Who stole my cheese?

I came home yesterday night feeling very happy with the wonderful night drizzle. While walking back, I was thinking of a blog post about – “Who moved my cheese?”. I wanted to post about changes in my work and lifestyles. However, I was stunned and horrified by the opened windows and grills of my rented HDB unit.

I looked into the house and immediately saw that the bedroom doors were all opened. The inside was all messy. I rushed into the house already knowing that my laptop is definitely gone. On entering my room, I found my luggage bag pulled out from the cupboard. My table was messed up - Laptop definitely missing. I went over to the table hoping that they’ll at least spare my external hard disk drive…. But no… they took my drive while leaving its pouch behind (b*******!). I went over to CY’s room and discovered that his laptop was also gone. So, I frantically searched for the police hotline. I was wondering whether I should call 999 or 995 or maybe the police station number if I do have. Anyway, after a short dilemma, I just dialled everyone’s favourite MRT station number – wun-be-der-wun-be-der-wun-be-der. The operator on the other side answered “Police emergency”. Again I was stunned. Is this an emergency? Will I be fined for abuse? (What the hell was I thinking???). Anyway, I told them my issue and the officer just said that he’d dispatch someone over.

The police came about 30mins later and I described to them my statement. They did some dusting for fingerprints. I’m not sure how much it would help. I always felt that in reality it is not like what they show on TV where criminals are caught immediately after their fingerprints are known. I lost my precious white Macbook which I recently repaired a logic board problem! Grrr… Other than that, I lost my red bag, camera as well as a bag of 20c coins. My housemate lost his laptop, bag, Malaysian IC (!!!), driving license (!!!), cologne and some RM. Interestingly although they ransacked my bedroom; they dragged out my luggage bag, they did not touch my Indian rupees although it would’ve given them a nice S$50.

Ah well as my initial intention to write about “Who moved my cheese”, yea… this is one good example as well. My cheese has been taken away and I’ll need to find new cheese. ZzZzZz

Goodbye St. Michael's.....

News Article from Borneo Bulletin

I am saddened to hear that my alma matter has finally succumbed to financial difficulties. This issue has been there for quite some time ever since I entered secondary. I had so many fond memories of the school. It used to be one of the most prestigious school in Brunei to study in. The boys of St. Michael's School winning academic and sport competitions over and over back in the 1980s and early 1990s. Those were the days when it was a very proud thing to say that I'm from St. Michael's. By the time I'm in Secondary 4, the student population has dropped so significantly that there were only about 25 students in my Sec 4 class - Arts & Science students combined. In addition to that, our school facililties have also deteriorated with lack of facilities. We had to borrow lab equipment from our sister school for normal practical sessions. At times, we had to "save" by having everyone watch the teacher perform the experiment and that's it. For the exams, we had to sit for it in our sister school as we did not have the necessary equipment.

It is quite strange that this all-boys school would suffer while the sister all-girls school is still flourishing. I suppose parents still prefer to send their daughters to all-girls school compared to their sons to an all-boys school. As the newspaper reported, some parents are clearly unhappy with the merger. I wonder if this merger would last or simply disappear after this current batch of students graduate. It makes me as an old boy (usual way of refering to SMS alumni), what should I be doing now? What can I do for the school or should I bother? It is a disturbing thought that I just acknowledge the school closure without feeling much sympathy. Perhaps, I'm just not sure what to feel at the moment.

I wonder what the other old boys think of this situation? Maybe they have no idea what is going on. I do know that alot of them are highly successful professionals in the US and UK. Before this newspaper report, I did not even know that Brunei has a high ranking Chinese 2nd Foreign Minister who is also an old boy. This makes me feel that I should do something to follow my fellow old boys in their glory ...... and more specifically for my own sake.

~ Veritas Vincit ~

2 Interesting Videos

Light View on Singapore History


Original song by Billy Joel with a collage of pictures and lyrics

Here's a wiki-explanation of this song: We Didn't Start the Fire

Long absence

Yo! Minna-san!!! CY-desu~~~~! HOOOOOooooo~!

It has been almost 3 months since the last post. Many of you had been wondering where are my new blog updates. SAY! SAY! SAY! I've not updated mainly because I can't seem to find a good topic to blog about. Now, since it's been a long time so I have an excuse to update it. Hahaha... =P

Now, for updates on CY happenings:

1. Java 2 1.4 Sun Certified Java Programmer (SCJP)
Over the past 2months or so, I've been preparing for the SCJP exam. It was quite a funny experience to be doing Java again after being exposed to TPF (Assembler). (Warning: Technical Stuff. l33t? w00t~) I was able to appreciate some of the subtleties that was taken from granted especially on optimization of code and memory allocation. The most interesting part was I felt like an expert when it comes to bitwise operations and logically operate on them. Had quite a good training in Chennai on these. Back in Chennai, one of my TPF trainer's wife is a Java programmer so he told us that TPF can do etc etc etc. We play with memory and stuff such that but when his wife tells him all about Struts and Object Orientation, he just goes "wow~!".
Anyway, I took the certification exam on Aug 31st at Informatics Computer School (Jurong east). I am quite surprised when I went to Informatics. When I got there, my first reaction was "Where am I? Am I still in Singapore?". I had to look behind me to see where I walked from to confirm that I am still in Singapore. Hahaha.... There's so many Africans around that I don't think that they are from any one country in Africa. It must be quite a diverse population there. Interesting but strange as I don't see many people with dark skin around shopping centres.

2. Salsa?
Recently (maybe not so recent), one of my colleagues has started (completed) learning beginner salsa. So, he's been asking me to try it out and go dancing at the clubs. I feel interested but at the same time a little hesitant. I went with him to one of the salsa events to have a feel of how it was like. This happened about 2 months ago. We went to Hard Rock Cafe on their Salsa Thursday? At that time, my friend usually goes to another salsa club and it was also his first time there. We were there to check out how it was like. I find that the place is quite nice and not many people smokes. There are still some but it's not like when coming out of the place, you find that your clothes stink of smoke. Anyway, this place is filled with "experts". Quite a lot were doing advance moves, twisting and turning that I am just in awe watching them. I can't dance in such a place yet... will just feel paiseh in front of so many Pros. Now, recently I forgot how it started but I have gotten the interest of another friend to Salsa. He's also had no dance experience like me and is very very keen to go. Hahaha... Most probably this coming Tuesday, we'll all head out to a "beginner level club" to get a better feel of how it's like and then take a course.

3. Night Cycling
Ah, this was quite a fun event. There were 8 of us who went for this event organized by the PGP gang. Credits to Jenfi for planning to route out. It isn't easy to find the roads and we had to change the routes along the way as the originally planned route is impossible for a group of first time night cyclers. The original route was almost covering the whole of East, Central and West of Singapore. It was planned for like from ECP to Changi Airport then to Bishan then to Upper Thomson Road then to Holland Village? to West Coast park to CBD to Katong and back to ECP. Scary.. Hahaha.. Anyway, we did first cycle to Changi Airport and then to Changi Village for supper. This is the first time I saw planes taking off from Changi airport other than being inside the departure hall. I just love seeing planes take off. I don't know why but I just enjoy seeing them take off (as one of the AIESECer alumni put it - Penguin effect - shall explain more of this "Penguin effect" in next post.... qua.... depends on my mood and inspiration ha :P). Thinking about this, I sometimes curse my poor eyesight else I might've been a Captain? Don't know... Hahaha. Seems fun. Oh well......

Hmm....It seems that I've posted quite a long post here. I shall stop here to allow you all to digest this long post.