FLIGHT FROM/TO DATE TIME CLASS STATUS STOPS
------ ------- ---- ---- ----- ------ -----
1. SQ 319 LONDON LHR 14JUN 6.30 PM Y / M OK 0
SINGAPORE 15JUN 2.20 PM
AIRCRAFT TYPE B747-400
1. SEAT:37A NON-SMOKING MAIN
2. SQ 800 SINGAPORE 28JUN 1.10 AM Y / M OK 0
BEIJING 28JUN 7.20 AM
AIRCRAFT TYPE B777-200
1. SEAT:33A NON-SMOKING MAIN
3. SQ 831 SHANGHAI 13AUG 2.30 PM Y / M OK 0
SINGAPORE 13AUG 7.45 PM
AIRCRAFT TYPE B777-200
1. SEAT:34A NON-SMOKING MAIN
4. SQ 322 SINGAPORE 5OCT 11.30 PM Y / M OK 0
LONDON LHR 6OCT 5.55 AM
AIRCRAFT TYPE AIRBUS A380-800
1. SEAT:34A NON-SMOKING MAIN
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Travel Itinerary
I'll be home soon! :)
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Saturday, May 24, 2008
UBER DEJAVU
Whoa, this clip brings back fond memories... I've easily played this opening level a hundred times!
And looks like there's a totally standard way of completing the level - recall taking exactly the same route - heading straight for the ledge at the beginning of the game to pick up the rpg, and making the same falls at the ledge, then subsequently heading for the window into the secret room to pick up rpg ammo, steroids and the atomic health... could go on and on haha...
Also,
Never quite understood the lyrics to the opening song for "Malcom in the Middle"... This clip gives more meaning to that random song...
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Monday, May 12, 2008
The mystery of consciousness
what constitutes a consciousness? can consciousness be divided into components? where does this consciousness exist? what is an observer? is a consciousness necessarily implicated in an observation?
two intriguing phenomena associated with consciousness:
- that it routinely ceases when we sleep, and is able to come back on again. Is death simply a cessation of consciousness, and could it come back on again?
- this unreliable thing we base much judgment on - our memories. so unreliable yet so real.
two intriguing phenomena associated with consciousness:
- that it routinely ceases when we sleep, and is able to come back on again. Is death simply a cessation of consciousness, and could it come back on again?
- this unreliable thing we base much judgment on - our memories. so unreliable yet so real.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Pride, and responsibility.
An excerpt from downing college's 2006 yearbook...
How I wished my college government had a similar creed. Instead of viewing mathmos as cash cows with no need for attention and maintenance.
Every year when the examination results are published members of the Governing Body initially, and then the Education Committee, examine the results carefully to identify trends and strengths and weaknesses. It might be asked why we do this. It is partly due to a personal responsibility which we all feel following our own decisions to admit these students. But our sense of responsibility extends beyond whether we made the right decision, but extends to whether the potential which we initially identified, sometimes nearly two years before matriculation, has been fulfilled. Sometimes this is called ‘value-added’. This is a demeaning phrase, but one which has a core truth. For that is our purpose as an educational institution, to ensure that, by the environment we provide and the supervisions we give and the personal interaction with our students, we can show that we have added value to their Cambridge experience.
How I wished my college government had a similar creed. Instead of viewing mathmos as cash cows with no need for attention and maintenance.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Orbitury - Bike no.1.
Today saw the last straw... finally decided to retire my ol' bike when the back wheel spindle gave way on the way back from the cavendish. Invest in a new bike, got one with a lock for 90 pounds today. instead of a replacement wheel which would have cost me 15 pounds.
Spent quite a bit on this bike recently - 20 pounds for a new tire and inner tube, 5 pounds on new brake pads which i fitted myself. think bought it from alvin for 80 pounds initially. Served me 2.5 years. other things breaking down - screws sticking out from seat, making a hole in my pants; front wheel rim's been dented, causing the front breaks to be jerk to a stop when it meets the dent; someone attempted to cut my lock before, leaving it slightly breached.
Initially hoped to maintain this bike til the end of the year, and get a new bike when i return next year, so that I wont have to leave a new bike here over summer, when it deteriorates lots. but it looks like the bike's broken down much faster than I had hoped. Hope that this bike can last me the next year, or more, if I stayed here longer.
Here's to the memory of my first bike in cambridge...
Spent quite a bit on this bike recently - 20 pounds for a new tire and inner tube, 5 pounds on new brake pads which i fitted myself. think bought it from alvin for 80 pounds initially. Served me 2.5 years. other things breaking down - screws sticking out from seat, making a hole in my pants; front wheel rim's been dented, causing the front breaks to be jerk to a stop when it meets the dent; someone attempted to cut my lock before, leaving it slightly breached.
Initially hoped to maintain this bike til the end of the year, and get a new bike when i return next year, so that I wont have to leave a new bike here over summer, when it deteriorates lots. but it looks like the bike's broken down much faster than I had hoped. Hope that this bike can last me the next year, or more, if I stayed here longer.
Here's to the memory of my first bike in cambridge...
Monday, April 14, 2008
More Musings
For final year Cambridge students, the Easter holidays are a time when studying for the tripos becomes the de facto activity. Surfing for news, and other forms of entertainment, also increases in frequency as it happens to be the most convenient way to regenerate study manna in the occurrence of study fatigue.
It feels like lately, the news has been dominated by stories of soaring grain/food, oil and gold/commodities prices; and of the gloomy outlook of US and British economies.
Just felt the urge to take some time off my work to consolidate some thoughts amidst this barrage of bleak news.
On food shortages
I recall a time when the world had too much food and farmers were paid to let their land lie fallow [EU 'Set-aside' policy, 1988; China, 2000]. Since then, I've had the impression that modern technology had led to the eradication of food shortages, and that the lack of food in isolated parts of the world (and by the poor) was simply a socio-economic problem stemming from uneven distribution of wealth, and not lack of actual food supplies.
So when I read the reports of increasing food prices due to shortages, I wondered where my original perception stood in light of these reports. Found the above links, and this press release from the European Commission, upon some googling.
Conclusion: it is indeed the case that our food supply is falling short of demand, and that this reversal in trend happened only as recent as last fall. And this has led to the nullification of the 'Set-aside' policy.
[A slightly unrelated link]
On food and oil
With oil prices rising relentlessly, it seems the strain on the food supply might be due to the switch to biofuels as an alternative source of energy.
Recall watching on the news back home an incident about a run on the supermarket for palm oil in Malaysia. Googled for 'Malaysia palm oil rush', and found a more recent incident.
Biofuels are also being made out of grain. And according to the article, if all the corn produced in the US were used to replace oil, it can only offset gasoline consumption by 15%. So it looks like there is enough food to fill our stomachs, but way too little to use on our fuel tanks too.
Even though it encroaches on our food supplies, the use of biofuels actually still seems very appealing - if only the mix of technology and economic pressures would turn desert wastelands that have too much sunshine into palm oil plantations that converted the sunlight and carbon dioxide into fuel which we burn directly, we could bypass the redundant process of turning plants into fossil fuels when we burn them for fuel. Furthermore, what is the point of trying to solve fusion containment problems, plus figuring out how to extract the energy produced from the exceedingly hot reaction, when all we have to do is figure out the latter from our ready source of fusion energy - our sun, which is conveniently contained by it's own gravitational field?
[I recall in Pri 1, asking my teacher a similar question when I encountered two seemingly incompatible facts - why does Singapore, being an island surrounded by water, face water problems? The answer was that the water we were surrounded by wasn't potable (shame). Well, with technology, we have now made sea water potable. Hopefully, in the same way, technology could render today's hostile deserts cultivatable for biofuel producing crops.]
On oil and gold
Just trying to put the recent record gold prices in perspective.
On 2.67
I'm getting tired. I'll just let this article speak for itself :P
Also reading about the desperate situation the poor in Singapore are facing. Giving the excuse that such a topic is off limits for a Singaporean is probably a good way conclude this entry.
Lastly, a more far fetched speculation
With that, i'm off to rest my head (on the pillow :P)
It feels like lately, the news has been dominated by stories of soaring grain/food, oil and gold/commodities prices; and of the gloomy outlook of US and British economies.
Just felt the urge to take some time off my work to consolidate some thoughts amidst this barrage of bleak news.
On food shortages
I recall a time when the world had too much food and farmers were paid to let their land lie fallow [EU 'Set-aside' policy, 1988; China, 2000]. Since then, I've had the impression that modern technology had led to the eradication of food shortages, and that the lack of food in isolated parts of the world (and by the poor) was simply a socio-economic problem stemming from uneven distribution of wealth, and not lack of actual food supplies.
So when I read the reports of increasing food prices due to shortages, I wondered where my original perception stood in light of these reports. Found the above links, and this press release from the European Commission, upon some googling.
Conclusion: it is indeed the case that our food supply is falling short of demand, and that this reversal in trend happened only as recent as last fall. And this has led to the nullification of the 'Set-aside' policy.
[A slightly unrelated link]
On food and oil
With oil prices rising relentlessly, it seems the strain on the food supply might be due to the switch to biofuels as an alternative source of energy.
Recall watching on the news back home an incident about a run on the supermarket for palm oil in Malaysia. Googled for 'Malaysia palm oil rush', and found a more recent incident.
Biofuels are also being made out of grain. And according to the article, if all the corn produced in the US were used to replace oil, it can only offset gasoline consumption by 15%. So it looks like there is enough food to fill our stomachs, but way too little to use on our fuel tanks too.
Even though it encroaches on our food supplies, the use of biofuels actually still seems very appealing - if only the mix of technology and economic pressures would turn desert wastelands that have too much sunshine into palm oil plantations that converted the sunlight and carbon dioxide into fuel which we burn directly, we could bypass the redundant process of turning plants into fossil fuels when we burn them for fuel. Furthermore, what is the point of trying to solve fusion containment problems, plus figuring out how to extract the energy produced from the exceedingly hot reaction, when all we have to do is figure out the latter from our ready source of fusion energy - our sun, which is conveniently contained by it's own gravitational field?
[I recall in Pri 1, asking my teacher a similar question when I encountered two seemingly incompatible facts - why does Singapore, being an island surrounded by water, face water problems? The answer was that the water we were surrounded by wasn't potable (shame). Well, with technology, we have now made sea water potable. Hopefully, in the same way, technology could render today's hostile deserts cultivatable for biofuel producing crops.]
On oil and gold
Just trying to put the recent record gold prices in perspective.
On 2.67
I'm getting tired. I'll just let this article speak for itself :P
Also reading about the desperate situation the poor in Singapore are facing. Giving the excuse that such a topic is off limits for a Singaporean is probably a good way conclude this entry.
