The End Result

It was a very long car ride. I was yelling inside at all the red traffic lights. You know the butterfly feeling in the pit of your stomach? That was ever present during the entire trip: beads of cold sweat, dilated pupils, contraction of stomach muscles - and, worse of all, my mind was NOT empty. It was swirling with endless reactions of the people i know if:

a) I failed
b) I got straight As
c) I yanked the car door open and in my haste to get to the school was knocked over by a tanker.

Needless to say i was very nervous. Kinda makes you wish at that moment you were Gaia Moore of Fearless ( girl born without the fear gene and all that).

When we approached the admin staff, handing out the result slips, I didn't know whether to run or to hug the lady. She asked me to choose my name, write my number, my IC, and sign. Then she handed me the slip. My eyes glanced over it.

A
A
A
A
A
A
A

First thought: Holy shit.
Second thought: Why is my heart beating so fast?
Third thought: DO NOT JUMP AND SCREAM WITH JOY!!!

And that was it. Relief at last.

The 'Next Day' brought....

News and woes of betide. My grandfather was the first to call to tell me the PMR results was out tomorrow (which is today, since that happened yesterday). Oh, horrors upon horrors. Like my friend Kok Wee described "Dunno want to cry or celebrate after the results..."

So friggin true.

I'm going to school to check the results later in the day, at 3:30, with Garrick, Ling and Paul. So it'll be either jumps of joy or hugs of sorrow. (actually i suspect Garrick would look at his results, shrug, and say the ever famous quote:"Who cares?" - but you never know)

Perhaps i'll write about what happened in a later post, ala story telling style, with all the details. Sheesh. Till then.

Christmas plus Exams equals Nightmares

"You failed English!" She screamed at me, "You're a disgrace to the school!"

"I did?' I asked. This was new. I rarely, if ever, flopped English. It was one of my easiest (and hence most boring) subjects. "What did I get?"

"An F!!!!" Cikgu Cynthia screeched, fangs sprouting from her mouth.

And I thought she had a happy retirement. The PMR results (read: government exam. Like duh) is just around yet another stupid corner, piling stress, raging hormones and, yes, nightmares. That particular one was last night. I have quite a collection now, ranging from 7Es, school-hired hitmen (to kill exam flops) and tempered results. That's what happens when you have an overactive imagination and write thrillers as a hobby.

But the exam results do tell you one thing: tension sucks. Why can't the rumours be right for once and get the release date correct? And isn't there a better way than relying on newspapers that force you to read every friggin morning, hoping against hope that the results would be out tomorrow?

I had a pretty enlighening conversation with Paul this morning. He told me Abigail (cousin and top student) didn't believe she would ever get 7As. Now if she doesn't believe in her ability, then i shouldn't worry. She's a genius and she still feels the same way the rest of the world feels. So I'm safe. I think. Lets see what tommorow brings.

Home of Metroid, Zelda, Golden Sun, Fire Emblem, Final Fantasy, Advance Wars, Tactics Ogre and gosh, too many great games. 

What makes a great game?

I was doing a little online window shopping for games the past few days, whittling away my spare time and trying to get the cogs in my brain rested and working again. As i read through reviews, i wondered, Hey, what makes a good game, anyway?

Anybody worth their gaming salt would know that the platform the most number of good games produced per year is the Game Boy Advance. It's ironic that this little device, powered by AA batteries and with seemingly pagan polygonal graphics would beat the other platforms that churn out highly polished graphics and cinema-quality sound effects. The only thing i can point out that gives the game developers an advantage is that since the features are so limited, the coders have no choice but to be extremely creative, working more on gameplay than graphical presentation. Now why can't PC Coders be more like that? More of Half Life 2 and less of pathetic flops like Doom 3? Let that question hang in the air for a few months, until the next E3.

Christmas round the corner

Jingle bells,
Spending swells,
Charge cards all the way.....

Yeah, time to line the decks with holly (tralalalala - good lord, i'm being infected by a singing bug). This few days have been frustrating to say the least. I learnt what a real web designer faces: speed versus good graphics. Its mind bending to balance these two elements when coding a page, and sometimes you tend to stray too far. (like lovely site but loads damn slow, or vice versa) I suddenly pity the guys behind the Yahoo home page.

