caught by the festive spirit

Less than a month ago, I was telling LL that I wasn't really going to celebrate xmas...

And see wot you people have done to me now!!!!!!!!!!

XD

The decos and build ups down here in Brissy are not as strong as it was up there in Sweden, where the whiteness that covers everything itself was a constant reminder of the festive season. However, everything just seems merrier than it has ever been! Even our serious CTO Stephanie did a nice one, the card she left on everyone's desk on Friday morning was a very personalized and well thought one... soak up the sweeeetness ^_^

Marc and I volunteered to organize Hydrexia's second xmas party of the year ^_^ Actually I never did, he made me do the veges... Matt Plato was again behind the barbes, nice people~ Evil food and evil drinks, with loads of fat and alcohol under a warm early summer sun, everyone was basking with happiness and became so sooo amiable. LL's wisdom: You want to make guys happy? Feed them XD

In the midst of things, the long missed light-hearted-ness had somehow found its way to my door step. It is almost as if it's school days again... and it's not so difficult to just go on and embrace it :) Whether it is the whole nation boiling the atmosphere up, or the anticipation of my family's visit, I cannot tell. A shame that the blokes are back in Semenyih, 扛着顶着咱家屋顶的柱子 ^_^ Things would be perfect if you two are here, 就当是遗憾美吧~ ^_^

To save mama from frowning when she sees me on Wednesday, I went for a last minute hair cut. Either the hairdresser was feeling my mood and was trying to make me look like it, or I really just look like a student... >_<

^_^
Hereby wish you a Merry and Peaceful Christmas

bass logistics

About the task of carrying around a bass guitar, 2/3 my own height...

Imbas kembali....

Back in high school, I used to have my bass lessons on Sundays. the classes were in Cheras, which was conveniently on the way back to my rental place from home town. Every Saturday, I would leave my rental place in KL carrying a slick black Yamaha RBX270 in a strapped bag along with other luggage.

Bus fares was 80cents towards the Kota Raya direction, it didn't matter where you stop. Affected with metrophilia, I had always preferred to take KTM from Sentul station to Kajang. Also, with the carry-ons as I had, packing onto a sardine tinned bus was a nightmare I don't want to recall. However, the problem was, getting from the bus station to the train station involved a 15mins walk under the steaming hot sun. With the luggage and the bass guitar, the task became formidable.

Then we started to look for options. Taxi from batu 3 1/2 Jalan Ipoh to Sentul station usually costs ~RM2.5 to RM3. If you get 3 or 4 to share, it almost costs the same as the bus journey costs. It very quickly became my default route to home ^_^

Cab drivers were often careful and curious people, wondering what on earth was in my heavy black long pack. M16s??! quite a few asked ^_^

Back to current...

This morning the task of carrying a bass guitar on a journey involving taking a train, a bus and a 400m walk had again fallen onto me. With the helpful Aussies who voluntarily opened the train door, who patiently waited and made sure I got off the bus first, and who stopped his bike to allow me to cross the road; along with the kind summer morning sun, it din seem as formidable at all ^_^ aah, people~

Looking forward to the jamming this arvo :)

看萧红

彻底地打扫了房间，清理了一些琐事，又换来了周日半日闲 :)

soy milk 泡的rusian caravan真的降服了我的味蕾呀~ 喝着这茶，今天看的是不太容易入口的萧红。是当年华文课本里那一篇《火烧云》让我认识了这个奇特的黑龙江作家吧。还记得那时候和爸爸说起对《火烧云》的喜爱，竟然得到了他的共鸣和长篇小说《呼兰河传》的推荐呢 ^_^

事过大概十年了吧，却至今还未着手于《呼兰河传》。这次看的是比较少接触的散文和短篇小说，共16篇。这书的排版还真不错啊，文章是越到后面越引人入胜。看完了第13篇，《山下》，被它给俘虏了~ 不同于它前面文章里的浓厚乡土味，这一篇虽然仍然在写最低的劳作阶层，却有一种宫崎骏/studio ghibli 清新朴实的气息呢 :) 同时也在多方面的探讨人性在不同情况下的变化，多方面的体验生活的小细节，让人倒抽一口气地赞哦 ^_^

