20th 20th

Last year's birthday was a special one. Both my 农历 and the 阳历 (sorry, I don't know how to say in English...) birthday falls on the same day. I heard that all the 19th birthdays are like that. Wow.

Similarly, this year's birthday also has a special meaning. Not only am I turning 20 this year, which is the legal adult age in Japan, my birthday also happens to fall on the 20! In other words, this is the 20th 20th of March that I am spending! This is the only time in my life that it will happen. It won't appear again.

However, this is also the birthday which was spent most meaninglessly.

Because, on the 20th March 2009, I was in the army, doing my guard duty...

On this day, I did my duty, slept, did my duty, did some exercise, slept, and did my duty again... (Sorry that I can't provide details due to some Penal Code in the Secret Act...)

And I couldn't sleep well at night before my midnight duty because some guy below me was talking loudly and playing music...

Haiz, luckily I'm only spending ONE birthday in the camp. 

But there are also things that I'm glad about. On this day, many people have sent me birthday wishes through SMS or phone call. HL even made an overseas call from Australia in the evening. I really must thank all those who wished me Happy Birthday, including those that left comments on facebook, xiaonei and my blog. Because of you all, this year's 20th March is special. You all brought light to my dull birthday. :)

Now that I'm 20 years old, do I feel anything special? Sad to say, not really... Both physically and mentally, I still feel the same... Maybe now I can watch RA movies (but not R21 yet...), but that's the only difference that occurred in my life... Why? Am I already mature enough to be considered a 20-year-old, or am I still very childish? Only time will tell...

Personally, I don't think I can be considered a full-grown adult yet. There are still so many things I can't do by myself, and there are so many things I get scolded for. But I hope to learn as the responsibilities come gradually. University life will be coming soon, and I can't survive unless I manage my life effectively...

Anyway, let's wish myself a happy belated birthday, and hope that better things will happen this year... 

Random Shoots

Posting more random shots taken using my new camera.

I'm still very new to this DSLR, and can't really use the functions correctly to get the effect I want, especially the focusing part. I always can't seem to focus on the things that I want to focus on. Haiz... Still got a long way to go...

By the way, did anybody know that Canon actually means Kwanon, which is the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy (观音)? Yes, I'm not lying. It really is! I was so surprised when I found out... I mean, why would a brand be named after a Goddess?

I will be going back to camp tomorrow, and won't come out for another 7 days... Haiz, I didn't expect the stand-by days to go so fast... Time for another round, huh?

Mug again...



Tolerance...





Panda...



Piano...



A gift I got from Thailand...



Pig, and duck...



Octopus, and more...



Messy table in living...



Living room...



Two bears and one doll...



Random weeds...



Playground...






On the playground...



Not pets are allowed...

EOS 450D

Ok, so I actually came back alive from the first 7 days.

Surprisingly everyone of us survived.

But not many of us came back unscathed...

Enough about army now.

So, I went to this IT Show on last Friday, initially intending to take a look only. I wasn't actually hoping to buy anything, unless I find something nice. But then, I suddenly changed my mind, and bought my first DSLR camera for $1299. It's the Canon EOS 450D.

Actually I had always wanted to buy a DSLR camera. My compact camera bought in 2007 is not bad, but I kind of felt like taking better photos. And I saw that the EOS 450D came with quite a lot of free gifts, including a Selphy photo printer, so I intended to buy. But still, I didn't expect to spend so much money...

Still learning how to make full (or at least half-full) use of the camera... They say can apply for free course online, but how can a person like me have the time...? I barely even come out of camp...

Here are some random photos taken with my new camera. Not the best effect, but I think it's definitely better than my previous camera.

mug...



Building...




Kangaroo...



Biscuits...



Tissue paper and the go board that's being abused...



All the free gifts. Some are not shown as they have already been opened...



My new handphone (and handphone strap...)



Photo printer

(Goes off to play with my camera again...)

I won't appear for 7 days

Yes, it's here.

The day dreaded by everyone from our unit.

Is here.

Tomorrow, it's going to start officially.

How many lives will it take away?

How many casualties will there be?

Unknown, but definitely there will be some...

Hence, I won't be seen for around 7 days, from tomorrow onwards.

That is, assuming that I come out alive.

If I don't, it will be more than 7 days... Who knows I may never come out again...

I'm still in the midst of preparation, among which is the buying of cup noodles:

I have yet to evaluate the probabilities of me coming out alive.

