2010 Review (Movie)

It's the time of the year again! I watched 10 movies this year, mostly at the first half of the year. Surprisingly none of which are Asian movies. A far cry from 2008 where majority of the movies I watched were Asian.

Let's begin the countdown, beginning from the lowest rating.


10th: Predators
Rating: 4/10

Another typical sadistic movie that introduces a group of people who gets killed off one by one as they progress to find a way out of the ‘no-man’s land’. Not very fond of such movies that display explicit images of blood and gore. Yea, it’s classified as a horror film anyway. The saving grace is probably the twist at the end which reveals the true villain among the group. I thought the predators are the only enemies in the movie.


9th: Sherlock Holmes
Rating: 5/10

My first movie of the year. Usually I like to watch mystery and thriller genre, but somehow this one doesn’t strike a chord with me. The case is not as interesting as I expected, or probably it’s too complex for my liking. It doesn’t make me curious in knowing why some things happened, and the seemingly insignificant but important little actions that Holmes did to crack the case didn’t really impress me. Thus this gets a so-so rating.


8th: Shrek Forever After
Rating: 6/10

Watched the previous three instalments (the first one not in cinema) and it would be a shame not to watch this one too, which is supposed to be the final movie. Sadly I wasn’t amused very much this time. The humour feels recycled and a little stale, except a few. I guess the moral of the story is - be contented with what you have.


7th: Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief
Rating: 6.5/10

The plot is based on the Greek mythology, and tells about a boy who wields the power to summon water. Some say that this is the kids version whereas the Clash of the Titans, which is based on the same mythology, is the adult version. Thanks to the blinding lightning effects, I suffered some eye discomfort when watching the battles. The quest is interesting, but nothing really special. The next adaptation is slated to release in 2012, but I’m not very enthusiastic about it haha.


6th: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Part 1)
Rating: 6.5/10

Can’t believe it has been 10 years. This is one of the few series that I catch every single instalment in the theatres. With 8 movies in total, this would be the longest series that I, and probably most of us, have ever watched. With the story split into two parts, there is more room to develop the characters and build up the atmosphere. The pace is slower and it feels less rushed than the previous few instalments. However I miss the Hogwarts scenes and their interesting wizardry lessons. And I dislike how the film keeps using the snake to scare people. Hey this is not a horror movie! Maybe it already is, since it has grown so dark from the point Voldemort appeared.


5th: Brothers
Rating: 7/10

Watched this movie without expectations, and was surprised by the twist. It shows how one’s personality can change drastically after a traumatic incident. In the beginning everything seems like perfect, until a mission changed his life forever. Sometimes things might be beyond our control, but as long as we set our mind straight and stay positive, I believe we can overcome all odds. Easier said than done eh?


4th: The Chronicles of Narnia – Voyage of the Dawn Threader
Rating: 7/10

Never thought I would watch a Narnia movie. I was quite skeptical of it initially when it first came out, teasing how its name sounds like a vulgar word etc. It actually turned out to be pretty good. Was worried that I couldn’t catch the storyline since I haven’t been following the series at all, but the movie made it quite easy for first-timers to grasp the plot nevertheless. Basically a trio enters the world of Narnia, and goes on an adventure in search for missing peasants. Along the way they have to look for 7 swords to deactivate the ‘curse’ or something. I think I have watched so many of such adventure movies this year. Kinda immune to it already haha. By the way I like the mouse/rat in the film haha.


3rd: Prince of Persia - The Sands of Time
Rating: 7.5/10

I’ve always enjoyed storylines that incorporate time-travelling element, and this one is no exception. The plot revolves around a mystical dagger that contains extraordinary sand which can send its holder back to time temporarily. Like always, the bad guys would try all means to get hold of this powerful ability. I like how the story takes place in the exotic Middle East setting, with Arabian-style streets and the vast desert. Hope to visit such places someday hehe.


Ok I had a tough trying decide which one should get my Top Movie of 2010. Eventually I came to a conclusion...

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2nd: Avatar
Rating: 9.5/10

This is one of the best movies in the recent years. Everyone would probably agree with me. This is also the movie that started the 3D trend this year. Last year I watched ‘Up’ in 3D and there wasn’t much hype about this new technology. But ever since Avatar was released, everyone began to realize the true power of 3D images and how it can enhance our movie-viewing experience. Of course the film industry took the opportunity to tap on this hype, by releasing movies in 3D (even when it’s not originally shot in 3D) and hoping to rake in additional earnings. Now, every other action movie is released in 3D. But which one can truly claim that its effect is comparable, or even better than Avatar? Once the novelty has died out, I guess everyone would just ditch 3D and settle for the conventional style. The discomfort in prolonged wearing of 3D glasses is also a major deterring factor.

