Watched the first episode of the Dilbert DVD series this morning while having breakfast.. dang I should stop tempting myself to eat in front of the computer, with the exception of bread crumbs & tea stains all round the keyboard. I won’t be amused if my desk is the worst bacteria hot zone in my home. Felt slightly nauseated while playing half-life 2 today, very funny though & I thought only wimps or my visitors in roller coaster tycoon get this kind of feeling. Rested away from the computer by reading the daily papers, not to mention the sunday comics before finding out that my computer refresh rate was accidentally set to an all time low- 60Hz while it should be at 75-85hz. Sooo thats the casue of the dizzness…

Looking forward, next week seems to be a week of administration at work/camp. With OVM stores to return and so. The 4 armoured M113 Ultra on the scout side is gonna be returned soon, so are the signal, optics & OVM. Would be able to see few months free of mounted training. Haha just say its an alliance between us sergeants to rid these stores, if not its just inviting “unnecessary training” our officers always want us to do for our troopers, even our troopers are sick of them already. Based on the schedules, next year would see a possible chance of heli-brone training, specifically air-insertion from a chinook helicopter. The closest I could see to that was the rappelling training I did back last year.. haha & yes it was fun… A medic course would be on next week & the highlight would be buddy to buddy “dripping” that involves.. erm poking each other with needles, oh hello bruises!

The day started with some surfin’ on the net in the morning, catching up with discussion on forums & coding my site. Stayed home for lunch, with mum cooking her special pork porridge. Took a bus to heeren in the afternoon to redeem my 180 heeren points left in my account which expires end this month for a niffy printed black card sized notebook at Alternatives, Annex going for 175 heer points. Contiuned my journey to suntec taking 16. With the nichol hightway inccident, now I have to alight opposite shaw towers whenever I take bus service 14 or 16 to suntec, have to walk so far.. haiz.. got to exercise bit loh.. As intended today: buy at least one game but it was cut short with the rather strange shortage of the warhammer 40k: dawn of war game at both PK computers heeren & suntec branches… all the sold out… is the game really so hot? Oh well.. maybe I have to get it at simlim then.. btw Tribes Vengeance is out at $49.90 wouldn’t be getting it so soon till I check out the general reviews.

Met up with mark & dom later around 4pm for “The Incredibles” movie at engwah, & yes this time he got the right tickets for the right show timing. So much for digital picture & sound anyway but overall the movie isn’t that bad. I guess Pixar’s experience in previous movies such as Finding Nemo & Monster’s inc allowed them to include more detail in their scene & rendering outputs in this movie. The story between the superhero family is both warm & loving, with te exceptional hiccups here & there with their superpowers, otherwise the story is rather linear with some exceptional small twists, all ending with a rather, “sprinting victory”. Oh yea, & the old lady who designs their suits is so cool.. me dreams to be a similar accomplished designer (or maybe live & bear similar property assets), maybe more on web, concept & interior designs rather than doing suits for heros. & yes, capes are sooo outdated. Not a bad watch.

Had dinner buffet with the gang at breeks marina after the movie where I finally get to use my $8 off NKF vouncher, shaving $8 off the bill. Stayed in the resturant till about 10pm, closing time. Brought Dilbert, the complete series DVD series collection for $118 from HMV, citylink, together with an extremely retarded VCD movie titled KungPow!-Enter the fist by 20th century fox pictures going for a steal at $4.95. HMV closes at 11pm so that about the time we kinda left the store too.. Got about 6 HMV stamps to go with my purchase. Reached home reasonably late- late enough to unable to play Cs: Source with chonggen & john.. john’s out anyway so I guess he didn’t have the intentions anyway. For chonggen, well he have to have his early nights!

Aims to complete 50% of half-life 2 tomorrow as I am in about 25% completion so far, *checks time* actually today.. sunday! chill-out day.

Ok, PC game check with nitro family aside, the games I have left to complete are need for speed: underground I (80% complete) & II (10% complete). The thing now I better complete those games I’ve brought, so ah games won’t be so much of such a “collector’s toy” for me but some serious play toy, maybe to possibly develop my thinking & reflexes (haha I must be kidding myself). Played CS:source before dinner & half-life II thereafter. I’ve obtained the magum today.. sweettt considering how well it rids grunts with one aimed shot. Gernally weapons are good for the following targets:

Those flying bunch of razers: crowbar, 9mm
Headcrabs: crowbar, 9mm
Grunts: 9mm, magum, SMG if things start to get messy

