It had been raining since I woke up this morning. Haiz cannot go for my usual sunday swim laps, nor even go for my contingency exercise plan to run in the evening. Looks like there’s no sign of it stopping either.

On a side note, heard from an “undisclosed source” that COE for cars will be abolished sometime this year! yea!!! But in turn will be a hike in fuel prices, road tax, ERP, etc. Thus leading to the fact of pay as you drive. Which is more fairer on the whole I guess, with the evident fact of the COE being kinda flawed & “loopy” (as the government soooo finally come to realise). I always envied brand new cars costing like $20k overseas, looks like it may become a reality here in SG soon, provided that the sources are actually true…

/* Following Mindless splutter: */
Wheewhoahaha! (read as we-wo-ha-ha) a car for college? here I come! Dear government, from the voice of a typical young Singapore adult… please don’t hike the car import taxes ok? Go earn your money from like… other forms of taxation, fiscal, monetary policies or even the integrated resorts lah hol? Be cool with the rides & the laws governing them… Nevermind the possible increase in youth-related road accidents or the slimming of the population pyramid base, minor social problems only… but all can be solved with baby bonus right? – Singaporeans also so love free maternity leave, (besides queuing for meepok-ta or hello kitty toys too)… Life is short, Enjoy! Rock! Party! Peace!
/* End Mindless splutter */

Mmm, on an observation, seeing more & more people using laptops in campus now, maybe it will start to become a norm. But I guess I won’t be getting a new laptop till intel releases their dual core pentium-M processors early-mid this year, namely the intel Yonah or its successor, the Menron processor. So far only Toshiba, Fujitsu & Dell had announced dual core laptops at the CES 2006, held in Vegas over this weekend. No word on upcoming Fujitsu tablets except the Toshiba M400. Me really hoping for a succesor of the Fujitsu T4020 by mid this year (the T4030? ahhhh), where I most probably be making a purchase of my new tablet pc end semester 2 to replace my rather disfunct 333Mhz Compaq Persario notebook I’ve got since secondary 2.

& hey Backstreet’s back for a concert in Singapore, man! a backstreet’s comeback!

Site Updates: New Video up on the video page. Featuring a short 5min video on the volunteer community service program my class did last year at the sharity christmas giftbox, boys’ brigade HQ.

Woke up half an hour late at 9.30am today. Met up with Andy at Raffles City MRT headed to Dhoby Ghaut to sign the deal together with Citibank, but their “big boss” wasn’t around, pushing the signing to next week. This project is a side $2k -quoted job so for far the month. I guess I won’t be able to take any more projects this month, considering all the term tests coming up in the weeks, not to mention other commitments like competing in the Inter-Varsity Poly Games at the end of the month.

I guess the thing about life now is about prioritising & managing time. Money is not that hard find, in fact it WILL FIND you (contray to popular believe, which I am not complaining!), its whether you have the time to actually take on the projects & earn it. Time which I don’t have. Haiz…. me still having second thoughts of rejecting the $10k-quoted project for a company in Science park, but I guess for now it’s studies first I guess. Haiz must get into NUS… study, study, study, money can earn later.

Taking about University, Monash sent in a rather “late” christmas & new year greeting today, considering it originating direct from Australia, therefore the delay. The thing is that I am not even studying or a student in Monash University. Given the past fact of me personally rejecting their offer for a place in the college due to high expense costs, I just could not afford $50,000-$90,000 a year at such short notice, esp towards the double degree course I was aiming for. But I guess my name is in their records anyway, hopefully not the blacklist :X

Found some last minute free time & chilled out at hereen, HMV & starbucks. & man did I come to find out that orchard in the morning is an excellent place to relax & chill in the cafe… quiet… nice… mrrr! maybe I should frequent mornings there more often. Did some window shopping & checked out the new LG phone, the L7200 which I may be getting by mid year. Its $650 now, it should reach like $400 by then. LG phone prices are known drop rather speedily….. So I learnt the hard way on not spending more than $800 on a phone, which I dumbly did for my Siemens SX1 for $888 2 years ago. Haiz the phone is not worth even $200 now.

I guess the dumbest thing I done today is donating $10 bucks direct to a stranger at Somerset MRT. Who I get to know from his rather interesting 3min intro – is a helpful civil servant (police officer with valid ID), has a charity permit & is doing a drive for some disabled children home or so. Haiz, me so penny-wise-pound-foolish- So stingy on personal wants, but give too easily for charity donations. Ate economical vege-rice instead of luxurous japanese udon for lunch to “cover the costs”… Mmm, care to donate to the save Shaun fund too?

Class started at 1pm. Strolled into ETECH class on time with my bag, a “today paper” in one hand & a cup of hot beverage in the other (typical “hi, good morning!” look) only to be skully greeted by teacher – no drinks allowed, get out! But that didn’t stop me from blatantly smuggling it in & slurping it dry by the end of class. Haiz perceived liberalism… I mean whats wrong with a cup of coffee by your table side to keep you warm through the lecture? Thats perfectly ok with other lectures in campus, let be even my lecturers in SAJC or in Uni. Dumb-asses.

Class ended early, like 1 hour. Also as I guess theres no reason for us to stay too, partly as our lecturer also wanted out early too. Spent some time pumping out at the gym & did 5km on the threadmill before calling it a day.

Shaun’s New year Resolutions for 2006

» Obtain a Study Grant or Scholarship
» Be Fitter & Leaner
» Maintain my BMI (20.8 now)
» Maintain my cumulative GPA at 4.0
» Do better in my $$ Business $$
» Better Time Management

Ahh my first post for 2006, a New Year, New Opportunities, New Challenges!

With everycoming year, it all comes the all so ritual mood to be grovey & hyper, as the new year is here! Yeaaa 2006. Had a nice quiet dinner with my family before spending the night (not to mention last moments of 2005) at the SGrunner’s Chalet at Aloha seaside Bungalows in Pasir ris. Had BBQ food & played Bingo hosted by Sotong. I even won a SGrunner’s Avatar A3 poster at the last elimation round, well… after some friendly battles of scissor, paper, stones, ahah considering fd snapping up all the posters in the 1st few rounds… oh we couldn’t blame her luck either. We even got some niffy pocket 2006 calenders with our group photos on them, neat!

0:00 saw the time for get together in the chalet living area & the wishing of many happy returns, not to mention smiles & the continous blasts of ship horns by the seaside. The fireworks at habourfront (as telecasted on TV) was impressive lasting for a solid 15mins, I guess even the national day’s one wasn’t even so long. Even with so many bomastic events around Singapore this year, I choose to spend the start of 2006 with my friends, especially my family. Personally as I find it the right thing to do, instead of partying & drinking myself crazy in some club

Changi Village was amazingly packed at like 2am plus, where we had new year’s Nasi Lemak at the popular Sri Sujaua store, yummy!

Comes 2006 see a new line of events, the start of year 2 in school for me. A more aggresive creative campaign by my company, with more jobs & clients. New lineup of local sporting events such as Realrun 06, AHM/Sheares Run 06, Vertical Marathon 06, Standard Chartered Marathon 06, woot!

As I say, new challenges, new opportunities, will 2006 be a busy yet enjoyable year!

Now all all got to do is to stop writing 05 in place of 06 on my dates now.