When Twilight Fades.. It's Dawn...

Classes have started.. and i'm 2 weeks into them.. let's say i'm going in HOT.. which means... throw into shit piles of work.. yup.. and it's only just the second week... tutorials are up... projects are starting... loads of assignments going on already.. it's really going into hyperdrive.. i've been wondering if i'm being too ambitious this sem.. although i'm only taking 5 modules.. but they are quite full project and assignments.. although i have a 4day week.. but it seems there is never enough time..

for one of my modules, i was drawn to be group leader.. 7 in the group... it's a marketing module.. essentially by the end of the semester, we need to come up with a business plan... i was ok with being leader, and quite motivated with the responsiblity on me.. BUT... response was quite lacking.. since last tues which was the lesson.. i have been faced with difficulty trying to coordinate for a meeting to discuss on stuff for the next lesson.. damn jialat... gotta improve!!!

but on the other hand.. i'm also quite happy with myself thus far.. i've been to all lessons and tried to pay attention to everything so far... which is really pretty good... most of the lessons make some sense... which is also very good... now it's trying to cope with tutorials & assignments that's really drowning me out...

while being busy in school recently, i haven been back to tj for volleyball in a while.. which is pretty bad.. not enough exercise.. i can feel my stomach bulging, and my mum's endless bursts of nagging is really driving me nuts.. played badminton a few times... but the way we play badminton is just plain reaction.. not much movement.. so not very effective in burning fats... just make u tired only...

oh well.. i think things will only get better... and i will make myself carry on watever good i've achieved so far...

NOW... movies i've watch 2 shows recently...

1. Cloverfield

It's a shaky film.. the either show was film to look like it was taken from a handy cam.. and it was a chaotic situation.. using a handycam really made it really dizzy... i find the plot quite interesting.. BUT the ending kindda sucks.. many of the viewers were hoping for some end credit specials.. but now.. it just ended without and ending.. I should have expected that, afterall it's a movie from the makers of LOST!!

(score = 2 of 5*)

2. 27 Dresses

This is a super sweet story.. all good and almost nothing bad happens in this show.. it's even more enchanted than enchanted.. hahaa.. but the plot is really good... good build up... good twists... and most of all a nice ending.. alls well and ends well.. i dun want to say too much about this show.. but it's really worth the $$ to watch...

(score = 4.5 of 5*)

Twilight ZONE!!

I feel i'm in some sort of a twilight zone now. Why?? Cos school is starting on monday!! So i'm basically on the verge of the end of holidays, which sucks. Haven done much contructive stuff over the pass few weeks, den BOOM.. School is going to be back in session again. That's like so so fast. oh well. It's time to face the books and notes again. At least i'm happy to know i have a 4 day week. :) And only 4 of the 5 modules have exams, but on the downside... there WILL be loads of projects. Perhaps projects will keep me going on better then tutorials.

2008 has BEGUN!!!

While i was still thinking iwhat to put in my last post for 2007.. 2008 came jumping at me.. took me totally unaware and unprepared..

the past year has been pretty ok.. in the sense nothing too bad had happened..

exams are ok.. scraped thru both semesters... nothing better than expected... first sem was more boring.. 2nd sem was alittle overloading with 6 modules going on... but i'm happy to enjoy a few module really much... but that main thing is i managed to scrape thru regardless how not involve i'm sometimes in during school...

i work at several places during last year's summer break... it was a good experience.. 2 places i enjoyed most is at the track & field meets & selling laptops in NUS.. working at those places gave me 2 things... exposure to different working conditions and also supplement to my $$..

talking about $$, last year.. i got my car!! finally... but $$ has been dwindling because of that.. increasing oil prices & all other car operation charges like maintenance, ERP, parking.. the list just goes on.. OUCH!! my Wallet hurts...

quite a few frens got married last year.. din hear anyone breaking up.. so i guess it was good in that sense too... me and dear are still going strong.. 8 years is coming up soon.. hehe.. relations with her family have improved over the past few weeks.. her niece seems to like me more than before.. and i tihnk dear's getting jealous.. :P

FOR 2008...

it's time to relook my directions.. set simple goals... when you set your goals too high.. u will not be able to see them.. and very soon.. you lose them... last year's goals were actually pretty simple.. but somehow.. i lost them after sometime too... so now... what should i do for the new year??

To make things simple.. this is my aim for the year...

"Pass IPPT, Pass Exams"

Highlight of the year would most likely be my trip to US for work & travel.. :)

And now.. it's time to look at module details again!! time to bid for modules for the coming semester...

