The Highlands Stay

The journey begins with the coach ride just after day breaks on 22nd Dec 2007. After a very long ride, with breaks in between, we've finally reach the highland resort. This wasn't a trip that I was particularly keen to go, but whatever, since I'll be rotting away at home if I didn't go.

Anyway, this is the first time I go since I've turned 21, meaning I'm eligible to enter the casino. I didn't know what to expect but at least I know that the officer standing guard at the entrance will surely want to see my identity card, so it's always prepared before I enter the premise.

It wasn't at all an interesting place. During my stay there, I lost about 200RM at the slots machine. But luckily, they're not my money, so I don't feel the pinch. The air inside was very bad too. Smokers were allowed to smoke within the premise, and with the smoke all trapped in an enclosed place, the stench was really bad.


The air outside weren't any better. Even though I see no smoking signs at the shopping complex, the rule weren't strictly enforced. So many people were happily walking around and smoking polluting the air inside. Why are these people so inconsiderate..

The bowling alley didn't liked me either. I played terribly and washed the gutter so many times, making me get half my usual average score. So embarassing..

I didn't play much at the outdoor theme park though I had the whole day ticket. Since I weren't the adventurous type, I didn't like to take these type of joy rides. Therefore, I only went for some of the milder rides and pass on those that are too extremely for me. The queues were very long too, and was pretty much a waste of time.

Let's hope Kai will be able to plan a decent highlands stay in the next summer vacation or will we be going at all?

forest fire!!

Coming back to earth

After a 4-day trip to the Genting Highlands Resort, it's time to come back down with the examination results today.

The third sem was kinda in a rush for me. Tutorials, projects, assignments, etc. really give me little time for games throughout the semester. Though usually still have time for dota every night, I kinda reduce my gaming time by half.

The result was somewhat lower than what i expected, but there was still improvement from the past year, so well, I just have to be glad. The 2 papers in my first day of examination were the worst. This should really not happen since I have ample time for the revision during the study break.

The third paper was fine. Electrical Engine module, yucky to so many people, but it seems easy to me during the paper, and I'm glad I can say that the paper was indeed easy.

The next 3 papers came in the space of 2 days, which give me little time for the last paper, but probably the group assignment helped abit with my grades, saving me from a 3rd C for the semester. The other 2 papers fell below expectation, the pigeons must have eaten up the seeds in the magic garden.

Merry X'mas

Keep this short, Merry Christmas Everyone!!

Ugh, the boredom

This past week was the most boring it can get during the holidays. First, it's been raining almost everyday, meaning outdoor activities are no, no. Second, the ff disc doesn't work, but since I'm bent on completing the game this time round, I dug out the PS set and started playing again!! Third, my msn has been exceptionally quiet this week for some very good reason..

So in the end, all the wet-weather programs are utilised:
1) Anime watching, completing some 30 plus episodes from animes like prince of tennis, happiness!, and some childish anime. ;p;

2) Chauffeuring my mum and her friend to lunch.

3) Playing of games that I've played in secondary school. Retro is the 'in' thing nowadays. Keep watching channel 8 and you will know..

4) Rainy days means no outdoor activities like swimming and basketball, but there's always the dry version of swimming.

5) Watching the puppy play with his uncle, but his uncle is just not in the mood for that:

Get off me, little one!!

10 Days Countdown to Judgement Day

Judgement day is near, how i wonder the judges ever finish the judging in time. Especially the GEM judge, he's such a slowpoke when it comes to doing this, passing the mid-term judgement only after the final judgement is over.

Here's some skills attained from the past semester:

1) Ask a counter-question when people ask you a question that you do not know how to answer.
2) Q.E.D. Quo Erat Demonstrandum, is put at the end of a mathematical proof or philosophical argument.
3) The world will come to an end when the monk complete the moving of a Tower of Hanoi of 64 disks.
4) The art of Book-making.
5) Some training for line-laying before the ICT in 6 months time.
6) Making arguments that sounds logical but are simply wrong.
7) Making inferences from others' words without them having to spell it out.

Final Fantasy

When you talk about the FF series, the first one that really become a hit is FFVII. And now 10 years after the game is out, I once again took out the PC-CD rom version and installed in my PC. Way to go, at least it still works fine.

Playing from scratch again, I got a totally new experience. There's no lag like the first time I played on my PC. Haha, this is of course true, since the performance of computer increases at an exponential rate. Then I was running on minimum requirement for the game - the 32mb ram; now, 1gb..

As the game progresses, I reaches the first mini-game in the game. The bike game, where you have to prevent the enemy bikes from hitting the truck of the allies. With the improve in computer specification, I made a mess of the game and my allies got K.O. in 1 hit by the boss after the mini-game. The game was simply too fast for me to control the movement of my bike and attacks that I cannot protect my allies from harm of the enemies. This reminds me of my first programming lecturer's experience with pacman during the transition from MS-DOS to Windows (or something like that). He said the pacman simply just move so fast from one end of the board to another and there's no way to control it.

Time to leave the sad land of Midgar in search of Sephiroth. I put in extra effort in training my team getting them to learn all their limit breaks, stealing more weapons from monsters that appeared to sell. From my level at this point of the game, all the bosses were going to be a breeze. Having 1 or 2 of the teammates breaking their limits will do the trick.

Fighting on, I finally reach game land - Gold Saucer in Corel. Yay, my favourite part of the game, there's so many things to play here. Winning items in Speed Square, taking a trip round the playground in a skytrain in Round Square, resting at the ghost inn in Ghost Square, playing in the game arcade at Wonder Square, and the best of all, racing chocobos in Chocobo Square. But I can't take part in the race just yet, need to get the game to progress a little more.

Let's get the race started!! I simply wipe out Dyne, the boss, and ex-friend of Barret, leader of the 'terrorist' group, Avalanche, with a simple shot of Barret's level 3 limit break. Yahoo... Chocobo racing (racing music plays)...........

Error.................................................
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Send report ||||| Don't send report


What Anti-climax....

Woohoo..

Great, just one morning and my old bones are aching. Been a while since I played badminton, and the last time I played was not coincidently the last time when Ben was back. My skills have deteriorate, really need to brush up abit if I were to challenge ah Bee now. He's been secretly in training.

Next is to decide which I should play this wkend, soccer or basketball.. Either way, gotta bang seh some pple.

Days of Wandering starts again

Oh yeah, 1 wk of the holidays have passed, but it seems so boring everyday with nothing much to do. Time to start wandering around the neighbourhood again. Hope the rain goes away soon, then I'll wander further. Hope to buy a bike soon, then I'll wander even further.

Margin of 4-D

The margin for a bet on an event is

1-(bet odds)/(occurrence odds)

which will lie in the interval [0,1]; it is typically expressed as a percentage. This percentage shows that if you bet a large number of times, u can expect to be losing that percentage of the cumulative wager.

I shall now try to find a rough estimation for the margin for 4-D for a 1-dollar big bet. This is certainly flawed, since the winning numbers can be repeated.

let's calculate a weighted average of the bet odds. If i'm not wrong, the odds for the prizes are as follows for a 1-big bet:

consolation - 60,
starter - 250,
3rd - 500,
2nd - 1000,
1st - 2000

Therefore the weighted average for the betting odds will be:
{[(60+250) x 10 + 500 + 1000 + 2000] / 23} = 6600/23

Obviously, the occurence odds will be 10000/23.

Margin = 1 - (6600/23)/(10000/23) = 1 - 0.660 = 0.340 = 34.0%

You can conclude that you lose about 34.0% of the total wager you ever betted. Imagine the amount of money the bookmakers are earning...

What Exams are all about?

Exams, to me can be summarized using one word: CRAP!

Throughout the previous 2 weeks, what I have been writting in my papers are mostly crappy things. When the question is not in the MCQ format and I don't know the answer, I'll just anyhow write something totally without any basis. Just like the way I did my tutorials, which I was lucky enough to get one of them correct. But I guess this sort of things won't happen in this exam.

The first two papers were disasterous and they had to fall on the same day. Operating systems and probability, and I almost had the urge to hand in a blank answer sheet. But it's always still better to have something written, since Pr(score pt) = 0, when the answer is blank, and Pr(score pt) > 0, when the answer is not blank. Judging from how the probability mid-term test was marked, I just have to pray hard that the marker will be more lenient this time.

The third paper was surprisingly the easier paper. Whenever someone ask me what modules I was taking, they would be really shocked to hear that I was taking this module and asked me why i would wanna torture myself by taking an EE module. Perhaps the reason I take this module was that it has really got nothing to do with physics. So it was quite fun taking this course. Recommended if you haven't taken it - EE2006.

The fourth paper was the crappiest. The tutorials were easy (mistaken by Mr. Godlike as primary school maths), but the paper was much tougher. On top of that, after thinking through some parts of it, I found I might have committed some silly mistakes in my counting.

The fifth and sixth paper were on the same day too. The fifth was the morning paper on my GEM. The paper was very straightforward as some parts requires simple calculations, while others you just have to crap your way through. I finished around after 1.25hr, but stayed through the paper's duration as I still had a long break before the final paper. Towards the end, about half the hall was empty.

