The Ravings of a 21 Year Old Kid - A Life story of a CS student.

The Philippine Man

2005-12-25T23:24:00.000-08:00

ZOMG! Post in philippines!

Erm... yea dial up sucks. Ok bye bye, I post pictures later.

Well, I am having a blast its crazy! So so so fuN~ We were all singing Meteor Garden songs in the car :P And.. and.. bah, nonstop eating :)

The Exhasperation from Packing

2005-12-22T01:06:00.000-08:00

Packing. No time to blog. Running around, I'll post back in after a few zingings.

Database exam was ok, did better than expected; but found bad stuff about Software Engineering.

Be right back, after all this madness ends. Of course with a nothing but bells a-tolling..

The Mad Dash to Holidays

2005-12-21T02:03:00.000-08:00

Exams, slack, exam, exam, slack, cram cram cram cram cram cram, exam, cram... .... (several million crams later), last exam! OMG! This is my life for the past few weeks... non stop cramming, studying, taking exams and most important of all, slacking. (and sleeping and pigging out and slacking... did I mention slacking? And answering a plethora of MSN messages! You know who you are :D)

Well, in 10 hours, I will be taking my last exam of the year and will be moving on and along to Philippines! That's right folks! From Dec. 24th to Jan. 4th, I will brave the dangers of flying on the plane, and being in Philippines! Being in Philippines is quite dangerous, as crime is rampant... but I talk about that in another post soon!

But anyway, the flight from Vancouver to Taiwan leaves on Dec. 22nd and (did I say I was gonna stop over?) is about 10-13 hours, and I will be staying the night at Taiwan. Then a few ours wait after waking up and the flight from TW-Philippine is about an hour and a half... blarg! That also means I wont be in Philippines until the 24th of December! Blah, what a waste of fun times. Whatever~ but... shit, I haven't packed at all, I'm not ready. I don't know what to bring, I have a shitload of things to do!

Get my PSP reciept, get my laptop reciept, upload songs to MP3 player, charge all my batteries, bring some books, bring some chips, bring my Digi Camera, pack my clothes, pack my shoes.

*breathes deep*

GHAKJHGKJAHSKEHASGJKHASKFHAKJHGKJAHGJKAHGKJAHSKF

*exhales*

I'm going to have to make and print a list of things I bring so I don't accidently forget them back home. Oh well, when I wake up, it's game face time. >.<~~

Wish me luck. I need it, even in electronic form.

P.S. I think I did ok on my 410 (Advanced Software Engineering) exam, only time will tell.

The Exams are coming!

2005-12-19T01:31:00.000-08:00

Today's December 19th, and yea, well *my* exams are tomorrow and the day after.

But suprisingly I am not fazed at all by the fact that if I fail the exams it will mean that my graduation will be delayed for 6 months. Ah well, I don't know, it's that feeling that you just dont give a damn anymore!

Anyway, it's 1:30 AM, and I'm back to my old hobby of blogging past midnight. Why did I ever get back to this.

*Goes back to his notes* 410 and 404! I (shall) conquer thee!

PS. I got my project mark for 410 at least, it turned out quite OK. Personally I thought the demo was a disaster but that story is for another post. Cheerios.

The Mayonaise Jar

2005-12-18T08:21:00.000-08:00

Here's an anecdote that I have come across quite recently. I think, for the most part, its very reminding of the things we need to do. We're not dumbfucks, we all know what needs to done, but how often do we remember?

===========================================

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar...and the beer.

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls.

He then asked the students if the jar was full.

They agreed that it was.

So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full.

They agreed that it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar.Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full.

The students responded with an unanimous "yes."

The professor then produced two cans of beer from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand.

The students laughed.

"Now," said the professor, as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life.

The golf balls are the important things--your family, your children, your health, your friends,your favorite passions-- things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.

"The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house, your car.The sand is everything else--the small stuff. If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls.

The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness.

Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your partner out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house, and fix the disposal.

"Take care of the golf balls first, the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."

One of the students raised their hand and inquired what the beer represented.

The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of beers.

=================================

Enjoy life and don't let the little things take a hold of your life.

