Wonderfully Simple

Check this out.

You know, 99.98475398475% (Disclaimer: Number coming out of my ass) of the people who use the Internet never realise what it takes to make a webpage compatible with most browsers.

The fact that it's so time-consuming, irritating and frustrating is another matter. Hell, most of the problems are caused by M$1E, which 78.0293842934% (Disclaimer: Look above) of people use.

I think I'm gonna add more links. And add a graphic at the bottom. And tweak Angela's blog. And bring myself to actually do aforementioned things.

Well, Utada Hikaru's latest single got released pretty recently, and I've had a chance to listen to the actual original version of Flavor of Life, as well as the Antidote remix. Truth be said, it's a little weird to be listening to it after having heard the ballad version over and over. Feels as though the ballad version is the original and the original original version is a spinoff, kind of like how a lie told a thousand times becomes the truth.

I still prefer the slower ballad version, however. Nothing beats a solid voice backed by orchestra instruments leading the music into a soulful mood.

I remember back when I was in sec 3, a friend and I were at a CD shop, browsing for a Jpop CD to buy. In the end, I settled for Ayumi's A-BEST, while he bought Utada's Distance album. We both mocked each others choice like some kids jealous of each other's posessions after that, and it was kinda funny, now that I think about it. Ironically, I've come to like Utada's music more than Ayumi's now. Tastes change, I guess.

Recently I've been listening to some videogame music, in particular, the Main Theme of Final Fantasy 7 and Valley of the Fallen Star from the same game. Nobuo Uematsu is good. I dunno why, but I just felt like listening to those 2 pieces. I like the tribal feel of the 2nd song, and how it builds to a climax, only to repeat in a loop that never seems to get too boring. The Main Theme sounds... Pretty unique to me. It sounds like a slow, peaceful melody at some parts, and some creepy horror background music in others. I've a few versions of these 2 pieces, like a piano version, which makes them really mellow and easy to listen to, as well as an orchestra version for the Main Theme, which brings it to full acoustic glory. I downloaded some mixes originating from these 2 pieces from OverClocked ReMix as well, and they're good. There are some really talented people there, and if you're interested you should take a look and have a listen.

Onto my current life... I haven't been doing much these weeks, save for finishing off 2 games (KH2 & FF12) which I had wanted to finish for quite some time, and finally piecing together Angela's blog template. Just today I started reading up on programming, on the Java language to kick it off, since it's kinda similar to the JavaScript I'm somewhat familiar with already. And well, I haven't decided on my course for university. You can read my description on the left, and it summarises my dilemma pretty well.

A) I stick with Computing (Computer Engineering)

I go with the (hasty?) choice I made 2 years ago. My whole family seems bent on me NOT taking this course, because they say I'm gonna have to continually upgrade myself and go for courses even after I graduate and blahblahblah... In my mind I'm thinking, "That's ok, right?" But I'm not that sure.

B) I change to Computing (Communications & Media)

I'm kinda tempted to change to this, really, but I don't know if I can cut it, because it's a course that's gonna involve design of interactive media and such, while I'm a deeply-rooted science guy. I even have a lofty idea of enrolling for the Concurrent Programme in Interactive Digital Media, but I'm hesitant, because I'd have to compete with those coming from design backgrounds in polytechnics, and also because it needs me to send in a portfolio, which I obviously lack, having had little opportunity or need to create stuff of this nature. Well, I have done this page's design, and I have done some other miscellaneous stuff as well, but I'm unsure if that's nearly enough or not.

As you can see, I'm totally undecided and remaining indecisive. Perhaps, all I need is a little pushing from somewhere, but it better come soon, because time is running out...

Note: The following was typed in KL on 22 Feb 2007. I was too lazy to upload it to my computer and post it though. Expect a more recent update, however.

So. My family went to a shopping centre in KL named One Utama, and went walking about for a bit, before the girls tired out and wanted to have a break. We settled on secret recipe, perhaps for some cake and coffee.

The menus came, and the waiter left to do other things. When it came to making our orders, however, it was just horrible customer service. Enactment:

Us: We would like to have item A, item B and item C.
Waiter: Ok. (Proceeds to register the order)
Waiter: (Coming back after a few minutes) Sorry, the items that you ordered are sold out.
Us: (Okaaay...) How about item D and...
Waiter: (Runs off to check the availability, without so much of a "Let me check," leaving us hanging in mid-sentence.)

To add to that, the item in question was also - in accordance to Murphy's Law - out of stock. Needless to say, we left that café frustrated, in search of another place to sit down, relax and have a sip of coffee... But NOooooo... Almost the exact same situation repeated itself TWICE more.

In the end we had to settle for Shakey's Pizza, and even then, they didn't exactly have good service either. We ordered a pizza and a jug of soft drink, but we didn't realise that there was a set with the same stuff and a dessert pizza - at a cheaper price!

Thus our fight to change our order began.
The waiter said, "No!" but we wanted otherwise.
"Where's the manager?" We asked,
And he was summoned before our eyes.

He proclaimed it couldn't be done,
But how could that be,
That orders could not be changed?
We parleyed for a minute or two,
'Til we had our way.

In the end, it all boiled down to the crappy waiters, who didn't bother to just tell us what was out of stock right of the bat, or to tell us of any offers we might have been better off ordering. Terrible, terrible service. I don't see this happening a lot back in Singapore, and to encounter bad service 4 times in succession on the same day is just... I don't know, you figure that one out.

It's the first time I've been this put off by bad service, and for once, I'm appreciative of my government's drive to improve customer service.