So wish me good luck.

And hope to see you seven days later.

一盘棋的诞生

今天，我亲眼目睹了一盘棋诞生的整个过程。

 

不知道为什么，我的照片无法上传到校内，所以要看照片的话就到我facebook的相册吧：
 

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=79945&id=545686096

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=79949&id=545686096

2009年3月1日，李昌镐九段和崔哲瀚九段抵达了新加坡。在机场迎接他们的是几十个新加坡的棋迷们。
 

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=56908280833&ref=nf

2009年3月3日。第六届应氏杯世界围棋锦标赛决赛五番棋第一局，在新加坡围棋协会市区会所展开。双方经过猜子之后，李昌镐执白，崔哲瀚执黑。在裁判长杨佑嘉的宣布下，比赛在上午九点半正式开始。
 

而我，幸运地当上了此比赛的计时员。
 

其实这也是我第一次做这个工作。以前只看过别人做，没想到今天竟然我也有机会做上计时员，而且是在两个九段之间展开的这么重大的比赛。如果有人访问我的话，我打算说我感到很兴奋，也很荣幸。能够坐在旁边观看两个世界高手的对局，这种机会，真不知道几年才有一次呢。说不定这是我第一次也是最后一次。

这个机会也来的不易啊。要不是那天我刚刚好发短信给SH问他事情的话，我也不会知道我居然可以做这个工作。而且我是费了千辛万苦才逃出兵营的。本来我已经请好假了，谁知道礼拜一突然有好几个人生病，兵营人手不够，需要我留下来站岗。还好后来有人恢复过来了，帮我站岗，我才能够离开。所以我也得感谢兵营里的人啊~

http://sports.sina.com.cn/go/p/2009-03-03/10034249255.shtml

http://weiqi.sports.tom.com/2009-03-03/00UP/40429800.html

想看棋的解说的就到以上的网址吧。顺便看一看我的照片吧。嘿嘿=D
 

关于我的服装...其实，这是有原因的。本来我想穿比较formal的衬衫的，但是James（围棋协会经理）跟我说Smart Casual就可以了，所以我就穿成这样。谁知道我一到了那里，就看到了每个工作人员都穿着衬衫或西服。太无语了...还好我选的衣服不是很难看，还可以上镜。
 

这是我第三次看到李昌镐，第一次看到崔哲瀚。李昌镐依然面无表情，说话小声到听不见。崔哲瀚反而显得比较开朗，笑得比较多。不过两人一到了棋盘面前，就再也没有摆出笑脸了。

这次除了他们两位职业棋手以外，围棋泰斗吴清源先生也有来到现场。吴老先生已经有95岁高龄了，他还特意从日本飞过来当此比赛的总裁判长，实在是不易。他对围棋的执着以及专研的精神实在是令人致敬。别看他行动不方便，其实他的思路非常灵活，评棋评得头头是道，而且还能为棋会提子，真是佩服他。我能不能活到95岁都不知道呢。吴老先生，我祝你长命百岁...不，我祝你活过一百岁！
 

李昌镐的布局下得异常地快，看来他是早就想好对策。到了中盘李昌镐频频长考，也摇了好几次头。崔哲瀚似乎配合他似的，也摇了几次头。有趣的是崔哲瀚想棋的时候好几次都会把眼睛眯起来，样子看起来真的像一条蛇。（注：崔哲瀚在国内的绰号是毒蛇）
 

很可惜的是这盘棋后来变成一盘功夫棋，完全没有大砍大杀的局面出现。可能是因为重大比赛的首局所以双方都下得比较谨慎吧。有好几次执黑的崔哲瀚试图攻击白棋的弱棋，但可能是攻击得不好，被拿白的李昌镐全部都处理好，局面直接被带到官子阶段。这种棋，对官子很差的我来说是最无聊的了。如果是有大规模对杀之类的话，可能我会看得比较激动一点。看来毒蛇没发挥出他的本领啊。还是全都被石佛（李昌镐）给制住了？
 

后来在大官子阶段，崔哲瀚犯了一个错误，被李昌镐强手反击，局部黑棋亏损。虽然黑棋试图挽回，但在李昌镐滴水不漏的官子下，最终还是以三点之差败下阵来。
 

坐在旁边的我，有好几次试着猜下一手棋，有猜错的也有猜对的。不过在我猜对的那几手里面，似乎有一手是败着。这让我感到有点过意不去...
 

