TK8315 in Active Deployment!

Credit: Keith E Moss

The no-post drought over the past weeks was due to my mid-year exams, which lasted a good part of last week, and will end this Thursday. I sit here typing this as I think to myself "I really ought to be studying for chemistry tomorrow".


Me and the respectable man I worked for over the June holidays, Reno Tan. Credit: Jason

My job commitment over the June holidays had prevented me from performing the bulk of my revi- No, it only took up my weekends. I was simply too lazy to study much in the weekda- No, I just didn't want to study. I tried to stay away from studying by doing housework, as though I do housework for a living. I simply dread revising, especially for physics, chemistry and mathematics, when I am forced to attempt questions which I have no idea to answer, or have the misconceptions to answer incorrectly. This needs to change, and fast.

Needless to say, my grades are gonna suffer. I don't need to see my results to know it. My parents are gonna be so pissed...


I'm not actually a lefty, but... Credit: Keith E Moss

Me and my badass sound system. :D Makes me sound just like a Stormie Credit: Rid Rahman

But that's besides the point. what I really want to talk about is my developments regarding the 501st Legion. After a month's worth of hard work (I shouldn't even consider it as 'hard work' since I enjoyed every session of it), I finally managed to raise a substantial amount to get done on my very first armour kit for entry into the 501st Legion, the standard and ever-popular Stormtrooper.

Over three seperate days, my fellow Legion members and I worked hand-in-hand to trim, Dremel, file, velcro, screw and paste bits of vacuum-formed ABS plastic together to get the armour into a wearable state.


After an armour-building session, it's nice to chill out and relax in a jacuzzi pool. Credit: Picture, Pool: keith E Moss

TK8316 is happy at my joining him in the legion. Credit: Rid Rahman

The photos were sent in, the application was approved, and I went home from the armour party at 12 midnight that day as the Legion's newest member, TK8315, with the Stormtrooper ID that comes just before TK8316.


Can't find me. Credit: Jason

But I'm quite easy to spot here. Credit: Brian Benitez

The very next day marked my official maiden trooping event (my unofficial one being the St. Pat's Day Parade), Toy Carnival at the Singapore Art Museum. Having put on costumes numerous times for Movie Mania, and doing minding work for my fellow troopers during previous trooping events, I had modified my armour to be more easily wearable, and dressing up as a Stormtrooper all by myself was like putting on a new set of clothes. I clocked a timing of 5 minutes, exceptional for a raw 501st recruit (I'm cheating D:). The plan for the day was basically traipsing around, 'droid hunting', posing for pictures, posing with civilians for pictures, and posing for funny pictures.


Guess which?

The 'Heaven and Hell' stance from Grenado Espada. Credits: Picture: Brian Benitez, Lightsaber: Olivine Lin

Trooping aside, the Toy Carnival was also where i made a very unexpected purchase. There were only 5 boxes when I first spotted the both while in armour, 3 when I returned during my lunch break to secure mine, and none left 15 minutes later. After all, Figma Yuki was Max Factory's very first Figma product, released around this time last year IIRC, so I should think finding her would be very difficult. The best part was that she was on sale at nearly a 40% discount. A most worthy buy. I chose her over the other models available like Mikuru (waitress ver., cheerleader ver.), Haruhi (ponytail ver., cheerleader ver.) and waitress ver. Tsuruya, since she would complete my mini collection of the humanoid interface characters in the Suzumiya Haruhi series.


The photographer. Credit: Rid Rahman

The photograph. Credit: Camera: Demonick Angel

The girls are very pleased.

Two more points of note that day:

1. One half-inactive member in the Singapore garrison lives in the same apartment block as me, on the same floor, two doors down from me. He has 3 Clone Trooper costumes, and the CT was my very first costuming objective when I joined the 501st community as a volunteer (before I had to settle for the regular TK due to time and monetary constraints). I can hopefully get tips on how I shall get about doing my own Clone Trooper in future, and maybe even hitch rides in his car if we're ever going to trooping events together, as he suggested. Very nice man indeed. It was kind of embarrassing that he recognized me when I didn't. I guess, I haven't been maintaining close relations with neighbours after my under-10 childhood days, and also, because my door is just beside the lift landing, I rarely walk down the common corridor past their gates, so I don't make any acquaintances through passing compliments and casual exchanges, etc.

