2022 in numbers

2022 was to me, a year of being forced to go out to the dangerous outside instead of my preferred staying at home. Covid-19 is still out there but noboday seems to care anymore. My 'went out' count skyrocketed when I started doing the chauffeur duty for kids' tuition and activities.

Here are the 2022 numbers:

125 blog entries. 15 years consistently without fail. Enough said.

17 days of commute to work recorded, which covered 756.1 kilometres, giving an average of 44.5 kilometres per day.

4 petrol filling recorded. My four years old Civic is doing an average of 14.0 kilometre per litre of petrol. Sample size is too small to be meaningful.

23 days of leave taken. 2 more days compared to last year. This is a healthy trend. =)

136 days of worked till overtime-worthy late, a 16.7% reduction from last year. This is still an unhealthy number of overtime, but at least in the right trend. I have all overtime duration recorded, the total is 274 hours and 2 minutes, and the average overtime duration is 2 hours 0 minutes and 54 seconds.

Putting the overtime count into perspective: 52 weeks of 5 working days = 260 working days. Take away 17 public and replacement holidays, and take away 23 days of leave I had 220 working days. Out of the 220 days I worked overtime 136 days, that's 61.8%. This is just sad.

0 days on business trip. =)

14 online tabletop gaming sessions held. We played 5 board games this year, primarily the same games we played last year, only tried a new game once. There are many games to try but no time to read up on how to play so...

39 novels read, all new books and no reread this year, think this is a first. Average of 9.4 days for a book. Read rate is fantastic this year, I usually take two weeks per book.

1 patent filing and 1 trade secret. As decided last year, the reward money is my fund for charity, so I have the motivation to continue innovating and inventing.

45, 18, 15, 13, 4+1 for my own reference.

Happy New Year dear reader, wish you a wonderful 2023.

Other |hyped up heads up| category entries.

Azeroth short visit

Blizzard gave me three days game time for free to try out Dragonflight, the latest World of Warcraft expansion, where I get to try the new Dracthyr Evoker, first ever race-and-class combo.

So I did just that. =)

Managed to play a total of 17 hours and 14 minutes actual game time out of that three days offer, and got my Dracthyr Evoker to level 63, the level limit of the offer.

Typical of me, I enjoyed the lore and storyline, and was in no rush to level up. I went exploring whenever I could.

Dragonflight comes with Dragonriding, it's a bit like flying skill, only this is more towards momentum and speed, so it's not something that you can use to hover in place to admire the view, but something that requires your intense attention and control.

Dracthyr gets something similar to Dragonriding very early in the game, so that's what I was using to explore since I only got Dragonriding nearing the end of my short revisit to Azeroth.

I enjoyed the short stay, and wouldn't mind at all if Blizzard gives me more free game time. =P

As with all other World of Warcraft expansions thus far, Dragonflight is something I will eventually buy, just not sure when.

Judging from the busy coming January, most likely I will have to pass on the 'buy Dragonflight and get one month game time free' year end offer. Oh well.

Other |geeky gaming| category entries.

Potato mode on!

Took a few days annual leave and used up the remaining of the wellness leave, coupled with the Christmas and New Year holidays, and I have a total of eleven days off.

My long break started yesterday, and as I like to say, potato mode is on!

Sadly it started off trending towards a rotten potato, for I worked overtime till 5:00pm yesterday, and I woke up working today, though I only worked for slightly less than an hour today so I guess that's an improvement.

I am still undecided if I want to work overtime in the coming days, there are tasks that are due in the new year...

Not a good situation to be in, sense of responsibility is such a liability sometimes.

Other |hyped up heads up| category entries.

老了的其中一个问题

我认老，很多年前就已经感觉自己老了。

老了就有老了的问题，老花啊、越老越迟钝啊、新陈代谢越来越慢啊…

最近又多了一个：天亮后不能再入睡，无论晚上睡得多不好，睡眠素质多差，天亮醒来后再累也睡不回了。

唉… 睡觉是我的爱好之一，睡到太阳晒屁股对我来说是件幸福的事。

现在连这样的幸福都被攫夺了，人生又少了一个乐趣。

人就是不要老…

随兴随想 |系列|

World Cup 2022

World Cup has ended with Argentina winning the Cup in penaltly shootout after 3:3 tie.

