2006 after 2005

In a few hours time... 2006 will hit us fast and furious. 2005 was very rewarding... with the highlight being IA which covered the first 7 months. The rest of the year was filled with more excitement than disappointments. As I look forward to the new year 2006 with great hope... Forecast for 2006: Final Semester in University, with FYP ending February, exams in April, and employment come May/June. So many great chapters to add for 2006. Ganbatte!!!
Don't forget to add 1sec to our watches on the struck of 1 Jan... as we step nearer to "end of the world" =P

The Narnia Game

The Blk85 gang gathered for Tea at Orchard Hotel after which was movie at Plaza Singapura: The Chronicles of Narnia... N A R D I A... note the spelling please.
I think it was a great movie. Nice simple storyline with cool graphics. Especially the Lion's mane. I tried to appreciate the movie further but trying to understand the author. The film seems to be closely related to the WWII days. Hopes of children reunite with parents/adults sent to war and end of war. Well, for more details.... nah... too tired now =P

Results of Final Showdown Part 1

Something tells us that today will be the release of the results!!! The admin only stated week 3 of Dec but unlike past exams, there was no specific date... that felt lousy... The hype and all the kan-jiong-ness was building since morning... 4pm, still nothing... "Sorry, your results are not available yet" was the only message on screen... I could take it no more... went for a nap... at 7pm, MSN woke me up!!! RESULTS ARE OUT!!! results were out at 5pm - ok so how did it go???
Just as I was about to click on the final button... I kept repeating the words of one of the lecturer in my head:" Its not easy to do well, its also not easy to fail..." self-consolation??? This round was rather disappointing... I got a C for my Adv. Networks!!! WTF, that was my most confident and most interested subject... the rest got B.
The feeling of C for Networks gave me a jolt!!! Simply disappointing, networks was my most interested area and I didn't get a good grade... damn... This is also the first semester the GPA system is implemented, although I am not effected but it provided a small gauge for my position. Oh well, time to move on... 23rd is the registration, time to plan for the Finale!!!

Revisit to ACM

Today is a fine day for the revisit to ACM (Asian Civilisation Museum aka Empress Place Museum). Our last visit was on 17 Jul 2005 to view the Vatican Artifacts. Once again the 4 Arts GE mates made their way to ACM, this time with the Simlim Underdog.

We visited ACM for the special event Power Dressing. This special showcase presents textiles for Rulers and Priests from the Chris Hall Collection. Featured are the Chinese dressing of silken treasures from the 5th century BCE to early 20th century. We learnt cultures and symbols of Imperial Robes, Rank Badges and Furnishings. Also on display were some religious textiles like the embroidered Thousand Buddha robe on yellow ground.

We also made an attempt at the "legendary" hydrolic lift!!! The 5 of us entered the small little lift at Level 3 with curiousity... the door shut quickly, and we discovered the label "Weight Limit: 300kg - 2 man and 1 on Wheel Chair" OMG!!! each of us weigh an average of 65kg!!! That was like way over the scale!!! Our dear Chongming began to panic and started rambling non-stop... it was just like the tv, people trapped in the lift and one person starts to panic... I bet Chongming couldn't tell that he was getting louder each second. I was trying hard to calm him down... The lift door was shut and my stopwatch hit 3min... the door is still closed!!! The lift was so slow that we couldn't feel any movement at all... 4min... Everyone started to feel adrenaline getting higher... All 3 buttons "1, 2, 3" were lit... 5min... the door started to gently open... WOW are we glad to step out of it, simply exciting =) (All thanks to Assoc. Prof Quek Hiok Chai, SC301: Control and Instrumentation)

The final highlight was the visit to Carl's Jr, the new kid in Singapore! Only Pong and I had been to this fast food outlet previously, it was a first for the rest. The servings was ENORMOUS, like 2x Burger King. I had problems finishing the last mouthful while the rest felt it was just enough to stomach. I think my Marginal Utility for Fastfood is much lower than the rest =P

