Don't Judge a Book by its Cover!

Eventually... can blog again ^^.. I have been thinking of it for week.. hahaha.. Several things happened that make me think of the title.. but gee.. I forgot what it is about now =___= hahaha.. just joking :P..

The first case was regarding our CSC302 Net Centric Computing lecturer. First impression of him.. heem.. ok.. the lecture is a bit monotone, but his explanation is good, and his English is clear, although it seems like he isn’t Singaporean.. Then later.. we also got him as tutor. I don’t know why, but he is so different as a tutor! Sometimes he was stuck with his own question, thinking (and look like trying to memorize) the solution. Shi Yi whispered to me.. “he is old already…” and I was disappointed with him ^^;

Scene 1 passed. Then came the lab rush. While I have no senior’s lab report to be ‘referred’ to, no other choice.. Duncan, Vida and I need to look for him. It was 5.30 after the lecture. However still, he invited us to his office. He said that he usually went home only by 9. wow!? So that’s how we went to his office.. and ask him regarding the lab. Very helpful. He seems to know his thing very well. He’s the one programmed the interface of Sliding Windows Protocol using java, while we only need to implement some methods and use it. Java is kind of new programming language, and he used it to make 10+ class? Quite impressive! He even point out the bug in our program! Woow.. My respect to him grew again.

We finished our discussion in around half hour. Going out from the office, I notice the name attached to the door. SUN Chengzheng, Professor. Professor!?!? Haa! I heard that there are only 2 professors at SCE.. So he is one of them? Ckck.. That’s when I feel ashamed to ever look down on him ^^;.. first or second impression isn’t always right.. so, never judge a person if you know him/her only for month, k!

The second one is the reverse. Medy, the current NTU Red Cross president is known for his ability to get things done, perfectly. He is the best poly graduate, worked at US, dean list, president, and ureca. What else? Calvin and I, who are taking over his position as Communication’s Officer in Red Cross, on some day last week, needed to buy him a token of appreciation. When I was confused of what to buy.. his roommate cum my partner settled it for me. An Earphone. Nice! But Pink. Ha? I thought that Calvin was fooling around.. but then.. he pointed Medy’s laptop. With pink mouse attached. Silent. Then the laugh bursted out. So Medy likes pink? Hahahaaa.. Nothing is wrong with it, really. But eventually I can find something that I can joke about him :P

Ok.. now.. why I feel like my blogging style is different? >.<

Now is 6th week already.. to be exact, it’s near the recess already!! Accounting has finished its first half lecture.. a lot of feedback forms had been distributed.. and I still can’t get the feeling of ‘ah.. still the beginning of semester’ out of my head ^^; (blame it to Red Cross which just had an orientation last week and made me felt like this is still week 0 :P just joking..)

I enjoyed the time during the orientation.. and yeaah.. Although Communication portfolio didn’t be the overall winner, we had the largest number of ‘freshie’ :P.. hahaha.. Winson and I were in charged as postmaster for ‘Crossing the River’ game. We’re from school of computer engineering, thus the games we provided must fulfill the standard of computer engineer.. yap, this game is mostly about logic (evil grin) 1 father, 1 mother, 2 sons, 2 daughter, 1 police and 1 thief need to cross the river. However, the boat only has the capacity of 2.. Father can’t be with any of his daughter without the mother presence, mother also can’t be with her son without the father.. and the police can’t leave the thief with any of family member. That’s the game. Since this is orientation, 4 people were to be the boat, carrying the other to cross the river.. hohoho.. 3 groups fighting, the group with most CE students win the games v^^v.. yeaah.. However, we did badly for the sport games.. sigh.. expected ^^;

At the afternoon, we had a brief Ambulance introduction course. We’re being shown the real ambulance, and can try out how to use the thing inside. More, Thjin also taught us how to use a lot of first aid carrier.. Glad to have the chance to test it out.. I even be the casualty for Rina.. hahaha.. it’s a fun afternoon =).. Finished with the course, we ended it with water boom war. Then, have a BBQ at Staff Recreation Center. We prepared all the BBQ stuff by ourselves.. Unlike last time BBQ, this time all the subcomms are here.. thus we need to… give priority to them? Nooo.. we need to fight harder to get our food! :P.. hahaha.. just joking… it’s true that we should gave them priority, except for Tomy :P :P.. jokin2.. We chatted until around 10.. then all the subcomm went home.. we, as responsible maincomm, cleaned up the places.. then went home.. The good thing of having event at SRC is that we need to vacant the room before 11.. thus, no more slacking around :P.. huahaa..

