Nightmare(s)

Typically, the night before a most-waited event always turn into a nightmare for me. Here are some which I experienced this month:

- The Night before first Algo Quiz
Dreamt that 15 minutes before the end of Quiz, I read back and realized that I did the question wrongly. Panic and try to redo the part. The more I read, the more I realized that my answers are indeed all wrong!

- The Night before online test application
Dreamt that I only answer 5 questions… and suddenly times up! (Well, this one actually happen to me during the Merryll Lynch Online Test T_T)

- The Night before Networking Night
Dreamt that there is a company giving away thumbdrive 2GB. I rushed there but the queue is so long.. in the middle of the queue, the thumbdrive is finished. Rushed to other company which give free make-up stuff.. but also finished before it reached me. Getting more and more worried… in the end I didn’t get any goodie bag.

- The Night before updating Prof Yeo about FYP
Dreamt that my application suddenly crashed 3 hours before my reporting time. The more I tried to fix it, the worse it becomes. Worse to worse, it eventually crash the server. 1 hour before the meeting time, I was sweating looking at the 2 server broken down by me.

Somehow, I'm good in predicting worst case, huh? ^^;

Recess is ending... :'(
Erlin.D

Week of Recess

I had a long list to update.. But the FYP haunted me so strong that everytime after I clicked blogger.com, my next click is to close the browser…

After a long week, I eventually decided to set aside my FYP.. and concentrate on other things from tomorrow on. Now is 12.20am, too tired to continue the FYP.. and the time is to slim to do any other thing.. so I eventually get the time to blog.. yay =D

This entry will back to the typical chronological type, but concentrating only to certain event…

1. Friday, Moon Cake Festival @ Yunnan Garden
After the Algo lecture, the poor SCE students eventually can celebrate their recess. Before going to Yunnan Garden, we still have time to take some not-so-important pics.. ^^; well, honestly, I’m really glad that I can meet my friends again this year.. days during IA has really made me miss friends and appreciated what I still have now =)


Advance Algo Takers~


Any idea what we’re trying to do? =.=

When I reached Yunnan Garden, I contact my roomie who was also planned to go there.. too bad.. she just stepped to the bus back home T_T yeah, we’re really late.. the festival started at 7 and we reached only at 9.. a lot of the good things are already finished… I wanted the wishing tree.. huk huk.. anyway, we still managed take photos though =D

SCE with MCF main characters

I reached back home at almost 11.. as usual.. Friday night isn’t supposed to be spent with studying. Topped up with the fact that it’s recess.. I can’t really remember what I did until I fell asleep early in the morning

2. Saturday, CSC Photo Taking
Suddenly I felt that I have lots of SCE-an pics.. haha.. after the pics we took together at Electronics Lab, this time we took pics for Indo year book. Time was 3pm.. but I was late for 15 minutes.. XD.. lucky not being punished.. gomene Erikson :p Took some photos.. then went back at around 5.. We took pics at MLT and SBS.. waiting for the pics from memed’s camera.. stupid me forgot to bring my dearest camera T_T

~SCE Indo 2008~


The CSC Winning 11 XD - Absent: Devit, Ronald :(

3. Saturday, Tomy and Tatsu B’day
Organized by my dear roommate, the b’day itself are fabulous! Thanks to julianto for the super nice welfare. You really understand what we want. Haha.. 3 cheers to Nancy who come down from Bishan! Btw, she got part time job already.. still finding a suitable full time job for herself.. good luck Nan! I know you can do it! The party ended only at 12 passes.. Happy B’day Tomy.. Happy Belated B’day Tatsu.. All the best for both of you!


Nice snacks =D


Group Pics :p

4. Sunday, Google Pizza Party
It started with an email around 2 weeks ago by Shaopeng, asking if we’re free for a Google Pizza party during the week of recess. Of course I replied yes! It’s Pizz.. eer.. I mean, It’s Google!! So I went there at around 4pm.. after my very unsuccessful attempt in Merryll Linch Online test (20 questions, answered 13, correct only around 10). My mood was quite down when I walked slowly to SAC. Thanks to the party though, it helped to alter my mind from keep pitying myself.


Thanks to Google & Shaopeng!

The story from Shaopeng about Google was really amazing.. Their work loads are determined by themselves: every 3 months, they will need to plan for what they want to achieve and then access their selves whether they had reached the target set. Nice right? And all the games.. video, etc.. In short, Google provides everything you may ever wish for.

Dig further to the history of how Shaopeng can be selected by Google, we found out that he had start programming from primary 1!! And the fact that he really excelled in it, granted him the work at Google. After hearing that, I dropped back to reality. Google is just a dream.. haha.. so.. it means that I still need to apply for companies… T_T haha..

