34 pm
thank you la for being such an awesome PA when i’ve got finals in a week. i’ve got my own full list which includes obligatory chocolate starters and more chocolate because i “need it to keep going”. mmm.. smell that procrastination.
13. Anon | April 10th, 2007 at 7:11 am
pinkpau I have 3 kids now but all i can tell you is……if they had internet in my days at uni, i will be sweeping the longkangs of KL now. so. a blessing in disguise!
14. Jay | April 10th, 2007 at 7:39 am
Hmm, I believe watching movies and DVDs is prolly my top most procrastination activity, however my current PA is Lost.
15. ria | April 10th, 2007 at 8:41 am
haha. good luck from one proscrastinator to the other :P well i hope the exam goes well despite all the PAs. =)
16. HK | April 10th, 2007 at 9:40 am
wahahaha, this post is so funny. The way how one action drags everything along.. classic. I’m beginning to like the sound of Econs 203. Mechanisms of US FR? Whoa!
I think it’s just the little bit in everyone that feels lazy every now and then.. come on, it’s the easiest thing to do isn’t it? Doing things that you like, which are simpler.
Ca..n.’t.. pr.o..cr..astin..ate…a..n..y..lo..n..ge..r.. ..
17. Adrian | April 10th, 2007 at 10:27 am
I’m suffering from the PA syndrome too!!!
18. vvens | April 10th, 2007 at 11:39 am
are you watching ANTM cycle 8?!?!?!
i love sarah and nata in it!
19. joey | April 10th, 2007 at 2:19 pm
hey, aren’t the models in ANTM a bit skinny, like they having bulimic problem or smthg…the first few seasons ok till they get kinda predictable..and then there’s tyra who’s behaves kinda like ‘i’m god and thou shall worship me’….haha:) no offence k…
20. ed | April 10th, 2007 at 4:43 pm
Procrastination = having fun while u still can + maximised efficiency at the very end … btw, how was the econs?
21. steph | April 10th, 2007 at 6:47 pm
ohh the PAs in life.
having said that, yours truly just spent a good hour and a bit learning how to play ‘hearts’ which mind you is a stupidly annoying game and is now on quaintly when she should be reading the fricking primary materials for a law assignment worth 50% of her entire grade.
are you on facebook?
22. entwined | April 11th, 2007 at 12:00 am
guiltyguiltyguilty of all the PAs you talked about-(not a study)desk, internet, surfing, blogging, watching series, bleugh.
on another note, isn’t it strange how inspiration to blog/the need to kepoh at other blogs come at the times when you REALLY need to concentrate? it’s like, okay okay let’s focus, do this this that….*moments later* eh i very long havent’ been to whosewhose blog already….a peek wouldn’t hurt…and before you know it, one blog leads to another… T.T i think i have some sort of inbuilt self-sabotaging hormone that is secreted when i have to study.
which reminds me, i haven’t been to xiaxue’s blogs for ages! and i am blogging too. when i should be making notes arghhghghrghaghgahsg!!! *commits suicide*
23. alea | April 11th, 2007 at 1:51 am
im procrastinating right now. i have a whole lotta BM essays to write. pfft. later later. *bites tongue*
24. pinkpau | April 11th, 2007 at 2:24 am
esther : we’d probably procrastinate on doing that
miss p : isohunt! i search for ANTM s08e(insert episode number)
bs : what do we discuss? methods of procrastination? :P or benefits of procrastination!
ronin : young people dont know that yet!
irina : me too. sighhhhhhhhhh
k0k : med school eh. whaddya wanna be?
wy : awww english tests are fun!
michelle : *nodnod
michellesy : ya he very gung ho wanna teach me econs wan.. donno why. but he didnt help me this time!!! i did well on my econs all by myself!! muahaha *hugs bak*
jen : i know what u mean abt the chocolate. it can be sooo hard to focus when u have a craving!
anon : despite what u say, im still thankful for the internet :P i can only imagine how tough research must have been for u guys!
jay : and that is precisely why im afraid to start downloading Lost
ria : it went well :D whee
hk : ya like DOTA right!!!
adrian : join the club!
vvens : ME TOO! natasha looks like angelina jolie. and im so pissed off that sarah got kicked out so early -____- donno what dionne is still doing in there, they should have kicked her out long time ago. renee is such a bitch but she’s so pretty!
joey : nah they’re not all super skinny :) tyra is actually quite down to earth in ANTM shows
ed : went very well, thanks for asking! but i guess i wont know until my results come in =(
steph : the boyfriend tried to teach me hearts but i was like what-everrrr. it’s too weird for me.. im sticking to solitaire. no babe im not on facebook! eh good luckkkkk for ur law assg!
entwined : haha! we just need to find the hormone that will inhibit the secretion of this self-destructing hormone!
alea : BM??? u poor thing!!
25. Jay | April 11th, 2007 at 2:32 am
btw, for your torrent needs, google EZTV.
26. k0k | April 11th, 2007 at 3:32 am
med school eh. whaddya wanna be?
At the moment? Anything but a doctor.
27. Aimee | April 11th, 2007 at 3:33 pm
i was supposed to be studying! hmmph to your and your 3654354-word PA!
X beautiful girls standing in front of me,but i only have (X-1) pictures in my hands
HAHAHA!
28. 3cinr3b | April 11th, 2007 at 4:09 pm
haha and i thought i had the art of procrastination down pat!
but this is so unfair!!! how do u 1) stay awake throughout the next day? 2) not nod off? during the paper. 3) actually SCORING?! 4) not having major breakouts?!!!
this is SO unfair hmph!
29. bs | April 11th, 2007 at 7:23 pm
we’ll probably procrastinate on discussing what to discuss..
30. Porcupine | April 12th, 2007 at 1:44 pm
I’m supposed to be studying for my Engineering Maths test…
And here I am happily posting a comment for Pinkpau…
31. pinkpau | April 12th, 2007 at 4:00 pm
jay : why? isohunt is pretty good!
k0k : that’s what i’ve heard. *patpat* you’ll do fine :)
aimee : go study!!!!!!
3cinr3b : 1) a LOT of coffee. more than is humanely possible. like 8 shots of espresso every 6 hours. 2) sometimes i do.. actually most of the time i do :P one minute of napping does wonders 3) im just the luckiest person on earth 4) i have rashes, does that count?
bs : and we will do it so well, we’d prolly get an award for it
porcupine : yerr dont study eng maths! i dont like maths =(
32. Jay | April 12th, 2007 at 6:16 pm
Because EZTV is updated within an hour of a show’s airing.
33. Walter | July 23rd, 2007 at 12:10 pm
Just like you, I`m still looking for a “html testpad”. A testpad that I can copy and paste html codes to. I`ve been searching now for 4 days without any luck?
PS: Where has all the “HTML TESTPADS” gone??????
sorros@juno.com
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