Pre-X'mas Weekend

Another week of training in Tj has just past.. And there's this ominous cloud lurking over my head.. it seems to be telling me.. "you are losing the ability to instill confidence and spirit into the volleyball team, you better BUCK UP!!" past few training sessions has proven to be a bottle neck for me.. the lack of experience really left me stranded trying to think of ideas how and what to train.. it's really quite difficult, although having gone thru training, not all drills work.. especially when there's INSUFFICIENT players turning up for trainin, sometimes it's just me being brain-dead...

Just hopes trainin will get better when school re-opens... there's alot of things to do for the new year... oh yah... that means new year resolutions again!! hahaa.. i'll leave that for my next post.. for now time to rot and enjoy the x'mas hols..

watched 2 BIG movies this week already... "I am Legend" & "Warlords" I cant say they are boring or bad movies, neither can i say they are very good. therefore i feel these 2 movies seem to be made for certain groups of people, some people will just appreciate and understand it more.. and i'm most probably not among that group of people.. dear said we haven watch any very good movie since "stardust", which was actually very true.. we watched "stardust" with little expectations but was thoroughly entertained by the show, well the rest have been below or rather different from expectations.

Tj Training Begins

Been going back to Tj almost everyday for the past week. Fung is not around, so i'm taking over training. Personally, i think the trainings went quite well, although the gals team is seriously lacking in attendance. gals played a frenly match against shss & cchs(y) yesterday and the guys played against xms today. the gals did quite well, won shss 2-1 but lost to cchs(y) 0-2. the scores really dunt tell the full story, fatigue played a very very larger part of this fixture, but i think the gals played well intially.

guys were supposed to have frenly today, but cos they somehow broke the indoor court net yesterday, and i believe they are finding chances to not train on saturday. They arranged for this frenly. I seriously think they should not be having frenlies at this stage yet. their basic coordination and movements are not up to mark yet. played 4 sets with xms, won 1st 3 but lost the last. why i say they played poorly?? that's cost they are playing against a team whose average height is like 10 cm shorter then them, and less experienced than them. there wasnt sufficient defensive coverage when our players spike, hell there was ANY coverage at all at times.. they won initially due to their height & physical advantage and skills wise, they are not there to match yet, which is quite disappointing.

Monday BLUEs...

Exams may be over but it's not total rest time for me.. that sucks.. i'm taking charge of tj training this week.. cos fung not around.. he's in china.. well.. we all know wat for.. first training today with the gals.. not very encouraging for me.. only 7 ppl.. and i was very quickly running out of ideas wat to do.. that kindda sucks..

Sunday was a happier day.. watched golden compass with dear for FREE!! cos she has GV vouchers.. hahaa.. den ate at toastbox.. den walked around at vivo.. den meet up with my MNO mates for dinner at marche.. it was a great time...

Semester 5, 07/08

This is my story of my whole semester. The 5 of 8 which i'll be undergoing in my NUS years. There wasnt much to look forward to at the beginning of the semester. Ever since i found out i got into civil engine, it just seemed like another blow to my ego, motivation, drive and many other positive things in me. but there's no one to blame but myself for landing myself in this state so i tried setting a simple goal for myself to achieve. improve my CAP, regardless by how much, just as long as i do.

with that in mind, i knew i had to do something, i had to take more modules. 6 modules, while almost everyone else had only 5, some only 4. besides taking 6 modules, i have to do considerably well for ALL of them in order to achieve my aim. seems like my aim is not that simple anymore.

I started the semester with watever enthusiasism i managed to salvage from my dwindling interest in studies. lectures, 1st impressions mean a lot.. some lecturers simple attract you to school, while others well.. do the opposite.. and in civil engineering, most of the lecturers are from the latter group. not a good sign at all..

wanting to try to deviate from the usual engine modules, i took 1 module from business and 1 from real estate.. the business module is a life saver, so much more interesting than everything else i was taking this semester.. the only module which i want to attend the tutorials.. though i somehow managed to miss most of the lectures still, even though the lecturer was really very good.

the real estate module was like non-existent for most of the semester... why?? cos, there was like only 2 tutorials for the whole semester and i've only attended like 2 out of the many mnay lectures there was.. i guess, my learning i affected by one very important condition.. location.. i realise i'm very reluctant to travel to different classes.. i'd still prefer, things happening the way they were back in secondary school & primary school..

MAKE THE TEACHERS/TUTORS WALK TO US!~!

