Yesterday, I had the dubious privilege of consciously watching myself fall sick with fever. While most enlightening actually feeling the fever take over, it wasn't fun. Definitely wasn't fun.
Usually, one wakes up with the said illness, but in the space of an hour I went from cursing the Economics independent worksheet to a shivering wreck on the floor.
First sign was the chills. I was resisting the urge to start up TF2/SwiftKit while doing the damned worksheet when I suddenly felt really, really cold. Which was weird, given how it supposed to be a hot day.
I realized something was wrong when the headache came in. That was definitely something wrong, I actually slept the night before.
It all proceeded to fall to shit from there. My parents found me a shivering wreck under my blanket with the windows closed and fans off at 30 degrees.
By the time I reached the clinic my temperature was 38.5, which I realized, even in my connection-lost-to-reality-attemtping-to-re-establish state, was a record. Normally, I abnormally low temperatures (<36) because the thermometer I bring is probably broken and only for show.
While the doctor admitted I was in bad shape, he seemed pretty certain it wasn't H1N1. So that means no 7 day holiday for anyone in contact with me.
My 7 day MC however, means I miss the CWC session this week. I feel *really* guilty about having joined but never going because of training, but even when I can go, something else turns up. (First Chinese A-Level oral, followed by this).
Monday, 27 July 2009
Saturday, 11 July 2009
A Conversation
We need to talk. It's apparent that your problems have gotten out of hand.
Leave me alone...
You sure about that one? You can't seem to make up your mind about that one...
I know...
I know you tried to interact with them, but let's face the facts. Most of the time you've got nothing to say to them. And kid, it's made you miserable for a long time now.
No kidding...
And the worst thing is your indecision. Sure, you've sworn to be a lone wolf, just disconnecting yourself entirely from them, as far as possible. But you keep holding out in case that might change.
Hey, what can I say, I'm an optimist. Or at least I used to be.
Why exactly do you hate them so much anyway?
I don't hate them...
Hate's a bit strong I guess, but you definitely don't like 'em. I see many things too, just like you do.
Of course you do genius, you're me...
When you were sixteen. From happier times. And answer my question.
I don't know...it's just that whenever I'm around them, I just feel so damned edgy and uncomfortable... I just don't feel happy around them. Something about a lot of them just irritates me...
Well, whatever it is, it's getting serious. You're perpetually moody and listless because of it. And that in turn, causes you to not feel like doing anything. Especially study. You got butchered at the Terms, and even though it was a mix of carelessness and crap luck, you still shouldn't have crashed so spectacularly. Hell, it's even affecting your ability to write. Look at your posts since you got here. They're missing something.
I know, I know... The odd thing is that it's just them that this problem turns up with. I'm perfectly okay with everyone else I've met, but I can go through a day without saying a word to any of them.
Atrophy could be the reason for your writing's malaise.
Yeah...
You miss Sam, Bryant, Moses and the rest don't you?
Good that you noticed Captain Obvious. Moses is in CJ, Sam's in Australia and Bryant might as well be there with him, busy as he is these days. At least I still see Tim K often enough online, but still...
Back to the original reason why I'm talking to you. You can either continue trying to fit in, or strike out alone. You can of course, remain in the transition stage you're in now, but a fat load of good that's done you. The first option has no guarantee of working, and being the calculative being you are, I guess I know what you'll pick.
I have no qualms about being a lone ranger, but then that might ruin...
Your chances with her? Honestly, mate, the best way to go back to the relaxed state of life that you operate best in is to just disconnect yourself from everything, and you're seriously holding this up for one girl? You could fix everything that's gone wrong!
Sounds much like one of those chick romance novels. Lulz. But you're right.
Meh, I knew I was always a sensible bugger. So, now will you walk the Path of the Ranger?
Yes! Now give me my camo-cloak and mini-brightlance/sniper rifle. Wait, actually, you can keep the rifle, Rangers still suck major ass, even in DoW2.
