Thursday, January 31, 2008 - Terrance Adam Pugh

Thursday, January 31, 2008 - Leong Hoie Chew

Monday, January 28, 2008 - Jennell Ingham

Gender: Female

Status: Single

Best Pro: Strong Willed

Worst Con: Very Explosive

Overall Friend Rating: 8 out of 10

Place and year of 1st Meeting: 1995, Bermuda

I first met Jennell in High School.  She was one of the first friends I made, mostly due to the fact that we were both born in December and were among the youngest in our year.  During the first few week, she was a stereotypical quiet, nerdy girl.  I don't know if that was because she didn't trust anyone yet or if it was due to the rowdy nature of some of her friends from Primary School.  Eventually she opened up, and was more of a tomboy then quiet.

Jennell is sociable around friends, but tends to go quiet(er) around strangers.  She isn't completely afraid to mix and mingle, but she will not do it to the extent she does it around friends.  The other thing is she tends to keep her emotions bottled up inside her.  Unless you are good at reading signs (of which I can be quite dense at times) she can suddenly burst out at you.  And when she bursts out, you run away, as fast, and as far as you can get.  Think the eruption of Mt St Helens, and that would give you an idea of how Jennell can be.  Peaceful and tranquil one moment, and wreacking havoc the next.  And since she keeps her emotions to herself, its difficult to try intervene and calm her down until its already too late.  Mind you, once she blows her top, she can be back to normal in a day or so.  She tends to get over things quickly... for a female.  This is not to say she will not hold grudges... but she is less likely to hold them then the average girl would.

Jennell doesn't normally show her feminine side, as she much rather be a tomboy and hang out with the guys.  Something the girls in high school never quite understood, but she was always welcome to hang out with us guys.  But... even a tomboyish girl is still a girl... and for the most part, she added a dash of feminimity to the guys group and kept it stable.  She's always been a good listener, and occassionally will give advice... although not too often as to make you want to talk to her.

Monday, January 28, 2008 - Tristan Richardson

Gender: Male

Status: Single

Biggest Pro: Avid Gamer

Biggest Con: Can be a bit over talkative

Hometown: Pembroke, Bermuda

Year and Place of 1st Meeting: 1997, Bermuda

Overall Friend Rating: 10 out of 10

First met Tristan in High School.  Well... its more like he met me, I don't have any major recollections of him outside of school band.  During that time in practice and performances he seemed fairly quiet.  He would come practice and then leave when it was done.  He didn't really stick around much to talk or anything before or after band activities.

Later on in life, the opposite seems to be true.  Although he still avoids big social events, he will still talk before and after activities.  He is especially talkative about topics he feels extremely knowledgable or passionate about.  Although not as frequent as other friends, he can go on and on about a topic that he really likes.  He also tends to do copious amounts of research, something which I never have the time nor energy to even consider doing.  Normally though he is conscious of this fact, and will make attempt to not ramble on about things.

Gaming and anime take up a good portion of Tristan's life (and budget).  Although not overly competitve, he still takes it somewhat serious, and will research a game before renting and eventually buying it.  He is also brand loyal.  Occassionally he will only suggest something because he has researched that developers from something he liked are working on something new, or he will suggest something because the same company is behind both products.  On the opposite side of the spectrum, if he researches something and finds he doesn't like the research, he won't say anything about it if you suggest it to him.  He'd just give you a shrug and a sigh, and that would be all.  Not only because he hasn't seen anything of interest... but also because he'd rather avoid confrontation.

Monday, January 28, 2008 - Wan Shan (Nina) Lee

Gender: Female

Status: In a relationship

Biggest Pro: Very Caring

Biggest Con: Emotionally Sensitive

Hometown: Malaysia

Year and Place of 1st Meeting: 2006, Acadia University

Overall Friend Rating: 9 out of 10

When I first met Nina (she is more commonly referred to by her English name over here then her Chinese name), Harold introduced her.  Actually, I had been told about her 3 months before actually meeting her.  But when I first met her, she seemed very sociable... maybe too sociable.  I had my doubts about her, but since Harold apparently trusted her, I gave her the benefit of the doubt.

Over the past year or so... I'd say Nina is a very caring individual.  Caring to the point that she can deal with virtually any friend in their native language.  I suppose that also helps protect the friend when talking about sensitive topics in a not so private envirnoment.  Although overall very caring, she does still shows hints of being a synical person, but I suppose no one is perfect, and she has the right to sway to that degree.  Although, her synicism stems from underlying issues back home, and crossing any one of those lines can get you into a lot of hot water with her.  And by hot water, you can be facing a lecture which you better be prepared to sit through... because you won't be able to speak until she's done.