Soon after the fifth paper, I started my revision for my last paper, and I really mean start. Haven't revised that module at all, since the mid-term test. But given that this was the finale, I really don't have the mood to read. In the end, I managed to finish browsing through the tutorials and understand some concept, which really did come in handy. 30 MCQs, 4 structured. The 4 structured qns are just variations of the tutorial question, but I only managed to do 2 of them, seems like I'm goner for this module too. And from the MCQ section, I had to use this formula at least half the time: CEIL(RANDOM x N), where RANDOM is a function of the calculator that returns a psuedo-random value from 0,1 inclusive, and N is the number of choices the MCQ has. Hope I can get lucky.

Finally, I shall end this very long post with a question from the fourth paper, which I still cannot solve now:

A Professor in the secondary school of magic claims that if he were to plant 5 seeds in an equilateral triangle plot of land of sides 1m, at least 2 of the seeds will be less than 0.5m of each other. Use the pigeonhole principle to show that his claim is correct.

If this helps:

Pigeonhole principle says, if there are more pigeons than the number of pigeonholes, then at least 2 of the pigeons must come from the same hole.

I can't really imagine how can seeds be related to the pigeonhole principle, won't the pigeon just eat up the seeds?

Gotta believe in the power of moderation

The third stage of battle is coming to the climax. However, the non-volatile memory in my brain seems to used up, and everything I read will be gone when I sleep.

True enough, waking up to this morning, the first challenge was to show my understanding about operating systems - Windows, Unix and such. Something that I have been using everyday without fail for more than 3 years, yet my mind was a complete blank when being asked what they are all about.

Next come the maths, something that used to come all so naturally to me, yet now become my greatest struggle. I just felt glad that I'm not majoring in it now, as I totally can't do any of the calculations, and thinking about the problems just make me feel giddy.

Now that the papers for these two modules are over, and obviously, I won't be doing well for them, all I can do now is to believe the power of moderation. So, pray hard that others taking these modules can't do the questions as well.

Lines, Lines, Lines

This weekend was nothing to be enjoyable about. After spending the whole of the weekend 2 weeks ago on the breadboard, nothing is working. Therefore, I decided to dismantle everything and start going through the wiring from scratch!! What a pain.. Luckily, the troubleshooting only includes stripping wires and not using reef knots else it will take at least another few weeks to connect everything.

Finally after 4 days of wiring, the circuit is working as it ought to or at least how i hope it will work. Now what is left is the report that will need to be handed in this wednesday. Another pain in the neck. Drawing the circuit on paper and writing some nice description about it to hand in.

Hope the evaluator will be lenient since my circuit seems really messed up, even if i try to make it look nice.

Which one is nicer? Take a look at all the overhead crossings in the second pic, as compared to the one in the first one. The difference in standard is so large between me and the other students taking this course. I'm in for a tough battle to the end.

My Junior / My Senior

While rushing to the first lesson today, I saw a former classmate from primary school. In fact, it's the third time I see him in school this sem, just that I never greeted him, and he never noticed me. Anyway, this time, I called him, and he still took a few seconds to recognise me.. It's a good sign, at least he never said anything like I've not changed since last time.

He went to poly after secondary school, and is now a freshman at SoC. That should make him my junior. But he has been given exemption to some of the modules and has already taken at least one of the module I took last sem, and might also be exempted from some of the modules I'm currently taking. Therefore, in the end, we might just graduate together.

During secondary school days, it always seems that taking the poly route to university would be a waste of at least a year, but for those born in the same year as me, it doesn't seemed to go this way.

Drifting Away

The mid term tests period is finally over, with the last paper completed yesterday - Quiz 2 of CS1231X- Discrete Structures. This series of tests are really strenuous to the mind, but I don't see this as a time to slack. With 3 more projects still up and running, and deadlines approaching, I really want to get something done.

However, as always, things won't go the way as planned. I never fail to find excuses for not working hard (i.e. if i worked hard, then i failed to find excuses), and putting off what is to be done till the very last moments. The second submission for the Operating Systems project is this friday at 2359hrs, but I still have yet to expand on the parts that I was assigned. I guess my group members must really dislike me, since I have been really passive for this particular project.

Apart from the project, the labs from this particular module was also quite difficult to understand. Luckily, the lab TA was kind enough to extend the deadline for the lab submission for 1 of the lab by another week, for me to finish up. So for that particular week, I was behind time by 2 labs. How nua can I be..

At this point, I am already fearing for the worst for my Probability. Since tutorial 3, I've not been preparing for it. And the concepts of Probability just keeps on getting more abstract. Mathematics used to be my strongest subject, now it seems like it's one of the worst I can take. This means that most likely, I won't be taking anymore mathematics modules, and I'll have little other choices to go for as well.

Hoax or Not? Am I really Lucky?

A few weeks back, someone claimed that she was from a company in HK and asked me to take a survey regarding places that I have travelled to. After which, she gave me a lucky draw number if I'm not wrong is CS12658, and told me to wait for notification if I win a prize. She called back a while later and reminded me the number. She might have called back again a third time, but I didn't pick up the call, and I never heard from her again.

Two weeks ago, someone from Singtel called me and says I was selected to take up a free trial for Mio-TV. Along with the trial of 6 mths, I will receive a new modem and installation will be absolutely free. I accepted, and there, it was installed today.

Today, my sis told me that she received a call from NTUC Income while I was in school, saying that I've won something in a lucky draw... Don't know if it's for real, but the only policy I have with them is DPS. They never called back ever again.

Integrated Unit

An interesting event occurred today while I was going home from school. While walking towards the bus stop near school, I walked past a gas cylinder delivery man with his truck of cargos outside a gate that requires you to slot your cashcard into the IU in the car to pass.

However, from afar, it seems that this deliveryman was examining the gate or something. Holding his hand up poking the device that scans the IU in the car. As I walked nearer, of course like any other nosey parker, I looked more closely at what he was trying to do.

The Answer: Holding up his cashcard and trying to make the device read it off his hand.

Absent Mindedness

The testCount tally comes to 4 today and I really don't know what I have done as preparations for all of them so far. But nevermind that, I almost even went to the test at the wrong time today.

The test was scheduled at 2pm to 3pm but something in my mind keep telling me that it would even be too early if I were to leave home at 1.30pm. So I on my computer and did some revision with the notes and at the same time played some games, then watched Pokemon at 11a.m. and Good Morning, Teacher after that. Lunch was ready at 1pm, and off I went to eat. After eating for about 5 mins, i looked at the clock, and that's when I suddenly realize something amiss.

I was lucky that I still made it on time for the test, but had to burn a hole in my pocket..

The test wasn't that difficult, but who knows, maybe I got tricked into thinking it's easy, that's why I find it easy. Whatever it is, just hope that those questions that I give a random answer, the God that I worship will help me get them right!

Probability of scoring high is low

Today marks the start of mid term tests. And to kick start the series of tests with 2 consecutive tests is really a very bad thing to do. Even though the recess has just ended, I couldn't really make myself revise, and of course find myself short on time this few days.

This therefore means that I have to compromise with my revision for the tests. Reading the minimal for my Operating System test which is a mcq test and focus more on my probability test - 2 questions for 40% of the total grade.

As usual, the tests turn out to be disasterous. The mcq test was really messed up, having to guess through so many of them, it will take a whole lot of luck to get a reasonable score.

The maths test didn't seem that hard at first glance, but when it comes to comparing answers after the test, I found that I as usual had mislook so many things including the memorylessness property of a geometric distribution. Something that I always hear the lecturer says..

Now the only thing i can do is to worship more of Kai, and hope that I get better grades.

Today is a weird day..

It's quite amazing today even though as usual, I stayed at home doing nothing conducive. What is the probability that one of contacts on msn that you have not chat in a long time message you? It's quite low isn't it?

At about 9pm, one of the colleague from last year's job suddenly sent a message about a blog site where she is trying to sell some clothes. Guess it's been more than a year since we had msn-ed.

At 12am, coincidently my secondary school friend who also hasn't contacted since last Mid-Autumn Festival also initiated a chat. Now the probability is even lower. But the story ain't ending just yet. At 12.30am, a signaller who has MIA for most of the time suddenly msg me and asked me 2 questions from the A-Maths textbook(which his tutee asked him about) but he couldn't solve.

Now this probability is really small. It's kinda amazing that something with such small probability occurs at all.

Therefore it can be seen that:
1. Events with low probability do occur
2. Miracles have a low probablility of occuring
3. Therefore, miracles do occur

Oops, I seemed to have been Poisson by the current modules that I'm taking that I'm constantly using them in my language.. Anyway,

Happy Mid Autumn Festival to ALL!!!

Wrath of the Semester

The semester is finally attacking at full-power this week.

CS2105's group assignment is out. With my group of 3 who don't really know what is going on in the networking module and all of us haven't touch programming since the end of last semester, we're in for a fun time for the coding of the program. However fun it may be, the deadline for the first part of the assignment is set on Children's Day.. Hai, means cannot enjoy Children's Day this year.

The EE2006 laboratories will also be commencing this wednesday with D2 lab, which means programming in VHDL - some language that is used for designing circuits. For the early part of the lecture, it's seems manageable, but as the lecturer goes on and on, there seems to be a lot of things to memorize. Worst part is I've never really try out the programming myself, and don't know how the programming will be like.

