Rushed...

Whoa.

Just managed to finish off my three most rushed bits of homework this morning: two pieces of homework for Comm Skills, and also a Powerpoint presentation for ergonomics. Apparently, the size of my presentation was initially 29MB.

Yes, and the maximum size set by my lecturer was 4MB.

In any case, I compressed it into 829kb, so that's settled, with a little help from Alvin.. kudos, mate.

I'm just groovin' to some Hot Chocolate 'You Sexy Thing'... just the whole 'porn groove' thing i'm exploring nowadays. It's simultaneously funny yet interesting how some respond to such, erm, sensual music because most people would just go

'Errr.... why's that Led Zeppelin-freak bloke listening to Barry White, Hot Chocolate, and Village People????'

Well, like I said.. it's just a phase, and it is not affecting me adversely, I promise. I suppose we all need such 'relaxing' (if your mind remains clear of vivid, graphical imagination) music especially since tomorrow I've got a mechanics test along with the big debut of my ergonomics presentation. I still have my word document (which accompanys the presentation) to complete.

Wish me luck folks.


Cheers,

Crawldaddy

Ugh

Hmm.

I was reading the Straits Times today when I just got reminded of a certain issue which causes the hairs on my arm to stick up like when it's cold.

I hold a certain disdain for Anime.

I remember anime is one the the culprits (besides procrastination) for my classmates being unable to concentrate in class during our o-level year. I mean, what's up with these sometimes x-rated cartoons?

I like reading stuff like Garfield, 5th Wave, Get Fuzzy etc, but all that cutesy stuff really gets me all uncomfortable, and sometimes exceptionally irritated when people just discuss that crap in that kind of excited voice. Like dogs being given a chance to be taken for a walk by their owners.

Maybe I'm just narrow-minded but I seriously think all those comics/manga/anime/crap aren't worth half a rotten dick for my attention. I suppose my thinking towards anime is very similar in the way I look towards pop music nowadays. In actual fact most music nowadays.

I also don't get why some of the more 'incredible' individuals who are fans of anime try to make themselves look like their favourite characters by dyeing their hair, dressing up etc.

What a waste of their fookin' time!

I remember my cloase friend in secondary school was so wasted on them comics he would spend even his lesson time just locked into his inner world of samurai fighting and god-knows-what. In the end, of course, his academic results weren't that fabulous (neither was mine, but whatever). Another thing which got his time-management all awry was the fact he loved to break-dance... which caused him to be stronger physically, but somehow lesser-off mentally. Anyhow, that's yesterday's news.

I do believe that it's important to have a source of fun where your imagination can just go wacko, but somehow, the amount of time spent on that should be much lesser than how long we spend time in our real world.

Maybe I'm just terribly biased against anything that seems to prevail in modern day pop culture.


Cheers,

Crawldaddy

Workin' Blues IV

Hmm.

I went for work yesterday, knowing that I still had a tonne of homework left undone, but I thought that I still had adequate time left. In the end, the banquet office informed me that the schedule for work today, 30th of january was transferred from 5 am in the morning to 3 am.

wtf right?

So I said I couldn't make it for that schedule, and they then tried a different schedule for me, but having my load of homework at the back of my mind, I said maybe I couldn't make it for the whole of today.

after confirming from me that I couldn't work at all, they concluded that I wouldn't turn up tomorrow. So I guess that emans I'm suspended from work for a whole month!

Anyhow, I'll be scouting out the hotel's restaurants and see whether i can have a shot at them while I'm being suspended, so that at least i can still have a source of income and not have to starve during that one month. Truth to tell, it's kinda ironic that i get suspended one week before Chinese New Year.

In any case, let's talk about work yesterday:

I went for an outdoor catering yesterday to the Caltex Masteres, and managed to have a glimpse of Colin Montgomerie. It was fun, just enjoying the golf atmosphere, and one table had at least twenty rounds of beer! I simply could not believe that a group of caucasians could be less hardcore and just drink just like fishes and still be mentally stable.

i had a hand at being a barman, and had loads of fun even though before at the end of the day i knew it was the last day of work for a month, so I threw down the barriers and had fun with my co-workers.

What can I say... life is full of sh*t, so it's better to just take it with a light heart yes?

I'm just going through a phase where I want to try and explore the depths of popular culture, and I'm starting by listening to ...... Barry White.

Ok, maybe his music has been overtly-stereotyped as 'music for seduction', but I'm just listening for the sake of being professional about it, and studying how the sounds come out, how the mix is made etc.

And it's not bad music actually, now I've got a bunch of music specially for seduction...


Cheers,

Crawldaddy

I'm not that boring a guy y'know...

Hmm.

I suppose it has been my entire fault, that by firing shots at punk-whiners, knifing teeny-boppers and tripping up disco-goers I've literally pigeonholed myself into the main areas of Classic rock and country/bluegrass.

Ok, fair enough, it does seem that way, but I do believe it's time to get out of this form of stereotypage by openly proclaiming:

I'm not that boring.

Maybe I am... what do you think? I once had the gall to download 'She Bangs' William Hung version, also 'YMCA' and 'Macho Man' by the Village People, even 'Crazy Train' by Black Sabbath.

Talk about listening to a wide variety of music... sometimes i do these sorta things just to make sure I get the right dose of knowledge so that I know what I want and what i wish to miss out on... but I realise that I do wish to accomplish something... something I do realise that I've been missing out on since I've first started poly.

That is to gain a better insight into my classmates and understand them better (I do believe this is one of my New Year's Resolutions...). But the thing which spurred me on, and actually jarred me out of my little world of me, myself and I was the fact that i realised that I was already actively communicating with some of my classmates. Also, there was nothing to lose by just chatting with them, and i suppose it makes me feel much more complete by just hanging out with them, no matter where the discussion swings in whatever direction.

A couple of people have asked me why I always use the colour 'black' in my work.. be it with my packagings... powerpoint presentations... t-shirts... material, form and perspective studio project final artefact, whatever. The thing is, I'm a simple, down-to-earth guy, that's why I was not particularly impressed with Melissa when she decided to play out on the V.I. sessions. finally, I'm colour-blind.. so what better colour scheme, which is completely screw-up-proof than black and white?

I'm sure you wouldn't want me to select your wardrobe, so that's that anyhow.


Cheers,

Crawldaddy

The Legends Of Zelda XII

Hmm.

I'm not going to go into the story build-up here, but this just happened when I finished AutoCad this afternoon.

Grace, Joanne, Chew Siew and myself had decided to go back to block R to get some stuff before heading home, and after getting our stuff.. surprise! we bumped into Zelda!

Apparently, she was wearing a bright yellow t-shirt with Spongebob's face inprinted on it. I'm fine with the shirt, except maybe it's a wee bit too tight y'know?

I don't want to get into the whole tight-t-shirt thingie.

So Joanne just piped up and said 'Spongebob!', which caused Zleda to go 'What????' as though someone was attacking her on her choice of t-shirt.

Anyhow, the ruckus that ensued from Zelda could clearly be heard from the other end of block R, which I might add.. is unnecessary noise, which I'd be quite annoyed with.

What's up with her big gap anyway? Anybody having a clue and might have the reasoning to answer that?

I just don't get her... and don't wanna get to know her anyway.


Cheers,

Crawldaddy

Beer Drinkers And Hell Raisers

Hmm.

Ever heard of the word 'plagiarism'? Think along the lines of piracy, illegal copying and then you've gotten yourself the right idea.

Ok, I'm sure all of us (at least most of us) are culprits of plagiarism, be it photocopying illegal amounts of info... downloading free music from the internet... but surely you'd wish sometimes you had something original?