Lastly, a more far fetched speculation
Revelation 6The Seals
1I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, "Come!" 2I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.3When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, "Come!" 4Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make men slay each other. To him was given a large sword.
5When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, "Come!" I looked, and there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. 6Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, "A quart of wheat for a day's wages, and three quarts of barley for a day's wages, and do not damage the oil and the wine!"
With that, i'm off to rest my head (on the pillow :P)
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Summer plans
As the holidays ebb ever so quickly away, and the exams of Easter term loom near, so too are my plans for summer beginning to take shape.
Am trying to cram two major activities into my finite timetable this summer - a 6 week volunteer program to China (ISEC), and an 8 week internship at DSI.
The dates are more or less confirmed, and will be booking the air ticket soon.
June 17: Flying home from UK
June 18-27: Will try to clock a few days at work at DSI, but also need some time to prepare for the trip to china.
June 28 - Aug 7: ISEC.
Aug 7 - Aug 12: Visiting CK gugu and Ling in Shanghai. (Anyone reading this who happens to be free during this time and wants to tour Shanghai too, pls get in touch! :)
Aug 12 - Oct 3: Will be trying to clock another 7 weeks at DSI, and catching up with everyone!
Bracing myself for one hectic summer! And looking forward to accomplishing much. But first, the tripos :S
Musings
The pound hit fresh lows against the sg dollar - now 1 gbp is now worth 2.67 sgd! Need to buy my air tickets in dollars!
Am trying to cram two major activities into my finite timetable this summer - a 6 week volunteer program to China (ISEC), and an 8 week internship at DSI.
The dates are more or less confirmed, and will be booking the air ticket soon.
June 17: Flying home from UK
June 18-27: Will try to clock a few days at work at DSI, but also need some time to prepare for the trip to china.
June 28 - Aug 7: ISEC.
Aug 7 - Aug 12: Visiting CK gugu and Ling in Shanghai. (Anyone reading this who happens to be free during this time and wants to tour Shanghai too, pls get in touch! :)
Aug 12 - Oct 3: Will be trying to clock another 7 weeks at DSI, and catching up with everyone!
Bracing myself for one hectic summer! And looking forward to accomplishing much. But first, the tripos :S
Musings
The pound hit fresh lows against the sg dollar - now 1 gbp is now worth 2.67 sgd! Need to buy my air tickets in dollars!
Monday, April 07, 2008
Back!
from switzerland...
Good getaway, a fitting pilgrimage for a physicist, to be undertaken once in the course of an undergraduate physicist's life...
Visited eisteinhaus (the house where Einstein lived) in Bern, and Cern in Geneva. Saw the Atlas experiment, the tunnel, the computing facility containing a huge server farm where the data from the experiment is processed, and where the web originated.
Also, switzerland has these very interesting playgrounds filled with very innovative toys (will try to post pics of the toys when i find the time)... no wonder they produce such geniuses!
For now, it's back to the books... Hope I'm more inspired from the visit :D
Good getaway, a fitting pilgrimage for a physicist, to be undertaken once in the course of an undergraduate physicist's life...
Visited eisteinhaus (the house where Einstein lived) in Bern, and Cern in Geneva. Saw the Atlas experiment, the tunnel, the computing facility containing a huge server farm where the data from the experiment is processed, and where the web originated.
Also, switzerland has these very interesting playgrounds filled with very innovative toys (will try to post pics of the toys when i find the time)... no wonder they produce such geniuses!
For now, it's back to the books... Hope I'm more inspired from the visit :D
Thursday, April 03, 2008
Off to Switzerland!
Heading off to the land overflowing with chocolate in a whiles time, to see Einstein's patent office in Bern and the Large Hadron Collider in Geneva.
Here's my and will be contactable on my sg number.
Here's my and will be contactable on my sg number.
Switzerland Itinerary Saturday, March 29, 2008
Flashback to the 90's - Tiny Toons!
Found these retarded cartoons quite therapeutic to engage in in between periods of mugging...
...that's how it all begun :P
...that's how it all begun :P
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
The climax of Romans
Did Romans 11:33-36 during focus today. Doxology arising from the case of our salvation that Paul expounded upon up to that point (Romans chapter 1 - 11).
Chapter 1-4: We are justified by grace through faith, not by our effort.
Chapter 5-8: Christ has conquered sin, to give us life.
Chapter 9-11: God has chosen us to be saved, and to share in Israel's blessings.
It was when the summery of the first 11 chapters of Romans was written out explicitly on the board did the meaning of the subsequent verses, the verses in chapter 12, fully hit me.
Was first convicted of the verse around sec 3, when examining what it really meant to worship God. I never really understood why the verse started with the word 'therefore', had seen it simply as a posh literary device, and i hardly thought more about what the words 'in view of God's mercy' were referring to. But today, having covered the book of Romans til this climax, I finally understand the train of argument, and that worship is a response to the entire circumstance that lead to our salvation.
So much for focus today.
Random Aside
I'm now addicted to salty snacks - machos, chips, and sweet drinks - coke, apple juice!
A doxology (from the Greek doxa, glory + logos, word or speaking) is a short hymn of praise to God in various Christian worship services, often added to the end of canticles, psalms, and hymns. The tradition derives from a similar practice in the Jewish synagogue.
Chapter 1-4: We are justified by grace through faith, not by our effort.
Chapter 5-8: Christ has conquered sin, to give us life.
Chapter 9-11: God has chosen us to be saved, and to share in Israel's blessings.
It was when the summery of the first 11 chapters of Romans was written out explicitly on the board did the meaning of the subsequent verses, the verses in chapter 12, fully hit me.
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not be conformed any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - His good, pleasing and perfect will.- Romans 12:1-2
Was first convicted of the verse around sec 3, when examining what it really meant to worship God. I never really understood why the verse started with the word 'therefore', had seen it simply as a posh literary device, and i hardly thought more about what the words 'in view of God's mercy' were referring to. But today, having covered the book of Romans til this climax, I finally understand the train of argument, and that worship is a response to the entire circumstance that lead to our salvation.
So much for focus today.
Random Aside
I'm now addicted to salty snacks - machos, chips, and sweet drinks - coke, apple juice!
Saturday, March 08, 2008
oh crap... (Another shitty medical account)
quite literally. liquid crap.
not sure what i did to myself to induce this round of diarrhoea.
been evacuating water from my a*** all morning today. it's similar to the side effects i experienced when i downed 2 pints of milk at a go, except this time it has nothing to do with excess lactose.
Might possibly attribute the cause to eating crab sticks straight from the chopping board without cooking it, felt my hygiene conscience pricking when i did that, but before the foolishness of the action fully dawned upon to me, i had already consumed a whole handful of unsanitized crab sticks. found my stool getting softer over the week, culminating in this morning's episode.
Consulting a 4th year medic now over msn for diagnosis and possible treatment.
Treatment: just let the effects run it's course, and hydrate frequently to replenish excreted water.
not sure what i did to myself to induce this round of diarrhoea.
been evacuating water from my a*** all morning today. it's similar to the side effects i experienced when i downed 2 pints of milk at a go, except this time it has nothing to do with excess lactose.
Might possibly attribute the cause to eating crab sticks straight from the chopping board without cooking it, felt my hygiene conscience pricking when i did that, but before the foolishness of the action fully dawned upon to me, i had already consumed a whole handful of unsanitized crab sticks. found my stool getting softer over the week, culminating in this morning's episode.
Consulting a 4th year medic now over msn for diagnosis and possible treatment.
Treatment: just let the effects run it's course, and hydrate frequently to replenish excreted water.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Earthquake!
been blogging sparely the since i returned this year. After spending more than 2 years here, one rarely experiences anything new anymore...
...until yesterday...
thought i'd better update here to reassure everyone back home that i'm fine, and relate my own experience of the earthquake - the first time i had ever experienced one.
It was a very subtle sensation. Was lying on my bed, trying to fall asleep, when i felt the vibrations. recall wondering two thoughts that night...
"why does my bed feel like a massage chair? what's making it so unstable?" thought that my bed had suddenly became unstable, and i was somehow causing it to rock.
and
"which part of me was involuntarily shaking?" had thought it an interesting experience to be aware that i was shaking, yet not being able to pinpoint its exact origin.
The thoughts didn't last, and i soon found my conciousness returning to battle my receding slumber time.
I only found out the next morning that i had experienced an earthquake when sei mentioned it at lectures. found it quite amusing... other people recounted that it felt like a hallucination, and i thought that i would pass the experience off as that had i not found out that it was an earthquake.
Other Updates
speaking of sei, we'll be travelling to geneva on a weekend trip (4-7 Apr) to see the LHC!!! Would prob be spending the rest of the holidays mugging :(
Also, it's season of renewal here in cambridge... This time, I've relinquished my position on the temasek society com, to assume the position of treasurer in the cf com. Good opportunity to serve God, now having tasted what secular cambridge has to offer. Hoping to make it on isec this year too, just returned from the interview. It's strange how i'm actually so comfortable with being focused on serving God, without feeling like i'm missing out on anything outside.
yep, that's about it. I'm in one piece, and hope everyone back home is well too! :) Grace! sam! blog about cny leh... :P
...until yesterday...
thought i'd better update here to reassure everyone back home that i'm fine, and relate my own experience of the earthquake - the first time i had ever experienced one.
It was a very subtle sensation. Was lying on my bed, trying to fall asleep, when i felt the vibrations. recall wondering two thoughts that night...
"why does my bed feel like a massage chair? what's making it so unstable?" thought that my bed had suddenly became unstable, and i was somehow causing it to rock.
and
"which part of me was involuntarily shaking?" had thought it an interesting experience to be aware that i was shaking, yet not being able to pinpoint its exact origin.
The thoughts didn't last, and i soon found my conciousness returning to battle my receding slumber time.
I only found out the next morning that i had experienced an earthquake when sei mentioned it at lectures. found it quite amusing... other people recounted that it felt like a hallucination, and i thought that i would pass the experience off as that had i not found out that it was an earthquake.
Other Updates
speaking of sei, we'll be travelling to geneva on a weekend trip (4-7 Apr) to see the LHC!!! Would prob be spending the rest of the holidays mugging :(
Also, it's season of renewal here in cambridge... This time, I've relinquished my position on the temasek society com, to assume the position of treasurer in the cf com. Good opportunity to serve God, now having tasted what secular cambridge has to offer. Hoping to make it on isec this year too, just returned from the interview. It's strange how i'm actually so comfortable with being focused on serving God, without feeling like i'm missing out on anything outside.
yep, that's about it. I'm in one piece, and hope everyone back home is well too! :) Grace! sam! blog about cny leh... :P
Sunday, February 24, 2008
hindsight
an old email sent to my home cg when i was newly posted to 46 SAR...