Seriously? Damn.
Yeah, they do, but Guardians are actually useful these days. But they removed Dark Reapers.
Like topping Haagen-Daas ice cream with pond scum... Sigh, hopefully Relic will get it right one day. But listen man, just remember, do the right thing, and don't forget that you are special. Srsly. Egoistical as it is, it's how you thrived and survived back then, and that's how you'll repeat that here. But really, you know you aren't normal, and not in a bad way. Don't forget. It's all going to be alright from here on.
But what about her?
Sigh, I'm still a poet and romantic at heart aren't I? Well, didn't chicks dig rebels and such?
You're speaking from a total lack of experience. But meh, odds are you're right.
You seem to have taken that rather easily. I'm surprised.
I took my happy pills 8 )
Nice to see you in a bright mood again. Now, off you go, and finish up the tutorial on M.I okay?
Will do! Bye!
Bye!
Leave me alone...
You sure about that one? You can't seem to make up your mind about that one...
I know...
I know you tried to interact with them, but let's face the facts. Most of the time you've got nothing to say to them. And kid, it's made you miserable for a long time now.
No kidding...
And the worst thing is your indecision. Sure, you've sworn to be a lone wolf, just disconnecting yourself entirely from them, as far as possible. But you keep holding out in case that might change.
Hey, what can I say, I'm an optimist. Or at least I used to be.
Why exactly do you hate them so much anyway?
I don't hate them...
Hate's a bit strong I guess, but you definitely don't like 'em. I see many things too, just like you do.
Of course you do genius, you're me...
When you were sixteen. From happier times. And answer my question.
I don't know...it's just that whenever I'm around them, I just feel so damned edgy and uncomfortable... I just don't feel happy around them. Something about a lot of them just irritates me...
Well, whatever it is, it's getting serious. You're perpetually moody and listless because of it. And that in turn, causes you to not feel like doing anything. Especially study. You got butchered at the Terms, and even though it was a mix of carelessness and crap luck, you still shouldn't have crashed so spectacularly. Hell, it's even affecting your ability to write. Look at your posts since you got here. They're missing something.
I know, I know... The odd thing is that it's just them that this problem turns up with. I'm perfectly okay with everyone else I've met, but I can go through a day without saying a word to any of them.
Atrophy could be the reason for your writing's malaise.
Yeah...
You miss Sam, Bryant, Moses and the rest don't you?
Good that you noticed Captain Obvious. Moses is in CJ, Sam's in Australia and Bryant might as well be there with him, busy as he is these days. At least I still see Tim K often enough online, but still...
Back to the original reason why I'm talking to you. You can either continue trying to fit in, or strike out alone. You can of course, remain in the transition stage you're in now, but a fat load of good that's done you. The first option has no guarantee of working, and being the calculative being you are, I guess I know what you'll pick.
I have no qualms about being a lone ranger, but then that might ruin...
Your chances with her? Honestly, mate, the best way to go back to the relaxed state of life that you operate best in is to just disconnect yourself from everything, and you're seriously holding this up for one girl? You could fix everything that's gone wrong!
Sounds much like one of those chick romance novels. Lulz. But you're right.
Meh, I knew I was always a sensible bugger. So, now will you walk the Path of the Ranger?
Yes! Now give me my camo-cloak and mini-brightlance/sniper rifle. Wait, actually, you can keep the rifle, Rangers still suck major ass, even in DoW2.
Seriously? Damn.
Yeah, they do, but Guardians are actually useful these days. But they removed Dark Reapers.
Like topping Haagen-Daas ice cream with pond scum... Sigh, hopefully Relic will get it right one day. But listen man, just remember, do the right thing, and don't forget that you are special. Srsly. Egoistical as it is, it's how you thrived and survived back then, and that's how you'll repeat that here. But really, you know you aren't normal, and not in a bad way. Don't forget. It's all going to be alright from here on.
