DIY mee pok tah

Lol. I just made my own mee pok tah. So proud of myself.

Oil, black sauce, sambal chilli, instant meepok noodles (without using any ingredients inside), topped with fish balls and spring onion.

1st impressions, a bit too sweet, cos the black sauce I have at home is the red date one. But still shiok. Next time I will use the MSG and oil from the packet to boil the noodles in them, to simulate the MSG soup they use to cook the noodles in at the kopitiam. Heh. Maybe can serve as soup later too. And use more generic black sauce.

MY BLOG IS BORING

And I'm bored. Goes together really well.

ay-dee-oom!

One of the many reasons why I hate macs D: It's just too darned preetee.

Oh no!

Seems like I haven't blogged about my 1 year with bee bee either! Yes we've been busy but yea, we've been together for a year already, and many many more to come! Pictures will come up when we are free, but we are always so busy with each other we don't have time to show you guys all the fun we have! :P We'll do it soon, don't worry. Happy 1 year bee!

Why the iPhone 3G sucks

The iPhone 3G sucks. Really. The most hyped up phone you've always wanted is a pile of trash. And let me tell you why.

Glass screen. Like wtf. Where are my buttons. Where is my plastic screen. A plastic screen is so much better than glass. Plastic doesn't shatter. This is a step backwards in phone design!

3D games. Only now? Even my old Pentium 2 machine could play 3D games!  And it can't even play CS. What the hell.

3G. What the heck is that shit. 3.6mbps. Which phone only has 3.6mbps? This is so 10 years ago! Even my StarHub cable runs at 6mbps! That's nearly TWICE the speed! 3.6mbps is so damn SLOW!

Push email. This is absolutely retarded. Who the hell needs this? I don't want my phone to be informing me of every email I receive. Use internet explorer to log in to hotmail check email man. That's the way email should be. Push email is so uncool.

Battery life. The battery on the iPhone only has 1 day of battery life with heavy usage! 1 day! And with heavy usage meaning surfing on Safari, and watching YouTube. I mean that's just miserable! Which phone only has 1 day of battery with Safari and YouTube usage?

SMS conversations. What the fuck is this shit? I can't mass delete SMS! I can't even delete individual SMS! This is so damn backward! Having separate inbox and sent folders is so much better! Not being able to consistently go back and forth between inbox and sent totally kills the SMS experience! SMSing feels just like instant messaging now, and if I wanted to IM I can just use Windows Live! Messenger right? Why do I want to SMS?

GPS. Google maps is free. What the hell! I prefer Nokia N95's GPS, you got to pay! Things you pay for are ALWAYS better than things for free. And it has a plastic screen, buttons, and all the fantastic things a phone should have. Don't get the iPhone man. Be cool, buy the N95.

There are a million other things that I can't think off now. But whatever it is, just don't get an iPhone. Or a mac. Apple sucks. Like totally. Microsoft and Nokia is the way to go.

EDIT: Apparently some people just can't get the sarcasm. But, some of the things I posted above are actually what some people say of the iPhone, especially of the SMS feature. The purpose of this post is twofold: to show how stupid windows users are, and to dissuade potential stupid windows users to buy the iPhone. The Apple brand is diluted enough by these stupid windows users, and I would like to maintain my elite status of a Mac user. I don't want Apple to be the next hp or acer, although they seem to be tending towards that path.

Although I didn't expect it, this post has also shown it's third purpose: to reveal the stupid windows users who claim to be Mac converts, diluting the Apple brand, like the really clever boy who posted in my tagboard. Dude, if you can't contain your raging hormones and use your brain to think, you don't deserve to be a Mac user. :)

Blogger, and the internet, is a piece of shit.

Wow, blogger has a new RSS feed reader thingy! And guess what? IT DOESN'T WORK! Stupid shit. This is how it shows up in preview, making me all happy:

This is how it actually shows up on my blog:

That's a whole fucking world of difference can. Not to mention this feature fails half the time when I'm adding something, making me save after every entry, and even that doesn't work half the time too. Blogger, if you want to come up with something new, make sure it works first, please?

EDIT: Now it shows up properly, but if it doesn't please refer to my post to see how it should look like. Damn sad shit.

