29 May 2008

What's your Colour?



This is the funny thing. Over the weekend when we ordered our DS, the question always pops up...

What colour DS you want?

Everybody has their preferred coloured. Not like it has any gaming advantage or any performance gain, but the colour is purely for cosmetic purposes. At least that is what I thought.

My GF is a big fan of the Crismson Black, while I am a fan of the Cobalt Black... damn... then again, my Crystal White, is fine, probably a little tarnished from my extensive use.

I realised that everybody got a colour, something that the other guy doesn't have. Well I guess, it is to easily differentiate between the different units, since we have so many lying around the house.

Julian got the Crimson Black, which is like super SEXY!

Cobalt Black

Crimson Black

After getting their DS, everybody had gotten their own accessories. Some had a Clear Protective Casing, while others had a Leather Style Pouch.

27 May 2008

Nintendo DS - Have you DSed lately?

Nintendo DS (DS) fever has just strucked town. Over the weekend, I had helped my friends purchase 6 units of DS. Yes, no KIDDING, its SIX units!!

For those who have got no idea what a DS is, please read the following article on the DS an DS lite at wikipedia.

I am sure, you have seen some of your friends carrying it around and playing with it. It is similar to the PSP, but it is a little smaller. The games made for the DS is a little more kiddy and simple. The graphics aint fantastic, but it has a touch screen. The game play using the touch screen, creates a whole new opportunity of gameplay.

So why so many units? Well it started with me playing with my DS. My GF hijacked it when she went to India & Singapore. In that two weeks, she has grown to the DS. Playing loads of games in there, including Zelda the Phantom Hourglass.


I offered to get her a DS on her birthday, but she swore that we'll be able to share a DS between the 2 of us... yeah right... not since we got the game Professor Layton and the Curious Village.


A 2nd hand DS was recently put up for sale by a friend, so I purchased it for my GF. It was quite a bargain, and not to mention that the condition was good.

So now, in the house where my GF stayed, we had like 4 DS. The cousins (which I will refer to the Kids) are not exactly 12 year olds. They are college students... more like gamers.

Anyway, 2 units were ordered for them, while another one was purchased for a friends daughter (she requested for it!) and for a cousin's birthday over the weekend. Ever since the young cousin got his DS, it has been the hottest item between the younger cousins.

And then out of the blue, Julian called me, asking me to help him get a DS. After a few minutes, I managed to convince him to get another one for Kellee... so that they won't have to fight over it... :)

I received and delivered the units to Julian taking up the total units to 6 units purchased over the weekend.

Just in the house, with the Kids, between the 5 of us, we have 6 DS!!

So when are we going to have a DS party? I know Julian and Kellee has one?

Have you got one too? Lets DS then!!!

19 May 2008

The Hippo Goes Diving

Everybody knows that I can't swim... Seriously, I can't swim...

But when I was at Redang last weekend, I decided to attend the Open Water Diving course. There were two friends who were already attending the course, so I decided to join them. In my mind, if I panic or get scared of the Diving course, I would just bail out... naturally... as my GF would call me a Chicken!

So why am I a Hippo? Well, because Hippos likes to soak in a pool, relax and not really swim... sounds like me... :)

Well, before we headed for the waters, there lots of safety and equipment briefing. After a couple of hours... finally... we suit up and headed for the waters... the swimming pool actually, as the sea were too rough.

When in the water, we practised a few simple stuff like how to clear water from your diving mask or how to locate your regulator in the event it drops out of your mouth. We also learnt how to use the Buoyancy Device Control (BCD), it is actually like a life jacket, that controls your buoyancy while you are under water.

The trip to the pool was fun. Constantly we are reminded to breath and never hold your breath. We were just practising finning (swimming) around the pool.

Before we finished for the afternoon, we had another task. He requested that we practised removing and replacing the mask under water. Yes it to practise the event our mask is accidently knocked off under water. Boy, was it hard. More than anything, it was the fear of removing the mask underwater, let alone that we had to pass the mask to a friend for like a few minutes... after a few tries, I gave up. I couldn't not overcome the fear...