Trip to JB (End of Showdown 1)

Finally after 3 weeks of excitement, the 1st season of Final Showdown has ended. We the 8 Gods will be travelling to JB to celebrate. This time we have invited 3 newbies along for the trip.
Here are some highlights of the "sibeh exciting" trip:
Entering JB Customs: I was in the queue behind a very friendly and overly helpful guy. He was so bored in the queue he started helping others around him with the White Card. He didn't even asked, he just peered into my passport and started checking if I marked the questions on the back of the card!!! After 'teaching' me how to fill up, he proceeded to check the person in front of him who wasn't happy and gave him a "go away" stare. Haha... To my surprise, on our way out later that evening, I bumped into him again at the bus queue!!! However, the exit was swift and we happen to break away to another bus lane.
Dinner: We made our way to the JB Gardens/Market for dinner. This was the same place from the last visit. We also ordered similar stuff and re-created the "Ghost Fest" for the 1st trip. More Command-n-Control was in place and all was quite orderly =) The best part was the mysterious HOT PLATE HUM. Woo tried to convince everyone there exists such a dish. We had to see it for ourselves to believe. To our surprise, the dish arrived WITHOUT the hot-plate... -_- and it didn't taste that great.
Entering Woodlands again: All was nice and smooth... until the baggage scan. I had to be the only one to be searched -_- There were like several ahead and behind me but noooo they had to search my stuff and only me!!! Nobody else was checked... While my great pals were at the exit laughing their hearts out =) Apparently the customs Sergeant was trying to guide the Corporal how to conduct a search and I was their test subject. She searched my backpack, then my plastic bag of Tau Sa Piah. I was asked to unseal one of the boxes for checking. She dug her hands into the stuff to see the bottom of the box =) I had to oblige... like there was any other choice... Perhaps it was the face... do I have a Terrorist face?!?!

There were also other "discoveries":
1) Do not take the Express bus unless you intend to wait 30min for it.
2) Always be prepared to travel with Auntie Ming.
3) Beer and Crayfish are not cheap.
4) Bring Uncle Zhu and Long-ge along for feasts.
5) Don't ask to be checked at the Customs.
6) Don't even dream of leaping over the barriers at the Customs. (ok... Just dream, don't even attempt. Scenario analysis doesn't look good.)
7) Lastly... Don't leave the Peanut Feet at home ^^

Grace's Wedding

Today attended Grace's Wedding. She invited all of 27/98 and our dear Tet took attendence! Total 14 present, 7 guys, 7+1 gals, 13or 14 absent. Why 13 or 14??? coz YJ always felt an extra presence in the class =P (freaky sia)

This is the first Church Wedding I attended that is actually in a church. Nice atmosphere, something like in the movies. Only thing missing are the Guards with Crossed Swords =D

Great to meet everyone again... its been like er... 3 years since the last gathering at the Resort?!?! heehe, when would the next wedding event be for such a gathering again???

And well... Part 1 is amost over, with only Econs paper on Friday. Part 2 is coming up fast!!! Looking forward to the long awaited dinner celebrations with the 8 Gods and maybe a few new angels =)

Coming Soon... Final Showdown Part 1

After much wait, well not really very long, the final year exams (part 1) is here. Mixed feelings... For the whole of the month of October I have been "concentrating" on the coming exams; maybe almost to the extent of finding a cave.

Well, life is not only about exams. Time passes very fast [even when you are day-dreaming] and soon graduation will fall upon you - ending your carefree (slightly) life as a 'full-time student'. Somehow I don't quite find this an occupation, more like a parasite sucking dry parent's reserve $$$.

The first paper will start come tuesday and end on 25th Nov. Wow, that is hell a long 3 weeks to dread. Next on the major programme list would be to struggle with the FYP and hopefully work on my driving license also. Thereafter, will be the last semester and a milestone.

