I've been away from the Internet long enough. It's time I took a little while to come back and start posting here again. In fact, I haven't been posting for so long it feels awkward typing at a keyboard again.

Let's start off with the..

[MINGGU ALUAN SISWA]

In the days running up to the beginning of the semester, I underwent the Orientation Week (or Minggu Aluan Siswa, MAS for short) program as a facilitator. I must say though those two weeks were terribly hectic - it was probably the first time I'd broken down over work - it has turned out to be an extremely satisfying and gratifying experience.

For the juniors who were welcomed into UTP as part of the January 2008 intake, for the seniors who guided us throughout one week of facilitator training and one week of orientation, for the friends I've found through the experience, I thank you one and all for everything. Never will I forget the enriching experience of being part of a wacky, dedicated and charming team of people from all sorts of diverse backgrounds. Especially being the only one in the Desktop Publishing Unit who knew Photoshop! You wouldn't believe how fast they caught up with my lessons! *ahem*

[EXAMINATION RESULTS]

I did tell you about this before, didn't I? Never mind, it's a subject worth repeating. *winks*

I really outdid my expectations for last semester. Where I'd expected a 3.7 or 3.8, I got a 3.95 - as close to perfect as I'd dare hope. Admittedly, getting such terrific results has been a bit of a cause to blush with me, considering a significant number of people have not performed up to their own expectations.

To my friends out there, don't despair! This is another semester, a chance to redeem our past mistakes - heck, I know I made a lot of them! Time to get cracking on the books consistently! Now if only I could find the spare time to start studying..

[CAMPUS LIFE WEEK AKA MINGGU MESRA KAMPUS]

Lately the Student Council has been pretty busy organizing a festival of sorts called the Campus Life Week. It's where *most* of the clubs and societies in UTP strut their stuff along the lecture halls of Pocket D and go all out to promote their upcoming events or attract new members from the new January 2008 intake.

(I say *most* because the Debate Club seems to be missing from the scene, among others, and the Media and Technology - Medtech, for short - club seems to have assimilated the tables assigned for the debaters' booth..)

[SYNTECH ORGANIZATION @ CLW]

I've been heavily involved with the CLW - that's the abbreviation for the event - if only because of my commitments to Syntech Organization, a technology-related club. This year we're going all out to promote ourselves and the many events we've got lined up, such as an apprenticeship program for Foundation students, as well as this wicked cool deal with a local IT company (MSY, based in Meru Jaya, Perak) that allows our members to get computer servicing, accessories and hardware at discounted prices.

As the Head of Human Resources (I've never really understood why its called that), the department has been placed in charge of registering new members. Suffice to say, having cleaned out our old Excel-based database and replaced it with a spanking-new Access one, the response has been good, but for some reason many current members have yet to re-register with the club to entitle themselves to the many benefits of being a member. I guess we've got our work cut out for us!

[STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE COUNCIL]

Besides that, the Student Council seems to have.. slacked, for want of a better word. Somehow I just don't feel the dedication to duty (or COMMITMENT TO TIME) anymore. It's like we're just going through the motions of living. Of course, I won't say that I've been completely innocent, though sometimes I wonder where we're actually heading to.

Right now though, the Council is busy with the recruitment of our working committee members, but the response has been pretty poor. Should we hope to expect more students turning up for the Friday recruitment session? I refuse to be pessimistic. *beams*

[MISTAKES]

To be frank, I've just committed a serious error under Syntech Organization - I planned an event last-minute. Needless to say, everything that could possibly go wrong did, and now I think I'm the one at fault for this immense wastage of energy, ideas, strength, time, and a little money.

Some of us have to learn the hard way, by way of hard knocks on the head. But I'm glad for the learning experience this has provided me. The scale of this failure is bigger than I had foreseen, and by far I am very disappointed with how I have performed lately. I have a commitment to every one of the members within Syntech, and I feel that I must atone for my mistakes and apologize to everyone who had helped me thus far.

