Sanity… is for the Weak

Random Rumblings, SwordsmanshipJuly 31, 2007 12:09 pm

In third guard

Just trying out my new Solingen rapier and matching Main Gauche.

The bandanna does give me a rather piratical look, no?

We had a lot of fun at sword class last week, partly beacuse we got to play with our new swords, and partly because I’m finally over a blasted flu that was bugging me for the last 2 weeks.
Adjusting my stanceAaron in Plate armour

We also had Eunice, of FHM’s Gamer Girl fame, drop by for an interview and look-see. She looks sweeter in person than in the pictures. (Hi Eunice!)

Random Rumblings, FoodJuly 26, 2007 10:27 am

Brought wifey down to Wacha for an early birthday dinner treat. Been hearing a lot about this little bonsai concept tea, sake and lacquerware shop that serves a great home-cooked japanese meal for a while now, so off we went:
StartersInside the basket
MainHappy Wifey

Surprisingly good food (cooked by the lovely Mayako-san!), at very nice $35 price point for a 3-course set menu, this cosy little place (seats only about 16!) will be visited by us again.

Wacha

14:00 - 23:00 Monday - Saturday
14 Ann Siang Road
#01-01
Singapore 069694

Tel: 0438 1553

:Link:
Wacha

Random Rumblings, GamingJuly 24, 2007 11:03 pm

Games Galore!

Role Playing Games:
D&D 1st ed, D&D 3rd ed, GURPS, Blue Planet, Heavy Gear, Jovian Chronicles, Tékumel: Empire of the Petal Throne , Tribe 8, Cyberpunk 2020, Cyberpunk V.3, Castle Falkenstein, D6, True 20 RPG, Ars Magica, Mekton, Shadowrun 1st - 4th ed, Earthdawn 1st & 2nd ed, Crimson Empire, Paronia XP, Deadlands, Deadlands: Hell On Earth, Waste World, Rifts, Palladium Fantasy, A|State, SLA Industries, Dragon Warriors, Ars Magica, Call of Cthulhu, Delta Green, Delta Green: Count Down, 7th Sea, Legend of the Five Rings 1st & 2nd ed, Fading Suns, The Seventh Seal, Darkwood, Space 1889, Conspiracy X, Over The Edge, Dark Conspiracy, Tunnels & Trolls, Gear Kreig, Secret of Zir’an, All Flesh Must Be Eaten, The Lord of the Rings RPG, Skyrealms of Jorune, Underground, Godlike, Haven: City of Violence, Lone Wolf: The RPG, Unknown Armies.

That’s just the RPG systems on the shelf. I haven’t counted the GURPS sourcebooks, D20 sourcebooks or the stuff still at my mom’s place.

Ditto with the boardgames on top nor the card games on the next shelf.

So how come I’m not gaming more, damnit!?

Random Rumblings, Blog Things! 12:26 pm

Visual/Nonverbal 36
Visual/Verbal 28
Auditory 14
Kinesthetic 30

Your primary learning style is:

The Visual/ Nonverbal Learning Style

You learn best when information is presented visually and in a picture or design format. In a classroom setting, you benefit from instructors who use visual aids such as film, video, maps and charts. You benefit from information obtained from the pictures and diagrams in textbooks. You tend to like to work in a quiet room and may not like to work in study groups. When trying to remember something, you can often visualize a picture of it in your mind. You may have an artistic side that enjoys activities having to do with visual art and design.

Learning Strategies for the Visual/ Nonverbal Learner:

Make flashcards of key information that needs to be memorized. Draw symbols and pictures on the cards to facilitate recall. Use highlighter pens to highlight key words and pictures on the flashcards. Limit the amount of information per card, so your mind can take a mental “picture’ of the information.

Mark up the margins of your textbook with key words, symbols, and diagrams that help you remember the text. Use highlighter pens of contrasting colors to “color code” the information.

When learning mathematical or technical information, make charts to organize the information. When a mathematical problem involves a sequence of steps, draw a series of boxes, each containing the appropriate bit of information in sequence.

Use large square graph paper to assist in creating charts and diagrams that illustrate key concepts.

Use the computer to assist in organizing material that needs to be memorized. Using word processing, create tables and charts with graphics that help you to understand and retain course material. Use spreadsheet and database software to further organize material that needs to be learned.