I am not a football fan so I surprised myself watching the 3rd place match and the final.

The Croatia versus Morocco 3rd place match was boring, made me regret watching it, rather be sleeping.

The Argentina versus France final on the other hand was worth it. It's entertaining, with plot twist and cliffhangers, glad I didn't go to sleep after the first half thinking Argentina had it in their bag with the 2:0 score and the listlessness of France team.

Then the plot twist ten minutes before the second half ended, France got their equalizer in two short minutes and suddenly the match became very exciting.

Second half ended with a cliffhanger 2:2 tie. Messi of Argentina scored first in the extra time, then France again got their equalizer from a foul in the penalty area. The extra time ended in another cliffhanger 3:3 tie.

Shame really, was hoping the match ends without having to go to penalty shootout.

I am glad Argentina won in the end, a 4:2 penalty shootout score. I think their team have better teamwork and ball control.

Other |temperamental thoughts| category entries.

Temptation

The new patch released this week has given Diablo Immortal some new lives, there is a new questline in new area, some changes that made it more casual and solo-friendly, like being able to do the raid solo, and easier ways to get legendary and set item.

These changes are to my liking, though of course it's still a multiplayer game at heart and those who play in group and warband will progress faster, but at least there is viable path to play solo.

Giving player more options instead of a forced playstyle is always good in my book.

Well, the thing is, there is this limited-time offer in Blizzard's Battle.net launcher that is really tempting me: buy Dragonflight and get 30 days of game time. Offer ends 3rd of January 2023.

Is it time for me to return to World of Warcraft? Do I have the time for World of Warcraft?

Other |geeky gaming| category entries.

散漫

工作了一整年，现在年尾了，心很散漫。

从三月开始做的一个项目应该是可以开始收手的阶段，仍有一些模拟要我执行，但仿佛已不是被注重的事，毕竟已有可以实测的样品。都已经公布我跟这客户做的下一个项目，很快就会开始吧？

六月开始跟另一个客户做的项目还是没完没了，不知道是不是会像前几个跟这个客户做的项目那样，到最后什么都没有，做了个寂寞。

这样的客户偏偏就是还有模拟的要求，而且很可能会因为这模拟的要求导致我需要在已经拿了的，下星期五开始一直到新的一年的假期时段里加时工作。

看明天大老板怎么讲啦… 如果需要在年尾长假里加时工作真的会显到～

这几天进展很慢。心散漫，无心工作，效率很差。

真的就是想要好好休息一段时间才开始另一个项目，但重叠的项目让我根本没有喘息的时间，还常常要加时工作。

唉，为什么要做到这么累？

真的，现在的我就是很不想工作的心境。

求包养…

随兴随想 |系列|

Diablo IV pre-purchase

Diablo IV will arrive 6th of June 2023, gamer can pre-purchase now for early access to the open beta.

Okay, enough free advertisement, did it as public service out of my love for the Diablo game since Blizzard doesn't pay me.

Hitting another dull period with Diablo Immortal, and since Dragonflight is out, thought of revisting World of Warcraft has come up...

But perhaps I should complete Diablo III season 27 first, that Yang's Recurve still refuses to drop for me, meh!

Other |geeky gaming| category entries.

心语细述

十二月了。很快，二零二二年就过去了。

今年，工作上还算可以。忙归忙，对加时工作已经麻木，但至少还算顺利。

很庆幸经理赏识我的努力和付出，也感恩经理提供的机会。

我婉拒了提拔的机会，主要是我真的觉得现在已经很累了，不想要生活得更累。

天下没有免费的午餐，越高的职位就有越多和越重的责任。

我明白自己的性格、我的责任感。真的不想活得那么累。

当然，我很可能已经葬送了我的事业生涯…

家庭方面，感觉最多的是无助。

已经认不得我的母亲，我无能为力，我心酸。

还是不醒觉的大儿子，没有自律整天重复同样的错误，搞得家里乌烟瘴气负能量满满，我心力交瘁、心灰意冷。

不如意的人生，才是真实的人生？

心语细述 |系列|

Facial hair

On the first day of December I clean-shaved.