I am a guy who does his own things in class, without the substantial influence from my immediate peers, but rather from my lecturers, close friends and maybe the seniors. If I do have a question to ask, or problem I would like to discuss, I wouldn't have any qualms to ask you.

However, I am aware that not everyone is as direct, even slightly confrontational at times, as myself.

During my previous semester, I had come up with a design for a box to package my clay model. This design was derived from those handphone packagings which come with those nice, suave graphics printed on the outside. This infamous box provided me and Alvin about roughly a couple of hours during certain days to flex our 'goalkeeping' muscles. And of course, it was this box design which caused Zelda to quote her much more infamous 'My face is worth millions!!!'.

Right.

It came as a sort of inner pride to have come up with a good box design: it worked well, was sturdy, relatively easy to cut out and fold, and it was just so solid by itself without any glue.

Then came the moment of surprise.

This same box came as the ice-breaker for me and Sabrina. Previously, Sabrina had looked upon me the same way you'd look upon a soiled child who smelled like something funny. Apparently, this change in behaviour towards me had only one obvious goal: to learn from me how to make my marvelous box.

I'd have to say that Sabrina had some balls to speak with me as I wasn't particularly impressed with her classroom antics, which would often make me do a running commentary:

(Dream-like): 'Ladies and gentlemen, if you would look on your right, this is the orang-utan enclosure, yes, listen to that din! Isn't it amazing how powerful their vocal tracts are?'


So since she was very nice and courteous, of course I'd have to return the favour by being nice in return and then demanded what the hell she wanted from me. I had smelt a rat by then.

So after a few tries to explain to her how my box design worked, I eventually dissected my box and showed her the inner calculations etc. i was very careful to give her only very sketchy ideas.

At the end of the day, no matter how hard she tried, her box still looked like shite, even though she had borrowed the idea from me. I have to say it made my box look even better without trying.

Yesterday one of my other classmates tried to copy my latest box design. This box design was intended for Melissa and myself to use as a packaging for our stool model, and since Melissa had disppeared for two weeks in a row, I had already finished the mock-up, and so I worked on the packaging.

The end result was pretty spectacular: it was even more sturdy than my previous box design due to it having a seperate cover and base.

What galls me the most is that the bugger tried to copy my design, and then skulked away while trying to look innocent after discovering that i had designed it. If you think about it, Sabrina had more dignity, but lesser ego to ask me directly, and showing me that she had intended to copy my design.

With this lousy bugger, all he is showing me is his ability to sneak off with ideas and hopefully gain an advantage over others. However, when he did show the box to his senior, I casually mentioned that two groups using the same box design would be very boring. I suppose they heard the warning in my voice:

'Stay away from my box design or I will pull your bloddy arms out!'

Not to mention this was the same idiot who said no one liked my music, and then switched over to his mandarin pop. With the bugger singing over it intentionally out-of-tune.

Yes, i am a sucker for theatrics. but that does not mean I will stand by and allow somebody to pull the carpet from under my feet.

There is a saying: if the americans invent something, the russians will steal the plans before it is finally unveiled, and announce it as their own. the next day, the japanese will have announced their improved version of it.

So people, remain original, and if it ain't good enough... work harder.


Cheers,

Crawldaddy

Sick Again

Hmm.

I woke up in the middle of the night this morning with some kind of hugantic throbbing in my head. And thanks to that wonderful feeling, whenever I tried to get up, my head would feel as heavy as an anvil. Also, if I do manage to get up, the anvil-sized head of mine would cause my body to sway from side to side... and almost narrowly hitting the edge of my room door.

Arrrh! I'm tired of falling ill... to some extent, it has it's benefits: I haven't finished my Comm Skills assignment which was scheduled to be handed in today. This is a sever mismanagement of time on my part... also due to the fact I have not much time, and my other comm does not have Microsoft Word.

Anyhow, there's still a slight throbbing in the head, but my mind is very clear now, tnak you very much. i also just sent an email to my Comm Skills lecturer, Paul Tan. It involved the explanation of my absence today, and hopefully he will have read it before class starts at 10am.

Wish me good luck...


Cheers,

Crawldaddy

Going Blind once in a while with them hanging around

Hmm.

I recently had lunch with Alvin and the four girls, and as I sat down to eat my lunch, something caught my eye which caused me to close my eyes really tightly and clear my mind before saying grace.

Apparently, there was a girl sitting right behind Alvin, with her back towards me. The issue wasn't that of her behaving weirdly etc but one simple thing to which I'm going to refer back to Steffo's blog.

I could see the top of the split between two bits of her rear anatomy. So I just sat there and tried to concentrate on my lunch and engage in conversation with the others, but the fact that she just kept fidgeting in her seat, and the fact that it was absolutely distracting didn't make matters better. That just resulted in me glancing, at whatever it was being revealed, uncontrollably.

I just don't get it. No offense, but ladies... but y'all dress so alike nowadays with your anatomy hanging out it gets too distracting for us straight guys. At most we try not to stare, and try to be polite but I think I'll speak for myself by saying:

Please cover up if you do not wish for unwanted attention. There is only so long we can keep our eyes closed before we bump into somebody's anatomy.

Of course, this only applies to a certain, special group of people and the decently clad may be excused. But do not get wrong by thinking that I'm such an old-fashioned dude.

True, I listen to oldie rock-and-roll, styles which came about before 1980 is my game, and I'm quite conservative. Ok, I'm not that conservative.

The simple truth is, if you wish to make a good first impression, at least do not appear as a badly-wrapped person who doesn't know how to dress appropriately. Try a time-tested dressing code: shirt and jeans. It's only poly, not a flying fashion parade.

Oh, and I played a joke on Sian Lee today! I managed to make her believe that she had something sticking to her lip while she was eating her McDonald's burger:

C: 'Sian Lee...' pointing to upper lip, meaning that something was stuck there.

SL: 'Ahh!!!!' using burger to hide face while attempting to remove offending particle.

C: 'Only joking!!! There was nothing there!! ahahahaahah...'

SL: 'Ahhh!!!........' obviously very pai seh.


Oh well, stayed back with Alvin to choose fonts for his graphics assignment.. I felt so like Simon Cowell by rejecting prospective fonts while Alvin scrolled down the choices. i was also eating at that point in time, when Helena came in with Jessie. So I suppose she was trying to block out the noises of disregard coming from yours truly with my mouth half full.

It just so happened the last time I talked to Helena was before the Chi Wing Lo 'Repose' talk, and I was halfway through a choc bar, and I was waving it around like some conductor's baton.

Needless to say, she hasn't spoken to me ever since.


Cheers,

Crawldaddy

Musical Interests at conflict

Hmm.

There is a room known between a few people within Block R known as the 'Chiller'. simply because it's cold, and also due to the fact that it is one where your musical tastes are ruthlessly stamped upon by your unfeeling classmates.

i was playing my AC/DC albums through the speakers in the chiller when I was visited by Alvin.

naturally, he felt very, evry uncomfortable, and that's when he decided to plop in his MP3 player after one of the albums finished. Before that happened, while the album was playing, one of my classmates asked me whether she could plug her MP3 player in because she wanted a change in music genre.

I said no, due to the simple rule of thumb that: since I arrived first, and I was her class rep, therefore i had some power over her involved. So she gave me a dirty look and insulted my music by saying that it was very noisy.

Ok, first and foremost, AC/DC rocks, not a band that just produces noise. If you have a problem with that, go and listen to it and tell me you can't hear the damn rhythm. Then I'll be telling you to clean out your ears.

Today, I managed to get hold of the speakers and I decided to play The Rolling Stones, which in short, is a tamer version of AC/DC. Anyhow, my other classmate came in:

Classmate: '(My Name), I want to change the music... I don't like your music ok?'

