Yay i found a job. After much persistence, yes i have finally something to show on my resume! Let's hope the office environment is conducive for work, boss is decent. I dun expect much seriously. On Friday i will know the company. On Monday i will report for work!

Time to go for a haircut. And let's see if the pants still fit. Mmm.

SWAT insane is too insane. Roar! After much tries, JWST is still unable to break this coveted insane mode. Damn. If insane is this insane.. what abt nightmare? Roar!

Weather is hot today. Meh. Gonna be a sweaty night.

Sweat sounds like SWAT. Sweaty, SWATTY.

Argh. Bye.

Many of you have watched TV and would have seen this particular ad from Xin.sg tt had abt 100 people flooding 1 poor fella, creating some funny incidents. You thought that was funny?

To the very uninitiated, this is the original clip which i saw like half a year before Xin.sg's version even came out:

From what u can see, almost every detail was copied. Except for the poor acting from the xin.sg people. The Japs dun need to act, cos the reactions are real! Or probably i believe to be real.

My gripe? I hate to say, but certain people in this country thinks tt everyone is stupid. Or most people would not be able to find out tt they copied such a brilliant idea. My ass. And all these talk about IP? That's some PIRACY right there! Where's the acknowledgements? Like "Adapted from bla bla Japanese show"

Issue no 2: We are not creative enough to come up with stuff on our own tt can attract the attention of the masses? So much so tt we have to copy ideas from other countries? Tt's very sad to know. Where's the creative directors in the company? I tot those arty farty pple are supposed to have alot of ideas?

Issue no 3: Very bad acting. Especially the guy tt crouched down.

Sorry Johnson, i had to burst ur bubble. But the website's credibility is seriously lacking due to this. Probably half of whatever that is there is copied/lifted/plagiarised from some other sources.

I slept super early last night. But now i'm doing the night owl thingy again. I seriously dunno what's wrong with me though.

Oh yea i can't see my tagboard again for whatever arcane reasons there is. It's amazing how technology works, where consistent usage doesnt lead to consistent performance. It doesnt make any logical sense for such a logical system. Mmm tt might be another rant for another post.

Till then

So i got my grades today. I'd say they are good, exceeding my expectations definitely. Pulled up my CAP by a little bit too. I think i got lucky this time, cos i was REALLY devoting most of my time in Travian during the sch term. So i guess, by right i dun deserve such grades. But oh well.

I read Dilbert's blog, and he's talking abt this global warming thingy. And then there's this link to this video which i think is very informative, and shld really be watched by anyone who has 1 hr to spare:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4499562022478442170&hl=en

Ok, there seems to be some controversy behind this video and tree huggers say tt the data presented is false or smthing. But but, from a statistical point of view it is equally possible tt temperature increases leads to carbon dioxide increase as much as carbon dioxide increases leads to temperature rises. We can never know which is the correct cause and effect. And the nay-sayers do not attempt to counter this assumption. Which is why i still believe tt vid holds some interesting alternate viewpoints on this whole global warming bullshit.

And there's an interesting conspiracy theory at the end, saying tt this global warming farce is just to prevent the poor and developing countries like Africa from using their resources like coal and oil, because it will pollute the environment. "Why not try solar or wind?" the Westerners say. Yea right, like solar is cheap? Does Africa look really rich to you? Do Americans use solar themselves?

I believe this is like a subtle form bullying from the rich countries. Which is why i like China in this aspect. At least they dun give a fuck abt this shit and just keep the gassing pumping. And what can the US do? Suck thumb.

Sorry, i'm really in this anti-US mood now.

But anyways, i dun really care much abt this global warming thing. If i die due to it, so be it lar. Everyone else will be dead too right?

I realise tt in any team games u play, what role u choose in the team shows ur character. In fact it's becoming so obvious, tt i'm starting to see some personality traits in them through playing games/sports. And i dunno, i feel disgusted to know tt they can be so stubborn and uncooperative and so "i'm pro, so just leave me alone i will deal with them". Or so coward and so irrational tt it amazes me. Am i reading too much into it?

