LEGO workshop (3): speed boat

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.

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

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This is an early March 2013 creation. 

Not all things are made equal, it's the same for my LEGO creations. This one is probably, to date, the least favourite of my workshop series. I think it's still good, I just like it the least.

Mind, just comparing among my workshop series, okay? My workshop series is only for creations of a certain standard. I have many LEGO creations way too simple or crude to make the cut for the workshop series. Of course, I also have complicated creations that I simply was too lazy to make into workshop series. =P

Hmm... I realised while I have a few workshop creations in the bag, I have only shared three so far. Oh well.

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

Let's not forget I was doing this as quality time spent with the kids, so there are usually three. =)

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

Earth Hour 2014

Reminder: Earth Hour 2014 is 20:30 to 21:30 hours (8:30 - 9:30pm) this Saturday, 29th of March.

Sorry, no drawing or photo this year, I am... just not up to it.

But I have a handy link for you instead, check it out to find out what Spider-Man is doing to support Earth Hour!

I shall repeat what I said every year: to participate is easy, just turn off all non-essential lights and electrical appliances during that hour to show support. And more importantly, do be conscious of what this is all about.

I may just light a candle and said my prayers this year, for many things personal and international...

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In this series: |2010| |2011| |2012| |2013|

Code broken

Departmental teambuilding event today.

For a change we actually did some real teambuilding activity instead of the usual 'go eat and go home' thing.

We went to Break the Code for some fun. ^_^

No worries, this entry really just intend to serve as my memento than as anything else, so I will keep it spoiler free.

I was in the second group and when they asked for a leader, I said, 

"Just pick the one in the front..."

And got pushed to the front. -_-

Oh well.

Anyway, the ten of us got blindfolded and led into a room, and then chain-handcuffed together. Let me tell you, SM jokes were flying around! =P

Then we were told that we had been kidnapped and basically we need to escape through another room. I will skip all the other details to not spoil it for all those who haven't tried it.

Gotta say I agree with the 2-8 persons team size recommended by the owner. Ten felt a bit too many, information didn't get pass all round and it seemed a bit chaotic with so many people.

We used one of the two hints and got out in 46 minutes, we were told the current record for that game (Kidnapped: Break Out) is 28 minutes.

Woa, that's fast. It's almost like someone who already done it having a second go...

Meh! I had fun, so I am cool with it.

Potential spoilers alert! Don't read further if you want to avoid something that may or may not be spoiler.

Just want to put a few things here that have been bugging me. First is about that tool, I have figured out what it was for, I simply had unscrewed a bolt using my bare hand instead. =P

Then about that alphabet to number decoder and that alphabets code at the other end, I don't think it was a red herring, I think they have changed from a combination lock to a key lock instead, rendering that code moot.

And lastly, the location of the colour code was just... illogical. I mean, come on! Who would put a code there?

Five minutes

Just five more minutes, and I would have driven pass the location to a point where I wouldn't have turned back. And that would be the end of it.

It's about a karaoke session with my usual singing buddies.

Normally I would have jumped in both feet without a second thought, but for yesterday, well...

On one hand I simply wasn't in the mood, not in the frame of mind for any socialising really. I am super-charged with negativity lately. Being stuck in a job role that you don't like and being forced to work with a system you don't concurred with will do that to you.

Ya ya, I know there are people losing their job and all that. I am not Grumpy Old Man for no reason, okay?

Anyway, throat raw from coughing ever since Chinese New Year and the fact that I can't finish a song without having to cough really does dampened my inclination to sing. What's the point going to a karaoke session if I do not intend to sing?

Let's not forget I am constantly tired nowadays. Probably the moon, probably the stress. Most likely both. State of lethargy. Just don't have the energy and interest for, well, anything.

Though, on the other hand it's a celebration for a friend's birthday. A friend who is close enough that I would feel bad missing the celebration. You know, a friend whom I care enough for.

I admit, I was undecided.

If I had left office immediately when I got out of the manufacturing floor, I would have made it in time. Only I have this habit of trying to clear at least all the e-mails in the 'last month' folder before ending the week. I am perpetually trying to catch up with my e-mails, *sigh*...   

