Hi guys! Here's my latest vlog: I Don't Look Like KevJumba! Enjoy!
Don't forget to rate, comment, and if you want, subscribe!
Like I mention in the video, I will most probably be working on a video project or two this coming Easter break. So yeah, stay tuned!
May the Force be with you....
Sunday, March 16, 2014
I Don't Look Like KevJumba!
Saturday, February 15, 2014
Marriages in Malaysia
Hey guys!
Check out my latest video production, Marriages in Malaysia, a video aimed at providing a brief explanation of wedding ceremonies in Malaysia, particularly those of the nation's three main races: The Malays, the Chinese, and the Indians. Of course, there are many, many more races in Malaysia (about 90!), not just the Malays, Chinese and Indians. And each of these races have their own unique wedding ceremony, so if you have the time, do check them out, yeah?
This video production was a request from the current Leeds University Union MASSoc (Malaysian and Singaporean Society) President. And as such, "Marriages in Malaysia" was first shown on the 14th of February, 2014, at the LUU Global Community's Event: Cultural Showcase Performance, World Unite Festival 2014.
As a side note, I might be working on a few personal video projects come this Easter break (April), coz' inspiration has come knocking on my door once again. So stay tuned for more videos, folks!
I've been doing great in University so far. The Mechanical Engineering course has been pummeling me and my fellow course mates with loads of assignments and study materials, but we're still standing strong. I just started Semester 2 of the course, and my results so far have been rather satisfactory, to say the least. And that's all that need be said.
I also have found two new things that I like doing during my time here in Leeds: Ultimate frisbee, and clubbing. Teehee [winks]
Well, for now, that's it from me, guys.
May the Force be with you.
Friday, December 20, 2013
Life In University
[ Watch the video on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUFEDV3IRwg ]
'Life In University' represents my very first vlog produced in the UK. I know, I mentioned before that I wouldn't really be making anymore videos once I've started studying in University. But the thing is that Semester 1 of my university course (Mechanical Engineering) is over, and it's the Christmas Break now. Thus, I've got a lot of time on my hands, so I thought, "Why not make a video?". I mean, I ENJOY making videos - There's no denying that. So I grabbed the opportunity to produce another vlog entry.
I took roughly 3 days to produce this video: Approximately 1 day for shooting and filming, 2 days for editing and rendering.
Well, I hope you guys enjoy the video. I might make another video soon, but that depends if I have the time. In fact, I've been tasked by Leeds University's Malaysian and Singaporean Society (MASSOC) to create a video showcasing [insert topic here]. Nope, sorry, I'm not gonna spoil it.
Guess that's it for this update.
Oh, and also, I'll be heading to London on December 27th, and I'll be there til' the 2nf of January 2014. It's gonna be fun, and it represents the opportunity for me to grab some more video clips for my "long-term" video project.
Merry Christmas in advance, everyone!
May the Force be with you.
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Sunway College AUSMAT 2012 - Graduation Video
Watch on YouTube itself: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zdzZPFUhPc
Hey guys! How're you all doing? Good? Good.
I'm doing fine here in Leeds, UK. Enjoying my life as a University Student (Freshman). It's Week 8 already, and November's almost coming to a close.
[PS: It snowed for the first time today. Wee! Well, to be specific, it wasn't actually snow. It was more of a snow flurry (light snow that doesn't accumulate). But regardless, it's a pretty sight!]
Anyways, with respect to the title above, today's 21st November 2013, which means it's been exactly ONE WHOLE YEAR since I graduated from the AUSMAT (Australian Matriculation Program) in Sunway College. Looking back, 2012 was indeed a great year, and I had no regrets choosing AUSMAT as my Pre-University program.
I remember shooting, editing, and publishing the graduation video above for the AUSMAT Student Council of 2012. I remember the moment when the video was first shown during AUSMAT Night last year, 21st November 2012. I remember that a lot of effort, collaboration and cooperation were put into the making of this video. I can clearly remember....
As such, it bears special heartfelt significance to me, both as a Video Editor, and as an alumnus of the Sunway Australian Matriculation Program.
I'd just like to say a big "thank you" to the AUSMAT lecturers, who were always so kind and supportive, through thick or thin, rain or shine, day or night, they'd be there to guide us students. Their dedication knows no bounds. Thank you so much.
Also, to my fellow AUSMATians of 2012, thank you for making my year in Sunway such a special one. Friends may come and go, but good memories last forever. I will forever cherish the memorable moments I've had with my Sunway AUSMAT buddies. Thanks so much for the wonderful memories, guys!
Well, as a side note, I had to re-upload my video, Andrew vs Alvyn III - The Final Lightsaber Duel on YouTube, due to unforeseen circumstances that I don't really want to outline here. Yeah, I know, it sucks. One of my best videos, all the hard work and toil, all flushed down the drain. Dammit.
So if you could, please help me by checking out the video on YouTube. Hopefully then AvAIII could regain its lost popularity! =) [fingers crossed]
Here's the YouTube link: Andrew vs Alvyn III - The Final Lightsaber Duel
Thanks guys! I appreciate it! Really.
Well, that's it for this update.
Til' next time!
May the Force be with you....
Saturday, August 31, 2013
MALAYSIA - My Home
[NOTE: It's better to watch it on YouTube itself. The option to watch in HD is only available there]
To all my fellow Malaysians, selamat menyambut Hari Kemerdekaan Malaysia ke-56! (Happy 56th Malaysian Independence Day!)
I took roughly 3 days to create this video (including script, graphical enhancements and video/media compilation). Edited using Adobe After Effects CS4 and Sony Vegas 11 Pro.
May the Force be with you...
Saturday, August 3, 2013
I'm A Gentleman
Check it out, y'all! I'm a MATO FATO Gentleman! =)
[NOTE: It's better to watch it on YouTube itself. The option to watch in HD is only available there]
PS: Sorry for not updating my blog. I think the last time I updated was centuries ago, so yeah, sorry about that. [Coughs] [Sneeze] Ugh, so much Blogger dust..