I don't really have a preference regarding facial hair, so it's mainly down to my mood. Though I made it a point to not clean-shave in November because I support Movember.

Clean-shaving is actually easier and faster than maintaining tidy, trimmed moustache and beard, but I guess I didn't really kept my facial hair very tidy since I am a slacker, hehe. =P

Can't stand the hair on the neck being too long though, it tickles. So throughout November I didn't just let the facial hair grow but kept it trimmed on a weekly basis.

Perhaps in Decemeber I will stay clean-shaven. Well, on a weekly basis, I am slacker extraordinaire after all. =P

Other |temperamental thoughts| category entries.

有感而发：命

二零二二年十二月一日。

自称的闲懒月十一月就这样过去了，又回到了每月上载十一篇文章的习俗。

在公司工作了五年以上，每年的有薪假期有二十天，就是每个月会加个 1.67 天的假期。可以累积一倍的数额，所以一共可以有四十天的有薪假期。

任何超过这四十天上限的假期会自动被取消，没有补偿。

前天发现我十二月就会到顶，而且会损失几个小数点的假期。虽然是小数点的损失，但觉得不甘心，所以就很突然的拿了昨天的假。

原本打算就是闲着，休息、看书、看戏、玩电脑游戏什么的，但起身时头已在疼。命贱的工作了一个小时后就已经是需要躺平的头痛程度。

所以我昨天拿了来悠闲过的假，最终变成一整天在床上做死尸，连吃了止痛药都还是头疼那种…

老天，真的需要这样对我吗？

唉，我这命…

有感而发 |系列|

杂记

第十五届大选

十一月十九日，马来西亚第十五届全民选举。

我投票的过程意外的顺利。十点十一分到达，开始第一个排队，十点二十二分我已经投好了，离开投票中心。

十一分钟来执行我的公民责任，效率可赞！

虽然很多人说新的首相是马来西亚第十位首相，对我而言他只是第八位，因为他之前的两个不是根据人民大选结果，而是搞手段弄出来的，我始终不承认那群废材时期的「后门政府」，所以也不接受那两个为首相。

希望新的首相、新的政府会以国家和人民为重啦，不要又是一群只为自己利益的废物。

-----

人生无常

几天前突然接到讣告，一位有脑癌的同事十一月十六日逝世。

得知消息时一切都已经过了。

是一开始工作时就认识的同事，那些在我还是新生时让我工作生活顺利点、快乐点的同事在我心中有一定的位子。

安息吧…

-----

羊群效应

都是知识分子，怎么还是会盲目跟从？

都已经说了事实，仍旧选择错误随从。

是我没有说服力？还是这些人就是不验证、不思考、盲从的羊群？

真的很无语。

随兴随想 |系列|

十八年

情人老婆仔，结婚十八周年纪念日快乐！

感谢你的陪伴和爱护、牵手和拥抱。

要一直一起走下去哦！

不要总是叫我不要花钱买花，一年一次就一朵，也不是什么暴涨骗钱情人节的价格。

是一个承诺、一个信念、一个坚持、一个兑现。

心语细述 |系列|

Killer (3)

Previous entry on this series was still single digit, so today's kill count is definitely a new record.

Today we have a combined mosquito kill count of 28. This is at the time of writing, may have more kills later today.

22 of the kills happened before 10am, and wifey single-handedly killed 18 of them.

There is no dispute that she is the better half, she is better than me in most stuff, including killing mosquitoes.

Die, bloody blood-suckers! This is a pest that I wish is extinct.

Other |nutty nuts| category entries.

Scribble Pad is fifteen years old!

Happy 15th birthday, Scribble Pad!

As per custom, here are the accumulated number of views based on the counter. The one for 2022 is as of 23:01 hours.