I have probably lined-up too many things for the upcoming recess week. Everything is so rushed and it won't be a recess at all.

Enemies have surrounded me..

Would you play with the you, you who you see in the mirror?

My enemy count has been increasing over the weeks, and most of the problem seems to lie with me. I've been feeling that I'm under-achieveing, but I just cannot get the motivation to get myself to work. This frustration has caused my mood to swing vigourously and i find myself acting sulky most of the times, and find that everything irritates me.

Over time, knowingly or unknowingly, I have offended a few people that I know of, some whom I don't know, and neglected some of my friends. I should extend my apologies to all these people.

With such sulky facial expression, it's difficult to get to know more people. I feel like a lone ranger some of the time. With no friend to turn to when I can't solve my tutorial question, it's difficult to get to understand the information that the lecturers are bombarding me with.. I'll have to try to know someone in my course that is equivalent to Kai, so that I can leech on his knowledge.

However, the most important thing that I need now is a sorting algorithm that can help sort out my thoughts and something that I can use to retrieve the old self that the garbage collector had garbaged a few years back. Finally, a constant smile on my face will help a lot in making new friends, but that's an uphill task. It's good for you to have a constant smile on your face too, as no one will like to be with someone who is always sulking.

Time for the sun to shine again

After meeting Charmaine (Treasurer for GF) today to pass her the invoices for the rental of van and a taxi receipt, I officially wash my hands off GF. This involvement was basically a disaster for me as I had written why on my previous post (the very long one), and I got into a few more people's black book, but who cares..

The past weekend, I haven't gotten any work done at all.. All the tutorials have been left untouched, and even when i read the textbook, nothing seems to go in my head. Somehow, I'm lacking the concentration to do serious work. I'll need to instill more self-discipline if I really want to make it out of the semester with something to feel glorious about. How I'll achieve this? Nope, I don't know yet, but I'll get it figured out after I get my locker, if I managed to get 1 in the first place.

Why am i busying myself with nothing?

It's been more than a mth since I joined that dratted committee. I've stopped working early in the holidays thinking that I'll be involved in some meaningful event, but now, i feel that i shouldn't have signed up at all...

In the period, I've went to a grand total of 3 meetings, 2 of which are crashing into a committee that I'm not in, and another one which totally does not require my presence. Apart from that, I've not heard from the head of my committee(Erwin) until I emailed him, and not seen him till yesterday (the start of the event) and I really have an issue with him.

All the things that I've done so far are basically Sai Kang.. Registration for the event(last week), collecting a rented vehicle in Sin Ming Ave (Bishan for pple like me who donno where it is), chauffeuring pple around and delivering gds (yesterday)..

I was told to collect the vehicle at 7.30am, so can you imagine how early I have to wake up? Though I have my doubts that the rental company will be opened so early in the morning, I reached there on time and as I thought, it was not opened. So I msg Erwin, and now he tell me the company opens at 8.30am. WTF!! NVM, I wait... When I went to pick him up at Suntec, he told me actually he wanted to meet me at 7.30am (for f***) and he overslept (he was supposed to be at Suntec for some matter and did not sleep the whole night), to collect the vehicle.. Was he actually thinking of meeting me at Suntec? Mind you, he knows where I stay.. 7.30am? He's got to be kidding...

Today, he once again SMS-ed me and told me to return the vehicle to the company as they won't be using it. It was already 2pm, mind you, it's saturday today and most places work half day, and it is mostly the case for this company, since they are located at such an ulu place. Ok, no one answered the phone of the company, no problem, I can bring the vehicle over and take a look, at most I think of something else if the company was closed. So off to Suntec to get the van.. As Comex is also on going, Suntec was so crowded.. All the way from City Hall MRT, the traffic was so heavy, especially the bridge from City Link to Suntec, you have to queue up to get across.

When I finally reach the tentage, Erwin was no where to be found. When I called him, he told me he wasn't there and will get someone to call me then hang up before i can finish asking.. He got Violet to call me, and we met. Guess what she told me... They will need the van tmr and no intention of returning it today. Think there was mis-communication between them.. Do they think it's fun to spend 1 hr going down to Suntec and another 1 hr back to listen to some rubbish like that?

All together, he's already made me spent $4.50 on transportations, and wasted 7 hrs of my time which include making me go a big round to Mei Ling Street from Suntec.. Telling me to take the exit at NUH and travel thru South Buona Vista Road to Pasir Panjang Road to Alexandra Road and getting lost there (see map), instead of taking the Normanton Park exit, cutting through Queensway and getting to our destination (see map). Does he even know how to use the street directory?

If Chubbs think think that he's made "another botched attempt", he shd think again. This event is poorly organised and communication among them are bad, not worth wasting time on it.

The Busy New Semester!

Now, now, don't get me wrong.. I'm not particularly busy with school work this sem, even though I did take 1 more module as compared to the last year. This sem is exceptionally busy because of the added travelings around the campus..

With SOC shifted to the new site at the old Law building, I have to travel alot between lessons. Taking 3 computing modules, 2 science modules, and 1 engine module, means i have to travel to all 3 faculties on mondays and thursdays, and especially thursday, I have to go between each places twice.

Travelling from the new SOC to Science is the most troublesome. Even though the straight line distance isn't that far, they are separated by a hill. The bus route will make a big detour, and on foot, you can choose to take a hike up the hill, then down again to reach Science, so travelling between this 2 places takes a long time. Perhaps if I take a hike every week, I won't have to go exercise anymore.

The SOC new site isn't a really good place either. It's nicely done up after Law moved out, but it's already a leaking in the second floor today. Hope is not due to the heavy rain that caused the leak, if not I cannot imagine how many floors are leaking in that block..

Tutorials starts (again)^2...

As pple like Kai and Oys rejoiced that tutorials are starting and that they can once again showcase their knowledge in class, I'm left for dead in my computing tutorial questions.. For the first 2 wks of lecture, one of the lecturer seems to have kept us well entertained, but has failed to teach us anything useful that will come in handy for the tutorial.. No wonder at the end of last wk's lecture, he said "enjoy your tutorials.". Guess it just means that I have to find all the answers from other sources of informations.

Usually, i won't bother myself with preparations for tutorials, but this module is really annoying, asking us to hand in the answer for the first question and be prepared for discussion in class for that 5% of participation marks. So, left with no choice, have to prepare for all the questions.

Anyway, today is once again the last sunday of the month, so it's back to settlers cafe @ clarke quay. We played a new game(which the name is quite weird, so i forgot le), about pirates, and expectedly, Captain Kaiak showed why he's Captain of the imperial crew, Fourplay, by winning both games we played. The next game is what we played on the first visit to settlers, Havoc. And wow, Kai won again!!! He's just too pro..

WorkLoad

This post is for own reference.

CS1231 -- 3-1-0-3-3 --- 10
CS2105 -- 2-1-0-3-4 --- 10
CS2106 -- 3-1-2-2-3 --- 11
EE2006 -- 3-0.75-0.5-2-4 --- 10.25
GEM2900 -- 4-0-0-3-3 --- 10
ST2131 -- 3-1-0-0-6 --- 10

* A-B-C-D-E --- F
A: no. of lecture hours per week
B: no. of tutorial hours per week
C: no. of laboratory hours per week
D: no. of hours for projects, assignments, fieldwork etc per week
E: no. of hours for preparatory work by a student per week
F: total no. of hours of workload for module

** Information taken off NUS / CORS website

Total no. of Hours / Week: 24 * 7 = 168 hrs
Total Hours of Lesson: 10 + 10 + 11 + 10.25 + 10 + 10 = 61.25 hrs (R : 106.75)
Total Sleep Time: 8 * 7 = 56 hrs ( R : 50.75 )
Total Travelling Time: 2 * 5 = 10 hrs ( R : 40.75 )

So it remains 40.75 hrs / week for doing miscellaneous stuff and leisure..

How to get the phone number of a girl?

Step by step guide to get the phone number of a girl.

1. Enter Forum Coop, and join the textbook queue in front of a girl.
2. When it's your turn to be served, tell the shopkeeper what book you need.. Surprise, the shopkeeper ask for the next person and the girl join u and told the shopkeeper what book she need.
3. Thanks to the shopkeeper's brilliance, you found out that the girl is 1 year your junior, and is looking for a book you have.
4. Offer to sell her your books.
5. Exchange your numbers.

Isn't it simple?

The Final Piece of the Puzzle?

With the conclusion of round 2a of bidding, I've found myself the 5th module for sem 3. A general education module GEM2900 (Understand'g Uncertainty & Stats Think'g). Another thinking module, guess I just haven't learnt my lesson from the mathematical thinking, but nevermind that, this is i think the cheapest Type B GEM I can get though it still costs me a massive 100 points. This could well be the final module I'm bidding for this semester, but I'm still open to options for a 6th module.

Looking at my current timetable, it really looks kinda slack. Having long breaks on Thursdays, and only 1 lecture on each of the odd days. Think I'm gonna place some of the tutorials on the long breaks on Thursday, and declare the odd days as vacation days in the LT.

Hm.. Something seems to be wrong with me. I am actually looking forward to the start of school.