All right folks, Sneak Previews of "Final Showdown 1" begins today and will open on 8 Nov in cinemas near you till end Nov. And whether you like it or not...... "Final Showdown 2" will be in town next April.

Enjoy :D

Legend of Condor Heroes (射雕英雄传)

Finally, after almost one week, I finished viewing the whole 42 episode series.
This China version is great!!! The scenery is gorgeous. I've enjoyed it a lot. Although there are some unsightly stuff; like the lousy Quan Zhen sword effect... the whole series was simply entertaining
Favourite scenes were the wonderful Mongolian Plains with horses running.
I think Guo Jing is too dumb. Zhou Xun played Rong-er nicely done. All the female actress are stunning but Mu Nian Ci is the most beautiful!!! (as it should be from the book) =P

Not so BIG - Hairy Crabs (DA zha-xie)

My uncle invited a friend from China to his wedding dinner. The friend brought along with him 20 famous Shanghai Hairy crabs!!! Yes, he had to "smuggle" them from Shanghai to Singapore =P
And I misunderstood the "大闸蟹 da4 zha2 xie4" to be very BIG, haha.

We prepared a feast to share the crabs with him. We have never seen such crabs, not to mention tasted them. We were also very fortunate to have the guest teach us how to prepare them.
Recipe: "1) With the crabs still bound... Steam them alive!!!" Eat them with the best sauces of vinegar with ginger. Wow, I was stunned by his quick hands in handling the crabs. Especially when he had to re-tie a crab which came free!!! These creatures are very fast! and they can hurt you with the pincers or spikes real bad. Apparently he had been "toying" these creatures since his childhood days.

The crabs are not easy to eat. They are not only hairy, they have many spikes!!! Yikes, the spikes make eating very tedious. The taste??? I should say there isn't much meat but there is a lot of roe =)

SC444 Quiz goes wrong!!!

Today's SC444 - Cryptography and Network Security Quiz was a great mess.
- The Lecture Hall could bearly hold all the students
- There were not enough question scripts for everyone!!!
- There was only 1 lecturer. 1:350 -> hell.
- It was a nightmare for the lecturer who lost control and had to use the 'magic words' - Shut the ____-up!!!

Most surprised was the so called 12 different sets of questions =) There were actually only 4 unique questions with different permutations. And yes, everyone was to answer all the 4 questions, haha. The questions were ok; not extremely tough...
Cheers to the lecturer - great effort... but Murphy simply ruled the day... heehee

Shocking Moments @ NIE Campus

It was a spontaneous decision that 3 of us decided to eat at NIE Canteen today. Since Realtime Lecture was cancelled due to Lecturer on MC, we had our lunch early.
After lunch it was already 1.30pm, we began our slow walk back to Library. When we came out of the canteen, walking in the open space of NIE, we noticed something fishy. Many people stood rooted to the ground looking in the direction of the Administration Building. My friend suggested that maybe the "teachers" were feeling patriotic (something to do with National Anthem during lunch hour; yes... it is lame, but I can't blame the Singaporean Guy)
As we walked happily down the open area, along the way discussing about our crytography problems, we noticed a huge area cordoned off around the Admin Building. As we drew nearer, we noticed someone seated on the window ledge with both legs outside the building!!! WTF!!! SUICIDE!!!
My first reaction was, "Damn, another lost soul..." I personnally feel suicide is never a solution. It is a selfish, irresponsible act on the person 'itself'. Here your life ends in the split second, there are so many people affected by it. The criminal's loved ones, the officers that have to clear up the mess, and the people at the scene who will never forget (just to name a few). And besides, how can you die from 3rd floor!!! WHAT WERE YOU THINKING!!! (Apparently not at all...)
As we were instructed to make a detour, we saw Civil Defence Officers busy trying to save his poor cheap soul.
If you are wondering what happened to him; I couldn't care less... To him, if he survived: "Please die somewhere no one will find you, cause you don't care for anybody else" and "please at least find a more scenic view in campus..."