Initially the promotional poster didn’t appeal to me. That character looked very much like a Night Elf from Warcraft. ‘Ahh another science-fiction film’ I thought. The title doesn’t tell much about the story too. I didn’t notice who the director is. However shortly after the movie was released, good reviews started pouring. It’s like a chain effect where one recommend the other and gradually more and more people began to watch, which in turn produced lots of positive response that further generated more publicity and popularity for the movie. Eventually Avatar became the one of the greatest movie all-time, breaking several box-office records.

It was a pity that I didn’t watch it in 3D, but the normal version was already quite impressive. The world of Pandora is beautifully thought-out and designed. How I wish our nature is as enchanting as that. There were touching moments too, especially when the giant tree fell. Rating would have been perfect if I had watched in 3D, maybe.

This movie brings us back to our primitive existence, and reminds us humans about the importance of coexisting in harmony with Mother Nature. In this modern world where nature is increasingly sacrificed to pave the way for human development, is there any hope in saving our greenery from getting destroyed?


The Top Movie is none other than...

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1st: Inception
Rating: 10/10


I decided to give it the top spot because of several reasons. Firstly I had no idea what this movie is all about before I watched it. As I watched the premiere, there weren’t any reviews then. Thus I did not harbor any expectations and there was lots of room in my mind to accommodate for twists, surprises and amazement. My only knowledge of the film comes from the trailer, which I happened to see in the previous movie. I didn’t really understand what the trailer is trying to show anyway, but it looked very interesting. Indeed, I didn’t expect it to be THAT interesting.

Secondly, I can’t remember any other movie that made me think so much even after the movie ended. The plot is intellectual in a sense, but also irrational at the same time because of the dream concept. I always wonder how our minds are able to construct images and incidents that we would never ever imagine in real life. Together with the unexplained dream-in-a-dream phenomena, it is truly the greatest mystery of the human mind. Sure there might be loopholes and questionable bits in the plot, but generally the flow and mechanics of the storyline is well thought out. This is what really impressed me.

Enjoyed every moment of the movie, and it gets more interesting when the main mission began. The climax is gradually built up as the dreams split into more and more levels, far beyond what I expected. I was so caught up that I didn’t want to movie to end haha.

While Avatar reaches out to my heart, Inception reaches out to my brain. Since I’m more of a ‘brain’ person, Inception gets my vote.


I wonder when I can ever watch such great movies again. Let’s look forward to the new year.

Oh yeah I'm embarking on something new this year, with regards to my annual music review. Stay tuned!

An Email from Someone

Yesterday I received an email from someone very very familiar. It was unexpected yet expected. It was a pleasant surprise nevertheless.


The following is an e-mail from the past.
It was written on December 19, 2005, and sent into the future (now the present) through FutureMe.org.
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Dear FutureMe,

Are you still reading mangas and watching animes? FMP:Fumoffu was hilarious! How abt your PS2? Still working? My next game is Wild Arms Alter Code F and Suikoden Tactics. Still listening to Chinese (or English) pop music? The first in 933 chart is Lian Ai -ing by Mayday, followed by Yan Lei Cheng Shi by Stefanie Sun and Fa Ru Xue by Jay Chou. Meimei is so annoying, still learning how to speak. She likes Guo Mei Mei's Lao Shu Ai Da Mi and Bu Pa Bu Pa. That's all folks!

From Past Me, (dated 19 Dec 2005, just finished A lvls at home zuo bo, waiting for damn NS letter)

P.S. Are you shocked to receive this letter?

P.P.S. Have you found a nice company of friends yet?


I wrote this 5 years ago and sent it to myself 5 years into the future. I sort of forgot about this matter already. Didn't expect this email to be actually sent. I thought it was some kind of a bogus site.

Yea this is a span of 5 years, from then to now. It feels like a long time as so many things happened in between - enlisting in NS, going through the 2 years, enrolling in NUS, and now in the midst of Year 3. But then again it seems to pass very fast too if you try looking back at it.