Hi, I feel the need to share my experience of being posted to 46 SAR with someone, both for the purpose of unloading my burden, and hopefully to edify (i don't know if it would) the people who hear it.
Last time in cell we when we shared about our week, I used to take it as time to break the ice, probably just to create conversation. Though I knew that it was supposed to be a time of sharing GOD's goodness so that we may glorify GOD and edify each other, and that it was a time we learnt of each other's problems and support each in prayer. But for a very long time, I never really had any problems and never really needed to depend on GOD, thus I never really needed prayer. That's why I never took such sharing seriously, and never thought much of other people's problems. But right now, I feel the need to share. Hopefully this mail would be like one of the 'how was your week' sharing.
In the past month, since my posting to 46 SAR, I've experienced a lot of (i would think) trials. I'll get to that later, maybe I'll narrate the events leading to my posting to give a better idea of the background.
Since I enlisted, I've been feeling that what I was going through was unneccessary, a waste of my time. I hated being made to do things I do not like to do, tasks which I deemed not worthy of my effort. In BMT, and even SMM (school of Military Medicine), each time I went through something tough, I fought it by trying to get each tough time (you may consider it trials) over and done with, by looking forward to the end: a bookout and eventually passing out of the school. i held on to the hope that I'd be posted somewhere good, perhaps even my old unit, I thought there was light at the end of the tunnel. Also, throughout my time there, I found my worth, and tried to counter the frustration that i was wasting my time by furthering my knowledge in certain areas, which was the way i've found satisfaction since my school days. In fact, I was rather successful in furthering my knowledge in programming in SMM. I met someone with the same interest, and there was some kind of synergy. My trophy when I left SMM was a minesweeper solver which we created in vb... (sorry, that's besides the point). But in order to satisfy myself this way, I needed to book out of camp regularly, and have sufficient free time in camp to work on the problems. Something which I will not have in 46 SAR.
Then when I was posted to 46 SAR, I was utterly depressed (probably every single person posted here experiences a period of depression). I did not know how to live with the prospect of 36 hours of book out time a week, minus the travel time to and from sungai gedong, and time I would need to rest and recuperate from the hectic training, and all the time to prepare to book in. The feeling was like that of someone pinning me down, such that there was no point struggling. That was when I learnt to stop struggling, maybe it was because I had resigned to my fate. But I had no choice but to let go of those things that I had found satisfaction in. Had I held on to it, the frustration of not being able to accomplish anything would be unbearable, killing. At the same time, I begun to realised that it was a time of trial, a refining process. Recalling the verse in James which we memorised in Sunday school, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." I learnt to see GOD's purpose in my going through these trials and ask HIM for strength to go through it. Perhaps it was because I needed to find a reason for me going through it, it is simply too meaningless to go through this all these pain for nothing.
But even (or only) in the midst of all the uncertainty and fear, I was able to experience GOD's grace and mercy from the very first night I stepped into the camp. As I mentioned, the day I was posted to 46 SAR, I was very depressed, fearful of this new, unknown, notorious place. That very night, GOD sent me a very good friend, the son of a pastor, someone whom I've known since primary school and went to secondary school with. He came to see me, and it was such a relief to see someone familiar, a Christian brother. On the second night, he came to see me again, this time while I was sleeping, as he had came back very late from an out field exercise. Imagine what great comfort it is to wake up to the voice of a friend in the midst of such fear and uncertainty, it almost felt as if I had seen an angel!
Another testament of GOD's grace is the people he has put above and around me, I'm not sure how to describe it without going into the details of the hierarchy and stuff. I must thank GOD for granting me favour in the eyes of my superiors. Having said that, I hope that I won't do anything that will cause me to lose that favour. And so far, I've had a lot of time out of camp since I was posted to 46 SAR. First for an exercise, then i had my wisdom teeth extracted and had 1 week's MC, then there was national day, where we got to hang around at the national stadium, and now I have 2 days off for the weekend and national day burnt. However, I still have the feeling that all these are short-lived as National day is over, and i only have one set of 4 wisdom teeth, and that the actual training is about to commence. But I pray and trust that GOD will see me through, in ways I cannot see (though as I say this, I have my doubts too).
I've also learnt other things, think I shall share it some other time, as it is getting quite late. To end off, I have realised the need to rely on GOD, and the need to support each other in GOD. Would especially like to find out how Christopher and Rong Xiang are doing, maybe you would like to share what's been happening... I don't know if this is a kind of fad which will pass, but I hope to learn to constantly support and uphold each other. This is the only thing that is reliable in the midst of all the uncertainties.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Romans 5
- relationship with God is absolutely secure.Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.
Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.suffering -> perserverence -> character -> hope.
- suffering is purposeful.
And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.- role of Holy Spirit is to give an experience of God's love, by teaching us the cross.
You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
just some notes from focus tonight... really like the picture illustrating the first point.
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Pursuits
Some stuff to look over when i'm back:
History of QFT
Maths QFT notes
Physics Gauge field theory
a Hyperphysics page
Central field approximation
also, an interesting blog entry
and...
History of QFT
Maths QFT notes
Physics Gauge field theory
a Hyperphysics page
Central field approximation
also, an interesting blog entry
and...
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Westlife
Hm... chanced upon a televised performance by westlife in the B&B while in the lake district, and found that I really like their songs. Have been watching their clips on youtube...
guess it's because their songs remind me of my jc days...
Recall my class theme song, an excerpt of the lyrics:
but if I let you go I will never know
what my life will be without trigonometry
will I ever see an 'A' for chemistry
how will I know
Are there other nice bands out there? Found watching these performances a good way to destress :)
guess it's because their songs remind me of my jc days...
Recall my class theme song, an excerpt of the lyrics:
Day after day I hear myself say
I'll do my tutorials another day...
I'll do my tutorials another day...
but if I let you go I will never know
what my life will be without trigonometry
will I ever see an 'A' for chemistry
how will I know
Are there other nice bands out there? Found watching these performances a good way to destress :)
Monday, November 26, 2007
Nice animations from my computational project =)
hm... doesnt animate so well... click on it and force reload(ctrl-f5) to watch =P
Animation program written in fortran, animated with gnuplot... and stitched with a certain 'Animation Shop 3'...
:)
Sunday, November 04, 2007
The story of Joseph
Going through the story of joseph on sundays now...
Just a quick thought - in the days of joseph, people were plagued by famine, as they had no control over nature... These days, technology has advanced to the point that we are able to produce the food we need almost without being affected by the problems posed by nature, yet we are plagued by problems that seem equally beyond our control - our modern day famines take the form of economic crises.
Are we any better off than in joseph's time?
And they were playing songs from "Joseph and the amazing technicolour dream coat" after the service... Miss the songs! Does anyone have it??
Just a quick thought - in the days of joseph, people were plagued by famine, as they had no control over nature... These days, technology has advanced to the point that we are able to produce the food we need almost without being affected by the problems posed by nature, yet we are plagued by problems that seem equally beyond our control - our modern day famines take the form of economic crises.
Are we any better off than in joseph's time?
And they were playing songs from "Joseph and the amazing technicolour dream coat" after the service... Miss the songs! Does anyone have it??
Thursday, November 01, 2007
Midway through term - that was fast!
Wow, and half the term just sped by like that!
Just survived my first wave of heavy days... Had a full day on tuesday - spent 9 hours at the cavendish, 9am to 6pm, for 3 lectures, an example class, and a supervision. Another supervision today which ended with another natsci cookout - the kind organised by second years to welcome first years.
Working backwards, AFF on sunday was good... ah, cant really remember much before that...
Half the term's been quite good.... meeting people who would help me understand work... A lot of catching up to do, but there's hope that it'll go well...
Next two days will be busy too - preparing for temasek's dinner and discussion tmr, computational project and gotta come back and prepare food for cg on friday, then there's reading up for literature review...
CG: working through the book of matthew now, beginning from the beattitudes, and working through the parables...
The story of joseph on sundays, and romans at focus...
Term might go well, please keep praying for me...
Just survived my first wave of heavy days... Had a full day on tuesday - spent 9 hours at the cavendish, 9am to 6pm, for 3 lectures, an example class, and a supervision. Another supervision today which ended with another natsci cookout - the kind organised by second years to welcome first years.
Working backwards, AFF on sunday was good... ah, cant really remember much before that...
Half the term's been quite good.... meeting people who would help me understand work... A lot of catching up to do, but there's hope that it'll go well...
Next two days will be busy too - preparing for temasek's dinner and discussion tmr, computational project and gotta come back and prepare food for cg on friday, then there's reading up for literature review...
CG: working through the book of matthew now, beginning from the beattitudes, and working through the parables...
The story of joseph on sundays, and romans at focus...
Term might go well, please keep praying for me...
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Oooo... Ratatouille - Behind the scenes.
The science behind chopping scenes in Raratoullie.
Stumbled on it while searching for ways to handle scalar fields for my computing project.
Stumbled on it while searching for ways to handle scalar fields for my computing project.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Update
Ok a quick update on what's been going on...
Been busy... in part with this, as well as school work, which is been piling...
But before i forget, Houseparty's confirmed to be held on 3-6 December (Monday til Thursday), so daddy, can plan your trip around this date. Also, cant find my usb stick when i arraived; and realised that i dont have vit c with me, have been fluish for a while... can help me bring these items from home? Thanks.
Happenings:
It's been two weeks and a bit into school... trying to keep up with work. Had a few cookouts so far - 1 natsci, 1 with cumsa kids.
And had lunch at Lye Chong's place (a grad student at HH) on Sunday... He has a year old son, and he had a church friend from singapore visiting cambridge, whom he invited for lunch too...
Had children's christian music playing in the house, and other children's items like books and toys strewn around the house, bringing back to me recollections of the atmosphere during my own childhood... Met his son a couple of times before, but after playing with him during lunch last sunday, I'm beginning to feel a little attachment with him... oh no...
This term's snack is prob going to be Danish Butter Cookies... They are on offer (99 pences) at sainsburrys for the regular tin, it's usual price is 1.50 pounds. I think it's rather cheap... dunno how much they cost back in sg... Anyhow, it's better than 4 bars of basics chocolate, which i havent touched since i arrived.
And this term's meal would be chicken rice... very cheap and hassle free - usually marinate 3 chicken wings a meal (a pack of around 8 basics chicken wings cost under 1.50 pounds, so 3 chicken wings works out to 50p), then throw it in the rice cooker (with lettuce sometimes), and forget about it til i'm hungry... if i'm cooking with lettuce, would usually take it out afte about 10 mins. Blogging over a bowl of chicken rice now :P
Also i'm doing laundry manually this year, since they raised the price of using the washing machine to 1.40 pounds... It's quite therapeutic actually, good to do after getting bored with work.
Ok, a rather abrupt end to a disjoint post... it's two AM in the morning, and tomorrow's going to be a hactic day, with 5 hours at the cavendish... later...