Sunday, I slept soundly until 10+. At 11, help Wewoen with the design for Tennis Club. She is the business manager of the club… waah.. final year, and still taking ECA? Impressive. Hahaha.. finished with the design, we went for lunch together.. back from lunch, had ‘discussion’ with Arianto.. after everything settled.. I forget already what I did for the rest of my short weekend. Doing the 183, 302, 303 concurrently, maybe. Hahaha..

On Wednesday, we celebrated Handarmin and Julianto B'day. The style is different this time: no more big cake, no more first cake.. but instead, we bought them a gift. Julianto got sandals.. (He really needs it badly) while Handarmin got a novel and tie. hahaha.. Hope that they like it :D Another major change is that: we celebrate the b'day on the H date... It feels much more meaningful =) However, since some might be busy, we decided that our event must finished in 1 hour. heem... After the first test run, feedback is gathered. Half prefered the old way of B'day.. Half preferred both. Then vote was casted. and the result is... 12 : 12. huahaha.. eventually, we decided to just let it be.. depends on the situation later ba :D The meeting closed at around 10. At that meeting, new coordinator was selected. All the best, Henny and Jessica! hahaha...

The rest of the week isn't very important.. heem.. let's just skip it.. nothing much except submitting the 303 report, and rushing for the 302 report. 304 deadline is around the corner.. and here come the second 303 assignment.. poor 301 being out from the lab loop.. I had been warned that I should start 301 soon.. ok.. let’s see!

Aside from all the academic matter.. Let’s now move to ECA ^^.. hahaha.. on Monday, Calvin and I went to Dhoby ghout to have meeting at Headquarter. The meeting was at 5.30. Thus, as I finished my lesson at 4.30, I took 199 to boonlay. Really hard to believe that after 15 minutes inside the bus, I was still at NTU!! It took half hour to reach boonlay.. and as expected… we’re late for the first meeting.. what a good impression I made =__=.. however, Denise, the person we were meeting, is a very nice person (Calvin: for any email related to her, I wrote baa.. I like to write to her ^^;).. she helped us clarifying a lot of things. The meeting continued from 5.50 until almost 8!! So sorry to disturb you for so long, Denise.. But.. thanks a lot, really =).. The other Headquarter members isn’t that helpful. Medy said, besides Denise, Carol is also very nice. Fund raising and Corporate coms people aren’t very approachable. Ok.. noted! Haha.. Finished the meeting, we rushed for dinner. Calvin insisted to eat Sakae sushi.. but no buffet at night le.. hahaha.. eventually, after having dinner (thanks for the treat! :P) we went back to NTU.. and I attended Alfonso’s 22nd B’day at SADM (School of Art and Design Media).. Happy B'day, Pong!! Gee.. the place is nice.. with a fountain there. Nice place for b’day, as we can directly throw the king to the water. Haha. Just joking. I was coming late, though. I missed something. Uppss.. :x.. hahaha.. ok, no more gossip around. Ilfina was there in the party, Mery too, along with Alex. The party finished around 11.. then all of us went back to hall.. (lucky that all of us from big number hall).. Meet Henry and Rudi on the way back too.. they just finished their CEC meeting. Hahaha.. Seems like Malla is better than expected, after all =)