I've been kinda busy lately, with my education plans and stuff, so yeah, I don't really have time to log-in to Blogger and blog. But I'll drop by now and then whenever something really, really, REALLY interesting happens, kay?
Anyway, if you haven't yet, check out my latest video (the one posted above), please do, yeah? I'm proud to say that I have not lost my passion for video-making.
Check out my other videos HERE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhypTS37pQ8
Thanks!
May the Force be with you...
Saturday, November 24, 2012
Andrew vs Alvyn III - The Final Lightsaber Duel
I'm pretty sure the title of the post, as well as the picture, are both self-explanatory. I've finally pumped out the third (and final) lightsaber video of the "Andrew vs Alvyn" series of videos.
Yup, once again, I battle against my little brother in a grueling fight to the death. It was filmed on 14 November 2012 at the Swan Lake, Setia Eco-Park, and it took approximately 8 days to complete the video (7 days for special effects rendering and rotoscoping; 1 day for audio, general editing and production). Of course, I used good ol' Adobe After Effects CS4 to render and composite the Visual Effects (VFX), as well as Sony Vegas Pro 11 to manage the sound effects (SFX), background music, and other miscellaneous editorial stuff.
Well, the video details have been listed. So now, let's move on to the video itself, yeah?
Here's the YouTube link:
Andrew vs Alvyn III - The Final Lightsaber Duel on YouTube
You could also watch it on Facebook:
Andrew vs Alvyn III - The Final Lightsaber Duel on Facebook
Well, that's pretty much it.
Oh, I probably won't be visiting my blogspot very often anymore. It's not that I'm lazy or anything. It's just that nothing interesting has been happening so far in my life. And when something interesting DOES pop up, I end being just too busy to actually blog! So I'm not sure if I'll be returning to update this old blog of mine. Only time will tell...
May the Force be with you...
Thursday, August 23, 2012
Chidori vs Rasengan
After being a die-hard "Naruto" fan for so long, it was only a matter of time before I decided to start producing my very own Naruto video project. After all, with the editing power of Adobe After Effects CS4 and Sony Vegas Pro at my fingertips, what's to stop me from fulfilling my fanboy ambitions, eh? [smiles]
And so, I give you "Andrew vs Alvyn - Chidori vs Rasengan"!
The video was inspired by both anime series: "Naruto" and "Naruto Shippuden". The footage was filmed on 11/8/2012 at the Swan Lake, Setia Eco-Park, Shah Alam. I took roughly around 3 to 4 days to edit the entire video. And of course, I rendered and exported the videos in glorious HD (both HD 720p and 1080p).
You can watch the video here:
But wait...
What exactly is a "Chidori", you ask? And what's a "Rasengan"?
Well, if you're a Naruto fan (or if you actually watch the anime or read the manga), then you'd probably know what these things are. But for those who have no idea what the "Naruto" series is all about, then I'm sure you'll just make the simple conclusion that the Chidori is, well, a ball of lightning. And the Rasengan is a round sphere of, uhhh, "swirling blue energy"...
From one perspective, yes, the two statements above are true - But only from a visual (graphical) point of view. The Chidori certainly LOOKS like a ball of lightning, and the Rasengan sure looks like a sphere of swirling blue energy! But in the Naruto universe, it's actually much deeper and more complex than that!
The definitions and explanations regarding both the Chidori and Rasengan are far too detailed for me to highlight here. Instead, if you really, REALLY want to know about the Chidori and the Rasengan in-depth, then please click either one of the links that I've provided below to learn more:
Well, I don't intend to make this post become too long. There's a whole lot of other things I "wanted" to blog about. For instance, college assignments, exams, UniFi, my new handphone (I finally got a TOUCHSCREEN phone! Oh yeah!), PC games and my computer, to name a few. But it's all just too much to jam into one little post. Oh well...
So, yeah, that's all for this update.
May the Force be with you...
Sunday, July 15, 2012
A Serious Insect Sting...
What did I ever do to you, you insect?! I didn't even disturb you, or try to swat you away or anything! I was just minding my own business, getting on with my life, and all of a sudden, you stung me! Of all the people that you could have stung, you just HAD to sting me! Pffft...
[ Sigh ] Well, I guess it's no use complaining. It's just an insect. But whatever this insect was, it sure has some really potent venom. And I'm not joking. What appeared to be a simple insect sting is turning out to be a bit more serious than I expected.
It all started last Tuesday (10 July 2012). I was washing the dishes as usual, when I realised that there was a tingling pain in my left index finger. I analysed my finger a bit more closely, and that's when I saw it: A shiny red bump. And at the center of this red bump, I could see what was undeniably a puncture wound, no bigger than a pinhead. Immediately, I showed it to my mother. And after a while, she concluded that this red bump was caused by an insect sting.
I stood there for a while, speechless. Since when was I stung by an insect? I tried to refresh my memory, but honestly, I just couldn't recall anything that was related to me being stung by an insect! Simply put, I was randomly and unknowingly stung by an insect, without even realising it!
At this point, both me and my mother dismissed this insect sting as something minor. After I finished with my chores, my mother told me to apply antiseptic on the bump (just in case), as well as some anti-inflammatory cream. That's all.
11 July 2012 - The next day, I noticed that the bump had grown in size, and the tingling pain had intensified. Furthermore, the bump was filled with what appeared to be yellow pus. Once again, I showed it to my mother, and unsurprisingly, she told me it was fine, and that the development of the pus was a "normal" thing. Well, her confident statement gave me no reason to panic, so I carried on with my daily life as usual.
12 July 2012 - On Thursday, the pus-filled bump had again increased in diameter, and to my horror, the skin surrounding the bump was shockingly pale and blue. Half of my index finger was now red and inflamed. Frantically, I showed it to my mother (again...). But this time, she realised that things were more serious than she thought it would be. So she decided to bring me to the Setia Alam pharmacy after college to get my finger checked. The pharmacist was sure that this bump was unmistakably caused by an insect sting.