2. An acquaintance of mine, this very pretty girl who was at that event, commented to a friend that I looked cute in my stormtrooper armour, as he related to me later on (he even ventured as far as to tell her that I was still a virgin @_@). If anything, that was a big morale boost for me, and it made me feel great the whole day, knowing that people have good opinions of my looks. I don't normally receive compliments like that, call me deprived of whatever, but I was still very happy about it all the same. I can't wait for my next opportunity of meeting her, when I can say, "you look very pretty too". Ah, whatever.


Dual-wielding trooper. Credit: Keith E Moss

For now, TK8315 signing off. Next stop, the trip to Batam, then Cosfest 2009. See you then.

Video Games Live

Found this in my mailbox today.

Hi there,



AXN BEYOND/Animax: Video Games Live Viewers' Contest



Congratulations for winning the BEYOND/Animax “Video Games Live” Viewer Contest!



This letter issued by SPE Networks Asia Pte Ltd is to verify you as the winner of the abovementioned contest, for which you have won one pair of tickets worth S$115 each to the Video Games Live concert at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on 19th June at 8.30pm.



Kindly present a copy of this email and a copy of your NRIC/identification card when collecting your prize from our office during the following collection times:



Collection dates: 11-12 June 2009 / 15-18 June 2009

Collection hours: 10am - 5pm



As you will need to exchange your ID for a security pass to gain access into the building, I would suggest you bring along another ID (e.g. passport or driver's licence) with you.



We are located at:



SPE Networks Asia Pte Ltd

10 Changi Business Park Central 2

#03-01 Hansapoint @ CBP

Singapore 486030



Should you require any assistance or alternative redemption options, kindly contact Mr Marcus Wong, at (65) 6622-4230 / email: marcus_wong@spe.sony.com .



Congratulations once again and thanks for your support!





From All of Us at AXN BEYOND and Animax

:D

My Desktop

I decided to just post a screenshot of my desktop today. Booting up Windows and waiting for my account to finish loading, I took look around my recently revamped desktop and wallpaper (I spend a lot of time just staring at Erika mostly), and I realized that there are plenty of features that reflect a lot on my normal human personality. So I thought I'd just share this with you.

As you can see, all my icons are stacked neatly into two complete rows to the left side of the screen. I'm quite the stickler when it comes to organization. I also think it's very nicely balanced that I have my icons to the left and my sidebar to the right.

The folder called Downloads is where all files downloaded from the Internet through all the browsers I use are streamed into. I sort them out into their respective folders within my user account every once a week.

My recycling bin hasn't been emptied for a while though...

I like to keep My Computer and Control Panel at easy access for me because I'm constantly using Flash drives and tweaking my computer interface. Most of the icons you see here are shortcuts to the games I frequently play. As you can see, I'm mostly into RTS games. I play DTXMania to train myself in playing the actual DrumMania at the arcade. Guitar pro 5 is a guitar tab reader that helps me a lot when I'm playing songs on my guitar. Freespace 2 is a very old game (ten years old by now I think) that I used to love as a wee little tyke, and still do to this day. Team Fortress 2 is my latest addiction from Steam. Unfortunately, this computer can't handle most newer-generation games very well...

Looking down, you can see that I've expanded my left taskbar. Firefox and WMP are the two programs I execute first and foremost the moment my account is running. I keep the rest of my installed browsers in this flip-up window as I have a tendency to switch browsers while surfing, to constantly compare their pageload speeds.

I like trying new things, that's why you can see I've downloaded the newest version of Windows Live Messenger, Messenger 2009 Beta. Download link is in previous post.

Taking your attention to the right of the desktop, Bitcomet has been useful in helping me share and receive useful files with and from my 'peers'. No I do nothing illegal with it, you have my word.

The calendar up there helps me count down how many days I have left till school (currently stands at 1), so I know when I should be rushing with holiday assignments.

A friend helped me download this custom clock skin. I loved the Transformers movie, but no more so than the cartoon series.

The currency calculator has proven to be of tremendous help whenever I'm checking Japanese merchandise prices, or just observing the foreign exchange markets. I'm quite worried about the exchange rate currently, although it has dropped very nicely of late.

I keep plenty of notes to remind me of things worth remembering that I can't for the life of it keep in my mind. They are mostly things in my wishlist, things to buy, things to do within the week, etc. A very helpful organizational tool.

Lastly, I like to keep this sliding puzzle in my sidebar. it brings back fond childhood memories, evokes great feelings of retro nostalgia, and most importantly, whenever I'm waiting for videos or other applications to load I find myself hitting Windows+D and fiddling around with this puzzle, trying to beat my latest time (my best still stands at 45 seconds). the perfect short-term time-killer.

