The Raven and the Stormcrow

Have been busy last week... studying ABAP out of the office. My internet presence has been weak recently as a result. This will continue for another week, so don't be surprised if I appear to be hard to contact for a while.

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Magic, anyone? Maybe not next weekend though..

Stormcrow

Labels: cards, work

So. I'm now a corporate slave. No longer a member of the academic intelligensia, I'm now merely a cog in a multinational machine. Why'd I do it? For the money, OBV. But at the same time, Hewlett-Packard actually seems to be a great place to work. The atmosphere is a lot more relaxed and collegial than what I'd expect from a big corp. No time-in/time-out, and they give you a laptop to boot. Just don't ask me what we do, I can't tell.

The real downside though, is that I'm no longer able to spend a lot of time with Pat and Tesla. It's pretty much an hour in the morning and an hour at night (if I'm lucky). T_T It doesn't help that Pat works at night and I work during day.

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I spent the weekend watching The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya. Let me start off by admitting that the first episode is bad. Incredibly bad. Amazingly bad. Deliberately bad. As bad as a joke that goes on for too long, when it isn't even funny in the first place.

The episodes are presented all out of chronological order too. A little something to keep the viewer off balance, while evoking a sense of medias res. Perhaps this is to obscure the fact that the majority of the episodes are just character building filler.

I actually set this one aside after watching the first two episodes. But you know what? I watched the third episode last saturday... and ended up watching it marathon-style right until the ending. Stayed up four hours past my bedtime too. It hides surprising depths in the shallows... makes you think twice.

Strongly recommended. Watch it in proper show order, with patience and trust.


Stormcrow

Labels: anime, photos, review, work

Googly!

I'm writing this post from Googe's Docs & Spreadsheets feature, which comes for free when you have a Google Account. This feature also allows you to upload most types of document files and spreadsheets, and get to work on them online as well. So far I have only been using the Docs part, and it is pretty convenient since I don't have to cart around files in cds or flash disks as long as there is an internet access. Especially since flash disks are not allowed in my workplace. T_T

Speaking of workplace, I'm now working in a nearby call center as tech support and been here for nearly two months (although the first month of that had been training). It turns out okay, although the night shift takes getting used to. And I miss Tesla, as I've used to spend the entire day with her. Now I only get to see her maybe a few hours a day. T_T But so far I'm enjoying the work, and I feel much much better now that I'm employed again.

Now what else is up? Chico and I bought some new PS2 cds, and right now I'm on Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria. It still incorporates the same elements as the old VP: 2D dungeon and town exploration, the battle system, and the style of speech. The new features include a strategic addition to the battle system (you now have to move the team before attacking enemies), and the art is so much better. Of course the characters' costumes rock, and the voice actors are superb. As I haven't yet finished the first dungeon, I cannot yet comment about the plot, but so far it appears to be interesting.

Source: www.videogamesplus.ca

I'm also now back to playing Ragnarok, as they have opened a new server. Thor promises to have an advanced security feature that would keep out third party programs (aka BOTS) and thus ensure that all characters in game are being played by actual humans. As far as I can tell, this is so far true, but of course all things can be bypassed. Already, there seems to be auto-buy Bots in the towns, buying specified items from players at a specified price. I wouldn't be too surprised if there would be levelling bots in the field eventually. While there isn't, I'll be enjoying myself with a bot-free environment. ^_^

Raven

Labels: games, work

1. We have finally moved to our own house, which is actually Chico's old house at New Intramuros.

2. I got a job.

3. Tesla is now five months old. She likes exploring and reaching for things with her hands. And putting them in her mouth. ^ ^;

4. Paperwork is so annoying. NBI, BIR, gyaaah!

5. Currently playing on PS2: Harvest Moon (wtf??!)
Currently playing on PC: DotA (as usual) and Flyff
Currently reading (well, sort of): Wheel of Time, just finished Path of Daggers, about to start on the next one


Random Tesla pic


Raven

Labels: books, games, photos, tesla, work

F) Oil requires a huge crew to drain it out of the earth, and then ship it thousands of miles.


I was going to try to make some sense of that, but with the dollar conversion and standard of living adjustments, I got lost. Also, damn the americans and their non-metric system!

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I've really gotten back into Magic over the past month.

First, Raven was able to find me a copy of the old Magic: Shandalar game, the one by microprose. Apparently it's so old, it's already free. Now, despite the sucky graphics and akward interface, there's something very addictive about seeing the old art of Hypnotic Specter and Dark Ritual. Let's not beat around the bush. Magic is insanely addictive. Particularly when you don't have to pay any money to build a mox-fast deck that does third turn kills. Too bad that only took me a week.



















(to be continued...)

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Dried mangoes are pretty damn addictive too. It's just my sweet tooth, I'm sure, but all that fiber must be good for something.