After passing me some cotton swabs, alcohol, and antibiotic cream, the pharmacist instructed me to sterilise a needle using the cotton and alcohol, then use it to puncture the skin containing the yellow pus. Then, I had to squeeze out the pus by applying pressure to the area. I did what she told me to do, and by the end of the day, I had squeezed out almost all the pus from the bump, together with an equal amount of blood. After that, I carefully applied the antibiotic cream.
And with that settled, I thought my finger was finally going to be okay again...
13 July 2012 - I woke up on Friday morning, expecting to see my finger returned to its normal state. Even an improvement would suffice. But there was no such improvement. Instead, the situation just got worse. Much worse.
My ENTIRE left index finger had become madly swollen and enlarged. The tingling pain had been replaced by a pulsating, throbbing pain. And as for the bump, it was now bigger then ever, re-filled with more pus. It was sickening to even think about it. And at this point, I could barely even bend my index finger! Regardless, I applied the antibiotic cream and went to college as usual, fearing the worst.
When my mother took notice of my seriously inflamed and swollen index finger, she was stunned. She quickly took me to a clinic, where the doctor confirmed the seriousness of the situation. He took me into a small room at the back of the clinic, where he, armed with cotton pads, began squeezing out the pus from the bump. The pressure he applied was immense, and the pain in my finger was excruciating. It felt as if my finger was being slowly ripped off! I couldn't help but wince due to the intense pain, and when I braved myself to look at my index finger, I witnessed a horrific sight. There was so much, blood. My blood... Dripping uncontrollably from the gaping wound on my finger. Bloodied cotton pads lay scattered on the table where my hand rested on. I closed my eyes tightly and braced myself, as the doctor prepared to apply even more pressure on the wound.
And then, it was over. As the doctor applied yellow solution and a plaster onto the wound, the pain pulsating throughout my finger continued to throb uncontrollably. I sighed with relief as the doctor showed me the way out whilst talking to me about venomous insect stings, antibiotics, and painkillers...
14 July 2012 - Ever since I went to see the doctor, I finally had some peace of mind. I obediently followed the instructions the doctor gave me, mainly taking the prescribed antibiotics according to the schedule, and sometimes squeezing out some excess pus that may have developed after my visit to the clinic. Overall, Saturday breezed by without much trouble or worries. The worst was over, or so I thought...
15 July 2012 - In the morning, I was squeezing out what I thought was a small amount of pus that developed in the bump. Then my father came to check on me. Apparently, he got stung by an insect too, so I assumed he wanted to know about my insect sting as well.
He noticed that I was squeezing out some pus from the bump. Squinting at my finger, he told me that I wasn't applying enough pressure, so he volunteered to do it for me. And so I let him.
Without much warning, I felt like my finger was being literally crushed! The pain was agonising, almost twice as painful as the pain I experienced at the clinic. Initially, I tried hard not to scream. But as the pressure applied on my finger increased, I couldn't hold it in anymore - I HAD to scream in pain. Once again, blood oozed out from the re-opened wound, dripping uncontrollably from one finger to the next...
As my father went to grab more tissue paper, I stared at my bloodied finger, with the pulsating pain throbbing more painfully than ever. And then the process was repeated. Equipped with more tissue paper, my father squeezed the area around the wound mercilessly and unrelentingly, causing more blood to gush out. I gritted my teeth and clenched my other fist, fighting off the extremely intense pain that erupted from my left index finger.
The thin patch of skin that clung on to the wound finally gave way, and my father offered to peel the dead skin off. Before I could answer, he pulled it off anyway, then he began squeezing again. My thoughts about the dead patch of skin were abruptly interrupted as a new wave of excruciating pain shot through my index finger. As I reluctantly turned to look at my wounded finger, I noticed what seemed to be a small, finger-like projection, emerging from the wound. I asked my father for a tissue, with the excuse of wanting to wipe off the sheer amount of blood accumulated on my finger. As I wiped, I examined the finger-like projection, prodding it cautiously with my tissue. I tried to gently tug it out, but as I did, a sharp pain shot through my finger. Then it hit me - It was actually, believe it or not, a blood capillary! (This was confirmed a while later, when I checked the cross-section of the human finger on the Internet). My mind was reeling, and I began to feel slightly dizzy. I thought it would never end...
Finally, my father declared that the blood coming out of the wound was "dark red" and "clean". He cleaned the wound, applied yellow solution, and wrapped some first-aid gauze around it. The ordeal was over at last...
And so, here I am, documenting the painful and bloody experiences that I have been through for the past few days.
As of right now, the fate of my finger has yet to be determined. It could get better, but it could also get worse.
Only time will tell...
May the Force be with you...
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Halfway Through 2012
Sorry, just wiping off the immensely thick dust layer off my blog. I didn't actually plan to revisit my blog. While I was browsing through my Facebook, lifelessly scrolling down the seemingly endless FB Home page, I stumbled upon a picture of Darth Vader. Then it dawned upon me...
My blogspot -I left it for dead.
Frantically, I keyed in my blog's web URL into the search box. The all too familiar layout of my blog slowly appeared. It was then that I realised how long it's been since my last post. I had ignored my blog for nearly two months - whether willingly or unwillingly, I will never know...
And so, I'm brushing off that two-month layer of accumulated dust.
Well, now that I'm here, I might as well start updating, yeah?
The current month is June, which means half the year has come and gone. It seems like it was only yesterday when I first experienced my first day as a freshman in Sunway College. And now, I'm more than halfway through my Pre-U programme, AUSMAT. And as the year progresses, the amount of college work continues to grow unrelentingly, and it's certainly not getting any easier.
The homework, the tasks, the assignments, the investigations, the assessments, the reports - Everything that was thrown at me, I determinedly conquered. Regardless, my Pre-U course knows no mercy, churning out more and more work for me to complete. But hey, this is what AUSMAT is all about: A year of never-ending assignments designed to instill consistency, perseverance and sheer resilience into the heart of soul of each and every AUSMATian student.