As much as possible, translate words and ideas into symbols, pictures, and diagrams.

:Link:
What’s your learning style?

Random RumblingsJuly 23, 2007 8:32 am

Resistance... is futile

Nothing much going on, really. Just (way) too busy with work.

*edit*
We caught Harry Potter last weekend, and it was quite enjoyable ~ would have been better if there weren’t so many cranky kids in the theater though… at two and a half hours, the movie was a little too long for kids to sit quietly through, so there were brats running up and down the side, and kids talking, and babies crying, and ^%$#@! stop kicking the back of my chair!!!

Random RumblingsJuly 20, 2007 8:17 pm

20 Jul 1969

Men walked on the moon for the first time in History.

What have we done since?

Random Rumblings, Blog Things!July 13, 2007 10:22 am

Online Dating

Mingle2 - Online Dating

PG ain’t that bad, considering the amount of references to potential bloodshed and meyhem from my swordsmanship class…

Random RumblingsJuly 12, 2007 10:09 pm

Interesting…. trailer

So far, this movie has no working title as yet, and all we know so far is that it will be a Science Fiction movie, and it (probably) will be released on 18 Jan 2008.

Looking at at producer J.J.Abrams‘ previous works; it’s kinda hard to tell what it my be; however, with the wierd growling noise in the trailer, and the big booms, I’m betting Godzilla 2.

Anybody think so too?

:Links:
+Movie Trailer
+Cloverfield Wiki

Humor, Anime 9:57 am

アニメ版「らき☆すた」ED #13
「俺の忘れ物」
Ore no wasuremono
唄:白石みのる(白石稔)
Singer: Minoru Shiraishi (Minoru Shiraishi)
作詞:白石みのる
作曲:白石みのる
出演:白石みのる(白石稔)
演出:白石みのる(白石稔)


The funny bit? The is the same song that vioce actor, Minoru Shiraishi, was singing in “The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi” as the character Taniguchi when he walks in on Yuki and Kyon:

XD XD XD

Random Rumblings, HumorJuly 10, 2007 8:52 am


Mwahahahahahaha!!!!

Come to think of it…. I came across this “de-motivational poster” the other day:

Audio/Visual Update, Random RumblingsJuly 9, 2007 10:09 am

Audio/Visual Update
Audio:Slave
In the B&O:
+Queen: Greatest Hits
+OST Grand Theft Auto: Vice City - Wave 103
+Red Hot Chilli Peppers Greatest Hits
+Utada Hikaru: Ultra Blue
+Diablo Swing Orchestra: The Butcher’s Ballroom
+OST Samurai Champloo - Departure
+Monkey Majik + Yoshida Brothers - Change

Visual:Slave
In the DVD:
+Mythbusters: Season 1 / Season 2 / Season 3
+I.33 - Fencing with the Sword and Dagger
+Man of the Year
+CSI - Season 1

In the PSP:
+Sumomo mo Momo mo
+Pumpkin Scissors
+Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge
+Freedom
+Kanon 2006
+Ghost Hunt
+Lucky ☆ Star
+Mahou Shojou Lyrical Nanoha StrikerS
+Lovely Complex
+Murder Princess
+Monster Princess
+Sola
+Hayate no Gotoku

Movies to Catch - ‘07:
+Spiderman 3
+Transformers: The Movie
+Ghost Rider
+Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
+300
+Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer
+The Simpsons Movie
+Shrek: The Third
+Bridge to Terabithia… missed this one.
+Seraphim Falls
+Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
+The Last Mimzy… looks like we missed this one.
+Day Watch
+Nomad
+Pirates of the Carribean: At World’s End
+Live Free or Die Hard
+Next
+The Golden Compass
+I Am Legend
+Hot Fuzz

Movies soooo bad, it’s gotta be gooood
+Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film For Theaters
+Grindhouse
+Balls of Fury
+Black Sheep

More Than Meets The Eye

Yesssss! We caught Transformers over the weekend, and it was a blast! Sooooo much details in the show, that we were tempted to watch it again ~ and it’s one of the few shows we went to where the audience actually clapped at the end!

The best part of the movie for me, was when Optimus Prime started speaking. I was so moved ~ it was like meeting a long lost friend again after many, many years. Thank you, Michael Bay, for choosing to have Peter Cullen provide Optimus’ voice again.