Losing is not in her vocabulary, and she will sacrifice food and sleep to see something is done perfectly.  She seems to be a perfectionist... I wouldn't call it 100% perfectionistic... as she can take a 80% better then some of the others I know.  However, she does stress out easily because of her somewhat perfectionist ways. 

The language barrier is also something that comes up with her.  I to this day, don't know what dictionary she uses, but I've occassionally been accused of misunderstandings that have been due to misinterpretations.  Mind you, she handles them pretty well... and we can clear things up rather quickly (in another language if need be). 

Monday, January 28, 2008 - Harold Laude

Gender: Male

Status: In a Relationship

Biggest Pro: Good Advisor

Biggest Con: A bit on the abrasive side when speaking

Hometown: Southampton, Bermuda

Year and Place of 1st meeting: 2000, Bermuda

Overall Friend Rating: 10 out of 10

When I first met Harold, he was a shy-ish Fillipino student back in Bermuda.  That was kinda normal, considering the tensions at the time (and to a degree still are) in Bermuda.  But as with all people, he opened up the more we got to know each other.  I wouldn't say he's a complete social person, but he's more social then anti-social.  You might not guess this, since he tends to keep to his small circle of immediate friends, with priority going to work and right now a relationship. 

Harold is a bit abrasive with what he says.  Not because he is trying to be mean, but because he is trying to get a point across.  Being from the school of hard knocks... you will almost never hear him say anything gently... unless of course you're his girlfriend, then you can get away with murder.  But once you get across that harsh side of him, you can generally find a person willing and able to help you out.  He's got your back as long as you have his.

Harold is a fun friend to be around, and will drop most things to have some fun.  Despite both of us being busy with our various activities, we still find time to hang out with each other.  Whether it be gaming, watching movies, or just plain old smack talk, we have fun hanging out.

Harold doesn't get angry often... or... what I should say is, he doesn't show it very often.  He tends to mask his feelings quite well.  Because if you don't know him well, you'd just think he's being his normal anti-social abrasive self, and if you do know him... you still think he's being his psycho-analytical self...  That and he tends to still be able to smile in front of bigger crowds of friends despite how he feels inside.

On another note... once you get to know Harold he can be quite random.  Not in a bad way, but when he wants to start a conversation, I swear he has a random box that he draws topics out of.  Because they have no consistency with anything else going on at the moment.  That... or... we may have been talking about the topic a few days ago, and as a running gag, he may bring it up again.

Monday, January 28, 2008 - RA Applications

Now... Every year University Life hires these students that are affectionately called RAs (Thier real names are Residence Assistants).  These people allegedly help out other people in their floors or section to get organised, socialise with each other, assist them in locating things around campus, or even just someone to talk to.

As with all jobs they have minimal requirements... GPA, kissing up, reference letter, resume, the usual job stuff.  Anyways, I decided I was going ot try out because of some.... odd circumstances last year prevented me from applying.  First wall I hit.... no prof would give me a reference letter... because apparently, one semester isn't long enough.  Yet, all these 1st year student... who by the way.. went through a 3 week strike are qualified from getting a letter from them.  Confused?  So was I.  Anyways, I eventually got one, and I greatly appreciated that profs recommendation. 

So after that's all done, you wait a few days and they email you to let you know if you make the cut for an interview.  I didn't get an interview, which I didn't see as overly odd.  Mind you, no one believed me... and I often had to defend my honour as people thought I was trying to throw them off.  So, its off to MSN to report my results.  As luck would have it, 95% of the successful applicants I knew were 1st year students.... which is ironic considering all the BS profs were giving me over reference letters.  Even if they taught me a full semester... it was longer then any 1st year... by 3 whole weeks.  But that aside, I think it was a general vendetta against the non-first year students.  I mean... my GPA wasn't the greatest.. so you could argue that point... but when a 3.8 fails to be selected... somethings wrong...  

