The hols are here!

20 days. Yes, 20 days.

That’s how long I’ve neglected my blog. So sorry to all for not posting anything.

Well, it’s not that my life has been so boring that I’ve nothing interesting to share, but instead, I think it’s indolence. Laziness, and perhaps coupled with my limited internet access and my fear of tapping into other people’s unsecured network after someone got jailed recently.

On the contrary, I have many things to say. I have forgotten the actual date of most events, but this is roughly what I’ve been doing this November:

1) Movies
Yes, I went to watch 2 movies, Happy Feet and Flushed Away. I still think Happy Feet is a waste of money if you’re looking for an animation with a good story.

The story was not fully developed, the plot was boring and not captivating enough, but hey, who cares! The animation was superb, totally amazing, impeccable, and the penguins were the cutest things on screens this holiday! And those wonderfully choreographed dance moves were so brilliantly coordinated that even adults love them!

Next was Flushed Away at VivoCity. My first time to that mega mall, with Wei Liang and Andrew. It is a huge place, really big land area. I wasn’t that impressed by the array of shops, probably because it didn’t cater to my likes.

But nevertheless, GV Max was a great experience! As I was telling Guo Wei, the legroom was so good that you could sit down and people still have space to walk pass you! And Flushed Away only costs me 7 bucks! Money well spent.

Flushed Away, in my opinion, is still better than Happy Feet, unless penguins are a must see on your checklist this December. Next to catch is Open Season.

2) New desktop
Finally, I’ve managed to download Windows Vista Release Candidate 2. And it looks great! Take a look!


So nice right?!

Everything looks so dynamic right? So cool!

Ok la, I shouldn’t trick you.

Or did you get fooled?

Haha. This is definitely not Vista, but rather, Vista Transformation Pack (VTP), a software which safely modifies your Windows XP system files to mimic the look and feel of Vista. It even comes with Glass2K which allows you to make windows transparent, something like Aero. Got it long time ago after it came out on Digital Life. No system hogs, thankfully.

Oh, and my HP desktop is giving the same old problems again. It’s time to ditch it.

3) My new Ferrari


I’m never too old to play with toys. My dad bought this from the petrol station, Shell, if I’m not wrong.

4) Neworld Download Centre
Look to the right of this page at the sidebar at the top and you will find a ‘Neworld Download Centre’ link there. This website is actually the work of a few years of manipulating PowerPoint to create some very cool shows.

The site allows anyone to download these files and play on computers which meet the specified system and software requirements. So if you are free now, why not visit my site and get some nice cartoons? Go on, click it! And if you are observant enough, you should find that it is similar to Apple's homepage. ;)

5) New laptop bag


What’s cool about this is that it actually absorbs impact during a fall! The case can be dented and it will ‘undent’ itself. Got it from Popular for 18 bucks.

6) Junior Youth Camp 2006 (17 to 20 Nov)
This year’s JYC was a great experience, being in the committee, getting to organize and to lead. I got to know many new people in my church, and now Frontliners has become a warmer place to be in.

Here's the committee photo:


We had a really fun time at camp, all the games, charades, jokes, laughter and pranks…I never regret joining the committee and it's a lifetime experience I will cherish. We even booked a chalet at Changi for fun after camp, as we couldn't bear to part...

But most importantly, it drew me closer to God. It taught me how prayer can be used as a powerful tool to meet Him. I was touched in a way I’ve never felt before, and this camp was more of a time of reassurance that He is always there for me, that He is in charge of my life. This camp, too, was the first time I cried.

Not because I missed home.

Saviour
He can move the mountains
My God is mighty to save
He is mighty to save

Forever
Author of Salvation
He rose and conquered the grave
Jesus conquered the grave

7) New car
I visited the Singapore Motorshow together with my dad, and something unexpected resulted from that visit to Suntec.

A new Odyssey!!!

The current one my family has is turning 5 soon, so it’s a change now or don’t change till it turns 10 then scrap kinda thing. We got a very good price for the old one, 55K, and the new one costs 89K, with 1K off for Motorshow discount. It has sunroof, cruise control and the third row seats fold flat electronically at the press of a button.