通过这次比赛，我深深体会到职业棋手和业余棋手的差别。职业棋手下棋的时候，除了棋以外几乎什么都不想。无论是轮到哪一方，两个人时时刻刻都盯住棋盘看，计算盘上的变化。算完了变化之后还要再判断这个变化是否好，判断完了之后再去算其他的变化。他们的脑里基本上一直重复着这两个操作，而且到了后盘还要加上点目。李昌镐和崔哲瀚有好几次都长考了十多分钟，在想的就是这些。而大部分的业余棋手，不是犹豫不决就是一直花时间算同一个变化，也不懂得判断。有些人还甚至胡思乱想，把宝贵的时间都给浪费掉了。这才是真正的用时方式。这才是真正的职业棋手。
 

还有一点要提的就是胜负感。职业棋手下棋只有一个目的：要下赢坐在自己对面的人。所以当他们形式不好的时候，会想办法挽回局面，甚至释放胜负手；形式好的时候，就尽量妥协，力图把局面走得简单一点。李昌镐下棋的时候，好几次都那纸巾擦脸上的汗，可见他是多么得投入，多么的执着。职业棋手的胜负感和业余棋手的胜负感是没法比的。我们经常下棋的时候都是随便随便，有时连判断都不判断，或者说判断不清楚所以懒得判断，结果发现棋输的时候已经太迟了。这种无神经的下法跟摆石头没什么区别。
 

上面我提到的业余棋手的缺点，其实也是我的缺点。说真的，自从我失去了去日本的机会之后，对围棋的热情降低了一大半。但通过这次的经验，我觉得我会卷土重来，拾起当年对围棋的热情，找回对胜负的执着，下好自己的每一盘棋。
 

比赛第二局，第三局将分别在星期四和星期六举行。可惜啊，我只有今天能请到假，其他天都出不来...不过做了一次计时员，看了两个绝顶高手之间的一盘棋的诞生，我也应该满意了吧。我还跟崔哲瀚单独拍了一张照呢，呵呵。不过有点不好意思，因为他刚输了一盘棋我还要劳烦他。。。
 

最后说一个有趣的事情。这种大比赛在外面，甚至在世界各地都炒得沸沸扬扬的，结果在对局室里却相当地安静，仿佛处在另一个世界。可能，这是像围棋这种项目的比赛的独特性吧~

In Memory of Hinata...

This... This is so unexpected...

And it's... so touching!!

Uh..., Hinata, I will always remember you...

Taken NARUTO manga Chapter 437:

Hinata: This is my own selfish act. I am standing here on my own will.

I was always crying, giving up even before I began, always trying to do the wrong things.

But then Naruto-kun, you showed me the right way to live.

I was always chasing after you, always trying to catch up.

I always wanted to able to walk side by side with you.

You were the one who changed me. It was your smile that saved me.

So, in order to protect you, I'm not afraid to die.

Because, I like you.

What an agonising confession...

Come on, Naruto, you must beat Pain!

Uh...

No Time

Have been really quite busy the past few days. I also don't know why. I just didn't have the time to come and update my blog.

What I was doing? Hmm, mostly going out, going to camp and fixing my com. Oh yeah, my PC is finally fixed now. I still don't know what the problem was but who cares since I can use it already. Now it's running Windows XP instead of Vista. This is to save RAM so that it can run faster and hopefully can last for a few more years (it's quite old now...).

Luckily I still could retrieve back my music and piano scores. These were sort of the most precious things in my com. Oh yeah, and pictures too. And now I can finally continue to put songs and videos in my iPOD. Yay!

I realised these few days that you'll never have the time to do everything you want. Definitely some things have to be sacrificed, or put aside first. If you want to finish everything you can't finish anything. (Actually I realised this long ago but I just realised it again recently...)

7 daze is starting soon. In fact I only have one more weekend left before it starts. I haven't made plans for it, and neither does the camp. It would be a miracle if we could even survive the first week. Plus all the politics and selfish people in the camp I don't know what I can do already. If only I could just press the fast-forward button...

This will be one big hurdle to my ORD...

Friends or Lovers?

I forgot who it was but I remember somebody telling me that Valentine's Day is also International Friendship Day. Immediately I found it weird, that two such contrasting occasion would fall on the same day. I'm lazy to go and check out also, so I randomly found a reason for it myself after some thinking.