Personally when i play games, i usually end up playing a healing/buffing class. I guess it's in my nature to help pple, and to make them shine when the situation calls for it. I can't play any god-killer class tt rapes everything in sight, cos it seems like no one else is able to play a healing/buffing class except me. So i either get arrowed, or i rechoose reluctantly after getting owned the first time round, or i just choose the 1st time round since i already knew better.

My point? I'm just exasperated at the apparently lack of versatility of other people. Pffft.

Oh yes, congrats to Louis for scoring ur A for ur Science of Music. I think u deserved it cos the MIDI is only worth 25% of the total score. Which means u had already did quite well for the other 75%. But of course it's also a testament to my MIDI skills, so U OWE ME A DINNER BITCH! :D:D:D

To all my NUS friends who's reading this: If u have some basic ability of common sense and arithmetic, u can do Science of Music. PC1327. I can help u with the MIDI. First it gives me something to use my music powers on, and secondly, i just feel tt it's a waste of a valuable A if u dun take it. So yea, just take it. It will be fine.

If Louis aka StUpId iDot can do it... so can u.

I can't see my tagboard again. Fuck. Every alternative post is one on the tagboard.

What's up with this nonsense.

The Departed falls short compared to the original Infernal Affairs. It did not have the classic line:

"Sorry, but I am a cop."

Sleep time.

Ok Jo, i know the mystery person now. It's not a very big deal actually, u made it seem like this person is the last person who would ever read my blog. I was like linked by her a gazillion light years ago la. No biggie. Now can u tell me who's the guy tt told u tt i was looking unhappy tt day? Pls pls pls :D

See, i hate it when pple keep such stuff from me. I need names!

I remember during my JC days, i was pretty oblivious to alotta things. Probably focused too much time Shirui and basketball. 6 months into sch, my gang of guys suddenly talked abt this girl from my OG. She's quite the hottie, like the 2nd prettiest girl in my OG (the first being the prom queen of my batch), and they told me tt she had a crush on me when we first met. And everyone in my OG knew. Except me. Pfft. I could still remember how hard i was trying to matchmake her and this guy in my OG. Thinking back now, it must have felt really awkward for her.

But fuck, y din anyone tell me abt such stuff one huh. So please, if anyone of ur has such deep dark secrets abt me, pls tell me so tt i am aware of the situation and will be able to react more appropriately. Instead of being a complete doofus. U know how much i hate doofus ppl.

Anyways, i watched Harold and Kumar a few days back, and throughout the show Kumar keeps reminding me of Nick. Damn. Sorry for the stereotyping or whatever, but yea. Haha. Couldnt shake it off.

Personally, i find tt the film is less funny than expected, but underlying is a deep meaning: U have to do whatever it takes to get whatever that u want. Something like tt. I see it more as an empowering film than anything else. Especially the scene where they start munching on the "Slyders". Good shit. I tried a Big Mac today to relive tt moment. Sad to say 1 Big Mac is not really the equivalent of 30 Slyders.

And i watched Se7en yesterday night. I tot the movie was not bad, probably could do with a better ending though. Not an entirely gripping movie, but some shocking scenes at some parts of the movie is enough to the jolt the viewer to pay attention.

Btw, is there any cool sites which i can add to my rss reader? Like interesting stuff to read? I'm like super hungry for junk information nowadays. Cmon i know u guys can do it. List me some stuff!

Ok dinner time.

"Cookie Monster Muah Muah Umm Umm" - Shirui.

I can't see my tagboard again. Dun tag me for the moment hor. Use the comments button :D

COOKIE MONSTER MUAH MUAH UMM UMM!

