XD

Poly forum was... pretty awesome.

Will have photos as well as some account of the activities on board once the batteries for teh digicam are charged.


Very insightful to the Singapore education system as well, since that was my sub theme for discussion and debate.

Never before have I heard the word "passion" been used to many times by these lecturers and staff, as well as the minister of education.

It seems like many of the select 60 student participants of the 5 polys are some pretty impressive achievers.

The students from Republic Polytechnic, particularly caught my eye. This new poly... RP, keeps telling their students that the're getting such creative teaching techniques, they tell people they have "PBL" or Problem Based Learning with such pride. Some, with over cockiness. But the things is, its because the poly is new, and the teaching methods so different from secondary school, that the students have such a sense of pride in how they are learning.

Ironically, for the older poly's particularly my course, we've been getting such problem based learning since year one. Its just that it was never pointed out, nor featured. So on the macro perspective, both the old polys and this new one may have similar problem based learning techniques, but because RP is new and its celebrated so much, the students think they're so special.

So yeah, well some of the RP students really are entreprenuers. Starting up a student union with the help of the staff, creating and organizing clubs for their polytechnic students to enjoy. Not bad.

But I'm still not sure what stand I have on one of the topics that was discussed. Its about creating solutions to give students more opportunity to pursue their "passions."

I think that, yes, its good that new schemes or some additions to the curriculum would help in giving students the chance to do what they are passionate for, since Singapore is now moving towards a value added workforce due to lack of manpower with respect to the other rising giants like China and India.

However, some possible problems posed are will these students actually be following their "passions", and not just some fleeting "Interest"?

Interests change, what if a students decides to go into music but later finds out that He does't like it after all? Will he have the rest of his education to fall back on? Or would he hit a dead end in his education so to speak?

Hence, some more passive, but yet sufficient syllabus for music and art would be more feasible.

Syed from RP during one of the final presentations shared that he once had a "passion" for music. But then later he looked at the long run and decided that it would be better and easier to make a living through other means. I don't think that that is passion at all. And if this is the misconception that students thinking that they want to do this for the rest of their life are thinking, then there may be some serious problems.

To me, passion is following an interest even when you hear that it would be much easier to make a living through other means. Even when your family members say that what you're playing is noisy. Yes, it was discouraging every time I heard my family members call my first composition noisy, even mom, or them rolling their eyes saying "there he goes again" every time I played that same piece.

But I didn't care. It angered me that these people were not being supportive like they were to someone else. It angered me that these people could not appreciate what I was trying to communicate, yet they critisized it. And despite all this, I didn't give a damn. Because this was MY passion. And if they couldn't get it? Then screw them.

But its because of this, that I can look at other pianists, who have gone through grade 8 or even Diploma, and not see as superior. For in contrast to those that had the training and nurturing and had fun and enjoyed themselves from clases, to me, who made it on my own and fought for what I believed in, I can say that I have come much furthur pursueing my passions then them.

People often ask me what grade I am after they hear me play. They always ask if I'm grade 8, but when I tell them that I only passed grade 1. And then sometimes I wonder if I've accomplished anything at all, during these few years of playing the Piano, but now I know. I've come damn far. Furthur then any pathetic grade or diploma will take you.

"Passion" is often contradictory to "Logic".

Then again, back to opportunities to pursue your interests? Its quite ironic that this school has provided me ample opportunity to pursue it. Now, it can be appreciated, but it would mean as much if I had not fought for it in the past.

Okay, I slept at 2:30am this morning... I ache, I'm grumpy and and pissed off for no reason. Haha, better go to bed. Erm... after playing Budokai 2.

Overall, this damned forum made me think too damned much.

Whew. Just finished packing for the poly forum. Yeap, grabbed as many wearable clothes from amongst the house and dumped them in the bag.

2 days 2 nights on the super star virgo! Its "The newest and largest world-class megaship in Asia-pacific", woooo.... there's a helipad, library, amphitheatre, cinma, arcade, track, basketball court, pool, gym, spa, disco, casino, hair salon, blah blah blah, its like a moving country or something. But according to the schedule we won't have much time for any of those... booo.... so many workshops.

