Good grief!

While it's never pleasant to find your computer died on you, it's particularly unpleasant to have it suddenly died on a night when you have a few important things to do using the computer.

Oh bollocks!

It's a custom for me to end the year with a [year] in numbers entry so this entry was supposed to be "2013 in numbers". Unfortunately my various tracking sheets and database with all the numbers are in my home computer and it has decided to quit.

>_<

Not really an expert but I tried a few things to revive the computer, unfortunately none work and I need some extra hardware to continue the rescue mission.

It's late and I didn't want to pay the extra premium charged by the shop in the nearby shopping complex so I gave up for tonight.

Gave up for this year as it's ending in two hours time.

Meh! =(

Oh well, happy new year everyone, hope you have a great year ahead. ^_^

生活点滴：外游

星期天还要早起，真「阴公」。

和朋友约好到瀑布摄影和玩水。既是他们去摄影，我和家人去玩水的意思，嘿！

半昏迷死尸般等待用冲凉房（我最后）的时候给苏小妹发了个生日祝贺。

我醒了当然也要把别人给弄醒分担痛苦，呵呵！ =P

星期天大清早路上车少很好走。

当然啦，傻的才在周末早起，可以的话我是绝对会做睡到太阳晒屁股那明智的选择的！ =P

约好的早餐地点今天不做生意，所以临时改了个地方吃早餐。

早餐后大伙浩浩荡荡出发，耶！ ^_^

好一段车程后终于到达目的地，两个瓜已经兴奋不已。

见到第一个瀑布后摄影队马上开工，我这玩水队队长带着家人往更高处走。

当然是要去到越高越好啦，我才不要上面的人小便在我要玩的水里嘞！

（我要往高处去小便给下面的人，呵呵！） =P

原本只是想要拍一两张照片来给我那拖了好久的《摄影入门》手册的，但一开始了就起兴越拍越投入。

结果都没什么陪到家人玩，真是的。 =\

如果下次再去，绝对不要带相机去，要好好陪家人玩。

我那功能限制众多的老数码相机实在是叫人无奈。 -_-

但还有拍到一些可以接受的照片啦，只要要求不是太高的话，嘿嘿！

 

摄影队完成他们的任务后我们离开瀑布，一同去吃了有点迟的午餐。

午餐后大伙散队回家，下回是极乐寺！ ^_^

生活点滴 |系列|

I don't wanna go back

Took three days leave to make six days break with the weekend and Christmas holiday, and it's coming to an end.

Spent half the first day attending meeting, replying work related e-mails and phone call, and then the second half feeling bored and lonely.

Spent the second day tidying up the house. Vacuumed, mopped, cleaned, washed and dried, and boiled water making sure all the water containers were filled for the imminent return of family members.

Travelled on the third and fourth day. On driver duty to get family home from inlaws'. Driving long distance is getting tiring, sign of age. Inlaws came with us for a short visit, and inlaws' relatives visited at night of our return.

Mild flu, had running nose and feeling rubbish on the fifth day. I blamed travel stress and the lack of sleep due to the return of the noisy little monsters. Two is already enough to tear the house down, with a third it was pure chaos.

Tried resting most of the day. Tried, not much success.

A failed family outing at the beach in the evening, aborted due to a delay and the existence of the illegal parking fee collector at the public beach. We refused to pay the extortion so we left. Shame really, we have been to that beach so many times before, it's residential area road side parking, yet extortionist pigs were out full force yesterday. Hope it's just due to it being Christmas eve and not a permanent thing.

Oh well, at least we had a big family dinner together at the hawkers' centre. =)

Today, the sixth day, Christmas day. Merry Christmas everyone!

No plan, we don't celebrate Christmas in any special way so it's just another off day. I spent the day reading mostly, and resting. Realised I am not going to meet my resolution of reading more books than last year, I am getting slower in reading, bollocks.