Sorry to special someone cos i'm sleeping alittle late today. *hides*

Anyways, this goes out to everyone who bothers to read this blog and wonder where did the hell Chang went. So yea, this is what is happening in my life lately:

- Finding jobs: Gah, finding jobs is like an extreme bitch. The whole issue regarding employers and job searchers is that there is incomplete information of the market (economics term there). The pple who need the jobs are not getting them, and the employers are not finding the right person to work for them either. Inefficient allocation! Anyways ya, i cant find a job yet. Or shld i say nobody wants me at the moment, which is like... ur letting go a gem dudes! Gah, i was thinking of rotting this 3 months away, but sensible Chang has to make the right choice. It's all abt the right choices in life. In my life at least. If u veer off alittle, someone will make noise. Alot of noise.

- Playing games: Currently playing this WC3 hero map called Swat: Aftermath. It's a brilliant little game in my opinion, and i would like to gather more friends to join in this frenzy with my gang. Like the name suggest, it's a game abt a SWAT team. U get to choose from a range of different roles like medic, demolitions, sniper bla bla... and each has his own unique skills. More players, more diversity, more chance of survival. Your job is to restore a zombie-filled city, ie Resident Evil, completing certain objectives. At the end of the game, whether u win or lose, u gain ranks and a code to save your character, so that the next time u play u start off slightly stronger. High replayability, extremely challenging (2 hits and u are pretty much GG), over 512 different ways to create your hero, lots of teamwork. Good game.

- Keeping fit: Yea, i see my 6 pecs coming out again :D:D:D. Basically, i kinda just cut down my food consumption lately. No late night suppers (economic noodles), and less rice for dinner. That also kinda helped with my IBS shit. Less bloatness nowadays, though still present. And speaking of economic noodles, i really think that that shit is the downfall of many guy's physique. Oily noodles or horfun, 1 egg, 1 chicken wing, and probably 1 otar or luncheon meat. Wow. Check out the cholestrol and fats! I figured tt the reason y TDS pple are so pudgy is becos of the economic noodles stall in the camp. Everyday breakfast, woo. Stop eating tt if u wanna save ur life.

Oh ya and the keeping fit part. Of course i went to run, did pulls up, sit ups, push ups, leg lifts bla bla (seems like everything is intent on going up). Then i do this little balancing drill too, which i think is quite effective in rehab-ing my ankle. Btw i sprained my ankle last week. Wasnt too happy abt it. But anyways, yes... so u just try to balance on 1 feet for let's say... 1 minute? Eyes opened. Alternate the feets. Do abt 2 -3 times each. Then nxt, u try to balance with ur eyes closed. 1 minute too. U will feel the difference in ur ankles i tell you. Try your ultimate best to balance without the other feet touching the floor. Tt way u get the most out of it.

Regarding the "Tears" recording, the general feedback was pretty encouraging. But of course i do get the occasional complains, which i've already forseen even before recording. Anyways, thanks a million to those who bothered to check it out and give me some encouragement. Note why i din say comments.

Comments are generally NOT useful, and RARELY constructive in my opinion. Or maybe at least for me. Firstly, i do not have a self-inflated ego to say tt my recording is foolproof. Any self-respecting person will know tt, and can easily hear the mistakes I make. I know my own mistakes, as i play it i will know where it happened and why it happened. So it's generally pointless to tell the musician: "eh u played this wrongly", cos he knows, and he knows more mistakes tt he made. Just tt he doesnt want to say it to "preserve the quality".

Furthermore, from my point of view, it's very tiring to record something. To finally be able to push out something of decent quality, means i dun wanna touch tt thing for awhile already. If u give some suggestions such as add this and change tt, usually it will not happen, or at least not in the very near future. But at least this is a better comment, a suggestion! However, sometimes i already know what has to be changed, but just tt due to limitations i just cant do it.

I recall 1 incident where i recorded "Into The Storm" intro part via MIDI. So i posted it on SOFT to get some comments. And the first one tt hit me was "WHY DID U RECORD IN MIDI?! GET SOME REAL SYNTHS!", which was like a slap in my face. Utterly insulting and not bothering to listen to it at all. If i had access to real strings sounds i would use it definitely. So the enjoyment of the piece of music meant nothing.