Well, its two weeks to school starts (don't remind me!!!) and i hate the feeling. Soon it'll be back to add. math and science and all the horrible subjects that comes with school life. Can't see what there is to look forward to. And theres also a high probablility that my group (Ling, Garlic, Paul) will be drafted in for drama. Damn. Oh well, right now i'm just trying to complete the site before skool starts.

Need i say more? 

Interesting theory....that works, actually

I was reading about Dr Buckminster Fuller. He had developed what some people described as a method to see the future. Its quite interesting, and i think everyblody should know about it. Okay, here's how it goes:

Lets use the technology of a boat. At the start of mankind, humans first realise about the possibilty of ships after clinging to a floating log and floating downstream. Soon, they dug the log out and created a dugout canoe. Next came lighter boats made of crude materials, such as the boats of ancient Egypt that were made from animal skins. This was followed by boats made of planks and powered by sails. The wooden ships grew larger and larger until technology evolved and was marked by the battle between the Monitor and the Merrimac, which were the first iron clad warships. Once steel construction was introduced, ships grew into giants of the seas, carrying passengers, cargo and weapons all over the world. Businesses bagan investing in bigger and bigger ships until the Titanic disaster. The Titanic marked the end of the golden age of ships.

This simple story demonstrates Dr. Fuller's principle of ephemeralization (is that even a word??) that he uses to predict the future. Basically it is the process of starting small, growing bigger, getting too big, and then becoming small again, and then suddenly dissapearing, or evolving to become invinsible, such as the Internet now. Try applying that to all technologies, and you'd see the logic of it. Often, the end of growth is marked by a huge disaster, as in the case of the Titanic (end of ships) and the Hindenburg (end of airships). But growth was also hindered partly because a new technology was on its way - the airplane.

So the airplane grew and grew and grew, becoming larger and faster and more effective at transporting prople and cargo. And then came the World Trade Centre disaster. Could that mark the end of airlines? Soon after that incident, many airlines were in a deep financial hole. Warren Buffet, greatest investor of the US of A had told investors that the airline industry had never been a profitable industry. He asked them to instead invest in small corporate aircraft, which was more profitable. Fuller had stated earlier that if a technology becomes too big, it either dies, or becomes smaller. Like small business jets today.And that also means that history repeats itself - that a new technology is on its way.

I wonder what that is.

Career advice

money
Originally uploaded by shadowsun7.

A while ago, when I was in Informatics, Deong (a technology consultant over there) asked me if I had my future planned. Okay, okay. Her exact words were: "You want to be in the tech industry?"

I said yes.

Then she said, "You should start planning now, preparing yourself with the nessesary skills,"

I nodded, like any kid should when posed this question by an elder. Inwardly, however, i was mulling this over and wondering what it eould do to my overall life. Do I want to work for a boss day in day out, relying on a 401(k) or another DC (defined contribution) retirement plan and learning binary whilst i was a teen? Uh-uh. No way. I love computers, yes, but i can't see myself in such a financially obscure position. I was thinking along the lines of owning a part of the industry, not being in it. To be an employer, not an employee.

Why? Oh, simple. The US economy has taking too many inward beatings over the years. Everytime confonted with the problems of retirement it just pushes the problem further down the line for the next generation to handle. Now social security is dead and the retirement plans of millions of baby boomers (read up on the topic if you don't understand, and forgive me) Are based on the whims of the stock market. When the boomers realise this, that the fate of their retirement years (holiday in Bali, etc, etc) depends on the whims of a market that goes up and down, they'll all scramble to get their cash out from stocks. History has proven (and the laws of very basic economics) that when millions of people leave suddenly from a market, the entire economy explodes. Think Hiroshima. Think Bye-Bye USA.

As much as i dislike the prospect of this (heck, i've gotten comfortable with the idea that the US is the world leader, albeit a rather foolish one), it is the world. So that means China would be the next world power. Fascinating.