Yup, that would really keep me in class and i'll have much better results.. i think i'm the sort whole will take things only if they are shoved down my throat.. sometimes.. not... hahaa..

the most interesting module for all 3 civil engine modules is this design project... it was really a very good chance to allow creativity to flow.. but somehow i think i was restricted by my group.. maybe my ideas are a little off the charts, but i seriously believe they were do-able.. epecially when this project is basically set without boundaries... yet, we were so box'd up in our traditional ideas... it's a pity...

i also took this really "moral" module call engineering poffessionalism.. it's really right civils and moral lessons back in secondary school.. it's all about doing the right things, making the right decisions.. blah blah.. but it was experience, cos i was working with people who were pretty competent, which made a light work out of everything.

my favourite is still the MNO module, especially when our project group took a whole day filming at DODO factory.. it was a very very good experience.. filming, acting, editting... it's all fun and entertainment.. if only everything about studying is like that... got pretty close with the bunch of them too.. which was really good..

exams.. i think i'm really really relieved it's over.. it's a torture for me.. going into the exam halls.. trying to fill up the black spaces on the answer script.. with answers which i know are hugely part of my own imagination.. this is my expected score...

B+, CE3101
A-, EG2401
C+, RE3481
D+, CE3121
C-, CE3115
B+, MNO1001

If i actually manage to achieve results like above or better, i seriously consider myself over-achieving.. and i'll be very very happy.. and best of all it means a very slight improvement to my CAP..

my overall opinion of this sem is me being pretty much a ghost.. seemingly non-existent for most of the semester with regards to my engine classes.. thanks to the non-engine modules which made my experience much more tolerable..

with that i'll end with some significant photos for this semester, significant to me at least...

Finally!!

The Semester has OFFICIALLY ended!! Yeah... last paper.. MNO.. 4 helpsheets.. i only managed to write 3. best part?? i left the exam hall early.. but dun misunderstand.. it's not cos i did too well.. i only bared managed to finish crapping.. i just did not want to waste time checking.. cos i'm quite sure i have nothing else to write. this sem is over and done with..

tml...

tml i will reflect on the whoel of this sem...

Exams Time

It's now half way thru the exams... 3 papers down.. 2 more to go.. and i have the luxury of a short break... but sadly... i doubt i did well for the past papers... might not even pass... so it's actually quite depressing... but... nothing much to regret about.. cos i wasnt working hard for it anyway... i'm just glad it's over... looking forward to holiday break...

School's Out!! Exam's IN!!

the final days of the school semester have been a horrific experience... loads and loads of deadlines to meet... loads and loads of stuff to do, study, read, do somemore... ridiculous... but somehow.. i survived it all!! with a few corners cut here and there... but still i managed to get out in one piece... BUT BUT BUT...

Exams are round the corner.. and after somewhat ghosting thru the semester.. this will spell the largest disaster that will befall on me.. now i have to digest and absorb... a whole semester worth of lectures/tutorials/readings in the short span of 1 week and try to get myself as ready for exams as possible.. how easy is that??

Ups & Downs in a single day

the day started off with something i was quite proud of... 1 pager due today.. and a 3 page teamwork analysis also due.. the task?? to get all the above done in 30mins... and miraculously.. i spent something like 40 mins to complete it.. amazing.. even though content was total crap but being able to cook up something in that short time.. priceless...

big down of the day... lecture test for soil mechanics... haven been to lecture/tut of any sort.. print out the notes for the very first time.. see them for the very first time... and BANG.. time for test... and the result was simple... blanks... blanks on 80% of the paper... 20% was MCQ so i could just select SOME answers... still it felt like shit...

so just to make myself feel better... splurge... hahaa.. watched GAMEPLAN... damn funny... child actors nowadays, are simply.. WOAH!! ate Waffles at Gelare... ate paste & Waraku Pasta... overall felt much better....

BUT!!! like i said before... deadlines are still lurking... and they are getting real close now...

--= *Stardust* =--

Just came home from watching this movie... it's been years since i watched a Claire Danes movie... in fact i think this is my first one.. cos i seriously dun think i watched her Romeo & Juliet with Leonardo Di Caprio.. hehe..

This story is a refreshingly new fairy tale... not any old plot i've seen before... so it's nice and new... hilarious throughout the show... but most importantly it's actually done very logically... even though it has loads of fairy tale fantasy in it.. it's still very logical.. the flow of the show is very logical.. it actually explains the plot very well.. there's no point the show where we go "hey wat happened in between" kind of things happening... there's always answers... timely ones as well...

Great actors with the likes of Robert De Niro, Michelle Pfeiffer, and this new guy... Charlie Cox.. he's funny.. and not to forget Claire Danes... she's really suited to act in this sort of shows... hahaa..

Anyway... i liked the show.. and love the happy ending... :)

I thought Wrong.. but What's New??