But what about her?
Sigh, I'm still a poet and romantic at heart aren't I? Well, didn't chicks dig rebels and such?
You're speaking from a total lack of experience. But meh, odds are you're right.
You seem to have taken that rather easily. I'm surprised.
I took my happy pills 8 )
Nice to see you in a bright mood again. Now, off you go, and finish up the tutorial on M.I okay?
Will do! Bye!
Bye!
Saturday, 27 June 2009
I Am Ze Ubermensch!
http://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198002575944/stats/TF2
Ironically, I was using the Kritzkrieg when I set the record. 64 points as Medic. Not farmed. No cheats, no hacks, nothing.
It all started on an instant respawn 2fort server. I had just gotten Doctor Assisted Homicide, and I needed two more achievements for the Ubersaw. So I sat there in the respawn room wondering which two I should go for next.
Intern and Specialist seemed to be the only two which didn't depend on the competency of my team mates, and were not ridiculously stupid like so many Medic achievements.
I checked the front door of the BLU fort.
Are we turtling? Check.
Are there many Heavies/Soldiers? Check.
Am I the only Medic on the team? Check.
And so it began. I changed the setting for "Begin playing like you got no balls at" from 80% to 0%. I started to run away the moment I was under fire, turned around so often and suddenly that I looked like I had Tourette's Syndrome, and fired off the Kritz at the first sign of danger (Yes, I even Kritzed a Heavy when I saw an Sniper coming down the bridge).
It took a surprisingly short time to amass 10k heal points needed for Specialist and Intern. Then I thought to myself, why stop here? How often do you get 2 sentries built at the entrance of the fort with dispensers nearby, as well as a RED team comprising mostly of W + M1 players?
It was only 21 minutes of getting crit-raped that the RED team sent an Ubered Pyro coming up from the sewers. No one needs the element of surprise anymore when you're invincible.
But I got the the achievements, and most importantly, my Ubersaw.
I celebrated using a Demoman that jumped onto the battlements.
Ubersaw makes Medics charge up to just about any class for easy Uberchage/Kritzkrieg. And believe or not, Medics will come up tops most of the time. Soldiers and Demomen are actually pretty poor in melee range, Heavies get tunnel vision when they start firing, Scouts tend to go for a bat kill when their Force-A-Nature runs dry, Engies are too slow to run away, Snipers can't see closer than 50 metres and Spies are just for lulz.
If I wasn't phasing my mind off Planet Slummer and back into the real world for the exams, I'd draw up plans on how to build an Ubersaw. In real life. Anyone know where I can get that handle?
Because I already have the blades and syringes ready.
Michael Jackson apparently just died 12 hours ago.
While he did have an unhealthy interest in little boys, never seemed to grow up and decided to make himself look like one of his one zombies in Thriller in his later life, there's no denying the man was a musical genius.
If you can write and sing a Grammy winning song at the age of 10, and continue doing that for decades, you've got to be someone special.
Now that he's died, let's just remember the good that he did, not as the scandal ridden man who lived in a world of his on, but as the handsome young rogue in Thriller with the talent we may never again see in our own lifetime.
Ironically, I was using the Kritzkrieg when I set the record. 64 points as Medic. Not farmed. No cheats, no hacks, nothing.
It all started on an instant respawn 2fort server. I had just gotten Doctor Assisted Homicide, and I needed two more achievements for the Ubersaw. So I sat there in the respawn room wondering which two I should go for next.
Intern and Specialist seemed to be the only two which didn't depend on the competency of my team mates, and were not ridiculously stupid like so many Medic achievements.
I checked the front door of the BLU fort.
Are we turtling? Check.
Are there many Heavies/Soldiers? Check.
Am I the only Medic on the team? Check.
And so it began. I changed the setting for "Begin playing like you got no balls at
It took a surprisingly short time to amass 10k heal points needed for Specialist and Intern. Then I thought to myself, why stop here? How often do you get 2 sentries built at the entrance of the fort with dispensers nearby, as well as a RED team comprising mostly of W + M1 players?
