My trusty time-teller has returned to my side

Although 'trusty' might be giving it too much credit...

The reason it was gone for some time was because it stopped telling the time.

Shall go to bed.

Sleep is good

I've been awake for the past 50 odd hours and last night was one of my best sleeps evar.

Feeling woozy and light-headed with the tendency to fall asleep just about anywhere is quite amusing. I foresee this happening a few more times before the end of this academic year.

Wonder how the SAS guys do it... 7 days with no sleep?

Superman.

Say hello the next time you see a scruffy hair Chinese dude in black lolling off in a chair while sitting with a book open in the library.

New websites added to 'My reads' Section

Check them out:

MotoIQ

Phil Saunder's blog

Cheerios~

When dinner has settled comfortably

Today was a good day... one of the better ones I've had in awhile. I woke up a couple of minutes past 8 this morning a shivering wreck. Outside temperatures plummeted to 4 degrees C while I was in dreamland, it seems. Oh I haven't turned the radiators in my room on as well. Winter has well and truly arrived... or not, as the rest of the day turned out beautifully sunny and almost bearable.

Oh well.

It was a good start though, having woken up early enough to wash, make breakfast, enjoy a good cup of tea and leisurely make my way out to my uni's Learning Resource Centre (fancy schmancy name for 'library') for a group meeting for my Vehicle Engineering Design module. That went pretty well... me having been assigned to do the framework of the written report as well as some bits of CAD modeling. No one ranted and no one whined. One did complain from lack of sleep as he was busy screwing the brains out of a bird throughout the night.

Random. 'Bird' is a British euphemism for 'chick' or 'leng lui' but back in Malaysia, its just another word for aunties and ladies to refer to your penis.

Anyway! After a detour home to take a dump, I then proceeded to my lecture on thin plate bending theory. On rare occasions, having your brain bombarded with differential equations of the fourth order isn't completely bad. Very rare occasions I must add. I dropped by the Formula Student lab after class and 'took' a wheel off one of the racecars home with me... under the pretext of 'measuring the piece'. *cough*

So now there's a shiny 3 piece wheel with tired Avon hillclimb slicks sitting behind me against the wall. Mmmm... shiny.

Oh yes... dinner.

Courtesy of half a jar of Tesco's Finest Thai Green Curry sauce... which was everything but spicy. Still nice though. I liked my own dinner.

After-dinner Googling led me to Ahma-san's (of RE-Amemiya fame) personal blog and a site called Motoiq.com... which inspired me to come back to blogging (read: write crap for no one in particular to read). We'll see how long this stint will last this time round.

As a treat, I'm going to bed early. Tried to yesterday, but ended up falling asleep at five.

I must be hated in dreamland.

Currently listening to: Boomdeyada

Short change?

I find it such a laugh that people would pay more money for a high pixel count camera and NOT run them at full resolution.

"Oh I want to fit more pics in my one and only memory card so I'll use 3 mp instead of 8

Currently listening to: Rock & Roll Creation - Spinal Tap

Moment

There was a moment of immense calmness yesterday, where everything slowed down... sitting in the quaint, cosy dining room of a friend's home. I was holding a cup of hot tea. The skies were shades of steel. The air, cold...

Everything seems so peaceful and tranquil and all I could do was let go of all worries and anxiety and stare out the window.

I could use more of these moments. It's strangely addictive.

I feel smart

A post about nothing in particular

An old friend suggested I update this place more often. I felt compelled to oblige…

I think I’m still operating on autopilot this morning. Everything seems so vague and unfocused, something akin to a rainbow wash of water colour splattered on a white tile. I think.

Hmm… hot chocolate is nice though…

I’m now fairly immune to the failings of London’s finest in public transport. The Tube announced their decision to strike beginning 1900hrs yesterday evening and as a direct result of that, the streets and buses this morning were crowded with commuters who are usually found 100m or so underground.

Both my inbound and outbound trains were cancelled with little to no notice yesterday and the bus I was on today decided to abandon its route to Kings Cross, dumping all passengers at Euston, roughly 10 minutes walk away. Difficult to fathom their way of thinking, really. I still feel a little cheated that I lost a pound for that unfinished ride.

Looking on the bright side, Chee-kun has managed to land himself a part-time job with a Michelin-starred restaurant and we’re all happy for him. Good pay, so I hear. He’s perked up from his self-induced glum and has started discussing his wishlist again. ‘Yay’ for him. I haven’t heard from the Penguin in a while now. I wonder if she’s okay, as the last I heard from her was that she was coughing pretty badly. Shall pinch her cheeks if I see her this Saturday.

Tre-sama is coming in to Heathrow in a couple of day’s time. Another big ‘yay’. Temporary long distance relationships aren’t much fun. Can’t wait.