Just hope I don't forgot to bring anything... ahuahau tomorrow then check lar...

I wonder if its possible to get sea-sick on something this frickin big... don't think so lar. I wonder if we'll see any giant whales... or giant squids... wow that would be fun. But I doubt we'd encounter a Leviathan on the way to malacca and back. Was it malacca... or kl... or penang... ah heck, somewhere around there.

Today damned slack in the com lab. FYPJ over so can work on anything now ahuahauhua!

Helped Dre with her project music, then worked on bot model for a while... went to play basketball, work on bot model for a while, took a nap, work on bot model for a while.

Damn productive...

Training after that was ok...

Was supposed to be "light" training, because the race is this weekend liao. Heh.

Did 6 rounds warmup, then circuit. Run like madmen, pushup sitump burpees. Getting used to wide angle pushups, whereby your arms are perpendicular to your body, instead of parallel, which is easier to start out with... but right now wide angle seems easier.

Panting like sheet... then did weights, ears blocked liao. Sign of exertion, which is good I guess. Then pool rowing. Still getting used to the left side. Apparantly I have to row left side for the race, because we've got too many right and too few left and I balance it out perfectly if one right side goes over. And so Ben put me on the left side... saying "you're the only one who can row both sides." That means row decently, at least. But its weird relearning everything again for your left side.

Asked him how my stroke was during rowing today and all got a pause, then "Not as good as your right side." Wtf... of course lah, that's my primary side. But then I remembered how exaggerated the twisting and drop is on my right side and did that for the left and hmm.... that works better.

I guess thats the thing about Ben. He won't tell you what he's feeling or what he thinks... he'll phrase things in a way so that you hear what you need to hear to achieve his desired effect.

Jonny got "reprimanded" by ben about attendance and stuff... I think Ben just said what needed to be said for a suitable course of action to take place... but I'm afraid Jonny might take it the wrong way. I guess its good if he gets pressured, interesting opportunity to learn, and at the same time, its good to see the coach care enough to give such a talk... but I actually went to imagine what it would be like to have no mens team next semester.

Maybe those who really want to continue will stay on, we'll pay for the rent for the dragonboats, and then those who really enjoy the sport and have a reason to fight for it will go on. But then we'll probably lose more numbers anyway. Argh what a pain in the ass team sports can be sometimes.

Poly forum is this wednesday.

Dress attire for most of the agenda is "jeans and polo T". Like... I have no jeans... only cargo pants or berms. I guess nows a good time to buy anyway. Maybe a normal pair, not anything too stuffy like bell-bottoms or what... that can look damn gh4y.

12:42am.... time to Z

Ben did some weird "exercise" after training on thursday.

It was kinda like hot seat.... everyone sat in a huge circle, girls and guys team, then we'd go through everyone one by one. Ben asked us to "settle any problems" with the person, so that we would not bring negative issues into the boat.

Although confrontation of certain issues was probably needed in the team, I'm not sure if some were necessary.

Some girls cried, blah blah, one even started sobbing when she tried to point something out about someone else. wtf? Then there was some talk about narrowmindedness about some people and some other serious stuff.

But all I got from the team was smiles, and playful threats. In the end only "complains" about me being too tanned, or thinking I'm neo in the matrix who can do kung fu. -_-. I guess that's a good sign ahuahua. Ahh the best was Jindian's turn, when the girls took the liberty to say together "you wear your socks very high."

I took the opportunity to suan Ken... and offer Willy some advice. Wonder if that worked. And being the extremely nice guy that I am... didn't feel too right that night in bed >_<.

But its out liao, and I guess it did help somewhat.

Friday's presentation for FYPJ went well. Operation flashpoint: Singapore's original soundtrack was awesome, thanks to creative's new SBS range speaker subwoofer system too.

Finally over, now can work on MUGEN.


Weekend canoeing sea training annoyed me...

That jag... he's fast in the canoe, as fast as he is on land. This is very annoying. Because I know that strength wise, I'm waaaay better. Weights, he does about 7.5kg per side for military press, I'm going for for 20kg pre side now. His pullups maybe 12-15 max, my max = 25. Yeah, a new high btw.