I remember writing more than one email into the future. The next one should be much much later. I think I asked silly questions like 'Are you married with kids?' or something. Let's see how I'll reply next time.

I wish I could reply and let my PastMe read it. Since it's not possible I will reply to myself in my own blog:

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Are you still reading mangas and watching animes? FMP:Fumoffu was hilarious!

Manga nope, but animes maybe. My previous anime was just a few months ago. I'm more into Japanese dramas now. Yup Fumoffu is one of the funniest anime I've ever watched. =)

How abt your PS2? Still working?

I guess it's still working but no one plays PS2 nowadays. It's the generation of PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, etc

My next game is Wild Arms Alter Code F and Suikoden Tactics.

Suikoden Tactics is really fun, but I bet you can't complete Wild Arms. Don't get too addicted into videogames!

Still listening to Chinese (or English) pop music? The first in 933 chart is Lian Ai -ing by Mayday, followed by Yan Lei Cheng Shi by Stefanie Sun and Fa Ru Xue by Jay Chou.

I've given up on English music but listening to Chinese pop is still my main leisure. These top 3 singers are still popular now, but I wonder if the younger generations know who is Stefanie Sun or not...

By the way the 1st in 933 chart is Chou Jue by Gary Cao, 2nd is Ta Shuo by JJ Lin, 3rd is Qing Ge Mei You Gao Su Ni by Fish Leong. You should know these singers in your time.

Meimei is so annoying, still learning how to speak. She likes Guo Mei Mei's Lao Shu Ai Da Mi and Bu Pa Bu Pa.

Soon you'll be annoyed because she talks too much.

Just finished A lvls at home zuo bo

You'll score really well for A lvls I'm sure =).

Waiting for damn NS letter

Don't worry, someone will come and help you with this.

P.S. Are you shocked to receive this letter?

50-50

P.P.S. Have you found a nice company of friends yet?

YES! ^_^

It's snowing! (VII)

Ya it's snowing really really heavily at the other side of the world. The terrible snowfall has been making the headlines for the past few days.

Sorry to hear from those whose trip has been affected by the snow, especially Europe SEP students.

I would love to see snow but I can't stand the cold. Looks like I can only tour Europe (in the future) during summer season, just in case such harsh weather were to befall the region again.

2010 is indeed a year of disasters. Watched this week's 焦点, which recapped the natural disasters that happened this year, from the Haiti earthquake to Iceland volcanic eruption to widespread flooding around Asia. Is this really the effect of global warming? (Some people say 2012-effect)

Anyway let's look forward to a better year ahead. =)

Some of you would have noticed that I've started tagging my entries since months ago. This is to make my blog posts easier to search. It's more of a personal thing, since I doubt most of you would want to look back at my past entries, though you're free to do so haha. The tags are self-explanatory, except a few.

Through the tagging process, I noticed that I used to whine and rant a lot in the past. But recently I tend churn out 'essays'. I wonder if readers would prefer reading rants or expository-type content...

And my entries used to be funnier with more humour. Have I lost my sense of humour over the years?

Take a look at this search result (click to enlarge).



WHO is that?? OWN UP!!

HK vs SG

Hong Kong is a country that is similar to Singapore in terms of size, population and development. Its population is about 40% greater than SG while its land area is approximately 55% larger, hence SG slightly ‘wins’ in terms of population density. The land area probably includes inhabitable hilly terrains, which HK has obviously more than SG. So HK might actually be denser as it seems.

Walking along the busy streets of HK is no easy task. The walkways are narrow and crowded, and I had to constantly dodge the fast-flowing stream of commuters. It becomes worse if you are travelling against the main flow. Needless to say, it is hard to just stop in the middle of the path to examine the shops or check the map for directions.

The crowd in Mongkok on a weekend afternoon is formidable. It feels like Chinatown on the eve of CNY. I wonder how terrible the crowd will become at night, or during festive seasons.

Crossing the road at red man is common, especially at narrow minor roads where there is more movement of people than cars. The zebra crossing does not give pedestrians the priority to cross. It is merely a spot to tell people, “cross at your own risk”.

Comparatively, the vehicular traffic seems to go quite smoothly, at least from what I observed, despite the haphazard-looking road system. Did not experience any kind of traffic jams, fortunately.

Old buildings can be seen everywhere even in the commercial district, many of which are turning black. There are also several maintenance works being carried out, and it is rather common to come across residential blocks wrapped with scaffolds.