Just when I thought I could have a whole week off ( My semester break lasts from 23/6/2012 to 1/7/2012 ), the AUSMAT curricular outline reared its ugly head, spewing out nearly a tonne of homework onto my poor head. And this homework, is NOT easy stuff:
1. Physics Investigation - Mass Spectrometer, Cathode Ray Oscilloscope, Lightning
2. Physics Report - Resistance in Parallel Circuits
3. Biological Sciences Investigation - Conservation Strategies for an Endangered Species
4. Biological Sciences Report - DNA Extraction
5. Mathematics 3C/3D - Homework + Investigation Study
6. Chemistry - Redox Reactions Homework
Well, at least I've still got "Naruto Shippuden" episodes to look forward to! New episodes ( both in the Anime and Manga ) are released every Thursday each week. It's one of the few things that help to prevent me from being driven to the brink of insanity.
Anyway, moving on...
Let's talk about yesterday, the 23rd of June, 2012.
Besides being the day that marks the beginning of the much-needed, one-week AUSMAT Semester break, I was involved in two important events that occurred on that day:
1. As a Sun-U Ambassador, I provided voluntary service during The Oxford and Cambridge (Oxbridge) Public Speaking Finals and Essay Writing Competition at Sunway College.
2. I attended the Michael Learns To Rock (MLTR) Concert at Setia City Mall, Setia Alam.
Well, the Oxbridge English event was interesting. Besides escorting students from my former school (SMK Bukit Jelutong) to the designated venues around the college, I also got to listen to the speeches of the six Public Speaking Finalists. Plus, I also listened to some excellent talks regarding Effective Writing Skills and Effective Oral Communication Skills.
It was exhausting work, sure. But it was worth it, I guess... Plus, there was free food provided!
As for the MLTR Concert, it was held at the recently opened Setia City Mall, Setia Alam.
Simply put, it was awesome! Need I say more?
( PS. You might have to be "logged in" to Facebook to use the link above )
Well, I guess this is it, for now...
I cannot guarantee I will be returning any time soon to update this blog of mine.
I'll just leave it to the winds of fate to blow me back here when the time is ripe...
Until then, may the odds be ever in your favour,
and of course:
May the Force be with you...
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Ahhh, Biological Sciences...
I haven't updated my blog for nearly a month already... And I think you probably know the reason for this, right? Hopefully you do, so I don't have to blabber about it here...
For those of you who really are completely clueless, here's a little hint - ( Hint: College )
Anyway, my schedule has become more packed than ever. Among all the subjects I've taken, the one that really consumes most of my time would be Biological Sciences. Apart from the usual mountain of homework ( no surprise, really... ), Biological Sciences subjects you to endless hours of research, countless assignments, plenty of report writing, and of course, presentations.
Speaking of presentations, I did have to carry out a Biology PowerPoint presentation a few days ago. For me, I don't really mind doing presentations in front of a crowd. I'm kind of used to it already, since I had to do A LOT of presenting back in high school... I can still remember standing on my school stage, in front of thousands of people, talking about, uhhh, Malaysian Indians...
However, this Biology presentation was a little different. I had to talk about ozone depletion. Simple, no? But here's the catch - I had to talk about EVERYTHING regarding ozone depletion, including its description, history, causes, environmental effects, solutions, examples and/or case study. AND I had to explain about ALL of this in only FIVE minutes!!!
When I knew this, I almost fainted! All my previous presentations didn't really have a definite time limit. And now I was expected to talk about a lengthy, long-winded topic in a mere time span of 5 minutes...
To add to my worries, my computer does NOT have the latest version of Microsoft PowerPoint, not even the 2007 version. All thanks to some annoying virus that infected my PC quite some time ago. So, I had to prepare all my slides in the college library! Every single bit of my free time was used up just to do this! It was hectic...
The night before the presentation, I continuously rehearsed until 12 midnight. I tell you, my throat was extremely dry, and my voice was unbelievably rough and hoarse by the time I finished rehearsing. But thankfully, I managed to clock an average time of around 4 minutes 45 seconds, without compromising too much of my explanation about ozone depletion. On the morning of the presentation itself, donning my good ol' Prefects blazer and leather shoes ( both of which I have not touched for months! ), everything went smoothly, and I'm just relieved that I didn't panic or exceed the time limit of 5 minutes... Phew...
I'm just glad it's over. But this isn't the end. There's another timed presentation coming up, but next time, it's going to be longer, with up to 10 minutes talking time, and 5 minutes of Q&A session! [ gulps ]
And even after the presentation, the Biological Sciences subject is still keeping me on my toes! I have to do a written report regarding the YouTube video "The Living Planet - New Worlds" by David Attenborough. Plus, I've got to study for the Biology Test that's coming up next week... Furthermore, I've got to conduct a field study on "natural ecosystems" and "ecosystems that have been developed by man" as well as produce a report on my field study... [ sigh ] Give me a break!
I guess one of the things that's still keeping me relatively sane is Chess.
Ahhh, Chess!
Every Friday, after my last lesson for the day, I would happily make my way to the College Cafeteria to attend the Sunway Chess Club meeting, gratefully looking forward to a good game of Chess. Besides allowing me to "release some stress", I've met so many new friends, including a guy who was an MSSD Chess representative last year ( Hilariously, he keeps relating me to someone on YouTube called "Kevjumba"! Haha! ).
Anyway, that's all I have to say for now.
I actually have some other "miscellaneous" stuff in my mind, but I don't really consider them to be that significant, and hence, I don't really intend to spend my precious time typing them out...
So, I guess I'll end my post here.
May the Force be with you...
Monday, February 13, 2012
Multiculturalism PSA, in HD!!! Yeah!
I don't really have too much work to handle right now, so I thought I'd use this golden opportunity to update my blog...
But I'm going to make this update really quick, yeah? I've got an EALD report to complete...
So anyway, I mentioned in a previous post that I had to create a PSA ( Public Service Announcement ) as my EALD assignment, right?
Well, the PSA is officially done! And it's really funny too!
And the best part is that it's in HD! Glorious HD! Haha!
