3 Types of Availability

Was discussing the types of rejections that guys experience when they ask a girl out and kinda come to a conclusion on "The 3 Types of Availability When You Ask a Girl Out." Heh. 

Wasn't a discussion really.

Type #1

Guy: Hi there! How bout a meet up this weekend?

Girl: Hi! I would like to! But I'm not free..

Guy: -.-

Type #2

Guy: Hi there! How bout a meet up this weekend?

Girl: Hi! I would like to! Hey, I'm not free this weekend, how about the next?

Guy: :)

Type #3

Guy: Hi there! How bout a meet up this weekend?

Girl: Hi! Sure! What time?

Guy: ^.^

C'est La Vie

It is very odd not to have a direction in life. This life of uncertainty, unpredictability, unsure of what is coming up next, is very very alien. 

And to have the best when it feels so low.

I'm thankful for that.

First World Problem

Gosh I screwed up big time this time around.

1) Lost ALL my contacts.
2) Lost ALL my pictures.
3) Lost ALL my messages

Friends and family of Mr Wise Guy, kindly text me your number please!

Nemesis

The sentry stands guard alone up on the tower,

Long tireless nights ever vigilant,

Like an eagle up high commanding a view,

His eyes focused on the shadowy figure moving in the distance.

Steady and broad yet gentle and graceful,

The familiar feeling of warmth comes intermittent,

Longing for its extended presence,

Yet wary of its source and origin.

"Like I'm Miss Wise Gal" we heard,

Oh yes we did not hear wrong.

The eye of the enemy is moving (0:07)

She is here (1:27)

Just Pulling Myself Up

Bought the project training board by Metolius the other day from a local climbing shop for SGD$85.70. Thought it was expensive and overly priced for something that costs USD$55 on the manufacturer's website. They indeed took full advantage of their monopoly on Metolius products sold locally here.

It took some research to install it. There's the plywood backing, type of screws and  the wall plugs to consider. And a bit of math to figure out the load that the plywood would support and the forces that will on act it. Instructions that came with the product didn't help one bit as it was written more for the American homes where walls made out of plywood are the norm.

Here's a cost breakdown for those who're interested:

1) Metolius Project Training Board - SGD$85.70

2) 3/4" screws for wood - SGD$3.40 for 10pcs (4pcs used)

3) 1/2" screws for wood - SGD$3.10 for 10pcs (4pcs used)

4) 14mm ⌀wall plugs for concrete - SGD$7.20 for 4pcs (2pcs used)
5) 3/4" plywood - SGD$10.90
Total =  SGD$110.30

The original design required 4 x wall plugs. But since it was rated for 100kgs, I thought 2 x wall plugs would suffice. Considering the heaviest person in the house weighs slightly less than 90kg, and engineering designs usually require twice the calculated load. I still have concerns for the plywood though even after reading that in the States, 3/4" plywood is used regularly for flooring and supporting heavier weights. But all seems fine and dandy after a few days of testing.

Its quite ridiculous though to learn that plywood is sold at a rather extravagant USD$19.95 at the manufacturer's site and a DIY shop nearby the house quoted SGD$12 for 1/2", compressed boards of the same dimensions. Pffft. Fortunately I found pre-cut quality wood tucked in a corner of a shop.

Here are some pics!

Cat sold seperately.

Sixpence None the Richer

Today, I died a little when I heard a nursery rhyme.

Sing a song of sixpence a pocket full of rye~

Transport as a Public Service

There's this thing about SMRT and the government which I do not understand. 

SMRT is listed in the Singapore Exchange. Which meant SMRT is all about profit making, as in the case of most companies listed in SGX right? So here Singaporeans go complaining about the hike in train and bus fares. Pffft. Isn't this something we (Singaporeans) should be expecting? SMRT's move is logical really. Which company, listed in SGX would run at operating cost/loss? Whatever price that we're paying for travel, some of the $$$ SMRT makes is definitely going into the shareholders pocket. 

Well I feel that public transport should not be privatised in the first place. 

But then again, hey, we're letting companies serve food to our soldiers and perform maintenance on our army vehicles. I'm not surprised if they're even outsourcing seats in Parliament.

Girl's Generation - Gee (Dance Ver 1)

I was jealous the first time I saw this.

Look at how much fun they're having! I wanna dance too!

Ahhhh thank God for translations! Dum dee dum.