Since most buildings are probably built very long ago, they do not utilize much underground space. As a result, train stations could take up a lot of space below ground. Most stations are huge, with several exits that can extend far beyond the main line. Fare gates are usually not restricted to only areas near the platform. The layout is deep and multi-leveled, which means one has to travel up a couple of escalators before reaching street-level. Put it another way, it can be a long walk from the street exit to the train platform, so the phrase ‘XXX is 5 minutes away from YYY station’ might be misleading.

The frequency of their trains is commendable. Throughout the trip, it does not take more than 2 minutes to wait for a train to arrive. However the train can be quite packed even in the weekday afternoon. Crowds will start to form really fast the moment a train departs from the platform.

Announcements are usually made in 3 languages - Cantonese, Chinese and English, in this order. This also applies to tourist sites and many public places. In SG, announcements are usually in English only, occasionally Chinese, and more rarely, Malay and Tamil.

For example, an animal performance in the zoo will only be in English for SG, but will be trilingual for HK. Quite interesting to see how they present the show with a mixture of 3 languages.

HK uses Octopus card, which is similar to our Ezlink card, but can be used for payment in many shops. Hope SG will achieve such level of convenience soon, although I still prefer the traditional method of using cash.

Bus fares in HK do not correspond to distance or stages travelled. It only depends on which stage of the journey you board the bus. It is like getting off the bus without tapping the ezlink card. The maximum fare from that stop until the terminal will be deducted. Hence it is not economically effective to board the bus then alight few stops after where it is still very far from the terminus. I guess the rule of thumb would be, to take the bus that ends close to your destination, in order to make sure the fare is well-spent.

Double-decker buses are quite common. I hardly saw any single-deck buses except minibuses. Even for services with relatively low ridership, like airport-express buses, double-deckers are deployed. Most people would prefer taking the train for its speed and reliability I suppose.

Generally HK people are willing to share seats with strangers when having meals. This is probably due to the fact that their traditional tea houses are usually very crowded and sharing seats is necessary. I guess they also do not like to wait too, due to their hectic lifestyle. This might not strike well with those who prefer privacy however. The place can be quite cramped too, with tables and seats very close to each other. Westerners probably wouldn’t like it haha.

For more pictures, visit ZX blog. Will upload to Facebook soon.

Toy Story V

Toys need not be so complex. Even toys with simple design, or those that we can make on our own using common materials around us, can provide a reasonable amount of thrill and enjoyment. Most of these games involve physical nimbleness and dexterity.

Five Stones



This is one of the most traditional games in the past. It probably originated from stones, and then evolved into mini beanbags. Come to think of it, it would be really painful to grab the stones and suffer from skin abrasion.

Swift hands is a necessity in this game. Sadly I wasn’t good at it at all. I even had problems clearing the ‘first stage’ where you have to throw a stone, pick another and catch the stone as it lands. These actions must be performed using the same hand. If I throw it too low, I can’t grab the other stone in time. If I throw it too high, I won’t be able to catch it properly. Put it simply, I suck at this game haha.


Zero point



This is a strange game where the stage counter starts from ‘zero’ instead of the normal ‘one’. The game is basically about crossing the rope, which is usually made from rubber band chains. The height of the rope increases each time, from ground level to top of head. I remember having difficulty passing the ‘under-pocket’ level because it is the highest level at which the rope cannot be touched when crossing. The rope may be touched for subsequent levels, but cart-wheeling is required, which I can’t perform. =(

I don’t think I’ve ever reached beyond one-point. Because of this, I can’t get to play those interesting levels that come at later stages, like ‘wave’ and ‘gate’. (forgot what these special levels are called). I didn’t try to put any effort in practicing, so yeah, I suck at this one too…

By the way thanks to zero-point, I could better visualize and understand the concept of standing waves in physics haha.


Chapteh



I have no idea why the chapteh craze could last for so long. I was first exposed to it in primary school, when many bought it from the school bookshop. Through secondary school until JC, I was surprised that people are still interested in this kicking (or rather, picking) game. Is a bunch of feathers really so addictive?


Eraser



The aim of the game is to flip your eraser on top of your opponent’s. This is pretty easy to accomplish. But its simplicity is precisely why it might be difficult to win. You can flip the eraser to the top easily, as long as the distance is close enough, but so can your opponent. As a result, nobody dares to make the first move forward. This is like martial arts sparring where both sides just encircle the area, staring intently at each other, hesitant to take the first plunge.