I must be dumb

Minima (the blog theme I use) has a stretch version. Now we can have the best of all worlds. Yay.

Now in HD!

My blog is now in HD! What for? Well.. Since SD (standard definition) is going to be phased out real soon I might as well update my blog for HD. And I've always found my blog too cramped.. Anyway. Now to make good use of the screen estate I have! Time to flex some muscles..

Before..

720x480 (480p)

After!

Spanking new widescreen 1280x720 (720p)!

I tried running my blog in 1080p (1920x1080) but I had to run safari in full screen to enjoy it. And I guessed that not many people will have a full HD 24" monitor to view it so.. Yea. 720p is good enough. Lol.

For those that can't see my blog properly, too bad! Time to upgrade already! Even my 15" laptop screen can display it! You should be ashamed of yourself!

I'll be updating my previous posts to have HD pictures, so they will be BIG AND NICE! :D Stay tuned!

Here's how everything's looking now:

Oh you probably missed this other post I had sometime back, with me playing J-Rock at Suntec. Here's a little something:

HD vs SD

HD


SD

:D

shit, shower, sleep.

I'm finally done with EE2001. The final presentation is later, and we are the last group. Means more sleep for me.. sorta. We are intending to head down to lab at about 1 to stress the other teams.. and to kpo a bit. I got a feeling they put the better teams at the end for some kind of closing ceremony for the lecturers, but the guys think otherwise. Oh what do I know. Anyway, the presentation and video is *awesome* Jem is uploading the vid to utoob so you guys can see it soon, I hope. Take it as some sorta explanation for my disappearance for the last 2-3 weeks, and I hope you will be impressed. I really really hope. I've not been having any proper sleep nor proper social life the past 2 weeks and if you guys aren't impressed with what I've came up with I'll be.. well, very very very sad. :( If I get an A for this module I guess I'll stay on, if not I'll need to report back to camp to catch mas selamat for 1 month. Damn sian.

Anyway, this is a formal apology for all whom I've neglected for the past 2-3 weeks, Eugene, Fi, Wan, Jason, Sebas, and of course my dear bee bee.. So so sorry for not being around and not knowing what's going on, I'll talk to you guys soon k? Once I get my brain back.

Anyway a little tid bit of what I was doing, here's my baby for the last 3 weeks:

It's an electronic boarding pass, to replace the normal paper one. Wirelessly updatable, built in alarm to remind you to board the plane, able to alert you of changes in flight timing, and is also able to warn you of emergencies like fire and terrorist attacks. An uber boarding pass if you'd like. Can't cook or clean your house yet tho. Oh it can display advertisements too. Haha. Once I post the video you can see it at work.

EDIT: Video is out! (Now in HD)

Buttttttttttttt. I was not really busy working on this bugger, it was already done since a long time ago. It's because of one particular team member of ours, who can't get anything done right. I, along with Jem and Josh had to complete her part for her, which is actually very simple, but also very integral to the project, and is also very tedious to do. Not that I want to bitch about her, but if only she was just a tad bit more competent, we would have been able to have a lot more sleep. A lot lot lot more sleep. The 3 of us, sacrificing our sleep to finish her part when we could have had rested like a long time ago, while she she can 'trip' and almost fall while sitting on a sofa. Like how right. She was nodding off la. If only she could do things in tandem with us, we could've have finished everything together much earlier. But it's not that she didn't do anything for us tho. She helped us settle nearly all of our admin work, like filing. So it's not all that bad. But I would have loved to be able to sleep more. >:(

I shant crap anymore, I miss my bed. Will talk to you guys soon, I'm back. Haw. Sunday jam? :D

HAPPY 10 MONTHS BEEE!!!

:D:D I brought Leila to a trip up to the sky on our 10 month anniversary.. My friend Josh's a pilot so he offered to bring us up.. Here's the plane, on a lazy saturday morning at seletar runway:

It's a cessna, bravo oscar quebec.

We were waiting around the runway while Josh was running checks on the plane before flight..

Bee bee was being generally very happy.. :P

Josh checking his plane..