Only thing is his stamina is way better.

But the odd thing is I'm either on par with him or slightly behind him from the start already.

Damn annoying. I know I'm pulling way harder, but how come he can still go faster from the start? If it was stamina I'd understand if maybe he pulled away after 600-700 metres, but from the start? wtf?

So I narrowed it down to 2 probable causes.

1. I was using the 216 paddle instead of the 218 paddle which I usually train with. Shorter, weird positioning, odd catch and recovery.

2. Catch of the stroke. I'm not catching the water well enough. Was hitting or slamming the paddle in at times... instead of scooping.


So during today's canoeing training I went chasing other teams around kallang basin again. Overtook some team... not sure who they were, then went after ngee ann. They're not bad too. Gained on one of their rowers, but that other guy was fast. All the while checking catch and posture.

But towards the end heard someone call out my name from a dragonboat. Looked to see the whole boat looking at me... whoa... sounded like ivan... or sensei, couldn't find him among the many people on the boat then I head it "Reuben, pull harder!"

*%*(^%*(^@#%$ I need to ask sensei what he means by pull harder sometimes. When I go all out and wack the water he still says I'm not pulling hard enough. Maybe its catch first then pull fast... argh, have to check with him next week. Sensei enjoys rubbing it in that "I'm not there yet", which is saying "I'm not good enough yet". As much as I understand that this is meant to provoke me to train harder... it works alright. And bugs the hell out of me. Oh don't you worry... Jag's been rowing longer than me by a year only... but I'll catch up... very soon. I am a genius of technic and analysis... and if I have to train my running to be as zai as my weights then so be it.

Dragonboat on the weekend was okay...
Was finishing some 50 metre sprints in my t1 while some of the guys were waiting for training to start at the side. Stupid darren, keep saying stupid things like "Why you train so hard?" I guess some people will want to console or cheat themselves by thinking what they do is enough. But its not.

I cannot stand phrases like "there's no point to extra training", or "train so hard for what?" Because if they had any idea, how tough our opponents are, they had damn well be as worried and buck up ASAP.

But on the topic of consoling and cheating oneself. Does this make us who train extra hyprocrites as well? What if we think we're doing enough during extra training? Is it just for the sake of extra training or are we actually striving for something more?

Haiz... damn sleepy. And sunburnt again thanks to mr sunshine... Oh happy little mr sunshine always smiling down on this poor rower, screw you mr sunshine!

And quickly took out some info on the blog seeing as to how some people are finding this too easily. Scary. I'm glad Winston let me know he found this, I"m cool with that, but I wonder who else is reading this without telling me.

Argh... time to sleep

Second mock presentation yesterday went much better. But still got alot of changes to make to the slides today.

Went to the weights room for a while before the mugen meeting. Was pretty quiet... no one else around today. It seems everyone's ran away for holidays already. Felt kinda odd having the whole weights room to myself, but finished up a good number of sets anyway.

Ah, funny thing happened, the school's rugby coach came down the stairs to get a drink or something and approached me. He asked if I would be interested to join them for the rugby season after the dragonboat race.

Well... I wouldn't mind trying out rugby... but no offense to any of our school ruggers who read this... but I have no confidence in their team. Cept maybe Thomas. The rest look like they couldn't run 2.4km with a sub 12 minute timing - that bad. Their coach seems to have some interesting knowledge about weights tho... even if the team is still new at weights judging from their previous weights section. Plus, canoeing races are just 1 month after the rugby season and I want to concentrate more on canoeing.

So yeah, I politely declined.

MUGEN meeting with the art team was pretty good after that. Talked about some of animations, can see some good senses of animation around. Then talked about our unique selling points. And was quite suprised to see that the team could visualize some of the concepts and form a heated discussion about it. It was reassuring to have them get all excited and involved in the project, talking about it on the way home and stuff.

Met up with the programming team online after that, those guys are awesome. Started discussing possible problems and unique elements and implementation using variables and statecontrollers. I'm convinced that some of these guys are definite geniuses...

Damn... sound like a nerd again ahuahua.