My friend also told me that Valentine's Day is more meant for singles. To couples, everyday is Valentine's Day, hence this day won't be any special.

Therefore, I thought that maybe February 14th is meant to differentiate between friends and lovers. For normal friends, they will celebrate International Friendship Day. For lovers, they will celebrate Valentine's Day.

It doesn't matter whether you are single or attached. It applies to everybody.

So, are you a friend, or are you a Valentine?

What about myself?


PS I just did a search and found out that International Friendship Day is on some other day. But since I already wrote this, and it doesn't affect my opinion, I gues it doesn't really matter.

PPS My PC is spoilt... Now there's a lot of things I can't do liao... Need to get it fixed ASAP... I think it's really getting old now.

Prepare for 7 Daze

DISCLAIMER: This post has NOTHING to do with the Army, SAF, Navy, or any other related organisations. All this happens purely in my mind, and I'm NOT describing my present or future life in my unit. Yes, I'm NOT.

Imagine staying in a confined space for 7 days. You cannot go home. Everyday, other than eat and sleep, all you do is go out and stand at the gate. There are some entertainments, but they are not enough for grown-ups like you. You have no PSP, no XBOX, no computer, no internet. iPOD and MP3 players are still allowed. Books also.

The question is: how do you survive?

Now, that's not the end. Imagine having to stand for a total of almost 10 hours a day outside. There are about 20 people suffering with you, but this kind of manpower is not enough. The same old routine continues everyday. And you are not allowed to exercise during your rest time. Whenever you do anything wrong, you get scolded. If it's serious enough, you'll get to stay for a few more days. You are not allowed to take leaves, even though you can take MC.

If it's just 2 or 3 days, I'm sure you can take it. But SEVEN DAYS? Who would be able to take it?

I don't think I can.

The most I can do, is to bring enough books and put enough videos in my iPOD. But I'm sure I'll get tired of it after doing the same thing for a few days.

Those higher-ups would happily go home everyday, while we are the ones who have to suffer.

WHY must this kind of things happen?

I mean, if it REALLY happens, it would be a downright TRAGEDY.

TRAGEDY OF THE YEAR.

I shall see at the end of the 7 days, how many would still be alive.

And how many 7 days we can endure before we all turn into zombies.

End of imagination.

新年快乐？

阳历新年过了。农历新年也过了。

鼠年过去了。牛年来了。

照道理，我应该在祝每个人新年快乐，别人也会相应地祝我新年快乐。

但我的新年，是否真的快乐呢？


如果快乐，那是因为过了新年代表我当兵的日子已经过了一大半了。还有大概10个月左右，我就可以出来，重获自由之身了。

快乐，也是因为我又可以在这段时间跟同学，朋友们相聚，吃喝玩乐。跟他们在一起，几乎所有烦恼都忘光了。


但是这次，不快乐的层面似乎比较多。

第一：围棋。期待已久的世界业余围棋赛的选拔赛终于来了，但是我还没有做足抵抗就草草败下阵来，再次失去了代表新加坡参赛，飞去日本的机会。人人都说明年还有机会，不过这句话，我不知道已经连续听了多少年了。

第二：兵营。是不是我注定没法跟他人好好相处？不管到哪里去，能交到的朋友都是寥寥无几，关系不好的却有一大堆。而且就算是朋友，也会经常互相猜疑，嘲笑。这种也算得上真正的朋友吗？而且为什么我总是要看别人的脸色做事呢？逢场作戏，装摸做样，在兵营（和社会）貌似是件常事，但偏偏这是我不喜欢做的。

第三：人生。快要过20岁的生日了，我却对我的人生一点打算都没有。大学专业是选好了，但我也不确定我是不是真的想学那个。想利用这段时间来做些有用的事，学些有用的事，但每次都无所事成。我到底将来要做什么？我要做一个什么样的人？我要交一个什么样的女朋友？这些问题，我都无法自己回答。顺其自然，真的是正确的吗？船到桥头真的会直吗？

第四：精神。记忆越来越差，思想也越来越迟钝了。不管是不是当兵的副作用，这对我的生活造成了很大的障碍。人也变得越来越懒惰，一到家就什么事都不想做，到了兵营也整天只顾着睡觉。我的自我管理能力跑到哪儿去了？这样还怎么上大学啊？

等等。


人长得越大，烦恼果然就越多。被如此多的烦恼包围，我还可以说“新年快乐”吗？