Back to work tomorrow. Only I really don't feel like it... *sigh* =(

It's hard to say goodbye

Feel like posting but brain is still on leave so I dug through the numerous unposted note scraps, picked this one dated 3rd of October 2013 and elaborated it.

If you were a popular person, well-liked among your colleagues and friends, then when you have announced your intention to leave the company for greener pasture elsewhere, you would have a series of farewell events lined up.

First there's that new "in" thing called a Farewell Run™, if you have a group of crazy passionate running friends, that is.

Disclaimer: I am not a passionate runner.

Then immediately after the Farewell Run™ there would be a farewell breakfast, which is more to my liking. =P

Then a farewell lunch the next day. Okay, still acceptable.

And another farewell lunch a week after that. Hmm...

Finally, there would be a farewell badminton session.

I didn't make this up (if it's a made up story, I would categorise it under 'fictitious fiction'), it's something that really happened.

By the end of it I was kind of thinking when would the person actually leave? =P

放假咯～

放假咯！ 放假咯～！

拿了几天假，明天开始一直到节礼日才回去工作，呵呵！

（但是明早还是要开会，阴公咯…） =(

虽然那小妹妹突然起兴说要明晚去唱歌的计划泡汤了是有点遗憾，但现在心情还是蛮好的。

只是肚子太饱不舒服。

怪自己放工后太开心（放假咯！）所以晚餐叫了两份。

加上今天午餐又很丰富吃得很饱。

只能怪自己太馋嘴，嘿嘿。 =P

午餐提早帮苏小妹庆祝生日，所以大伙一同去吃一餐好的。

想想还真是庆祝得早了点，但因为拿假在不同的时候，不今天就不能大伙一块儿了。

没关系啦，有心不怕，呃… 早嘛。

早很多天的早。 =P

午餐时玩笑间，模特儿冰冰突然说要顾及她的形象，我把到嘴边的话吞回下去。

（呃… 什么形象？）

偶尔不要太邪恶啦…

虽然最后我还是悄悄讲了，呵呵！ =P

若周末没有节目，或许我该快快清理好家，早点去会家人，嗯…

随兴随想 |系列|

Help if you can, if not, tell

It hasn't been smooth sailing work wise lately. More like being stuck in a maelstrom really. Outright chaotic.

Coupled with my lousy stress management skill, it's no surprise that I have not been a happy bunny lately.

Frustrating.

Verily.

Anyway, not writing about that, but about the random requests for help I got, which I rendered, and a subsequent comment I made.

Probably doesn't mean much when I say I am busy, since, well, everyone is busy nowadays. -_-

Anyway, let's just say that at times I really need to put in that extra effort to not explode and determination to not swear to set aside whatever frustrating stuff I am doing to entertain a random request for help or information.

When I say random, I meant stuff that's not really under my job scope or responsibility, but of which I happened to know about somewhat.

Yes it took away some time from my rather hectic and loaded work hours, but I helped where I could, and directed to someone who could when I couldn't, or at least replied I haven't a clue nor know who has a clue when that's the case.

When a colleague found out I was just being nice in trying to help out but it's really not under my role and responsibility, and thanked me for it, here's what I said, and I meant it.

"Just remember to be like this when you are experienced, became the senior, and being approached for help. Help if you can, if cannot, direct to someone who can help if you know. Don't just ignore, at least reply if you really can't help and haven't a clue who can. Or that you are busy and need some time to get back. And do get back to it."

Yea I know, it sounds like a rant.

It's probably because I have encountered more than my fair share of snobs who simply ignored my mail and request, and interestingly would respond when someone with higher grade or higher up in the hierarchy relayed the exact same question on my behalf.

It's especially blood-boiling when it's about stuff under their responsibility, and yet they ignored me until it's escalated, which I hate to do.

Darn arseholes.

LEGO workshop (2): 'female' robot

Copyright:

LEGO is trademark or registered trademark of The LEGO Group in Denmark and/or other countries.

All original work on this site is copyright C.K. Goh and may not be copied or reprinted without my express written approval.