Oh yeah, this represents the very FIRST High Definition video project I've ever worked on! I'm so overjoyed!!!
The overall aim of the PSA is basically to instill awareness about "multiculturalism".
PS: Believe it not, I was the script writer, producer, director and editor for the whole PSA! Oh, and I was also the cameraman for several scenes, AND I acted in certain scenes too! Whew! Talk about busy, eh?
Of course, I used Adobe After Effects CS4, good ol' Windows Movie Maker, and a new program: Sony Vegas Pro 11 ( allowed me to export my video in High Definition, HD )...
Sadly, I'm not going to post the PSA here... I don't have THAT much time!
But I CAN direct you to YouTube. I've uploaded it there, and I suggest you watch it there. Then you can enjoy it in HD 1080p.
Ethnic Diversity and You: Why Multiculturalism?
Alternatively, I DID upload the PSA on Facebook, but it's only HD 720p there. But don't worry, it's still HD, right? Haha! Whichever way you pick, I hope you enjoy the PSA! [ smiles ]
Besides that, I had one of the most "heartbreaking" moments in my college life today. Alright, I was actually exaggerating when I said "heartbreaking"! Haha!
In order to pursue my interest in Medicine, I added Biological Sciences to my AUSMAT subject list...
But... But... I had to DROP Mathematics Specialist 3C/3D! NO!!!
Gosh, I actually started to love this subject! [ sigh ] But, what can be done? My heart was literally sinking when I was filling up the "Drop subject" form in Miss Vanitha's office this afternoon.
Oh well, at least I've still got Mathematics 3C/3D! Haha! Currently learning about exponentials now...
Oh, and I also watched the movie "The Blind Side" this morning during EALD class! Well, half of it, actually. I'm going to watch the other half of it tomorrow.
We have to "analyse" the movie and write a whole report about our analysis. "The Blind Side" is based on a true story and stars Sandra Bullock.
Truth be told, when I saw the cover title for the movie, I thought it was gonna be something really sleepy and boring. But then I started watching it, and I took it all back! This movie actually turned out to be VERY interesting! I can't wait to watch the other half of the movie tomorrow...
Well, I think my post is quite long already, so I'm gonna end it here.
That's it for now...
May the Force be with you...
Friday, February 3, 2012
A Busy Week Indeed...
Yeah, I know, I know. I've been neglecting my blog recently. Sorry about that... It's just that the past week has been rather hectic for me. A very busy week indeed...
Hey, like I've said before, college is no picnic!
Nowadays, I spend most of my computer time doing research. And uhhh, maybe using Facebook too, BUT MOSTLY doing research!
Well, it's Friday today. It's finally the end of the week, and I've got a 4-day break ahead of me ( Due to Thaipusam, students don't have to attend college next Monday and Tuesday ). So, I decided that now is the opportune time to blog, since now might be the only time I can actually update my blog before I'm swallowed up in my college work once again...
Oh, and for those of you who were observant enough, you might have noticed that the cursor on the screen has changed from the normal "Windows" pointer to the new glowing "red arrow". Yep, I've changed the cursor, just to make my blog just a little more special... [ smiles ]
Anyway, quite a lot of stuff happened this week, particularly during the last few days...
For English, the current chapter of discussion is "Multiculturalism". We had to write a summary on "The People Of Australia" - Australia's Multicultural Policy ( Which means I had to do loads of wonderful RESEARCH!!! ). Plus, we were provided with an assignment, where we have to work in groups of 3 students, and our assignment involves creating a PSA ( Public Service Anouncement ) video based on "Multiculturalism". I don't want to talk too much about it now, because it's basically still a work in progress...
Besides that, we also had to work in groups of 6 people for another activity. Our task was to read and "analyse" Julia Gillard's ( Australia's Prime Minister ) speech regarding the launch of the Australian Multicultural Council ( AMC ), and do a presentation regarding the principles and moral values contained within her speech.
Two people in my group prepared the mahjong paper, another two helped to uhh, "make the mahjong paper look nicer" by decorating it, and of course, it was up to me and the last member to present the whole thing in front of the class.
I don't know why, but I always tend to end up being the guy who speaks during most presentations. Why me? What is it about me that makes people think that I'm good at speaking during presentations???
Besides that, we had our very first Mathematics Investigation. We had to "investigate" algebraic long division. Basically, we had to learn how to solve algebraic long division problems, find the "oblique asymptote" and "vertical asymptote" of the function, and predict the graphical shape of the final function. We had to learn all this, WITHOUT the teacher's help!
"That's why it's called an investigation..." teacher said.
Well, luckily, I managed to figure it all out, even without the teacher's help... If you want, you can try to "investigate" algebraic long division yourself too. It's all on the Internet. Just don't blame if you get frustrated or anything, yeah? [ smiles ]
And as for Mathematics Specialist, the past week has been mainly about Complex Numbers, Complex Numbers, and more Complex Numbers. "Complex Numbers" is actually Chapter 2 of the syllabus, since Chapter 1: "Polar Coordinates" has already been covered in the previous week.
Given "z" is a complex number, I learned about the modulus of complex numbers ( mod z, or |z| ), the principle argument of complex numbers ( arg z ), Cartesian form of complex numbers ( x+yi, x=Re(z), y=Im(z) ), Polar form of complex numbers ( r(cos
And believe it or not, that's just the tip of the iceberg! There's plenty more where that came from!
And yeah, I joined the Chess Club. Actually, I didn't know that there was a Chess Club in Sunway until today!
It was around 4.30pm. I was making my to the cafeteria to buy a delicious currypuff ( I was SO hungry at the time! ). I saw a few of my friends chatting together at one of the cafeteria tables. As I started to walk towards them, I noticed something out of the corner of my eye.
"Is that... Could it be? Is that a Chessboard?!?!" I thought to myself.
And yes, it turns out that I DID see a chessboard. A group of students were huddled around it, observing a Chess game in progress. Without hesitation, I quickly made my way there. And et voila, I discovered the Chess Club! The meetings are held every Friday, from 4pm until 6pm ( but members do have the flexibility to leave earlier if they have to... ).
