Rants & Ravings

Murphy's Law still works..
First part of wedding over.. now left the wedding dinner.. man its tiring.. ok lah.. not so much for me.. just open car door, video the event, hold the tray of tea.. stupid video camera had the stupid error message just when the other video camera guy's battery died.. so basically we didn't video quite a substantial portion.. like the part when the groom actually manages to bargain his way in.. and meets the bride.. quite duh.. cursed kevin's video camera.. just finished changing fish tank water.. now bum.. haha

It's over!!
Woo!!!.. yay!! fun fun fun...
Hang in there you guys who still have papers. :D

Low Morale..
Bad paper today... positively evil.. sigh.. Guess this is the "Even if" scenario ..
Tomorrow last paper. Whatever it is, it ends tomorrow night.

Constantine did Nickleback for Idol!!!
Hahaha... on a side note, am listening to Scott now.. and I think he's going to get the boot tomorrow.. He's doing a Luther Vandross song.. and he's quite off..
Anyway paper in slightly over 1 hr time.. Go me..

3 down 2 more to go!!
Philo paper was ok.. just 1 word which I didn't understand.. "Conflate".. what the.. my conclusion was confusely related... hahaha.. oh well
Anyway post exam procedure sure is screwed up. How do the people who collect people mess up? Seriously, the hard part of the exam was done by we the students, all you jokers have to do is go down the aisle, make sure u take an answer sheet from each desk.. yet they failed in this. There was one guy, he jumped 3 scripts altogether.. oh my goodness.. cause if you leave the exam hall early, your script is left on the table, so this guy who was collecting just somehow bypassed the 3 chairs in a row.. Only consolation is that they aren't lecturers and tutors.. whew.. otherwise NUS' "reputation" of world crass institute down the drain.

Bits of news
Go read the leisure section of the papers today. Sunday Plus. I don't normally read the sunday papers but Amanda told me to go read something in the main section so I decided to just read the rest as well. First thing that caught my eye was the article about rising cinema ticket prices.. the writer said that come first of May, cinema tickets will increase by 1 dollar to $19!!! I'm hoping that's a typo that the editor didn't manage to catch, otherwise, movies are now more expensive than a set meal..
Second interesting thing was the bit about urban legends in tekong.. about how a recruit supposedly was cleaning tthe toilet when blood started to ooze out of the walls..To that I say that's nonsense.. I once had to clean the whole platoon toilet while the rest were on route march and the only scary thing I encountered was the moss and algae that doesn't die.. brrr... scary...

Even though and even if
Cell was good tonight. Good company, good sharing, good learning and good food. Before I go on to the more serious stuff, must say that I owe June a retraction (yes yes.. I was wrong, you were right.. ) The fruit tarts were nice.. :D But there's something to be said abt the ladies who cook/bake.. they don't seem to like sugar. Always go for the mild taste. That being said, NEVER EVER BUY TWISTIE FIZZY!!! DON'T!.. It tastes like pocari sweat + fruit loops (the cereal) + something.. (chemical x)
Just read thru Dot's blog (its on the left for those that are interested). Her latest post has something which is very good. Go read it if you have time. It's about "even if". I commented that my own is "even though" then after posting I realised that its slightly different. "Even if" is more of a situation to come whereas mine "even though" is more of a it has happened already. Guess both are applicable to me also. Point being that I profess to believe in God. And that God is good and will see me thru. However what if He chooses to let me go through some extreme trial? (Many come to mind) Will I still hold fast to that belief? So I guess I say now (quite appropriate being exam time and all) that "even if" something goes wrong in my life, I will still trust in Him. "Even though" things seem uncertain and I'm kinda distracted with many worries, I will still trust in Him. Yes.

Picture of Psylocke as requested by June  

2 down 3 to go.
Today's paper was tough. First 3 qns were ok. Couldn't do qns 4. Qns 5 was quite straight forward. 6 was iffy.. I thought I was right, then after talking to my friends who couldn't do also.. I think I'm wrong also.. man hoping to get at least a B for this.. *prays really really really hard*

Letter to Nokia
Dear person from Nokia customer support:
I have a suggestion I would like you all to implement in your upcoming line of phones. And this is a message cancel. Yes a feature to cancel a message if you accidently press the send button. You have no idea how many times this has happened to me. I always press cancel lots and lots of times and start screaming to stop the send, but it never works. Nope not once. So since most people probably react this way when they are in this situation, please make it so that if one does press the cancel many many times, the said message will be cancelled.
Thanks and regards
Loyal Nokia user

Dear Loyal Nokia user
The phone does have a feature to prevent sending wrong messages. Its called looking before sending.
Yours sincerely,
Person from Nokia Customer support.