C: '...'


What the fock! What about my music tastes?!! If you don't like my music, go and suck cock! What damn would I give if you don't like my focking music? It's mine! I came here first, and you have no damn right to take my freedom of expression away no matter how you hate it. What would you think I thought of your music? Has it survived as a classic through the decades? Have those insignificant taiwanese 'artistes' received cult status the whole world over? Have your 'idols' sold over 50 million albums even grouped together as a collective force?

If all the answers are nay... then I do believe the quality of music to which I listen is much higher than yours.


Cheers,

Crawldaddy

Art Materials and them being Way Too expensive

Hmm.

Ok, first and foremost, being a design student isn't just all about drawing and colouring things and objects we conjure in our minds. We take into account what appeals to people, what works well and of course, what sells.

The thing is, it's bad enough we have a packed schedule, freakily pressurising lecturers who load homework on us like (obviously) nobody's business, and then we have to spend astronomical amounts of cash just getting the materials we desire.

Take our Copic rendering markers for example: they come from Japan, and hence, it is Art Friend's brilliant idea to charge more than 4 bucks per marker itself, and 7.50 for the bloody refill.

What the fock, man.

I mean, yeah fair enough, japan's like the birthplace of manga art and all that load of horseshit, but to bring this kind of bullcrap on us, prospecting designers-to-be, charging us through our noses while we can't even get a decent part-time job and then making sure that we'll have to be back for more due to the 'requirements' made by our lecturers to buy these certain products etc.

Also, the markers are so hard to refill, i wasted like a fair amount of Special Black 110 refill by accidentally pouring some onto my finger, so 20% of my fingers on my left hand are blackened. But the cause of the need for the markers to be refilled shall not be discussed in case Bei Zi feels guilty.

Patrick is one guy whom i do believe needs to learn how to take bullcrap. Yeah, so what if my classmates and myself can't deliver stuff that's up to your bloody standard? We're just starting out, not full-fledged professionals, or we won't be here listening to your incessant remarks and snide comments.

Students like us do not ask much, just proper guidance and advice, not the shit you put on us like asking us to find things out for ourselves while you take your kopi break and we can't even find the damn reference book you put into such importance.

if you wish to gain our respect, first respect our needs.


Cheers,

Crawldaddy

Patrick's Stuff... and The Murky Waters Of Songwriting X

Hmm.

Whoa, it's been four days since I last blogged.. it's all thanks to the only other well-operating computer in my home.. which has broadband access, and it recently crashed out, due to reasons unknown... So I'm using my usual com using dial-up to blog now, since I'm sure some of you are wondering why it's been a while.

Oh well, I'm just drowning in Patrick's stuff, i have to pull out 40 pages of sketches with full rendering... and so far I've done a grand total of... 2

yes, I'm so procrastinating and distracted by everything around me (the computer is the main culprit) following a creation of a New Song!!!

titled 'It Ain't Much (But it Sure Is Something)', I suppose it's one of the longest titles I've ever given to a song of my own composition. It's (unintentionally) about people nowadays who just go about their daily lives and not taking any time out to fully appreciate what's around us... essentially the beauty of life.

I suppose it isn't difficult for me to put words to songs, but just finding the right tune... right sequence of chords. Open House recently was quite an interesting experience for me as it was two days in a row having the girls in the guitar club bringing their guitars and just allowing me and alvin to fool around with them (the guitars). It was fun, trying to teach them how to play 'Nothing At All', winging out 'Dark As A dungeon' without knowing what the next chord might be.. and most importantly of all... finally learning the chord sequence of 'Yesterday' by the Beatles.

Oh, and finally, Melissa and I managed to proceed with our V.I. assignment, with much of the credit going to yours truly, simply because up to now Melissa has only produced low-grade sketches whereas i have not only finished the corrugated board mock-up (On Melissa's behalf) and also the prototype of the packaging.

Not bad for a year-one student whose main role is to sketch and do graphic work. At least when I called up Melissa two days back she told me to take a breather, to which i kindly declined.. why not? i mean, I've done so much and now I'm going to let up? Not a chance! If it is neccessary, I will do more than Melissa and grab all the damn credit because i sure as pancakes want it. It's not a partnership as far as she is concerned ever sicne the beginning, so I'm going to give her her due treatment.

Ah, I'm just kidding... she wants to let me take a break, fine, but I'm still keeping my eyes open.


Cheers,

Crawldaddy

Open House!

Hmm.

Open House NYP is tomorrow! come on down to visit our booth (which sells t-shirts) on the second floor, right outside the CCA boards.

Anyhow, I'm so tempted to bring my acoustic guitar tomorrow and just sit there and strum the whole day away (I've gotten leave from Ayob's classes and that means Melissa's got to do all the hard work, yeah!!!) and laugh contemptuously at those people in the guitar club who can't play for nuts (which tends to exclude the four girls in Alvin's class and of course Char).

I'm also waiting to unveil my acoustic version of AC/DC's 'Highway To Hell', which sounds kinda funky on my acoustic. But that doesn't mean I'll forget the old stuff... i'd probably be doing a better version of 'Leaving On A Jetplane' than those ensemble people.

We'd be doing 'Libyan On a Jetplane'!!!


Cheers,

Crawldaddy

Brother Dearest III

Hmm.

Urgh.... I have just come back from NYP, after helping Jace try and understand how to render her handphone drawings better. Actually it was more like a suan-ing session, with yours truly frequently using the terms 'Cannot make it, lah you!' 'Oei! Look ah!' and an assortment of subtle hints at her to pay attention instead of sleeping or chatting when it was she who first asked me to 'perform' a rendering for her...

Anyhow, as I sit here typing, there goes my older brother belting out one of his favourite songs 'Come What May', off the Moulin Rouge Soundtrack (can you feel my skin crawling?).

Ok, first of all, I do have something against my brother: his eclectic musical tastes and tendency to come back from Army laden with teeny-bopperish/hip-hop/punk-whine CDs every week is bad enough.

Then he starts playing them on my dad's state-of-the-art Bose sound system (of which I only take up one out of six CD slots) at very high volumes, but that's when the fun begins. He then starts singing louder than the bloody music itself. That's why I thank God for AC/DC, which is something useful for keeping the bad noise (barely) out.

I mean, ok fine, he's from a Choir background, but he was never really any good, and then he goes off and tries to pose female divas like Celine Dion (she's good), Mariah Carey (before the hip-hop transformation), and Whitney Houston (not that bad either) and ends up no better than Sly.

Man, it sure is pretty bad, but what's there to pity right? when you see a bloke like me putting on the earphones to block out the off-key parts and sudden gagging due to his inability to reach the high notes. I just pray his musical tastes will mature due to his phase in the Army, where he might hear some real music. But yet again, he's a chart-watcher, so nothing much can slip past his fingers.

AC/DC rocks!!!


Cheers,

Crawldaddy

ZZ Top tops them?

Hmm.

I've recently discovered this band called ZZ Top, though I have heard of them a couple of times. It really does help to have a free p2p programme to let you download stuff and thereby hear music you'd never dare to buy right off the shelf.

Anyhow, ZZ Top, a Texas band, just brings country-blues and wierd-yet-funny lyrics to higher levels, top that off with the two excellent guitarists sporting identical beards which have been de-riguer ever since they started sometime since the '60s.

Just mentioning the song 'Tush', which literally means the butt, check out the lyrics: 'I ain't asking much, I said Lord, take me downtown I'm just looking for some tush'. The songs are just typical country-rock rolled in with blistering guitar solos and simple chugging accompanying guitar. I can't even hear the bass.

Yet again, you can't really beat stuff from AC/DC, with song titles like 'Big Balls' which have loads of double-meanings.