-----

In this series: |part 1| |part 2| |part 3| |part 4| |part 5| |part 6| |part 7|

Workshop: |1|

-----

Yes yes, I know there is really no gender for robots but somehow, as soon as I finished my creation, it just popped into my mind that this is a 'female' robot.

This is a February 2013 creation.

Anyway, here's sharing of my creativity to LEGO fans all around the world. ^_^

And of course, the more the merrier! =)

Teaser for next in the series: step by step workshop for building a speed boat

谢谢你们陪我唱歌

是不是心境的关系，今天的“动次 动次 动次 动次！”好像没以往那么有劲的？

除了那阴魂不散的「煎熬」，我今天还是唱得蛮尽兴的。

唱歌要唱得开心快乐，就是要有一班一样神经，一样不要脸、不怕羞的死党的，呵呵！

要谢谢，

归来的工作狂虾仙，因为你，所以我们；

突然好想和我们唱歌的荭荭，久违了你的个人风格；

自认生出来就是模特儿的冰冰，果然很冷；

给我们很多首很有感觉的合唱歌曲的婷婷，赞；

认不出自己的声音的丝丝，都唱了这么多次了喔… 囧；

人妖音超凡的苏打饼，今天声音特别性感，病了都那么强；

和，原来要点英文歌给他才对的大鸟，下次知道了。这次你唱最少所以你请客，谢谢。

今天，我找到了第三张专辑的主打歌。

「遗憾」，要像今天我那样轻唱的，柔柔的。

那是，如果我会有第三张专辑的话啦…

随兴随想 |系列|

独冥

老婆仔和两个瓜周末去了外家，我大约两周后才去载他们回来。

那天我回到家做的第一件事，是把客厅和饭厅整理了一番。

其实我自己也对这举动有点意外，嘿。 =P

把桌上，架上，地上，沙发上两个瓜随手乱放的玩具，书本，和杂七杂八的东西整理后看起来整齐多了。

自我感觉良好。真的是自己做自己爽，呵呵！ =P

希望这状况可以在两个瓜回来后保持二十四小时啦！

（没有抱太大的希望…）

因为懒得出去（宅男就是这样的喽），这几天晚餐都是自己煮。

我的厨艺实在是… 烂。 -_-"

反正是给自己吃的，还好啦，我不是那么挑剔的。

况且一个人在外吃好像很凄惨可怜的感觉… -_-

两个吵闹的小怪物不在，家里实在很清静。

我想，来着的周末我终于可以睡到太阳晒屁股了呱？

好期待。 ^_^

也很想邀约朋友来家里玩图版或卡片游戏的，但有兴趣的朋友不多。

有兴趣又有闲情和时间的朋友更少。

唉… =(

是不是应该去认识交结些年轻单身或还没有孩子的朋友呢？

“来，叔叔教你玩很有趣好玩的东西。”

好像怪叔叔那样。 囧

随兴随想 |系列|

Re-cultured

Hearing a colleague addressed another using 'dear' today, and feeling a bit odd about it, made me realised I have readjusted to my home culture.

Everyone used to be called a 'dear' when I was in England. Friends, lecturers, even friendly looking strangers. Hi dear! Dear Steve. Yes dear?

And being hugged by a lady friend was not at all strange, in fact it's nice and actually quite a warm and endearing gesture. Almost always it's the lady friend who initiated the hug though, guess I am just shy.

I remember the very first time being hugged by a lady friend, one of wifey's British friends. I was surprised, a bit embarrassed, but like it nevertheless.

Oh, I remember hugging a Malaysian friend who was also studying overseas when we chance to bump into each other in the airport, it's just so natural and we did that without even thinking. That's after we have been in England for a few years.

The hugging culture is pretty alive in my family, but I wouldn't think of hugging any lady friend here in Malaysia now. It doesn't feel... right. And I don't want to be slapped or be sued for sexual harassment! =P

And my e-mails start with 'Hello [name]' or 'Hi [name]' instead of 'Dear [name]' now. Feel as if I have become less warm and less friendly, meh!