Been busy... in part with this, as well as school work, which is been piling...
But before i forget, Houseparty's confirmed to be held on 3-6 December (Monday til Thursday), so daddy, can plan your trip around this date. Also, cant find my usb stick when i arraived; and realised that i dont have vit c with me, have been fluish for a while... can help me bring these items from home? Thanks.
Happenings:
It's been two weeks and a bit into school... trying to keep up with work. Had a few cookouts so far - 1 natsci, 1 with cumsa kids.
And had lunch at Lye Chong's place (a grad student at HH) on Sunday... He has a year old son, and he had a church friend from singapore visiting cambridge, whom he invited for lunch too...
Had children's christian music playing in the house, and other children's items like books and toys strewn around the house, bringing back to me recollections of the atmosphere during my own childhood... Met his son a couple of times before, but after playing with him during lunch last sunday, I'm beginning to feel a little attachment with him... oh no...
This term's snack is prob going to be Danish Butter Cookies... They are on offer (99 pences) at sainsburrys for the regular tin, it's usual price is 1.50 pounds. I think it's rather cheap... dunno how much they cost back in sg... Anyhow, it's better than 4 bars of basics chocolate, which i havent touched since i arrived.
And this term's meal would be chicken rice... very cheap and hassle free - usually marinate 3 chicken wings a meal (a pack of around 8 basics chicken wings cost under 1.50 pounds, so 3 chicken wings works out to 50p), then throw it in the rice cooker (with lettuce sometimes), and forget about it til i'm hungry... if i'm cooking with lettuce, would usually take it out afte about 10 mins. Blogging over a bowl of chicken rice now :P
Also i'm doing laundry manually this year, since they raised the price of using the washing machine to 1.40 pounds... It's quite therapeutic actually, good to do after getting bored with work.
Ok, a rather abrupt end to a disjoint post... it's two AM in the morning, and tomorrow's going to be a hactic day, with 5 hours at the cavendish... later...
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
A Third Time
The clothes I'm bringing. From top left to bottom right:
1) Outing shirts (x5) - two collared shirts, one white long sleeves woollen shirt, one white striped shirt for formals, one white shirt.
2) Home clothes - 4 tops, 2 bottoms.
3) Outing t-shirts (x5)
4) Pants - 5 out door pants, 1 track pants, one berm
5) Towels - 2 bath, 2 face.
Just feel like keeping track of my clothes.
Should have more clothes over in cam... dont know why i'm bringing so many clothes also.
Here's my flight info in case anyone's interested... Who's arriving at LHR at 0550 too?
Singapore (SIN)
Thu, 27 Sep 2007 23:20
London (LHR)
Fri, 28 Sep 2007 05:50
Seat: 53A
Here we go again... Flying alone this time...Bracing myself for another Cambridge year... *deep breath*
Friday, September 21, 2007
g ~ π2
Here's the answer to an interesting observation I made a while back.
Turns out that there is indeed an explanation for the apparent coincidence.
Turns out that there is indeed an explanation for the apparent coincidence.
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Go apple! Go orange! GO BANANA!
In case anyone was wondering, here's the origin of the above timeless quote that appears on my msn nick.
Occurs 5 minutes into the clip.
Enjoy!
Occurs 5 minutes into the clip.
Enjoy!
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Catching up on blogging after a long haitus
Wrapped up my attachment on friday with the End of Attachment Presentation...
The 9 weeks on the job was colossally enriching!
Wrote an entire package in Matlab, concorting meshing algorithms, solving underlying problems mathematically, and implementing their solutions computationally. Learned to handle geometric models with nodes, lines, surfaces and elements.
Also read up on the topic "Computations with discrete forms". Some terms used in the topic for future search reference: Barycentric Coordinates, Whitney Forms, Hodge Star, deRham Complex - chain & cochain complexes, a primal and its dual, (discrete) forms.
Set of two Caltech lecture ppts on the topic: Calculus on Meshes 1, Calculus on Meshes 2
Met another intern studying at Stanford who is interested in exactly the same physics as me - QFT and it's likes. Managed to learn up some solid state physics together. It's such a joy to have just one other person with the same mind. Having one other person to affirm concepts at crucial points in a topic can help accelerate the learning process very substancially, something which my situation in Cambridge has left me sorely deficient. Hope it gets better next year.
Today
Spent Saturday, the day after my internship ended, spring cleaning my computer.
Sorted out the documents and programs I have, as well as my music files... itunes duplicates my music each time it reindexes them when i reformat the computer, and it's quite irritating for a song to be played 4 times in a row.
Installed some programing utilities during this round of laptop spring cleaning:
Created a seperate account to code in so that the files can be managed more neatly,
and quite interested in the recent developments at google, in particular the introduction of Google Code, the release of Google Web Toolkit, and Google Calander API. Can now port over the reliability of the google calander to php webpages!
Also keeping an eye out on the developments of Octave, the open source equiv of Matlab. Looks like there is quite a concerted effort in making it run as well as Matlab. Waiting for the version 3 release. Found an editor, SciTE that works for quite a good number of languages - php and matlab among them. And re-exploring java programming along with the previously mentioned gwt.
Looking to next year
Also bearing in mind the course requirements for next year, including the computational component in fortran, as well as all the other topics. Need to translate what I have into gains on my grades! Really hope to find next year's course engaging and its requirements enjoyable to fulfill. Cant see how it's going to come about given the previous two years... Still, hope dies hard.
The 9 weeks on the job was colossally enriching!
Wrote an entire package in Matlab, concorting meshing algorithms, solving underlying problems mathematically, and implementing their solutions computationally. Learned to handle geometric models with nodes, lines, surfaces and elements.
Also read up on the topic "Computations with discrete forms". Some terms used in the topic for future search reference: Barycentric Coordinates, Whitney Forms, Hodge Star, deRham Complex - chain & cochain complexes, a primal and its dual, (discrete) forms.
Set of two Caltech lecture ppts on the topic: Calculus on Meshes 1, Calculus on Meshes 2
Met another intern studying at Stanford who is interested in exactly the same physics as me - QFT and it's likes. Managed to learn up some solid state physics together. It's such a joy to have just one other person with the same mind. Having one other person to affirm concepts at crucial points in a topic can help accelerate the learning process very substancially, something which my situation in Cambridge has left me sorely deficient. Hope it gets better next year.
Today
Spent Saturday, the day after my internship ended, spring cleaning my computer.
Sorted out the documents and programs I have, as well as my music files... itunes duplicates my music each time it reindexes them when i reformat the computer, and it's quite irritating for a song to be played 4 times in a row.
Installed some programing utilities during this round of laptop spring cleaning:
Created a seperate account to code in so that the files can be managed more neatly,
and quite interested in the recent developments at google, in particular the introduction of Google Code, the release of Google Web Toolkit, and Google Calander API. Can now port over the reliability of the google calander to php webpages!
Also keeping an eye out on the developments of Octave, the open source equiv of Matlab. Looks like there is quite a concerted effort in making it run as well as Matlab. Waiting for the version 3 release. Found an editor, SciTE that works for quite a good number of languages - php and matlab among them. And re-exploring java programming along with the previously mentioned gwt.
Looking to next year
Also bearing in mind the course requirements for next year, including the computational component in fortran, as well as all the other topics. Need to translate what I have into gains on my grades! Really hope to find next year's course engaging and its requirements enjoyable to fulfill. Cant see how it's going to come about given the previous two years... Still, hope dies hard.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Optimisation
Just implemented an optimisation code to minimise the lengths of the lines joining the points...
And here's my optimised star!
And here's my optimised star!
Monday, August 13, 2007
Some nice images from my internship
Just finished writing a 2D meshing algorithm in Matlab. Here are some visually appealing results generated from the code:
Reckon that these images look rather mundane to most people.
Beauty indeed lies in the eye of the beholder :)
Beauty indeed lies in the eye of the beholder :)
Saturday, August 04, 2007
Update
ok, here's an update of hols...
been quite busy, with a day job, and trying to keep in touch with everyone in the evenings and weekends, as well as catching up on last year's work while the luxury of home lasts... Hence the lack of blogging.
have uploaded some pics of eastern europe, but it's still not very presentable yet, need captioning, or at least sort them out in some kind of logical order. but have yet to find the time to do all of those.
upcoming happenings include visiting SAJC on 15 Aug 1430 to help with the UK talk... Anyone interested to come, please call!
work's been good... picking up loads. worked on my linux box remotely from work for a while, installing the simulation program, and running some simulations on it. now utilising programs like matlab, gid, to try to set the problem up - generating the geometry of the problem, as well as the finite element meshing. Supervisor's also really nice, working together on a kinda equal footing to solve problems. Have been communicating with him in chinese, and i'm finding myself thinking in chinese whenever i subconsciously run through the problems! :S like "de2 dao4 le4 zhou1 wei2 de4 nodes yi3 hou4 jiu4 ke2 yi3 qiu2 geometry de4 ping2 jun1" and "magnetisation hui4 chong2 zheng4 de4 bian4 dao4 fu4 de4".
managed to meet up with many people this holiday too!
so on the whole, hols have so far been quite fulfilling. would be quite busy still, making the most of the time in sg, as well as accomplishing other things like temasek website and updating links on this blog. blogging might also continue to be sparse.
signing off...
been quite busy, with a day job, and trying to keep in touch with everyone in the evenings and weekends, as well as catching up on last year's work while the luxury of home lasts... Hence the lack of blogging.
have uploaded some pics of eastern europe, but it's still not very presentable yet, need captioning, or at least sort them out in some kind of logical order. but have yet to find the time to do all of those.
upcoming happenings include visiting SAJC on 15 Aug 1430 to help with the UK talk... Anyone interested to come, please call!
work's been good... picking up loads. worked on my linux box remotely from work for a while, installing the simulation program, and running some simulations on it. now utilising programs like matlab, gid, to try to set the problem up - generating the geometry of the problem, as well as the finite element meshing. Supervisor's also really nice, working together on a kinda equal footing to solve problems. Have been communicating with him in chinese, and i'm finding myself thinking in chinese whenever i subconsciously run through the problems! :S like "de2 dao4 le4 zhou1 wei2 de4 nodes yi3 hou4 jiu4 ke2 yi3 qiu2 geometry de4 ping2 jun1" and "magnetisation hui4 chong2 zheng4 de4 bian4 dao4 fu4 de4".
managed to meet up with many people this holiday too!
- Sec sch classmates at Jonathan's send off just days after I returned - alvin, daniel, shawn foo were there.
- JC classmates, on a couple of occasions. Jimmy, Chintee, Izz, hanes. Board gamed, and had prata at bukit timah.