Paprika

I've been wanting to watch the show even before it got on the screen of the Picturehouse, and I finally get down to watching it today. The first week it was screened, I was still working, and didnt watch. The second week it was screened, there was the darn meeting which foiled the plans of watching. This is the third week, and after planning for 1 wk, a last minute call for meeting almost foil my plan again, but I wasn't going to let it happen. Even if I'm going to watch it alone, I will watch it today.. After the bad week, I really need something going. I'm glad that chubbs asked for a delay for the meeting from 4pm to 5pm, and went for the movie and the sakae buffet as planned. Poh and Miz also went.

The movie wasn't bad, just a bit abstract. It was about a dream machine that allows people to enter the dreams of other people. Initially used as a medical tool, but was stolen by someone and used for harmful purposes. It was quite difficult to tell when the scenes are in the real world and when they are in the dream world.

After the movie was the sakae lunch / dinner (tea break). Been a while since I had the buffet at sakae sushi. Though we are 22, we still manage to get a youth rate price at $13.90++. Think Poh must have given the waiter a wrong impression that we are all 21 this year. But it's ok, as it saved us $3.00++ each.

Stale Feeling

For some unknown reason, I have been feeling rather upset throughout the week. Perhaps because I'm really bored to tears hanging around aimlessly.

As the saying goes, strike while the iron's hot, but it seems like my iron has already cooled and taken it's final shape. After signing up for the event that would be held at the end of the month, I've practically been given nothing to do while everyone else who signed up together already gotten their assignments. My enthusiasm gauge has fallen tremendously from the time I signed up.

Nevermind that, I got to put my focus on something else. What would be better than to play at a friendly neighbourhood basketball court? And off I went to play on Tuesday. With no one at the court to play with, I started off with my routine shooting practise. After countless of shots, an uncle in his forties came down with people who seems likely to be his family. Anyway, he challenged me to a 1v1. Even though I dont really like to play 1v1, I accepted the challenge anyway. He wasn't really a good player, but I must have been a lousier player to lose to him.

The rest of the weekdays were uneventful. By the weekend, I was already filled with nothing else but negative feelings. So I organized another basketball this time with friends, from sec all the way to NS. Of course, Kai, the Legendary, attended the bball session, and his presence just adds on to my frustration by treating me to a lot of steamboats, even though the intention was to vent some of my frustration.

The bad week was summed up with a grand-aunt's visit. I always like to practice my swordsmanship, but today's practise targets are something that is really slimy and slippery. And it really got on my nerves just cutting them...

The task, to separate the green portion from the white

Change of Plans

As the module bidding exercise commensed, many things did not happen according to plans. Having found that I do not meet the prerequisite for Database Systems, I have to look to other options.

So finally after some major discussion, I ended round 1 bidding with 4 modules. CS1231x - discrete structures, ST2131 - probability, CS2105 - Introduction to Computer Networks, and CS2106 - Operating Systems. And all these 4 modules, if I can get my tutorials at the right timings, will fit nicely into 4 days. Which means that for my fifth module, I will probably look for something that will not jeopardize the plan.

Sigh, I guess I wasn't destined to take the project module in sem 4, gotta push it back to sem 5. Need to do some topo-ing on my modules, if not I may messed up and end up graduating late.

Modules to take after sem 3: CS2102s , CS2103 , CS3212 , CS3215 , CS3230
At least 2 modules from: CS3211, CS3220, CS3231, CS3234, CS3243

Hmm.. Actually I've met or will meet the prerequisite by sem 4 for most of them except the project module CS3215. Hopefully not a problem to graduate in year 4.

Logistics or Publicity

After being in the gaming fiesta committee for a week, I still have no idea where I belong. Initially, I was told publicity, but soon, to find that my name was not in the committee. After some confirmation, I found myself to be in Logistics, but well, I still haven't heard anything from anyone. This can only show that I am unwanted by everyone. Though I am positive that I'm in Logistics (at least on paper), I'm now also in Publicity (thanks to Kai's broad connections in Publicity). Now I have to hope that Logistics remain dormant, so I don't have to become a two-timer in the event.

The Last Day

Today is the 29th and final working day for me at my current workplace, but nothing seems to work out fine for me in the morning.

Bright and early in the morning, the photocopier was the first to throw a tantrum. After having a mis-feed, I was quick to remedy the situation removing 2 pieces of paper that was stuck in the machine. However, it still shows that there was at least another paper inside. So I performed the paper mis-feed drill again, and again and again, and it still didn’t work. Then manager O came. She basically did the same drill as I did, and poof, the mis-feed is resolved.

My stapler has never failed me in the 2000 shots, but today, a double feeding occurred and required the IA drill. Even the company stamp had something against me. While stamping my timesheet, the stamp somehow got stucked.

I am also quite pai-seh to some of the people in the company. Somehow, they know my name, but I don’t really recall seeing them at all, but well, just smile and say thank you won’t hurt. Anyway, I bade farewell to some of those that I know – the receptionist, Grace, pantry lady (authentic one, not kopi soh from last year’s work place), Lilian, and Herry from IT.

Lunch was packed back to the office. Over lunch, my bosses told some very interesting experiences in some of their overseas trips. They were all so funny, and I’m so envious of all these trips they make with the air fares paid for. Wonder how my future job will be like, though I won’t really like a job that makes me fly all over the places.

My adventure in a department with all people of the opposite gender is over. In the 1.5 month, I sort of felt like I had become the male lead to a Japanese anime with a theme like “Love Hina”. But now, I will have to switch back into the undergrad mode and game like there’s no tomorrow.

Module Headache

It's a great feeling to know that school is starting again in 3 weeks. Apart from meaning the end (in 4 days) of working life for this year, it also symbolise the module bidding is going to start. Round 0 starts from Wednesday (25-Jul).

As usual, I'll be taking 5 modules, still so noob.. Need to find someway to improve my grades, I'm too exam-stupid, cannot get good grades in examination time.

I have chosen 3 of the 5 modules that I'll be taking, Database Systems, Discrete Structures, Probability. This is already sick shit combination of 2 mathematical module, plus a programming module, isn't it??? : ) The other 2 modules will be dependable on timetable availability, interest and who is taking with me.

Harry Potter - Order of the Pheonix

Plans to watch this show began 2 weeks ago, right after watching transformers. Initially, the date was set to be yesterday at PS. However, many seems to be unable to make it, so it was changed to today instead.

The show was at 5.05pm, so I reached at 4.45pm. To my surprise, no one was around, and this was quite impossible so to prove my suspicion that I had went to the wrong place, I sms-ed Kai, and this is the conversation:

Me: "where you?"
Him: "where u"
Me: " I asked you first"
Him: "cinema"
Me: "which one"
Him: "north point"
Me: "oh, where is it?"
Him: "Singapore"
(getting quite annoyed..)
Me: "Not going le. Facebook write watching at ps. Now change to somewhere i nvr heard before. You all enjoy yourself"

Anyway, the show was changed to marina square, and the message somehow didn't reach me, apart from the change of time. No matter, I still manage to reach marina square before the show starts, only miss a bit of the advertisement, thanks to kai.

The show wasn't that bad, at least not one that I'd fall asleep watching. Won't tell you much since you can read the review(Warning! May contain spoiler). My cousin claimed she wrote it, but there's no name to it. Whatever, just give her the benefit of the doubt.

Another week..

The number of working days officially drop to single digit today. This past week was really a fast week, as my bosses were away for most of the time, but even without them, I was really busy most of the time. I was busy with printing thousands of email on Monday and Tuesday, and thereafter, with filing full days.. After indenting 25 reams of paper last week, I have only around 10 reams left, sobz.. How many trees have I killed??

Of the days, Thursday was the slowest to pass. With the only other staff in the department taking leave, I was the only one left hanging around. It wasn't that bad actually, can skive abit, but the bad thing is cannot sleep as the place was very open and other people will see. Not like the offices I use to go and sleep in.

Actually, the job wasn't as bad as I thought. Perhaps why I thought it was bad was because I haven't got in the mood of working. Anyway, the pay is good, there's free lunch and transportation all over the island, it's a really good job for a mercenary like me.

R.O.D. 27th July

Finally, I have set the time I'll be quitting my job. This is a good date since the module bidding round 0 will start on 25th, and 1a starts 30th. This date will be just nice to meet this bidding period, and make preparations for the new study year.

I was quite unfortunate to get my current job at the wrong time, going into a dept in its active period. Having meetings and training with its area managers (Hong Kong, Indonesia, Taiwan), meaning I have alot of things to do. Lucky I didn't screw their meetings and trainings.

Now, we are going into low period, so I'm back doing what most administrator do --- filing. And my boss has been pressing me to finish up the filing before I leave. Currently, I have 2000+ emails to print and and add on to the table of emails already printed. How am I going to finish all of these up.

Lucky for me, only another administrator will be in the office with me next week, meaning I'll be able to concentrate on the job at hand.

Work Work Work!!

It's a week since I started work at my current location, and it don't seems like I have accomplished anything.

In the first three days, I was there to learn the ropes. After that, I'm thrown with tonnes of work. A whole table of filing to do, and more to come after i print them out. All these could already keep me busy everyday for my 1 month of employment at this company.