Many of my colleagues at work are of the opinion that I’m counting down the days until my placement is over. I suppose they’re right in some ways that I’m keeping track of the time left but I’m not obsessive enough to count them down to the days and hours. Or am I? I’m just thinking “Another ‘yay’ for finishing a year’s worth of proper work”… That’s all.

I think its time I start doing shopping for people back home. Mostly chocolates, a shirt here, a book there, some lingerie for her, a bikini for another her and a merino wool baselayer…

As an ending note, my boss just came up to me said “Ah, now I remember the word that you used in your interview 12 months ago which left a lasting impression on us which subsequently led to our decision to take you on”.

“Imbued”

Currently listening to: The whirr of the electric fan set on the lowest speed

Cuntwaffles (credit to Tobias for teaching me such bad words)

I turned 23 yesterday.

The Taliban has issued threats to bomb Pakistani towns yesterday. North Korea has recently detonated two nuclear devices and has shown intentions to wipe South Korea off the globe. Swine flu swept through the world and is now leaving, as news reports would imply. We are apparently still in recession. Susan Boyle was reported to have been cussing at journalists due to extreme pressure.

Life's good eh?

Something of a more personal note: another complaint to the cuntwaffles who are in charge of the trains I take to work on a daily basis. Two of my trains were cancelled and the third one delayed with no previous information and due to 'electrical supply problems'. Keeping my cool as well as being late for work, I methodically filled in the delay repay compensation form (even this is a mouthful that fails spectacularly to roll of the tongue nicely) and dutifully handed it in to the ticket office. The fuckers better refund my money back.

London's finest red buses made me miss my train to Birmingham earlier yesterday evening. A full 25 minutes of waiting and the only one that went to Euston told me he wouldn't be going to Euston. The bastard. I hope he won't get laid for the rest of this year and next. I wasted another 26 pounds for a ticket to replace the one that expired by one minute. Then, when I got to Birmingham, I missed the last train home by a minute again! So there goes another 5 pounds for the taxi ride.

Little wonder then that Londoners rank tops in a survey of angry city folks.

I seem to have digressed. Quite a tangent away as well =.=

It's my birthday. I'm supposed to be happy. And happy I feel, everytime I look at my facebook page. Rather surprised that so many dropped by to wish me well. I thank you all sincerely. Oh and Auntie bought me cakes and gave me ang pau. That makes me happy too. Oh and I got a letter from the To-Ken Society notifying me of another meeting in about a week and a half. Is happy again.

Wish the other half was around to celebrate birthday with. Oh well. Another fortnight to go.

I shall sleep in preparation of the dim sum feast that is to come later.

An ode to the worst place in the world; London, Fuck you.

Currently listening to: Maria, by Rage Against The Machine

Why I like racing and racing cars

I love racing. I love race cars.

Really, I do. As much as I don't write a lot or talk alot about this, racing technology, cars and automotive racing has a place in my heart.

The spartan functionality, directly a result of the form over function appeals to me. No nonsense, no assisted braking, no traction control, no driver aids. Just the plain basics.

Fastidious attention to detail, both in the engineering phase as well as the final execution of the design. The wonders of rubber technology that allows a 1100kg GT500 NSX to rail Sepang's Turn 5 at constant speeds of over 100 km/h. Imagine that, just 4 patches of rubber with a total area amounting to roughly an A4 sized paper holding up to 3 tonnes of lateral force.

Graceful patterns and bodylines, interspersed and accented by forms required by the demands of racing. Beautiful colour, tasteful placement of sponsors' names and logos. Well balanced, pleasing to the eye. Not all of them manage to achieve it, but Raybrig seems to have hit the jackpot with this catchy scheme.

As has RE Amemiya with their 2003 car...

Obviously, there's the driving sensation to consider as well. Dog engagement gearboxes, sequential shifting. Stiff and easily modulated brake pedal. A steering wheel which tells you what the fronts are doing. A positive clunk with every ratio selected giving marvelous marvelous marvelous feedback. Road cars from the late 90's to present day is just so... too cosseted, too refined, too soft, lacking all forms of enjoyable tactile feedback.


Unmuffled roar of exhausts and induction noises add in to the feast for the senses. Very little would come close to a 3 rotor screaming at 9000 rpm rev limit married to the high pitched whine of straight cut gears to the appreciative ear.


Lots more reasons but pictures speak of a thousand words, no?

The excitement...



The technology...








The people...





The girls...



Motorsports engineering companies in the West or East Midlands, hire me please. I graduate in 2010.

Currently listening to: 'Renegade' by Yanni

Traffic weaving is still awesumz!

I managed to bring the road bike down to London despite failing to make a reservation on Virgin Trains (wahey wasn't my fault... their damn system was down).