5. Monday, Bugis & Suntec
Learning from mistake, for Barclays online test, I went through lots of practices first. The more I practices, the more I felt that my attempt yesterday was really stupid.. T_T how can I go through test without any preparation.. This time, after practices, Helios and I did the test together.. *I really hope that no Barclays employee read this* Finished with the stressing test, it was already 2.20pm. After changing cloths, we went directly to bugis to pray for our success in online test.. hahax.. just kidding.. but we did went to pray.. together with tatsu. Nancy and Jess joined us not long after. I managed to buy a thumbdrive for myself.. SanDisk, 2GB, $32. Loving it ^^.. However, I failed to find the lipstick my sister ordered.. out of stock :( I also didn’t manage to find a gift for phing.. still wondering what to buy.. I did plan to buy her a thumbdrive.. but tatsu said that it’s so unfeminine of me =.=’ well. What am I supposed to do.. If anyone gives me thumbdrive, I think I’ll thank the person day and night. Haha.. It’s about preferences what.. Phing, may I know what you like? T_T

Anyway, after bugis, we went to Suntec~. Manage to get a b’day card for her. Then we walked for another 1 hour before gathering with tomy, winson, anton, adi and juli and have our discounted carl jr =D it’s nice~ And I still able to finish the whole meal. Proof that my appetite is still there =D wakakak.. (I’m not sure if it’s actually something to be proud of) Back to home, it is almost 11.. and that is how the first day of recess ended.

6. Tuesday, FYP
Being chased by supervisor, being replied by Su Ming, having no more excuse, I unwillingly resume my FYP *Again, hope that my FYP sup didn’t read it XD*. Nothing much on Tuesday.. a blue FYP day for me.. Oh, out of the blue, still find a great game from suhu’s blog.. Finding Star II. Great game. Grat flash. And as mentioned, it’s addictive =D

7. Wednesday, FYP
Promised myself to do all I can for FYP, and will hibernate it next day to do my assignment. On half way, helios let me know that we’re now allowed to choose the timing for phone interview with Barclays! It meant that we had really passed the numerical and verbal test.. horray =D But then.. Weew.. I am really nervous.. (only choosing timing is already nervous.. what will happen during interview =.=) the interview range from 1nd October to 19th October… I choose 9th.. Since I’ll be going back to indo from 2nd to 6th v_v.. helios chose 3rd. All the best Helios! At evening, Winson and Helios went to JP Morgan off campus presentation.. while I confused myself with FYP.. @.@ it’s along day.. really..

After a long consideration, I eventually decided to take up the Barclays “Woman in Technology” presentation on Monday, although it means that I’ll need to rush for my Algo Quiz, pay for Taxi, and skip Crypto again. Add to the fact that I still have meeting in the morning, review Algo in afternoon, pack for departure on next day, I wonder why I still wanted to attend this presentation... wish that my Monday wont be as deadly as predicted.

8. Thursday, Networking Night
The first 2 hours of Thursday was spent blogging :p.. today will be another long list to do. I’ll be going to lab, lib, and attending networking night.. shall stop my blog here and rest.. Let see if I can still update my blog before my departure to Medan :p

Happy Go Lucky,
Erlin.D

Final Year Project

So far, I had just complained about crypto. Let’s grumble about FYP today.

For this 2 weeks, I had practically done nothing. Doesn’t mean that I didn’t touch my FYP at all... no. but it’s just that there is no improvement.

Based from Alfonso’s code, I have built a stand alone application for server. The app can get image, extract, translate, convert to voice, and output the necessary file. But then, the integration part comes to be tricky. First, I didn’t know about the structure of the server. Second, I wasn’t granted access at all to server. So, how am I going to integrate it?

Prof expected me come out with one file in which I can then just tell the lab technician to put and thing will just work. But that’s not the situation at all. Lab technician deals more with hardware and setting up access, but didn’t know about the software inside server. Nor did Prof Yeo. Then who knows? Again, I disturbed Alfonso. Then he told me that it was Su Ming, the PO who helped him all the way last time, along with another FYP student. Too bad that Su Ming had just moved out and the other FYP student should have graduated.

So I consult with Prof Yeo again. She were then granted me the access to private server. It was the server where I should plant the code. Ok. Look through the server. Copy Paste my code to the server. And I got errors due to the lower version of .Net Framework used in the server. So I converted my code to suit the needs. But afterwards, if I’m to do the real demo, I’ll need to send MMS from mobile to server, which will then call my functions and sent back the result to mobile. Yes, it is said that the MMS server had been build in CeMNet. However, I didn’t have any information about it, no documentation, no readme, no nothing. I was again left with nothing to start of. Stuck again.

Consult with Prof Yeo, she asked me to contact Su Ming directly. I emailed him.. and get the reply only one week after I eventually sms him. He explained some stuff, but then suggested me to approached Ms. Chua for further detail. So I approached Ms. Chua. She was then telling me to approach other FYP student. So I approach the student. But he is just as blur as I am. He said that he was only doing SMS, not MMS.. and clement is the one who know clearly about it.