This game was really hot during my lower primary days. You could see students playing from assembly to recess, to inside the school bus after dismissal. However after some time it was banned because of suspected gambling.

I even went to buy an entire box of country flag erasers. This is where I learnt the knowledge of country flags from haha. Of course, the eraser with SG flag printed was treated as the most valuable one.


Top Spinning (Gasing)



During my childhood time this game wasn’t that popular anymore. But luckily I had the chance to try it out at least once, from my Malay neighbor. You wind a string around the edge of the top, then pull it quick and hard to let it spin on the ground. Sounds easy but it’s not. Both winding and pulling requires skill. If not done properly, the top will topple right after the string is pulled. This was what happened in my first attempts. I think I’m really bad in such games.

There is also an electronic type where you just have to twist its axle with your fingers and it will spin and balance on its own. It even gives off flashing light patterns and music while spinning. I think I’m more suited to play such idiot-proof kinds.


Yoyo



This is similar to a top, except that a yoyo spins vertically and the string is attached to it. It used to be very popular during one period, when many were seen playing flaunting their ‘Pro-yo’ or ‘Bumblebee’ with awesome flicks. I only know how to swing it up and down, until the yoyo loses energy. Shame to say, this was a result of the mentality “if others have, I must have it too”.

One big problem is that the string tends to get tangled easily. When I can’t untangle it, the yoyo is officially ‘spoilt’ haha.


Marbles



I didn’t actually play using the traditional playing method – striking other marbles out of the circle. My marbles are made of glass and I couldn’t bear to throw them around. They were actually used as decorations but I took it to play. =p It was pretty fun just by rolling them around the floor or releasing them onto self-made slopes.

An annoying thing is marbles can be very noisy, especially when they bounce. My family once received a complaint from our neighbours living below us because of this. Anyway if you were to hear bouncing marbles coming from the ceiling, it’s probably a ghost since nobody plays with marbles nowadays. Woooo~~~

Semester 5 Overview

I realize I haven’t blogged about this semester at all for the past few months. Too busy reminiscing the past haha.

In contrast to the previous semester, this semester is more relaxed as I was able to catch up with my tutorials and projects. There was no feeling of crunch. Had a free day to slack too. I think it’s because I didn’t take any Japanese module this semester haha.


CN3132 – Separation Processes

Difficulty: ★★★★
Workload: ★
Lecture: ★★
Tutorial: ★★

The title sounds simple but it is actually the toughest module of this semester in my opinion. Thanks to the concept called equilibrium, which is usually not consistent, separating substance is not as easy as it seems. Luckily the workload is very light – just tutorials and mid term tests, no group work, graded assignment or whatsoever. Attempting the tutorial questions is rather time consuming however, as they often require graph plotting. Other than that there is really nothing to rant about this module. The lectures and tutorials are just like any other CN modules.

Despite the heavily reliance on graph-drawing for solving problems, we were not expected to plot any graphs in the final exam, much to my relief. I am really really slow in plotting out points on the graph. As such, the paper did not turn out as bad as I had expected. Was it because the mid terms were tough enough? Haha.


CN3121 – Process Dynamics & Control

Difficulty: ★★★
Workload: ★★★
Lecture: ★
Tutorial: ★★

While the separation module is full of graphs, this one is full of block diagrams. Blocks are much more fun and easier to draw! This module started off quite slowly, introducing a lot basic concepts for the first half. I could not grasp the gist of this module at first. As we proceeded to the second half, the key purpose became clearer and more evident. This is when I began to develop an interest for this module, although, regretfully, the lectures and tutorials became more boring. Probably partly due to the freezing lecture theatre.

This module is not very typical of a CN module, since there are a lot of algebraic manipulations and analysis. By just looking at the form of the algebra expression, we can tell a lot about how the process works. This makes it easier to study I think. Moreover my interest made me more confident in this module. Sad to say, its final exam is the most difficult one among all. So much for the confidence. Looks like I still have a lot more to learn.

We were introduced a new application in Matlab, to aid us in our simulation. Hence the two group projects. It was quite fun experimenting and playing around with the functions, while trying to discover the best way to achieve the desired result. Because it is a group project, there are other concerns as well.