The New Superman 

The simple things in life
I'm going crazy trying to understand everything in my notes.. I don't even know how much I'm absorbing now.. so many formulas and graphs.. Thanks Vincent for helping me to understand the eqn.. It doesnt help when the lecturer gives an incomplete solution sheet..
Anyway a simple thing in life which I would like to share is taking a shower.. seriously.. been a while since I've realised the luxury of a nice cold shower. think was during army when showers were a super luxury.. cause taking a shower on a hot day was good.. and at the end of the day, well it just signified that it was time to sleep. Yet another good thing.
Now for an interesting observation about showers.. I shall call it water supply engineering.. I will assume that most of your showers have settings for cold and hot water. Ok what is our impression of cold water? Basically water that is well.. room temperature right? well that's what I thought.. but I was wrong.. its not.. in fact its way colder.. think below 20 degrees.. I experimented earlier. Not with an actual thermometer and what not.
Anyway here's the general procedure. I used only the cold water setting which was ok.. but then someone else in the house turned on the cold water resulting in the water becoming warmer.. which means even the cold water that we have has warm water mixed inside.. so I turned on the cold water to its max coldness.. and man it was cold.. so .. is this the actual temp of the cold water? Has to be right? No way that there's a chiller for the water just like there is a heater.. or maybe cause the water is stored underground.. ah.. 16 degrees in the shade..

ramble ramble ramble..

So much loathing.. so little time..
Tomorrow begins my first paper. My revision has kinda slowed down after doing revisions for 2 papers.. my 2nd and 4th paper are my greatest worries now.. cause sometimes they make sense and other times (majority) its like the notes are written in some other language.. and the thing is its not like I skipped a lot of lectures this sem.. Total I've skipped only at most 5 .. and even then its because I had projects to rush.. DARN YOU Electrical Engineering!!! A POX ON YOUR HEAD!!

And the New pope is...

Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger

Tailor Chronicles (Concluded)
Finally got my suit today.. its not bad.. still not used to wearing a suit yet though.. just not me.. haha.. anyway today was quite good.. had first prayer meeting for the china trip.. was interesting firstly cause they were trying to find the other co-leader.. haha.. then people sharing about why they want to go on this trip..
After service went with couple of YAG ppl to eat Hakka Yong Tau Foo.. yum.. haha.. nice.. second time eating.. then went back for YAG. Lesson was ok.. quite cut and dried.. but the discussion that followed was better.. There is now the formation of the Follow Up Commitee .. and Daryl is the King and Encourager.. hahah..
Tried to do some revision after that.. man.. all my tutorials suddenly look like greek to me.. after that Jon brought us to this cool middle eastern restaurant.. quite ex but interesting.. I got some chicken dish .. (the actual name is in arabic.. dunno how to pronounce) with Ice Arabic tea.. haha.. ok lah.. good experience.. but painful on the wallet.. later went shop and save and found Twisties newest flavor.. Fizzy.. its bright light blue.. its like sprite ice.. haha..haven't tasted.. will buy on saturday.. we eat this before we eat June's fruit tarts.. so it makes the tarts taste better.. haha.. I bet the twisties taste worst than the tom yam flavor from Kuantan.. ugh..

Stress makes strange bedfellows..
On this last day of the semester (before exams), I realised that this semester I managed to make a few more albeit casual aquaintances cause of circumstances.. people I would normally not have the chance to talk to .. thru things like projects, to annoying labs.. I may not know most of them by name, but I know them by sight and we tend to acknowledge each other when we pass .. that's the only good thing I've taken out of this rather stressful semester..

P.s.. go and check the floor plan of NUS if u all have time.. I noticed something very peculiar.. the symbol for ATM on the map is a box with the word ATM in it.. and the symbol key just says ATM.. haha.. very duh..

American Idol (NUS Engine Style!!)
Now I know how the contestants feel. Just had my last presentation.. a lot of groups got attacked and stuff.. well mainly cause every group has to present more or less the same thing so the lecturers (judges) kept saying just tell us the highlights.. the dumb thing is if you don't want to hear the same thing 20 times over don't make everyone do the same thing.. quite dumb.. then got attacked on some facts.. oh well.. Just glad that its over..

Don't like graphs..
I think I'm halfway thru with my power electronics module.. its a weird module.. basically to sum it up if u are good with graphs and coming up with the graphs, u can ace this mod.. seriously.. all the formulas can be derived from the graphs... the lecturer himself said don't have to memorise.. but then I suck at graphs.. really.. the only kind I vaguely like are the y = mx + c variety.. don't do much of that now.. now all my graphs have weird terms like harmonics and fundamentals.. fourier.. carrier and signals.. darn it!! *shakes fist at NUS *..