So, how does your desktop reflect on your personality?

Hatsune Miku Recommends...

There's a website that features your ideal Hatsune Miku song video according to your name and birthday. All you have to input is the month, followed by day, then your name into the blank spaces, and hit to button to the right.
This is mine, by the way:

Speaking of Hatsune Miku, I've been toying around with VOCALOID 2, having installed it just this afternoon. Was a bit confused about how I should go around inserting notes, until I downloaded an English Interface to overwrite the Japanese one (it's not completely effective, by the way), and played around with the controls for about fifteen minutes. The great thing about me is I never consult manuals; I learn how to do something or do something more efficiently by toying around with it first and getting the hang of it, before thinking of alternate methods and modification and seeing if they work. Currently I'm getting Miku-chan to sing X-Japan's Forever Love, and so far it's been going very well (completed two verses). Will upload on YouTube when it's done, not to worry.

OMG Miku sings Portals' "Still Alive"!

Complete with Japanese Engrish! Win!


This Was A Triumph
I'm Making A Note Here:
HUGE SUCCESS
It's hard to overstate
my satisfaction.
Aperture Science
We do what we must
because we can.
For the good of all of us.
Except the ones who are dead.

But there's no sense crying
over every mistake.
You just keep on trying
till you run out of cake.
And the Science gets done.
And you make a neat gun.
For the people who are
Still alive.

I'm not even angry.
I'm being so sincere right now.
Even though you broke my heart.
And killed me.
And tore me to pieces.
And threw every piece into a fire.
As they burned it hurt because
I was so happy for you!
Now these points of data
make a beautiful line.
And we're out of beta.
We're releasing on time.
So I'm GLaD. I got burned.
Think of all the things we learned
for the people who are
still alive.

Go ahead and leave me.
I think I prefer to stay inside.
Maybe you'll find someone else
to help you.
Maybe Black Mesa. . .
THAT WAS A JOKE. HA HA. FAT CHANCE.
Anyway. this cake is great.
It's so delicious and moist.
Look at me still talking
When there's science to do.
When I look out there,
it makes me GLaD I'm not you.
I've experiments to run.
There is research to be done.
On the people who are
still alive.

And believe me I am still alive.

I'm doing Science and I'm still alive.

I feel FANTASTIC and I'm still alive.

While you're dying I'll be still alive.

And when you're dead I will be still alive.

STILL ALIVE

A Change of Heart!

Today I woke up feeling a lot fresher than I was yesterday. I figured, why bother getting yourself so worked up over all this? It's not like your life depended on it or something, right?

Also, I've decided to brighten up my blog a bit for potential viewers who might drop by from dannychoo.com through otaku.fm.

I start working at the SITEX Convention tomorrow (boo to you, Darkmirage! Why didn't you go, when you said you wanted to?!), getting a pay of $5 an hour, for 12 hours a day, over 6 days, lunch and dinner provided, all amounting to $350, plus a bonus of anything between $30 to $80. from this money I'm getting, $300 goes to a new Compaq Presario my mother might be getting along with a new Starhub MaxOnline broadband subscription (just think, $1699 to $300! It's highway robbery!). Of course, while I'm there I'll be sure to snap lotsa pictures for ya! (I'm beginning to see just how much me blog's lacking pix.)

The rest of my money will go into my very first foreign exports goods - A collection of Sangokushi Taisen 2 cards straight for Japan. Following that would most likely be this:


Speaking of whom, I've most recently done a few chapters of this story I'm working on. Because I like Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuuutsu so much, and because I like being different all the time, I've decided to show my support and flaunt my writing skills all at the same time by writing a sidestory to the Haruhi light novel series, to shed some light on my take of the background behind this story.

It is being told from the point of view of a young man known only as Akira. Three years back in the story, he had a lot to do with a adolescent girl named Suzumiya Haruhi. How has that made him, right up to the present? It features plenty of events that are mentioned in the story but never featured first-hand, and provides valid explanations to the things that happen in the story itself. You see, I did my very best in enslaving this story to Tanigawa Nagaru's original, so I don't default him anything. (Almost) everything that happens in this story I'm cooking has something to do with the original. And no, I don't regard this as fanfiction, my level way transcends that. It's an original work by me, with original characters and an original plot, except I take characters and references from the Suzumiya Haruhi light novel series. I'll be putting up my first completed chapter here pretty soon, cos it explains a lot about the story's background. Two others will follow shortly.