final-year projects....whoever started them should be shafted

As all of you might have inferred from my previous articles, i'm utterly turned off by my own final-year project, or FYP in short. A FYP is like, one hella of a GRADUATING project...Yeah, right. It's like a final masterpiece one would craft out before he/she graduates from a tertiary institution. Yeah, right. It's supposed to incorporate at least what you have studied throughout your course in school...Yeah, right. It's all nonsense if you tell me.

Try telling your future employer that you did research and explored the challenges in the microwave sintering of advanced ceramics and that you've learnt a lot and gained lots of exposure in the process. He would have died laughing at night just thinking what you had told him in the morning. Frankly, i don't seem to understand why one has to do redundant research and exploration just to graduate. I think it is just a waste of resources, time and money. The amount of time and effort spent on an FYP could be otherwise untilized in other ways. How much can one learn in carrying out an FYP anyway? More probably you would have learnt to use various equipment in a single day. Provided there are people who would offer to teach you in that single day. So, you would spend like a semester learning to use these equipment when you could have actually done it in a single day. Which brings us to the fact that you actually spend

(Number of days in Semester 1 + Number of days in Semester 2) - 1

number of days repeating the same experiment with minor changes here and there. That minus one is included for that day spent on learning the various equipment. Ideally.

People would always say the local engineers are not quite of the same league as that of their foreign counterparts. I can attest to that. At least there is me to add to the list. Broad-based learning. Everyone's saying it. Just as what i had learnt in Principles of Marketing (I'm an engineer dammit!), this is a case of having a wide product line of little depth. It's like entering a 1.99 shop that sells everything but nothing to choose from. Vase? Yeah, only that 1.99 vase. Potato chips? Yeah, only that 1.99 chip. That's the very problem of broad-based learning. It's just being greedy, if you ask me. Jack of all trades, but master of none. Consider this statistic: Out of 40 plus modules that you have taken throughout your course of study, at least 10 are irrelevant to your expertise. I've taken things like Film and History (i lurvvv that module), Principles of Economics (sux), Principles of Marketing (sux), Living with Mathematics (i'm an engineer, not a mathematician), Introduction to Nanoworld (now i'm a physicist) et cetera. Does it make me a better engineer? NO. Unless you are one wierd employer who wants to hire an engineer who knows a little of film and history. With broad-based learning, i'm neither an EXCELlent engineer nor a potential economist. Why don't they include Bus and MRT Etiquette and Manners in the curriculum? It might be more relevant than an engineer learning how and why the Central Bank controls the quantity of money in circulation.

did i just screw up my career?

I had attended a workshop in school today - Resumes and cover letters. I had enrolled for this workshop with the aim of learning to craft out one hella resume. I regretted my decision, unfortunately. It did nothing to allay my fears. On the contrary, it made my already grey life more miserable.

We know how difficult job-seeking was. We know how meagre the chances of landing a good job. But we didn't know it was THAT difficult. What are the chances of landing a job at an engineering firm with at least a thousand other applicants? Writing a good resume would put you through the first stage. And how am i supposed to write a good resume when i don't even have a decent content?

I do not have a long list of previous working experiences to include in my resume. Unless you include vacation jobs. I don't give tuitions. I can't even cope with my studies, lest start helping others with theirs. Without working experiences, the very next criteria employers look at would be co-curriculum activities or CCAs. At least this was what was told during today's workshop. CCAs?Try talking about CCAs to my fellow peers who graduated from secondary school in 1996 and then entered polytechnic in 1997. Three years later in 2000, we graduated from polytechnic and entered the army. 2003. Completed National Service. And you're telling me now that CCA is IMPORTANT!?! Why didn't they said anything about that when i'd just graduated from secondary school? How am i supposed to land myself a job now that i've neither working experience nor CCAs? The CCA thing sucks real bad. It wasn't my fault or anything. I'm just the innocent passer-by who gets killed in the cross-fire.

So i've decided. If the employers ask for an expected salary, i'm gonna place mine as low as possible. I'm gonna spoil the job market. Start the ball rolling. Come on, I have a degree and diploma plus, as value add, i demand very low salary. Why should you not employ me? Like what my dad has always said: Forget about the starting salary, get the experience. I'm gonna go like: I'm up for grabs at S$1600 per month!!! Do you want to employ me?

a very unhappy day

Today's a very unhappy day for me. Pissed since i left, right till i reached home.