Ignore the picture statement before this post!

2005-07-12T09:24:00.000-07:00

Hah... I totally forgot to take pictures, cooking is so tiring...

On a different note, I totally bombed both my midterms last thursday. I really should focus on my studies more, and try to get a better mark... but sometimes I can't be bothered to care. This stuff is so boring and meticulous! All theory "it should be this, it should be that", but why do you have to try to spend so much time getting something correct when you can just test it on hardware for a fraction of the time? It's hardly the way things are done in a real world job, and it makes me unhappy. Oh well, more concentration in class and less fun time with my laptop >_<;

Cooking with eggplants

2005-07-11T19:37:00.000-07:00

I'm actually back and today, nothing Computer Science really related. Sometimes I wonder if I really want to be a CS student. All I ever dream about is food... so today, I am experimenting with eggplant! I don't know what I'm going to do, but I'm gonna add some pork in there and see what happens... I shall post pictures of them! ~~

Hiatus till who knows when.

2005-06-23T22:07:00.000-07:00

Well too much going on in my life right now. I'll be the one to reach out if I need help so just sit and relax, and wait for a headline in the newspaper of a dead kid in mebbe the next few days. kthx bye.

I hate washing cars.

2005-06-22T00:07:00.000-07:00

You see, it has never been a good experience for me. I like my cars shiny, and while washing the car is uneventful as I always pick the sunny day to wash it's just so depressing. When it's gleaming in all the hardwork I put into making the bastard shine like no tomorrow, it rains the next day. And when it rains in Vancouver, it POURS. @#)@(#&(!#&$@!#!#@%(!@!!!!

I hate it. I love it when I can show off my SUV when it's all clean and shiny THEN the weather sells me out by pouring all the anger of the gods at my SUV. Why? Is my SUV never to be clean and shiny? Is this destiny as foretold 10 times before, when all previous attempts to make my car look gleam in the sunlight gets destroyed by fleeting raindrops the following day?

This has gone to far. I'm waging war with weather! Garr!!!

PS: I apologize for the casualties of my warpath (whining). Condolences go to Jenny, Amy, Simon and the unidentifiable corpses of numerous friends and acquaintances that have tried to stop me. My love goes to all of you! *snicker*

Summer is good, but summer class isn't.

2005-06-21T10:22:00.000-07:00

I wish I could be out there frolicking (yes, frolicking; for the lack of a better word) out in the sun, in the grass in all the fun I can have.

Yet I have to sit in my Relational Database class. Hooray. I *hate* summer classes, where I could be out there enjoying the sun, I'm in this freezing room of boring definitions and ideas. And what is worse is that computer science is dominated by males. As one of my friends (kaplesh) puts it; "We're in a sausage factory man! There's no women in this place!" hah. Right you are there my man, right you are...

It's so difficult to remain sane when all you see for 3 years is geek guys, and the occasional girl who doesn't know WHY she is taking computer sciences when she doesn't have the mental capacity for it. (Mind you, I know some female CS students that are pretty smart but for the most part, "Deer caught in the headlights" describes it all.) Pity, I know this is supposed to be a good thing so I can "concentrate" more in class, but ah, woe is me, I like to look ^^; Oh well... tortured is my middle name.~

Happy birthday Amy~ ur 18 now, let's take you to a night club w/ ur sis! :D

I'm so gullible...

2005-06-20T00:23:00.000-07:00

I was shopping at the grocery store at 11:45 PM at night and after paying for the stuff I bought, this man approached me and ask for some change... after explaining that he has almost ran out of gas and no money, with his mom in the car and living in the car (it really did look like they were living in the car, with their dog too) I gave them 1.50 in coins... then he thanked me.

Now if that wasn't enough, I felt I should give more (guilty), so I did. I handed him a $5 bill and sent him on his way.

I think it's ok, it's not like he comes to me every day and stuff. However, the next time I see him, I'll ignore this guy... ~ Just so I won't get taken advantage of (even though I probably was).

Besides, I never donate!

Woops, I forgot my blog.

2005-06-18T21:39:00.000-07:00

Aha. Well, for those people who have been trailing my blog, my apologies. I forgot to add daily entries... It's hard to remember these things when you aren't used to them. Oh well... here I go.