Cheers,

Crawldaddy

Pop Tart

Hmm.

I'm supposed to do a presentation for Patrick on Pop Art. Oh, and guess what, it's supposed to be handed in tomorrow. And I still have no clue what I should throw in.

What the bugger is Pop Art? I have borrowed two books from NYP's library on the subject, but all it can show me is the development of the Pop Art movement, not the reason for it's development and how it developed to such distinct flavours... I am truly puzzled by this art movement.

The thing is, i have always considered the bulk of Modern Art as simply 'Crap'. Pop Art is not much of an exception... I cannot feel the emotion evoked by some people's works, and then it becomes labelled as art... which i do believe is something which has substance, but all I see most of the time is bullshit.

Maybe if I try and opened up my mind, maybe I can see beyond the crap and maybe extract some meaning from the stuff within. Maybe.

I just hope whatever presentation Patrick expects of us tomorrow won't have a stringent criteria.... five minutes isn't alot to talk about... maybe I can work to that advantage.

Yeah... wish me luck.


Cheers,

Crawldaddy

Coughing it up.. *hack*

Hmm.

I've been coughing the whole day for at least three days since I first fell ill. I just don't know what the bugger is wrong with me.

To top it all is the fact that I have a throat ulcer... not very nice indeed.

I was working today, as per norm at the Convention centre where I was working at a high tea function. The occasion was the graduation ceremony for University Of Manchester (external degree) graduates.

The thing about it was that I was very busy clearing plates when I suddenly felt a hand being placed softly upon my shoulder. i thought it was just some guest wanting me to clear away their used plate. But I got the mother of all shocks:

It was Garry Tan (my 1st semester studio project lecturer).

Garry's a very colourful guy, he's just plain jovial to put him into a simple tense. And he's really a decent bloke to talk to.

So I got a pleasant shock that as I was working, all dressed up in my work clothes, and up comes my NYP lecturer who places his hand on my shoulder and says

'How's it going?'

C: 'Um.. fine... enjoying the food?'

G: 'I'm going to attack it right now!'

Yeah, he's a fine guy. Afterward, as I was less busy, he was gathered with his friends and introduced me (I'm dressed a waiter, remember) as his first-year student.

His friends nodded and smiled.

Then they passed to me their dirty plates.

Righto.

The rest of the event included Garry asking me whether he could take away some of the food ('I luuurvve the brandy fruit cake! I want to get the recipe!') and when i asked him whether he was serious.. he declined, before saying

G: 'I'm just full of rubbish'

C: 'I don't doubt that one!'

that sent both of us laughing, right in front of my colleagues who stared at me in amazement.

Then as Garry left we said goodbye, and see-you-on-monday, when my colleagues asked me how I knew they guy. Telling them that Garry was my lecturer wasn't that bad... it was just the fact that we were talking so openly etc that made them so amazed. I suppose my Crawldaddy side has never been exposed to them yet. You know... the style I tend to get into.

Yeah.... work ended one hour earlier! so I got one hour's pay for no extra labour! that means three plates of Chinese-lunches! And then I have to eat Mcdonald's for ergonomics project... argh... brain-pain!!!


Cheers,

Crawldaddy

The Board of the Lizard and squeamish girls

Hmm.

Today, I received the 'blessing' of Ayob to carry on with my material, form & perspective project, which involves a coloured (and textured) piece of MDF board serving as the base, and sticking some 3d forms or shapes atop the board itself.

Last night was a torrid affair, with me just staying up late listening to John Denver and cutting cardboard and sticking them onto mock-up models.

So I came into class on time and was surprised to see no Ayob, and sat down to do some serious work after a small chat with my classmates (yes, I am attempting much more to socialise).

I just cut up more corrugated board when Ayob came in to give us a pep talk, and then set us loose to do our work by ourselves, but he was also seeing my classmates and inspecting their work and progress. I was just busy finding a plug in the bloody studio which worked (all of them couldn't yield any electricity). In the end, I had to sit outside the damn studio and use the hot-glue gun to join my creations together: nothing much, just pieces of corrugated board stuck on top of another corrugated board with some pattern drawn atop.

When my turn came, I just did what i was best at: inprovisational crapping. Basically, improvisational crapping is all about lying about what you have done for homework, but finding loopholes in your work to give it a sense of meaning and thereby persuading your lecturer to see the sense it makes and hopefully he will be fooled.

Oh, and guess what, it worked! I was the only one in class whose work received Ayob's 'autograph', and a word of 'proceed!'.

Oooooooooooooooooohh yeah....


Then came the real work, my idea was to draw out a pattern on my MDF board, cover the pattern in PVA glue, cover it in sand and allow the sand to stick to the PVA glue.

First of all, I had to get the PVA glue. From Hee Kiah. It was kinda like signing in at work, or even like going through customs, as he had to record down my name, take a good look at the date, take a good look at yours truly before nodding curtly and smiling indulgently, possibly at his poor sense of memory. He would then paste the post-it note containing the relevant info right at the upper left-hand corner of his desktop's screen.

The PVA glue applied (not too unelegantly, I took more than an hour), I proceeded to the workshop where I applied the sand. That's when the fun started.

I was applying sand, when suddenly, a lizard appeared out of nowhere (I suspect the sand itself), and dropped onto my work, and smack into the PVA glue area. Giving a shout of 'Holy Crike!!!', Jace, who was nearby, tried to pose Alvin and said 'Where??'.

So Jace, and a friend of hers, Bei Zi crowded round to see what the commotion was as I implored the damn creature to stop moving. Eventually, it decided to ruin my work, and started to wriggle here and there. i was determined not to allow this bugger to raise cain on my masterpiece, so I took a pair of protective goggles, and used the end of the earpiece to flick it away.

Guess where the lucky bugger decided to go? I flicked it right at Jace and Bei Zi (unintentionally). Needless to say, they both dived apart and screamed in horror.

Both: 'Yiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!!!!!!!!!'

Both: 'Errrrhhhh!!!!!!'

Both: 'Arrrrhhhhh!!!!'

Yes, they are both very squeamish girls.

In the end, the search as to whether the unfortunate creature had landed somewhere in their clothes, hair or was snugly wrappped in their undergarments (can you feel their collective shudder?) was solved as Jace discovered it being trampled upon (unintentionally by yours truly) and lying dead on the workshop floor after five minutesz of shock and horror still hadn't worn off.

Drama over, I couldn't help chuckling at Jace whenever she looked at me... then she would rush over and try to hit me, which I retaliated by threatening to spray her with sand. All the while informing me that I was laughing at her.

Well, it was funny... just imagine two girls screaming in shcok as a tiny little lizard pelts their way, being flicked from the end of a goggle's earpiece by Crawldaddy, Base Master Of Classroom Treachery (inspired by LOTR, original Volume).

Ah, well, I managed to finish off my base, dust off the sand, and finish it with one coat of black paint.

The result was spectacular.... man, I will post a picture of it when I can. It looked like something springing out of a contemporary japanese garden architect's drawing board. Only much more sinister, yet beautiful.

Oh well, I'll just congratulate the two girls on giving me a good laugh and Jace for keeping my wits alive by trying to hit me...

Cheers,

Crawldaddy

A Rush of warmth to the Class

Hmm.

I was absent on Tuesday, and I had received one phone call from Grace, who inquired about my absence, before inquiring about my health. Valerie also smsed me, before I phoned her up to speak on lighter matters.

However, the wierd thing remained was that when I came into class yesterday, almost all of my classmates asked me why I was absent yesterday.... and some also seemed concerned. No feeling of disdain whatsoever, I was just so surprised that all of the sudden my classmates cared for me... even Keri asked me. Of course I wouldn't have expected it, much less her even noticing it.