Do As Infinity Disbands

Do As Infinity Official Web Site
OMG!!! Do As Infinity will disband!!!
Don't get me wrong... I do not know how to read Japanese, but a quick check on the forum www.daiforum.com suggests that DAI has announced they will go their separate ways =( This is not a surprise though, they have been working on their separate projects for some time already.

Tomiko Van will go Solo
Owatari Ryo Owatari got his own band - Missle Innovation
Dai Nagao will be artist and producer for Amasia Landscape

It was their 'Yesterday & Today' soundtrack from Love2000 that got me hooked to the group in 2000. This is a new chapter for the Group since their debut on 29 Sep 1999. They worked for 6 years together. Good luck to them on their future endeavor. This is actually a good thing - instead of one group producing great work, we now have 3 individuals with great talent. We should expect 3 times the great stuff. :D

Article @ Japan Zone

AppleInsider | iPod nano sales off to slow start

AppleInsider iPod nano sales off to slow start
The nano seems to be a shuffle with display... however, the price is a bit costly if compared with the Shuffle... I am still thinking weather to get one or not. hmmm...

Plus:
Cool Design (what else can you expect from Apple)

Minus:
Cost (for the small storage, it is quite expensive$$$)
NAND medium (last for 1million read/writes?)

iPod nano price too low?!

(Goto Link to read more)
hmmm, this is quite subjective. Anyway nothing is free. You gotta pay for the design. Apple products were never cheap to begin with. The price we pay is for the "design"; Apple has been known to invest a lot in design.

Recess Week

This is the second last recess I would be having. Like any other Term Recess, it is as busy as it can get. With assignments and quizes to prepare for once the second half of the term begins. Actually, I vaguely remember a recess without any work done. Each term is 'fast and furious' and this term is not an exception.

Recess To-Do list:
SC401 - Realtime Systems: ADA Assignment and Quiz
SC403 - Computer Architecture: System Benchmark Report
SC441 - Adv. Computer Networks: Readings, and a lot of it
SC444 - Crypto & Network Security: Quiz
SC134 - Prin. of Economics: Project and Quiz
Not forgetting my FYP work......

(,'') Time to get serious ('',)

Well, it's the final year now... last chance to do something for myself in school.
Enough of easy going since day 1 of Final Year... Time to get serious!!!
Hope this will last... =P see for how long.

Recess week is next week. Half way till exams - yummy, need to treasure exams while it lasts.
Soon, life won't be the same anymore.

Eating Peanuts May Stop Peanut Allergy

On the TV News tonight: Medical Science made great progress with possible vaccine for peanut allergy. The condition is common in North/South America. Asians are less prone to peanut allergy. Researchers think that dietary difference may be the cause. The vaccine might need 5 years for testing.

However, don't know why I just can't find the article on Channel News Asia website... (maybe there is an obvious hidden reason) This site is the best match after a quick Google.

My immediate response was simply too spontaneous =)
At the mention of the word "peanut", the recent NKF saga shot into view. All thanks to Mrs Goh Chok Tong and her association of Peanuts with S$600,000 =P (Oh well, this will go into unofficial history books of Singapore.)

Who knows... maybe the 'monkey' we all paid actually was suffering from this medical condition?!?! Please be sensitive, try to put yourself in his shoes ('',)

Vanco Asia Surprise !!!

Dropped over at my IA Company, Vanco Asia, this afternoon to pick up a DVD which I lent to my colleague. Sigh, she too busy to play the DVD. Sorry, I need to take it back.

Nice to see them again =) All looking great and hard at work.
Surprise was I to find Wensan taking my seat =P. During the interim, waiting for the Poly interns to arrive in October, Wensan will be covering my duties. Sigh, seems there wouldn't be any plans to hire perm staff for my position any time soon.