- Scouts, on a few occasions too. Shamir, varun, tsang, for a board gaming session; plus juniors Wilson, yiming, gerald, austin, sherman, during shamir's send off.
- Everyone in church! during the r-age 10th anniversary the day after touch down.
- CF people - daniel, lish, ben, lauren, charles, during the bbq and a dinner.
so on the whole, hols have so far been quite fulfilling. would be quite busy still, making the most of the time in sg, as well as accomplishing other things like temasek website and updating links on this blog. blogging might also continue to be sparse.
signing off...
Wednesday, July 04, 2007
Fedora for the home PC!
Just installed linux on my pc at home. Thanks to HCH for helping me with the installation and orientating me to the interface. Intending to use it mainly as a server for me to back my data up.
Gotta equip it with and test out the following:
LAMP - Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP, to provide the web serving capabilities, mainly to provide nice interfaces for the data I'd be backing up (e.g gallery2 for pictures)...
Ftp Server (filezilla maybe) - to upload my data for backing up.
Telnet perhaps, so that I can execute commands on the computer remotely.
The kind of data I intend to back up fall mainly under into the following categories:
1) Pictures + clips.
2) Music.
3) Movies + games.
4) other files, like word/excel/pdf documents.
5) Installers - I'll back up the installation files of all the programs that I find reliable on my home computer, so that whenever I reformat my computer, I'll have a one-stop location to download the installers I need. Gotta make a list of programs that serve well. Currently looking for a gif animator, and it's been quite difficult to find a good one, I need flash! Also, just found a good Audio File Converter Program, Switch and wavepad.
Have been using them to work on the webpages I'm mastering... Which has been occupying me since I returned.
CCCF website: changed the banner, added a little icon, changed the music, and now I'm hoping to create a little flash applet to synchronize changing pictures with the music. Did a little javascripting on it.
Temasek website: Touched up the look of the 'latest articles' and 'latest comments' panels, and hoping to touch up on the banner, and the aesthetics of the page in general. Did some MySQLing on it.
Gotta equip it with and test out the following:
LAMP - Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP, to provide the web serving capabilities, mainly to provide nice interfaces for the data I'd be backing up (e.g gallery2 for pictures)...
Ftp Server (filezilla maybe) - to upload my data for backing up.
Telnet perhaps, so that I can execute commands on the computer remotely.
The kind of data I intend to back up fall mainly under into the following categories:
1) Pictures + clips.
2) Music.
3) Movies + games.
4) other files, like word/excel/pdf documents.
5) Installers - I'll back up the installation files of all the programs that I find reliable on my home computer, so that whenever I reformat my computer, I'll have a one-stop location to download the installers I need. Gotta make a list of programs that serve well. Currently looking for a gif animator, and it's been quite difficult to find a good one, I need flash! Also, just found a good Audio File Converter Program, Switch and wavepad.
Have been using them to work on the webpages I'm mastering... Which has been occupying me since I returned.
CCCF website: changed the banner, added a little icon, changed the music, and now I'm hoping to create a little flash applet to synchronize changing pictures with the music. Did a little javascripting on it.
Temasek website: Touched up the look of the 'latest articles' and 'latest comments' panels, and hoping to touch up on the banner, and the aesthetics of the page in general. Did some MySQLing on it.
Saturday, June 30, 2007
Back!
Just returned in the morning after 2 weeks of traveling... loads to consolidate - pictures, the trips, my belongings, my work, the internship.
Airport experience was interesting. Checked in rather late, though still within the stipulated time, but was held back by immigration due to an increased alert level (perhaps because of the bomb scare in London). Queued for immigration till past the flight timing of 12, and was given an "advance to go card" soon after 12pm.
Thankfully was able to check in my slightly over the weight limit baggage, perhaps because the airport staff was concerned with the above stated more pressing matters. Upon check in, we were instructed to go straight through security and immigration, and not to loiter in the shops.
K, lots to do now. Trip pics to be up soon (hopefully).
Airport experience was interesting. Checked in rather late, though still within the stipulated time, but was held back by immigration due to an increased alert level (perhaps because of the bomb scare in London). Queued for immigration till past the flight timing of 12, and was given an "advance to go card" soon after 12pm.
Thankfully was able to check in my slightly over the weight limit baggage, perhaps because the airport staff was concerned with the above stated more pressing matters. Upon check in, we were instructed to go straight through security and immigration, and not to loiter in the shops.
K, lots to do now. Trip pics to be up soon (hopefully).
Thursday, June 21, 2007
sigh... 2-2 ;(
in austria now..
just found out my result... not good at all... but guess that means there´s more room for improvement next year... tough year this one was... :(
hope i can still do theoretical physics... ok time´s running out...
just found out my result... not good at all... but guess that means there´s more room for improvement next year... tough year this one was... :(
hope i can still do theoretical physics... ok time´s running out...
Saturday, June 16, 2007
Ok, this is it...
moving the remaining life support systems out of my room soon - my laptop, fan, bedsheets. Will be down to my bare traveling necessities.
wont be able to access the internet so frequently til i reach home, but there should be internet cafes along the way.
Departing tmr morning at 3, and my itinerary is as previously posted.
Will be contactable on my sg number.
Also, just realized that I'll be exceeding the weight limit by a lot (my luggage weighs 35 kg, and that's not counting the laptop, and traveling baggage), from all the goodies I'm carrying home. Daddy, can help me ask SIA for extra baggage allowance? thanks.
wont be able to access the internet so frequently til i reach home, but there should be internet cafes along the way.
Departing tmr morning at 3, and my itinerary is as previously posted.
Will be contactable on my sg number.
Also, just realized that I'll be exceeding the weight limit by a lot (my luggage weighs 35 kg, and that's not counting the laptop, and traveling baggage), from all the goodies I'm carrying home. Daddy, can help me ask SIA for extra baggage allowance? thanks.
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Back from portugal, with a bottle of Port!!!
Just returned from Portugal this morning - visited Porto, Lisbon & Sintra.
Quite a packed trip... felt like we accomplished a lot in the short span of 4 days.
The highlight was perhaps visiting a brewery in Porto. Sandeman, the brewery name was.
Appreciated how Port is actually grape juice that is partially fermented (as compared with wine which is fully fermented grape juice), to produce alcohol yet leaving some sugar to give it the sweet taste. Bought a bottle, for everyone back home to try! So prepare to get drunk :P
Also learnt that Port wine is named after the city of Porto, which is so named because it's a port. And a port is a gateway or entrance.
Will be packing up, and leaving in the next few days for Eastern Europe.
Also, got the reply from astar, and will be doing an internship with them again over summer. Quite looking forward to that...
yup, not too long now, will be home in another 2 weeks! see everyone soon...
Saturday, June 09, 2007
Leaving for Portugal in a while
Consuming simple ovened dinner and leaving for portugal in the wee hours of the morning. Will be gone for 3 days, back for 3 days, gone for 12 days, back for one night, and finally departing for home!
Here are my itineraries for Portugal and Eastern Europe.
Was reading through my post exam posts last year. This time last year, Chai Seng gugu was here! Took them round cambridge, and drove up to kings lynn.
Went to London with ken, lionel and serene for a few days the following week, packed up and left for Italy on the 21st, learned of my result on the 24th, and was home on the 29th. Coming full circle this time round, with London replaced by Portugal, and Italy by Eastern Europe.
And... My room looks like a warzone!
Here are my itineraries for Portugal and Eastern Europe.
Was reading through my post exam posts last year. This time last year, Chai Seng gugu was here! Took them round cambridge, and drove up to kings lynn.
Went to London with ken, lionel and serene for a few days the following week, packed up and left for Italy on the 21st, learned of my result on the 24th, and was home on the 29th. Coming full circle this time round, with London replaced by Portugal, and Italy by Eastern Europe.
And... My room looks like a warzone!
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
Consolidation
Have been done with exams for close to a week now... And have been quite productive since then...
Sorting out stuff, packing my room, looking into travel arrangements, buying goodies to bring home, just consolidating my two years in Cambridge. I'm quite glad to have the time to do these leisurely...
Lets see, since the exams ended on friday morning, i've...
Friday, 1 Jun:
slacked friday afternoon away, recuperating.
Crashed garang sheep, helped them cook. visited joel's place after cg...
Saturday, 2 Jun:
Slept til late. went for brunch, think i slacked the afternoon away, prob listening to bbc and cbs podcasts. Had dinner with keng rui and irene. Went to Shawn's place to watch "Troy". Daniel was there too... "War is young man dieing, and old man talking". Stayed til 1.30 am.
Sunday, 3 Jun:
Brunch at 9 with joel, su-ann, celene. Made french toasts and pancakes.
Church, lunch, didnt really do much the afternoon. Dinner with keng rui.
Monday, 4 Jun:
settled errands, returned the library books, booked formal hall tickets, practiced a little for cf worship. Went to town to leave guit with WS, did some banking. was listening to bbc podcasts. Went to help with the food prep for cf at 1630, got some boxes from sains, had worship practice at 1800. CF til late, went to play com games at daniel's place after til around 2am.
Tuesday, 5 Jun:
Sorted out travel arrangements, went to print documents (hostel bookings, maps) at the CMS... Attended focus, went to visit aloysius to do maths. Thought of traveling on a cheaper airline here next year, emirates, say. And thought of going to Greece, Cyprus and Turkey next Christmas, and France, Germany and Belgium next Easter.
Wednesday, 6 Jun:
Did some packing up, bought goodies to bring home, found out about national express tickets, going to buy them soon. Suddenly felt like i was spending a lot of money. Now trying to keep track of all my expenditure.
For the goodies,
The big boxes of cookies were 2 for 5 pounds. (5.00 x 2)
Short cake was 0.79. (0.79 x 2)
Milk chocolate butter, the one on the left was 2 for 2 pounds (2.00 x 2)
Shortbread was 2 for 3.50, i think. (3.50 x 1)
McVites Boasters was 2 for 0.99. Bought 6. (0.99 x 3)
Spent 22.05 on goodies to bring home. You guys back home, please tell me if the bargains were good and if i should buy more of them back. But my luggage is already half full with the food. Going to be hard to squeeze more in it.
For the packing, thinking of getting a plastic box for my "lever arch files". They cost 10.99 pounds. Need to get more boxes too. And transport to caius will cost another 11 pounds.
Then there's money to be changed, and tickets to be bought.
Kinda looking forward to going back in summer to work, and make a little living for myself. Also thinking of all the other things i need to do in summer - go through the materials for this year and next, gre's, tuition, playing - all the movies to catch, and showing sam what i've learned this year :D
Towards the near future:
Tomorrow:
Continue with all the preparation and packing, and going for a briefing for a demonstration i'll be going for on friday.
Friday:
Taking part in a school visit to do some science demonstration. will be interesting, and will occupy my mornings and afternoons.