Still, its only the beginning of the new semester, and I refuse to let this one failure bog me down. Sure, there's this little insect called Guilt eating away at my heart, but I need to get things done right now that I know my mistakes. The important thing is that we learn from our falls, and get right back up to continue where we left off.

[LECTURES]

I'm glad for my lectures because this semester it seems that I've got quite the number of good ones. There's Prof Jubair from Iraq teaching Software Engineering, Ms Subarna, one of my favorites teaching Professional Communication Skills, Mr Mohammad Noor Ibrahim, teaching Internet Programming, and Dr Baharum, a friend's father who teaches Business Statistics.

Then again, I've not gotten used to the other three yet - Dr Halabi for Data Communication Networks and En Abu Bakar Sedek for Strategic Management. I hope to get to know these two later on, because I'm really determined to score well for this semester's examinations despite my workload. Best way to do that is to get the lecturer to like you (so they teach you nicely, not for extra marks)!

..I guess I'll sign off here for now, blogged long enough. Do check back regularly, alright? Ciao!

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Sometimes you don't ask for work but you get it by the buckets.

It's like there's always something that needs doing.

Even if the time on your watch happens to be 4:00 a.m. in the morning.

For the record, I am currently NOT doing any work. This is some very rare "free time" that I'm getting - if only because I'm not sleeping at the moment.

Lightning flashes intermittently outside. Yet thunder does not boom. Strange.

Is it a sign of weakness to cry, or merely a potent reminder of our brittle humanity?

Gotta go shower. Duty calls.

P.S. - For the record, I did much better than expected in the previous semester examinations. Whoopee!

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Are you sure it's safe? she asks him softly. He laughs and nods, tenderly and affectionately stroking her hair, letting his fingers slide through her raven locks. She wraps her arms around him, seeking solace in his warmth as he snakes his hand down her back to comfort her. She squirms visibly as he touches her. She whimpers, "You promised." He smiles, whispers sweet nothings into her ear as she begins to swoon. He steps back as his woman sheds her clothes for him; as a camera, ingeniously hidden in the plaster ceiling, points in their direction...

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Realizing the dearth of topics on which to blog - despite a very sweet girl's help (thanks anyway, darling!) - I have settled on paying off a long overdue bill that has been festering upon my digital desktop for about a year now. Or is that a couple of weeks (I'm still having trouble getting the idea of this being 2008 - Happy Belated New Year!)?

The rot in question is a tag to complete a "mundane" (in the tagger's words himself) meme about yours truly. In short, Henry, here's what you asked for. I hope these answers don't disappoint you completely. *grins wickedly*

List out the top five presents you wish for:

1. A brand new desktop computer, complete with 19" LCD monitor and 2 GBs of RAM, upon which I can play uber-cool games and experiment with Adobe Photoshop CS2 endlessly (so I'm a geek, SUE ME!)!
   
2. A simple, decent digital camera.
   
3. An MP3 player.
   
4. A Perodua Kancil. I need motivation to practice my driving. Yes, I don't have a license. No, I can't ride a motorcycle either 'cos I don't have a license for that too.
   
5. Cash. Lots and lots of cash. To quote Ms Britney Spears (ah, how far she hath fallen), "Gimme more!"
   

The person who tagged you is: Yew Guo Zheng (Henry)

Your five impressions of him:

1. Intelligent.
2. British.
3. Egg.
4. Sadistic.
5. Wordy.

The most memorable words he said to you:
"BAH!"

If he becomes your lover, you will…
..probably realize my mistake once the hangover clears up.

If he becomes your enemy, the reason will be…
..a betrayal so vicious and brutal that the very foundations of the world will be shaken. Additionally, I will make millions selling the sordid story of this unexpected backstabbing to influential tabloids worldwide, and then go on to hosting my own talk show.

As the more perceptive of you may have realized by now, I have had no Internet connection at home for the past.. three weeks or so. I promise to blog more regularly now that I've returned to UTP.