GUYS!!! Hang in there and take care =P

Esplanade / Fireworks Fest (France)

We were supposed to go for "Free" Concert at Esplanade. The Beautiful Sunday event is a monthly free concert by the Esplanade. Last month's event was great, we listened to the Chinese Orchestra from China, simply wonderful =D

This time, maybe the word "free" got out, we found ourselves in the queue and we not able to enter since it was full... well... the rest of the time was spent walking along Marine Parade Shopping and at the Esplanade Library since the next highlight: Fireworks was not up till 8pm.

We had our dinner early at Carl's Jr... ok this is the first and last time I will visit this Junk; it is the giant of McDonalds', ouch... The fireworks were performed by the French team; definitely professionals!!!

Here are some pics:

GEBEN aka Gian Ber-ng

Another new semester... time for the 'great' give-away!!!
As usual, the divine gods go join the rush. This is what we got:
1) Giant Apple, some father's Cream Puff
3) FHM - Dec 2004 (outdated)
4) Scratch Pad (Singtel)
5) Mentos Chewys
6) Nestle Ice Coffe Syrup (*ptui*)
And other insignificant stuff...
This round of give-away is lousy. Gone were the A4 pad and Plastic Folder. Gone also were the free meal.

However, the Gods never fail to amuse ^^
There was a Lucky Dip... but it turned out to be a Free-for-all. (We grabbed all the 5 or 6 items for the dip for each of us... wohoo)
There was also a girl dishing out the Free Popcorn... her face was so black like the whole world owes her money @_@

Singapore 40th Birthday

This is a milestone for the nation!!! The celebrations are simply overwhelming. And I may get to cast my first Vote for elections =) wow... and not only for the general elections but maybe the presidential elections too. Since I turn 21 on 2002, this is the first chance of a poll. Well... elections are not that dramatic here, i guess. The political climate is very controlled and stable - good or bad? can't really say.

However, many eligible people do not even get to participate in polling for the whole of their lifes!!! Problem: 1) No constituency competition, 2) No Presidential competition, 3) Never heard of referandums.

Maybe this year I get to cast my vote for both General Elections and Presidential Elections (w/fingers Xrossed) (",)

Dim Sum Dollies

After a fabulous show last year, this year went for the show again!!! The theme this year is "Singapore's Most Wanted". Maybe next year I would go again... but no more student concession =P
Last year went with my JC pals, this year could not join them due to schedule clashes... sigh... getting more difficult to meet up with them. This time went with 2 of the Divine Gods. Well, today the 4 Arty Gods are missing one...

Synopsis from Sistic website:
"Dim Sum Dollies – Singapore’s Most Wanted!

“I have never laughed so hard at the Esplanade before!” – David Chew, Today

Think you can’t laugh any harder than you did at last year’s box office smash The Revenge of the Dim Sum Dollies? Well, our irrepressible threesome is back with a SURPRISING, ALL-NEW musical cabaret show that will prove once and for all that they are SINGAPORE’S MOST WANTED!

Watch Out! They’re leading a Velvet Cabaret Revolution!

Director Ivan Heng masterminds the Dollies to greater crimes of passion. Selena Tan, Pam Oei and Emma Yong conspire with Hossan Leong to bring you the Dim Sum Dollies as you’ve never seen them before! Catch them red-handed as they sing and dance themselves out of trouble! They’ll bust your gut with laughs you never knew existed! They’ll expose the guilty pleasures of being Singaporean.

Simply Wicked! Shiokadoo! "

Bye QWERTY... Hi abKey

Wow... just read this on Channel News Asia - "S'pore inventor launches new device to replace QWERTY keyboard". //Singapore entrepreneur and inventor Bob Teo hopes his new format keyboard will be the way of the future.//
I have heard about a more efficient layout many years back... but seems nobody is bold enough to invest. Hope this Singaporean will make big bucks out of this and make Singapore famous!!!
HAPPY 40th BDAY SINGAPORE!!!