This week is supposed to be less busy... but i was wrong... deadlines keep coming back at you... finish one.. on comes another... there's always another deadline waiting for you... aaarrrggghhh...

but... I did a few happy things this week... i went to Hog's Breath at Vivocity... the food was good... it's a bit pricey... that's y me and yanli went on tuesday.. it's ladies night.. and they get 50% off the main course... which is good... oh.. and the service there is the best among all eateries i've been to so far... good service.. good food.. yum..

yesterday we also went to Ajitei , another restaurant by Ajisen... jap food.. nice!! not too expensive.. but the main attraction here is the desserts... haven got to try them yet.. cos we were too full after the mains... :P

finally... i've just uploaded fotos taken during MNO video filming.. please go see see...

Wireless on BUS

I just sent my car for servicing.. and now taking bus to school.. it's been a while since i took public transport.. and this is surprising.. there's wireless on board... cool.. hahaa..

the only side effect.. i cant do this too long on a bus.. or any moving transport.. i'll get headaches... i'm getting one now.. arrgghh...

Finally!!! the Video is Done..

Finally the BTSL Video is done.. after sleepless nIghts of editting... IT's DONE!!! and here's a compressed version which is uploaded into Youtube...



However that's not the end of work for me... more dealines coming up.. UURRgghhh.. What the hell....

Deadlines

Deadlines are lines which kill you when you don't finish your tasks on time... this is week 10... loads of deadline coming up this week... 4 out of 6 modules... super tired.. haven been sleeping much the past few days... felt really drowsy when i drive to school in the morning... BTSL video is coming to a close soon... left with editting and sound effects to do... den there's paper for engine prof... paper for urban planning... and huge project for infra project... everyday is packed with meetings and discussions and projects...

btw, i'll be going YELLOWSTONE!!! from 13 May to 22 Jul i'll be working in Yellowstone national park... i finally get the chance to go overseas further than china.. hahaa...

very tired now... need sleep....

How was NUS Week 8

this week is when all the projects actually have a meeting.. and that basically makes up my whole week... i haven been going for lecture.. nor have i been to much tutorials... but project meetings have been plenty... and most of them are enjoyable...

today.. i spent my WHOLE day at the DODO Fishball factory office... all the way at Senoko.. doing MNO video... elaine managed to get liyang(her long term chauffeur.. also the son of the MD of DODO)... there's yvonne who looked seriously like a female boss today, very professional looking lar!! den kah hwee or ah KAH after today, she just reminds me of the pantry.. all of us knkow why... elaine, well.. she's the future DODO bosstress... hahaa.. hope she dun get pissed by our irritance... hahaa.. Zerong, super funny was the stuff he says... especially those scenes which we were suppose to talk "rubbish" cos there would be no audio.. the "rubbish" he says.. simply makes everyone laugh till u drop!!! henkie.. our old man & bad man.. i think he had a great lesson in acting today.. hahaa... finally our main producer.. mr OH wenjun.. damn pro is what i have for him... and dues to our filming overrun.. think his family had to wait up for him for dinner... and FINALLY there's me!!! I think i'm a ultra crazy actor.. i think i like to act.. it's fun... or rather i like to be a comedian... just be lame...

that's just damn cool... we were running around the office shooting here, there, everywhere.. luckily it was public holiday.. so there werent much staff around to be irritated by us.. we were seriously noisy.. but there was loads of fun doing this video shoot.. and i got to act.. this is by far my first major role in any video clip ALL MY LIFE.. and i loved it.. it was just damn fun... although this video clip is ultimately supposed to be just 7 mins.. we managed to stay at the office for almost 12 whole hrs for filming... hahaa.. loads of wasted time on crapping and hysterical laughing... mostly by me...

technically it's elaine's birthday now... so we celebrated for her earlier on just now.. i actually bought cake for her yesterday.. and hid it in my car.. and i only remebered to take the cake after like 5 hrs of filming.. hahaa.. i shove it into the fridge immediately.. i guess it was still ok when we ate it.. heheee.. hope no one has problems after eating... think elaine was quite happy we celebrated for her.. and yah.. we TOOK loads of photos.. and loads of video today... cant wait to get my hands on them.... hahaa...

This is week 8

total there's 13 weeks of lessons... this means majority of the semester is gone.. and i feel like i have successfully GHOST past it... i managed to survive so far without any get failures.. but.. HOW the hell will i survive the final exam?? a miracle??? this is the time of the semester when i think i should find a religion.. or maybe practise some black magic... hahaa...

Get more for less

Ask for less and you will get more...

If you are less demanding, you find you have gain more than you asked for.. If you ask for too much to be done, it simply reduces your speed and nothing gets done... take one simple task at a time.. stay happy and live easy... :)

This Feeling is new

This is the first time i feel betrayed by a lecturer... you ask him about how the project should be done.. he gives you tons of ideas... you work on it... do and suit his tastes... but when presentation comes... there's another bigger shot there.. who shoots down almost every aspect of the presentation... and that dumb lecturer just nods his head along.. BETRAYAL... BIG TIME... there goes my results...