Pass the quiz to ten persons who you wish to know how they feel about you:

1. Jared Ee
   
2. Yi Wei
   
3. Hui Wen
   
4. Aimi
   
5. Jolynn
6. The Psycho Kid
   
7. Fang Xuan
   
8. Wen Sher
   
9. Melissa
   
10. Mildred

Who is No. 7 having a relationship with?
I wasn't aware that he has a girlfriend, really.

Who is No. 9 having a relationship with?
I wasn't aware she has a boyfriend, either!

If No. 9 and No. 1 are together, will it be a good thing?
No, 'cos there just isn't the chemistry for things to work out well. Trust me on this. *winks*

What about No. 1 and No. 5?
Well you could try, but it'd seem as if something was lacking from the relationship.

What is No. 3 studying?
Law, aiming to become a lawyer (..must..resist..urge..to crack..stupid..joke..!).

When is the last time you chatted with No. 6?
Last year, during exam week.

Does No. 4 work?
Not full-time, if you asked me. As far as I know, she's still studying.

Has any cousin in his/her own school?
How should I know such things. Find out from her yourself!

Will you be with No. 10?
As a friend? Yes. As more than a friend? Perhaps. As a lover? Guess not!

How about No. 5?
As a friend? Sure. As more than a friend? Maybe. As a lover? No chance!

Does No. 2 have any siblings?
I'm not sure. If I'd to hazard a guess, I'd say... no?

How did you get to know about No. 2 and No. 4?
No. 2 - Blogging, 2005(06?).
No. 4 - JKMM-UNICEF Children's Rights Convention Workshop, 2004.

Where does No. 1 live?
Fair Park.

How did you get to know No. 8?
Through the Orientation Week in Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, 2006.

Is No. 5 the sexiest person in the world?
She could be!

* * * * *

The Orientation Week program begins in a week's time. I've returned to UTP to attend to several things pertaining to the Orientation Week, as well as the Student Council. I'll be posting a short story next, so stay tuned!

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I'm currently in university till the 19th of December to complete the strategic planning for the Student Representative Council. Planning is hard work. Even with a day packed full of classes I never expected to find myself wringing my brain for ideas every minute of the day!

On the other hand, with my old desktop sent home already, I've been playing around with Photoshop on friends' computers, and boy, is it fun! I only wish my old desktop could support the voracity of Photoshop's hunger for system resources. *frowns*

I hope to find my connection at home still working that I may update this blog regularly during the holidays. In the meantime, this little update will have to do for the time being (since I'm using my friend's computer while he's praying) - see you all after I return home on the 19th's evening.

Ciao!

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The little girl began to cry. In the endless back-and-forth of the crowd she'd been separated from her mother. Now she was lost and lonely in this cold, big city. People brushed past her indifferently, their eyes purposely avoiding her gaze. Except for a handsome young gentleman in a deep blue suit. He knelt before her, smiling paternally. "Hey little girl," he spoke softly. "Why so sad?" She whimpered, "I'm lost, Mister. I can't find my mommy." "Don't worry, little girl," grinning lecherously as her beautiful eyes widened. "I'll help you find her. You're safe with me."

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Nowadays, games have become so advanced graphics-wise that it's almost the norm for any new game to package itself in shiny aesthetics and realistic physics modeling. Most games out on the market now look unbelievably good - and as some have said, they look even better than real life.

In an effort to differentiate themselves from the competitors, many games now focus on intense, plot-driven single-player modes with storylines penned by accomplished writers. Here are five games (in no particular order) that should be made into movies for their solid, breathtaking stories.

#01: Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos + The Frozen Throne

We've all heard the story of the fallen hero countless times since Darth Vader was revealed to have been Anakin Skywalker before succumbing to the intrigue of the Dark Side. This strategy game, the third in the Warcraft series, takes on that theme brilliantly.