It was only 21 minutes of getting crit-raped that the RED team sent an Ubered Pyro coming up from the sewers. No one needs the element of surprise anymore when you're invincible.
But I got the the achievements, and most importantly, my Ubersaw.
I celebrated using a Demoman that jumped onto the battlements.
Ubersaw makes Medics charge up to just about any class for easy Uberchage/Kritzkrieg. And believe or not, Medics will come up tops most of the time. Soldiers and Demomen are actually pretty poor in melee range, Heavies get tunnel vision when they start firing, Scouts tend to go for a bat kill when their Force-A-Nature runs dry, Engies are too slow to run away, Snipers can't see closer than 50 metres and Spies are just for lulz.
If I wasn't phasing my mind off Planet Slummer and back into the real world for the exams, I'd draw up plans on how to build an Ubersaw. In real life. Anyone know where I can get that handle?
Because I already have the blades and syringes ready.
Michael Jackson apparently just died 12 hours ago.
While he did have an unhealthy interest in little boys, never seemed to grow up and decided to make himself look like one of his one zombies in Thriller in his later life, there's no denying the man was a musical genius.
If you can write and sing a Grammy winning song at the age of 10, and continue doing that for decades, you've got to be someone special.
Now that he's died, let's just remember the good that he did, not as the scandal ridden man who lived in a world of his on, but as the handsome young rogue in Thriller with the talent we may never again see in our own lifetime.
Tuesday, 16 June 2009
CUH-RIT!!
Things to do this holiday
-------------------------
Convert Tim to TF2ism (Done)
Study properly (I'm working on it)
Get all the new unlocks (Just the Cloak and Dagger left)
Get all the old unlocks (Just the ubersaw left)
-------------------------
And that's about all that I can do with the time remaining. I was trying to clear up all engagements before Sam gets back sometime this week, but with the quarantine in effect, it looks like we'll have to battle our way through hordes of men in biohazard suits to get to his house.
The holiday is the first time since I got to AC that I can finally drop everything and simply put up my apathy-shield/umbrella to everything that demands my attention. Come to think about it, I should put my apathy shield up for more things that I used to feel weren't important.
Because it frees up time for TF2. The two new Spy watches will ensure the old invisibility watch will never get used ever again once you gain either unlock for most people, but my spy skills have gone down the drain after two months of neglect.
Strangely, all my other classes save the Demoman have gotten *better* with two months of neglect. Positive K-D ratios are now *common* to me! And not to boast (eh, who am I kidding?), but when I play Sniper or Soldier, I help enemy Spies get the High Value Target achievement. (You need to backstab an enemy who is dominating at least three of your teamates.)
Sniper is really the way to rack up kills very fast, especially on 2fort. Here's some food for though.
It took me 7 months since I bought TF2 before I got Fire Chief for Pyro (Get 1000 kills as Pyro)
It took me just two weeks of playing to get Kill Everyone You Meet (Get 1000 kills as Sniper)
Admittedly, I've done little but play Sniper the last two weeks, and it was on a 2fort instant respwan server...
The new unlocks for Sniper aren't fantastic. The Huntsman makes Sniper a dangerous close-combat class according to Bryant, but a close range Sniper is kind of paradoxical to me...
Jarate ensures for much lols, and it's useful. By covering your enemies in piss, every hit on them will be a mini-crit, it can extinguish you and your teamates if you happen to be on fire, and it can reveal cloaked Spies. And it's funny. 3 uses to add to Brainiac's 101 Uses for a Wee.
Razorback is fAiL... 1 word. Ambassador.
As for the Soldier...