Then came when i needed to get some hot-glue sticks, and Hee Kiah managed to procure some for me from the store, but as I followed him into the store to get it, instead of just waitign outside, he started to give me those man-to-man talks.

HK: 'You were absent yesterday is it?'

C: 'Yeah'

HK: 'How come your classmates didn't know where you were?'

C: 'Umm... I dunno, I suppose I was too sick to tell them'

HK: 'Oh.. See, when i asked them where you were, I was kind of mad that they didn't even know where you were! That's when I asked them further about you... and then one of your classmates said that they didn't even know you that well'

C: 'MmmHmm...'

HK: 'Yeah... What's more you're the class rep, you have to work harder to socialise with you classmates, especially when they keep telling me you talk to Alvin more than your own classmates..'

C: 'Ok'



Here's the deal: the reason why I talk to Alvin more is because both of us have the same brainwave patterns, and at least I can joke more easily with Alvin, we play songs together, and we help each other out, watching out for each other. Also, it isn't a part of me to not speak to anybody... in fatc i like to socialise, but it's also a partial language barrier when I speak English (non-too unprofoundly) like five hundred times more fluently than mandarin.

I like my classmates, i also like my privacy. It's just an inherent quality of myself to stay quiet when I am working, just as much as I just can't help banging my head, pumping my fist (when I am really spiked) listening to AC/DC.

Just realise, my dear classmates, you guys love it on your own, I'm kinda like a loner. i don't wish to become a sore thumb, and ruin your conversations by speaking out of point etc. I just feel out of place in your company, no fault on your part.

And I want to thank those who cared about my health... thank you. Let's get over it soon enough.


Cheers,

Crawldaddy

Melissa, Melissa, Melissa.....

Hmm.

How many more times will it be,
well before I say pleasantly to thee
gerroff beyatch, I don't want you anymore...

It seems like a one-handed affair
and I know as I sketch, you'll be fingering your hair
so why don't you find a way outta your bore?

At times I feel like being nice
but squashing my pleasantries will have a price
just do not believe I will be taking it no more

And as I cut the corrugated board,
I silently prayed to the lord
for willpower as my fingers turned out quite sore.

But for the time being, I will forgive you
for I'm not in the mood to neck-wring you
and for the record it'll frankly be quite a chore.

In the event you do really test me
I shall not hesitate to break down the levee
Just remember, violence for me will never be ever uneasy.


hahahah, hope you like that one.

Man, I spent literally the whole day making the mock-up stool for my V.I. project. Oh, and by the way, the mock-up was supposed to have been done by Melissa.

I came for class right on time, and waited for melissa to appear. By 9:30, I knew something was amiss, so I decided to proceed on the graphics for the presentation board. However, realising that the more important thing to show Ayob (my V.I. supervising lecturer) was the mock-up stool.

I suppose after reading my previopus posts on melissa, you would'nt have blamed me for not trusting her ability to create a proper mock-up model. True enough, as I was cutting up the material for my revised mock-up model (corrugated board) one senior told me

'Why you do the mock-up still? yesterday Melissa spent so long just doing it for you, you know...'

Right. So deciding maybe, just maybe Melissa had done her job properly (as in using her initiative to come up with proper dimensions and making sure the darn thing looked like a stool), I went over to her desk, where the senior pointed out her handiwork to me.

I almost chocked with disgust (yet again). That thing on her desk could have taken no more than half-an hour to cut out, and just five minutes to glue together (she used double-sided tape). I almost couldn't bear to pick it up and see whether it worked. Ha ha... it didn't.

So it came as no surprise that at about 4pm, after roughly 7 hours of designing/cutting/joining, I came up with a much better mock-up(full-scale, quite steady, and obviously working). Thereby causing Melissa's 'stool' to look like a child's plaything. More like something which you'd give to a dog to chew up, shit on and leave for the worms to devour.

Anyhow, it is only my word you can take, but seriously, when one of my non-V.I.-participating lecturer heard I was partnering with Melissa, he told me he'd pray for me. I suppose there's some hope. i think.

Yeah, it sucks working with Melissa, but I can't blame her for her absence today. She was apparently sick due to her regular 'chiong-ing' at whatever k-box she goes to. I called her up at about 9:50 am this morning, just before I started work on the mock-up:

C: 'Melissa? Melissa are you there?'

M: 'Mmmmmmm????' (imagine a girl saying this going for a steady lower pitch to a higer pitch, and sounding ratehr muffled)

C: 'Melissa, can you hear me?'

M: 'Mmmmmmmm????'

C: 'Melissa, It's V.I. lesson now, where are you?' (I knew that she'd just woke up or something, but I just 'played along'.

M: 'Mmmmmmhhh....'

C: 'So, er, are you coming in later?'

M: 'Mmmmmhhhhhmmmm'

C: 'Ok, I suppose you'd either be phenominally late, or simply absent right?' (I had to give her options you know..)

M: 'Mmmmmmmhhhh'

C: 'Ok, see you around then!'

And I hung up.

Seriously, whenever you have a conversation with someone who speaks just like how Char snores (oops!!!), you'd rather hang the damn person when you see 'em, than try something like:

'Hey... you ok? What happened?'

With Crawldaddy, you know that he'd be swinging at you head with more than one-metre ruler (the longest piece of metal availible in block R). Sure... say your prayers Melissa.


Cheers,

Crawldaddy

What the lousy buggeration

Hmm.

Didn't feel well at all last night, and it was absolutely horrible, after dinner. I decided to sleep early, and as I lay down in my bed, the intensity of the headache, erm, well intensified. Also my heart was pumping so hard, it felt as though I was running a 2.4km run at full throttle. I just didn't know what the bugger was wrong with my head.

Morning came, and it didn't make things better, as I thought a good sleep (what good sleep?) would help the pain go away. Anyhow, just slept some more, knowing I'd not be going to school today. Took two panadol tablets after a short breakfast, and then went back to sleep.

I woke up about at 11am, feeling much better: at least my limbs didn't feel like sea jelly, and my head didn't feel like it was as heavy as a firetruck. I feel much better now.

I suppose I'm missing three lessons today: mechanics, ergonomics and marketing. All of which I'm not good at, which makes me feel worse as I know I'd have to work doubly hard to catch up.

Pray for me please.


Cheers,

Crawldaddy

Hung Over... BIG TIME

Hmm.

Man, I was finished with my AutoCAD, went back to Block R and waited for Melissa to come in. While I was waiting, I sketched some stuff for her before hanging around with Alvin (and his unbandaged finger), and sort of chilled with the rest (I was having some mild fatigue and a headache since this morning) of Alvin's class, before I wondered out loud when Melissa was going to come in.

Then Alvin pointed out she was behind me. Ok.

As soon as I called her name, she told me to wait as she exited the studio and came back in five minutes later.

So I proceeded to explain to her how my concept stool worked, as she was the one who was going to make the study model and final product itself. After explaining my ideas to her for fifteen minutes to no avail, I dragged out some corrugated board and cut out some pieces to explain it to her physically.

She still din geddit.

After another ten minutes or so went by, the idea sank in, and I double-confirmed with her whether she really had the idea in her head before rolling my eyes at Alvin and beckoning for him to move into the chiller.

As soon as I entered 'The Chiller', and closed the door, I screamed out loud in frustration. You'd do that if you had spent almost half-an-hour explaining your ideas to a senior who is vain, lazy, unmotivated, and has no real guarantee she'd be spending the rest of her spare time hanging out with her friends and drinking kopi, and instead of doing the model .