My heeren card membership would be expiring soon, so I guess I did better dropby there tomorrow after lunch to redemm some cool stuffs before the points expires… think I would go about purchasing on game one the way, maybe warhammer 40k, sims 2, or world of warcraft (dang impulses aagain!). Would be meeting up with dom & qingrui for The Incredibles movie thereafter (finally…. lets hope dom get the tickets right this time…) generally the show is not bad from the the general word of mouth, would see to that tomorrow then. Dinner would be at the usual breeks at marina for keeps. Then what else, we would see from there… On a sidenote, managed to collect $60 worth of donations for my NKF pledge card. Deadline’s on end dec, but I am more or less done with begging people for charitable money now, time to send it it. Lets see (checks card).. $60 would qualify me for a free mini radio.. haha why must they give gifts with increasing value for the $$$ the donor’s give? isn’t giving from the heart & not because of freebee? or is this just singapore?

whee hee completed the game finally today.. at the expense of my whole friday afternoon.. lol anyway haha time to get some rest while I am at it… half-life 2 is next!

hey hey hey, you must be wondering why am I back. Its a day day again, this time in return for an off-in leiu. Whee long weekend! now time to get some game time on half-life2 & nitro family…

Friday & sat in glorious truetype text… long but otherwise, quite a good read.

Friday
Last night was life firing day, it very much needed us to go through bashing through muddy treks & crossing rivers to assault an objective, AI dismounted style for times in all (day blank & life, night blank & life). Us specialists chonggen, janan, tanyi, neo, AI maocheng & yiwei & me were all very much involved in the firing doing safety. So much for that, while the run of the troopers & specs get to stay at camp, DOING NOTHING! moreover, they get to BOOK-OUT on friday evening too… while we finished the life-firing round 11pm only to reach back at camp slightly before 12mn, sob sob can’t book out then, only the next morning, slept around 12.30am dang was I tried.

Saturday morning
The next morning, our PC chen junming admitted being not in a clear state of mind yesterday, therefore allowing the rest at camp to book out. Actually they should stay in camp for integrity reasons, even our old PC, poh was pissed. Chen assured us that it would not happen again. As we guess so, even chonggen’s intel on OC allowing us to book in on monday morning was a dammned hoax, no compensation for us. oh well thats the army. Its going to be quite a day ahead…

Booked out around 6.30am this morning & got a lift from chonggen (CG) to his usual adam road busstop where dad fetched me home thereafter. Concussed the moment I showered upon reaching home, woke up around 11am with cg bugging me to go to simlim with him to buy his new computer parts. Ate breakfast mum prepared & left the house around 12.15pm. Took 855 back to adam road where CG & his loyal uncle fetched us to simlim. Shopping for parts was fast, as we kinda did our “homework” from previous sls pricelists I’ve collected before heading out, purchased everything in 1/2hr comprising of a Geforce FX5500 256MB, P4 3.0GhzE & a Gigabtye mobo. Met maocheng at simlim itself, & he’ve gotten HL2 too, its a small world dude.

Saturday afternoon
Headed back to CG’s house to upgrade his current comp only to find out that his current Dell 8100 system have very limited upgradeable features, like missing a few molex & mobo power plugs. The only way out is to get a new PSU & casing. Even opening the dell casing was a feat, with so many unconventional levers & release hatched here & there… argh I just hate boutique PC casings,.. so inflexible. Moreover, its already 2pm & time is now on our side, considering that I have another movie meetup with my BMT friends at around 3-4pm. Leaving the computer aside, it time to drop by funan to get the Half-life 2 I’ve preordered. Purchased HL2 collector’s edition at $125, while CG got the standard edition at $69.90 consisting our 6 cheaply packed CDs without jewel case & manual, rather disappointing though. If you want a better buy, the collector’s edition is the way to go, though the “free” T-shirt proves to be quite cheapskate as well…

Got a call from dom about “The incredibles” movie showing around 4.10pm. Its already 3.30pm & I am still with CG at funan having lunch (dang & he said he wanna treat me to lunch.. ) at the complex’s basement food junction. Got another call from Dom then later updating me about a 4.55pm movie which he’ve got instead.. 4.55pm? cool just right I can actually reach GV marina on time! But dun VG marinaplex have only one screen for one movie at a time? strange.. 4.10pm & 4.55pm shows? too good to be true…

CG had his uncle unlight me around rich-carlton/GV marina area, where I met up with dominic for some chatting & catching up on times. It was later then we found out the tiks are for 6.55pm, NOT 4.55pm when the ticketing auntie told us that a show is still on. Arghh! wrong tiks! so no incredibles. Dom was rather sorry about his box office blooper, this time I was not on intervenation!… Luckily theres a 5pm show on at the box, Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason. Got the tiks subed & the next thing we were seated 4 seats just behind the screen at center (incredibles was worst). When the movie is starting dom suddenly ask me in a worrying manner.. “shit I did time indents for my artillery life firing yesterday, I hope I saw timing right…”

Saturday evening
Overall, the show was good, same Bridget, but a brand new diary, laughs & adventures. Guess I would have to catch incredibles some other day then. Then dom suggested watching it next week… haha if that is so I would be watching movies with the same bunch for 3 weeks in a row now… & now is that bad?… It was 6.45pm then marina square is still under major renovation with lots of stores closed, so we decided to walk to suntec to chill out for some coffee or so till 7.30pm. Dropped by Dell’s “try it” booth while at suntec to make enquires about the Dell x50v pda. to my joy, its out! the sales rep told me it came out today, well why don’t I be the first in Singapore to get one then.. haha at $911? I guess I would wait a little while more for the price to drop or when they decide to offer online discounts or so. Checked out tower records & PK computers.. mm man do the collector’s edition of HL2 a rare item around stores.. luckily I’ve got me tucked with me for an install later at home!