I used to hate this class. Now, I love it. Unlike my other three prefered classes (Medic, Heavy, Pyro), I can actually fight, and fight at just about any range. And crit rockets! Nothing makes my inner child smile more than hearing the electrical sizzling when a crit rocket is fired off, the bright, sparkling comet of doom zooming at all the poor suckers in range. At times like this, I always think the same though. Mates, you are all fucked.
It's fast becoming Tim's favourite class too. He's already racked up a more impressive record with the Soldier than I have, though Steam being the bitch is can be, didn't take it down.
Quote from the Spy when dominating a Scout : Here lies Scout. He lived fast, and died a virgin.
-------------------------
Convert Tim to TF2ism (Done)
Study properly (I'm working on it)
Get all the new unlocks (Just the Cloak and Dagger left)
Get all the old unlocks (Just the ubersaw left)
-------------------------
And that's about all that I can do with the time remaining. I was trying to clear up all engagements before Sam gets back sometime this week, but with the quarantine in effect, it looks like we'll have to battle our way through hordes of men in biohazard suits to get to his house.
The holiday is the first time since I got to AC that I can finally drop everything and simply put up my apathy-shield/umbrella to everything that demands my attention. Come to think about it, I should put my apathy shield up for more things that I used to feel weren't important.
Because it frees up time for TF2. The two new Spy watches will ensure the old invisibility watch will never get used ever again once you gain either unlock for most people, but my spy skills have gone down the drain after two months of neglect.
Strangely, all my other classes save the Demoman have gotten *better* with two months of neglect. Positive K-D ratios are now *common* to me! And not to boast (eh, who am I kidding?), but when I play Sniper or Soldier, I help enemy Spies get the High Value Target achievement. (You need to backstab an enemy who is dominating at least three of your teamates.)
Sniper is really the way to rack up kills very fast, especially on 2fort. Here's some food for though.
It took me 7 months since I bought TF2 before I got Fire Chief for Pyro (Get 1000 kills as Pyro)
It took me just two weeks of playing to get Kill Everyone You Meet (Get 1000 kills as Sniper)
Admittedly, I've done little but play Sniper the last two weeks, and it was on a 2fort instant respwan server...
The new unlocks for Sniper aren't fantastic. The Huntsman makes Sniper a dangerous close-combat class according to Bryant, but a close range Sniper is kind of paradoxical to me...
Jarate ensures for much lols, and it's useful. By covering your enemies in piss, every hit on them will be a mini-crit, it can extinguish you and your teamates if you happen to be on fire, and it can reveal cloaked Spies. And it's funny. 3 uses to add to Brainiac's 101 Uses for a Wee.
Razorback is fAiL... 1 word. Ambassador.
As for the Soldier...
I used to hate this class. Now, I love it. Unlike my other three prefered classes (Medic, Heavy, Pyro), I can actually fight, and fight at just about any range. And crit rockets! Nothing makes my inner child smile more than hearing the electrical sizzling when a crit rocket is fired off, the bright, sparkling comet of doom zooming at all the poor suckers in range. At times like this, I always think the same though. Mates, you are all fucked.
It's fast becoming Tim's favourite class too. He's already racked up a more impressive record with the Soldier than I have, though Steam being the bitch is can be, didn't take it down.
Quote from the Spy when dominating a Scout : Here lies Scout. He lived fast, and died a virgin.
Friday, 5 June 2009
Dear Mr Bill Gates
I have managed to successfully buy, download, install and play Operation Anchorage from Games for Windows Live, despite your gargantuan efforts to prevent me from doing otherwise, and no doubt the Pitt and Broken Steel will follow closely behind this success. I may have wasted thirty bucks in my endeavor, but it was thirty dollars for a worthy cause.
Yes, your barriers to prevent people from purchasing Fallout 3's expansion packs from GFWL are not insurmountable. The fickleness of the download speeds and the unreasonable age limit were easily overcome, but then you started playing hardball.
Yes Mr Gates, the monkeys you hired to create GFWL almost had me there. For a period of time, GFWL would simply claim that nothing was available for purchase, and only after persistent trial and error did I finally manage to trick the system into letting the option to purchase Operation Anchorage.