Last project tomorrow.. Presentation.. not prepared at all.. yay!! hahaha.. Who's up for lunch?

I need to go to New York!! Pronto.. now.. asap..

http://shakeshacknyc.com/

Woohoo!!

Name your fave snack!
Some lighthearted posting.. since exams around the corner, time to load up on the munchies .. so what is ur fave snack food? Also what drink goes great with the snack food.. and what's the best brand & flavor of chips you all have eaten? Food.. (Eh.. try not to suggest healthy stuff )

Studying makes me hungry...
And being hungry affects what I surf for...
http://www.taquitos.net/snacks.php?page_code=70

Heh.. was looking for the newest flavor of jack and jill's chips that i had on saturday.. Roasted wings.. if u like roast chicken.. this is the flavor for u ..

End of the week review
As of this writing its Sunday morning so yeah.. end of the week.. a really long week. Tomorrow should be quite normal.. I don't see anything that will put an unnecessary spike in the event-'o' meter.. (this is a good thing now). Boat is done.. Left amplifier which I should get everything done by Monday and the poster which I've already done my part and just need to present on Friday. Revisions started today with Soci. Don't really feel confident with anything this semester.. It's odd.. education should be making me more and more confident and comfortable each semester.. but it isn't.. in fact its more the opposite.. every semester is making me know less and less. Maybe I'm just tired.. yes. I am.

Forgot to Add
Boat is done.. presentation is in 8hrs + time.. Vincent is now in school manning the fort.. after tomorrow will be 1 down.. 2 to go..and after that.. the big boss awaits.. EXAMS!!

Super Happening day!
Had last philo lecture today. Was ok. Quite low turn out as usual and the lecturer was sick.. still down with a flu. He takes his job very seriously. Nice guy. After that began the 4 hours of lab.. went to do my amplifier.. spent all 4 hrs trying to figure out what was wrong.. skipped 2 lectures.. my nanotech one.. (which I dunno if have or not) and my last soci lecture (I figure that can read the notes.. important pt.. take note.. I put more ***) Before I left the lab, asked the GA again and he suggested changing a value which.. well never occured to me to change cause it shouldn't affect but it did.. haha.. so effectively my 4 major criteria of the project have been met.. just need to save the graphs, send home and add to report.. so yay!! ..
After that went for soci tutorial.. was supposed to discuss on deviants and gender today then get back test paper later.. then one of my friends, mouth very big.. ask for paper first.. then all very sad.. heh.. low morale.. ok lah.. my score average lah.. not that great.. once again could have done better.. guess I haven't gotten the hang of soci yet.. then all my other group members super high score lor.. one got 26.. another one got 22.. kaoz.. how come year 1s suddenly so power? jialat.. Fun last tutorial.. before class, I was telling 2 of my group members the story of how I have 2 free X-boxes but too lazy to collect.. then both of them become siao cha bo.. keep bugging me for it.. one wants to have it so she can play a new console.. the other one wants so she can sell it to buy a PS2.. ya..then later the other one come also want.. crazy crazy ppl.. didn't know girls played PS2..
Oh yah, so discussing abt deviants and gender.. when talking abt stuff that WE have DONE before that is considered deviant, she (my group leader) said smoking by the chimmney in NUS.. (illegal one lah).. then all of us (the rest of the group look at her), one member commented "eh u don't look like a smoker leh".. then later turns out that the result of the test stun her quite a bit that she quite off during the whole tutorial.. later she said.. "oh must be a deed I did before ah? thought just suggesting deviant acts" Pengz..
Following which the topic went to why men like to sleep around whereas women don't.. the thing abt men impregnating many women to ensure their line is carried on and women cause they only have 1 egg at one time so must be more selective.. then my group leader again (super off) said quite loudly "Got 1 egg only meh?"... then all look at her again.. then .. yes.. I had to tell her.. "yes"
Then later when talking abt gender and transexuals, I started saying that she went to Thailand for operation.. haha that would explain why she doesn't know about the female reproductive system.. haha.. then the rest also followed along.. But then she got back at me later.. or rather the rest also after class when we went to eat.. she started to describe the female reproductive system to us (like how there are 50 million eggs and they start out as follicles and stuff).. most disturbing conversation ever.. I'll never look at chicken cutlet the same way again.. ugh.. I tried to get them to do abnormal psyche with me next sem.. 1 is doing, the other 2 no.. so sad.. now that I got to know them better, think I'll miss them.. crazy kids..