The Flight of the Phoenix

There are days where the still air of the night bear witness to the day's flashbacks. Her face glowing in the darkness when I close my eyes. Like a beacon, strong, radiating, but never blinding. Like a broken record that repeats itself, it is always the same scene, the same smile, the same touch, the same smell. It is a wonder really, as I do not know her well enough.

We would talk for hours over matters. From the trivial, right down to the surreal. Her warm controlled giggles, eventually bursting into hearty laughter as she got comfortable. It is a nice feeling really. To be in the company of someone who enjoys being with you, and allowing their minds to be tinkered and teased. Like a game of tennis, we bounced ideas back and forth and many a times lost countless hours due to reasons unknown.

Ever the inquisitive individual, everything fascinates. How wonderful curious minds are. Their minds do not stop working, they keep thinking, and processes run non-stop. Sometimes she'd try to read body languages and steer conversations according to her inferences. It is this cute caring gesture which radiates warmth and made others feel comfortable in her presence. She'd get it wrong at times, and reacts by giving the look of bewilderment which drives me crazy. A look so innocent, yet confident. Disappointed, yet elated. It is her unexplained phenomenon which kept me coming back for more.

The medicine for the aching heart which yearns for her presence was the power of memory. Her subtle snorts when she laughs, the distinct yet faint smell of her perfume and her swagger when she walks. Those memories were enough to get by. Or the faint blush she exudes on her soft cheeks when I caught her stealing glances. It is a wonder how a pretty, smart, and confident lady like her was not in the company of a man. But then again if she was, I would never have the wonderful memories that remain etched in the mind.

Thank God for that.

One would never really know what goes on in her. Some days, she'd give the vibes that she's waiting. At times, she's not really looking for anything serious. Like a bird she yearns to be free. Yet deep inside, she wishes to return to familiarity and consistency. A free spirit. It was hard to let go, to be supportive, and at times it was hard to believe the words uttered to her were equivalent to, "Be free! Fly! Spread your wings and see the world!"

But deep inside, the heart yearns for when the day comes where she stops flying, she'd fly back home to me.

The Pursuit of Wealth

Have you ever wondered about the power of money?

How people work hard day and night, trying to get money with the pretext that they are doing it to earn a living?

Its funny that they do it at the expense of their own health, eventually using the money they earned to fund their healthcare bills.

Is there a way to achieve equilibrium?

The working world is indeed a very different place. Here, you find ambitious individuals who seek to climb up the corporate ladder. It is here also that you find social loafers who wish to get by while doing the minimum. And of course there are the in-betweens in this spectrum. Generally, we are all here to get money, earn money, collect money, get paid so that we can buy necessities like food, water, shelter.

Urgh. 

I kinda lost my point. 

Another time then.

2012, A New Direction

!HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL MY READERS!

So I started this post with the typical list of events that happened in 2011 in chronological order and giving a summary of the year. Then decided to remove it all and re-do a much more focused post which reflects the outlook that I have for 2012; positive, focused, refreshing, and fulfilling.

But just to be typical for a while, let's just have a brief list of what happened in 2011:

1) I graduated with an honors degree in engineering from Nanyang Technological University

2) I applied to be a pilot in SIA and had my medical in May

3) A friend passed away in April. A real tragic loss because of the circumstances that led to his death

4) Someone close to me left

5) Grandpa passed away in July

6) I started my first day at work in PSA in July

7) I quit work in Dec

8) Met many new people

You might think that the deaths were quite a bummer. Trust me. It was. As a whole, it was quite a challenging year really. As much as I hoped that 2011 would be a good year, I have to be fair to myself and admit that it was quite a difficult one. Nevertheless, let's set our sights on 2012.

What will 2012 be like? 

For a start, it will be the make or break year for me. It is the year that will chart the rest of my life as it is during this year that I will know whether I make it and fly, or remain on the ground. Its going to be really exciting and my current state of unemployment really drowns out the true exciting moment that lay ahead pretty soon.

New Year's Resolution for www.mrwiseguyblog.com?

There's going to be a slightly different approach to blogging now. There will be a gradual shift from the usual topics as I consciously attempt to take more pictures, share more about the conversations during the day, and attempt to put my thoughts into text. Honestly, I don't know who my target audience really are, but its just great to be penning my thoughts and if my blog made your day somehow, I'm glad that it worked out that way.