The trip to St Pancras this morning consisted of 10 minutes of weaving in and out of rush hour traffic along Euston Road. Definitely brings back lovely memories of doing 40km/h on a bicycle with skinny rubber on the NKVE with Saiful~ 'Cept that over here, you do actually have to contend with red buses pulling out of stops with all intents to maul you and kill you =D

But it's still awesumz!

Yoshu~ is sleeps nao~

Currently listening to: No Tomorrow by Orson

Chaakkk!

Digital SLR's are fun!

Reset this

Every morning on the train, it’s always either murder or radical religious militants blowing themselves up (or more recently, the economic crash that sent everyone a tumbling) splashed on newspaper covers. Little wonder why everyone looks as glum-faced as the homeless chap sitting outside the British Library.

If ever there is a hung up computer or the dreaded blue/black screen of death (Heaven forbid =.= ), there is always always always always the reset button. Well, not quite for the BSOD but hey it works occasionally.

A single effortless click is all that’s needed for a fresh start. A clean slate. A white canvas. One that we’d hope to paint right this time round.

Too bad we don’t get a reset button for life and the world.

Hot off the press

In the "write-in" section of this morning's papers:

"In response to Monty Phyton's text (Metro, Thu) - the Americans might be stupid for giving Brown a standing ovation but the British are complete idiots for putting up with him being Prime Minister"

The day someone scribbles something similar in the The Star is the day people in Malaysia should celebrate.

Why drive on left side?

It's of some interest to note the reason why Japanese drive on the left side of the road has roots in the feudal age, where bushi (warrior ranks, samurai) wore swords by law as an indication of their position and status. This brought to light a situation termed as saya-atte, the unintentional (or intentional) contact or hitting of one's sword scabbard, the saya, an offence akin to insulting or punching said person in the face.

The consequences of this is bloody for most occasions, due in part to the above reason and the haughty disposition of the warrior class who viewed almost everyone else as an inferior being and woe befall any poor soul who had the bad luck of accidentally touching the saya of their katana.

Being the land of superb social conduct, it was devised that samurai or any swordbearing person to walk on the left side of the path, allowing oncoming travellers to pass on their right side, thus reducing the risk of saya-atte.

One of the few other countries that drives their automobiles on their left is UK, with a similar history. Falconers of the old have their birds perched on their gloved left hand which also holds on to the reins of their horse. This leaves their right hand free to draw their sword should the need arises.

What about Malaysia then?

*Inspired and adapted from the writings of Clive Sinclaire of To-Ken Society of Great Britain*

I'm amazing mlm nyaha

Sitting here in office, I'm thinking that I'm having it so good in life. I've got an amazing girlfriend who's more or less ruined all girls in the world for me, I also have a BFF and/or boifren (as the girlfriend calls him =.=), an adorable pet penguin who sounds like a duck, depressingly dwindling harem of intelligent, pretty and lovely girl friends back home, some awesome guy friends and the innate ability of surviving in my current lavish-like lifestyle with little to no money by honest, down to earth financial borrowing and cunning manipulation of stupid people that I'm surrounded with (not anyone mentioned above).

I've been rereading far too much Tucker Max.

When I was a child, getting sick was rarely ever a worry. Of course it sucked but it's not something to send me into a fluster often. Mother and Father (mostly Mother) would usually know what to do, with their old wives' cures and if all that fails, there's always the 24 hours clinic.

I remember the one time when I got really worried was when I woke up one morning to the unfortunate discovery of glued eyelids. Big cause of worry indeed for a five year old. Mother solved it by dissolving the crud that stuck my lids together with water-moistened wool.

These past five weeks not being able to breathe well, perpetual headaches, near-constant myalgia, dry coughs that threatened to herniate my guts into my ball sack and the pseudo-food poisoning that rounded it all up near the end pretty much angered and depressed me to a point where I began to be mean and judgemental to people in the vicinity. Talk about collateral damage.

It worried me very much this time round as it hit home that if anything more serious were to befall unto me, I'm more or less screwed, with one strained family relation (read; they think I'm crazy, or something along those lines) in a foreign country and currently with an unintentionally shady dwelling addresses history. Seeing a doctor here is far more painful than simply walking into a clinic back home. Major suckage.

Period cramps are awful.

Recovery. And some pointless details.

The cough has died down.

In the midst of this one week off work, I have the girlfriend strumming guitar next to me with the boifriend singing along...

There are also jars of CNY confectionery sitting on the table next to the lappie. Pineapple tarts among them, half finished. Neil Gaiman's "Smoke and Mirrors" sit next to me, unopened because I don't feel like reading these past few days.

At this point I'm feeling that this is a pointless post with nothing of major importance or urgency. I'm disappointed with courier companies today for the first time in awhile. I suppose they have their reasons for not leaving a card *shoots them all dead*...