Ok, I'll stop here.

Dragonboat training today... was late cause Miss Teo took forever to come and see our presentation slides... although alot of constructive feedback was given, at least she said it looks "cool" XD.

Ran the 4km on my own. Kinda slowed down during the later half but managed to speed up for the last round. I'm going to need to start chanting when I run next time...

"I'm light as a feather"
"Just floating above the ground"
"My legs are like wings"
"So swift as I drift"
"Open wider, go faster."

Ahh, I've come up with a way to increase efficiency while training this week!

During circuit or pushups or what not,
While in pushup ready position and sweating profusely:

1. Lower head for about 3 seconds.

2. Feel the huge beads of sweat roll up your chest or back, neck then your chin and lips.

3. Drink huge beads of sweat.

Ok... I'm resorting to odd ways to amuse myself during training... but it really helps! You can literally feel your parched throat get nice and moist again drinking your own sweat. Recycling salt and water kicks ass.

Sometimes really bo pian also... you can either get dehydrated and shacked.. or! Recycle salt and water!

Ahuahuahua


Weight was pretty good after that. Then a couple of the guys decided to go to J8 to eat, which is good, cuz near home. But we ended up going to Pastamania instead o_O. Ate an upsized creamy chicken linguini. 2 Bucks for the kinda Upsizing really sucks... its like... still not filling.

Stupid stingy pastamania...

After much contemplation... its done.

Its not dyed hair, or earrings, or tattoos, but its damn badass... (and best of all its not against school rules XD)

Went and got the streaks across the sides of my head whilst at the haircutting place today. Looks damn awesome lei... like the extra 2 pixels of shading in your web frames design, or the envshake on your shinshoryuken.

Hahaha feel like such a rebel. Now gotta get the rest of the dragonboaters to get the streaks by next week like we agreed.

Bobbie sez it looks damn cool, although yongqiang kept calling me a gangster... bloody arse.

Canoeing training went pretty well today. Ran about 3km+ only, but sorta fast. Still getting used to the new breathing technique that Jag taught me. Very handy indeed. Although by the last round could feel some sort of sensation at the solar plexus... maybe drank too much nutrisoy hahaha.

Circuit after that. How I enjoy combined circuit where the whole group goes together, cuz we have to wait for the girls. Its damn relaxing...

Captains ball after that. Sux being tall.. always the catcher. Aaron suprised me today. He seems like the non-active type... running also cannot make it; But damn can that guy fake. His fakes before passes to me scored us the majority of points.

Went to eat with a couple of guys and girls after training in J8 FJ. Its nice to eat with the canoeists because alot of us live arodn Bishan/ Toapayoh/ Potong area so can go Bishan to eat. Unlike the dragonboaters who must return to the far recesses of Singapore after training or a trip to AMK S11.

Very busy these few days.

Tomorrow's todo list:

1. Do this week's handouts for the MUGEN project
2. Help out Dre with music for her animation
3. Help out Caroline with music for her flash movie
4. DSTA kickass cool looking powerpoint
5. Music for DSTA
6. Preperation for Friday's meeting for the musical

More and more things coming up. Glad FYPJ is ending this friday, then at least thats one task off my list.

Steve isn't around anymore so I can blog in the studio liao.

Came up with a most awesome overture for the DSTA project last night. Then struggled to redo mission 1 attack scene theme.... but couldn't make it and just went to bed instead.

Oh yeah, we cancelled our LAN trip yesterday. Seems like the dragonboaters all hit some sort of economic crisis in unison. Good lah, row together, go poor together.

So Wille and Winston came over to play ps2. Had a blast playing 3 player sfex3, then cvs2 and Winston went outside to watch rugby with willie. Later we found Winston asleep with his mouth gawked open on the couch.

Let them see and hear a couple of projects and Willie was thoroughly amused.



Back to today... there's some sort of Linux seminar going on today in school. Seems interesting and I wanna go... but stuck in FYPJ...

Hahaha I must sound like a huge nerd "I wanna go for the Linux Seminar".

Going to scramble back to Bishan during lunch break to get a hair cut again.

Hope can get this powerpoint presentation done soon.