What more do I have to do? Indent stationery, zap papers, prepare for some meeting this week and training next week and this list can just go on and on.. Sort of like the life I had during NS, but more hectic, and a higher pay.

An un-Exciting new start

Just after receiving a call from the agency yesterday morning, I've started work today...

The journey starts off today with meeting my upper-study, Kathrine (the one that I'm replacing), at cck mrt. From there she brougth me to work. The trip took slightly longer than 30mins. She showed me the daily routine for the morning and it really feels like what we used to do in camp, open cupboards, cabinets and rooms.

Slowly, bit by bit, the rest of the department starts to report for work. They were all elated to find that I'm an undergrad at the SOC in NUS -- IT guy, computer whiz.. God, give me strength..

Lunch was provided in their canteen and I ate with 3 other colleagues. The first question directed at me is "Have you completed NS?". A common question in my FAQ.

Serenity gone forever!

Hooray, the Brickland Road extention is finally opened on Sunday, 10th June 2007. After the construction commenced more than a year ago, it's finally done! It cuts short travelling time from my house to Bukit Batok area by a lot since it's a straight route with no traffic lights apart from the lights at either ends of the extention.

Yesterday I went for a run for the first time on this new road, from one end to another and back. It is a real good place for running and cycling with not many people on the footpath. The road as reported on the news is approximately 2km, means that I ran about 4km(worst case scenario 3km). Think i ought to buy a bicycle soon.

Great, but everything comes with a price. It disconcerted the serenity that had always been around since I moved in when I was sec 1. The road sits on the outskirt of the forest just outside of my room's window. When I first moved in, it was quite scary to see the forest and listen to the howling winds in the night, especially after 'lights off', but soon I became used to it, and enjoyed the serenity. Now it's time to get used to the new environment.

the Interview

The one week camping trip is finally over, this means that I have to start finding a job for the rest of the 2 months of vacation, unless I intend to rot away without doing anything this summer.

I went to a particular hotel for an interview on monday(4/6), along with chubbs, kai, and howard, and the intended job was supposed to be helping out in their recreation department @ $6/hr. However, for some reasons, we were told by the manager that the recreation department did not require so many labourers and told us if we mind going to other departments. We were fine with that, but since it was around lunch time, we were told to come back after lunch so that they can make the necessary arrangements.

It was slightly before 12pm when we left and were told to return at 2pm!! And I thought we were the only ones to have lunch breaks from 1130-1400. Anyway, when we returned, we were assigned to the housekeeping department. Kai and Howard were selected by the manager of the HR department to be bellhop, while chubbs and I were to be runners (bring things up to customers when they call).

We were then briefed by the manager of the housekeeping department about the job scope, work hours and pay. We were expected to work in shift and on alternate 5 and 6 days-week, and the pay was a meagre $950/month(+ whatever tips you get). Perhaps because they wanted to save up on the cpf contribution part.

On our way home, Howard was the first to voice out his reluctance to work and soon it triggered a chain reaction with Kai saying "if howard not going to work, then I will also quit", then chubbs says "if Kai is not working, then I also dowan.". This leaves me, and the outcome is pretty obvious, none of us accepted the job in the end.

It's back to the seas then, while I wait for confirmation from a job agency which DY RSM had introduced to me. The grass should be greener there.

ICT 1

Having attained nsman status for slightly longer than a year, it's the first reservist time! One week back in camp, with a Public Holiday book out, it's quite a waste of time.

Initially, I thought that we wouldn't have much to do, but in fact, there wasn't really much to do except lessons and IPPT. I was quite saded by IPPT cause, i only managed to get a passing time for 2.4km, meaning only get an incentive of 100 bucks.

How to save money?

So far, in the holidays, I've been slacking around and not working. This means that I'm having no income. Therefore I've to keep a tight budget. What are some of the ways?

1. Try to stay home as much as possible -- you won't spend any money at all.
2. Go out to supermarket with my parents, so I don't have to pay for my own titbits.
3. When out with friends, don't eat too much.
4. When visiting the barber, don't reveal my real age, so i get a discount of $1 for each cut, paying the rate for secondary school students. It's best to wear school uniform to barber, so they won't even ask your age.

Some of these may be quite 'cheap', but no choice, I have no income so I have to scrimp.

Full Day Out

It's the Champions League finals, AC had their revenge winning 2-1 with some lucky moments and I was watching it Live, in front of television. Nope, it's not shown on channel 5 or any other mediacorp channel, as they only support our very own league, I went to chubbs house to watch. It's my second visit there.

I should have reached earlier, but abit ho-lan, and i reached only at 10pm. In preparation for the match, we slept at 11 plus and wake up just before the match starts. Chubbs's room was capacious, around 2 times that of mine. Well, that's the difference in living in a pidgeon's hole, and living in a big nest.

We watched the match with another 2 of chubbs's cousin. The match was a disaster for Liverpool. They were owning until one of their rax got cleared in the 45th min by a free kick. The second half was more open, and once again Liverpool lose another rax in the 83rd min, and it's all but over. They did down 1 of Milan's rax in the 89th min, but it wasn't enough to convert the outcome of the game.

The crowning of the new champion wasn't interesting so we din't watch. Early next morning, I followed chubbs to watch the killer zombies in action, before we had breakfast at Mcdonald. As we are going to watch Pirates of the Carribeans in the late morning, and it's still early after breakfast, we went back to his house to slack a bit. Too tired after watching the early morning match.

Later in the day, we went to Plaza Sing to collect my handphone which i had sent for repair, and watch the movie. Since collecting the handphone was the main reason that we are watching the show today. The show was quite funny, and lasting for nearly 3hrs, it's worth the money watching the show.

The final event of the day was lunching at Carls' Jr, before going home. The journey home was torturing as on many occasions, i almost fell asleep while standing up. When i reached home, my aunt called and told me 三缺一..

finally back

HA, the service is finally back!!

An uneventful 2 weeks of holiday has passed, and i'm still idling around, waiting for the results and ICT that will come in the next 2 weeks. Guess i have to start my training all over again for the IPPT as my fitness had declined, not running for a month or so. Went to play soccer with my secondary school friends last weekend, but couldn't even hold out for a few games. I still have the pace, but the stamina and the skills have dropped tremendously.

Things just get worse when my phone suddenly stopped functioning all together. Now I have to bring it to plaza singapura to have it repaired.. Barely bought for 2 months, and it's already spoilt..

My desktop is also ready for collection at my relative's house, but haven't visited them for 2 weeks. Don't really know when I'll get it back, just have to wait and see.

Error

So this is the best i can do, edit my previous post to make it a current post. This is the error message i see when i click on new post:

The Truth

I know, truth usually hurts, but I have to tell you the truth of SOC students.

1. Being an SOCian doesn't means I'm techno-whizz.
2. Being an SOCian doesn't means I'm any useful for repairing my own computer if it fails.
3. Being an SOCian doesn't means I'll be able to diagnose the root of the problem when a computer fails
4. Being an SOCian doesn't means I'm able to maintain my network's setting if it goes wrong.
5. COM1 only gives basic programming in JAVA.
6. We will be streamed into different majors by the end of year 2.

Most probably, I'll be going to Computer Science. Other majors include Communication and Media, Infomation System, E-Commerse, Computer Engine(SOC). This means that I should be doing more of programming and I still won't be able to repair my own PC if it spoils. So please if my computer fails, don't ask me why I send it for repair..

The time I've been waiting for

Finally, the exams is over. After 2 weeks of time wasting going to MPSH for the 5 modules, and not able to do most of the questions, I can only hope that most of the others who took the same modules as me weren't able to do their papers too, then i will be able to get a better result than what I'm expecting. But for now, I'll just be optimistic and think that others also cannot do the papers, so I can have a good 3 weeks break before the result is out.

Though it's finally the long awaited holidays, I do not know what I'll be doing in this period. The ICT in the middle of nowhere spoilt the whole holiday. Another week of time-wasting going back to camp, for only 100 bucks. Perhaps with IPPT, another 200 for a silver, if I can still manage.

Road to the last paper

The preparation for the final battle has finally begun yesterday. Module is MA1505 - maths 1, and I've employed a world class tutor to help me with this, so I went to a mcdonald in AMK where we meet to have breakfast before the tuition starts.

First up, mid-term test which I got 6/12, looks scary when I did it, but the tutor made light work of it, and spotted where some of my mistakes are in my workings during the test.

The rest of the day was chapter by chapter revision with occasional practise question to work on. From the explanations, the module seemed like a very easy paper, but for some reasons, I wasn't able to do the questions when the time call for it.

Whatever it is, it's do or die time now. Need to do more questions to get the hang of solving maths questions, since according the the tutor, experience will make you pro, and it's a proven fact since he has become very pro at using shadowraze of shadow fiend with lots of experience playing it.

80% only

Last week was sickening. The week of examination is a torture but what I'm looking forward to is the summer break after the exams. So near yet so far, 1 more paper to go, but the paper is on friday. Good for me though, since I haven't done much for this module, the extra time hopefully provide me with ample time to revise.

Even though, the exams is not over for me, I seemed to be already in holiday mood, playing pool with Ah Bee yesterday and the plan to go Chill and Chat tomorrow. This means that I will have 4 days(an over estimate) for the final revision.

