Monday, October 18, 2004
I upgraded my Nokia 6510 to a Sony Ericsson T610 last week. This was not an impluse purchase, since my old Nokia phone is conking out (loose battery connections and buggy phonebook) and it's been more than 18 months old.
I've been having pretty much fun with the T610 except for some grouches--most notably the slow menu and SMS response, ridiculous phonebook structure (the main phonebook and the SIM phonebook are not integrated), and the relatively small memory size. For those I miss my old Nokia. Other than that, I'm pretty OK with the T610.
This is the picture of the week with my phone so far:
Last week as quite a heavy week, with 3 days used to attend a Service-Learning (S-L) course, which is "the next big thing" that's coming up in the educational arena. In essence, S-L draws its roots from Experiental Learning, modified in a way that community service is used as the learning point for the students/volunteers. In designing an S-L project, there is always the tension between balancing the service aspect (service as an end in itself) and the learning aspect (not serving for the sake of using the community we are serving as a mere tool for learning).
I've been having pretty much fun with the T610 except for some grouches--most notably the slow menu and SMS response, ridiculous phonebook structure (the main phonebook and the SIM phonebook are not integrated), and the relatively small memory size. For those I miss my old Nokia. Other than that, I'm pretty OK with the T610.
This is the picture of the week with my phone so far:
Last week as quite a heavy week, with 3 days used to attend a Service-Learning (S-L) course, which is "the next big thing" that's coming up in the educational arena. In essence, S-L draws its roots from Experiental Learning, modified in a way that community service is used as the learning point for the students/volunteers. In designing an S-L project, there is always the tension between balancing the service aspect (service as an end in itself) and the learning aspect (not serving for the sake of using the community we are serving as a mere tool for learning).
Saturday, October 09, 2004
Here's the blog of another friend...but this one is different: I know him in real life.
http://www.tabulas.com/~hamttam
In person this guy is a very, very humorous person. Well, his sense of humor can be a little bit twisted sometimes, but I really had a great time goofing around and doing crazy things while we were together. In fact, at this very moment I'm typing this entry, he's sitting right beside me (but doing work). But ever since I've graduated, we don't keep in contact much. Besides, he's a very busy man, with many responsibilities on his shoulders.
It's been quite some time since I've stayed up so late since I've graduated. But all hostelites know that nights are not meant for sleeping (well, at least the "normal" hostelites like what I used to be). Since I'm bunking in one of their rooms tonight, I must, as they always say, "do as the Romans do." Sounds of Warcraft float from neighboring rooms, and I'm lounging in one of my ex-neighbor's room, tapping on his power point and his room's proximity to a wireless access point.
Psyche, my hall's yearbook, is finally out. For the first time I've seen the creation that only appeared nothing more than photons and discs in real paper and ink. Well, I'm not to terribly excited about it, knowing what's the contents within, but also because part of me knew that the quality of the yearbook fell below my standard. My personal standard. I still hear a number of congratulations for the effort put into the yearbook from a number of my ex-neighbors, but deep down in my heart, I know. I know that I could have done better.
But I'm a person who don't live with regrets. And I'm not going to burdened by this. What is done, is done; I'm not going to think about the "what-ifs" and "I-could-haves". There's simply no point in doing so! Just take that book back and enjoy thumbing through it year after year. After all, it has been my creation of sorts.
http://www.tabulas.com/~hamttam
In person this guy is a very, very humorous person. Well, his sense of humor can be a little bit twisted sometimes, but I really had a great time goofing around and doing crazy things while we were together. In fact, at this very moment I'm typing this entry, he's sitting right beside me (but doing work). But ever since I've graduated, we don't keep in contact much. Besides, he's a very busy man, with many responsibilities on his shoulders.
It's been quite some time since I've stayed up so late since I've graduated. But all hostelites know that nights are not meant for sleeping (well, at least the "normal" hostelites like what I used to be). Since I'm bunking in one of their rooms tonight, I must, as they always say, "do as the Romans do." Sounds of Warcraft float from neighboring rooms, and I'm lounging in one of my ex-neighbor's room, tapping on his power point and his room's proximity to a wireless access point.