Bottomline of rant (getting alittle woozy): I dun really need comments. I need more encouragement. If u like the song.. enjoy and tell me u did. If u dun like the song, u can always say as well, cos it means the song is not catchy enough or rock enough or doesnt have a wanky solo. If u like some technical aspects of the song, tell me too. (thanks Ian for pointing out to me tt the sound quality is nice. I will use this setting nxt time)

Technicality of playing, sometimes cannot help it. Tt's the best my fingers can go. If i bother, i will practise more, but usually i don't cos im a lazy fucker.

I think the music is more important than the technicality of it all. If u have a great tune but crap fingers and crap equipment, just record and send me. I will give u my most honest views and my fullest support. But be humble. Cos i am. Sometimes. :D:D:D

The time is getting to me. Haha, but it's ok. Cos i just completed the Hard Difficulty for SWAT with Biao!!!! LALALALA. Oh, my bro just finished playing his shit-ass PSP. Cool as hell, but too bad i'm not a console/handheld person. My button mashing skills aren't as 33+. That i'd admit. Tt's probably the main reason why i dun go arcades at all. I'm not good, and i dun like to spend the money. Kudos to those mad skillz pple who ownz in the arcade. Keep up the button mashing.

Oh and something completely random: Shirui just randomly hit me with this line in MSN "cookie monster muah muah umm umm". So funny la! Yes she is crazy. I like her when she's crazy and happy. Her happiness and vibrance fills my day. Really, sometimes i wonder where she gets all that energy from. Seems like eating nice food makes her happy, which in turn makes me happy. So i shld feed her more nice food. Ahhh... i see y the cookie monster line came out now.

From what i watch on the 9 pm chn 8 serial, the more blissful a couple, the more pple envy, the more pple want to break up the couple by seducing the husband. That's tricky. But fortunately i dun go out much. It's hard for people to date me. Ask Louis. Mmm, maybe becos Louis is not a girl, so maybe i dun have tt much motivation to want to remember to go out with him. But oh well. SO WHEN ARE WE EATING OUR POST-EXAM DINNER BITCH?

And ya on TV. Deal or no deal is much a brilliantly simple game la! I like the entire concept. Easy to play, 26 eye candies, and an extremely tense contestant. Oh yes what a good formula for success! The only issue with tt show is sometimes it drags alittle, and too many commercial breaks, just for the purpose of dragging the show on. But anyways, what intrigues me is the way the Banker offers his deal. Firstly, it's not based on expectation from what i observed. And it doesnt seem to be based on conditional probabilities. If only i can work how the banker offers the deal, or maybe the probabilities. Then every decision will be a more informed decision to beat the game. Mmmm

Ok sorry for the super long post. This is for ur to last 1 week probably. :D

New song update: Acoustic cover of X Japan's Tears! Well, i finally recorded something after being MIA for so long. Here's the link:

http://www.soundclick.com/util/getplayer.m3u?id=5334932&q=hi

Personally, i dun really find this recording very well done. Plenty of mistakes, dead notes, missing notes, buzzes, guitar hiss etc. But well, my patience wore thin so i made do with what i had. Mind you, this was take.. 79? around there. There were probably about 50-60 takes tt did not make it pass the first minute, and some takes tt just screwed up at the final chorus. Yea something like tt.

The issue about recording acoustic stuff is that once u make a mistake it becomes very obvious as there is no other instrument to cover up. Problem 2 is that when playing a slow song, it becomes hard to catch the metronome. U can probably here tt the tempo veers abit here and there. Yes i was trying very hard to keep within the click. And the last issue is muting. Acoustic songs tend to have alot of "let ring" parts, after which u have to know where to mute it! So it's like ring, mute, ring, mute. Tricky.