No matter what, 4 out of 5 of the papers are over with, and I do not wish to talk about them, especially the physics paper. It's a disaster. Just cross my finger and wait for the result which will be released on the 26th next month. Following closely will be ICT!! Everything to be sad about, but whatever have to come will have to come, just bring it!

Lifts

Lifts are a part of everyday life to many people nowadays, therefore I really hate people who hog on to the lifts, causing me to waste my precious time.

I remembered once when I wanted to go downstairs, i pressed the button to summon the lift for going down, but none of the two lifts responded. One of it was at ground level, and the other one was at the 12th. At that time, I can hear alot of chatting coming from above me, and it really annoyed me. They were busy chatting and holding on to the lift. I shouted up to them "Oi!". After a while, the lift came down, but i waited for the next one. Wouldn't share a lift with people like these.. Argh, i should have gone down to every floor below me and press down instead, so i can waste their time. Count themselves lucky.

Today, feeling rather edgy after the first exam paper for physics. Didn't do well as usual, cause my physics is really bad, hope I wouldn't need to take anymore physics in future. Anyway, I was at the second floor of my block. When i reached, I saw the lift that always stop at the ground floor going up, and the same time, the one that usually stop at the eleventh floor coming down.

Nothing unusual since this always happen when someone goes up on the ground floor, the one at eleventh floor will come down. The unusual thing is, both lifts stopped at the fifth floor, one says it will be going up, and the other going down. But when they moved again, both of the lifts came down. The jerk must have pressed both buttons for going up and going down. Are they so illiterate that they cannot differentiate between arrow point up and down? Whatever.. I pressed the button on the second floor that says going down, and took the stairs. Both lifts as I expected stopped on the second floor. Just hope that the person on the fifth floor was intending to go to the ground floor, so I succeeded in wasting a bit of his time.

Motto in life: Be more inconsiderate to inconsiderate people! Be ruder to rude people!

Grades

From the past 13weeks of instruction weeks, these are the grades that I think I have currently

- B+ for CS1102
- B- for CS1104
- C+ for PC1144
- B- for MA1505

Average of CAP: (4*5 + 3*4 + 3*4 + 2.5*4) / 17 = 3.18

Less than last sem.. Sad.. What to do?! Just too noob to compete with the others and my battery is dying. Really looking forward to the long break to recharge.

Anyway, I fianlly got to do some real revision today, meeting chubbs for mcdonald breakfast in school so might as well stay behind and do some revision. This few weeks have really been disastrous, so many things that i don't understand. As usual, hope others are as clueless as me or more clueless than me. LoL!

Going to be a dota noob for the next few weeks

This sounds funny, but for some reasons, I've become a dota noob in the next few weeks. Don't blame me for feeding or not attacking the correct target, but will try my best to hit the target.

This is not by choice and it's got absolutely nothing to do with the upcoming exam that I've become a dota noob for the next few weeks. I'll not disclose the reason so no need to ask.

It's the last day of school today, reading week follows, and the next will be the most dreaded exams. Wish you all do well for your exams, really, since most of you not in the same module as me, so it doesn't matter if you top the bell curve. I'll try to stay off the bottom. Wish my cousin who was excused from thinking for 22months starting yesterday well too.

Last test of AY2006 / 2007

The last mid term test is over!! But the road to this test is not a smooth one. 1 hr is usually enough for me to reach school with a bit of time to slack before the lesson will start, but today was really unlucky. The waiting time for all transportations were really long, and by the time i reach the bus-stop outside my school, it was already 12pm, and the test was due to start. Luckily, the LT was just a short 0.5km away, the most tiring part was to the bridge and a few flights of stairs. Was relieved when i see people still entering the LT when i reached.. Phew, not late.

The test was short. And when people says this, it usually means one of two things. The test was easy and he breeze through, or the test was difficult and it ended prematurely. I belonged to the latter.

After lunching alone at Lot 1, i went for a haircut, remembering what one of my primary school chinese teacher, Mr Tan had said. "Having short hair makes you study better." Donno whether it's scientifically proven, but it certainly is cooler. Oh, please dont cut "botak" head or you will not be able to study cause you will be excused from thinking.

My bedroom, the junkyard

While watching webcast today, i suddenly realised the thick layer of dust behind my monitor. Hm, never saw it there before. How did it suddenly appear? So, I decided to take a break from webcast and go dust the area behind my monitor.

As the area was full of cables, i just took a few pieces of tissue paper and try to clear up the dust. Ok, spick and span (in my frame of reference), then i look around, hm, maybe the room needs some dusting too. Dust dust here, sweep sweep there, the result was a dustpan full of dust.. How long since I last clean up? With the garbage from secondary school, junior college and NS still in my room, and new garbage coming from uni, any visitor who come may mistake my room for a storeroom or worse a junkyard.

Well, even though the room is really in a mess now, I guess I just have to prioritize my to-do list. Exam preparataion is of course first, and I have a test coming up this wednesday. Maybe I'll clean up the room in the summer vacation, maybe..

Think:
How many people must be in a room before the probability that some share a birthdate, ignoring the year and leap days, becomes at least 50 percent?

I wont be posting any answer for questions i posted here.

Last Long Weekend

During army days, long weekends are much celebrated and anticipated. Even during early release, I'll be very happy. However, since school restarted after the "winter" break, I had really alot of long weekends and I'm sick of it. The reason is because long weekend have mutated into a different thing altogether. Alternate fridays with lessons ending at 6pm, and other times at 4pm, with tonnes of tutorials and programs do work on. In fact, it's a short weekend of long hours of work. Though most of the time, I don't do them till the very last minutes.

This type of long weekend has finally ended after completing the last ever physics lab report(i forgot to hand in the raw data.. minus marks), and JAVA programming labs will also end tomorrow. This means that this weekend will only be left with 1 assembly language program to do. Heard it's easy and I'll have an extra long weekend to do it, since I've no lesson on thursday and friday is good. The only drawback is the stupid test at 6pm on wednesday.

Heavy workload or not, I won't fail to find time to get away from them. Either by playing games or going out. Last saturday went to Marina Bay with 10 others for steamboat to celebrate miz's and batman's birthdays. The same place where we celebrated the promotion of someone who really made an impact in our lives.

On Sunday morning, the family went out to sweep grave. Meet up with other relatives at Grandma's ex-house, before going to Bt Timah to sweep my grandfather's grave. Been there since 40 years ago.. The light drizzle signalled for us to leave the place at around 10+, and we go on to a temple in Aljunied to where Grandma's new house is located. The temple was quite crowded, so everything was done chop chop and went back to Grandma's ex-house for lunch.

Last physics lab

Today marks the end of week 11, so it won't be far. Yesterday, I've attended the last Physics Laboratory Session, perhaps of my life, if nothing goes wrong, since I only need 1 Physics module for my major. The experiment was about Radioactivity, quite easy to do, just need to put the radioactive material on something, don't know what it's called, then reset the counter and start the stopwatch. It's the first and last time I come into contact with something that actually have the radioactive symbol on it.

Help Them!!
10 ppl are going to be executed tomorrow. The executor gives them another chance at living by playing the game "Black or White" with them.

He will arrange them in a line, place a hat (either white or black) on each of their head so that he can see the hats of the people in front but cannot see his own hat and those behind him. Each person supposed to guess the color of the hat he is wearing. Executor will start asking from the last guy (person who sees everyone in front of him). If he's wrong, he will be shot immediately. All the people in front will know the response of those who have answered

Help them by devising a way to maximise the number of people who will live.

Fortune cookies are tasty but are they accurate?

The result for programming methodology mid term test is finally out. It's the one with 4 programming questions and have to finish it within 1.75hr. It was tough, struggling through the 1.75hr to write out 4 programs on paper without testing it. And for a noob programmer like myself, the time given was certainly not enough to finish all the questions. Here's the raw score:




Nothing glorious, scoring 51 from a possible 100. Somehow, i managed a passing grade. Hmm, but the average for the test was 41. Thus from the result, it predicted that I'll get a B+(it's a low B+, I just know it somehow) as overall score. A pretty good grade for a score of 51. But really, should I be happy with this score? Probably if i start gloating at others' mishap in this test, I may end up getting a lousier grade myself, and I really cannot afford that as none of this semester's module is easy to me.

How to divide the booty?

There are 5 rational pirates Kaiak, B, C, D, and E. They found 100 Pieces of Eights(pirate currency) and must decide how to divy the booty. The most senior of them will propose a division, and obviously, Kaiak, as the captain will have the honour to do that. The rest of the crew will have to vote for or against the division. If the number of votes for is more than or equal to at least the number of votes against -1, the division is finalised. However, if the number of votes for is less than the number of votes against -1 (reason is the proposed division is a vote itself, cast by the proposer, and the proposer has the final say in case of a tie), the proposer(Kaiak) of the division will be thrown overboard to feed the sharks, and the next senior B, will propose another division.

Dilemmas here:

1. Proposer wants to maximise his gain while not wanting to swim with the sharks
2. The rest of the crew want more people to be thrown to the sharks to get a bigger share

So how should the proposer propose?

Excitement of Last Minute

For those who are consistent in their work, they will never have a chance of enjoying the excitement that last minute work brings. Obviously, you know who I'm talking about, and he always finish all his tutorial for the following Monday to Thursday in the weekend, leaving the weekdays for the Friday tutorial.