Do As Infinity New Single - TAO

Yes!!! Long awaited new single from Do As Infinity!!!
Can't wait to get the PV, CD, Mp3...... etc

Day 1 again

It sure feels like Day 1 in NTU again. It has been almost 8 months since I last met fellow SCEians in the Exam hall. Its been too long... feels like a freshie again =P

Aston Martin Bertone Jet 2

Definitely my dream car. Too bad it is not for sale...
(Well, dreams should remain as dreams anyway =D)

Crab Dinner

Met up with friends and colleagues from Vanco for dinner. The event was my farewell dinner =P. My last day was on 15th July, but due to the busy schedules, the farewell dinner was arranged today.

The dining place was at Blk 232, Ang Mo Kio Ave 3. This was the much talked about crab restaurant. (Edmund has "VIP" card here!) The crowd was scary. I was late and arrived at 7:40pm but the ladies who arrived at 7pm were still standing outside waiting!!!

The highlight was the 4 crab dishes... YUMMIE!!! 1) Black Pepper Crab 2) Chilli Crab 3) Butter Crab and 4) Crab Noodles. My favorite was the Butter and Noodles dish. Chilli was good but usual, so was the common Black Pepper dish.

Special guests and friends who joined us were: Adeline (Sharon's predecessor), Annie (Gavin's fiance) and Elysia. Elysia missed her old pals at Vanco so much that she excused herself from her new office drinks session. Wow... so touching =) Absent were: Kimhuat (in India), Raymond and Gordon, both have courses.

Lesson Learnt:
The strategy for crab dinners should always have one member who doesn't take crabs; so that she can answer the handphones for the rest who are getting their hands dirty =P.

We also learnt that the restaurant just across the carpark (Blk 233), with much lesser crowd, also serves crab delicacies. They have chefs from the same master. Next time we shall try the stall across the carpark and see if the standard is the same. Maybe there is a reason why the crowd only visits this side of the carpark ;)

There is no Island !!!

Yes, it has been some time since the last good movie surfaced. I must say, this movie did not catch my attention at all earlier. No thanks to the publicity and lousy trailers for the movie. The trailers did not show what the theme was about, and the title somehow relates to "Lost" TV series. Thanks to Pamela who asked to watch this movie :)

This movie has a GREAT storyline. The theme is based on ethics of Genetic Engineering or Cloning for that matter. I liked the hardware... the gadgets they use, that beautiful table and the car and boat!!! And yes not forgetting the incredibly Physics flawed "Wasp" vehicle. Those that love sci-fi and futuristic themes that are realistic, will enjoy this. And this movie is full of it (full of messages that is, heehee).

Without too much disclosure, here is the very cool Official Website:
http://www.theisland-themovie.com/
Ewan McGregor (Star Wars Ep 1 & 2, Moulin Rouge)
Scarlet Johansson (Girl with the Pearl Earring, Lost in Translation)
I enjoyed this movie and I hope you will too.

Side-Note:
I discovered a hidden agenda towards the end of the movie; "God vs Man".
God: Professor
Angels: the clones (their white uniform, and the so innocent behavior)
Serpent (Devil): Leader of Security Team (Djimon Hounsou, the black guy)
Adam & Eve: Lincoln 6E, Jordon 2D (They discovered sex!!!)
:: Thanks to my Visual Arts Module ^^
:: Let me know if you don't catch this point, glad to 'enlighten'.

Birth of a Blog

Pretty satisfied with Blogger I must say... This channel is rather user friendly.
Spent most part of the day exploring the features and codes of this blog. Hopefully I can design my blog and give my own theme soon. Provided I have the time to do it. But this Lighthouse theme is rather soothing. Not bad.

Time to see for myself

After so much hype on blogging... and so much time this week to idle, I have decided to put my fingers to work on blogging. Will see how this goes. I may like it, may not, we shall see.