And oh btw, this is not recorded on the acoustic guitar. It's my Strat at work. Cos.. this song is a bitch to play, so it's easier to play on the Strat. Used the acoustic simulator on my amp to get the acoustic sound though. Kinda like a cheat, but oh well.

Ok, another "burden" completed.

This is something i want to do.

Random stuff:

A @^%($&2!# flying cockroach just flew into my room, and onto my back! Fuck! With my heightened Chang senses i managed to minimize the contact duration with said vermin, and immediately pulverized it with a +20 attk LianHeWanBao! Fuck! I just bathed man!

Important tip for desperate guys: Go to Sentosa's Siloso Beach during any public holidays. The babes there are woot man. So many that u can't decide where to look. This tip works well for broken hearts, confused hearts, or pure exam stress. The only catch is u have to filter off the extra Bangla load from your eyes.

I realised i can play volleyball pretty decently. Setting and digging the ball is ok for me, i can do both of them with some degree of control. Guess i am gonna be the next Beach Volleyball King! But first i have to work off those fl-abs.

I've been thinking of this water saving this for a few days, like since the start of my reading week. Must be exam stress. Anyways here goes: I figured tt the most wasteful water activity in the house is flushing the toilet. We are always using like 6 to 7 litres to flush off 100 ml of urine? Tt's not very efficient. And somemore we are using pure clean water to wash off, which is quite a waste in my opinion.

My idea, is to create a system whereby all the non-toilet bowl waste water in the house gets channelled into a small reservoir. And in this reservoir, there will be some filters to filter off the big solid particles. And then we use this collection of waste water to flush the toilet.

The reason behind this idea is because, a large part of the waste water from the house is soapy water (washing machine, baths & showers, kitchen washing). So technically speaking, it's not THAT dirty. So u can use it to flush dirty stuff down the bowl.

A simple example of how the system shld function:

1) Small initial pool of fresh water in bowl.

2) Urine + Shit + spit + banana peel perhaps?

3) Flush, waste water comes down and drains everything away.

4) A small amount of fresh water comes out and fills up to the initial pool again.

I think my idea works, but i'm no engineer. Probably someone has done it already. I wonder y it is not widely-implemented then. Imagine the cost savings of water every month. And probably this system should not completely replace the original flush, for there might be an instance where is not enough waste water for a complete flush. Then again if something like this happens, go wash something else!!

Hmm, ok i think the sun has gotten into my head abit. But fuck give my idea alittle thought though.

Power Station is a good band. I finally got hold of their albums. Brilliant stuff. Rock vocal harmonies are like the thing to die for seriously. Ming Tian De Ming Tian De Ming Tian~~~~. Now i'm getting my A-Mei too. Another power singer. All these indigenious Taiwanese people, they shld just go for independence and break free from the rest of the stupid Taiwanese majority. Chen Shui Bian for president? Pfft, tt's as good as voting Bush for president.

Only stupid people will vote for stupid leaders. Mine is considered wise, as he din send me to war. But he's too fucking smart too. Damn. Politics is tricky.

I'm working of a death metal instrumental right now. And the funny thing is, death metal ain't about melody. Which is like the hardest thing about writing this song. To me, it is very easy to come up with melodious phrase, or at least a phrase tt sounds right. But it's very difficult to come up with something tt sounds dissonant, and yet fit the overall mess. The idea is like to build a car in an awkward shape, and yet it can fit a driver in and is able to fit into the road dimensions as well. Gah, it's an extremely tricky project. Now i understand y the death metal people are like so crazed. I fully understand their pain, and their need to growl. It's like screaming out their sorrows man.

Oh ya, and the instrumental part. If the song had vocals it would be way easier, cos the growling can probably "cheat" my way thru like 50% of the song, and then add in a wanky chromatic solo and wala, death metal song. But an instrumental death song would be harder, for i will need more riffs and licks and more changes to keep the "death" going. And the constant abuse of the "devil's tritone" by most rockers has made it less devilish. I need something more hardcore!!

Dissonance!!!!!!!!!! ROAR!!!