Last weekend till today was by far the most exciting period. The 2 (usually 1) assignments were due on Monday and 1 today, but throughout the weekend, I had no idea how to do them. MIPS assembly language programming, Physics Tutorial, and JAVA programming, and especially MIPS, even after cursing everything related to that, I still couldn't figure out what I was supposed to do.

So the fateful sunday came, and off i go to enjoy the weekend without accomplishing anything. Back at home at around 9 on sunday, I started a short discussion with a coursemate, and finally, found the way to start the MIPS program, when i get stucked, I'll switch over to Physics since both were due on Monday. At the end of the day, both assignments were not finished.

With unfinished assignments and unforseen reason, I skipped the first 3 lectures of the day.This makes my first lesson to be the MIPS lab. I managed to finish my Physics tutorial with some help and handed in by 3 before going for the lab. With more help from the TA, I finally managed to get the correct program out at the expense of 2 additional hour to the normal 1 hour slot for the lab.

That's 2 down, 1 to go. I managed to reach home at around 10pm after having dinner out at BT Timah. After settling down at my PC, it's already 1030pm. That will leave me 3.5hr before sleep. Very obvious not enough to finish the program, since some pro guy said in the forum that he took 5hrs meaning i'll take 10hrs. And knowing the question was some variation of the most difficult question in the term test, it's really GG!!

The programming continued in school after having lunch with chubbs. Time was 1145am, 4.25hr before the deadline. Of the 4.25hr, i only worked for 3.75hrs, meaning a total of 7.75hr. Got a decent program out which should pass some test cases but having managed to get all the cases. give me another 2.25hrs!! Too bad, can't ask for extension as the program is submitted online.

Man.. Isn't that exciting!? If it's not, I wouldn't have written so many things. Go try it out yourself.

chill out day

The last sunday of every month, Mensa Singapore will have a session which they call chill and chat where members can go and play games and drinks for free. Being a member for about 4 months, today is the first time going there. So off we went to Settlers' Cafe in Clarke Quay.

Have asked most of the platoon people who are still in Singapore, but mostly are too busy with school work or some other reasons. In the end only 5 people went - me(already CMI in school work), Kai(too pro, so can go out play), Kyuu(already holidaying), Miz and HH(who's already out for the day, might as well stay out longer).

Reached there at around 250pm and we started off with the game called Ticket to Ride. The host got each of us a cup of peach tea and sort of showed us how the game is played and it was actually quite an easy game. Either draw cards, or place trains. The beyond godlike won this game easily, connecting all over the map(so pro).

The 2nd game(GIZA) was about building pyramid. Each player has a board and you can place the tiles on anyone's board during your turn, or exchange your tiles. After playing 3 games of this, the i only managed to win 1, the pro one won 1, and 1 game was tied between 3 players.

Miz joined the 3rd game we played was a card game - "HAVOC". The name was introduced to us by another one of the hosts, and lol, for the first 2 days in the game, i didnt know what was happening(too noob). In the end, it turned out to be something like Big 2 with a twist, and was played with numbers from 0-15, and 6 colours of each number. We were supposed to shout "HAVOC!!" before going into battle, but no one did.

Leaving the place at 6, we had a headache of where to have dinner. Settled for a bak kut teh dinner along the junction of mohamed sultan road and river valley road. DYRSM was supposed to meet us for dinner, but was late as usual, and what worse was he went to Holland V to find us. lol.. Miscomm. And he took taxi from Holland V to find us. Expensive dinner at a hawker center.

Right now at this very moment, I'm still having a headache over the things i have to submit tomorrow. Wanted to finish them up before going for the chilling session, but i'm totally lost and dont know where to start from, sigh. Anyway, Pro guy suggests going for the session again next month. He is the person to contact if you want to go, not me, cause he is the organiser.

8 glasses of water

Everyone knows that to maintain a healthy lifestyle, one has to drink 8 glasses of water daily. How you done it today?

-2 glasses of coffee
-1 packet of soya bean milk approximately 1.5 glass
-1 glass of coka cola
-1 bowl of soup approximately 1 glass
-1 bottle + a few gulps more of plain water approximately 2.5 glasses

2+1.5+1+1+2.5 = 8

Yes, I am healthy!! Are you?

Time Extension

IPPT scheduled 2 days ago have been postponed INDEFINATELY!! lol, mostly because of the poor fitness level, need to get back in shape before going. Alot of money is at stake here, so i won't want to take unnecessary risk. At least must get 200 bucks.

Recent runs haven't been the same.. The one i had 2 weeks ago, turned out to be shorter than usual, as i made a detour to the supermarket to buy some grocery. The other one yesterday was interrupted by heavy rain, and the end, was totally drenched and still didn't complete the run. That's why the $200 is so difficult to earn.

Anyway, most of the mid term results are back, and wow, really cmi.. Now i'm super sad cause of them. Sigh, how can i ever get good grade if i keep doing this bad? Whatever, just hang in there cause only 4 more weeks of instructional weeks to go.

Countdown Timer to end of exams: 49 days (4th MAY)

Bankrupt, Penniless, Poor, Pork

The spending spree continues today as I bought another textbook which I may not even have the time to read, but had to buy for the seek of buying. The money spent tally hit a peek when i bought a new handphone for $168 after a discount of $70, bringing the value to be $300 spent in 3 days..

Now the words that best describe me are the few words in this title. What better ways are there to welcome the year of the Pig, than to be described as pork. Gotta start saving up again, for the textbooks next sem.

Journey to the Central

The Journey to the Central starts off bright and early in the morning. The purpose of this journey is to attain the Holy ThumbDrive from the Central region at Suntec Building. Starting off from my home, I headed southward to a place called BB. I met up with my first companion, Kyuu, before we continue on the Journey.

Meanwhile, my second companion, Ah Bee, sent me a message telling me to meet him at the bus stop outside WM. On my way to the bus stop, Kyuu and I met with the first trial. We seemed to have make a wrong turn somehow, and had to make a detour to the destination bus stop.

Ah Bee drove Joel's (the third companion) car and came to pick us up. That's the start of the second trial - taking a ride on a vehicle controlled by Ah Bee. This is only the second time that he had driven since he passed last August. It's a surprise his friend actually let him drive. When we were at Bukit Timah area, a car driven by a Tai Tai, suddenly cut into our lane, but luckily, our driver was quick to turn away from the danger. It was still lucky that no car was coming from our right, else surely buang.. The funny thing is the Tai Tai has the cheek to horn us and Ah Bee actually waved back signalling sorry.. Really make the three of us laugh until cannot stop.

We parked the car at Bugis, and after having our lunch at KFC, we took a bus to our final destination, and the holy ThumbDrive was attained. 2 GB, 38 bucks, and apart from that, gotten a set of ear phone at 15bucks.

Mid-term officially over

Finally, the mid term tests are all over. Here are the verdicts for these tests?

History - first of the mid term test, it's so difficult, i almost couldn't write anything. Getting back the paper tomorrow, just hope my tutor is lenient.

Maths - 12 mcqs, and I am only confirmed of answers to around 4 or 5 of them.. The rest will have to depend on my luck on that day.

Programming - The most difficult programming test yet. Given only 1hr 45min, have to write the code for 4 programs that will come out as programming assignments in the next few weeks. According to the lecturer, each programming assignment should take about 2 hr, so the test should have been 8 hours. Needless to say, i cannot finish the paper.

Computer Organisation - 20 mcqs + 1 bonus mcq, 3 short answer. The most interesting test so far. Questions include :
In an anology, which part of the human body is the processor in a computer often associated with?
eye, heart, brain, hand, mouth? (Who don't knows)
The prestigious Turing Award, considered to be the computing world's equivalent to the Nobel Prize, is named after which prominent computer scientist?
Tim Turing, John Turing, Blaise Turing, Aiken Turing, Alan Turing? (Who knows)

The bonus mcq was - which of these is true?
There are 3 online assessments on IVLE for part 1 of the module
The URL of the module website is http://www.nus.edu.sg/~cs1104?
Your CS1104 exam paper is on 24th April 2007?
Lap #4 is on the use of parallel adder?
None?
Frankly, I only know that first is true and second is false, that's how i get the correct answer.

Physics - The last midterm test, taken today. Only 10 mcqs, and I'm only confident of 4 of the answers. The interesting part is that credit will be given to workings, mind you, this is an mcq test. They better give me my marks if i tekam correct..

Phew, I'm already smelling the summer vacation. Oh, there's still the exams and the ICT.. Nevermind them, cause I still have 3 tutorials to prepare for now.

Do you know how to age?

Found this article on one of my course website, this title particularly appealed to me for a good reason. However, it wasn't really about how to age physically. The first line wrote

"You grow older only when you stop seeing the potential in life"

I feel this is quite true as I am experiencing some form of mental aging at the moment as I've not realised my own potential, especially academically. Think the problem lies in the many distractors at my workstation at home, but I still refused to let go of them. This is so troubling. I will have to find some other ways to effectively implement my revisions, if not very soon, I'll become an old man mentally.