And so, I signed up. And finally, finally, after SO many months, I managed to play Chess!!! [ smiles ]
Whew! I think my post is long enough already, so I'm gonna stop here.
I guess that's all for now...
May the Force be with you...
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Happy CNY 2012!
Sorry I haven't been blogging for the past 20 days. Since the start of the year 2012, I've been kept really busy. And when I say "busy", I really do mean "busy"! Haha!
Hey, college life is hectic! Literally tonnes of homework, assignments, and long lectures... Not to mention running around the campus like a crazed lunatic...
Don't get me wrong, I love college life! It's a welcome change from the dreary, classroom orientated atmosphere of government schools which I have been so accustomed to for the past 11 years. Plus, I've met so many new, awesome people in college! [ smiles ]
I'll probably have to take some time to get used to college life though! It takes time to adapt, you know!
But don't worry, I still have time for other things besides college. I won't lock myself from the rest of the world just to sit in a corner and mind my own college business! And speaking of which, I won't be so easily consumed by the monstrous amount of college work that lies ahead of me. Hopefully... [ gulps ]
Anyway, I've got a whole lot of Mathematics: Specialist homework to complete. So, time to return to the main reason why I began typing this post.
To everyone out there,
Happy Chinese New Year 2012!
Gong Xi Fa Cai!
May the year of the Dragon bring you lots of good luck, joy, happiness, health, and prosperity...
Alright, I've gotta go now...
May the Force be with you...
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Happy New Year 2012!!!
I have mixed feelings, really. This has been a year full of ups and downs for me. Okay, fine, in a sense, I've had 80% "ups" and 20% "downs"... [ smiles ]
Right, right, I know what you guys are thinking - Now I'm just starting to sound weird!
Hmph, don't blame me! It's past midnight! 12.48am, to be exact! And I tend to act a bit "funny" when I'm deprived of my precious sleep! But still, during the first few moments of the new year 2012, I've mustered what little energy I had left in me in order to update my dear blog! I mean, it is the start of a whole new year, for crying out loud! Who wouldn't want to blog about that???
I don't usually like to toot my own horn, but yeah, you can just refer to me as a dedicated Blogger! Hehe!
Anyway, let's get straight to the point, yeah?
To everyone out there...
Happy New Year!
Forget about past mistakes. Forget about the problems that have been weighing you down like stones in your shoes. Forget about your painful experiences and sad memories. Get rid of any dead weight. The start of the new year symbolises the opportunity to start anew, and to shoot for new hopes and dreams!
May the new year 2012 bring happiness, prosperity, good health, and success to all of us!
Well, looking back, 2011 was a good year for me. A wonderful year, in fact...
I was in my high school glory days. I've raked in many awards and achievements. I ranked high in my co-curricular activities. I've made my school, SMK Bukit Jelutong proud. I've befriended loads of new people. I've faithfully served my school as a distinguished and honourable School Prefect with unwavering obedience. Ahhh, I'm going to miss my high school life...
And I've went through the toughest challenge in my life so far ( SO FAR! I expect the worst is yet to come... ) - And that challenge was the SPM Examination. I've went to battle and returned, surprisingly alive!
And of course there's You...
2011 would have been a very academically inclined year for me. A year of torment and suffering. I think I would have gone crazy with the sheer amount of studying and revision I had to go through.
But then I met You. And suddenly, You brought light and cheer into my otherwise dark and gloomy world. You made me see the light, and You've certainly changed me for the better. You gave me pure determination to go on and persevere, just when I was about to give up.
And for that, I'd like to thank You so much for everything, especially for being the best thing that has ever happened to me... 2011 has been a wonderful year for me mostly because I met You...
And yeah, it's 1am now. It's been an hour into the new year, and I would very much like to hit the sack right now. I'm not nocturnal, you know!
This is Andrew, signing of for now...
May the Force be with you...
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Merry Christmas 2011!
Alright, it's 25th December 2011, so today's officially Christmas Day.
Hence, to everyone out there, I'd just like to say...
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
I hope 2011 has been an awesome and wonderful year for you guys. It certainly has been for me!
And I apologise for not blogging about Christmas Eve. I was so exhausted yesterday, and I desperately needed to rest, so I could only blog about Christmas Eve on Christmas Day itself...
Okay, basically, on Christmas Eve, I woke up at 8am, then I went to Sunway Pyramid. And honestly, I had a really great time there! One of the best times in my life, in fact! The Christmas decorations were beautiful, and for the first time ever, I actually managed to get a good seat at the TGV cinema complex ( something which is notoriously difficult to accomplish! ). Oh yeah, "Alvin and the Chipmunks 3: Chipwrecked" was awesome! Hehe! Go watch it, because I certainly enjoyed it! [ smiles ]
I was at Sunway Pyramid until 4pm. Then I went home to freshen myself up. A while later, my family and I were on our way to my uncle's house for a Christmas Dinner party. The dinner was great! There was turkey, spaghetti, and other types of tantalisingly delicious food. After the dinner, we ate "tang yuan" while watching the Grand Finale of X-Factor.
I stayed up until midnight. And yes, I DID plan to blog about Christmas Day as soon as the clock struck 12. But I couldn't, even if I wanted to. Why?
Reason: I was tired, duh!
So, the only thing that I could bring myself to do was to post "Merry Christmas" on Facebook before finally hitting the sack and calling it a day...
Well, that's it for Christmas Eve, a very wonderful ( but exhausting ) day for me!
Hmmm, I guess that's it for now.
Once again, merry Christmas everyone!
May the Force be with you...
Friday, December 23, 2011
Christmas is nigh...
If I'm not mistaken, my last post was about the English Language Society ( ELS ) Outing at Subang Parade. Which means I haven't updated my blog for a week already! Yikes!