Today was a good day, aside from the minor hangover I got from drinking a smirnoff at my gf's place while eating hotpot. What can I say, I rarely drink... I know I'm a weakling so why did I *drink* in the first place? Well; exams are over for my dreaded 320 class! Yay ^_^ and I passed~~ woho ho. Now on to pressing matters of the future. For now, let me enjoy my 2 days of peace during the weekend :D

For those who don't know... Smirnoff Ice. Drink responsibly, like I didn't. :@

(You should see me drunk.)

You know why dump trucks are scary...

2005-06-13T22:13:00.000-07:00

Because one of these days, it will TRY and kill you.

I wish I had taken pictures to prove it but I was there and you're just going to have to take my word for it, and I'm not wanting a "second chance" at death either. It happened today while I was trying to get to school. At 9 am, this construction dump truck turned right too fast and his carrier went on a 45 degree angle... stayed there for about 3 seconds (probably shorter than that, but my body and brain went into bullet time because of the adrenaline) and tipped, driver cockpit FIRST. I managed dodged the 8 tonne monster just in time as its sides slammed the concrete in such a force that the road shook... I wasn't that near, but that distance from the truck would've well proved to be fatal anyways. I just got so spooked that I didn't *want* to think about it and I just drove away as fast as I could, didn't bother to stay on the side and play "OMG! HE'S DEAD JIM!!" like the other retards that came 5 minutes after the accident. Scary stuff, take my advice and STAY AWAY FROM TRUCKS.

PS: if there's an accident and it doesn't concern you, look away and don't make traffic worse by looking. Besides, the guy could be dead, he nor his family do not need YOU to take pictures of the dead version of him! Pay some respects for f*** sakes. And let the cops do their job!

Totally spooked today, and in general. It's like a short version of life.

Grad on saturday, birth on sunday, death on monday. Yikes.

I have to stop blogging at 1 am.

2005-06-13T01:21:00.000-07:00

Well, it's 1:22 AM in the morning of Monday. Was working on my comsci homework and I just finished. Oh well, another day in a CS student's life, nothing new there. I just have to stop doing these late night posts, it's not very healthy...

Anyways, today I went to visit (with my brother) his friend who is currently admitted into the hospital. She just gave birth to a new baby girl 2 days ago!! (Congratulations!) Apparently her labor took only 8 hours and during the delivery, she only had to push twice! Wow~ >.<, but it was a wonderful visit today, everyone was happy and it was a good feeling to see a new life born into this world...

I still despise brats though.

A different prespective is a wonderful thing.

2005-06-12T01:50:00.000-07:00

Forgive today's long post, as it just set my life in a different direction today. If you don't mind spending 30 minutes just reading this crazy blog, you can go right ahead, if you don't have the 30 minutes, skip right to the last paragraph :)

I went to my girlfriend's little sister's highschool graduation and it was an interesting event. Minus all the jibber jabber, the "looking back on the past, and moving on to the future" general gunk that the school system feeds our fresh little highschool graduates, I noticed one thing.

These things feel so different from the opposite side of the podium. Whether you are a parent, a sibling, a nobody, or just the sister's girlfriend, it's different. (Notice the order here...)

It was a refreshing change to get such a view from the UBC Chan Center as it just felt unusual. Aside from the casual, "wow this place is huge" feeling that you get, there's the emotional part. For the 3 hours that I had to sit through the congregation just to witness the 1 minute of glory that my gf's sister would attain (actually 2 minutes, she obtained a $250 dollar bursary! Congratulations!) I had 2 hours and 58 minutes to sit there and think.

"What have I been doing all these years?" whispered my conscience.

Rewind 3 years back <<

It's one thing to experience such events such as a graduation but it's another to experience it when you aren't IN one. I had the same valedictory ceremony in the same place, 3 years ago. As I sat there waiting for my name to be called so that I can run up the stage and flash a triumphant smile to nobody (my father was unable to attend this ceremony), the only thoughts that ran through my head are, "two months of games! Woohoo!" I know it sounds pathetic but read on my friend, maybe things will come to light (or maybe not). I always had a short foresight, I never planned things, and I never really gave much thought to anything I do. Whatever I did was for that short span glee that I would attain when I achieved whatever I felt like doing. This is me and this is how I was brought up, but I don't blame my parents for loving me too much.