Long time no blog liao... hahaha

Luckily FYPJ gonna end liao.

Canoeing in the morning was damn great. Had a partner to pace with today, Sid. Kept teasing him about looking like an ape. I was really quite fascinated loh... Sid's been blessed with longer than average arms. I mean... he's about 1-2 head shorther, but when he reaches up, his fingers are almost at mine.

Went chasing the Hua Chong canoeists again. Overtook their black k1... a k2.... and kampong glam's 24-man dragon boat, but they were using an old heavy boat. Sid capsized and we botched up a T rescue... failed the mounting part so pushed his T1 to the beach.

Could really feel the catch today. Was flying around the water. Must be because I ate filet o fish for breakfast. Eat fish to move faster in water... must eat more fish.
Can't wait to go back and train with our team... I wanna let Jag and Naresh eat my backwash ahuahauhua!

Budden I capsized when Sensei asked us to do a 300m sprint set.... sia sway, right in front of the dragonboaters also. Climbed onto the pontoon but the boat was drifted away. Luckily the HC guys helped me pull the boat up and bail water. Later when washing one of them even helped hose down the boat. Friendly bunch those guys are. I'll miss chasing them around kallang basin.

Went chasing after our dragonboats after that... cause by the time I finished keeping the equip they left liao.

Ran to the da long kang... no one around... and the damned construction work prevented me from going further... so I ran back and hoped they were there and sure enough saw Jonny's head popping up looking around. Saved.

Went to eat after that with the guys. Chicken katsu curry rice + 3 bowls of rice + beef ball soup = heaven. It was nice to eat with the guys there again. Last time we ventured there after training was with all our long forgotten seniors. Quite odd being the one asking everyone to go and eat after training. I guess its up to me to pass on some traditions that we've learnt


And Willie's here so I'm gonna stop here ahuahuaahu

>_<

Project E119 is moving along fine,

need to meet up with stagearts this friday for the musical preperations...

Monday: Prepare for everything.... Music for dsta

Tuesday: Prepare for MUGEN meeting... Music for dsta

Wednesday: Prepare draft tracks for musical - MUGEN meeting

Thursday: Prepare draft tracks for musical

Friday: Musical meeting


I didn't think doing so much fun stuff could be this hectic...

Managing a 20 man team for the ultimate kickass fighting game while being tactful around eccentric personal but talented artists is fine...

Managine a bunch of musicians while meeting up with another club and shooting ideas back and forth tactfully is still fine...

Canoeing training, dragonboat training is even more fine...

Yes... its all fine.

Damn fine.

Somedays I feel like there's so much to do, yet I need to do more...

Sleepy and not making sense... I need to start recording music on the computer and not on the clarinova anymore... its alot easier and more organized for editting later. Only.... more troublesome maybe? D'oh

Been doing some thinking.

The reason why Miss Teo doesn't want too many people to take the MUGEN project up as a minor is because, if I grab like 3/4 of the minor group, she'll have no one to assign out her own projects too. And these projects are for her goal to establish NYP's gaming repertoire furthur. Always trying to get deals with the newest companies, getting projets for the gameboy advance, the N-Gage, organizing tours for Konami, or that special effects team that did lord of the rings which I can't remember... etc.

I can understand that, but if this goal of hers gets in the way of my project too much, well...
it will not be pretty.

I dunno... I used to like her so much... during the neverwinter nights project, and flash project, when I was like star programmer, she'd support and help out so much. Reu can do blah blah with neverwinter nights, the other groups all expecting something big from the creator of Character of the year for 2 subsequent years, busting out a flash side scroller with complex hit state system, juggle system, combo damage dampener system, planes system and scary AI when she said IT students couldnt set up a decent sidescroler in flash for nuts. I dunno what's changed... I still want to like her, because I do respect her to a certain extent, I want her to acknowledge me, but its difficult now when she keeps trying to pinpoint every mistake I make.

But I won't let this little matter bother me. I'm going to enjoy this major project, and every other project despite everything she throws at me. And what do I have to complain for anyway? Jag's parents are seperated, he alternates between staying at each parent's house, yet he's strong. He will be a tough opponent to beat in canoeing, but I must have more willpower.