Prince Arthas Menethil is the people's hero, a handsome warrior dedicated to the protection of his kinsfolk. But when the shadow of darkness falls across the land, Arthas' brash hotheadedness eventually takes him from virtuous knight to royal outcast, and finally to the champion of darkness who brings about the fall of humanity.

As the wayward prince leads a massive undead host to lay waste to the land and its innocent populace, the threat of a demonic invasion looms on the horizon. Soon the mortal races learn they must strive to put aside their differences and face this new enemy, or perish together if they remain divided.

#02: Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare

In a chilling story ripped straight from today's headlines, the fourth installment of the venerable Call of Duty first-person shooter series takes place in the modern world.

In the near future, a civil war has broken out between the Russian government and the opposition Ultranationalists. The world watches uneasily as a brutal tug-of-war for supremacy tears the nation in half, with the Ultranationalists determined to seize victory and restore the country to its former glory as the Soviet Union.

Days later, a ship containing a nuclear shipment is sunk. Then, the charismatic Khaled Al-Asad and his brutal terrorist organization seizes control of a Middle Eastern nation in a violent coup, executing its President on international television.

Frankly, it's amazing so much work is being put into developing rich and complex storylines for games these days.

As the United States mounts a counter-offensive to Khaled's extremists, the question is asked: are these seemingly random, isolated incidents connected somehow? Follow the trail of clues left behind to expose a conspiracy that stretches across continents, threatening to engulf the free world in a nuclear firestorm...

#03: World in Conflict

This intense real-time tactical thriller is set in an alternate reality where the Cold War escalates into World War Three. It's unique in the sense that it focuses on the human cost of the war a lot - such as American soldiers' heartbreaking conversations with their families, as well as the difficult situations that arise in the bleakness of war.

A dying Soviet Union is pushing for supplies from America and its European allies, failing which it will launch an all-out assault on the rest of Europe. The refusal of NATO to surrender such vital material leads to the outbreak of World War Three, and America sends its troops to prevent the European continent from falling into the clutches of the Soviet Army.

While a stalemate rages in Germany, the Soviets seize the advantage - by launching a sneak attack upon the United States itself! As Seattle burns and the Reds push aggressively deeper and deeper into the country, a handful of ordinary soldiers find themselves isolated in the midst of the Soviet incursion - and upon their shoulders rest the fate of the United States itself.

#04: Starcraft: The Great War + Brood War

Yes, this game is old. It's been ten years since Starcraft was released, and to date people are still addicted to this strategy game set in a bleak future where mankind must do battle with two fearsome alien races. This game's storyline has it all - betrayal, love, loyalty, war, fear, honor, and courage.

In the distant Koprulu Sector, mankind is ruled by the iron fist of the Terran Confederacy. Suddenly, the fragile peace is shattered by the arrival of a strange, bug-like race of bloodthirsty monsters known as the Zerg. As the Terrans attempt to contain the Zerg infestation, a strange fleet of warships arrive in orbit over the planet of Chau Sara, obliterating it in a hail of cannon fire. In time, a seething rebellion makes itself known, and challenges the authority of the beleaguered Confederacy in the Sector.

#05: The Halo Trilogy

Halo and its successors have been attributed to the massive success of Microsoft's XBox gaming console (and the subsequent XBox 360), and for good reason! This game delivers a solid storyline worthy of the silver screen - and a Halo movie is already in the works, though things have stalled temporarily.

In the not-so-near future, humanity has taken to the stars, but in our exploration of the unknown we have come across a race known as the Covenant. Having declared our race as an affront to their gods, they waged war against us across the vastness of space. However, in the wake of a sudden assault on the fortress-world of Reach, a lone space cruiser makes a random jump to escape its Covenant pursuers.

Unfortunately, the escape fails and the cruiser, the Pillar of Autumn, crashes into a strange ring-world known as Halo. Follow the adventures of the Master Chief as the humans attempt to discover the hidden secret behind Halo - and why the Covenant covets it so much.

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