We then proceeded to listening to Chris Thiles (I originally thought the spelling was 'styles'), and Alvin's mix of the Ocean's Twelve and original Italian Job soundtracks.

After a while we went back to the studio (we were listening to the songs from Alvin's MP3 player via the speakers in 'The Chiller') due to 'The Cold Ones' making their presence felt.

Ok, then we went back to the studio and had a ball of a time drawing things for Jace and the other girls. Alvin and I just kept doodling stuff on Jace's papers, and almost dried up her paper supply with smiley faces and lame noodling.

Hahahaha.....

Oh, well, managed to share my knowledge of perspective drawing with the girls, and It was fun. I daresay it was so fun I almost for got about my fatigue and headache.

Both of which are now almost killing here as I sit and type this post out.

Pray I don't have a bloody fever. I can't afford to miss one day's worth of lessons.


Cheers,

Crawldaddy

Things about Singaporeans on the MRT

Hmm.

I'd like to talk about Singaporeans on the MRT, something I've only done once since I first started blogging.

Ok.

The thing about Singaporeans, is that they are really one bunch of bored, uninquisitive people who are only attentive and inquisitive at the wrong moments (e.g. when someone drops a pile of plates in the ballroom), and simply cannot care for others. Maybe I'm wrong.

As I take the MRT nowadays in the morning, the train along the North-East Line (NEL) will be packed with commuters, most of whom are taking the train to Dhoby Gaut, and thereafter taking seperate routes.

So I'll be there waiting for the train. if there's a sizeable number of people, they'd be waiting casually as well. When the train comes, three types of personalities emerge:

1. The impatient one.

This person will be the one who stands at the crack of the two doors, elbows at the ready to butt offending obstructing people, and will stop at nothing to enter the train asap.

2. The sideliner (moi).

This person will wait at the side of the doors, wait for anybody who wishes to get out of the train, before entering and trying to take as little space as possible.

3. The gate-crasher.

This person is usually the one who sees that the train has arrived, utter a swear word and rush down the escalator, and throw themselves into the train, and in the process rudely press into people who are standing near the door. Apparently they tend to think that they have very fragrant body smells.


Ok, so the train starts, then come about another three types of people:

1. The 'My-way' bloke/blokess.

This person will stand in his/her place no matter how crowded the train may be, and refusing to give way if anybody wants to pass through. Bastard!

2. The unwilling bull-in-the-chinashop (moi).

Essentially someone who carries a large load either on their shoulders (especially yours truly), but can't help bumping into people with their loads. The term 'load' does not, however, refer to any bit of human anatomy.

3. The nice guy/gal.

This person is the epitome of courtesy, willing to exit the train to facilitate a large number of people exiting the train at one shot before entering again.


However, there are some oddities among these three types:

The hair person.

This person will be usually be fiddling around with their hair, either scratching it, waving it around and sharing their dandruff, touching it self-consciously, or tweaking it while looking at their reflection in the glass.

The handphone/personal gadget addict.

This person will be avidly smsing, playing their favourite ringtones and annoying people, or simply waving around their handphone which is the latest model, and essentially silently telling the surrounding people:

'See my latest handphone? See? See? So nice hor? Want to touch? Cannot! Want to see how good the photos are? Eat crap!'

Yeah, they're a snotty bunch.

The Headphone-toting person. (moi)

Yes, this person just minds his/her own business, and has a passion for early-morning audio pleasure. Nuff said.

Last but not least, The Sleepyhead.

The sleepyhead usually sits or stannds there, drooling is an ocassional thing, and they are the ones who'd go 'SHIT!!!' when they wake up and realise when They are somewhere in Boon Lay when they wanted to go to City Hall.


So I've listed most of the types of odd people who are part of our daily MRT-taking community, but then you want to change to a different MRT line, you'd want to take the escalator, and there'd usually be one stupid idiot standing on the right and preventing people in a hurry from walking up the escalator. This happens everytime.

And on the travellator, there'd also be one person (no offense, but it's usually the ladies, and of course there are guys) who'd be smsing and walking slowly, or just daydreaming, or walking slowly (machiam to the bloody gallows) right down the middle of the travellator.


Man, why don't they just get out of the damn way? And I think alot of people would appreciate an electronic board informing commuters whether the next train has arrived instead of the usual

'Have a nice day!'

That is such bullcrap.

My main point of writing this post is that there are still so many conceited and ignorant MRT commuters out there, I sure wish one day they'd all just learn a very good lesson. Maybe have their ez-link card fall into the gap between the train and the station. That'll teach (or prevent) them from taking the bloody MRT.


Cheers,

Crawldaddy

Poems, Prayers and Promises

Hmm.

I dunno, but it seems like my dreams (at present) of being a songwriter/performer just are so far away. I'm trying to expand my knowledge of musical instruments by diversion from the Guitar and it's affiliates (electric, acoustic, classical, twelve-string, jazz) into stuff like the Mandolin and Harmonica, and so far it's looking ok, not great, but snail-paced progression.

Only a bunch of people know what my true dream is, and I suppose I'll let you guys know right now.

My dream achievement is to play (irregardless of lead or supporting role) in a band, and perform either at Madison Square Garden in New york or The Royal Albert Hall in London (I think).

Yeah, BIG ambitions, but I suppose nowhere big enough capability or musicianship. I just love performing my songs or simply just sitting (or standing) there and sharing music with an audience, you know, just strumming and humming. Some may not realise it, but my mojo in performing is a reflection of my past, and hopes for the future. I'm currently finding ways and means to expand our (Alvin and myself) music to wider audiences, and of course, with a minimal amount of cost. Till today, the small cafe which Alvin and I first played to about five people, and the debate team parties is the only amount of exposure both of us have ever gotten.

But I suppose you have to build it all up, and hopefully gain more, and better material along the way.

It's interesting, the way things work: on one hand you've got Alvin who's this Bluegrass/country fanatic, who plays the banjo (one of a select few in Singapore, by the way), achieved Grade 8 in piano, and performs weekly (i think) for his church. Oh, and he writes some really, jolly good songs as well.

Then you come to me, and you see this Hard Rock dude who thuds his head to Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, The Rolling Stones, Yes etc, whose songs are 80% sentimental/sad-but-true/lovey-dovey. I try to expand my musical capabilities (mandolin, harmonica, violin bowed guitar, wierd sounds e.g. feedback) while just mainly being a layer underneath Alvin. I really enjoy that actually.

And we create some really good stuff, and our live energy is really unparalleled. Humour is rampant, and snide comments aplenty.

What's really funny is that neither of us can really listen to the other's music without turning it down (or completely off) after half a song. Maybe there are some exceptions like John Denver and other assorted choices.

Man, I just love playing with Alvin.


Cheers,

Crawldaddy

Workin' Blues III

Hmm.

As usual, after two days of night work at the convention centre, my legs feel like dried wood. Walking is such a pain, and I can't even bend down to pick up something without groaning like frankenstein emerging from the (whatever-you-call-it) chamber.

Anyhow, I managed to buy the latest issue of 'Guitar Legends', and it features (gasp...) AC/DC!!!!

Yeah, read the compiled articles which 'Guitar World' magazine has accumulated over the years in which AC/DC has made such an impact upon the rock scene world-wide.

Oh, and since the magazine shows you how to play about five or so songs from the band, I've increased my arsenal of rock riffs to include songs like 'Highway To Hell' (which, incidentally is derived from being a band which is constantly on the road), 'You Shook Me', 'Thunderstruck', 'Back In Black', etc.

After buying the mag, I decided to visit the National Library Board's book sale at Suntec City, but I was so disappointed by the type of books availible. Under the section of 'Adult, Non-fiction', 70% of the books were travel guides like 'The Essential Guide To Scandanavia' or 'Two Weeks In Portugal' etc. What the crap (literally)!