Anyway, back to topic. If shown that a DC retirement plan doesn't work, why the hell should we be employees? Perhaps its time we gained some financial literacy and understand just what economics is all about. Oh yeah, and get rich.

Food for thought, aye?

Wonder what Pixar's got for us next...

incredible
Originally uploaded by shadowsun7.

I watched the Incredibles today, which is pretty late, considering that the hype is mostly over, and the big bucks already made (226 million dollars, in fact). It was, as usual, very good. What is it with the Pixar stamp of quality? Almost every film they make is lovely and are box office hits. Sure is a booster for Steve Jobs.

Since Pixar only makes one film per year, i was very interested to find out what the next film was. It turns out to be called Cars. Pixar already released a teaser, and it doesn't look promising at all. Then again, i didn't think Finding Nemo was promising, but in the hands of such storytelling geniuses, anything's possible.

No, i did not draw that. But you get the picture. 

It's my birthday

So i'm finally (yeah, its a little late, isn't it?) 15. Nothing special about that - i've been feeling 15 for about a whole year. That's the problem with having your birthday in December - you start to feel one year older the second you're in January. So i'll be 16 in exactly 7 days. That has gotta be a record.

But a few interesting things happened. Lynn called me just to say Happy Birthday while in Sibu. I'm touched. She must be a really nice person to say that to every single person on her birthday list. And i already have my MP3 player, so its not like i'm expecting anything as a present. This would be the time to reflect on the year, but i'm saving that for my new year post. Another time.

Now, if you'd excuse me, i have a dinner to attend. Mine.

No, that's not my jeans. But yes, that's the Apacer BP300 

Reviewed!

The Apacer Audio Steno BP300 (yeah, its a mouthful) is an Mp3 player packed in a stylish little plastic case. The models come in different colours, ranging from ipod-ish zen white to metallic black. FYI, i got the white version. It features some good WMA support and is a real plug and play device. Just plug and ........ er, play!

Design is very good, with buttons placed where it should be and marked so you don't mix them up (try playing a song, nothing starts, and you start cursing. Then you take it out of your pocket and you realise you've just recorded your voice - not very nice) . The only downside is the menu slider, which feels a little flimsy. They're also good for fingering without looking at your player. The buttons have distinctive notches and placement so that you can operate it, even if your hand's in your pocket.

The body, on the other hand, is anything but flimsy. You can drop it down the stairs and it'll still continue spewing songs as if it were made of sponge. No, Patrick Star not included. No, stay away from me! GO AWAY! Aaaaargh! The placement of the battery is pretty weird, though. They put it at the back of the device, so there's no way to sit the thing properly, as there's a huge bulge behind. No, i'm not going to talk about the hunchback of Notre Dame this time.

The one thing that i can say in the upmost praise is the earphones. They're amazing!! When at full volume, your ears crack, and they clear enough for you to hear every guitar strum (if, of course, you're like me, who listens to Avril Lavigne and Hanson all the time) and every bass thump. Audio heaven. The best thing about them is that they're NEVER uncomforatable, and talking about earphones, which ususally are, that's something to sing praises about. The only downside is that they look weird (in some circles - subjective view there), but functionality over design.

The display is pretty good, no kidding. Its clear and well marked out, with one line for song title, one for duration and the last for device modes - like presets, battery life and such. Talking about battery life, the player manages nicely to squeeze out at least 9 hours of audio on one AAA battery. Not bad compared to its peers. Just don't go out and buy some stupid, obscure China brand.

It's not without its perks, though. The player freezes once in the while, for no apparent reason, but all you have to do is to take out the batteries. And it only comes with USB 1.1 support, so file transfer isn't as fast as it could've been.

Overall score? 4/5
Recommended? Uhuh.
Pros: Good button design, magnificent headphones, decent
WMA support, good battery life, plug and play
Cons: Freezes once in awhile, USB 1.1

Worship 

Last Day

The Games ended today. I think the last thing i registered through the hustle and bustle of the closing ceremony was Devon hugging me and saying "Bye-bye teddy bear!"

Kids.