Btw, want to say something about Red Cross vs CEC.. It’s true that small club has even more things to handle than big clubs. I feel that I did almost nothing at CEC.. while at Redcross.. no more than 2 months, and I have more photos that I ever have from my whole year at CEC. Hahaha.. AGM, fund raising, BBQ, photo taking, subcomms meeting, 2 orientations, CIP.. gee. It’s a lot. True that it’s much more tiring. True that we have more limited budget. True that the point is not that much and true that it’s harder for us to keep our subcomms motivated with the small point. Hahaha.. but then, back to the key point. Am I learning thing? Yes. A smooth sea never makes a skilful sailor. Then I’ll stay motivated ;)

Still regarding ECA.. one thing juuusstt happenned yesterday that can be added to my list of 'not smooth sea experiences'. It's about the Welcome Carnival. I blamed myself that I never really understand how to work as a stage officer. I liaised with some performers that time.. The payment of $200 was agreed.. at the end of the day, Linda told me that $200 will need to go through a lot of trouble. Can please make it to $199? Ok.. that’s the first thing. So I asked them to change to $199. They agreed, although they feel strange. Then I asked Linda again.. what should they bring? Receipt or invoice? Linda said Receipt will be ok.. so that the date of their performance, I asked them to bring receipt. We also paid them directly. 1 month passed after that issue. Then Linda suddenly called me and asked me to get invoice from them, and make it payable to NTU Student Union. Last time was made payable to NTU Welcome Carnival.. thus it’s not valid. Ok.. so, I called them again. 2nd time. They agreed to send it to me. After I pushing them so hard and get the mail, I called Linda.. and she said she didn’t need it anymore. Felt cheated. But as long as everything is fine.. then it’s ok.. But then!! Just yesterday, Long yi called me again and asked me to get either receipt from them or their IC softcopy! Hah!?!? What actually do you want!? I told them that I have collected invoice from they.. he directly said “for what? It’s useless” Arrrggh. I was so angry that time. However, I try to ask for the performers help, though. It ended up with I being scold (or more polite: being advised) by them. Kept requesting for strange thing isn’t the way we did business. At the end, they rejected to send anything anymore. I called Long Yi.. also end up being scold for not being able to get thing done… And he also said that he will blacklisted the performers. In my honest point of view, if I was the performer, I don’t even want to do business with you anymore. The performers also said to me that this is really not about the amount of money they earned. It’s about the ethics. I agree.. So.. that’s the experience I got at 11pm yesterday. Learnt. hahaha.. Just wish that I don't get another experience in this short period of time :P

Oh yaa.. at this opportunity.. I would like to congratz ilfina.. for making her way to the publicity officer of ICONS. Also Teguh for being her partner.. ganbatteee ne for both of you! ^^.. Thanks so much for still staying at Red Cross, Ilfina =).. And also Theresia.. all the best for your Sigraph ;).. sad to hear that you’re leaving Red Cross.. but thanks to keep helping us until the end of this semester. Oh.. and also Eva.. Don’t be too stress with the ECA, k.. The list of ECA you show to me were really shocking.. ^^;.. Sorry if I didn’t help much in deciding of which ECA you should forgo: Investment club, Toast Master club.. those will be in the bottom part of ECA list that I will ever consider joining. Hahaha.. Oh.. I haven’t congratz you for URECA yet.. Jia you hor! I know that you’ll be able to handle it well =) Btw, the juniors have name for themselves.. they called themselves Initial D+. Curious where is it from, I asked Teguh.. he said it is because some of them got D+ for their Effective Communication.. the first D+ they got.. huahahaa.. so funny.. ^^;.. well, Initial D+, all the best with your 50+ members! :P

Talking about Ureca.. I eventually took it with Zhang Jun, the most favorite supervisor right now. He supervises more than 20 FYP Students! Including Julius and Cipto. Venny, Hans, Henry, Medy, Andi, and me are his Ureca students. What a huge collection of Indonesian! Hahaha… He even got one student from EEE taking his project. Ckckck.. I took the project on Digital Media Delivery in Peer-to-Peer Networks. Haven’t really started it yet.. plan to start by this week.. But how to start? He said that it’s mostly about streaming video with peer to peer. Heem.. let’s make a start by testing of current product. YouTube, maybe? :P hahaha...

Life your live to the fullest!
Erlin.D