In the end, I really felt mad with this endless pointing process. At one side, I know I should not keep bothering Lab Technician.. she already helped me with what she knows… On the other hand, I don’t feel right to keep bugging Su Ming too, as he already left CeMNet and not a staff here anymore.. sigh.. This MMS project has been developed since like 5 years ago… So the best thing I can do now is to read the FYP report of the implementation, starting from FYP 02… But then... there is no specific documentation about the server. Siiigh..

Now start reading the code from FYP 02,
Erlin.D

Backstreet Boys - Inconsolable

Presenting… The first music video I embedded =D =D =D Update: *and banned*

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I sound so IT noob =.=

Backstreet Boys - Inconsolable

Update: * This video is no longer available due to a copyright claim by Zomba Label Group* T_T

Although I didn’t remember each personnel’s name (I never did for any band), I’m a big fans of Backstreet Boys. Their “All I Have to Give” will always be in the top list of my all-time-favorites. Special thanks to Winson for the latest mp3 and Ari for the premiere avi. This has been the song I listen most in this month =D

Anyway.. from the clip, they did look old now =.=.. but who cares.. their voices are still awesome! Looking forward for the album in October! =D =D

All I ever want, it comes right down to you, to you~
Erlin.D

Campus Recruitments

I’m drowned virtually by the amount of electronic forms I need to fill T__T I never expect that I will need to bother about working life so fast… I wasn’t even taking the recruitment talk too seriously.. until recent conversations with friends and I found that I’m a way too slow in applying already. Most of my peers had applied to at least 3 of banking companies… My application? Well.. still 0. Thanks pals to bring me back to the reality..

This week had been packed with Recruitment Talk. Gosh, I had skipped so many crypto lectures. Now being in his class is really like listening to encrypted lecture.

So, what did I get by forgoing the lecture? Humm.. huumm… Now I know (at least) to spell correctly the name of some investment banking Bank. Here is my before and after recruitment talk spelling:

City Bank-> Citi Bank
Barklay -> Barclays Capital
Credit Swiss -> Credit Suisse
Merry Linh -> Merrill Lynch
Dutch Bank -> Deutsche Bank

Plus some embarrassing experiences and some talk with seniors and some useful information about highest salary employer; McKinsey is in the top of the top! But I’m 100 years too early to apply.

Back to filling form,
Erlin.D

So Embarrassing :(

Today, I attended CS Recruitment Talk. The talk went as usual.. 1 hour presentation, continued with networking session. During networking session, all of us gathered around Apong and Julius, asking from A to Z. After making them exhausted, we then discussed how to approach the big bosses :p

I.. as usual.. super nervous. Moja went first by approaching an IT guy. I stand not far from there, listening while gathering my courage to speak to another IT guy beside. The courage wasn’t half filled yet, when suddenly a fresh grad full-time staff kindly asked if I had anything to ask. She was standing beside the big boss I intend to talk to later.

Believe it or not, my concentration was so messed up. It ruined all the words I had been preparing. And even stupider, instead of talking back to the lady, I forced to shake hand with the big boss although he didn’t seem to expect it, and the lady seem to be stunt too. Then during the hand-shaking.. I suddenly forgot my name T__T I looked very stupid! And like it’s not enough yet, when he was asking when is my expected date of graduation, I answered that I’m expert in C# and Java. And my voice was so soft and shaking.. I can’t concentrate on the rest Q & A session anymore as I’m so embarrassed.

So, I cancel my plan to offer my name card. With such a messy introduction, he will use the name card to be put in black list instead of potential list. So.. till now, my name card distribution to company is still.. 0.

Aaa.. still feel very bad.. Especially to the kind lady.. I didn’t talk to her at all after that. She was attending to Adi when I finished. I really want to say sorry to her.. but my friends said that it’s not necessary.. will look even dumber if she didn’t actually recognized who I am. Well. Sigh. Sorry. I really want to say it. Sorry from the bottom of my heart. I must look like haunting only big bosses and don’t want to talk with fresh grad staff. Oh no T_T I didn’t know what if I really go in there and she’ll be my boss.

It mess my mood to do anything for the rest of my Monday ><

Seems like I need to add these to my limitations and learning list:
be brave
be natural
be spontaneous
no soft voiceeee!! AAAAAaaAAAA *practicing screaming*

To those who had it.. care to share some tips? I know practice make perfect.. but to practice and repeat another incident like this.. aaa.. don’t want don’t want don’t want T_T

Red face,
Erlin.D

I lost my thumbdrive T_T

The last time I used it was on Tuesday night, when I was saving SCE’s photos for batch 2008. The next day, I was at lib for almost the whole day and didn’t use it at all. Today, when I need to transfer data to lab technician, I realize that it’s gonee!!! Thief? Drop? Why I always so careless :’( My dear sister… sorry that I lost your gift again… I’m disappointed with myself.. :’(

Thumbdrive-less,
Erlin.D

Cryptography (?)