Oh well, at least I have the turbo trainer in my possesion now. Time for weekly interval training rides to start regardless of weather. Is wants my calves, glutes and quads back to their former glory. Nyam.


We made lamb burgers with special mint yogurt sauce for dinner today. Ama-bloody-zing. Too much work though.

Currently listening to: Dui Mien De Ni Hai Kan Guo Lai by Ah Nyu

Happy New Year of the Ox...

...welcomed with style and sickness.

Meh I've been wheezing and snivelling for the past week and a half. Am terribly not happy.

Chinese new year passed like any other day with the exception of a couple of angpows and two massive pig eat outs. That was good. I'm really really thankful that while the mucus leaks on without relent, I've not lost my appetite and my sleeping patterns are still normal (read: mild imsomniac).

Work's been rather quiet of late with lots of repetitive activities that bore me down very badly. While it can understandably get like this quite often, this time round seems to be an all time low, what with the general feeling of unwellness and related anger. Rawr.

Recently, I've gotten back to building models...

Tre-sama gave me a kit over Christmas and I've already ordered the majority of the paints needed for it's completion. Shall slowly take my time over 2009 to build it up. In the meantime, work is also being done on a previous kit. A '99 spec RX7 by Fujimi, which I've primered last weekend. Shall clean up the burrs and dags this weekend with Mr. White Putty! Nyaha.

Am going to die...

*gets Chee-kun to help me get more drugs*

Currently listening to: Do You Remember by Jack Johnson

Question of the day

Does the head of the body (in a coffin, obviously) face the front or the back of the hearse when it's being transported?

Hot tip of the day

Remember to google yourself every once in a while, lest you find that you offer sexual favours for a price on the Internet unknowingly.

Today's hot tip has been brought to you by Chrissehs-kun.

Value added disappointment

Sad that the 2nd post of 2009 had to be a rant.

Work resumed on Monday and after an eventful night's sleep, I made my way to St Pancras without as much as a hitch. 'It was going to be a nice day after all', or so I was lead to think.

At the ticket office:

81 pounds please

Oh it's gone up in price... from 75.50. Rather steep eh.

*Shrugs*

I thought 'okay maybe they need money for making the trains run on time or maybe the extra heating for winter'...


Btw, the First Capital Connect don't heat their trains. Or if they did, it's probably optimum temperature for penguins. Bastards.

2008 Giant SCR Saru-kun's Special

About a month or three ago, I was in the market for a road bicycle. You know, them things with the weird looking bent down handlebars? Yahah so anyways, I gave up looking for one when there was none with the specs I wanted at a price ceiling of £450.

A few weeks later, this turned up on Ebay, at a price too good to resist:

£129.99 lighter in the wallet, the frame duly arrived 3 days later. A piece of paper was whipped out of thin air and a list of the parts needed to build a bike was made up. Back then, I was torn between either mixing and matching bits and pieces or going for a complete groupset. In the end I decided to bite the bullet and go for the all singing and dancing Shimano 105 10-speed group, which was released about 2 - 3 years ago.

Initially, the plan was to buy the bits one by one over a few months to lighten the financial load. I also enlisted the help of the BFF who was back in Malaysia then to help me purchase the groupset as it was cheaper. That, sadly, fell through the roof and crashed many many floors down, much to my dismay.

Hence a new budget was set at £600 with the aim of building it to be under 8kg. Parts were then purchased from CRC, Wiggle and numerous other online vendors as well as the good people at rock&road , addiktioncycles and Birmingham City Cycles.

Much to my dismay once more, it shot the budget roof by £189.77. I haven’t weighed it yet, but it feels to be under 10 kilos. Which is abit of a good news. It was supposed to have had its maiden ride last Saturday but yours truly decided to lie in and die on the bed because it was cold outside. Sniffle.

The spec list is as follows:

• 2008 Giant SCR4 frame – 46cm
• Brand X aero carbon wrap front fork
• Shimano 105 BR5600 front brake and Shimano R650 rear brake
• Shimano 105 10-speed gear levers 5600
• Shimano 105 10-speed front and rear derailleurs
• Shimano 105 10-speed 12-25 cassette
• Shimano R700 crankset 34-50 (170mm)
• Shimano 105 Hollowtech II bottom bracket
• KMC 10-speed chain
• Shimano Dura-Ace shifter and brake cables
• PRO PLT stem, 80mm 10º, silver
• PRO PLT drop bar, 42cm width, silver
• PRO PLT seatpost, 27.2 x 280mm, silver
• PRO bartape – Floral Baby Blue
• Charge Ladle Ladies saddle, black with baby blue trims
• Shimano RS10 wheelset, black
• Shimano A515 SPD pedals, metallic baby blue
• Vittoria Rubino Tech Pro 120 TPI tyres and inner tubes

Meow.