Moving along to the next phase... the interveiw.  Now... I'm not a judgemental person.... normally.  But honestly some of the people getting interviews worried me.  Almost to the extent that I was wondering how dumb floor meetings would be... if they happened at all... with these people as RAs.  I mean some of them could get lost in shoeboxes, nevermind the piles of snow outside.  Anyways, even for 1st year students there were some strong candidates that I knew.  Residence Life so far had confused me as to their criteria, but I figured they would redeem themselves here.  How wrong was I...  Not only did all the people I know fall flat, but of the people I know who were selected... none made sense.  Well... there was the one pretty boy... but... other then making the girls on a floor swoon... i see no point to him being there.  Seriously... this was a guy who is stumped by Microsoft Powerpoint, and is actually hinted at in a previous blog entry.  Others I found out about... have no social skillz... so how they pass an interview?  I dunno.  Maybe they slept with kissed up to someone in the department.  So that logic was out the window.  Next I thought... maybe grades.  New RA GPA average.... 3.2.  Ok, not too bad... but we had 3.8s that didn't get an interview.... and I know one 3.5 who failed the interview.  So... that doesn't count either.   Maybe personality!  Yeah, that HAS to be it!   Nope... some people who were picked have no personality... or at least... not towards me.  But see... living on campus... you find out... its not just you... others will also say the same thing.... so... there goes that logic.

No matter how much I think about it... there is no logically way Residence Life selected the new RAs.  Maybe they didn't.  Maybe they thought up some weird mathematical equation... or maybe... their leader was a D&D player, and rolled a D20 to see who would be selected.  Cause... when you can TALK your way into an interview (yes... talk...as in you have failed to get one, but because you saw through our silly plan we'll let you in) somethings wrong.  I still think... something is fishy with this.  But I can't prove anything yet... maybe in a few years, we'll hear about students sleeping with I mean... kissing up and returning favours (of all sorts) to the Residence Life people.  It'll be a great story for the school paper.  And who knows... maybe we'll have ANOTHER strike to give us MORE vacation time!

Friday, January 25, 2008 - Novel Writings

So... after the natural disaster that was yesterday, today doesn't seem to be going too badly. 

I haven' gone sleep in class yet, although... arguably I'm writing this, so I suppose its a matter of what you count as not paying attention.  But in order to destress yesterday, I managed to read some of my old writings I had lying around on my computer.  So, I finished reading, and even finished writing one of them.  So now begins the fun part of editing.  Now editing isn't too bad in and of itself, but Spell check in Microsoft word... is a completely different story.  Between using names that aren't common, and using spoken English oppose to written English, spell check had a field day.  With the names, you can add them to the dictionary... but then you also have to add possessive, and all that other... stuff that is required in the Englsih language, so things get tedious.  And when you have 100+ pagees to go through, it gets kinda boring.  So I have this system now.  Work on a few pages... and then... go do something else that has NOTHING to do with Microsoft Word.  It seems to work pretty well... I get to study a bit... and then have a constructive break.  Of course... .this won't work once assignments begin stacking... NOTHING can ever trump that...

Thursday, January 24, 2008 - Death by Misadventure...

Ok.... so I haven't written in a while.  But it was in great part not due to my own doing.  Apparently, the University had this site firewalled or some underlying issue, but that's not important at the moment.

Over the past few days, things have been rather busy.  Firstly, some of my fellow Geology majors decided to hike Cape Split.  And by hike Cape Split, I mean through mud and snow and freezing water.  Did I mention it was dark when we finished?  So not only was I tired from thelong hike... I was cold, my feet were wet.... and I was hungry.  But I suppose I survived, that 8:30 class the next day never saw me... but I don't think they missed me too much.

Moving along to Saturday... There was a Snowball Formal.  Now I'm not really one to go to fancy things.  I almost DIDN'T go, but two days before Saturday... the person I'd eventually go with virtually dragged me from meal hall and forced me to buy a ticket.  I still should have said no... but she wasn't taking no for an answer.  And since I've always been told... there's not much worse then a woman's wrath... I decided I might as well justsuck it up and go.  Admittedly, I did have a good time on Friday.  Although, after dancing for 4 hours, you are tired and your feet hurt.  Oh, and its 2am in the morning. 

Then... to top off my highly overactive week.... we played squash.  Now... for those of you who don't know what squash is, think of playing tennis... in a box.  And one of the players got a little... upset with points, so they decided to go all out, to the point of nearly splitting the ball.  Now I do physics... which isn't good... and knowing the force required to hit the ball that hard... and the speed required for me to get said ball and return it boggles the mind.  At that point it was just more important to avoid getting stung by the ball, rather then concentrate on hitting it.... cause you never saw it... you only felt it.

I need to get back to Operation Koala... and gaming.  At least those don't use HUGE amounts of energy, and they make you think just as much.... occassionally.

Monday, January 14, 2008 - Welcome Back... Acadia Version..

So... after not writing anything here for a while, I'm finally back.  And what a welcome it was.  Not only was I deregistered from all my courses, I couldn't reregister for them as they apparently were all full already.  They send emails out for all the silly little things... maybe... they should start sending them out for important things like this.  In anycase, that took all of the first week to clear up, but I've got a full set of classes now... so its all good. 