Early the next morning we had another session. After some technical briefing and safety talk, we head to the pool again, as the sea was a little rough. Today we practised more finning. New techniques that we practised was to remove and replace our BCD while in the water, as well as remove and replace our weight belt.

Remove and replace the BCD while above the water was a little harder than expected. Not to mention, literally, I was trying to grab and wear my life jacket!! It was a little difficult, as the Air Tank which weighs about 15kg wasn't easy to just put on...

We also practised how to control our BCD and how to control our breathing. By having more air in your lungs, you'll float, while by emptying your lungs, you'll sink more. It seems easy... breath in... float... empty your lungs... sink.... How hard can it be??

Before we ended for morning, we were required to practise remove and replace the mask!!! What? serious?? Must we???

OK OK... relax Eric... relax... after a few attempts and NOT panicking, I manage to remove and replace the mask. I think, I spent almost a full minute underwater, hoping that the instructor Ah Shir would return my mask... It was scary... specially when you are not able to see anything, or do anything...

So after lunch, we were allowed to go for our first dive in the ocean. Boy was I excited... and scared at the same time. Each of us were also provided with Dive computer to know the vital stats while diving.

It was a little harder than anticipated. The sea was very different, specially with the waves constantly coming at you, not to mention, I CANT SWIM!!! No more corner of the swimming pool to hold on, or no more 6 feet depth where I can just stand up and put my head above waters. This is the real deal... no turning back... no easy way out...

After getting under water we headed for deeper waters. We were practising our breathing as well as our BCD control. We also had to practise remove and replace our BCD under water, as well as the weight belt. When we were practising this, we were at the seabed, about 5 metres underwater. Removing the BCD was a little scary, specially when you are so deep under water. But it wasn't a difficult task. Removing the weight belt, it wasn't scary but boy was it a hard task. From the moment the belt was removed, I almost immediately floated up. The belt that I had was at least 4kgs (4 weights) and it like sank right to the bottom. I had to like lift the belt, while trying not to float away!!

We had to practise more BCD control. Practise how it would be like, when we enter the waters from a boat. Practise practise practise...

I didn't not manage to complete my diving course. I didn't stay the full 4 days required to complete the course. I never planned to even attend the course, let alone complete 2 days of it. I must say that our dive instructor Jan Shir is one of the most patient person around. He was always calm and cool, always in control of the situation. If anybody wants to take their diving course, I would recommend to take 4 days off, and to complete the course at Redang with Jan Shir.

In my opinion, as a NON swimmer, diving is kinda of cool. While underwater, you feel weightless. You hear nothing except your own breathing. It is like you are in a completely new dimension. For those who have not tried diving, I would recommend going for the discovery course. It is about an hour plus, and it gives you a full on experience of diving.

01 May 2008

Mega Hit 3 - Songs from the early 90s

I really love the internet. I can find anything I want, including all the MTVs of songs that I grew up with. Mega Hit 3 is probably the tape that every teenager had at that time. How I wished the digital camera was invented back in the early 90s, boy would this blog be so much more interesting!!

Mega Hit 3 Song List

  • Vanilla Ice - Ice Ice Baby
  • Paula Abdul - Rush Rush
  • Roxette - Joyride
  • Alias - More Than Words Can Say
  • Chesney Hawkes - The One and Only
  • Johnny Hates Jazz - Let Me Change Your Mind Tonight
  • Enigma - Sadness Part 1
  • Wilson Philips - You're in Love
  • EMF - Unbelievable
  • Dave Koz - Nothing But the Radio On
  • Tracie Spencer - This House
  • Guys Next Door - I've Been Waiting for You



Vanilla Ice - Ice Ice Baby

Guys Next Door - I've Been Waiting for You

EMF - Unbelievable

Enigma - Sadness Part 1

Wilson Philips - You're in Love

Roxette - Joyride

Paula Abdul - Rush Rush