Saturday:
Preparing for the trip on sunday. Make sure all the errands are run.
Sunday to Tuesday:
Will be in Portugal.
Wednessday to Saturday:
Will be back in cam, attending garden parties, and packing up for good.
Sunday, 17 to Thursday, 28:
Will be in Eastern Europe.
Thursday, 28:
Arriving back in cam.
Friday, 29:
Departing for Singapre!!!
Saturday, 30:
Will be sleeping on my bed for the first time in 9 months!
Wow! that was an entire month in one post!
Sorting out stuff, packing my room, looking into travel arrangements, buying goodies to bring home, just consolidating my two years in Cambridge. I'm quite glad to have the time to do these leisurely...
Lets see, since the exams ended on friday morning, i've...
Friday, 1 Jun:
slacked friday afternoon away, recuperating.
Crashed garang sheep, helped them cook. visited joel's place after cg...
Saturday, 2 Jun:
Slept til late. went for brunch, think i slacked the afternoon away, prob listening to bbc and cbs podcasts. Had dinner with keng rui and irene. Went to Shawn's place to watch "Troy". Daniel was there too... "War is young man dieing, and old man talking". Stayed til 1.30 am.
Sunday, 3 Jun:
Brunch at 9 with joel, su-ann, celene. Made french toasts and pancakes.
Church, lunch, didnt really do much the afternoon. Dinner with keng rui.
Monday, 4 Jun:
settled errands, returned the library books, booked formal hall tickets, practiced a little for cf worship. Went to town to leave guit with WS, did some banking. was listening to bbc podcasts. Went to help with the food prep for cf at 1630, got some boxes from sains, had worship practice at 1800. CF til late, went to play com games at daniel's place after til around 2am.
Tuesday, 5 Jun:
Sorted out travel arrangements, went to print documents (hostel bookings, maps) at the CMS... Attended focus, went to visit aloysius to do maths. Thought of traveling on a cheaper airline here next year, emirates, say. And thought of going to Greece, Cyprus and Turkey next Christmas, and France, Germany and Belgium next Easter.
Wednesday, 6 Jun:
Did some packing up, bought goodies to bring home, found out about national express tickets, going to buy them soon. Suddenly felt like i was spending a lot of money. Now trying to keep track of all my expenditure.
For the goodies,
The big boxes of cookies were 2 for 5 pounds. (5.00 x 2)
Short cake was 0.79. (0.79 x 2)
Milk chocolate butter, the one on the left was 2 for 2 pounds (2.00 x 2)
Shortbread was 2 for 3.50, i think. (3.50 x 1)
McVites Boasters was 2 for 0.99. Bought 6. (0.99 x 3)
Spent 22.05 on goodies to bring home. You guys back home, please tell me if the bargains were good and if i should buy more of them back. But my luggage is already half full with the food. Going to be hard to squeeze more in it.
For the packing, thinking of getting a plastic box for my "lever arch files". They cost 10.99 pounds. Need to get more boxes too. And transport to caius will cost another 11 pounds.
Then there's money to be changed, and tickets to be bought.
Kinda looking forward to going back in summer to work, and make a little living for myself. Also thinking of all the other things i need to do in summer - go through the materials for this year and next, gre's, tuition, playing - all the movies to catch, and showing sam what i've learned this year :D
Towards the near future:
Tomorrow:
Continue with all the preparation and packing, and going for a briefing for a demonstration i'll be going for on friday.
Friday:
Taking part in a school visit to do some science demonstration. will be interesting, and will occupy my mornings and afternoons.
Saturday:
Preparing for the trip on sunday. Make sure all the errands are run.
Sunday to Tuesday:
Will be in Portugal.
Wednessday to Saturday:
Will be back in cam, attending garden parties, and packing up for good.
Sunday, 17 to Thursday, 28:
Will be in Eastern Europe.
Thursday, 28:
Arriving back in cam.
Friday, 29:
Departing for Singapre!!!
Saturday, 30:
Will be sleeping on my bed for the first time in 9 months!
Wow! that was an entire month in one post!
Friday, June 01, 2007
Done. Phew!
An update on the exam:
a couple of bad papers - Adv Physics Paper 2, Physics Paper 1.
a few not too bad papers - both math papers, Adv Physics paper 1.
and a good paper - Physics Paper 2, a little miracle, i must say...
feeling average, on the whole...
About Physics Paper 2, had read up the part 2 quantum mechanics and found the first 4 lectures a very good summary of the stuff we need to learn for first year, plus got inspired to the rationale behind some of the calculations, and was able to do the 2 questions required quite fully during the exams... :)
Thank God for that...
Now there's so many things to do... Had a bad post-exam start today... cg formal didnt work out... they changed the schedule, so now we'll have to take stock and see what can be done about it... Sigh.. think i'll go cg first, have a good rest tonight, and start to see what else needs to be done tomorrow morning...
To those still mugging away, jia you!
To the people back home, I'm on the home stretch! See everyone soon!
a couple of bad papers - Adv Physics Paper 2, Physics Paper 1.
a few not too bad papers - both math papers, Adv Physics paper 1.
and a good paper - Physics Paper 2, a little miracle, i must say...
feeling average, on the whole...
About Physics Paper 2, had read up the part 2 quantum mechanics and found the first 4 lectures a very good summary of the stuff we need to learn for first year, plus got inspired to the rationale behind some of the calculations, and was able to do the 2 questions required quite fully during the exams... :)
Thank God for that...
Now there's so many things to do... Had a bad post-exam start today... cg formal didnt work out... they changed the schedule, so now we'll have to take stock and see what can be done about it... Sigh.. think i'll go cg first, have a good rest tonight, and start to see what else needs to be done tomorrow morning...
To those still mugging away, jia you!
To the people back home, I'm on the home stretch! See everyone soon!
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
"The brain is not a receptacle"
I remember the advice my JC principal used to give during assembly on study technique - she would urge us to understand the material and not try to cram the material wholesale and regurgitate it during the exams. Well, I'm now finding myself doing exactly what she advised against - frantically copying my notes by the topics in the hope that some of it gets retained.
Less than a week to the exams, and i'm tossing the learning habit that has brought me to cambridge out the window - waiting for the lightbulb to illuminate understanding to a topic, the apple to fall on the head, simply aint happening fast enough to keep pace with what i've gotta know...
Just realised how badly I lack knowing the content, and frantically trying to make up for that.
Ahhh!!!
Less than a week to the exams, and i'm tossing the learning habit that has brought me to cambridge out the window - waiting for the lightbulb to illuminate understanding to a topic, the apple to fall on the head, simply aint happening fast enough to keep pace with what i've gotta know...
Just realised how badly I lack knowing the content, and frantically trying to make up for that.
Ahhh!!!
pebble bed nuclear reactor
just came from a research seminar on the future of nuclear power, took back this interesting development - a pebble bed nuclear reactor...
basically uranium enclosed in a shell to keep the hazardous by-products inside.
basically uranium enclosed in a shell to keep the hazardous by-products inside.
Sunday, May 20, 2007
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Saturday, May 12, 2007
An interesting paper
Hey HCH, check this paper out...
The Ghost in the Browser - Analysis of Web-based Malware
Written by guys at google researching malicious websites.
=)
The Ghost in the Browser - Analysis of Web-based Malware
Written by guys at google researching malicious websites.
=)
Thursday, May 10, 2007
A medical account
Just a log of what can happen from drinking too much milk... Writing it in response to Sam's post.
The incident happened last week, 5 May 07, incidentally exactly two years after my ORD'ing.
Was rather stuck with work last Saturday, felt kinda cooped up in my room because there was little happening - the usual Saturday frisbee session had been canceled from lack of response. Impulsively, I took myself on a jog.
Didnt take me long to find my legs quite dysfunctional.
Along the way, bumped into keng rui and yaofeng, a first year medic. They were also running. Yaofeng advised that drinking milk should help in the recovery of orthopedic problems, because of its calcium content.
Went to sains with Keng Rui subsequently, to get microwave dinner. Got myself 2 pints of milk too. Proceeded to keng rui's to make dinner, and in typical me fashion, from the after exercise thirst and hunger, and the desire to fix my leg, I finished the two pints of milk over the course of the dinner.
Back in my room, two hours later, I felt a churning in my stomach... Moments later, I was, putting it as euphemistically as possible, vomiting milk through the excretory opening at the end of the alimentary canal.
The call to nature felt particularly urgent when it happened, but it wasnt tormenting. In fact, it was a rather interesting experience :P
Eugene, a second year medic, explained the phenomena as the kidneys displacing the milk, instead of filtering it. Wonder if that is what happens to lactose intolerant people when they drink milk...
The incident happened last week, 5 May 07, incidentally exactly two years after my ORD'ing.
Was rather stuck with work last Saturday, felt kinda cooped up in my room because there was little happening - the usual Saturday frisbee session had been canceled from lack of response. Impulsively, I took myself on a jog.
Didnt take me long to find my legs quite dysfunctional.
Along the way, bumped into keng rui and yaofeng, a first year medic. They were also running. Yaofeng advised that drinking milk should help in the recovery of orthopedic problems, because of its calcium content.
Went to sains with Keng Rui subsequently, to get microwave dinner. Got myself 2 pints of milk too. Proceeded to keng rui's to make dinner, and in typical me fashion, from the after exercise thirst and hunger, and the desire to fix my leg, I finished the two pints of milk over the course of the dinner.
Back in my room, two hours later, I felt a churning in my stomach... Moments later, I was, putting it as euphemistically as possible, vomiting milk through the excretory opening at the end of the alimentary canal.
The call to nature felt particularly urgent when it happened, but it wasnt tormenting. In fact, it was a rather interesting experience :P
Eugene, a second year medic, explained the phenomena as the kidneys displacing the milk, instead of filtering it. Wonder if that is what happens to lactose intolerant people when they drink milk...
Monday, May 07, 2007
Saturday, May 05, 2007
Taking Stock
EXAMS!!!
Ok, 3 more weeks to the exam, and the fact is starting to hit me hard!
3 subjects - maths, physics, advance physics, and all i can say is that i think i'm only decently prepared for maths, and still need to do a lot more work for both physics. Still cant do quantum mechanics!!!
On a bright note, received my lab report last Friday at the "Head of Class Meeting", and the Head of Class was rather pleased with my work! A great contrast to the lab report I handed in last term.
Looking beyond the exams, summer and MIT plans did not work out, but that's good too. Means more time back home, and will be a comfortable year ahead.
Summer
- Looking for something worthwhile to do over summer. Eying two Astar research institutes - Data Storage Institute, and Institute of Micro Electronics, or perhaps a DSO internship. Could pop by the Quantum Computing Group at nus too! Will be borrowing the book "Structure Computer Organization" home over summer, and hoping to gain lots from it!