Mu Yao (and even I) was recommending the Grandis, but my dad was adamant on not getting a Mitsubishi after one bad Dion experience. So Honda it was, and there’s only one choice for a Honda MPV now - the Odyssey. Guess he couldn’t wait for the new Stream to be launched.

8) Class video
On Tuesday, me, Pu En, and Esmond went to Althea’s house to do the class video for chalet. Ordered pizza for lunch, and we scouted through many websites for photos, and Esmond flooded my iPhoto with 150 photos at one shot…in the end we didn’t finish the video =( so we got to meet up to continue again.

9) Visit to Singapore National Museum
Went with Guo Wei to the new Singapore National Museum to watch this super old 1991 movie entitled Medium Rare, about mediums and ritual passion. It was a queer outing, considering the fact that it was just the two of us, the museum was still under construction, we were the youngest there and I went there certainly not expecting such an ancient film.


But it was a nice show, and maybe too controversial back in 1991. The theatre was not even half filled.

10) Unlimited internet
Woo-hoo! From 4 Dec I shall surf to my heart's content! No, not because of Wireless@sg, but because my house will have wi-fi (finally). My dad has signed up for Starhub MaxOnline 4000 ($58.80 per month), so I can bid farewell to that slow SingTel JetPack plan, where I usually exceed the 200MB free usage.

But then again, when you're paying $19.95 currently, you don't expect much.

11) Badminton
This is probably the only and main source of physical exercise these few months. We played at Tampines with the usual people: Jourdan, Esmond, Guo Wei, Elroy, and Debby came for once. I still suck at that sport, but as the saying goes…practice makes perfect!

12) First proper iMovie project
You’d probably not believe me, but ever since I had my Mac a year ago, this November was the first iMovie project I’ve ever created, for JYC camp echo. iMovie is quite easy to use, but it takes a bit of effort to figure out the timings for the titles and ken burns effects and all those stuff.

Esmond says it looks like Windows Movie Maker, which I never touch. It took me 4 hours for a 3 min 13 sec presentation, and not to mention, a hurting 1.79GB of space off my hard disk. But it was a fun learning process.

13) Flickr
Flickr is now the most exciting place when I’m online! I’ve decided to take up photography as my new interest, and I’ve never been so active on Flickr before. Recently I’ve used nature as a theme to go around my neighbourhood shooting, either on bicycle or on foot, equipped with a Sony DSC-W1, or occasionally, an Olympus E330.

There's this big empty field just behind my house at the Park Connector, and the view of Sengkang is just awesome. The clouds were pretty fluffy that afternoon too:


Back home, I’ll edit the nicer shots and upload them to Flickr. There are many many pros there, and it’s interesting to view their pictures and learn from them. If you do not have a Flickr or Yahoo account, go get one! Flickr rocks!

Oh, and do check out my (great) photos if you have time! Do comment too!

That’s all for now. Have piano coaching later. Gotta practice.

Singapore Motorshow 2006

The subject of automobiles never fails to fascinate and excite me. It always brings back a certain passion, the stirrings of an unique ardor. Hence, the first thing I did yesterday upon returning home from Compass Point was to grab the debut copy of Rev, the magazine produced by Life! Motoring. Just the front page was enough to tingle me with delight.

The biennial Singapore Motorshow 2006, held on levels three, four and six of the Suntec Singapore International Convention & Exhibition Centre, is the region's premier automobile event is in its eighth year running (so reads the official website).

This perfect opportunity allowed me to discover beyond the usual boring commercial models that are available on the roads for all to see. We demand something extraordinary. Thankfully, the vehicles on exhibition were fresh, hopeful, promising and reflect on the fast growing automobile industry we have.

I shall not attempt another duplicate of Rev, but let me offer my personal insight and thoughts on some of the new models hitting our roads in the near future.

Kia Carens: This new mid-sized MPV is nothing like the first generation. It’s better looking, more practical, more spacious, and it competes with the likes of the Toyota Wish. As with any Kia, value for money is its selling point, and a strong one that is. Do not shun away just because it’s a Kia, because Kia these days have improved tremendously to reach the standard of Toyota and Honda, or well, almost. With its unique rear design, it’s not difficult to know that you’re behind a wonderful Carens.