2008: 4746
2009: 13300
2010: 23226
2011: 31677
2012: 37412
2013: 42469
2014: 46926
2015: 50532
2016: 53716
2017: 56798
2018: 59939
2019: 62732
2020: 65840
2021: 68205
2022: 70269

View count broke record again, a new low! =P

Wonder how low it can go...

Not everyone has my kind of taste, and of course, I don't really advertise my blog so all is as it should be.

Regardless, thank you for reading this blog, and I sincerely hope you get something out of it.

Other |hyped up heads up| category entries.

5th day

While there are people who enjoy it, travelling is stressful for me.

Particularly the moving from one place to another part, I would love travelling if I had the power of instant teleportation...

When we are stressed our immune system is weakened, and we become more susceptible to illness.

So the stress from the short trip weakened me, and at the same time being out and about exposed me to higher risk level, which resulted in me getting infected.

I still believe it's avoidable, that it's not inevitable to be infected by Covid-19 although practically nobody cares anymore. I was doing just fine until the trip.

The first day I tested positive, I felt like shit. Pretty much zombie on the bed, like 10% effectiveness.

The second day was slightly better, managed to pass down work before I returned to be zombie on the bed, perhaps 20% effectiveness.

Paracetamol sustained me in the first two days, the fever and the associated aches wrecked me.

The fever was finally under controlled on the third day, sub 38 degree Celcius, but the cough began. I was about 35% effectiveness then.

The fever broke on the fourth day, the coughing was killing me though. I have consumed, and still consuming, a large quantity of lozenges, Chinese cough and sore throat medicine, pastille made from herbs, fruits and honey, and the holy Himalaya Salt extra cool mint candy. I was about 55% effectiveness, that's already fully operational.

Bear in mind I frequently have poor quality sleep, so most of the time I am operating around 80% to 90% effectiveness anyway.

Today, the fifth day, I think I am 75% effectiveness. Did a Covid-19 antigen test in the morning and the results came out negative. At last.

To play it safe I am still keeping mostly in my room, just that now I do go into the kitchen to wash dishes, fill water, and carry stuff to wifey. Taking over some of the food serving, water delivery duty from the kids, bless them. Reducing their exposure is always a good thing.

The coughing is still killing me, and my body is probably full of Himalaya Salt extra cool mint candy, but at least I am mostly recovered.

Other |sane side| category entries.

双阳

今早，情人老婆仔也阳了。

唉，对不起老婆仔，没能守护着你。

家里的中心人员都自我隔离了，这家交给两个瓜管理。

虽然他们测试还是阴，当他们得知以防万一还是不要去上学比较好时，疯狂庆祝大喊大叫吵醒了我。

是的，情人老婆仔和我要由这两个瓜照顾…

希望他们会懂事啦。

也只能这样。

心语细述 |系列|

阳了

昨晚开始喉咙不舒服，微疼。

今早起床后流鼻水，有感冒的症状。

越靠近中午整个人感觉越来越不对劲，因为过去三天长周末刚外出，风险高，所以便做了新冠病毒的测试。

结果阳了。果然外面的世界很危险…

开始自家隔离，对我这宅男来说没有什么差别。但身体不舒服，没有精神，所以也无法有效率的工作。

唯有推了一些会议，想必那些等着我完成模拟的结果的同事们很着急。

我也很无奈，状况不佳（蛮糟糕的），我做不到工。

也不写了，突然很累，我需要休息下。

心语细述 |系列|

Short trip

Just got back from a three days two nights trip. Home sweet home.

It's more like 51 hours away from home but I am exhausted. Physically, mentally, emotionally.

Especially emotionally.

Travelling is stressful for me, what with the motion sickness, the bad back, the difficulty in sleeping in other's bed.

I am very glad that I get to see mommi and pappi, the aunties and cousin. Gladder still that pappi decided to stay with us for the two nights and spent many quality hours together, including celebrating his birthday. It has been many years since we got to do that.

