Saturday, June 30, 2007

My constant companion

It occurred to me that I have changed a few phones in my lifetime, and I thought it might just be nice to talk about them for a little while. Almost a walk down tech memory lane.

My first phone was the Nokia 3210, which I bought from the M1 shop at $280 together with a 2 year contract. This phone was bulky, heavy, and a piece of shit. But it was mine, and no one else's. It's almost like a first love, only it was really a compromise, and everyone just got together cos no one had any reason not to.

I next got myself a Nokia 8210. Well, it was given to me by my older sister, who had been given a new phone by her then boyfriend. I loved this one so much. My sister had it tweaked with blue LEDs so the screen gave off a really nice glow. And it was the smallest, lightest phone I have ever carried. I don't think any of my following phones could match this one in terms of form. However, this was sadly stolen from me in my bunk while I was still in National Service. Word of warning to future NS boys: Keep an eye out for your own belongings, kids!

Ah... The Nokia 8310. The slightly pudgy cousin of my previous phone. It's like the kind of girl that was kinda cute... but would look really hot if she shed a couple pounds; Dressing nice helped a little, but we all knew the score. The thickness of the phone was slightly more than the 8210, and the width slightly smaller. It just felt a little chubby in my hands, but hey... some people like that sort of thing. For me, it was a rebound phone, having just lost my 8210. You're cute... but really not what I'm looking for.

My next love was the Nokia 6610. I was pinning after this phone ever since it was first announced. This phone was also one of the first few with colour screens, which made it all the more attractive. But the fates kept us apart, and so I stood in silent admiration from a distance. It was really my wallet my prevented us from being together, that cold hearted bitch. I finally got together with the 6610 in 2004, when it was offered for $100 (with contract) by M1. Ah... This phone served me very well for the following 3 years, and I'm still currently using it (cos the next one is also a piece of shit).

Tempted by it's sleek design, and revolutionary metal casing, my sister bought this phone for me at $400. And that, for me, is akin to an expensive date with a stupid, air-headed slag. Aside from its good looks, there isn't much that I like about this phone. It was like a trophy phone... except everyone else had the same damn trophy. And using the damn thing got on my nerves so bad. The texting was a chore, transferring contacts from SIM to phone was confusing, bluetooth was a joke... I could go on. I sold this phone for $60 to a second-hand dealer... That's all you're worth, Moto. Be grateful.

Sunday, June 24, 2007

Starcraft Sunday

So Adrian and I spent the entire afternoon playing Starcraft, and it was most excellent. We've been on a Starcraft kick, since I bought myself a second-hand copy of the game. And hearing the recent news of the sequel has re-ignited our interest in the game.

We used to play the game quite often back when we were much younger, and when LAN shops were all the rage. We essentially spent all our leisure time between this and CounterStrike.

We played two rounds today, each time teaming with each other against the computer. We both aren't too good at the game (he's better than I am), so the computer proves to be a more than sufficient challenge to our skill. We played against the Zergs and the Protoss, with us using the Terrans in both rounds.

There were times when things got a little hairy. I mean, with those damn Zergs, there are just wave after wave of those pesky zerglings and hydralisks. And we kept getting slaughtered by the templar's psionic storm ability. But we were able to pull out wins in the end, and only because the AI isn't brilliant. If we were playing against a human opponent, we'd have no chance in hell.

But hey... A win is still a win! Siege Tanks FTW!

Sunday, June 17, 2007

Play! A Video Game Symphony

Adrian, Audrea, Aedan, Mark, Shaun and myself just attended the last performance of Play!, at the Esplanade Concert Hall. A part of the Singapore Arts Festival, I believe that this performance was the most popular of all. I have also heard that all 3 Play! performances were totally sold out, the only sold out performances in the Arts Festival this year.

The entire experience was exquisite. The music arrangements were excellent, the selection of songs were spot on, and hearing those tunes played by a full orchestra was mind-blowing.

Games that were featured included: Super Mario Brothers, Lost Odyssey, Blue Dragon, Shenmue, Metal Gear Solid, Final Fantasy (VI & VII), Halo, Castlevania, Chrono Trigger, Oblivion, World of Warcraft and Zelda. If any of those names are familar to you, then you did yourself a dis-service by not going to this awesome performance.

And even if you don't know the musical scores, the experience would still be extremely satisfying. The music from video games are true works of art, and is an enjoyable aural experience. It was an excellent performance all round, and for geeks, just a little bit more extra special.

Friday, June 15, 2007

What is Love?

What is love
Oh baby, don't hurt me
Don't hurt me no more
Oh, baby don't hurt me
Don't hurt me no more

What is love
Yeah

Oh, I don't know why you're not there
I give you my love, but you don't care
So what is right and what is wrong
Gimme a sign

What is love
Oh baby, don't hurt me
Don't hurt me no more
What is love
Oh baby, don't hurt me
Don't hurt me no more

Whoa whoa whoa, oooh oooh
Whoa whoa whoa, oooh oooh

Oh, I don't know, what can I do
What else can I say, it's up to you
I know we're one, just me and you
I can't go on

What is love
Oh baby, don't hurt me
Don't hurt me no more
What is love
Oh baby, don't hurt me
Don't hurt me no more

Whoa whoa whoa, oooh oooh
Whoa whoa whoa, oooh oooh

What is love, oooh, oooh, oooh
What is love, oooh, oooh, oooh

What is love
Oh baby, don't hurt me
Don't hurt me no more

Don't hurt me
Don't hurt me

I want no other, no other lover
This is your life, our time
When we are together, I need you forever
Is it love

What is love
Oh baby, don't hurt me
Don't hurt me no more
What is love
Oh baby, don't hurt me
Don't hurt me no more (oooh, oooh)

What is love
Oh baby, don't hurt me
Don't hurt me no more
What is love
Oh baby, don't hurt me
Don't hurt me no more (oooh, oooh)

What is love?

Wednesday, June 13, 2007

Transformers: The Game

This clip features a short interview with Peter Cullen, the voice of Optimus Prime.

When you hear him say that famous line, "Autobots, transform and roll out", it will send a shiver down your back.

Friday, June 08, 2007

Thursday, June 07, 2007

Bad food

It is a rare occasion that I would not finish my food, even if it is only mediocre. And so if it happens that I do not finish a dish, I must really abhor it. And once I have tasted something that is extremely unagreeable, I lose my appetite and I feel the need to wash my mouth out. With soap.

This happened once before, when I had a Thai beef noodles at a food court in Vivocity. The broth was weak, and had a really odd after taste, and the accompanying beed was tough and tasteless. I didn't finish it. It was bad.

This happened again yesterday, when I had a pasta dish at Cedele in Wheelock Place. It was the strangest concoction I've had in a long while, and I barely ate 2 bites of it. I told the waiter to remove it from the table.

Normally, I'm fairly satisfied by the food at Cedele; They have excellent soups, cakes and bread. So yesterday's meal was a revelation, to say the least.

I had the Crab Lime Pasta, which I did not enjoy at all. The taste of lime was too overpowering, and completely masked any other potential flavours. And do you know that bitter taste when you bite into a seed of a citrus fruit? The dish had that same after-taste, and it was very strong. The only other flavour that was not masked was the chilli. And so the pasta I had was sour, bitter and spicy. To my palette, that was not a pleasurable combination at all.

On the postive side, the serving was quite generous, and there were a lot of chunks of crab. But I did not eat much of it.

And I have to note that the staff at Cedele are very good, and offered to exchange the pasta for something else on the menu for free. I declined, as I really did not have the mood for food. But I did accept their offer of a slice of chocolate cake. Service at Cedele is excellent.