Asus G550J

The other day, I saw an advertisement for a new Asus laptop, with Nvidia GTX graphics processor. It was tempting but I told myself I got a laptop about a year ago. Yes, I got the Lenovo Y500 a year ago. But a few weeks ago, the display starting showing signs of problem... There would be specks of static and sometimes the entire screen would have a gray tint to it.

Then, a few days ago, after a reboot following Windows update, the Y500 booted up into a black screen. And when I tried to install a new version of Linux Mint to try and recover the Y500, I overwrote the entire disk... losing my data. And still, the laptop won't boot. I guess it was the Y500's way of telling me to fall to my temptation and get that new laptop.

And so now, I am with a new Asus G550J, with i7 processor, 8Gb RAM, Nvidia GTX850M (4Gb video RAM) and almost S$2000 poorer. And that is not even counting what I have to pay to get my data recovered...

Still, it feels good to have a new laptop. ;)

Note: The Asus G550J has a gigabit Ethernet port, but it seems that the Windows driver, when set to auto-negotiate, will only use 100 Mbps. The way to solve this is to go to Device Manager, locate the device Realtek PCIe Gbe Family Controller, then under the Advanced tab, look for the property Speed & Duplex. Change its value to 1.0 Gbps Full Duplex. This will allow it to use its full speed.

Moth season

It is the moth season.

This was found on my fern the other day.

 And this was found at the lift lobby.

Moths are usually dull, but these two moths are slightly different from the dull brown stuff that we usually see.

Star Wars Day

May the 4th be with you.

Happy Star Wars Day!

LEGO The Council of Elrond

Besides all the LEGO Star Wars stuff, we have started to venture into LEGO Lord of the Ring as well. Here is set 79006 The Council of Elrond, depicting the scene in which representatives from all over Middle Earth sat around to discuss what to do with the One Ring. Of course, in the LEGO set, there are only 3 chairs, and it comes with 4 minifigs (Elrond, Arwen, Gimli and Frodo).

It is a simple set to put together, and there is a flat portion where you can place a minifig, and toss him into the air by pushing a piece at the side. Not a bad deal for the setting and 4 minifigs.

Star Wars LEGO collection

Spaceships and minifigs from LEGO Star Wars collection, plus some spaceships made from LEGO blocks using my son's own imagination.

We have an ever growing population of minifigs...

LEGO minifigs

LEGO minifigs, old and new. From back when I was a kid, and those that I got for my kid.

Sustaining an artefact

Sometimes, I really wonder if it is really worth it to spend so much resources on something, and to keep pouring more resources in over time.

Maybe it all started out with a great idea. But a great idea to solve one issue may not mean it is the magic pill that will solve all problems. Yet we have a tendency to want to justify our own great ideas. We talk about how great it is, how it can solve more problems if given enough resources.

So that great idea grows in size.

And we keep feeding it, it keeps growing. It may not be the best tool to solve certain issues, but we pour in more resources so that it could. And then it becomes too big for us to do away with. So we have to justify its continued existence by pouring in more resources.

All those resources poured in means something less for the others, and presents an opportunity cost. Yet we continue to do it, because to do otherwise would be to admit that our great idea was not that great in the first place.

It made me think about lies. Yes, it started with a small, harmless lie. Then we have to put in another lie so that others don't see through our original lie. And over time, in order not to be seen through, we continue to build on the lie, until eventually, the lie is so big, we can't come clean without tremendous effort and possibly disastrous effect. Instead, we continue to feed it, hoping that we can sustain it.

Sometimes, it may be better to face ourselves and live with the consequences, to be ready to admit that we are not that great in the first place.

Lego Star Wars starfighters

We recently added 3 more starfighters to the growing star fleet of Lego Star Wars sets.

The A-Wing starfighter (set 75003) comes with 3 minifigures and is probably the easiest to build of the three, without moving parts. A very simple design, and a compact starfighter that kids will love.

The Jedi interceptor (set 75038) comes with 2 minifigures (Anakin Skywalker and R2-D2 in a darker shade of blue), and spring-loaded parts to fire bolts of laser. These can shoot for quite a distance, actually. It has a spot for R2-D2 to fully sit itself.

The V-Wing starfighter (set 75039) comes with 2 minifigures too (pilot and droid), although the droid can't sit fully in the starfighter; only the droid's head. Similar to the Jedi interceptor, it has spring-loaded parts to fire laser bolts. The wings rotate to flight mode, or for landing.

Thanks for the memories!

Thanks for the memories! I will miss everyone!

Two tours onboard spanning a total of four years.

And now, time for me to walk a different path.