So I stayed in my cubicle instead to clear my e-mails, and then a colleague came over to discuss work related stuff, and by the time we were done it's already 18:30 hours. Those who know me well enough will know that I don't like to be late, if I was going to be late I would at least give some heads up or notification. I could not have made it in time by then so that's it, I already told them I wasn't going anyway.

It's worth noting that for the first time this week, well, except Monday when I played badminton after work, I actually left work before 19:00 hours, woohoo!

As it turned out, traffic was surprisingly smooth for a Friday evening, I actually made good time and was nearing the location (it's on my home bound route) when I received that two phone calls.

That two phone calls, one after another, which I answered without hands-free in violation of traffic rules, when I was just about to pass the location, nailed it for me.

The timing more than anything convinced me it was meant to be.

Really, if the calls came five minutes later, I would not have been there. Because of that five minutes, I ended up in the karaoke lounge for six hours.

Life does not compute.

负能量

心境很糟

消极烦躁

负能量超标

这样的我

尖酸恶透

比平时更难相处

我应该隔离自己

以免负面影响他人

搞砸他人的心情

不伦不类 |系列|

Grumpier Old Man

Ended work late again today, not a favourable trend lately. Definitely not good on my slacker extraordinaire reputation, and that's about the only reputation I have.

One good thing is that I don't get that setting sun directly in my face all the way home, since it has already set. Oh, and traffic wasn't too bad too, the after work rush was pretty much over by then.

There was a scene waiting for me at home though, drama king and his silliness. A seven years old boy who refused to sleep if his mom wasn't in the room with him, while his younger brother happily kissed mom goodnight and was fast asleep when I got home.

Shame on you, boy, shame on you!

Exhausted, stressed, and aching all over, I simply wasn't in the mood. So I let mother and son settle it themselves in the living room.

Only they didn't, the arguing, bickering, whining and whimpering just got louder over time. They were going no where, just repeating the same thing over and over while increasing the volume at each iteration.

So much for coming back to a cheery and harmonious home. So much for having dinner in peace.

Annoyed and couldn't stand it anymore, I told the drama king to either go to sleep, or to shut his trap, I don't want to hear any sound from him anymore.

He went to sleep soon after.

Honestly, I haven't even put on my "bad cop" cap. Wifey, who usually plays the good cop role, was angry enough as it was. Two bad cops would have been ugly.

I am grumpy enough normally, these few days I am simply grumpier, grouchier, and crankier. Thanks to the poor quality sleep (this full moon affects me more for some reason), plus the stress at work and probably at home too nowadays.

My stress management sucks big time. IBS is back, bollocks. Aching back, aching wrist, and aching ankle don't help.

Just feel like... banging my head on the wall and vomit blood all over really.

Bah! >_<

看雨

酷热无雨了好久

今天终于下雨了

坐在天台看雨

看那朦胧雨水中的建筑物

那消失无影的北海

好几天没睡好了

身躯和脑袋有当机的感觉

就这样呆坐在哪

疲累的思维无目标地漫游

手机不断有讯息传入

朋友或同事讨论飞机失联的新闻

我对这件事始终保持不特意去在乎的心态

太多无根据或没被证实的讯息被人不过滤的转帖

仿佛怕被人误为不知世事跟不上时代般为了转帖而转帖

叫我反感耻辱的

是那班无能的废物

那爆红的巫师团

让大马成为全世界关注此事的人的笑柄

我由衷祈望

他国的人不会认为大马人都是像那班小丑一样

多数的我们不是这样愚蠢无能的

回房间记录完这看雨心思

窗外已雨过天晴

随兴随想 |系列|

Just saying

When you want to divert attention from a blatant abuse of power and corruption so foul the whole world is watching and condemning, you create a diversion.

A successful diversion is one that catches the attention immediately and spreads like wild fire, and it has to have staying power so it remains the hot issue that everyone talks about for days or weeks or months.

While the real important issue, that abuse of power, that foul play, that gross injustice, is completely being overshadowed and eventually being forgotten by the mass.

Knowing that human beings have a weird tendency to be attracted by misery and disaster, a diversion has a higher success rate being of this nature. To increase its impact, it has to be something that draws international attention.