Bee was NOT checking the plane :P

After awhile, we were ready to fly! Everyone had headsets so we could hear each other talk in the sky as it would be really noisy..

Josh doing some final checks..

Ready to go!

Take off!!

The view was damn nice up there la! That was seletar resort or something..

Everything looks so tiny up here!

Silly bee was grinning most of the way :P

So was I..

Oo I made Josh find bee's house.. Heh and we found it! I think I might have a shot of woodlands interchange too, it's super tiny la. We were just there just the day before..

EDIT: here it is! Causeway point, all the way at the bottom:

With the bus interchange and mrt station and all.. So small!

This is Malaysia..

After landing we went to Jalan Kayu for prata, then we went to Yishun to look for guinea pigs. On the way we tried to look like one.. Leila started it, she insists I look like a guinea pig -.-

After reaching there we didn't want to go back there again as it's too out of the way so we bought one. Meet beh tay/piggy/pigpig/porky/pokpok:

Look like meh. -.-

Piggy's a brat la. He loves running around my room and finding spots where I can't reach him. Can't wait for him to grow big and fat and lazy. :P Bee bee and I love him, and mommy loves him too! He fell asleep in my mom's hands just now. So cute :P He's not in the red pail anymore cos he found a way to climb out of it. He's damn naughty la. So he's temporarily in my mesh dustbin now. It looks nice but it's a little too small for him. Got Leila's old cage, will clean it up tomorrow and put him in his new and bigger home. And I think we've spoilt him already, he keeps wheeking for my attention now, even as I type this, and when I go over to pet him he will purr and be a happy little brat. Haha he's such a cute critter.

Hope you enjoyed our 10 months bee! I enjoyed it a lot! :D May we go a long long long long way together! *hugsss* Love you bee bee! *muackssss*

Absinthe's 1st gig vids

Heh.

Oh fuck the vids are out

I wanna post all but that will flood the page.. I'll post this one cos it has a decent solo by me :D But I was not in the camera's focus. Oh well.



And the same song by another band, on the same day.



Enjoy!

HAI SHAI!

Hey aaron, I was quite surprised + touched that you actually read my blog! Haha I didn't think you would read it's quite boring usually.. Anyway to whoever who reads my blog secretly, SHOW YOURSELVES! Tag or smth la lemme know you're around. For that I'll move my tagboard all the way to the top so everyone can spam it :D And I'll remove the old about me portion, cos who I am, are in my friends, and you guys will take the limelight in my blog. :D

Siala

1 week of chionging project and rushing around for the (horrible) youth park gig I didn't notice I had 11 unread blog posts! So sorry I can't comment or reply anyone of you IRL (whatever you guys posted is almost what you smsed/msned me) Sorry bee, sorry fi, sorry wan, sorry jason, sorry everybody! I am super busy with school, was super busy with band and there is just a lot of things on my mind right now, about my future. A bit tired to explain now but it's somewhere along the lines of quit school, find job and take guitar lessons. I want to be a musician. Guitarist or bassist or teacher or whatever the fuck. It's my dream and I will chase it no matter what.

Dear Jason (again)

I've been holding this back, but I think you need to hear this now.

Me and my friends have been discussing this, about your plight in life, and we've all came to a common conclusion. You are gifted in drums, and music in general. Make use of it. You should know that there's nothing else you could do better but to drum. You have been searching for the answer all along but the answer has been in front of you all these while. You have been asking from God to give you a sign, help you out, this and that, but He has already given you the answer, and all you need to succeed; your 2 legs and 2 arms. You have an incredible skill for drums, make good use of it.

How you might ask? Take lessons. Go learn the theory. I know it's spending more money now, but in the long run it would well be worth it. Brandon teaches. Go learn from him. What can you do with this extra knowledge? You will be certified to teach. This is 1 source of income. You can be a sessionist. Play for bands, play for artistes. You have the skill, coupled with the paper no one can deny you. Bong, is Singapore's most renowned bass player. He toured with Sun Yan Zi for 3 years. He teaches at Yamaha in the day. He plays for different bands at various locations every night. He earns $10k a month. Not saying you NEED to earn that kind of money, but hey, half of that amount isn't too bad. A quarter of that isn't too shabby either. In the band, you are the most talented musician. You can drum, you can sing, you can play the guitar. And yet I'm the only one that seems to be pursuing this future. The answer is right in front of you. Just forget about all your reasons and excuses and go for it.

gah

Haven't put anything here for some time. I usually only post when I wanna bitch about something.. Oh yea I AM going to bitch about something! My fucking physics paper is today, and guess what, I still dunno what the fuck is going on! Hoho.. I'm so screwed.. But oh well, it's my last paper, I just hope I get a D for this shit. I don't wanna take it again. At least I know more than last sem, if that makes things any better..