Fortunately for me, my Fallout 3 was gifted through Steam, so I dodged your potentially fatal region coding.
But even then, I had to dig through the innards of my computer to move around the BSA files from the default download location into the right place in the operating files because I didn't buy Fallout 3 from GWFL.
Even after that, it was hours of wrestling with the data files before I could get Operation Anchorage to work.
But, eventually, I did get it working. And I enjoyed it. Chinese stealth armour is awesome, even the though the Crimson Dragoons weren't using it to it's maximum potential
Now, I'm not belittling GWFL Mr Gates, but really, something has to be done about it. From what I've heard, you've already fired the head chimp at the GWFL department, so I know you're aware of the problems with it.
While I could possibly labouriously figure out how to force GWFL to sell me the other DLCs, I'd really appreciate it if you helped out by fixing it. Or allowing people who know what they are doing to distribute it too *cough* Steam *cough*.
So yeah, get either one done pretty soon. Don't sweat too much about the problems with GWFL, had least it's a tiny boo-boo compared to EA's idea of SecureROM. I really ought to get the Psychotic Prankster achievement on whoever thought that one up.
Yours Sincerely
Micro
Yes, your barriers to prevent people from purchasing Fallout 3's expansion packs from GFWL are not insurmountable. The fickleness of the download speeds and the unreasonable age limit were easily overcome, but then you started playing hardball.
Yes Mr Gates, the monkeys you hired to create GFWL almost had me there. For a period of time, GFWL would simply claim that nothing was available for purchase, and only after persistent trial and error did I finally manage to trick the system into letting the option to purchase Operation Anchorage.
Fortunately for me, my Fallout 3 was gifted through Steam, so I dodged your potentially fatal region coding.
But even then, I had to dig through the innards of my computer to move around the BSA files from the default download location into the right place in the operating files because I didn't buy Fallout 3 from GWFL.
Even after that, it was hours of wrestling with the data files before I could get Operation Anchorage to work.
But, eventually, I did get it working. And I enjoyed it. Chinese stealth armour is awesome, even the though the Crimson Dragoons weren't using it to it's maximum potential
Now, I'm not belittling GWFL Mr Gates, but really, something has to be done about it. From what I've heard, you've already fired the head chimp at the GWFL department, so I know you're aware of the problems with it.
While I could possibly labouriously figure out how to force GWFL to sell me the other DLCs, I'd really appreciate it if you helped out by fixing it. Or allowing people who know what they are doing to distribute it too *cough* Steam *cough*.
So yeah, get either one done pretty soon. Don't sweat too much about the problems with GWFL, had least it's a tiny boo-boo compared to EA's idea of SecureROM. I really ought to get the Psychotic Prankster achievement on whoever thought that one up.
Yours Sincerely
Micro
Sunday, 10 May 2009
How to Survive JC Life
While lurking MOAR through the Stomp forums, I finally chanced a guide to JC life posted by a certain user named Grandash. The frankness and mostly black-and-white answers and suggestions in his/her guide make it seem like a key to JC life written by my 18 year old self, save the glaring differences in writing style of course.
------
------
Guide to ownage in JC. - Slack in JC and still excel.
The Pareto Principle gives evidence that 80% of our achievements comes from 20% of our efforts. The following are the 20% you should do and the 80% you should avoid.
Dont do CIP. Waste of time. (Finally, someone else with a brain regarding CIP...)US Universities dont even bother looking at it. Considers it as free labour and that you are stupid enough to listen to the government/school. In their culture, CIP is only for those who break the law and part of their rehabilitation program.