Stormcrow

Labels: cards, games, work

Raven's dream

I was walking up a straight concrete road, as wide as Commonwealth but without the middle island. It was clean, but there were no other people or cars as far as my eye could see. Presently I found myself wading knee-deep in black oil. The oil came from one of those standard oil trucks, but this one was lying on its side, a huge rent could be seen in its tank. I didn't know why I was walking in the oil spill, but I was.

I walked past the truck and suddenly found my dad standing in the oil spill up ahead, looking at me intensely. He was telling me to go back the way I came from, gesturing me with his hands, as if shooing me back. I was horrified to see that he had a cigarette in his mouth, the cig bobbing up and down as he was talking, ash dropping down from the tip. I couldn't seem to concentrate on anything else but that cigarette, and I had terrible visions of fire and explosions dancing in my eyes. And I was standing in the oil spill!

Suddenly I realized my situation, and quickly reversed my direction. I tried as hard as I could to hurry back, but for some reason the oil had the consistency of sticky sludge. It was grabbing me and impeding my progress, and I found myself in a ghastly parody of a run.


Stormcrow's interpretation

When I hear of a road like this one, the fast answer is that it represents a path, your journey through life, and so on. As good a driver (ahem) as she is, it's not surprising that she uses a lot of roadway imagery.

There is an oil spill on the road. This represents disaster: some trouble or concern. (Note how the rent oil tanker is similar to a broken tower) And, Raven is in the middle of it. In particular, I know that Raven is concerned about her career, so the road is probably her career path.

Then Raven sees her father, representing... her father. He tries to wave at her to turn her back. Like Marley's Ghost, he is warning her about what will happen if she continues her current path. Which sorta makes sense, since Raven is a teacher, like her father.

The cigarette: more impending disaster. Not only is Raven in trouble, but she has time pressure on her. She's worried about losing precious years of her youth on teaching, and is perhaps concerned about her chances at job hunting as time passes.

The sludge: the grasp of her old career. It's sticky, unlike oil... the meaning has taken over the imagery. She finds it hard to leave her old career, though this is probably just inertia.

Labels: work

I like being a teacher, if only because I still get summer vacation. How else am I supposed to find the time to play late night DotA, and ShadowHearts (on PS2), and Magic (kinda)? Unfortunately, less work hours means less time blogging. Go figure.


Having someone call you a dead blogger can be very good motivation to prove them wrong (eventually). Which may be related to the reason why most people avoid naming the dead.

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A prof has an interesting take on the Gloria thing:

"Let's say you had a student who is supposed to get a 3.0, but she cheated and so got a 1.0. And then you found out. What grade would you give her? 1.0 anyway? Or 3.0? Or 5.0?"


BUT, The problem with extralegal measures is that they promise long term benifits at the cost of short term shock. But if the long term benifits look iffy anyway, why bother?


Weatherwax would call it the difference between what's good and what's right. Have to make your stand somewhere, ne?

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Fifth year anniversary coming up soon. Looking forward to dinner. Heh.


Stormcrow

Labels: politics, work

You ever notice how when you have a lot of things you HAVE to do, you suddenly realize you have a lot of things you WANT to do?

I want to play more DotA. I want to spend more hours on my PS2. I want to watch a stack of anime cds on my desk. I want to read my ebooks. But I don't have time.

This is obviously an effect of having a paperwork intensive job.. but at least it's the job that gives me money to spend in the first place.


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The stuff that I spend my "fun" budget on can be divided into two categories. Either it takes up time or it takes up space.

In the former there are my VCDs and DVDs, dating, and gaming (and food!). Anything consumable, or at least the stuff that isn't meant to be displayed.

In the latter you have the toys and other collectibles.. gizmos, cellphones and PDAs, go in here too. Also jewelry and cars.

The bigger realization is that as we get busier in life, the shift goes from the time-consumers to space-consumers. It's a matter of limiting reagents. Having money to spend is great, but if you don't have the time to enjoy it, what's the money for?



Toys, apparently.

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Getting Jonas and Oli to play DotA until 4 AM merits special mention. Also, a rampaging Nerubian Assassin is an aweful sight to behold.



Stormcrow

Labels: toys, work

It's been my turn to blog, and it's taken me a week and a half to be able to at least start writing. I actually have a couple of blog drafts already, but I would always not finish writing it - that by the time I would have finished it, the timeliness of the topic has already been passed.

...Like the time my brother's knee got dislocated when he was practicing dance routines for Engweek - so he wasn't able to participate in what he had prepared a year for. And he had to walk around in a cast for five entire weeks. Not to mention the heartache of not being able to do what he wanted.