On the contrary, my physical outlook doesn't suggest I have aged much since I was secondary school(Kindergarten and Primary School friends might think otherwise). Many strangers whom I met will mistake me for a secondary school boy (Should take this as an insult -- R & J Act1 scene5, Lord Capulet called Tybalt a boy, and Tybalt took it as an insult, should be correct, but verify yourself if you are interested), but it is sometimes a good thing that people think that way. Anyway I'm already numbed and it don't really matter to me whether people mistake me for a secondary school kid. Just hope that it won't be so ridiculous as one of my aunt suggested that the TP may stop me on the road and ask me for my license cause he doubt I was at legal age to drive.

Link 1- Do you know how to age?
Link 2- Exam Preparation

hatoreanhawk

Many had asked me what the meaning of hatoreanhawk. What exactly is this?

History of the word:
This was a nickname that i created randomly during my secondary school days. The first syllabus of the word, hat, actually was supposed to be hat-trick hero - soccer term for scoring 3 goals in a match. I was a soccer and basketball craze during secondary school, playing either 1 of them everyday. Partly because of the comics and anime showing at that time - Captain Tsubasa, and Slam Dunk. I chose hat and added "orean" meaning people of hat tricks, like Singaporean - people of Singapore.

The last syllabus, hawk was basically added to make the word rhyme, like my name. Hawk also have keen eyesight for preys, fit perfectly for hat trick hero with keen eyesight for goal, so it was the perfect word to add.

Meaning of the word:
Notice hatoreanhawk contains 2 x "ha", concatenate them and we get "haha", making this synonym of happiness. You always laugh with "haha" when you are happy right?


P.S. This word is not recognised and cannot be found in any dictionary, so do not use it in your formal writings that will be graded or you will not be happy with the score. (contradicting the true meaning of the word)

your Lucky Streak has been ended by Maths Test(???Gold)..

My lucky streak which started on Sunday ended abruptly today at MPSH1 where i took my MCQ Maths test.

The streak started on Sunday when i visited my grand-aunt's house. After the heats of the swimming competition last week, the finals came. This time i got back to my usual standards and finished strongly on some occasions. Most swimmers who competed probably had their participation fees forfeited and added to the prize pool. Eventually after around 20 rounds of competition, i came home with a fair share of the prize pool, enough to make up for the participation fee i paid during the heats.

Yesterday, back in school after the February School Holidays, I managed to cough out a piece of physics tutorial, decent enough to be handed in. During the Logic lab, the answer to the last question in the lab manual also magically appeared at the last minute after me and ck discussing the whole day. Oh well, it was supposed to be done alone, but not that most people really care. After that Beyond-Godlike! KAI even spent his free time tutoring me for the maths test that i took today.

Today, after i had my tutorial, i went to techno to lunch with chubbs, at the same time asked him about some concepts in the maths notes. And after lunch, I still met Beyond-Godlike! KAI who went through some of the past year MCQs. Thinking i was fully equipped with the materials for the test after having 2 tutors tutoring me, i went for the test. Instantly brought back to earth when i read the questions. It was nothing like the past year question i did. All the questions have 5 choices like before, but this time, the fifth choice was "e) none of the above". Exactly what i hate in MCQ paper, cause this choice basically means it can be anything other than the other 4 choices. What a headache.. In the end i think i only manage to get exact answers to 3 of the 12 questions. Some of them had either a different sign or a slightly different value in the 4 choices, putting me in a very awkward position of choosing between e, or the closest of the 4 choices and some totally looked foreign to me. So most of the 9 answers i just "tekam".

Just hope my luck hasn't really ended totolly, and get a few more correct.

Please Queue Up!!

I never knew managing queues was so difficult until now. The part time job I held last year was mainly about managing queues, and no matter how long the queue gets, it was always still managable.

However, the lastest programming assignment is really becoming a pain in the neck. The purpose of the program is to count votes using Australian ballots, and the way to implement this is to make the votes "queue up" so that you can count the first vote of every voter. I did manage to make the votes "queue up" in the right places, but seems like no one is around to serve them, and I need to clear all these queues by tuesday.

At the same time, I have to open counter for my queues of tutorials and tests coming up this week and the following. How am i suppose to get all the job done?! I need to hire some temps to come and work for me, but how can i find them?

Improvement?

Yuppie, I've made some improvement from the running route i take. This time is 17mins 12secs. But is that really improvement?

From previous runs, i usually spend quite some time at traffic light junctions. This time however I chose the easier way to cross the road, obviously cutting short alot of waiting time at the light junction. This leave me to ponder whether I'm really running faster than the last time or slower.

Same Old New Year

The new year just started and it's the year of the Pig, but it still feels the same to me. Everytime, on the first day, it's a visit to Hougang. The routine for this day is also very standard, the must do will include lunch to swimming to take picture to dinner and continue swimming.




family photo




There are a whole series of photos to be taken every year, usually taking at least half hour to finish up everything.



Another routine for new year is the swimming session.



swimmers in position




Notice the age of the swimmers, all younger than me. I donno why so many of my friends keep complaining no one to swim with them, while I can only grumble that I have no swimming pool to swim in.

The wealth prediction for Rats is supposed to be pretty good this year, but it doesn't seem so for me. I've been losing in swimming to my cousins this weekend. Most of the time, I seem to start off too slow. At time when I thought I have a headstart ahead of other swimmers, I seem to swim too slow and lose the race. Can only blame it on luck. Maybe it's because I don't have a Rabbit's Foot with me. CHUBBS!! I need your help to change my luck!!

Happy CNY!!

Happy Chinese New Year, and happy mid term break. Signed off this lunar year with a bball session in the morning with my secondary school friends and kids from the neighbourhood. 5v5, full court, very fun, but the side effect is whole bodyache for at least 1 full day.

Hope everyone has good luck in the new year, in everything you do.

It's Dinner Time(s)

How many dinner can you take in 1 night? Well, I had 3 tonight.

First one, sort of a small gathering with 3 of my other secondary school frens, Ah Bee, Shake Bell(nothing to do with Zatch) , Engoh.. We were supposed to meet at Lot 1 at 730pm, but me and Ah Bee reached earlier, so we went to play pool at the 4th floor(lucky didn't bump into someone I wish I would never see again). The other 2 were late, but doesn't really matter since we were just starting to enjoy the pool game. The first stop was Ajisen, and had a bowl of Ton Toro ramen, fried prawn, and ice lemon tea.

Already feeling quite full, Shake Bell led us down to the basement. There, we saw the new stall, which had replace the BreadTalk, selling HongKong food, and don't know why, we went inside and sat at a corner seat. Shake Bell wanted to order some more food and the 4 of us could share. Lucky some of the food are sold out, but still, he managed to get us some desserts. I'll take that as another dinner since it's eating at a different place.

We stayed there for quite a while talking crap stuff as we always did, before going home. Back at home, during the dota session, my mum came into my room, holding a bowl of bee hoon.. Though already full and trying to keep my fitness to the peek before the IPPT next month, I still ate that up. Now, I really need to exercise more to burn away the fats that I have accumulated this pass few weeks, while at the same time clear up the tonnes of work that have accumulated since the start of the year.

It's still an alright day today, apart from some glitches during one of my tutorial, when i had to present the discussion of my group to the class. Looking on the bright side, I won't be needed to present again.

Meaning of Mid-Term

Mid-term is just a nice word to say that we have reached the half-way mark of the semester. In actual fact, it's supposed to mean "It's time for TESTS!!". And today, my SS module kick start the series of tests coming up in the next few weeks.



For the past 6 weeks, from all the lectures on this module, I can simply say that I've understood nothing. So many names, so many dates all coming out from out of nowhere. And there's already 30 readings for this module alone, each of at least 10 pages to read, it's quite an achievement that i have actually finish 4 of them.



Even today, i was struggling to finish up a reading which was around 35 pages, in preparation for the test. Reading from the lappy was very disturbing, always alt tab here, alt tab there. Then I will forget where I was and start on the same page all over again.



A 4-hr break between my last lesson and the test didn't help matter. Feeling so sleepy and bored, I basically go loiter all over the place, this time taking the bus towards harbourfront, and from there to JE, walking by my old workplace to look see and realised everything havent change there. Kopi soh (2IC of the place) was there but I didnt go in to greet her, seeing how busy she was.



After that, I went back to school to meet up with godlike Kai. I took 5 buses just to loiter around, trying to utilise the concession pass, since next week is gonna be a wk break. Godlike Kai helped me revised a bit on the 35-page reading(He basically can recite the whole reading), but too bad the test didn't even use anything from that reading.



We sign off this super sad day with a bachelor's day dinner at Bukit Timah area.



sec 2 class photo - that's my favourite teacher taught
me HC for 2 years

28 more days

Exactly 1 more month to IPPT..

Same route as less week but my time is 17min 45sec.. Omg, even slower, by a gd 14 seconds.. It's got to have something to do with what you eat and what you do.

Had to push forward my running day, because tomorrow is V' Day, and I have an appointment with my dear lecturers at LT12 for mid-term test. Really not looking forward to this test, cause it is my worst subject of all -- History. So many things to prepare for this test and it feels like I havent done anything. 6 sets of lecture notes, 1 tutorial, and 30 readings(at least 10 pages each). Test format is gonna be a short article, with 3 part questions. Hope I can answer them..