Well, it's not that I don't want to blog. I really do! It's just that I don't like to post stuff that I deem unimportant. I usually blog about significant or interesting events in my life, nothing more. I don't go ranting about what I eat for lunch everyday, or my trips to the gym, et cetera... And ever since the ELS Outing until now, nothing interesting happened! Well, okay, fine, some stuff DID happen, but those stuff are simply not worth the effort to blog about. Hope you guys understand that, yeah?
Oh, and if you were observant enough, you might have noticed that I have been using Naruto pictures in my posts, instead of the normal Star Wars pictures. Yup, that includes the picture above ( a picture depicting Kakashi Hatake vs. Itachi Uchiha ). Well, ummm, there's a very, very simple reason for that...
I am undeniably a Naruto fan!
I don't know since when I was a fan, but the fact remains that I am one. Naruto is great, and I don't really care what the critics and Naruto-haters ( if any ) say about it. I enjoy watching Naruto and I'm proud to admit it! [ smiles ] It's all thanks to my brother, Alvyn, a die-hard Naruto fan. He's the one who introduced me to Naruto in the first place, and before I knew it, I was fully immersing myself into the Naruto universe...
Right, Christmas is nigh...
And honestly, I'm not expecting many Christmas presents this year. Yeah, I know, most people are under the impression that Christmas is all about the presents, Christmas trees, snow, more presents, Santa Claus, reindeer, holly, and even more presents.
But let us not forget the OTHER part of Christmas - kindness, love, and compassion for others. Tis' the season to be jolly, yes, but Christmas also represents the opportunity to strengthen bonds between people, including friends, family members, relatives and acquaintances. All the pretty presents, vibrant decorations, and festive cheer should "complement" this opportunity, not overshadow it! My point being that we should not forget about the true meaning of Christmas: forging and solidifying our "hubungan silaturahim" with other people. It's not merely about the presents, people!
Hmmm, okay, I think I've gone on long enough.
I'm just gonna add one more thing before I end this post. And this is quite important. Regarding my tertiary education, in fact...
After much debate and discussion, my parents and I have come to the conclusion that I will be continuing my studies at Sunway University College. As for the Pre-U course, I will be going for AUSMAT ( Australian Matriculation ). Well, I'm interested in furthering my studies in Australia, so the guys at Sunway recommended that I should enter the AUSMAT Pre-U programme...
And at last, I get my own room! I don't have to share a room with my brother anymore! Wahoo! And that means I won't have to put up with his unbearably loud snores any longer! [ smiles ]
Well, I guess that's it for now.
May the Force be with you...
Thursday, December 15, 2011
ELS Outing at Subang Parade!
Well, the title says it all, doesn't it? [ smiles ]
This post is going to be about the SMKBJ ELS ( English Language Society ) Outing at Subang Parade...
All the ELS members were invited. Of course, as the former Vice President of the ELS, I was invited to join this outing, and definitely more than willing to attend!
Alright, let's cut to the chase.
I rendezvoused with Darren ( ELS member ) near the MBO cinema complex at around 12.15 pm. He was with Afiq and Imran. Soon, Hazwan ( former President ), Hadri, Pn Thamil Selvi ( ELS advisor teacher ), Jia Hui, Rachel, Aaron, and other ELS members started to arrive. At around 1 pm, we had our lunch at a fast food restaurant called "Carls Jr", which was just beside the MBO cinema complex.
The best part? Pn Thamil actually paid for our meals! Okay, well, not ALL of us! Just the Form 5 former members ( Me and Hazwan ). Yup, that's right, we both got our meals on the house!
Hehe! Thanks, teacher! You're the greatest! [ smiles ]
Here are some pictures I took during lunch...
Mmm, Carls Jr. charbroiled burgers!
My Carls Jr "Famous Star" burger... With cheese...
Well, I guess there's "some" truth in this statement, right?
Picture taken just for fun...
Behold, the ELS members!
Yeah, it was fun! We laughed, talked, ate, then laughed some more! Truly a momentous and joyous occasion that I will never forget!
Of course, as soon as everyone was done eating, Pn Thamil organised a little "ELS meeting". The objective: To discuss about the upcoming ELS plans and activities for the year 2012. I thought it was a great idea, because if the ELS members started planning now, then they would still have half a month of holidays to make preparations for next year. This will undoubtedly ensure the activities organised by the ELS next year will run smoothly... Hmmm, come to think of it, I'm certainly going to miss being the Vice President of ELS...
Anyway, after we said our farewells and goodbyes, the ELS members dispersed and went their separate ways. But since we were just beside the MBO cinema complex, some of us ( including me and Hazwan ), decided to watch a movie.
In this case, we made the decision to watch Mission Impossible 4: Ghost Protocol. The movie would only start at 3.00pm, so we still had around half an hour to spare. Hazwan and I went to the MPH bookstore and browsed around, while Afiq, Aaron, Imran, and Rachel decided to go uhhh, shopping... At 2.50pm, we went back to the MBO complex, bought popcorn and drinks, and headed into the cinema.
Overall, MI4 was great! Awesome, in fact! Fortunately, I didn't really have to watch the previous Mission Impossible movies to understand the plot. Of course, I'm not going to blurt out the whole story-line of MI4 here. I'd hate to post "spoilers"!
So, I'm just going to recommend this movie to you guys. Seriously, it's a really good movie.
Go watch it!
It's late, I'm tired, and frankly, I don't intend to make this post a long one.
Conclusively, it was a great outing, and I had a really good time!
Okay, I guess that's it for now...
May the Force be with you...
Friday, December 9, 2011
Back From Thailand!
Well, I actually came back to Malaysia yesterday and around 5 or 6pm, and trust me, I wanted to blog as soon as I returned. But unfortunately, there were a whole lot important matters I had to attend to first.
For instance, I had to wash the dishes left in the kitchen sink ( they were in the sink since 5 days ago, before I left for Thailand! Ugh! ). Then, I had to unpack all my stuff, of course. And after that, I also had to post all the pictures I took at Thailand on Facebook. And before I knew it, it was time for dinner! After dinner, I had a whole new batch of dishes to wash!