Celebrating Holi

It's the festival of Holi, something that I won't forget after my first experience with it.

Go out there and share in the fun of throwing colours at each other!

LEGO Star Wars TIE Fighter set

After all the fun with the X-Wing starfighter, we finally got the LEGO Star Wars TIE Fighter (set 9492), which is the "sister" set. Although the two sets cost the same, the TIE Fighter has less pieces, and is actually easier to build. My son was able to build the set all by himself, unlike when he was building the X-Wing. All in all, it took slightly more than an hour to put together this set.

Besides the pilot, this set comes with an Imperial officer (the gray guy), a Death Star trooper, and R5-J5 (the black droid). Now we are all set to play out the epic battle between X-Wing and TIE Fighter.

Before we got the set, we made a small one out of LEGO blocks too. I guess it is time to retire this little guy and recycle his parts for something else.

Frozen (film)

I finally caught the show "Frozen" today at the theatre. I think today is the last day it is showing on the big screen in Singapore. And I am glad I did.

"Frozen" is a very good show on sisters and their relationship with each other. The sisterly rivalry, the sister fun that is shared, the sisterly love. Elder sister watching out for younger sister, younger sister getting over her head on things like love.

There is also the part about being free to be oneself. About being alone so that one can be oneself. About how a person can run away from others, but cannot run away from herself. And it takes courage to let it go, to be oneself and not care about what others may say.

The movie also deviates a bit away from classic fairy tales. We don't have princes coming to save the day and rescue the princess here. And the Ice Queen (Elsa) in this case is not the villain. Instead, she has a gift that she was told to keep secret, to keep hidden.

The movie also brings back the tradition of musicals within the animated film, like "The Lion King", "Beauty and the Beast" and "Pocahontas". Using songs as part of the story, such as "Do You Want to Build a Snowman", "For the First Time in Forever" and "Let It Go" adds an emotionally powerful perspective to the story.

Now I can't wait to get my hands on the DVD... :)

"Let It Go" (English version)
"ありのままで" (Japanese version of "Let It Go", my favourite rendition of the song)

Let It Go (Japanese version)

Let It Go (Japanese version)
performed by Matsu Takako (松たか子)

降り始めた雪は 足跡消して
真っ白な世界に一人の私
風が心にささやくの
このままじゃだめなんだと

戸惑い傷つき
誰にも打ち明けずに
悩んでたそれももう
やめよう

ありのままの 姿見せるのよ
ありのままの 自分になるの
何も恐くない
風よ吹け
少しも寒くないわ

悩んでたことが嘘みたいね
だってもう自由よ
何でも出来る

どこまでやれるか
自分を試したいの
そうよ変わるのよ 私

ありのままで 空へ風に乗って
ありのままで 飛び出してみるよ
二度と涙は 流さないわ

冷たく大地を包み込み
高く舞い上がる思い出描いて
花咲く氷の結晶のように
輝いていたい
もう決めたの

これでいいの
自分を好きになって
これでいいの
自分を信じて

光浴びながら
歩き出そう
少しも寒くないわ

Let It Go (English version)

Let It Go
performed by Idina Menzel

The snow glows white on the mountain tonight,
not a footprint to be seen.
A kingdom of isolation and it looks like I'm the queen.
The wind is howling like this swirling storm inside.
Couldn't keep it in, Heaven knows I tried.
Don't let them in, don't let them see.
Be the good girl you always have to be.
Conceal, don't feel, don't let them know.
Well, now they know!

Let it go, let it go!
Can't hold it back any more.
Let it go, let it go!
Turn away and slam the door.
I don't care what they're going to say.
Let the storm rage on.
The cold never bothered me anyway.

It's funny how some distance,
makes everything seem small.
And the fears that once controlled me, can't get to me at all
It's time to see what I can do,
to test the limits and break through.
No right, no wrong, no rules for me.
I'm free!

Let it go, let it go.
I am one with the wind and sky.
Let it go, let it go.
You'll never see me cry.
Here I'll stand, and here I'll stay.
Let the storm rage on.

My power flurries through the air into the ground.
My soul is spiraling in frozen fractals all around
And one thought crystallizes like an icy blast
I'm never going back; the past is in the past!

Let it go, let it go.
And I'll rise like the break of dawn.
Let it go, let it go
That perfect girl is gone
Here I stand, in the light of day.

Let the storm rage on!
The cold never bothered me anyway...

LEGO troop transport

A LEGO creation by my son. When I asked him what it is, he said it is the one that Yoda rode. I think he meant this:

This is actually a Low Altitude Assault Transport, used to transport troops.

LEGO has this as the Republic Gunship, set 75021.