I am considering to take the advanced version of this module, but this will depend on my grades. (Hmm actually not really since I have already ruled out several possible choices, so I might still take it anyway) Hope it won’t be a disappointment.


CN3421 – Process Modeling & Numerical Simulation

Difficulty: ★★
Workload: ★★
Lecture: ★★★
Tutorial: ★★★

This module is even more atypical of a CN module. The title sounds daunting but it is nothing more than just solving equations without a computer, as well as processing data (aka statistics). It has been 5 years since I touched statistics, but luckily I was able to pick it up fast. This module seems to bring me back to my JC days when I was studying F Maths, as there are a lot of similarities. This explains the relatively low difficulty of the module, despite it being a level 3000 one.

This module gives a ‘solid’ feeling – a feeling of ‘knowing what I’m doing’. Arts modules may be easy to understand and study, but the essay writing aspect adds an element of uncertainty. There is no way to know exactly if you are right or wrong. On the other hand, this module presents straightforward questions, and the bulk lies in pure computation. However it is precisely the tedious computation that makes me wish I could have more time for the final exams. It is times like this when I feel I should have bought a calculator which can solve cubic equations, find determinant of matrix, compute statistical values etc.

Both lecturers are interesting and engaging, but I seemed to watch most lectures through the webcast, due to the out-of-way timing and the frequent disappearance of one lecturer. Hope to score well for this module, but if I don’t, the rest must be really good haha.


CN3135 – Process Safety, Health & Environment

Difficulty: ★★★
Workload: ★★
Lecture: ★
Tutorial: ★★★

This sounds qualitative but actually involves more calculations that expected. What is a CN module without calculations? Applying the equations is simple, but knowing what values to put in might be a problem. Also, this module teaches us how to make sense of the values obtained. So far we seem to have merely produced numerical answers without much judgment on how large or small they are.

While I can’t help being bored with the snail-paced lectures, I felt I’ve learnt much more during the tutorials. After every tutorial my foolscap paper would be full of notes and scribbles. Didn’t know the questions could extend so much beyond.
I almost forgot this is a 3MC module. I harbor no expectations but if I were to do poorly, it means I’m just not good nothing then…


CN3108 – Chemical Engineering Laboratory II

Difficulty: ★★★
Workload: ★★★★
Lab: ★★★

The 2nd installment of the trilogy. Lab hours is doubled, so is the MC, but the workload seems to drop. This is because there are more members per group and the workload for the report is split into well-defined roles. Nevertheless it can be very tiring too, as I had to spend almost the whole of every fortnight Sunday checking through the report and spotting for errors, before submission on the following Monday. Editing such reports is really very time consuming, but fortunately there was someone who took care of the formatting part haha.

Once again I’ve beaten the odds, by not being grouped with JH whose name is just before me. Ok I give up already.

Am I the only one who feels viva (oral Q&A) is a good component for this module? However one thing is, grading standards may differ. I wonder how the professors grade us on this. Just by overall impression? Ability to answer a question exactly? Some might be strict or lenient in giving marks. Felt lousy after the final presentation when the group could not answer the prof’s questions. Hopefully this won’t spell disaster.


HR2002 – Human Capital in Organizations

Difficulty: ★
Workload: ★★
Tutorial: ★★★

My first business module in NUS haha. This module is conducted in an interactive seminar style. Attending the lessons was relaxing since I need not prepare anything, and the prof likes to share his interesting experiences and stories, as well as conduct role-playing activities which always end in an anticlimax. There were also video-screening almost every lesson. But it can be quite boring sitting for 3 hours, listening to dry theories. I didn’t participate a lot in the discussion as I had nothing much to share out of my mundane study routine. Gradually I wasn’t looking forward to attending lessons anymore, and I tend to space-out every now and then.

This module is more like a personal development module. The content covered is similar to what you would read in self-improvement books – understanding self, continuous learning, adapting to change, managing emotions, etc. So general haha. Didn’t know there was a tea reception (aka free food!!) on the last lesson. Every module should have this tradition =p.

Glad that I had great group mates with many connections and contacts which came in useful during the project. No high hopes for this module. Since the final exam is open-book, perhaps I should have prepared a sample essay first. A good idea for those who are not skilful in writing essays within a short time.