Got a call from mum & dad that they are in the suntec area already. Aide-ohs! to dom, catcha dude next time then.. Headed back to marina square, Hans eatery for dinner with my family. Overall I still prefer the food at this hans branch rather than the one at home, maybe the portions are bigger/tastier, or was I just hungry.. oh well downed a silion steak set meal & salmon mixed vege rice while dad had fish & chips & mum, chicken chop.. (yes I guess I was hungry). Next stop the Singapore motorshow 2004 at suntec convention & exhibition center at 8.15pm, walked the area till closing time 10pm, theres not many people around as its the 2nd last day of the event now. Dad met up with some old friends doing cars at the honda & suzuki booths. The thing about cars now is that most people are scrapping their 5-6yr old cars now for new ones due to exponential car value depreciation, furthermore the COE is quite low now, I guess this is the trend, wonder is dad considering a new car or not. But otherwise he expressed rather great interests in the mazda 3, honda stream & suzuki liana. For me I was totally out with on-board ride entertainment & concept cars, wow.. those subwoofers, theres more, let the photos do the talking when I upload the photos of the event soon…

Headed home thereafter, installed & tested out HL2 while typing this blog. Would be tryin’ the game out tomorrow.

UPDATE
The photos of the exhitibition are UP now with captions. Feel free to check it out here or navigate your way to the photo gallery “miscellanous” section to check it out!

Aunt julie dropped by our home yesterday morning to pay us a visit, strange though considering that its a the Hari Raya period, we should actually have paid a a visit! Brought along with her are some traditional Muslim delicacies such as curry chicken, longton & some homemade pineapple tarts & marble cakes, surprising that she actually brought this feast here… But I can tell that she enjoyed it anyway, spreading the Hari Raya fun & mood, very enjoyable. So guys & gals out there if you are invited to a hari raya dinner or so by muslim friends/neighboors this week DON”T MISS IT! you will love it. Would be bringing some excess marble cakes & cookies to camp to finish as most of us here at home are already over loaded with da goodies. Then having it finished at camp shouldn’t be a problem either with my glutton bunkmates John & Darryl around, that shouldn’t be a problem…

Well, half-life 2 is expected to be released tomorrow. As already mention in my previous posts, I’ve re-ordered the collector’s edition at the software boutique, funan for $129.90 plus a free poster. Would most prob be collecting it on friday night or so, during my bookout. Alternatively if theres nights off tomorrow, why not drop by there too? & yes, everything have to timed so nicely.. You must be wondering why I am I still at home at this time on a tuesday morning, well book in for my coy is slated at 12noon today.. oh well better get going to chonggen’s house.. tete for a free lift to camp…

Installed my thermaltake fan controller, now my PC casing looks piffy together with my 5.25″ bay overclocker’s kr L.I.S LCD indicator with red backlight, man does it look cool! Now I can work with lower fan noise, not to mention possible lower electrical bills for pops with those fans spin slower & consume lower amps.

Spent about 2hours in the afternoon today on friendster searching for old lost friends using the school search feature & managed to find quite a handful of ‘em. hehheh, even if we are all older now, somehow there will still some similar facial resemblance of I can remember almost 8 years back. Interesting to see how everyone’s getting along now, its like some old high school reunion thing!

Gadget wise, wondered why did my family get a DV camera few years, back. Video’s gonna be transferred to the computer anyway, so was film cameras back then. Shoulda gotten a mpeg4/mpeg2 video camera.. Me eyeing those panasonic d-snap series now…

Nitro family is one cool FPS game, cleared 2 stages yesterday & had a break from it by playing some roller coaster tycoon & NFS underground II, finally unlocked the jackson heights area of NFS-U2 & obtained an SUV to mod. Though game progress is at an all low 10%, now one more area to unlock!