还有三篇文章和1/4杯的茶在静候。压轴的是早逝的萧红接近生命尾端时写下的最后一部作品，和《呼兰河传》齐名的《小城三月》。心理上该有个尊敬的准备吧。。。

p/s: studio ghibli 的作品一直是俺的精神死穴，至高解放wei~ ^_^

working with fine measurements

Started on writing a post about bugs, and then thought it might freak ppl out and better not to post it XP

Finally got a bit less hectic at work :)

Two and a half hrs to go until next experiment ends, and next output deadline is just before xmas. Sounds like time for a blog? ^_^

Thesis work with Ericsson has poisoned me permanently with designing and performing R&D experiments, where my chaotic brain seems to function best. Hydrexia practically employed me for this "Carrier Stress Proof Testing" program, as they thought it's a Sci-gineer's job. Can't possibly find a job that suits me better :)

The carrier stress testings involve measuring carrier tubes with wall thicknesses down to 0.1mm. Diameters are in units of XX.XXmm, measured to an accuracy of 0.01mm wei~ No one wanted to believe my test results in the beginning as they are so far away from their prediction from working with the material for close to 5 years. For a while, the lack of confidence and experience had me doubting my own data under the grilling of seniors.

But as the program goes on, we learnt. Didn't realise that using Verniers involves such techniques and delicate fingers ^_^ With my supervisor backing the results up, we built a mathematical model that gives sense to all the test data. As our story was bought, the CTO and Mech Eng manager has also given their full support, even contributing explanations for data points that have gone astray. That left the PAE manager Jordan P to be convinced... He's one hard nut to crack man XD

On the other hand, the Technosystem machines test with 1gram samples. The accuracy of this one goes right down to 0.0001g. Probably can measure the weight of my soul with it XD Marc and I have been competing to prepare a sample as close to 1.0000g as possible. Apparently, he had been doing it for almost two years and had never achieve the feat, and, ahem, my record is already on 1.0005g~ ^_^

aaah... boss just sent more work in. Will worry about it on Monday.

Papa, mama and Xuan, have an awesome trip ya! :D

小小鸟

阿肯大哥的msn pm又变成了 流浪中... 。对比起来，另外一个在msn列表上，名字刚好在他上面的家伙，pm用了 发现自己很像一个浪子。。。 ，看了不觉好笑 ^_^

看来，别论程度，爱当浪子的人还真不少呢。。。有些是想当却从来没机会当过，像上面的X君；有些是真的爱当不归了，如肯大哥；还有些是爱当却被社会捆缚着跑不掉的，perception上，小小的我也是一个被这样定型的人吧 ^_^ 近一年多来，有点想摆脱这个定型，可是却徒劳无功，束手无策呀。还是蛔虫们看见了，一个说我在cut back on travelling，另一个说我已经过饱和了，呵呵。事实呢？travelling已经成了自己的一部分，好像呼吸那样，没特别地去在意，去想它，却完完全全的和生活融在一起了吧。所以都没特别计划去什么地方做些什么，却还是一直在旅行吧。。。对放下一切踏上旅途的游方，现在却很少在想了。成了夜雨间，一杯热茶在手，什么时候的一首不再流行的歌忽然播出时，难得激起的涟漪吧 ^_^

爸爸昨天在哼的歌，是很普及的一首，送给在被生活蹂躏着的大家 XD 好啦，好啦，换成在和生活较劲的大家好了 ^_^ 年轻人，加油咯！

赵传：我是一只小小鸟

有时后我觉得自己像一只小小鸟 

想要飞 却怎么样也飞不高 

也许有一天我栖上枝头 却成为猎人的目标 

我飞上了青天才发现自己 从此无依无靠

每次到了夜深人静的时后我总是睡不着 

我怀疑是不是只有我的明天会有变得更好 

未来会怎样究竟有谁会知道 

幸福是否只是一种传说 我永远都找不到

我是一只小小小小鸟 

想要飞呀飞却飞也飞不高 

我寻寻觅觅寻寻觅觅一个温暖的怀抱 

这样的要求算不算太高

所有知道我的名字的人啊 你们好不好

世界是如此的小 我们注定无处可逃 

当我尝尽人情冷暖 

当你决定为了你的理想燃烧 

生活的压力与生命的尊严哪一个重要