In other news... no new anime yet.  I haven't watched anything since December, which is kinda bad for me.  There are a few I was supposed ot look at, but I just haven't had the time.  I've gotten a bit of gaming done, just small basic things... nothing major. 

As for Angel Thread.... well... that's at a stand still for a bit.  I need to sort out some playtest days with my peoples, who are equally busy as I am... just on different days.  That... and I need to start working on my D20 modern campaign... oh... fun stuff....

Snowball Formal.... went last year... and the probability of me going this year are rapidly declining.  This is mostly due not only to my somewhat hectic schedule this week, but also because its not really my thing.  True a few of my friends are going, but its not enough to make me change my opinion.

Happy New Year.... a new year... with the same old stuff

Wednesday, November 21, 2007 - Angel Thread Update

So....

After a year of tweeking, I say, with a fair amount of certainty that the first set is now complete.  Rules are also just about completed.  Thanks to Terrance, Matt, and Ben K for assisting in the early stages of play testing.  All that's left now is original art work and that might take a while, so I've set out to begin the long road to customisation.

By this I mean, I'm developing what could be called an expansion to the original game.  Its allowing me to put into play the various effects and rules that may not have been tested.  Its also allowing for some of the players to build more diverse decks, instead of people being limited to a few cards.  Its also giving enough diversity that we maybe able to play test team battles and multiplayer games.

Anyways... more on that later.  For now, its back to studying of Biology

Tuesday, October 16, 2007 - Strike!!

So....

After weeks of anticipation, the long awaited strike finally began.  The faculty are picketting outside, while most of the students are enjoying an extended weeked.  I however, have no such luck.  My department apparently was well enough organised that they suckered.... I mean... asked the grad students and TAs to assist in running the labs and classes.  So while most people are aving fun, I've had to study for an exam and do lab reports and such. 

*sigh*

Well... at least... after today... *most* of that will be over, and I will *Finally* get some free time

Saturday, September 22, 2007 - FFXI

So.... after a three week hiatus, I was FINALLY able to log back onto FFXI.  Seeing as there was a besieged, I decided to stick around for a bit.

My chocobo hates me...  I think they need to fix it so that hard workers like me don't lose points because I heed the warning on the game and don't forget that there is a world outside of the game.  So that was bad.  Then I realised that nothing sold at the auction house, and prices went up.... AGAIN!!!!  So.. I was poor and couldn't buy the items I needed to get for leveling the various jobs I had.

I was about to turn it off when the Mamool Ja FINALLY breached the defensive wall.  Then it was down to the blood sweat and tears of a beseiged, and I remembered why I still play Final Fantasy XI.  It was the joy of spending all that good time assisting and killing alongside your fellow adventurers.  When they finally retreated, I remembered all the good times I spent on the game.  It was then I also remembered I was level 38... and just leveled to 39.  And the other 75 players wanted a raise 3... like the idiots they are.

*sigh* I suppose... you can't win them all.  But it was still fun.  I need to do that again!

Thursday, September 6, 2007 - Return to Normalcy.. Somewhat

So... after a long.... never ending summer of work... work and more work, I am now back to Acadia University.  Oddly enough, things seem a little more tranquil at Acadia then back home, probably because I don't have to deal with airplanes at airports.

Anyways... I'll write later, when I have something to write about.

Laters

Monday, July 9, 2007 - So......

Ok... so I haven't posted in a very long time.  So contrary to popular belief, I am not dead, but very much alive.  A little very busy... But I'm posting here just to let you know I'm alive... not sure about well.

I finished a long time short story that I had been working on. Very proud of that in my free time.  Also finished off a few games so I'm back down to my normal 2 games I need to finish. 

On the down side, I won't get to do a lot of other things like trip to Japan and things I wanted to do.  But there's always next time.  I've got a few years left in university.  There's more time.  ANyways, I'll post again later... when I have more free time

Ciao for niao

Wednesday, May 30, 2007 - Long Time... no Hear

Ok... so I haven't been been on for a while.... mostly due to work commitments and other things.

Now I'm back... but I don't really have much to say...  Just really typing to let you know I'm alive.

The card game I was developing is nearing the completion of a full set, and I maybe able to actually start playing it competitively with others.  Just need a few loose ends to tie up

Saturday, April 21, 2007 - End of the Year

Monday, April 9, 2007 - Finals.... Round 2

Monday, April 2, 2007 - Presentations....Group... Presentations

Wednesday, March 21, 2007 - English 1406