But I am also saddened after seeing mommi. She can no longer recognise me, and there is that great sense of helplessness and hopelessness.

Initially I wanted to get some work done in the remaining of the day, since I have been working many weekends now to keep up with work and management wants some results as soon as possible, but I am drained.

Both my head and my heart are heavy.

Other |tiresome travels| category entries.

Killer (2)

Another day with high kill count.

Managed seven as of the time of writing this. Well, I only found six mosquito carcasses, for the seventh kill there was that popping electrical zap but I couldn't find the body.

Could be my lousy eyesight but I am chalking that as a kill anyway.

What's significant about today's kill count is that all seven kills were from my room. Just from my room.

Imagine the many more mosquitoes within the house outside of my room.

Bloody blood-suckers! It's kill on sight, no mercy!

Other |nutty nuts| category entries.

求包养

做工做了这么多年，升过几次级，公司也刚做过市价工资调整，但经济状况和刚开始工作时是一样的。

一切开销完后，每个月还是只能储蓄到很少的钱。

用感恩的心态就应该庆幸勉强还能跟上通货膨胀，没有越来越穷。

但这么多年了，经济状况还是没有明显的改善，我真的觉得好累。

我不想努力了，有没有人可以包养我？

自己都觉得可笑，我没有名份、没有地位、没有颜值、没有身材、又直肠直肚连花言巧语也不会。

哦，还有老婆仔和两个孩子需要一起被包养…

唉，我这贱命一条。

随兴随想 |系列|

暴走

虽然已经认命这周末要做工，但原本的计划只是一个任务而已。

然后昨天突发事件，被拉去开会就用了半天，那些我应该用在开始做周末要做完的任务的时间被用光了，周末原本可能只需要做一天现在变成很可能两天周末都要工作。

然后又发现那昨天午餐时同事告知的那模拟软件的 bug 真的发生在我跑完的一些模拟档案里，现在我需要一一复查跑完的档案看那些有问题那些没有。

五、六十个档案啊！只是解压和装载那些档案都要好几个小时了，勾叉零蛋三角形！

从一个任务变成三个任务，注定周末做不完的那种。

所以我暴走！睡醒至今我都还是没有做到工，也根本没有心情要做工。

随兴随想 |系列|

Achievement unlocked

Young's 13th birthday today.

Recevied birthday wishes from friends and family. Sister-in-law said all our children are no longer kids, that they are teenagers now, achievement unlocked!

Totally dig the gaming term, and I supposed it's a milestone in parenthood.

After all, so coincidentally just found out that restaurant in a five star hotel charges adult price for person above twelve.

Of course, also unlocked the teenage angst and all the related issues but it's a happy occasion so let's not talk about that. =P

Other |temperamental thoughts| category entries.

疚

年纪越大，就越向往清静悠闲的生活。

遗憾的是，我的家人，尤其是那大儿子，几乎每天都把家里搞得乌烟瘴气，负能量满满。

在家里，那所谓的避风港，那休息充电的地方，我无法得到清闲。家人的态度和言行举止常常给了我很多不必要的压力和烦恼，所以我很累。

突然想到，是不是因为我的家人的这些暴躁脾气、剧烈骂架、孩子没教养对我们的吆喝咒骂，把我父母逼到离开他们自己的家？

毕竟如果我父母也是和我一样的倾向，那他们到了享福的退休生活时段，就会更加想要那清静悠闲的生活。

而我的家人却日复一日的在家里制造世界大战。我都觉得累了，更何况是我的父母？

父亲买的另一间房子，是不是希望我会搬出去，还给他清静的家？而我们没有搬出去，是不是逼到他们只好离开自己的家的原因？

我满心愧疚。为什么我是这么差的儿子？

也为什么，我的孩子不能够像我和我兄弟那样的自律和听话？

心语细述 |系列|

Long weekend

Took yesterday off since coming Monday is a replacement holiday.

That made it a four days long weekend.

But of course I woke up working yesterday and today. In fact, although just finished work for today but I already know I need to work some more in the remaining two days...

What's new?

