Founder of lesterchan.net, a Singapore tech and gadgets blog running since 2002. An engineering leader by day and a WordPress plugin developer since 2003, with a soft spot for gadgets, smart home, and a good deal.
A normal Wednesday of lessons, plus two briefings on the Industrial Attachment, one for overseas, one local. The overseas option covered two universities, the University of Melbourne in Australia and Middlesex University in the UK. Tempting.
Skipped school to help my mom at the Expo. I'd assumed the food fair's final day would be quieter, but it was as packed as Sunday; last-day sales beat every previous day. Lucky we pitched in.
Up at 7.15am for a hike up Bukit Timah Hill with Serene, Suqin and Lay Hiang; Jacky and Laily bailed to sleep in. We took a shorter, mostly man-made path to the summit, spotting interesting insects.
Two hectic days at the Expo kept me from blogging. Sad news closer to home: a gas tank exploded at the western food stall in my block 112 coffeeshop downstairs, injuring one person, possibly the uncle.
Woke late at 2pm. A quick correction to my last post: it's the Singapore Food Expo, not Festival, running from 18 to 22 September, not Sunday. Went to help my mom at 4.30pm, arranging the stall.
Busy these past few days with ELIT, but we handed in the assignment and gave our presentation today, a short, low-key affair, nothing like the FYP. One module assignment down, two to go, not counting FYP.
Overslept for the first time in ten weeks, too tired. I was only five minutes late for the FYP meeting and beat the lecturer there. Gave Lian a SIGG bottle for her birthday, hoping she likes it.
Johnson's 19th birthday dinner at Fish & Co in the Glass House beside Park Mall, its seafood platter for one filling and delicious. Wandered the Esplanade, catching an amphitheatre performance of old songs with a good vocalist.
Left school after JSPG for a lunch date with my parents, celebrating their 21st Chinese wedding anniversary; the English one falls on 2 October. We dined at Shima, a Japanese restaurant in Goodwood Park Hotel, with teppanyaki.
Went to school for FYP meeting, rare for a Thursday, our day off; we'd best keep moving. This term will be brutal, with three assignments besides the FYP. The bright side: it's our last study semester.
Thought my NSC was off, since it's cancelled for the graphics trade, but a call to my coach confirmed it's still on for web design. So off to school for a 30-minute briefing that repeated itself.
Yesterday's JSPG test was rubbish, tested on Java GUI, which I'd assumed was Year 1 material, unrelated to JSPG. Questions were lame, and everyone agreed. A sushi buffet at Sakae Sushi in Wheelock Place with Fiona.
Watched Legally Blonde 2 last night; so-so, the first was nicer. No school today since I've no paper, though my mid-term JSPG test is tomorrow and GAME on Wednesday. Slipped out only for lunch at Hans.
Breakfast at Subway in Suntec City, my first time. The sandwiches were decent and generous, if pricey. Headed to Comex, arriving 30 minutes before noon opening, expecting a quiet crowd. I was wrong; plenty were queuing.
Uploaded three new albums to the Gallery: Hang Wei's BBQ June 2003, Esplanade, and Jacky's BBQ September 2003. All the shots I took yesterday sit under the Jacky's BBQ album, 69 photos. Take a look.
Off to Carrefour for BBQ supplies. It came together last minute, clashing with my classmates' ACAN deadline, so I took over organising; the handover went smoothly. Thanks to my mom for ferrying us and the food.
Studied JSPG at school until 5pm. My GAME assignment is out: write specs and build a 3D Pac-Man in Java with OpenGL. I've got the idea, unsure how hard it'll be. Stressed: JSPG, GAME, ELIT, FYP.
Just as I thought I was getting over an issue that's lingered for two months, it took an unexpected, painful turn. I never imagined it would be that person. Life really is unpredictable.
Caught A Tale of Two Sisters with Fiona and company at PS. Scary, so timid me kept covering my face. The story was so-so and long; I prefer The Unborn. Coffee and chit-chat at Starbucks after.
My FYP interim presentation was at 9am, before five judges. It went smoothly, though we overlooked a fair bit; decent overall. Celebrated with FYP lunch at Swensen's in Holland Village, trying the Cheese Cheek, not bad.
Met my secondary school mates again, a weekly routine now. Tried McDonald's new Quarter Pounder and Orange Fizzy: the burger tasted ordinary, but the Orange Fizzy was lovely. Took bus 65 to Tampines Mall.
Everyone's been swamped preparing for Monday's interim presentation on 1 September: PowerPoint slides, the speech, anticipating the judges' questions, the demonstration. Busy, busy, busy. I was meant to play basketball at 7pm, but came home.