A friend said my elder son speaks with a British accent, though that's when she last talked to him, which has been a while. I remember that too, as when we just got back, wifey had a strong British accent after all those years she worked in the hospital, and the elder son picked up that accent.

But his English has been 'Malaysianised' over the years as well. Guess we have all been re-cultured, oh well.

Running Man

Running Man is a weekly Korean variety show that started airing in July 2011. It's a game show with fixed cast members and usually with famous Korean celebrities as guests doing missions, races and games with large spoonful of hilarity and laughter.

image source

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It has been my daily dose of stress relief and unfailing entertainment since two months ago, never fail to crack me up.

Before then, Running Man was just a name a friend kept on mentioning, which piqued my interest since I like game shows (Fear Factor, Wipeout, et cetera), but not enough for me to actively look for it since it's in Korean.

I ain't too interest in things in language I don't understand. Hence K-pop is not my thing.

hilarious games aplenty

But who would have known, that a chance pen drive test, which needed large files to fill up the drive to test for defect, would make a Running Man fan out of me?

I watched the Running Man episodes copied into the pen drive out of curiosity...

... and the rest is history.

Darn poison! =P

raw egg on the forehead, totally self-inflicted, absolutely hilarious

Unlike the other game shows I have watched, Running Man has fixed cast members participating in the games every week. While it has plenty of games and races introduced throughout the years, often funny or outright ridiculous, it's the casts interaction and banter that's the real jewel of the show.

purposely answers wrongly so teammates get punished is not uncommon, hehehe!

Kudos to the producers for coming up with new games every so often. Toe wrestling, gym karaoke, wearing pants without using the hands, just to name a few. It can even make classic like 'rock, paper, scissors' an adrenaline pumping, heart rate racing game! And I think it has made it's famous hide and seek name tag ripping game a classic.

love it when all Running Man casts work together as a team

I haven't a clue about the guests, they are supposed to be famous celebrities in Korea but I am pretty ignorant in that regard. On the other hand, since Running Man fixed casts are in every episode, I get to know and love them. =)

even (sporting) guest got dragged through the mud along with the regular casts

* this is G-Dragon, I recognised the name because of a colleague nicknamed G-Snake, who is supposedly some long lost sister to G-Dragon. But that's another story...

Of the seven cast members, I like Gary and Ji-Hyo the most. Okay, Ji-Hyo more than Gary since I am a guy. =P

I like Gary for his caring and honest character, and Ji-Hyo for her fearlessness, for giving her best, and her sweet sweet smile. ^_^

sweet <3

But of course it's really when the two of them are being the lovey-dovey Monday Couple that I love most. Doesn't matter that it's just for the show, the Monday Couple chemistry is good and it gives me that warm and fuzzy feeling that makes me smile silly.

If I am a fan of Running Man, then I am totally a fanboy of the Monday Couple! =P

like!

Not knowing the Korean language, I am at the mercy of the translator. Not sure how much was lost in translation but thus far I got my laughing fix in every episode.

Fearless Ji-Hyo enjoyed the bungee jump while the male casts were too scared to do it. She really deserves her 'Ace' moniker

For two months, starting from episode 1, I religiously watched at least an episode of Running Man every night, and went into weekend warrior mode of marathon watching as many episodes as I could in the weekends.

And I have finally caught up with the current latest episode (174) at the time of writing this. It's good to have no social life. =P

more Monday Couple moment

There are good episodes and there are lousy ones, but without fail all of them made me laugh. It's my stress relief, it's my laugh of the day, it's my fix for craptastic day, temporary though it may be.

Today is the first day since I started that I no longer have a Running Man episode to watch. What am I to do now that I can only get my fix once per week?

I think I am suffering withdrawal syndrome... *twitch twitch*

baseball code really! At least that's what Gary said