Diana Krall concert was magnificent.
The set list was unusual. This was because most of the songs are not songs that she's known for. They are also not the songs that the radio has been playing for the past few weeks which is kind of a let down for that. But other than that.. was great. The team is really really good. The guitarist Anthony Wilson (I think) is crazy.. he plays crazy fast. The bassist Robert something or other.. (sorry bad with names) is great also.. Virtually all the songs had like 2 instrumental solos. Some even had solos from all the instruments.. haha.. And the lady herself.. what can I say.. she does not disappoint. There was also a song about big feet.. which was written about the bassist.. haha.. its a quirky song.. along the lines of "Toilet Bowl Song".. When they ended, they took a bow and went backstage.. then ppl started to leave, though lots of ppl were still clapping, then they came out to do 2 songs for encore.. haha.. Nice bits of humour here and there too.. like at the start when she welcomed the audience to Singapore.. haha.. and also when she did a song done by Elvis Costello whom she said "this is a song written by Elvis Costello... with some help from his wife (her)".. heh.. To which some audience shouted "Rock it babe".. then she repeated the statement and laughed.. Beauty and Talent..

Missed my anniversary by 1 day
Yup.. yesterday was the 5th anniversary of my NS enlistment.. haha.. such a faraway event.. weather that day was exact opposite of weather yesterday.. that day I remember was quite sunny and hot.. although mood was down. :(.. yesterday was cold, gloomy.. mood was nonexistent.. things get this way near the exams.. my theory of ppl emoting the weather.. I shall expound on this at a later date.. but yeah.. happy 5th anniversary to me.. haha.. but not long after will celebrate my 3rd anniversary of my ROD day.. yay. happy occasion galore..

The other Avril song that I like on the cd..

"Don't Tell Me"
You held my hand and walked me home, I know
Why you gave me that kiss it was something like this it made me go ooh ohh
You wiped my tears, got rid of all my fears, why did you have to go?
Guess it wasn't enough to take up some of my love
Guys are so hard to trust
Did I not tell you that I'm not like that girl?
The one who gives it all away

[Chorus:]
Did you think that I was gonna give it up to you, this time?
Did you think that it was somethin I was gonna do and cry?
Don't try to tell me what to do,Dont try to tell me what to say,
You're better off that way

Don't think that your charm and the fact that your arm is now around my neck
Will get you in my pants I'll have to kick your ass and make you never forget
I'm gonna ask you to stop, thought I liked you a lot, but I'm really upset
Get out of my head get off of my bed yeah thats what I said
Did I not tell you that I'm not like that girl, the one who, throws it all away

[Bridge]This guilt trip that you put me on won't, mess me up I've done no wrong
Any thoughts of you and me have gone away

[Chorus]Better off that way I'm better off alone anyway

Eloping - not really a bad thing
Had family dinner today. Everyone was discussing the upcoming wedding and stuff that had to be done etc etc.. man weddings are complicated.. I mean I'm not planning this one, but still very complicated.. I have tasks.. must open car door and house door for brother-in-law.. (my auntie say good can get money), then have to video tape the thing (my auntie say good again, can get more money), at the dinner must man the reception booth (my auntie once again says good, can get even more money)... But enough about me. :D
Got other stuff lah.. like the invite list.. inviting some not inviting others.. then cannot invite some cause of some bad family history, ppl never invite to theirs so don't invite them.. some people cannot sit with others.. should have liquor or not.. how many tables.. tables with only 11 people when should have 12.. Jialat.. but yet I think exam still more stress.. think the wedding for me is a no-brainer man.. but I need a list of tasks that is expected of me.. sure on that day will forget one.. my sister says I have to "open door, video tape, serve them tea (at the ceremony, though this was heavily disputed) and misc.. "..

I'm Blatantly ripping this from mr brown's site..
Well cause it took place in my annoying faculty so I have all rights to whatever happens on the grounds that a) I've spent lots of time in the faculty, b) its slowly killing me c) its probably one of the more interesting things to happen there d) the guy has guts.. stupid but has guts.. all caught on webcast.. unbelievable.. how come my lectures not so interesting one.. all my lectures just make me want to catch up on Zzzss.

Universally love proposal
A Uni Love Story (kinda):
Guy likes ger.
Guy gets sporting lecturer to let him profess his love for her.
Whole thing gets webcasted, NUS servers melt down from the load from the sudden interest in a Maths lecture (mirror here thanks to Jim).
Ger becomes famous (but less than enthused about the attention and the psychos taking her picture and even thought of changing her blog address).
Guy probably hiding in some hole right now.
cw, don't let the fame and snickers get you down, ok? Think merchandise, girl. If you put up a Paypal button, I'd be the first to buy your ?? T-shirt, man.
And what a cool Prof. "There's a guy, who likes this girl...ok, don't be too worried, the guy is not me." Hahahahaha!
Who would've thought all this romance and passion can be found in NUS Engineering?