Of Friends and Joy

Time really flies! It’s August already and I’ve been working for two months. Work has been rather mundane of late and I don’t even want to blog about it due to some sensitive issues.

Weekends form part of my motivation to work nowadays. Seeing my toys and gatherings with friends simply make me a happy man.

The Red & White Event

I went for a swim in the morning with Xin Jin in the morning but I didn’t get very tanned at all. Looks like I’ll have to try harder to get tanned this coming weekend!

In the evening, I attended a BBQ session with the CAC peeps on Saturday and I think we ordered too much food. Yong Ernn, Perry and myself formed the “Advance Party” and we learnt a good lesson – Never buy too much food.

Having said that, this lesson always seem to be learnt and forgotten.

Just yesterday, I went to sing K with Xin Jin, Kaiwen, Wei Yang and Cheryl. It was pretty fun singing with them and I’m itching to sing again.

KTV Mania

The Geeky Lady in the Centre

This coming week will seem to end faster and it’s a LWE for everybody! Initially, I wanted to make a short trip to maybe Bangkok or even Hong Kong just to shop.

But due to unforeseen circumstances, the plans had to be abandoned. Nevertheless, it’s party time again this weekend!

I can’t wait! Hoho!

***

I’m always tempted to get new toys for myself.

Urgh.

I guess I have to learn how to control my desire to own the tech gadgets, for the time being. The thought of not having enough cash for big-ticket items (e.g. a flat’s downpayment, renovation, blah blah blah) is really scary.

I must plan my future better, though it’s still a question mark to whether… oh well. I’d better not say anything.

Where’s Fabbie?

My apologies to my readers (if there are still any) and friends out there, for not updating this little virtual space of mine. I can see that it’s slowly evolving into a wall-of-text, albeit a small one.

The purpose of this post is to update you guys on what’s happening in my life (recently). First and foremost, close friends of mine would have known that I got myself a DSLR (as a birthday present to myself) recently… *blushes*

While I don’t know of many people who buy birthday presents for themselves, but, well, maybe it’s just part of my 1001 excuses to get the things which I want.

Life has been pretty good so far – I have a job (which directly translates to income) and am enjoying the benefits of being part of the working-class. Granted that I do spend quite a bit on my gadgets, I still make it a point to save a fixed amount of money every month.

In early June, I visited The Line @ Shangri-La Hotel and the buffet there was really fabulous. The price was $48++, excluding drinks (!@#$%), but the quality and variety of food has already justified the price paid.

Crossing The Line

Some random walkaround shots were taken in late June, nothing really spectacular though. I’m still learning.

Totally Random

Two weeks back, I became an official graduate from NUS. The friendships forged through activities, lectures and tutorials over the University years are not to be forgotten.

I really cherish all that I’ve learnt throughout the 4 short years in the University. There was a mixture of joy, laughter, tears and sorrow, and I’m proud to say that I have grown stronger mentally, and as a person.

My Commencement

I can never thank my family enough, for working so hard and putting me through the University education.

In fact, I feel happy that it’s finally time for both my parents to slow down their pace in life, and I’m also happy that I have the chance to provide for them.

***

Actually, there are many more things which I want to blog about. But looking at the unearthly hour it is now, I guess I’m better off hitting the sack.

So, goodnight!

A Quick Update

The past week has been a rather quiet one, with the exception from Thursday to Saturday!

On Thursday, I met up with Shikai, Kok Wai, Junjie, Wan Teck, Yishan and Jun Mian for dinner at Tampines 1 and it’s quite fun catching up with them and updating each other about our lives…

***

Met up with Perry, his girlfriend, Guan Ze, his friend (Oops, I forgot her name already!) and Yi-Xin. We went to St James Power Station on Friday night. Under the irresistible temptation, the guys opened a bottle of Hennessy VSOP.

And my world began spinning after drinking a few glasses of it neat on the rocks and from the bottle (after I got high and crazy). I also didn’t know what made me do that… but I’m definitely not an alcoholic!

***

Saturday was just as eventful – Collected my new passport in the morning, and headed to Marina Barrage (for the first time in my life) with Shikai, Kok Wai and Junjie.

Yes, I know I’m slow to do that…

Had a dim sum + high tea buffet @ $44++/pax in 7th Storey Restaurant and I think  it’s really expensive for the quality of food. Luckily, there’s a 1-for-1 promotion and the bill gets halved. Even so, I still don’t feel really happy paying the money!

Then I headed down to Orchard to meet my sis before we go for a family dinner at Straits Kitchen. The food was good, though it’s just local fare Nevertheless, it’s the company which matters more!

I’ll upload the photos soon though… haven’t had the luxury of time to do so lately.

Alright, I’m off to bed!