Considering the fact that my body was begging for some much needed rest, I mustered what little energy I had left to settle all the tasks stated above... Once I was finished doing all the stuff that needed to be done, I trudged to my bedroom, collapsed on my bed and had a nice short nap! Ahhh, what a relief!
After my nap, the pictures were already uploaded on Facebook. I wanted to blog, yes, but then I realised the special 2-hour season finale of the Challenger Muay Thai series was showing on AXN. My brother informed me about it. And hey, I love that TV show! So, I had to postpone my plans to update my blog... By the time the show finished, it was too late to blog, and so I had no choice but to hit the sack.
And here I am today. Fulfilling my duty to this blog. Updating it to prevent it from being blanketed by dust or surrounded with cobwebs. To all my beloved readers, I don't think I've mentioned this before, but the reasons why I blog are:
- because my blog is somewhat of a digital "diary", where I store my most important or relevant experiences, as well as the events that I've been through.
- merely for your reading pleasure, so you can get a little "glimpse" into my life...
- to hone my command of the English language, and to keep my writing skills sharp.
Alright, alright! Enough of that crap, yeah? Let's get back to the main topic: My vacation to Thailand! [ smiles ]
Honestly, I'm itching to get my hands on my Playstation 2 right now! Haha! ( Don't judge me! ) So, instead of explaining every detail about the Thailand trip, I'll try to simplify everything as best as I can.
Okay, here goes...
DAY 1:
- Arrived at Phuket International Airport.
- Went for City Tour at Old Phuket Town.
- Went to Phromthep Cape.
- Checked in at The Royal Paradise Hotel Phuket.
DAY 2:
- Took a boat ride through mangrove swamp, heading to Phang-Nga.
- Went to "James Bond" Island ( an island which was used as a location in one of the James Bond films )
- Went to Jungceylon Mall.
- Walked along Bang-La Road.
- Walked along the roadside of Patong Beach.
DAY 3:
- Went for Phuket Island Safari ( activities include ox cart riding, traditional farming presentation, visit to orchid gardens, Muay Thai / Thai boxing presentation, kayaking, elephant show and elephant riding )
- Checked in at Dewa Phuket Resort.
- Went to Nai Yang beach for dinner.
DAY 4:
- Explored the roadside of Nai Yang beach.
- Borrowed and watched 2 movies from the hotel, "Thor" and "Captain America".
- Went to Nai Yang Beach. Walked along the beach.
- Went swimming at the Resort's swimming pool.
- Dinner at one of the restaurants near Nai Yang beach.
DAY 5:
- Hmmm, honestly, nothing much happened during the 5th day. We just lazed around the hotel, then checked out and immediately headed for the airport.
Phew! And that's it! Simple, no? The whole story is a a bit more long-winded, and I had to shave of a few things, but overall, this is the stuff that happened during my trip to Thailand.
If you want, you can head over to my Facebook page and take a look at my photo album regarding this trip.
I tell you, the sunsets were amazing! One of the high points of my trip to Thailand, besides the food, which was tantalisingly delicious! Haha!
Well, I guess that's it about Thailand.
As a final note, since I passed the computer test for driving, I'm going for the Kursus Amali at the REDA centre tomorrow morning...
Oh, and as for National Service, I have been placed in the 1st batch ( starting January ) and my camp is located in Chenderiang, Perak... I don't really know what to say about this. Oh well...
Well, that's it for now...
May the Force be with you...
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Off To Thailand!
To tell you the truth, I'm really exhausted! In fact, I don't really have the energy to update my blog right now, after what I've been through today!
But, I still managed to drag myself to the computer and reluctantly force myself to click the "New Post" button on Blogger...
Anyway, I've got some important things to post about, and today's kind of like my last chance to do so ( You'll know why later... ).
[ Oh, I don't really have much time, so I'm gonna make this post as SHORT as possible, yeah? I'm sure that'll make a LOT of people happy! Ha! ]
Right, as I mentioned in my previous post, I'm going on a family vacation to Thailand tomorrow. I'll be there for 5 days, so I'll be back next Thursday...
Apparently, based on what I've heard from my parents, there's going to be elephant riding, Muay Thai performances, floating markets, a lot of buffet meals, and loads of other stuff. In fact, they even mentioned that the schedule is going to be so jam-packed with activities that we'll barely have time to rest!
Well, I've got a lot of "work" ahead of me! I predict that a large amount of pictures will be taken during this trip, even more pictures then my trip to China! Haha!
I'm super excited. Can't wait! [ smiles ]
Next, I went for my Ujian Memandu Bahagian I ( Teori ) today.
Ugh, it's a LONG, LONG story! Seriously! Even if I wanted to, I simply don't have the willpower to explain about it here!
Here's what happened ( simplified! ):
1. Went to the REDA ( Rakan Ehsan Driving Academy ) centre in Klang.
2. Shuttled to a MYEG centre ( Uhh, somewhere in Klang too??? )
3. Registered, took a seat, and waited for a very, very, very long time!!! ( Because there were a lot of other candidates there as well )
4. Finally entered the computer testing room.
5. Started doing test. At question number 5, the whole system crashed! Pffft! Luckily that didn't happen the second time through! Ugh!
6. Got immediate results ( I PASSED! Hehe! 47/50 questions correct... )
7. Waited for the van to bring me back to the REDA centre ( Ugh! More waiting! )
8. Finally returned to the REDA centre. Passed up my result slip, then made an appointment for my Pre-L Kursus.
After that, my father came to pick me up. We went back home, rested for a while, then we had to go out again! We went to Puchong for lunch, went to IOI Mall to purchase some necessary items, then we came back to Setia Alam. We went to the weekly "pasar malam" to buy some nasi lemak for breakfast, then we went to eat dinner at a steamboat place. Finally, at around 8pm, we reached home... Since I was practically out and about for the whole day, I was completely exhausted and drained of energy!
Well, I don't want to prolong my post any longer. Hee! [ smiles ]
So, I'm gonna stop here...
Farewell guys! This is Andrew, signing off...
May the Force be with you...
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