Psyche, my hall's yearbook, is finally out. For the first time I've seen the creation that only appeared nothing more than photons and discs in real paper and ink. Well, I'm not to terribly excited about it, knowing what's the contents within, but also because part of me knew that the quality of the yearbook fell below my standard. My personal standard. I still hear a number of congratulations for the effort put into the yearbook from a number of my ex-neighbors, but deep down in my heart, I know. I know that I could have done better.
But I'm a person who don't live with regrets. And I'm not going to burdened by this. What is done, is done; I'm not going to think about the "what-ifs" and "I-could-haves". There's simply no point in doing so! Just take that book back and enjoy thumbing through it year after year. After all, it has been my creation of sorts.
Wednesday, October 06, 2004
Here I am, in the early hours of the morning, surfing the Internet on one of my favourite hobbies: photography. I found myself oogling over the newest Canon EOS cameras, the EOS 20D and the EOS 300X. One is my dream DSLR (digital Single Lens Reflex) camera I hope to have my hands on in 2005, while the other (the EOS 300X) looks set to be the replacement SLR for my current EOS 300.
The EOS 20D will be my main camera while the EOS 300X will be my film backup. I still love looking at slides, and so far DSLRs are not that capable enough for wide-angle shots because of their crop factor (aka "focal length multiplier"). Then I'll also buy a small compact digicam for those point-and-shoot occassions where heavy/bulky gears are not suitable.
But then again, what's all these talk when I can't affort them? Better be grateful with what I have and enjoy my hobby with it.
The EOS 20D will be my main camera while the EOS 300X will be my film backup. I still love looking at slides, and so far DSLRs are not that capable enough for wide-angle shots because of their crop factor (aka "focal length multiplier"). Then I'll also buy a small compact digicam for those point-and-shoot occassions where heavy/bulky gears are not suitable.
But then again, what's all these talk when I can't affort them? Better be grateful with what I have and enjoy my hobby with it.
Monday, October 04, 2004
I finally bought a wireless network adaptor for my Thinkpad. This was somewhat a "necessity" purchase, because at my workplace they use a wireless networks to connect the computers to the Internet, and I've "outlived" my grace to a wireless adaptor that was loaned to me. I realized how important it is to have one when today I tried to connect to the Internet at McDonald's and I realized I couldn't, because I didn't have a wireless adaptor!
Anyway, when I got home I immediately plugged the adaptor into my laptop and did a site survey. Not surprising, there were at least two wireless networks in my vicinity and I managed to hook on to one of them without additional software (albeit having a very weak and unstable signal). Don't get me wrong, I am not trying to leech other people's broadband connection, but rather I wanted to see first-hand how vulnerable and insecure an incorrectly configured wireless network can be. True enough, there are still people who refuse to take precautions securing their wireless network despite the widespread publicity on wireless network security and countless articles describing how to secure them.
Basic WEP and MAC filtering measures should be enough to fend off leechers, although it may take more than these measures to truly secure a wireless network against more advanced hackers--but then again, those people probably won't loiter about HDB flats looking for unsecured wireless networks. :)
Eariler today was the end-course debrief with the school on the programme that TOUCH Youth Services has been working with for the past 10 weeks or so. It was a favourable conclusion, with plans from the school to bring us back for more work next year, not only with the current batch of students we have been working with, but also incoming students and new classes. Looks like it's going to be a busy year ahead!
Anyway, when I got home I immediately plugged the adaptor into my laptop and did a site survey. Not surprising, there were at least two wireless networks in my vicinity and I managed to hook on to one of them without additional software (albeit having a very weak and unstable signal). Don't get me wrong, I am not trying to leech other people's broadband connection, but rather I wanted to see first-hand how vulnerable and insecure an incorrectly configured wireless network can be. True enough, there are still people who refuse to take precautions securing their wireless network despite the widespread publicity on wireless network security and countless articles describing how to secure them.
Basic WEP and MAC filtering measures should be enough to fend off leechers, although it may take more than these measures to truly secure a wireless network against more advanced hackers--but then again, those people probably won't loiter about HDB flats looking for unsecured wireless networks. :)
Eariler today was the end-course debrief with the school on the programme that TOUCH Youth Services has been working with for the past 10 weeks or so. It was a favourable conclusion, with plans from the school to bring us back for more work next year, not only with the current batch of students we have been working with, but also incoming students and new classes. Looks like it's going to be a busy year ahead!
Image hosting provided by 