Remember to plant some rumours and misinformation to convolute the truth and mislead people on a wild goose chase. You can rely on the multitude of social media to help spread these, there bound to be those who simply share everything and anything.

After all, things you see or read on the internet, especially the social media, must be real, right?

To keep the diversion fresh, to give it some staying power, you release whatever real of fake information bits by bits as slowly as you can. Of course, you don't do this yourself, you gotta identified some gullible scapegoats to take the fall.

Everything has a cost, even diversion. But scapegoats are easy to come by, there are many who are willing to sell their souls for money. Or you simply bully people into it since you are in a position of power anyway, remember the blatant abuse of power stated at the very beginning?

Let's not forget the unfortunate victims who are totally innocent. Yea, let's not forget them, and their families. That said, remember to always get your own people, like your ninth nephew twice removed, away from the diversion if it's disastrous in nature, like one involving loss of lives.

Unless you really really really don't like that person.

Oh, remember to distance yourself from the diversion, and go do something that gain you popularity instead. After all, all this hoo-ha is to let people forget about that blatant abuse of power and gross injustice. Gotta try to create a good image.

Just remember not to do something really stupid or one that insults people's intelligence when trying to gain popularity.

Remember that being in a position of power doesn't mean you are a leader, and definitely doesn't mean you are smarter than the others. Oh, being in a position of power doesn't mean you are respected. Something simply cannot be bought.

Just saying.

Manifestation of M

Moon rises and moon wanes

Month of March marching steadily towards the end

Mood shines and mood sinks

Mayhap a mimicry of the menstrual trend

Moon rises and moon wanes

Murmur of dreams lost in mindless mad rush

Mood shines and mood sinks

Mockery of mind moored in a muddy moorish marsh

 

心的频道：听和讲的艺术

脑劲转得不快的我

通常都无法临场即时想出些话题

或漂亮锐利的答复反应

或有趣搞笑的东西

我想这样也好

那些我可以立即讲出的

要么是我亲生经历体会

要么就是我领悟和相信的事和物

毕竟

不该告诉别人自己都不相信的东西

或给别人错误的资料讯息的嘛

没有资讯好过给人错误的资讯啊！

再说

我也是喜欢听多过讲的

专心、耐心、用平常心中立的聆听

自爽下告诉自己这是一种修养

很多时候朋友要的不是劝告忠言

只是需要有个人聆听不吐不快心里的纠结

要个人倾诉埋怨、释怀发泄、分享分担

如此而已

心的频道 |系列|

Here we go again

Was still up at midnight on the 1st of March. Remembering that registration for Penang Bridge International Marathon 2014 starts on 1st of March, I went to the website to check it out.

While not an avid runner... okay, while not a runner at all, I like to set foot on that bridge in an official event so I get a certificate saying I have been there. =P

Since I got cheated last year when they changed the marathon to the first bridge, I have to do it again this year.

Might as well register as early bird to enjoy the discounted fee, and apparently there is a lucky draw too. Me and lucky draws, yea... looking forward to a smaller bib number is a more realistic wish.

Let's just say the registration was a "refreshing" experience, as in, needing to refresh the website numerous times to get it done. -_-

And while I was doing the registration shortly passed midnight, the system wasn't applying the early birds discount, so I sent the organiser a feedback.

I didn't check my e-mail until after lunch, and to my pleasant surprise the organiser replied rather promptly, the timestamp said the reply was sent at 00:31 hours. The organiser said they are using a new system and didn't incorporated the discount, and they will rectify it as soon as possible.

Which they did, when I checked again later in the evening, the registration fee was updated so I proceeded to pay. Gotta say I am impressed with their efficiency, probably many other early birds sent them feedbacks too.

done, signed myself up

I guess I have to haul my lazy arse and start training again then, to build up my endurance and then my speed to complete in time, hopefully doing better than last year.

Maybe in a few months, too darn lazy still. =P

Better put this here as a reminder for myself to pick up the stuff. Early birds collection is in August, a few months earlier than normal.

Wonder if I could finish in an hour or less this year?