EG3602 – Vacation Internship Programme

Overall: ★★

My internship is considered a module too, so I think it’s appropriate to include it in my ratings. The work experience was not very chemical engineering related, as the company mainly deals with supplying common chemicals. I took charge of the safety aspects with lots of paperwork, so I wasn’t able to make use of my technical knowledge. Maybe I should have participated in the 6-month IA programme where I could work in companies like Exxon, Shell, Hyflux, etc. My technical knowledge can be of better use too. But in any case I would prefer to study in school than to work outside haha.

I admit I didn’t really like the office politics and the stiff atmosphere which prevailed in the company. My harsh superior added on to my ‘stress’ too. I guess this is the reality we have to accept when we go out to work next time. Other companies might be even worse. Being an intern, I was able to avoid many responsibilities, although some were shoved to me. I just had to bear with 3 months anyway, so it was still alright.

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As much as we focus on our standings in the bell curve, we seem to neglect another crucial determinant of our grades – the grader/marker. They decide how much partial credit we can get if we were to make a careless mistake in our workings. Their strictness and leniency can make a huge difference if the performance of the cohort is close. There might be some extent of moderation or standardization but still, the marks given very much depend on the graders’ judgment.

Therefore, I will pray for a lenient grader. =) The bell curve may skew in any way I don’t really care haha.

Toy Story IV

Continued from the previous theme. Toys that can be played alone, but gets boring easily. =)


Toy Guns



Bang! Bang! Bang! How lame. -__- I’m not fond of these toy weapons from the start, including toy swords and water guns. Those I had last time were probably given to me and my bro by someone else who thinks that boys like playing with such weapons. Those guns with flashing lights that give off a super-loud annoying noise when the trigger is pulled, really gets on my nerves. There are also some pistols that shoot small metal beads, which can be really painful if struck by them.


Tamiya Cars



I’m referring to those mini racing car models run by battery-operated motor, manufactured by a Japanese company Tamiya. Operating the car is simple (well, just turn the switch on and let it run) but building it up is not, especially if you’re not satisfied with its basic ability and wish to modify it to run faster. Sounds like computer eh? One troublesome thing is fixing back the parts after the car crashes. I used to spot racing tracks set up outside neighbourhood stores that sell these models. I guess nobody plays them anymore?


Toy Truck



The seemingly unattractive truck deserves a section on its own due to its significance in one of my experiences. Long long ago, I was admitted to hospital once and my mum brought a toy truck for me. As simple as that haha. When you’re small, little things like this can reside in your memory and follow till adulthood. Subsequently, the toy truck gives me a feeling of recovery from illness. If one day I’m admitted to hospital for some reason (touch wood), maybe somebody can bring me a toy truck haha. Not all toy trucks will do, only certain kinds though.


Jigsaw Puzzle



Till now, my interest in jigsaw puzzles hasn’t waned. It is the space and money constrain that keeps me from buying new puzzles. Jigsaw puzzles can be quite an expensive hobby actually. And there are still a few framed puzzles in my storeroom that haven’t been hung up yet. I started off with jigsaws with a frame board, meant for kids. Slowly, I progressed to those with large pieces without frame, then to 500 – 1000-piece puzzles with cartoon illustrations, then to those with scenery instead, and finally to 2000-piece, which is my maximum for now. Haven’t got the chance to touch on 3D-puzzles however.

It’s always a dilemma on whether to invest in jigsaw puzzles, as the joy they bring is often short-lived. You may get an adrenaline rush when working on the puzzle, but once it’s completed, that’s it. The faster the puzzle is finished, the quicker the enjoyment ends. There is always an option to undo everything and save it for the next time, but I couldn’t bear to break apart the masterpiece I’ve painstakingly assembled.


Stuffed Toys



I’ve a sensitive nose, but not so sensitive to the extent that I’ve to avoid soft toys. Anyway I’ve to thank all my teddy bears, dog, squirrel, rabbit, etc for accompanying me through my toddler and early childhood years. Looking at their cute faces and innocent eyes gave me comfort and consolation whenever I felt like crying. On the other hand, a badly sewn, ugly soft toy makes me irk.

As I grow up, I gradually became immune to their cuteness. They can’t comfort me anymore. =( By the way if you see any soft toys around my house, they are not bought by me, but someone else older… >_>…

Talking about cute, let me share a really cute video.



I like how they twitch their noses ^_^. Proud to be born in the Rabbit year haha.

To think people derive pleasure from crushing rabbits...sigh.