Everything that I wanted was handed down to me on a SILVER platter and it really put a dent on the growth of my maturity. By no means was I a dumb fuck either, as I skipped half the entire grade 12 school term and still managed to produce a 86% average and obtain a 93% english provincial mark (which led to me being accepted by UBC Arts). I was "freed" (for the lack of a better term) early in my life. At 12 years old I was thrown to fend for myself with my siblings in terms of discipline and education (well we had financial support we lived at my dad's house). While my two older brothers and older sister had the love and lessons passed on from my parents until they were a good solid 15-19 years old, I managed to slip through cracks and convinced my late mom of my "little promises". Again, I don't blame them. I really love my dad and my late mom because they're the best parents in the world!

Fast forward to present time >>

As I sat there waiting for the name "Amy H." to be called from the gigantic speakers, flashbacks of highschool memories fly by before my eyes, and then it came to me. I never really did anything exceptional, stupid nor interesting in highschool, as it was always the computer games that did it in for me. That 2 hours and 58 minutes was probably the #2 most excruciating event of my life (ok not really, #1 Was my mom passing, #2 Was grandpa passing ... you get the point) but as the time passed while I idly waited, regret kept biotch slapping me left and right, up and down, diagonally, and in any other possible 3d direction you could imagine. YES, I FELT BAD. Right there and then I knew I was a very capable man, able to get any of those awards if ONLY I chose to focus on my studies more. What was worse was now I felt what my DAD felt even though he was two continents away...

It kind of broke my heart I guess, as I produced an image of a retarded version of myself walking across that stage flashing that triumphant smile, nobody knew, not even me, that the triumphant smirk of immaturity would be directed back to me.

Well, a lot of things ran through my head during those 3 hours, and maybe now you know why I hate happy places. It always comes and bites me in the ass.

I've vowed to myself to change, for the sake of my mom and dad. Im 20 for fuck's sake, and I'm a computer science student too.

Lonely Dinner

2005-06-10T19:03:00.000-07:00

Well, my significant other's dad arrived yesterday, so obviously I have to step aside and let them spend some time together. Just feel a little lonely right now, and feel the need to EAT.

So I'm travelling to the nearest mall to get something to eat~ ah, sometimes solace is good, and depressing.

Something feels funny.

2005-06-10T17:15:00.000-07:00

So this is my first entry, ever. Hm. Feels funny, a little mushy on the side, but quite alright.

... ... ... (Uncomfortable silence...)

Ok fine, I never thought I'd feel like blogging ever, but since I was so damn bored to death today, I felt something had to be done. EVEN if it was blogging. C'mon GTA! Faster! *ahem*. No offense to the bloggers out there, as I've always seen blogging as well, keeping a diary. And you know what they say about diaries! Hahaha...*smack* (ow!)

So, today, well, I got my midterm exam back in this course I call, THE ALGORITHMS OF DEATH (also aptly named, Introduction to Algorithms Analysis and Design, but it's more sleek my way) and I got a 68. Well color me suprised, I thought I knew everything, but then again, I didn't. Allow me to rant...

*picks up a mic and pushes the rant button*
If my professor was so damn smart she would put seperate questions instead of making one whole question worth 20 marks, and then only ask, "Whats the answer to this?". And then start marking like a Nazi deducting marks left and right for not showing whatever you wanted that YOU DID NOT CLEARLY STATE. DIE!
*pushes rant button and replaces the mic*

I mean, if the question was worth so much, ie, 20% of the entire exam, why won't you split it up properly, to be answered properly! Holy ****! And when we complain about it, she declares martial law and anything she marks stays that way! Ah! DIE. (I think I said that already)

Aside from that, today is a pretty lazy day, and well, I'm totally bored out of my mind. I guess karma does exist.
..

Did I mention I rave (not undead type thing with E, M and every conceivable alphabet name for drugs) a lot?