...Like the fact that there was a Games and Gadgets Show (G2 Con) last Jan 7-9 in Megamall, with a three-day cosplay contest in which I participated twice. The first as Mai yet again, and the second as Cassandra of Soul Calibur 2. The costume wasn't actually finished yet, since the shield didn't have her trademark design, and the sword was ultra rushed. So rushed in fact, that when I ramped a second time and swung my sword, the blade flew off and whacked a poor audience member in the face! ^^;;; Good thing it was made mostly out of styro... I had cosplayed as a group with two of my cosplay buddies, who played Ivy (3rd player costume) and Talim (2nd player costume).

Triple R Combo! Rien as Ivy, Rinoa as Talim, and Raven as Cassandra

Picture taken by Wantan

...Like the fact that Stormcrow and I did a double-Dota session last week. Once last friday night with Alekos and Po, since my brother was conveniently playing in a VS tournament in a nearby hobby store and I was waiting for him to finish. And the second was the following saturday with Alekos and Po again, but with Glenn, and later on Ruben. At the beginning we had an odd number of players so we decided to play a public game. Unfortunately we were creamed by this group of high school guys in a game that lasted for almost 80 minutes! Gah, I was already acting tantrummy by then (that was the second game against them, I think) and I was taking it out mostly on Stormcrow (sorry! ^^;;;). Argh.. So we figured maybe we were thinking of the wrong strategies, coz I think the five of us (Ruben wasn't there yet) were pretty coordinated by that point. Neeeeeeeed more practice!!! Any takers? XD

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What's probably delaying my posts are the pressure of following our established pattern, and the fact that we enjoy posting pictures, and preparing pictures take some time. Not to mention the fact that I could only write blog entries at work (since I am forever distracted whenever I am home) and by doing that at work I am wasting precious checking time - like right now! ^^;;; Not to mention that frequent complaint about the loading time of blogger's "Create New Post" page, coupled with the fact that I only have an ancient 33.6kbps modem at home. But the computers at work, even with a whopping bitrate of 10 Mbps, don't help! Mabilis nga, clogged naman yung network.. *sigh*

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I notice that I have been neglecting my studies most atrociously, which doesn't bode any good since it seems that I might actually have to finish my masters here. For some reason I can never bring up the energy nor the time to get out there and start applying to foreign universities, so it looks like I might as well finish the masters here, and apply for PhD abroad. But I had a very bad start in my studies, since my advisers deemed it unnecessary for me to take back subjects even if I had shifted courses. So now I'm having a hard time catching up with the concepts where the profs assume certain things that I should have learned had I been EE in undergrad. ^^;;

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Not to mention that I feel as if I'm being exploited by my direct superior. Well, yes, they did give me that extra unit credit for the "research work" that I was assigned - which is basically just to develop the syllabus for a new physics subject and the accompanying lab (and experiments - which is actually the difficult part). But now I'm actually spending more time here than I should be, and I am just part time! It's really either that, or bring my work home, which means that I will not get any work done since there are a lot of distractions at home.

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Okay, I'll stop there. I need to go home na. ^_^



Raven

Labels: cosplay, games, work

Ah, procastination. Sometimes it can save you time and effort.. sometimes it just makes you look like an idiot. I guess in the case of our blog, I got a little bit of both. Here's something that happened a month ago:

During the sembreak, I went to the beautiful island of Bohol. It's part of a standing tradition: the Samahang Pisika ng Pilipinas congress, a gathering of physicists from all over the Philippines. Mostly to have lunch, but also to present our most recent research results and listen to others. Well, it's also something to put in a resume, though the congress is far from being a IEEE journal.

Bohol sunset

The research in question was my undergrad thesis, which I defended in the last schoolyear. It was about the fabrication and testing of semiconductor lasers.. not very intellectualy challenging, but it takes a bit of skill since each laser is about the size of the head of an ant.

Bohol itself was great. I like being in the provinces.. stuff is so cheap compared to what I'm willing to pay in the metro, particularly the food and services. I also got to swim around a bit at the resort the conference was held in, though I didn't stick around for the tour.

Here's me with my co-teachers/labmates

When I got back, I quit my lab.

Not that I had anything against the lab.. I enjoyed it. It was one and a half years of late night experiments to do my thesis, and that kinda grows on you after a while. But for some reason I never appreciated the science of semiconductors, and it's not satisfying to be just an experimentalist without understanding the theory behind it. And I guess there's also the nagging feeling that I was only in the semicon lab because Pat's lab wouldn't let me in, years ago.

So now, I'm in the process of jumping over to Theoretica, and trying out the other side. I'm also wondering whether I should leave physics entirely, and try my hand at Economics, or CompSci.

It's a little late to be indecisive about my career path.. or maybe a little early to have a midlife crisis. Either way, don't ask me what I see myself working on ten years from now, because I'm still thinking about it. Because it's important to be true to yourself... and it's only work if you don't enjoy it.

The Stormcrow

Labels: photos, vacation, work