Ran 5km then did weights today. Then learnt how to spin a bo or spear wushu style from marcus! Damn cool! Ahuahua, needed that so much.

Super stressed today...

Miss Teo is threatening to fail my major project because she says he and the supervisors caught me working on the mugen project twice today.

So she wants a task schedule of every hour I spent on the project tomorrow... how retarded is that? Fine, I'll server her up a many many paged report. Sha-neroh!

I appreciate her concern of trying to keep all the team members involved in the project... but its quite retarded when she threatens my grade just because of a few incidents working on another project.

I guess some stuff just isn't fair when you're being pinpointed. Sam watches his anime and plays games the whole day and nothing happens, Steve plays gba during breaks and I get called up for working on another project during breaks? Good job, Miss Teo, well done!

Then got more stressed during the MUGEN project meeting in the evening. Half of the team didn't show up so some guys were bitching. And I cannot stand it when people continue to dwell on whats wrong instead of focusing on what we can do with what we have. So I sort of.... fell into hyper scary soft black belt mode. I'm glad Adrian was around to get things moving up again.

But, we have a new addition to the team, Gerrard is joining us after surveying the meeting. I'm glad we have another strong artist to help moderate the art section.

Managing a rowdy bunch of designers can be pretty challenging, especially for an epic project of this proportion. We'll kick MVC2 and CVS2s ass to kingdom come.

Now to grab the l33t programmers in the MUGEN universe to combine forces for our final ultimate desperation move. Every one of these guys expanded the engine in one aspect or another, if we can combine all their findings... ohh boy.


Still pretty stressed but just got back and its 11plus so may be too late for a enraged run around the neighbourhood... I'll have to settle for some enraged pushups....

Bloody hell sun why must you always be so bloody annoying in my damn bloody face glaring hot burning rays of crap.

Its official, sunblock is as useful as piss. SPF 35... what the hell does that mean anyway? Protect for 35 minutes? or 35 seconds?

Stupid sun was out today during training... and I got sunburnt. But it doesnt help that that damned lifejacket which we are required to wear or kenah fined by the SDBA is giving me an imprint of a singlet on my body in contast to my burnt arms from the damn sun.

And my forearms are peeling. Wtf? I've never been so sunburnt before.

Training was ok today...

Took a looong time to warm up and get the hang of the balance in the boat. Unluckily capsized once at the start tho. Didn't see any of the NJC rowers today but I saw the hwa chong guys. Their coach is pretty funny... can crack jokes and make sarcastic remarks liddat. Then I paced with them a little. Could keep up and overtake a couple of laps but couldn't really feel the pull... until much later. Realized my pedal grip was abit too close. Haiz...

Still quite ham ji in the water. Canoeing can be pretty dangerous too... dunno if you'll suddenly realized if your caught in some idiotic uncle's fishing line... or capsize near rocks and get bad scratches, or the worst case, like last week; when you row so hard and suddenly capsize, then realize your legs have gone NUMB so you can't kick or swim and tow the boat back to shore. Worse is when you've rowed so hard you can't even thread with your arms, but luckily got lifejacket, and you can only cling onto your boat and hope the blood gets back into your legs. Even more annoying is when you capsize right smack in the middle of kallang basin, then you have to tow the boat some.... 500 metres to the nearest beach or pontoon or hope another canoeist comes by.

I can't wait to be able to row with the team again. I so want to overtake all their arses! Ahuahauha.

Sensei told me I'm not aggresive enough in the water. wtf? I suppose I was quite slow when my grip was wrong and was still warming up at the start, but after that I managed to overtake during pacings mah. Then he asked me to do one mroe set of 500metres. And I stupidly just wacked the water all the way... like some sort of newbie.... cuz I tot my previous sets weren't hard enough.

Nvm... next time just relax... stay calm, pull hard, don't capsize.... yeah.

Hmph... Sensei's expectations abit high for me, since he is ex-national rower some more... I'll exceed that. I'll beat them... I'll beat them all... next year ivp gold is mine!

First step, get back to rowing with the team and overtake them all first.