psyche.terrapolis.org

It is approximately one more day before I’ll be able to watch the Doctor Who S4 finale. I promise not to spoil myself before I get to watch the episode. It is so tempting to do so because I really really really want to know if David Tennant is going to stay. He mustn’t leave. When I first watched Doctor Who (2005) last year, I got used to Christopher Eccleston’s (a.k.a the Invisible Man Claude in Heroes) and was surprised to find out that he regenerated into Tennant in the 1st season’s finale. I love Eccleston’s portrayal but perhaps one season wasn’t enough to keep me hooked enough.Then came Tennant and he really brought the game up. While the 9th Doctor was a cynical and streetwise (?) one, Tennant’s version is childlike, curious, empathetic, suave, all combined together. Tennant cannot go now! This time I really hope it’s one of Russell Davies’ tricks to megaboost the ratings for the series and we’ll still have Tennant for season 5.T____________T

After I bought my new Samsung Yp-U3 (MSC mode) player, I discovered that the latest firmware (1.12WA) has limitations with regards to reading files from file directory folders: it is able to play files in folders in repeat mode or in shuffle mode, but it is unable to play only files within the folder sequentially once. For example, if I have two folders each containing ten mp3s. If I were to select the fifth mp3 of the first folder in the default play mode, the mp3 player will play all the remaining mp3s from both folders sequentially until there are no more files left and the player then automatically shuts down. There is no way that the player will only play songs from one folder, unless it is the last folder in the list. This is a big problem for me because I often listen to music when I’m about to sleep and it’s obviously not a good thing if the music player keeps playing nonstop.

Just one more week left for Singapore. Having Singaporean food cravings already. Really sick of eating the stuff at Norton Street and Newtown :-( I would much rather eat my own cooking if not for the fact that the kitchen is 2 floors below :P

Just finished my accounting paper for the day, was manageable but didn’t go fantastically because of the time constraints. I hope I can get at least a distinction (let’s not go to HD). Next week is the killer M&A and financial modelling exams. I’m not too worried about the latter though cos I’ve already passed the exam from the mid term and project results.^^ Was really happy about the project grades for modelling (38/40!!). That was the hardest project I’ve had to handle so far in Sydney Uni and the effort paid off. While I hated the project when I was doing it, I’m glad for doing it at the same time too because of the exposure it has given me to Monte Carlo simulation, exotic options, portfolio optimisation, company valuation etc. In regular finance class we just learn two asset portfolio optimisation which uses simplified mathematical formulas. In spreadsheet modelling I actually get to see how multi asset portfolios are obtained through inverse matrix operations. Really cool. The Benninga textbook has really been useful and when I finally graduate I’ll try to make the effort to learn more of the stuff in detail.

Seriously, group work at USyd is such a pain. 80% of the people I have dealt with are one of the following:

1. Pure incompetent,
2. Apathetic to their studies and can’t give a damn about putting effort,
3. Last minute people who think they can actually produce quality work just before deadlines,
4. People who always tell me they are busy with this and that but can find time to have full day of entertainment and plenty of sleep (when there I am slogging till 2-5 AM in the morning)
5. Irresponsible freeloaders.

One of my favourite authors of all time, Arthur C. Clarke, passed away yesterday at the age of 90.

Besides being an extraordinary writer of science fiction novels, he also conceptualised the invention of modern geosynchronous communication satellites. Some of his books that had the greatest impact on me were “The Fountains of Paradise” and “Childhood’s End”. They were mind-blowing sources of inspiration to me during my undergraduate days. The world feels somewhat a lonelier place without him. He will be sorely missed.