The closing ceremony was a near disaster. We were doing okay until the first mike konged out. Okay, so it died, and refused all attempts to resurrect it. We had to resort to the old (and horrible) system of sharing the mike between the music team (mainly Aaron and me) and the MCs, Elaine and Paul and Amanda. Plus the heat and the darkness, it was a wonder we could survive.

As usual, the kids were draining. I taught one whole session by myself. Now, that is something to be proud of, at any rate. Looks like i can be a fully certified Sunday Skool teacher. *smacks head* What have i become? I skipped youth!!??

Two things Andy said stuck to me. The first was:

God doesn't want a Spiderman, a Mr. Incredible, or Superman. Hey, he just died right? (at this point we laughed - poor Christopher Reeve) He just wants a person who puts Him first in everything.

The second thing was:

God doesn't like the type of work. He likes the worker.

Chow.

New Toy

Apacer-BP300
Originally uploaded by shadowsun7.

As i'm writing this, my legs feel as if they've been put through a roller, and sprinkled with pepper to taste. Yes, its the Kids Games that wear me out. Controlling 25 kids isn't easy, with running after them, advising them, teaching them 'Sunday skool-ish" lessons (with the added bonus that being taught by youths, we're allowed to crack jokes), and, when the need arises, talk to them as peers.

Its hard work. Yep. But God, its fun!

And, oh yeah, i got an MP3 player. Compared to the Kids Games, that new gift almost seems insignificant.

I've been longing for one for exactly one year, two months and a couple of hours. And when i had the slightest gist from my parents that i could get one, boy did i research. I got my price range; I tried various manufacturers; surfed review sites intensively; and, by the time i was done, i was probably crammed full of nearly useless knowledge. In the end we tried out the PC Fair. Most of what the girl said was what i already knew, and most of the stall owners said was the price was too high. In the end (after my legs felt like detaching from my body and killing me) we found it. An Apacer Audio Steno BP300

Personal opinion? Great speakers.

But what am i saying??!! Back to Kids Games.

I got to meet a lot of Brunei youth, and me being a guy who enjoys mixing with people, loved it. The first day was hectic. After sorting out T-shirts, we had the opening ceremony, with Paul and Elaine as MC. I was stuck to DJ. Lets just say it involves split-second microphone switches and a LOT of disks. And the room was hot.

Then the games team handled the first game, and we broke up into two groups, one seniors (11-12) and one juniors (7-10). I was with seniors, because i'm good at handling people who can understang me. (Try telling a George Bush joke to a seven year old. No response)

I'm going to skip the boring parts, and am going to describe the moments that really stood out to me. A little boy, whom i met through swimming and the Extension Church, saw me on the first day (today is the second day) and, for no reason at all, hugged me. It turned out i was his new teddybear. I got dragged into the blue room five times a day and was attacked uncountable times.

And then there was this part where, in the middle of the briefing when we were praying, Uncle Andy's son came running in the room and shouting "Daddy, Russia is bigger than the USA!"
The whole room burst into laughter. I had a sudden vision of the Kremlin in Washington. It was so weird. And there was so many coincidences. Like when Andy was telling us to not trust the colour captains (who were kids) and used his 8 year old son as example, who was too young. To which one of the green team trainers yelled,

"We chose your son because he was cute!"

Andy replied, "He's just trying to get into my good list."

We laughed, and then another guy yelled out, "At least you don't have a daughter!"

Andy frowned for about two seconds. "Now that's for me to discuss with my wife"

His phone rang. Richard grabbed off the table, looked at it, and apologetically approached Andy. "Its your wife."

The room exploded into laughs and catcalls.

Well, third day's tommorow, and i have to sleep. Got to go.

Punk Princess 

Avril Lavigne

I wonder if Avril Lavigne 's ever going to find a boyfriend. I mean, her entire Under My Skin album's about things that annoyed her (read:boys, boys and oh yeah, more boys) and nothing about the lighter side of life. Forgotten tells of broken hearts mending, He Wasn't tells of when she dumped a dude for not even opening a door for her. And although Don't Tell Me was a song with a good message, i don't really think she'll a guy. At least she makes nice songs. So much for her happy ending.

The Malaysian Movie