- Also thinking that I might like to teach, either at SAJC, or at NUS High School. Could also take up a few tuition students. But hope that I'd still be able to teach properly despite not having teaching as a day job.
- And think i'd attempt the GRE's this summer, in case I decide on graduate studies in the US after my third or fourth year.
- Just received an email from the Investment Club about an investment game. Thought it might be a good way to be introduced to the stuff of investment banking.
Wild Idea
Next year will be a lot more comfortable now that I wont be going to MIT. Should be much better prepared for the work I'd be facing. Thinking of how I might make more full use of my time next year, and a wild idea came to mind - Rowing!
Physiotherapist appointment last Tuesday diagnosed cartilage problems with my right knee and left ankle, attributed the problem to flat feet, and wear and tear of the joints, probably arising from prolonged marches with heavy loads. Tried running today, out of sheer lethargy, and found the legs still rather problematic.
I thought that with my legs in this state, rowing might be a good low impact sport to engage in. And what better way to experience the Cambridge tradition, plus enforce a disciplined routine and a healthy lifestyle than rowing?
Might try it in Michaelmas, and see how well my life wraps round it. If my whole routine collapses on me from the commitments, then I'd just cease it after the term.
Immediate Future
As of now, need to craft emails to the A-star Institutes, and beg them to give me an internship. Then it's off to mug, *wheeze*, mug ,*deep breath*, mug, *exhale*.
Ok, 3 more weeks to the exam, and the fact is starting to hit me hard!
3 subjects - maths, physics, advance physics, and all i can say is that i think i'm only decently prepared for maths, and still need to do a lot more work for both physics. Still cant do quantum mechanics!!!
On a bright note, received my lab report last Friday at the "Head of Class Meeting", and the Head of Class was rather pleased with my work! A great contrast to the lab report I handed in last term.
Looking beyond the exams, summer and MIT plans did not work out, but that's good too. Means more time back home, and will be a comfortable year ahead.
Summer
- Looking for something worthwhile to do over summer. Eying two Astar research institutes - Data Storage Institute, and Institute of Micro Electronics, or perhaps a DSO internship. Could pop by the Quantum Computing Group at nus too! Will be borrowing the book "Structure Computer Organization" home over summer, and hoping to gain lots from it!
- Also thinking that I might like to teach, either at SAJC, or at NUS High School. Could also take up a few tuition students. But hope that I'd still be able to teach properly despite not having teaching as a day job.
- And think i'd attempt the GRE's this summer, in case I decide on graduate studies in the US after my third or fourth year.
- Just received an email from the Investment Club about an investment game. Thought it might be a good way to be introduced to the stuff of investment banking.
Wild Idea
Next year will be a lot more comfortable now that I wont be going to MIT. Should be much better prepared for the work I'd be facing. Thinking of how I might make more full use of my time next year, and a wild idea came to mind - Rowing!
Physiotherapist appointment last Tuesday diagnosed cartilage problems with my right knee and left ankle, attributed the problem to flat feet, and wear and tear of the joints, probably arising from prolonged marches with heavy loads. Tried running today, out of sheer lethargy, and found the legs still rather problematic.
I thought that with my legs in this state, rowing might be a good low impact sport to engage in. And what better way to experience the Cambridge tradition, plus enforce a disciplined routine and a healthy lifestyle than rowing?
Might try it in Michaelmas, and see how well my life wraps round it. If my whole routine collapses on me from the commitments, then I'd just cease it after the term.
Immediate Future
As of now, need to craft emails to the A-star Institutes, and beg them to give me an internship. Then it's off to mug, *wheeze*, mug ,*deep breath*, mug, *exhale*.
Thursday, May 03, 2007
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
Beyond Basics
I went nuts today, and got myself this:
1.7 kg of chocolate!
Laid out in it's full gory!
To last me through the exams and beyond!
1.7 kg of chocolate!
Laid out in it's full gory!To last me through the exams and beyond!
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Laptop Spring Cleaning continued
There's something wrong with Live Messenger, and it's rather annoying.
For some reason, after a while (in the order of days), there would be connection problems by the name "81000306".
Tried searching windows live account help to solve the problem, but the documentation's quite unsatisfactory.
Tried signing in on webmessanger, and it worked. Worked on the old windows messenger as well. So figured that the problem was the IM Client itself - Windows Live Messenger. Reinstalled it, and now it works. But I wonder how long this will last before giving more problems.
Thus, I'm now looking for alternative IM clients. Found Google talk, but havent found out that they support msn, and I'm thinking of gaim, but not sure if it's compatible with windows.
Addendum:
MSN fouling up again.
Installed Trillian.
Addendum 010507:
Dangit! The problem was indeed Norton anti-virus!
This page was helpful, though rather retarded.
Changed the setting on norton for MSN messenger to "Permit All" and now it works.
For some reason, after a while (in the order of days), there would be connection problems by the name "81000306".
Tried searching windows live account help to solve the problem, but the documentation's quite unsatisfactory.
Tried signing in on webmessanger, and it worked. Worked on the old windows messenger as well. So figured that the problem was the IM Client itself - Windows Live Messenger. Reinstalled it, and now it works. But I wonder how long this will last before giving more problems.
Thus, I'm now looking for alternative IM clients. Found Google talk, but havent found out that they support msn, and I'm thinking of gaim, but not sure if it's compatible with windows.
Addendum:
MSN fouling up again.
Installed Trillian.
Addendum 010507:
Dangit! The problem was indeed Norton anti-virus!
This page was helpful, though rather retarded.
Changed the setting on norton for MSN messenger to "Permit All" and now it works.
Saturday, April 28, 2007
Laptop Spring Cleaning
Just wiped out my entire hard disk with system restore, and reinstalled all my programs... Here's my installation log for future reference.
Now my laptop feels brand new!
28 Apr 07:
Copied entire "My Documents" folder.
Copied entire "Installers" folder.
28 Apr 07:
Configured Internet Explorer -
LAN Settings >
Automatically connect to:
http://www.cam.ac.uk/proxyconfig.pac
28 Apr 07:
Installed Thunderbird.
Configured Account following instructions on
http://www.cam.ac.uk/cs/email/muasettings/mozilla.html
Configured local email archives folder.
28 Apr 07:
Installed Firefox 1.5.0.6.
Configured LAN Settings.
Downloaded Firefox 2.
Installed Firefox 2.
Configured download folder.
28 Apr 07:
Downloaded Windows Live Messanger.
Installed Windows Live Messanger.
Configured Live Messanger:
Group offline contacts together.
Hide Tabs.
28 Apr 07:
Downloaded Google Desktop.
Installed Google Desktop.
Configured gadgets.
28 Apr 07:
Downloaded itunes.
Installed itunes.
Music and Podcasts already existing, as organised in the "itunes folder".
28 Apr 07:
Downloaded Filezilla 2.2.32.
Installed Filezilla.
Need to recover account usernames and passwords for:
1.srcf
http://www.srcf.ucam.org/faq/basics#upload
Username and password in old email.
Configuration successful.
2.home
need to recover infomation in summer.
CREATED RESTORE POINT
28 Apr 07:
Downloaded Open Office 2.2.0.
Installed Open office.
28 Apr 07:
Downloaded Skype 3.1.
Installed Skype 3.1.
Now my laptop feels brand new!
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Sainsbury Mathematics! Start of term, and stuff.
Just got two packets of salmon for 2 p today! Thanks to some loophole in the sainsbury reduced system. Details of loophole on Yijin's Blog.
Term's beginning tomorrow. It's that time of the year in Cambridge, stressful times, time to put faith to practice, learn to trust the future to God.
Doing the book of Ecclesiastes in CF, and the book of Exodus at focus. This term is a good time to re-evaluate our pursuits, and put what we are doing in eternal perspective. And Exodus reminds us that God is soverign in all situations.
Yup, and i'm currently playing around with other versions of linux, installing fedora as I blog now. Will put screenshots in due time :)
Term's beginning tomorrow. It's that time of the year in Cambridge, stressful times, time to put faith to practice, learn to trust the future to God.
Doing the book of Ecclesiastes in CF, and the book of Exodus at focus. This term is a good time to re-evaluate our pursuits, and put what we are doing in eternal perspective. And Exodus reminds us that God is soverign in all situations.
Yup, and i'm currently playing around with other versions of linux, installing fedora as I blog now. Will put screenshots in due time :)
Monday, April 23, 2007
That was quick!
Yay! Successfully ran Kubuntu on a virtualmachine player.
By following the instructions on this page.
And thanks rob, for informing me about the HUGE repository of Linux packages available for download on the srcf. I'm gonna familiarise myself with the installation of linux, and set up a suitable version on my home computer when i return in summer.
I love the way this allows one to install entire OS'es without worrying about spoiling a thousand dollar machine.
Also like how one may be able to get into a particular (i.e. programming) frame of mind in a linux environment, and switch out if it almost instantaneously, with a virtual machine. Think I'll look for a pet virtual machine to do my programming in, and conduct all such operations in that mode.
By following the instructions on this page.
And thanks rob, for informing me about the HUGE repository of Linux packages available for download on the srcf. I'm gonna familiarise myself with the installation of linux, and set up a suitable version on my home computer when i return in summer.
I love the way this allows one to install entire OS'es without worrying about spoiling a thousand dollar machine.
Also like how one may be able to get into a particular (i.e. programming) frame of mind in a linux environment, and switch out if it almost instantaneously, with a virtual machine. Think I'll look for a pet virtual machine to do my programming in, and conduct all such operations in that mode.
Path to Linux
Ok, successfully recovered my computer... But lost some info, like my old emails... it may be hiding somewhere but couldnt search it out...
Anyway thought i needed to really unwind cos i have been getting nowhere but stressed with work, and tried to install C&C3 with an original cd borrowed from Yiliang.
It doesnt work, and I've since tried updating my graphics card driver, and C&C3 itself. Having problems updating C&C3.
Have moved on to trying to run linux as a virtual machine using VMware Converter, as advised by shawn. Stumbled upon this page, which I hope will lead to a successful implementation of virtual linux on this computer.
Lets see...
Anyway thought i needed to really unwind cos i have been getting nowhere but stressed with work, and tried to install C&C3 with an original cd borrowed from Yiliang.
It doesnt work, and I've since tried updating my graphics card driver, and C&C3 itself. Having problems updating C&C3.
Have moved on to trying to run linux as a virtual machine using VMware Converter, as advised by shawn. Stumbled upon this page, which I hope will lead to a successful implementation of virtual linux on this computer.
Lets see...
Summer Plans
Ok, have a few objectives to achieve this summer-
1) Play C&C3.
2) Install Linux on my home computer
3) Read the book Structured Computer Organization, 5/E
4) Read up on mathematical methods for physicist.