I've still got a shift later in the evening, and I'm now trying to complete my Comm Skills Elearning homework, just the bits that Paul Tan hasn't covered in lessons yet. Yes, I'm very kiasu, but so is everyone in my class.

Anyhow, I'll just carry on with my Comm Skills, and maybe some Mandolin jamming later (if mum permits, but I don't care).


Cheers,

Crawldaddy

Messin' With My Blues

Hmm.

As of lately, I find that there's something very wrong with myself: I get very sleepy easily and I easily feel cold e.g. after a bath etc.

I dunno, cuz I was freezing during AutoCAD, and all I was wearing was a t-shirt, shorts, and sandals. What's more, everyone else was more decently wrapped compared to my 'Chalet' style of dressing that day. Oh, and the room was bloody cold.

Maybe it is the signs of poor health: I barely exercise (like going to the gym once a fortnight), although I technically ride my bike to the MRT everyday. that's only five minutes of knee-buckling car-evasion.

I helped Alvin get his lamp going yesterday, then quickly moved on to the Convention Centre for my 6pm shift. I also managed to find a new job (application still in the works) through one of my classmates. Work yesterday wasn't that all bad, actually it was much better than what I would have anticipated.

Another sign of bad health: I'm limping with a bad left hip and sore calves. Maybe that's just the cycling and rushing around at work.

If you guys have better health-management 'systems', please suggest some, I'm getting quite cold just sitting here. Oh, and nothing too elaborate please. Thanks.


Cheers,

Crawldaddy

Mints and faulty equipment...

Hmm.

I have to say I'm almost addicted to Fisherman's Friend mints. I do believe some people can't really take the amount of 'bite' or 'spice' involved while taking a one of them, but frankly, I quite enjoy the experience.

So the thign about myself is that I wear braces. One of the main reasons I take mints is to reduce (and completely annihilate) bad breath as a result of maybe a lunch involving alot of garlic or pepper.

And the thing about mints is that they cause male impotency (or so Char told me), but so far, I've only heard that being applied to Menthos sweets, not Fisherman's Friends.

Anyhow, the equiment is still functioning as smoothly as it has ever done. Not that the equipment has taken a beating or anything. Please forgive me if you take offense.

Actually, I've yet to let Alvin try some of those mints. Oh wait... I forgot.


Cheers,

Crawldaddy

The thawing of the cold ones?

Hmm.

In Alvin's class, there a bunch of girls whom I tend to dub as 'the cold ones', simply because, well, erm, they are quite cold actually.

So it happens that yesterday, after I finished cutting my MDF board and went into the studio, I bumped into one of them.

C: 'Hey, going home?'

Gal: 'Yeah,'

C: 'Ok, bye.'

Gal: 'Bye.'


Fine, maybe that doesn't really count as thawing the ice, but seriously, any conversation like that (if that can be really considered a conversation) would never have taken place last semester. Anyhow, I was just surprised that she even talked to me, let alone answer. Whoa.

Ok, then came today, I was helping Alvin borrow a pair of safety boots from the seniors, and as we were wandering around, looking for seniors who might be friendly enough to lend us their safety boots, it just so happened that Alvin looked pretty perculiar.

The fact that Alvin was wearing shorts doesn't really matter, but as he had his dustcoat on, which fell to his knees, he had the distinct expression that all he wore was just that crumpled dustcoat and saftey boots albeit an English soccer streaker. Maybe a factory streaker.

So there was another of the cold ones there laughing at how ridiculous Alvin looked, and she pointed this out to me.

Gal2: 'Look at how silly he looks... look...'

C: 'yeah, makes you think of something right?'

Gal2: 'Yeah! (laughs)'

C: 'Like those flashers right?' (makes motion of opening an imaginary dustcoat to reveal god-knows-what)

Gal2: 'hahahahaha'


Yeah, the world is a pretty funny place. I would have thought 'the cold ones' would have steered clear of people like Alvin and myself, because I am so lame (I really can't say that for Alvin), and really loud.

I dunno, maybe it isn't the thawing, but just the fact that what we both did (and said) something which is really funny in order for her to really laugh. I dunno. I just hope they're both thawing.

Oh, and I accompanied Sian Lee from Block R to Dhoby Gaut MRT. All I can say is that there was alot of laughing on her part. She was just so hyper.


Cheers,

Crawldaddy

The Legends Of Zelda XI

Hmm.

It's time once again to reflect upon the higlight of the day... making fun of Zelda. Nuff said.

As per usual, I was coming back from debate, had collected my toolbox from the locker, and reached Block R, changed and went ahead to cut my block of MDF (medium density fibreboard... which can be joined together by PVA glue... poly vinyl acry... acry...acetate).

As Alvin was already cutting his MDF board, I decided to pay him a token visit before proceeding with what I needed to do. It seemed everything was as usual in the workshop: everyone was busy at work doing their project stuffs.

So I proceeded to cut my MDF board to shape, and I also managed to sand it down. I had needed to use the drill, but since it was occupied, i decided to talk to Alvin.

We were just goofing around with the two MDF circles I had just cut out, telling each other that the other was wrong when I put the two circles over my chest. A squel of disgust from one of alvin's classmates allowed alvin take over and put the two circles over his eyes. Then I just took them back from him, and clasped them together, forming a 'mastercard'-like shape, and then holding them down loosely with my hands over a 'special' area.

Righto, no comment from the rest except that Alvin said that he might be silly, but he certainly wasn't crude. Absolutely.

All this while, Zelda was trying to interrupt, but I do suppose that fact that no one paid attention to her made things seem out of her control. Thank goodness.

After cutting up the rest of my MDF, I decided to retire to the main studio, where i sat down to eat some of the cake my mum had prepared as a snack for me.

Tijah came in, and i was asking her about her studio projetc when Zelda came in, interrupting things as usual:

Z: 'What's that?'

C: 'Food.'

Z: 'I know.. but what kind of food?'

C: 'Cake'

Z: 'Yah, I know it is cake.. but what kind of cake?'

C: 'Dunno'

Z: 'You are eating it but you donch KNOW what it is???'

C: 'Good food'


Then she went off, obviously defeated in her quest to irritate people relentlessly. And Alvin came in soon after.

C: 'Finished?'

Al: 'Yeah, so what you intend to do now?'

Seeing that I was already packed (my dustcoat, toolbox etc was already put into my bag), I just said:

C: 'Go home...?'

Al: 'Yeah.. Good Idea!'

C: 'Yeah, before Zelda comes back.. oh, too late...'

Zelda comes back in, and then as Alvin packs up, I decide to hit the nail on the head.

C: 'I've been wanting to ask you, erm, Zelda, when are you going to remove that... that... that thing from the studio?' I was referring to Zelda's incomplete gigantic cardboard wallet which resembled something unpleasant left over from 'Big Wallet Expo'.

Z: 'Oh.. I dunno, maybe I'll have to ask Ayob'

Then I *secretly* told Alvin: 'I don't think it matters whether Ayob's decision will be necessary'

And that just set Alvin laughing. Tijah just kept saying how *bad* me and Alvin were, but I suppose she'd enjoy the joke as much as we both did.

And just before I left, I managed to say...

'Zelda, just one thing, remove this piece of sh*t (the massive wallet) before someone else does... ok?'


Yeah, the thing about Zelda is that she is finally cooling off, (to which I am rather thankful), so do not be surprised that 'The Legends Of Zelda' become less frequent. Just maybe. I dunno. Good stuuf.


Cheers,

Crawldaddy

Rock And Roll Bachallania

Hmm.