Dear Jason

I don't see why you should be pissed, sad, or disappointed. Firstly, no one planned anything for sunday. Yes, I know sunday is band day, but nobody planned anything, and nothing was on. So we went on our merry ways. Fi was hanging out with me not as a band but as my best friend, together with me and Leila. I don't see any wrong with that. Pardon me for being harsh, but I don't see why you should demand to be invited.

A fool who's contacted only when needed you say? What can we do when always, on the day itself, you ask, "Hey what are you guys doing today? Don't mind I tag along?" How about suggesting, or planning, an outing or a meet up? At least the day before? I'm sure you have in the past, and they all worked out well didn't they? I think it's very fair to say that we thought you were busy because you didn't contact us regarding meeting up on sunday for the whole WEEK. I thought Wan was busy too. I thought Is was busy too. Cos neither of them contacted me. Fi contacted me on friday. If you're gonna ask why didn't I ask the rest of you guys along, what's wrong with me spending precious time with my best friend? I don't get to talk to him much when we're out as a band anyway, and we are always out as a band. That being said, I actually don't get to talk to him much AT ALL. We've always been putting the band as priority. So why can't we have just 1 sunday to ourselves, when we assumed everyone wasn't free?

Seriously, I didn't even pick on the fact that you completely forgot about my new year party and went to Aaron's instead, when I asked you first. So I don't see why you should be so upset about today's incident.

Playing loudly without playing loudly

Today I decided to prototype my silent jamming model. I brought the mixer up to my room, and straightaway hooked my amp to it, via line out. It sounded, like ASS. Lots of superhigh frequencies I don't want. Ok, I thought my amp was screwing with me, so I hooked my pedalboard straight to the mixer. Still, like ASS. The kind that will make fi get a migraine.

I knew that every channel on the mixer has gain, up to like 54 dB gain on this one, so I thought, why not just play my amp at a really low volume, and mic it up with super gain? So I tried that, I miced up my amp from inside the cabinet, and it sounded real good. It was my sound, at long bloody last. But damn it, it was picking up the sound of my electric guitar as well. The gain of the mic was too high. I tried cutting frequencies but it will cut the tone of my sound too. That didn't work as well, so I thought, why not I just stuff the back of the cabinet with a pillow? That would definately cut the sound of everything outside the cab.

Then, IT HIT ME. Why not I just stuff EVERY DAMN THING with pillows. I can bring up the volume of the amp, and cut the mic gain, in case of any other external noise I will pick up, and to have a little more headroom. And I did. Walla:

That weird piece of furniture under my amp head is yes, my speaker cabinet. And shit, at volumes where my neighbours used to be able hear, is now just confined to a radius of 1m around the amp. It's THAT SILENT. And it sounds bloody good.

http://sanxp.ath.cx:81/silent.mp3 Hear for yourself.

Bear in mind that whatever I was playing could not be heard outside of my room.

EDIT: Fiddled around with the EQ, http://sanxp.ath.cx:81/anyhow.mp3

Everytime I cut something, I rid of something I don't want, but something I want gets cut away as well. Irritating. Fi you gotta teach me how to use a mixer -.-

iPod tools for the mac!

Thought I would share some apps here. If you need to transfer songs to and from your iPod WITHOUT iTunes, there's a handy program called YamiPod. Only problem is that it doesn't work with an iPhone, so there is PodWorks. Problem is that you can't transfer music TO your iPod/iPhone with this one, only from. It does download songs straight into iTunes nicely with all the metadata though. There's an app called Senuti that does the same thing as PodWorks but without iPhone support. So it's PodWorks for me.