In today crypto lecture, the lecturer taught:
- Non Polynomial Bounded functions
- Fermet’s Little Theorem
- Euler’s Totient Function
- Corollary
- Chinese Remainder Theorem
- Hard Problems
- Notion of No-Harder-Than
- Primitive Roots of Integers
- Modular Arithmetic
- Extended Euclic Algorithm
- Discrete Logarithm
- Miller-Rabin Primality Test
- Pseudo-Primes
- Prime Distribution
- Affirmative Prive Tests
- One-Way Functions

From today crypto lecture, what stick in my brain are:
- “I hope this is not hard for you to see that…”
- “It is clear that…”
- “So, it turns out that…”
- “I believe it is very obvious to you that…”
- “I leave the proof to you”

I dont understand any of the theorems @.@

I wonder if I'm taking Math III or Cryptography?
Erlin.D

Limitations

Everyone had limitations, right? My first limitation is in sport… Frankly speaking, I’m terrible in all sports (Yeah). Back to senior high school times, I really wanted to learn ice skating when the place is available at the new mall opened. I kept pushing my friends to go with me. At the end of the game, all my friends can skate smoothly, but I kept falling down T__T Why? Don’t want to give up yet, I forced my sister to bring me there again for several times… I even got a trainer to help me...but up to the time I am typing this, I still don’t know how to skate.

The same things happen when I want to learn swimming, or ballet, or pool. I really don’t want to believe I’m that bad in sport.. Until I tried one running game (During my first year at NTU, to get 2 points :P) and be the last runner.

I began to accept the fact that I’m not good in sport.. and really impressed with people who are good in sport =D I felt that they must have really been putting much effort than me, that's why they deserved to have it.

Alrite. I lost track of the original intended content of this entry.

What I actually want to grumble is about my inadequacy in soft skill…. in writing something impressive and interesting to read on. I had been complained that my blog entry always very long winded and full with grammatical error =.=. But I didn’t care too much about it.. I blog because I enjoy it.. If I need to type, think, re-edit and review before I posted it.. I wont enjoy the process.. That was my defense.

Now, here I’m in final year. I can’t escape from professional writing anymore. At least, I need to do my resume. And my Final Year Report. Ha. Now I regret why I never take it seriously before.. I also regret why I didn’t have much reading on English novel or what.. I felt so lack of word choices to express my thought. When I read back of what I write.. I know that it wasn’t exactly what I mean, but I can’t rephrase it better! You must know how bad it feels when the result didn’t match our expectation T_T

So, here are 2 conclusions of today entry:
1. People tend to be impressed with other who had skill which he/she doesn't acquire.. I am impressed with some of my classmates who can always present their ideas well. No matter it's right or wrong, it's still a skill!
2. Don’t only learn what you are asked to learn.. Do what you like. Be good in it. Practice will be necessary (especially things like communications skill. It can't be built overnight) It will eventually be proven to be useful in different way. There is no such thing as time being wasted :)

Sad to be bad in sense of direction, proud to be (at least) good in eating :p
Erlin.D

My sisters @ NTU... =D

Since the first time I met Ilfina, people said I look like her. I can't count how many people had guessed that we're sisters (some even really believe it when I lied!) =.='' I started to believe that we really looked alike.. until came Stefani at the following years.. Then people said that she is the transition between me and Ilfina.. XD.. Hmm.. I agree that she really looked like Ilfina. But with me? hmm.. I really can't see much similarity.. well.. maybe I just not able to judge myself.. So I eventually decided to take pics of 3 of us... Are we really alike? ~.~ I look like stranger beside them =.=

Erlin (CSC 4th) - Ilfina (CSC 3rd) - Stefani (CBC 2nd)

Anyway, I figured out that I really got alooot of similarity with Ilfina.. from our sense of direction until our cloths =.= Lucky that she didn't eat so much as I did.. XD I didn't know much about Stephanie last year.. but now, she becomes my neighbour. Sometimes I wonder if it was fated XD hahaha...

Any freshie wanna complete our hierarcy?
Erlin.D

Liar Game

I eventually finished Liar Game episode 11.. Thanks Winson for the updated news about subtitle.. =D The movie ended with Akimaya’s smile. The more I watch Akimaya, the more I felt that I saw the face before.. I scanned through my photos collections.. and tadaa.. I found the photo of my friends who look like him! Hoho..

So this is Mr. Akiyama...


and this is my friend... Jason Ooi, MAE. the number 3 from left... similar ma? XD


MB 103 Team - Group Photo... Miss you all guys...

Not going to watch any other drama in short time,
Erlin.D