Yesterday, as I was slogging it out in the gym (at NSRCC, Changi), I sort of realised the radio station which the gym's twin hi-fi speakers were sounding out was on a programme known as 'Blues Rock Special Hour' or something like that.

Ok, the songs weren't really what I'd call blues rock, maybe just hard rock would be fine. Until something totally unexpected happened.

To my utter surprise (indeed I was so shocked, as I was working the weights, I stopped midway), the radio started playing the mother of all FM radio hits: 'Stairway To Heaven'.

Maybe I was hallucinating (if hearing things constitutes a part of hallucination), or maybe it was just the amount of working out I had done (very little), but for certain, that radio station (most probably class 95) was really, actually playing 'Stairway'.

Why such the big fuss? Oh, ok.... first up, 'Stairway' is one song I have never heard on the radio, throughout my three years since I have first heard the song. Also, 'Stairway' is an 8-minute song, which would burn up a huge hole in a one-hour-slot programme. Finally, 'Stairway' is simply too classy, too aloof to played on normal radio stations.

Hence the term 'Mother Of All FM Radio Hits', even though it was never released as a hit by Led Zeppelin.


Anyhow, I had downloaded about 16 AC/DC songs, and burned them all into a CD, which i was playing during my dinner just now. My mother told me to 'turn off that hi-fi and all your noisy music'. Ahh, what can I say.... my retinue of Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Rolling Stones, Yes, Pink Floyd, U2, and now AC/DC will only serve as a tribute to bands that rock, and will continue to rock till all of us are dead and gone.

Eat dirt, Simple Plan, Hoobastank etc.


Cheers,

Crawldaddy

Kudos To AC/DC

Hmm.

I do believe it's time for me to do justice to one of Rock's greatest rockin' bands: AC/DC.

While some have dismissed AC/DC as rockers as ageing buggers who have no more mojo left in their veins, most people also stay away from them due to their use of the word 'hell' in about several of their song titles, I do believe that their cause for staying away is severely lacking in substance.

Listening to staples such as 'Stiff Upper Lip', 'For Those About To Rock (We Salute You)', 'Highway To Hell', 'Back In Black', 'Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap', 'It's A Long Way To The Top' etc., who would deny the fact that there is only one thing AC/DC is good at?

Rockin', baby.

The thing about AC/DC is that they are able to really make you tap your toes, and shake your heads to the beat by simple, non-complicated song sequences. That is, if you can withstand the pure energy derived from the rhythm of Malcolm Young, the fiery leads of Angus Young, and the growling vocals of Bon Scott.

The beat is right, the groove is rocking, so get down there and pay your respects to AC/DC: godfathers of rock (Led Zeppelin are the Gods of Rock).

Must listen: 'Back In Black', 'Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap', 'Highway To Hell'.


Cheers,

Crawldaddy

Late Nite Meanderings IV

Hmm.

I'm just soooooo damn tired of trying to fool around with Patrick's project which he set for us. I mean, it was fun initially, but then, when the bloody thing refuses to work properly, you can only look at the thing in disbelief and wish you'd spent less time on it.

Just in case you were wondering what I was talking about, Patrick gave my class a project to work on: create a land vehicle which is self-powered by the means of a single rubber band (the normal red one). I thought i had a good idea, but after spending the whole day ( I really mean it, sincew I got up at about 7 am) on cutting out the basswood I specially bought from Artfriend to make the vehicle, and then the whole darn thing just went up in smoke. That's so unfair.

I suppose the main fault in the thing is that the wheels are too small, and too light, thereby not allowing the rubber band's potential energy to take full kinetic energy effect. Ok, enough technicalities.

I'm just so tired sitting in front of my desk, slumped over the wood-chips, drill bits and excess wood material. It seems like I've been dipped in glue and then rolled onto a crateful of sawdust. I think I need a very good kick in the butt with some quality classic rock music. I miss rocking out.

The fact is, I'm now sitting here, typing away while listening to The Darkness. Don't get me wrong, they really rock, but somehow, I'm still a more 'overdrive' person compared to being a more 'distortion' one.

For those guitar-illiterate people, overdrive and distortion are two types of dirty guitar tones, mainly used in rock, punk, whatever. Overdrive is more associated with hard rock, classic rock etc, while distortion is more associated with metal, thrash, punk and stuff like that.

That said, The Darkness are a twin-guitar attack on the eardrums, usually with one guitar in overdrive, while the other is in distortion. Hmm, so much for confusing people huh? At the end of the day, I'm just too classic rock-ish to be a metal head.

I can't wait to get my hands on all of AC/DC's albums, but first, I have to get my cash from work, and then I have to save up, and then I can maybe squeeze out cash for maybe one album by mid-january. It's depressing to sit here and wonder whether I will be able to find time to go downtown to get my cash from work while I worry about all my other project commitments (e.g. V.I. with my oh-so-vain senior, Melissa, who can't draw for nuts).

I have half a mind to put out some concepts with the utmost of my rendering skills and blow her off through the bloody roof, instead of just sitting there and pitying her absymal rendering and drawing skills. I'm one who will not sit around to played with, so I hope she gets her act together pretty soon. I mean, I can't believe my luck: working with an un-motivated, under-skilled, un-challengeable senior. Man, where's the bloody drive? I was hoping I could get someone I could bounce Ideas off, maybe chat over the phone on the concepts and stuff like that.

In the end, all I get is a vain pot whose rendering skills are limited to the make-up brush. and not to mention I do believe I'm at least thirty times more charged than her in any way. Where's her bloody leadership? Where's her desire to get something done right? She's just so darn sloppy. In a way, I was already warned (or congratulated) by my classmates who heard that she was one lazy bugger (or buggress).

I just wish things will smoothen out, and I will take all means and ways to ensure that it is so. You will see the results!

Cheers,

Crawldaddy

A New Year, another chance to have more fun...

Hmm.

It's been an eventful year for all of us, bloggers and non-bloggers alike (depending on how eventful your life has been). However for me, I don't see it as an ending of certain things (one thing's for sure, Zelda still dun geddit), but as a new opportunity to look at life from a positive point of view.

For one thing, I've managed to fulfil (so far it is successful) some of my New Year Resolutions:

01. Devote more time, poly course 70/30 to guitar time (this one no bloody choice).
02. Gain better relationships with classmates.
06. Regain Tina's favour (I think).

Another is the fact that Hey! it is, after all a new year, and instead of fulfilling your resolutions (no matter how few you may have) you can always go rebellion by purposely doing just the opposite and have a wicked o'l time.

Please people, do not do anything illegal and then say I told you to do so. Please, do not do that to me.

Anyhow, I just hope all of you had a good New Year celebration, though I suppose it was somewhat dampened by the Tsunami incident. I just pray something like that will never happen again to such magnitudes. Frightening! Fact is, I just stayed at home and blogged while the countdown went underway.

I think the past year has done some good for myself, and these are the few things:

01. I managed to form a band with Alvin, and creating songs and recording them down.
02. I've strated a new phase in my life: poly life, which means a new environment etc.
03. I've learnt that I do not need to be in a guitar club to improve my style/technique.
04. I went to New Zealand, had a fantastic time, saw the world.
05. Left behind an old, regrettable life by letting Tina go mentally.
06. Started blogging as a form of mental therapy.
07. Songwriting to remove bad moods and help tide over bad times.
08. Realising how wonderful it is to listen to classic rock while on the go.
09. Realising that there can be someone as twisted as Zelda, and reminder to myself to avoid being irritating.
10. Talking all of the above openly will reduce my chances of having a proper social life.

Therefore, I bid thee a good year ahead, and will smite thee with Alvin's 'secret weapon' if thou wishest to be a hard-arse to Moi.


Cheers,

Crawldaddy