Caught the movie taxi at GV PS today with my bmt friends dominic & qingrui. Met up early at the box office around 12.30 for some chit chat, catching up on times. Dom wanted to tickets for the movie taxi, but qingrui wanted to watch shark’s tale. Personally, I haven’t watched shark’s tale it yet, but dom did. In the end got the tiks for qingrui to watch seperately with his friends who were coming later while dom & me, went to watch taxi. Strange though, 2 groups in different cinemas but same building! Overall taxi is an ‘ok’ show not that spectacular but with the exception of the very beautiful cars (lemme see at least 2 BMW 760, 2 M3s & one lucky daewoo…), not to mention the ever gorgeous robber chicks.

Come to think about it, this “taxi” concept is not new either, considering me being an avid fan of the movie series of the early french movie “Taxi”. Overall I enjoyed the movie with laughs here & there & man! do Jimmy Fallon make dopey cops look bad (played as the char Andy Washburn) with Queen Latifah (known as Belle Williams the taxi driver) cracking the robbery case.

On the forefront, pixar’s The Incredibles is gonna be another good show. Hopefully would be catching it next week.

Walked to simlim from PS, using some of my “innate scout homing ability (+1)”,the sun, guitar strings & mainly catballs, I managed to navigate my way through the selegie & albert area, before wolia! SLS! mmm didn’t know the proximity between these places is so close! Singapore is small! (& I actually wanted to take an MRT from PS to cityhall then bugis, haha thx dad for recommending the walk)

Went around looking for a new graphics card, perf a geforce FX6800, aka geforce 6 series but the prices are still so high, the lowest retailing round $580. Personally I find no point in forking so much for computer equip, like handphones, the prices will soon tumble down, saving me from those remorseful jawdropping “argh I COULD HAVE ACTUALLY SAVED THAT MUCH syndrome”.

Got a thermaltake 4 fan speed controller, together with 2 new games Nitro family, a crazy serious sam style comic mad first person shooter & Roller coaster tycoon 3, this time in full 3D glory! even the box is reflective, very nice, very nice indeed…

Man what a cool game this is.. so good, well I guess I almost forgot to blog! hehheh been playing it for 2 days now, after completeing the c&c generals zero hour 3 races campaigns in the afternoon. Anyway this new edition to the NFS universe is both a mix of GTA & street car racing found on the NFS 1 series, very much like rockstar’s midnight club II. You get to explore the city (bayview city) on your own, participate in races going on around town, or just go around exploring around town for the 9 hidden specialities parts/body/car lot/graphics shop. All parts you name it from the first NFS U series plus a few niffy extras. Furthermore, while exploring, you can get to pick on any racers you meet on the streets for some cash by going in an outrun battle, wooty! Your GPS will keep you very much well orientated in the city, esp if you are new & you cellar will keep you updated on new shop deals/parts or races currently happening. You can tune your car for specific races, but the game would be better if theres actually damage rendering for the cars, not to mention paying for necessities like fuel/racing damages/nitrous oxide refills in carrier mode, man would that be realisitc! Overall, I give the game 85/100, if you are a die hard fast & furious fan, you did better get this game dude!

Would be a slack day at camp tomorrow for WOS (wing orderly sgt, aka wing ONLY sgt) duty, guess I would be packin’ my stuffs & preping for the much needed “entertainment” at camp tomorrow. During that much free time, I aim to get at least a drawing done & finish one anime DVD. In the meantime, chill catcha back on saturday.

Mum & dad had been going for lots of health related course & talks at various hospitals/schools lately & man is the place filled with tons of leaflets & articles regarding all things from osteoporosis to kidney stones. Furthermore, Alexandra hospital is offering free dental checkups, maybe I would try dropping by someday.

The work day ended for me now, with me at home now typing this blog. & man do I have a bad cough, didn’t sleep well last night & to make matters worse, theres IPPT test TODAY! Argh! With all the rumbling & cursing cos I’ve got a pass (my first time) usually, a silver is my basic standard. Well partly because I wasn’t feeling well, ( I did say that I’ve got a bad cough). Got 230cm for SBJ, 14 pull-ups, 47 for sit-ups & 10.2s for shuttle run, but got 12mins for the 2.4km run. Went to the medical center to report sick after the test to get some cough medication. Got 1 day light duty status which i don’t think would be off much use. Rested in bunk before booking out around 3.30om.

Recieved a comfirmation e-mail from the software boutique @ funan on my half-life 2 preorder. There would be life firing tomorrow, so its a sunday burnt. Stayed-in on friday night, a very rare choice but very much fueled by laziness, guess arriving in camp back on sat 6.30am is too much for me, sleeping is camp is so much more convient, not to mention more rest. Went to set the butt this morning, then booked out around 10.30am for a short weekend. Yes book in tonight at 10.30pm. The good news is that the coy would get to book out wednesday & have an off all the way till the following monday, with a WOS duty for me on friday too. *swapped from the 20th this month, duh* Would be waking up early, bout 4.30am tomorrow A SUNDAY for live firing. Oh well at least I woild be able to test out my pelican sabre light submersible tomorrow night. man its bright!