Next week, we watch Harry Potter :D

Random RumblingsJuly 7, 2007 9:54 am

It’s Live Earth today.

What have you done to save the only home we have?

:Link:
+Live Earth
+What’s Your Live Impact?

Random Rumblings, FoodJuly 4, 2007 6:55 pm

Photo-intensive post!

Met up with Aaron for brunch and movie together with Mo on sunday, before heading off to sword class.

Food at Graze was as good as ever, and this time I got decent shots of the place and the food:
The BBQ houseTable Setting
GrazeEggs Benedict & Earl Grey tea

I think Big A was convinced enough to bring Jacq down to this delightfully charming place again.

Audio/Visual Update, Anime 5:24 pm

Audio/Visual Update
Audio:Slave
In the B&O:
+Queen: Greatest Hits
+OST Grand Theft Auto: Vice City - Wave 103
+Red Hot Chilli Peppers Greatest Hits
+Utada Hikaru: Ultra Blue
+Diablo Swing Orchestra: The Butcher’s Ballroom
+OST Samurai Champloo - Departure
+Monkey Majik + Yoshida Brothers - Change

Visual:Slave
In the DVD:
+Mythbusters: Season 1 / Season 2 / Season 3
+I.33 - Fencing with the Sword and Dagger
+Man of the Year
+CSI - Season 1

In the PSP:
+Sumomo mo Momo mo
+Pumpkin Scissors
+Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge
+Freedom
+Kanon 2006
+Ghost Hunt
+Lucky ☆ Star
+Mahou Shojou Lyrical Nanoha StrikerS
+Lovely Complex
+Murder Princess
+Monster Princess
+Sola
+Hayate no Gotoku

Movies to Catch - ‘07:
+Spiderman 3
+Transformers: The Movie
+Ghost Rider
+Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
+300
+Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer
+The Simpsons Movie
+Shrek: The Third
+Bridge to Terabithia… missed this one.
+Seraphim Falls
+Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
+The Last Mimzy… looks like we missed this one.
+Day Watch
+Nomad
+Pirates of the Carribean: At World’s End
+Live Free or Die Hard
+Next
+The Golden Compass
+I Am Legend
+Hot Fuzz

Movies soooo bad, it’s gotta be gooood
+Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film For Theaters
+Grindhouse
+Balls of Fury
+Black Sheep

Cop Shows
Actually caught two police shows last week… Hot Fuzz & Die Hard 4.0

Hot Fuzz was… hilarious to say the least. Typical quirky brit humor and lots of references to pop culture and movie trivia, we enjoyed laughing ourselves silly for this little gem, though the abrupt censorship for the gory scenes were more than a little jarring.

Caught Die Hard 4.0 with Aaron & Mo since wifey refused to watch Die Hard 4.0, citing that she never caught the first one as a reason. But it still was an enjoyable romp; totally updated for the 21st century with hacker terrorists. The action scenes were fast and furious, and featured the typical big explosions and narrow escapes that are the trademark of police officer John MaClane.

“yippie ki yay, ************!”

Random Rumblings, Blog Things!July 3, 2007 5:39 pm

Rule # 1:
If you open this you GOTTA take it.

Rule # 2:
You are NOT ALLOWED to explain
ANYTHING unless someone messages you
and asks

Rule #3:
Only answer True or False
(more…)

Random Rumblings, SwordsmanshipJuly 2, 2007 11:19 pm

Body aching.

Because:

1. We went diving for a week. Which means a daily routine of: Eat. Sleep. Dive. Repeat. So there goes the diet, and the physical conditioning.

2. Damned near killed myself clearing IPPT last thursday. On the bright side of things, I managed the 2.4km run in 11m 49s. Not bad for a 35 year-old huh?

3. We were doing take-downs for Sunday’s sword class. Which means bruises on legs, knees, and just about any part of the body that gets thrown to the floor.

3a. Was doing paired dagger drills with Anthony, and both of us lost our balance… resulting in me taking an elbow to the sternum, a la WWF’s Elbow Drop. For a moment I just couldn’t breathe, and I swear I saw stars.

Oh well. Just another day at the Fight Club :P

Oh, and I tried out Seng Kian’s Chainmaille too.

Man-at-arms
Bloody thing weighs 16kgs. Not funny at all.