First, Man U lost. At least one good thing that happened today was that i didn't wake up to watch the pre-dawn match. What a waste of time it would have been. I've seen Man U when they were champions of England. Well, they should have been relegated if that's what supposed to motivate them. Tampines Rovers would have trashhhhhed them. An a la Team Singapore soccer. Utter letdown. Embarrassing. Foreign talents...Maybe Singapore should wake up and stop investing on soccer. We know we suck on that. Probably we should divest that amount of money on some other sport...Things which we know we'll win.

That was the pre-dawn news. Then came school. Specifically woke up earlier so that i could swim with my friends in school. Reached school. Booking board shows that lanes 5-9 booked by canoeing club. K, lanes 1-4 are free. Swam for like 30 mins before a bunch of students came. Apparrently training for some inter-hall games. Second nail of the day came when one of them, probably their captain. came and "advised" us to move to lane 4 of the pool because they would be donning swimming aids which might "hit" us. Yeah. University students they are. Obviously they know that we are not very good swimmers. Lane 4? Why don't they move there since they'r superb swimmers training for some competition? Hey, they didn't book the pool for a start. What gives them the right to monopolise the pool? I know they're superb swimmers and everything...What pisses me off is that they're all undergrads. Have the basic courtesy to book the lanes then! Hey, people woke up early to swim k? U guys came like very much later and "advised" us. Maybe we should start petitioning to the Sports club....Tier our sports fees based on usage rate. We pay the same fees, but those people utilise the facilities more than us. So what, we're subsidising those people? On one hand the government wants us to play sports, and on the other hand we're being subdued from even taking up the sports we like. No swimming pool, so where to swim? You tell me...

I didn't have the mood to perform laboratory research after that morning incident. So were my friends. We went to Orchard after that. Maybe we'll take a break from lab stuff, we'd thought. Worse was to come.

Let me tell you this. I don't really care if you're the boss of that Food Republic or that of that Fortune whatever Dim Sum, your food service sucks like SH*T! To think a new food court in the heart of Orchard, at Wisms Atria to be precise, should have standards like this....I'm really ashamed to even say i'm Singaporean. I suggest a mystery shopper should be assigned there. Especially at the Fortune whatever Dim sum.

What actually happened was this:
We had found seats in front of that Fortune watever. Food uncleared then..Let's see, there was fried fish noodles and some other noodle stuff. NOTHING of Dim sum. So WE cleared the table ourselves before proceeding to look for food. One of my friends were there to look after our stuff while we went to buy food. When i came back with my chicken rice, one of the AUNTIES from that Fortune whatever came up to my table and said:

AUNTY 1: You must buy Dim sum to sit at this table.

I heeded no attention to her comments. That was the very first instance of my impending upheaval of flames. It must be taken note that at that point of time, there were two families lunching near us. AND they DID NOT have any sign or form of Dim sum on their tables. When we were finally seated and had strted eating, another aunty came.

AUNTY 2: Mister, if you are not ordering Dim sum, you cannot sit here.

ME: (very angrily)Sorry ah, but this is a foodcourt and you did not state that these tables are reserved for yours only!

AUNTY 2: These tables are in front of my shop what therefore they are for Dim Sum only. See that two small plates i placed on your table? That shows that this table is reserved!

ME: (Super angrily) Hello???? The two small plates weren't even here when we came! You placed them on our tables without we requesting them! Now you're accusing me! Like what i've said, this is a foodcourt! There are no indications to whatsoever these tables belong to your shop! Does it mean that if i were to eat Chicken rice, i can only choose a table in front of the shop?

AUNTY 2: They are DIFFERENT! They don't provide outside service. We provide outside service!

ME: (Shouting so loudly that that the two families are now looking at our mini-drama) I call that touting! You know that? If you're so insistent that you are right, call your boss or manager out! I'll reason with him!

AUNTY 2: (grumbled and left)

That was what happened. Proceeding this, the mother and daughter group beside us started chatting about what'd just happened.