*Sigh...*

Other |wretched workaholic| category entries.

Killer

Recently my home suffered an invasion of mosquitos. These blood-suckers suddenly increased in alarming number.

We have many mosquito bats in the house now, these handy tools greatly help the pest killing process.

I killed eight today, a new record for me. Killed one in the bathroom, two in the kitchen, and five in my room. But I know there are more that eluded me.

Of the five that I killed in my room, one I killed in my sleep, haha! I woke up with a blood stain and a squashed mosquito body on my bed sheet next to my pillow .

Must have fed too much until it couldn't fly away. Served it right!

Gotta say the popping electrical zap sound of a successful hit using the mosquito bat is very satisfying.

No mercy for the mosquitos, if they come into my house, I will try my best to kill them.

Other |nutty nuts| category entries.

Ball curse

I think I am cursed.

As far as I can remember, whenever I play a hand ball sports, for example, basketball, volleyball, captain ball, dodgeball, any ball sports that uses the hands in direct contact with the ball, my finger or fingers would get hurt.

Without fail. Like clockwork.

>_<

What kind of curse is this?

Even though I found out just how unfit I am nowadays, and my left pinky is like a bloated sausage now, I thoroughly enjoyed the captain ball game today. ^_^

Other |temperamental thoughts| category entries.

命

为什么，一直都只追求简单的生活、简单的快乐，但生活却偏偏变复杂、烦恼重重？

唉，我这命…

随兴随想 |系列|

Diablo Immortal, eleven weeks in

Have been playing Diablo Immortal since it arrived for Asia Pacific, slightly more than eleven weeks ago.

Many call it a 'pay to win' game, I have no dispute there. It's just that I belatedly realised it's not simply 'pay to win', because it's more like 'pay to get a chance to win'.

It's still down to random number generator, so it's luck. It's gamble.

Those who sunk a lot of money in do get to see the power gap between them and those who choose to play free. It's a whitewash most apparent in PvP content.

So in other words, it sucks for those who choose 'free to play' in those content, because skill matters little. Them 'pay to win' whales will just steamroll the 'free to play' players.

I was about to stop playing my first character and be done with the dull daily grind that achieve very little in progression when I was recruited into an active clan that eventually became the Immortal. That brought some new contents for me to experience and kept me playing the last few weeks.

But eventually the novelty wore off and it's the crappy grind all over again. I am not surprise at all that so many people quit, it's very apparent from the clan membership.

I have started another character simply because I like to play all the classes from scratch, but I am not sure if I can bear the dreadful grind over and over again.

Game with this kind of business model is not for me.

Comparatively, Diablo III season 27 has started and even though I pretty much only play Diablo III once or twice in the weekend, I have made meaningful and tangible progress on the season journal. I am already more than half way through! That kind of grind is a lot more satisfying and fulfilling.

Other |geeky gaming| category entries.

Rubber duck squeak

The previous hamster, Snowball, was deaf, so while not dumb, it seldom made any sound. Can count with one hand the number of times I heard it made any sound.

The current hamster, Cocoa, is neither deaf nor dumb, but it is rather quiet. It does squeak, just not often.

Still cannot tell whether it's a happy sound or a frustrated, angry sound when it squeaks. I am still amazed that tiny body can make such a sound.

It's not exactly like, but the first thing that comes to my mind every time Cocoa squeaks is the rubber duck sound.

Don't really know how else to describe it.

Other |temperamental thoughts| category entries.

Win?

I didn't worked during the four days break, which usually is a win in my book.

Perhaps I should say I didn't do any actual productive work during the break, because I did turned on the laptop and tried to get some work done. I just didn't managed to get any actual work done.

Tried the first two days, but I lack the energy and the mood, the depression is hitting hard this round. I didn't even bothered trying on the last two days.

I know I will be stressed when I resume work, I will not be able to deliver since not having anything done in the four days break, but I am just... down.

The sense of lethargy, the lack of energy and enthusiasm, the constant low mood.

I am definitely not feeling well.

Other |temperamental thoughts| category entries.