5) Hopefully find an internship at dsta
6) Do up the temasek soc webpage, and find a calendar.
And Yiliang, my neighbour, actually bought the original C&C3 in england for 34.00 pounds!!! I really feel like borrowing it from him to help unwind!!! ahhh!!!
1) Play C&C3.
2) Install Linux on my home computer
3) Read the book Structured Computer Organization, 5/E
4) Read up on mathematical methods for physicist.
5) Hopefully find an internship at dsta
6) Do up the temasek soc webpage, and find a calendar.
And Yiliang, my neighbour, actually bought the original C&C3 in england for 34.00 pounds!!! I really feel like borrowing it from him to help unwind!!! ahhh!!!
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Hit by virus, and considering converting to linux.
Ok, this is it. End of the road for microsoft.
Got hit by a virus sent as a link by a friend over msn. Link is http://24347.herasunmedaxuke.com/6/918 DONT TRY IT!!!
it downloaded the file "the winners game.exe"
Dont know why i was so off guard to the point of running the executable file. Maybe cos he was also a mathmo and i thought it's one of his creations. But since then, my com has been getting increasingly laggy. Ran system restore, but it's still not working properly.
And I realised that I haven't gotten myself any antivirus programs on this computer.
Now I'm thinking of the main functions of this computer...
I use it mainly for the internet, msn, skype, and email.
As well as maintain websites, all of which will not be a problem on linux... I connect to the server using filezilla.
I need a pdf reader, which shouldnt be too difficult to replace on a linuxbox, and I'm already using openoffice, and gimp.
I also would need a music player, to replace itunes, one which will play my m4a files.
And, find out if the OS would be competible with all the usb devices I am using - my camera, palm; and all the cards - sound, webcam. And the dvd player, which I have never used.
Also, if I am intending to game, I'd need to find out how the games would be competible with the version of linux i'm using.
Main games would be dota, and C&C3, if i get it during the holidays.
Come to think of it, maybe I shouldnt wipe out the whole OS, but install linux on a seperate partition. See if that's possible.
Got hit by a virus sent as a link by a friend over msn. Link is http://24347.herasunmedaxuke.com/6/918 DONT TRY IT!!!
it downloaded the file "the winners game.exe"
Dont know why i was so off guard to the point of running the executable file. Maybe cos he was also a mathmo and i thought it's one of his creations. But since then, my com has been getting increasingly laggy. Ran system restore, but it's still not working properly.
And I realised that I haven't gotten myself any antivirus programs on this computer.
Now I'm thinking of the main functions of this computer...
I use it mainly for the internet, msn, skype, and email.
As well as maintain websites, all of which will not be a problem on linux... I connect to the server using filezilla.
I need a pdf reader, which shouldnt be too difficult to replace on a linuxbox, and I'm already using openoffice, and gimp.
I also would need a music player, to replace itunes, one which will play my m4a files.
And, find out if the OS would be competible with all the usb devices I am using - my camera, palm; and all the cards - sound, webcam. And the dvd player, which I have never used.
Also, if I am intending to game, I'd need to find out how the games would be competible with the version of linux i'm using.
Main games would be dota, and C&C3, if i get it during the holidays.
Come to think of it, maybe I shouldnt wipe out the whole OS, but install linux on a seperate partition. See if that's possible.
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Definition of a Geek
Abstract from Wikipedia:
The definition most common among geeks themselves is: "one who is primarily motivated by passion," indicating somebody whose reasoning and decision making is always first and foremost based on his personal passions rather than things like financial reward or social acceptance. Geeks do not see the typical "geeky" interests as interesting, but as objects of passionate devotion. The idea that the pursuit of personal passions should be the fundamental driving force to all decisions could be considered the most basic shared tenet among geeks of all varieties. Geeks consider such pursuits to be their own defining characteristic.
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Geeky
Visited shawn last night, and chatted bout geeky stuff til 3 am!
Talked about many things including:
Ethereal,
whois, and
Andrew S. Tanebaum and his book, Structured Computer Organization, 5/E. Thinking of getting my library to buy it for me to read over summer.
Talked about many things including:
Ethereal,
whois, and
Andrew S. Tanebaum and his book, Structured Computer Organization, 5/E. Thinking of getting my library to buy it for me to read over summer.
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Update
The past week since arriving back in cambridge has been quite fruitful. Had a few cookouts - natsci, dota, watched a two movies - Singapore Dreaming, screened by Temasek Soc, and Amazing Grace tonight. Dota cookout came with an 8 hour overnight lanning session which ended this morning at 7am.
Also had a supervision, and managed to get some revision done; and booked a doctor's appointment for tomorrow morning to fix my leg.
Past week in summary:
Wednessday, 11 - Supervision, and the Natsci cookout.
Thursday, 12 - Slept over at aloysius's place, and had temasek meeting that morning at caius.
Friday, 13 - Temasek Soc Movie screening
Saturday, 14 - Dota Cookout + overnight lanning marathon.
Sunday, 15 - Marathon ends at 7am. Slept til 12. Did some work, went to church at 5. Dinner at christ's college, thanks to the nice christ's people like dingdong, ryan, shirley and sara. Watched Amazing Grace after.
And beginning to plan for a trip to eastern europe - Czech republic, Austria and Hungary, after term ends, and should be returning on the 29 June flight.
Have watched quite a number of shows in cambridge this year. About 3, i recall -
1) Night at the Museum in Grafton center, with Soonhui, Samuel, Eemae (the higher ground people).
2) Mission Impossible, Casino Royale. At that place near homerton, with cg people.
3) Amazing Grace. With whole bunch of christ's and garang sheep people today.
This to add to Mission Impossible 3 i watched with Darryl and the Trinity hall mathmos after tripos last year.
Yup, that's quite a comprehensive consolidation of the week and my entertainment expenditure so far.
Also had a supervision, and managed to get some revision done; and booked a doctor's appointment for tomorrow morning to fix my leg.
Past week in summary:
Wednessday, 11 - Supervision, and the Natsci cookout.
Thursday, 12 - Slept over at aloysius's place, and had temasek meeting that morning at caius.
Friday, 13 - Temasek Soc Movie screening
Saturday, 14 - Dota Cookout + overnight lanning marathon.
Sunday, 15 - Marathon ends at 7am. Slept til 12. Did some work, went to church at 5. Dinner at christ's college, thanks to the nice christ's people like dingdong, ryan, shirley and sara. Watched Amazing Grace after.
And beginning to plan for a trip to eastern europe - Czech republic, Austria and Hungary, after term ends, and should be returning on the 29 June flight.
Have watched quite a number of shows in cambridge this year. About 3, i recall -
1) Night at the Museum in Grafton center, with Soonhui, Samuel, Eemae (the higher ground people).
2) Mission Impossible, Casino Royale. At that place near homerton, with cg people.
3) Amazing Grace. With whole bunch of christ's and garang sheep people today.
This to add to Mission Impossible 3 i watched with Darryl and the Trinity hall mathmos after tripos last year.
Yup, that's quite a comprehensive consolidation of the week and my entertainment expenditure so far.
Friday, April 13, 2007
What I've been busy with...
This! :
As well as trying to keep up with work, having cookouts, and trying to order my life.
As well as trying to keep up with work, having cookouts, and trying to order my life.
Sunday, April 08, 2007
Now Playing: Glory To The King
VERSE 1:
D
Lord, my heart cries out glory to the King.
Bm
My greatest love in life I hand You everything.
E A E A G Em A A/G
Glo-ry, glo-ry, I hear the angels sing.
VERSE 2:
D
Open my ears, let me hear Your voice,
Bm
To know that sweet sound, Oh my soul rejoice.
E A E A G Em A A/G
Glo-ry, glo-ry, I hear the angels sing.
CHORUS:
D/F# G Em Em/D
You're a Father to the fatherless,
A/C# D G
The answer to my dreams.
A/C# D G
I see You crowned in righteousness.
C C/B Asus A A/G
We cry glory to the King.
D/F# G Em Em/D
Comforter to the lone-ly,
A/C# D G
The lift-er of my head.
A/C# D G
I see You veiled in majesty,
D/A A A/G F#m7 G
We cry glo - ry, glo - ry,
F#m7 Em7 Asus A D
We cry glory to the King.
Saturday, April 07, 2007
Pics Up!
Easter holiday pics are up! Peterborough, Austria, and Word Alive. Yet to caption and order them, but here it is anyway.
Friday, April 06, 2007
Back from Word Alive
Came back yesterday from word alive. Nice relaxing time, especially being in the slackest caravan, where Caravan Unity == Skipping Big Start together for french toasts :P
Caravan 12 casually taking a photo
while the others were deligently attending Big Start
under the tent in the background.
Yes, Shenglong's really hilarious.
Completed a series on the thematic study of the bible, studied the book of Philippians, and sat through a lecture series on the trinity. Philippians shall be my next favourite book... Wanted to get the cds of the surmon, but it's 18 pounds!!! Maybe I'll wait til next year, and hope to find it at a discounted price.
Came across, during the trinity talks, big words like Epistemology, the study of the truth, and many greek words like hypostasis, substance, which I understood the meaning momentarily. And a word which rang a bell - ousia "thingness of a thing" i recalled from michelle's msn nick.
Good chat with shenglong on phillosophy, learnt a few songs from ryan, and Agnes makes really nice sesame oil chicken and dark soy sauce pork! Need to get the recipe from her! :P
Have been rather busy since returning. Need to sort out banking matters, Temasek Society website, and catch up with lots of work. Also need to see the doctor about my knee... so annoying.
And yes, upload pictures of my trips this Easter holidays - to Peterborough, Austria and Word Alive! Will do that soon.
Caravan 12 casually taking a photowhile the others were deligently attending Big Start
under the tent in the background.
Yes, Shenglong's really hilarious.
Completed a series on the thematic study of the bible, studied the book of Philippians, and sat through a lecture series on the trinity. Philippians shall be my next favourite book... Wanted to get the cds of the surmon, but it's 18 pounds!!! Maybe I'll wait til next year, and hope to find it at a discounted price.
Came across, during the trinity talks, big words like Epistemology, the study of the truth, and many greek words like hypostasis, substance, which I understood the meaning momentarily. And a word which rang a bell - ousia "thingness of a thing" i recalled from michelle's msn nick.
Good chat with shenglong on phillosophy, learnt a few songs from ryan, and Agnes makes really nice sesame oil chicken and dark soy sauce pork! Need to get the recipe from her! :P
Have been rather busy since returning. Need to sort out banking matters, Temasek Society website, and catch up with lots of work. Also need to see the doctor about my knee... so annoying.
And yes, upload pictures of my trips this Easter holidays - to Peterborough, Austria and Word Alive! Will do that soon.
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