DAUGHTER: One day they sure get complain. They are not supposed to do that.

MOTHER: Yah lor. Got no sticker on the tables to say these tables are only for Dim sum eating what. Also got no obstacles to prevent unwanted customers from eating here. Sure kena complain one.

ME: (Shouting to no one in partcular)My friends are not Singaporeans k?

Actually my last comment was more of anguish than anger. Two foreigners and a local witnessing horrible service in the heart of Orchard road...As what i told my shaken friends later, i'm so goddamn embarrassed to be a Singaporean. Maybe the Minister Mentor should go in disguise and witness such mini-dramas himself. A country he had built from scratch producing citizens as such...I quote " I would rise from my grave..." End quote.

It is quite sad. Horiibly sad. Firstly, we were singled out because we were young. The other families around us that ate anything EXCEPT dim sum had at least one middle-aged adult. Aunties had thought they could force money out of our pockets. Trickery and cheating i would call. They chose the wrong target. Tolerant i might be....But chilli padi am i when flusterred.

Next, we were dressed casually. Jeans and Tees. Other families appeared richer than us. Therefore, we were singled out. I was telling my friends that if we were blond or if we were wearing blazers such a mini-drama would not have happened.

I've been in the service workforce. I know what is good service standards. And i would therefore demand good services when i loiter outdoors. If i as a part-timer, vacation jobber could produce standards higher than those i've seen, i don't see a reason why they cannot at least equal my standards! Good standards does not mean polishing the balls of blonds. Good service standards should be offered to all, regardless of race or nationality. To think i can't even enjoy good customer service in my own country. A country whom i've shed blood and tears for two and a half years. People whom we're trained to protect who don't even show us basic humanity.

That Fortune whatever incident was the final nail on my coffin. I would NEVER ever patronise that stall. Many patrons witnessed my outburst and i believe they too, did not have good impressions of that Fotune whatever. Well, if you don't believe whatever i gad said today, you could try visiting Food Republic at Wisma and try eating food that's everything EXCEPT dim sum at the wooden tables (which were supposed to be free-seating ) and wait for the aunties to start a mini debacle. You would have to do it fast, before they are thrown complains by CASE to stop their touting activities.

i'm back! i'm back!

Yeah....After like a month and half of absence, i'm here to blog again.
School life sucks. At least for me. I loathe the long 3-4hr journeys to and fro. I hate the idiotic retards who just can't seem to conduct themselves properly on the bus. I despise my low intelligence when i'm surrounded by Einsteins and Newtons. Then, there's always the examinations. Studying hard does not assure you good grades. Praying hard does.

Well. Its the school holidays now. Technically. I'm back in school everyday to do my research for my goddamn thesis. School holidays = Full-time research work. I think i'll never touch ceramics again after i graduate. Cerabia? I've been breathing in nanosized zirconia as long as i can remember. God knows what effects it has on my anatomy. Twelve inches?....Mmm...

I've been down on luck like ever since the semester began. Been relying on blessings given to me by lovely friends. You know who you are. Thanks for replying my incessant messages and encouraging me when i'm down . Can't wait for the new year to arrive. Maybe my luck would be better then.

If you're ever wondering why i'm paragraphing sentences, let me tell you this: I DON"T KNOW EITHER!! Can't seem to expand on a new paragraph. Must be dead brain-cells clogging up. Any way i could replenish them faster? I'm getting tremendously stupid these days.

Nothing much to write about these days. Unless you're interested in microwave sintering of advanced ceramics or friction and wear of polymers. I went bowling today (my only solace). Things should be looking up cos my scores were relatively bettter than those in the past few weeks. Blistered my palm in the process.

I wonder if anyone reads my blog anymore. Maybe everyone stopped reading it since i don't write very often these days. Well, i'm not gonna stop unless blogger crashes and burns. It's the only place where i can blurt everything except racism right? I'm no racist cos i'm a hybrid. Doesn't make sense for a hybrid to be a racist...

Look out for new articles in days to come. More time to blog these days. Should be typing out my thesis now, but hey, i'm one lazy bum k? I need motivation. And no one's motivating enough as yet.