For PW (if it still exists in 2009), dont bother doing your GPP well. Just write some crap and hand it to your teacher. Ignore wadever complaints from them. It carries no marks. Insist on keeping meetings to a maximum of 1 hr. Set agenda before meeting. For whatever work, just split the work load, do separately, then meet again to collate. Any surveys data can be faked, and they will not be able to catch you. (not that i recommend you to do that. I strongly believe in research integrity) However, write your WR very well and make sure you excel in the presentation. (I got an A for PW, and i spent less than 24hrs in total for it. Including typing my InR, PI, rehearsals for presentation, etc)
For maths, do all the tutorial qns. During tutorials only listen when the teacher has a faster method, or you dont know how to do the qn. Otherwise do wadever you want. (e.g sleep, sms, do other homework, read books, play GC)
For chem, read the notes carefully. (Figured this one out myself actually) Esp if they state any abnormalities. Buy a good textbook and read, do read the fun facts or wadever the book calls it. It is useful esp for application qns.
For phys, just buy a challenging qn book and practice. If you understand the concepts can just throw away the notes (Thank you, thank you *takes bow*).
Econs just read the essay outlines, practice case study skills. (Exactly what I've been trying to tell History/Social Studies students all this while) Notes almost 80% are junk and not needed in exams.(Good to know, but not useful) You can survive on just 20% content and get a very decent A.
For year 1, dont bother listening to your GP teacher. Yr 1 teachers are crap and they teach crap. Listen attentively in yr 2 though. To survive yr 1, either you read VERY widely (Good, I'm safe already then), or take GP tuition. Please dont waste your first yr or else your english standard CMI in yr 2.
If you think you are extra smart, join the olympiad training programs (Unfortunately, I'm also a lazy piece of crap) and make sure you get selected to represent your sch. Listen very attentively, and MAKE SURE you go back and read the reference books within a 48 hrs timeframe. OR ELSE I guarantee you will be lost in the next lesson. (unless you are a freaking genius of IQ more than 160)
For H3 dont be stupid and take the MOE modules. Take the local Uni ones instead. I highly recommend NTU H3 maths or SMU game theory. SMU game theory is the slackest (around 3 months only). Do the MOE and cry. Do for 1yr-1.5 yrs, get tougher paper, same credit as those local uni ones.
Dont take up research attachments (Thank goodness that a certain combination of unique circumstances prevented my from doing this one). Literally saps your time away. Including your holidays. If you think you really have the time, do put in commitment and at least get a merit award at the SSEF. Another point to note, only do quality projects from the A STAR research labs, NTU ones are just looking for cheap labour. Go there do testing for the prof, and will not qualify for SSEF first round. However the carrot is you get some money at the end of it. (not sure how much, but around 150)
Join council only if you are sure you are popular and have the calibre to make it to the exco. Anything else gives you little credit, fills/saps your time, and give you insomnia and lack of sleep. Normal council member = free labour. Its a crap CCA and wadever respect/prestige bullshit the sch sells you is nothing but a fallacy. If you want to join it, please dont join for the prestige or for your CCA cert. Join it for the skills you will learn and use for a lifetime, and it will be more worthwhile.
Maintain good relationships with the guard in your school and it will reap dividends for you.
----------
The Pareto Principle gives evidence that 80% of our achievements comes from 20% of our efforts. The following are the 20% you should do and the 80% you should avoid.
Dont do CIP. Waste of time. (Finally, someone else with a brain regarding CIP...)US Universities dont even bother looking at it. Considers it as free labour and that you are stupid enough to listen to the government/school. In their culture, CIP is only for those who break the law and part of their rehabilitation program.
For PW (if it still exists in 2009), dont bother doing your GPP well. Just write some crap and hand it to your teacher. Ignore wadever complaints from them. It carries no marks. Insist on keeping meetings to a maximum of 1 hr. Set agenda before meeting. For whatever work, just split the work load, do separately, then meet again to collate. Any surveys data can be faked, and they will not be able to catch you. (not that i recommend you to do that. I strongly believe in research integrity) However, write your WR very well and make sure you excel in the presentation. (I got an A for PW, and i spent less than 24hrs in total for it. Including typing my InR, PI, rehearsals for presentation, etc)
For maths, do all the tutorial qns. During tutorials only listen when the teacher has a faster method, or you dont know how to do the qn. Otherwise do wadever you want. (e.g sleep, sms, do other homework, read books, play GC)
For chem, read the notes carefully. (Figured this one out myself actually) Esp if they state any abnormalities. Buy a good textbook and read, do read the fun facts or wadever the book calls it. It is useful esp for application qns.