Song of Today

我的难过是如此低调
因为不想打扰 我在寂寞的墙角
努力的对自己好你用微笑回报
朋友或情人不重要

我的悲伤是如此低调 傻子才会哭闹
就算你发现也好
我想你一定会选择假装不知道
只怕我自己的掩饰不够好

难到是我对我自己不够好

***

I guess this song reflects the feelings of how most people would feel when they want to hide their sadness.

In a bid to do so, they treat themselves better. So much so that they have to show the world that they are leading a happy and better life.

In actual fact, this might not be true.

How sad, eh?

Quick Update

With the H1N1 virus causing so much fear among Singaporeans, even a cough on public transport will gather stares from others. Instantly.

But I’m not too bothered by the stares I received a month ago when I returned from my graduation trip with a fever, cough, and runny nose. The cough was really persistent and didn’t go away until two to three weeks later.

To date, almost 800 (?) people have been infected by the H1N1 virus. No doubt that the virus is very contagious, I still believe that there is no need to be so fearful of it.

***

Alright, it’s time for bed… and wake up to a new day!

Pack Up and Go!

Last Friday, I was talking to my colleagues about sitting for an exam.

But the passing rate of < 50% is kinda scary.

Nevertheless, I’m gonna give it a shot.

Hence, less than half an hour back, I turned my storeroom upside down and retrieved all of my notes and tutorials (which I didn’t feed into the recycling bin).

I managed to find most of the important ones and I guess I have to find time to start studying for the exam.

Can I squeeze what I studied in 4 years into my brain and get ready for the exam in 3  months?

I wonder.

3/N

I was chatting with a friend online when he actually told me about this song entitled 《搞笑》 by 罗志祥. He said it’s a very emo song.. and I went to youtube it!

Initially, I didn’t really like it. But after listening to it a few times, I find myself getting hooked…

我在搞笑藉着热闹掩盖着心跳
边哭边笑偏要说着一个人真好
当人群散了突然觉得我可以死掉我受不了
还在搞笑害怕回家不知怎麽熬
这麽多年早就习惯有你的撒娇
我想我能熬但是至少要让我知道你好不好

***

Anyway, I met up with Wei Lun yesterday and we headed to Hotel Royal for coffee with a boss of another engineering consultancy firm. After the meeting, we exchanged contacts and he asked if I would like to find out more about a career in the solar energy industry.

Ahh.. another opportunity?

***

Though it’s already three weeks into my work, I have only a vague idea on what’s going on as I’m handling a project all by myself with little or no guidance from my direct supervisor.

While I don’t expect to be spoon-fed,  I do hope to be given some pointers on what to look out for and such. Or maybe he could at least give me a general direction to head towards, and not end up wasting everybody’s time when I get things done wrongly and/or delay the progress of a project.

I know I can ask my colleagues, but the truth, is that they are also busy with their stuff and sometimes they are not in the office too.

Quote: By right, you should be following a senior. But the engineers here are all very busy. So you have to stand on your own for this project.

*faints*

Uncles Over Flowers

Click to enlarge

Photo: HardWareZone Forums.

The New Toy

My Element(s)

Met up with Ivan today to collect my new external HDD from him.

Initially, I thought I wouldn’t make a trip down to the PC Show 2009 as I was really busy at work on both Thursday and Friday.

Hence, I downloaded the updated pricelists/flyers/brochures of the PC Show 2009 online, zero-ed in on what I wanted, and began calling for help to get the stuff on my behalf.

But, alas! Despite knowing that the HDD was already bought on Friday, I still couldn’t resist the temptation of gadgets and went to the battleground on a Saturday with Shikai.

On hindsight, I should have gotten a 3.5″ external HDD too!

This exhibition, as mentioned in my earlier post, is really disappointing. The big names like Nikon and Panasonic didn’t appear. Unlike in previous IT shows, Sony did not take up the whole of the foyer level this year; instead, it had only 1 booth inside the exhibition halls.

What left an impression in me was the SingTel and Starhub booths which had really bigger floorspace this time round. But well, I’m not getting any phones, so…

Apple, which does not offer dicounted prices off their gadgets during shows, made no exception this time round. I’m not surprised, really. It’s just them, to throw in a little more freebies to tempt people into getting the products.

I was tempted, but I managed to stop myself from even visiting the booth. I don’t know why. There are too many tech gadgets which I want to buy.

To name a few:

• A new desktop complete with a 23″ widescreen LCD monitor OR a laptop
• A new mp3 player
• A new monochrome laser printer (Struck off the list, because I don’t really need to print stuff from home)
• A cheap(er) watch (I don’t really wanna wear my Seiko Criteria to work as a daily-beater as it hurts whenever it takes a dive on the table)

Yeah, I really want many things and they don’t come cheap.

PC Show 2009

is a disappointment.

Period.