Hyundai Avante: This vehicle attempts to disrupt the winning popularity of the Corolla Altis. Design wise, you cannot mistake its sensuous flowing curves, and the shorter front grille with menacing headlamps contributes to its road presence. The cabin is tastefully laid out with a back blue lighting. Cool. Cabin insulation is great too. Come on, we’ve seen enough of the Altis on the road, so the Avante is a pleasant welcome to the mid-sized sedan market.

Subaru B9 Tribeca: The first thing that struck me was its uncanny resemblance to the Porsche Cayenne, especially the shape of the headlights. The Tribeca is a head-turner, and the front grille is distinctively Subaru. However, the side has underpinnings of a Nissan Murano. Subaru is playing it safe here, in my opinion, because it does not seek to redefine the definition of an SUV. But who cares? Subarus are popular, and they are known to be fast.

Mazda CX-7: Hey, we have yet another SUV! This time round it’s an offering by Mazda. Again, design is impeccable, but I dare say better than the Tribeca. The CX-7 surely looks fierce and strong. The high and thick wheel arches helps to create a sense of masculinity. Indubitably, it’s a men’s only monster.

Mazda MX-5 Roadster Coupe Hard Top: Our favourite Mazda roadster now has a hard roof which is the world’s fastest retractable one taking just a mere 12 seconds. Nevertheless, there’s something about the MX-5’s design which I just don’t particularly like. Perhaps it is the low slung body. But then again, that’s what a roadster looks like.

Ford C-Max: I would like to think that this big MPV is the successor of the Galaxy. It has large windows, but the design is nothing fantastic. Handling is good, but styling scores low. I would say that this is another model to saturate the already saturated MPV market.

Dodge, the American brand, also has some pretty odd models coming in, like the Nitro for example. I think overall, we are seeing the diversification of the automobile industry as we welcome more brands other than our faithful Japanese ones. More cheap made-in-China cars are flowing in too, like the Geely CK and the Chery QQ. Korean brands are catching up really quick, and in the next few years, it will pose a serious threat to established Japanese brands like Toyota. Chevrolet and Fiat are starting to expand their range of models here too.

So let’s deviate from the Japanese makes, shall we?

Ta-ta

Say bye to this:


And welcome what you're seeing now.

I promise I'll not talk about so much Mac stuff from now onwards, so do visit more often. More about my life, less about that fruit.

The feeling of being lost

It's a time for change. I need to revive what was decomposing. I need a change in passion, or else I would be too alienated from what I should be interested about as a teenager. I explicitly know that I belong to a marginalized cultural group; I realize that I’m an odd-ball.

After all, no one has similar fanaticism as me. What I cherish, are, sadly, passions with no future, and enthusiasm which time does not allow to cultivate.

Tell me, who ever grows up to be a computer animator, using PowerPoint to churn out cartoons to make money?

Tell me, how can I ever work for Apple when it is based in California? How is it ever possible that I abandon my roots to leave for overseas?

Tell me, would a person of such high caliber take up a career as a car salesman?

Tell me, how many people would truthfully engage in a conversation on which operating system is the best for your computer?

As such, I shall find new passions, perhaps one that’s steered towards academics, one which has the propensity to develop and grow into a stable future career, not something which society has no regard for.

The sciences, maybe. Or how about the arts.

Ultimately, I still recognize that passions cannot be forced. They have to be natural. But after a long while of wandering, I must start to choose a direction, and seriously work on it.

Maybe I don’t belong to where I am now, maybe I belong to NAFA.

Well, but above all, I feel secured in the knowledge that it is all in His hands.

Irony

Look at this picture:


Identify the irony?

Ok, so some contextual konwledge is needed. Clue: that notebook hooked up to the projector in the background is an Apple MacBook Pro.

Still don't get it?

Last clue: that man is part of a group of bloggers presenting Microsoft Vista and Office 2007 at the Microsoft HQ in Diegem, Belgium.

It can't be more obvious than this. You know what I'm trying to say.