For phys, just buy a challenging qn book and practice. If you understand the concepts can just throw away the notes (Thank you, thank you *takes bow*).
Econs just read the essay outlines, practice case study skills. (Exactly what I've been trying to tell History/Social Studies students all this while) Notes almost 80% are junk and not needed in exams.(Good to know, but not useful) You can survive on just 20% content and get a very decent A.
For year 1, dont bother listening to your GP teacher. Yr 1 teachers are crap and they teach crap. Listen attentively in yr 2 though. To survive yr 1, either you read VERY widely (Good, I'm safe already then), or take GP tuition. Please dont waste your first yr or else your english standard CMI in yr 2.
If you think you are extra smart, join the olympiad training programs (Unfortunately, I'm also a lazy piece of crap) and make sure you get selected to represent your sch. Listen very attentively, and MAKE SURE you go back and read the reference books within a 48 hrs timeframe. OR ELSE I guarantee you will be lost in the next lesson. (unless you are a freaking genius of IQ more than 160)
For H3 dont be stupid and take the MOE modules. Take the local Uni ones instead. I highly recommend NTU H3 maths or SMU game theory. SMU game theory is the slackest (around 3 months only). Do the MOE and cry. Do for 1yr-1.5 yrs, get tougher paper, same credit as those local uni ones.
Dont take up research attachments (Thank goodness that a certain combination of unique circumstances prevented my from doing this one). Literally saps your time away. Including your holidays. If you think you really have the time, do put in commitment and at least get a merit award at the SSEF. Another point to note, only do quality projects from the A STAR research labs, NTU ones are just looking for cheap labour. Go there do testing for the prof, and will not qualify for SSEF first round. However the carrot is you get some money at the end of it. (not sure how much, but around 150)
Join council only if you are sure you are popular and have the calibre to make it to the exco. Anything else gives you little credit, fills/saps your time, and give you insomnia and lack of sleep. Normal council member = free labour. Its a crap CCA and wadever respect/prestige bullshit the sch sells you is nothing but a fallacy. If you want to join it, please dont join for the prestige or for your CCA cert. Join it for the skills you will learn and use for a lifetime, and it will be more worthwhile.
Maintain good relationships with the guard in your school and it will reap dividends for you.
----------
Sunday, 3 May 2009
Hollow
---------------
Your caring façade worked so well, all laughter and fake smiles
Hell, I’ll admit, you managed to fool even me for awhile
But now it’s not hard to see past your deceptive screen of lies
Which shields your true colours from everything save my two eyes
You carried yourself around so confident, so self-assured
As you watched everyone in the room hang on to your every word
You even took it upon yourself to save the silent and forgotten
Not out of charity but rather evil motives misbegotten
Now the one you’ve hypnotized and taken under your leathery wing
Is little more than a flesh puppet which you use to sing
High praises of yourself, but with another’s tongue
Greasing your way upwards through society’s rungs
But I’d like to warn you now, I’m not the sole person who can see
Past your mask and shallow mind, yes, there are more like me
Already, we’ve tried to sabotage and sour
Your undeserved bid for formal power
I know life is no drama, and you might not fall
Regardless of the outcomes, the Unseen Seer will watch all
Along with the many who have the foresight
And the strength to resist your charm's might
Is that why you loathe me, fear me, keep me sequestered and afar?
Because I can see past your act for what you really are
------------------
I never work without inspiration. What does that say about the above?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
