~* brianc - ??? *~

The idea of over-throwing my university's student union is kind of getting out of hand. Hmmm, on the other side, isn't this idea already "out-of-hand" issue in the first place? Anyway, apparently there's two very free people sending mass emails to students, pointing out faults that both university and student union did and was sort of praying hard that enough people turn up for a "rally" type of thing..... Really shiok man, the very first time rally or maybe a mini-riot going break out jus right at my doorstep, and its just about overthrowing a meaningless university's student union~~~

.

.

Errm, the only problem left is whether any dudes will participate beside the two organizers, and will there be resting stations, water points and massaging corners like those in our neighbouring country ones???? hahaha, just kidding.

.

.

The worst part is yet to end, there's a "I GAVE" campaign going on in school and people are encourage to donate ,ermmmm hmmm so sorry, its "present" a token of appreciation , which is MONEY to our school president for the whatever reasons behind but I think its either going down their year end bonus or buying them more comfortable armchairs.... perhaps a OSIM i-Gallop..... But there's no meaning in this money, why need us to donate money to show our love and appreciation to mother school? Isn't holding a mass party, drawing up a thank u card or even producing a year book more reasonable and yet meaningful?

.

.

It doesn't make any sense, and and i even wonder which and kind of person to come up with this idea?

~* brianc - A trip down bt timah *~

Finally got to test out the Specialized Tarmac at the shop, and its just one word to describe how the whole thing feels: "Fantastic". In order to fit everything in my budget ceiling, I got to change all the dura ace components to a ultegra-full set up, and this move will take a mere 1000 bucks ++ alittle more off the retail price of $6,800, and rounding everything off to 5.2k. Hopefully I can still clinch a deal to include rear blinker, bottle cage and maybe a pair of gloves or another jersey..... y.h. was with me all along, and him with just a simple objective of getting a spd and a pair of clip-on shoes on that day, start twigging his eyes to the roadies~

.

.

Kinda of my fault, hahaha he got his attention on another specialized retail at 2.1K with full 105. ok ok, why mine so expensive right? Well please let me explained lahzzzz its a full carbon delievery man...... All the way from the frame, fork, stem, headset and handle-bar = carbon fabricated and total weight is about <9kg.>

FRAME
Specialized FACT 6r carbon, triple monocoque construction, compact race geometry, Zertz seatstay inserts
FORK
Specialized FACT monocoque carbon fork, full carbon legs, crown and steerer, with Speed Zertz
HEADSET
Specialized Mindset Plus, 1 1/8" integrated threadless, sealed stainless steel cartridge bearings, carbon 20mm cone with two 5mm alloy spacers
STEM
Specialized Pro-Set lightweight stem, 3D forged alloy, 4-bolt 31.8mm bar clamp, 4- position adjustable
HANDLEBARS
Specialized Pro lightweight handlebar, all aluminum, racing drop, 31.8 clamp
TAPE
Body Geometry Bar Phat, cork ribbon with 2.5mm gel padding
FRONT BRAKE
Shimano Ultegra
REAR BRAKE
Shimano Ultegra
BRAKE LEVERS
Shimano Ultegra, 10-speed, STI, flight deck compatible, with brake lever extensions
FRONT DERAILLEUR
Shimano Ultegra, 31.8mm clamp, bottom pull
REAR DERAILLEUR
Shimano Ultegra, short cage
SHIFT LEVERS
Shimano Ultegra, 10-speed, STI, flight deck compatible
CASSETTE
Shimano Ultegra, 12-25t
CHAIN
Shimano Ultegra, 10-speed
CRANKSET
Shimano Ultegra, double crankset, Hollowtech II 2-piece design
CHAINRINGS
53x39T
BOTTOM BRACKET
Shimano Ultegra, Hollowtech II
PEDALS
ultegra
RIMS
Mavic Ksyrium Equipe, welded aluminum double wall rim, machined sidewalls
FRONT HUB
Mavic Ksyrium Equipe, 18 hole, Mavic QR
REAR HUB
Mavic Ksyrium Equipe, 20 hole, Mavic QR
SPOKES
Stainless 14g aero
FRONT TIRE
Specialized Mondo Pro, 700x23C, aramid bead, 120TPI
REAR TIRE
Specialized Mondo Pro, 700x23C, aramid bead, 120TPI
TUBES
Specialized standard presta tube, 0.9mm thickness
SADDLE
Body Geometry Alias, carbon reinfoced base, microfiber cover
SEAT POST
Specialized Pavé FACT carbon seatpost with Zertz insert, 27.2mm
SEAT BINDER
Specialized, forged/CNC, double wedge

.

.

Trust me guys and ladies, its truly a beauty and it make me turn off all bikes from Trek, Giant and Cervelo. Hmmm, well maybe high-end trek still appeals to me. I find the whole package very worth it as other brands with full-carbon will definately cost more than 8k.... But now of cos the purchase is on-hold but I believe and hoepfully by end of this year can GET IT!!!! HAHAHA

.

.

~* brianc - The Job Seeking Craze *~

People have never been desperately eager to look for a job now than ever. Attending jobs seminars, companies recruitment talks, career fairs, registering on job seekers websites, flipping through newspapers has become the most actively participated stuffs by my fellow study mates, nothing elsebut with just a simple decent hope in getting a "DREAM" job.

.

.

Now now, in many occasions a dream job is often define as a job that not only must pays well, it must also be near to their house, no too much of the OT, good medical benefits, low turnover, high bonus, kind boss, dumb colleagues that you can manipulate, nice cafeteria, factory buses if possible, courses for people to sign up so one can skip work, the freedom to deco your work station, a company phone, internet service so can msn, nice toilets, handsome chaps or ladies in workplace ( esp. for singles), opportunities to travel, good chances in promotion, possible a popular MNC so it reflect good on one's name card, not too busy schedule everyday, can play Yes933 at workplace even better, got a gym, and so on~

.

.

Well, with me knowing the better of my returning to the NS after my studies.... I got the time and leisure to observe people crazing around, fighting for every chances just to clinch an interview. But apparently there's certain trend injected in one person that leads to them always getting the chance to be interviewed and its surprisely that heehee* most scholars din even get the job interviews they wish for......... oh boy~

.

.

Well, with all these competitions goin one right now... I suddenly think that its kinda good to return to the Army 1st and wait till this craze periods over..... sooooo stressful to see them everyday puttin on smiling face but deep down darm jealous ones people~

~* brianc - National Vertical Marathon *~

The national vertical marathon was my first marathon record for the year 2006. It's very enjoyable to have the similar folks forming a fantastic team to participate. Hopefully after we graduated, this spirit will still goes on~ Below are some of the pictures taken that day:

.

.

~* brianc - Girls' turn to rule *~

With march almost half-way through, the intensity of finding a job becomes more higher. Although things have been clear that I'm spending the first few months of after-graduation in the force, there's still certain level of hopes for me to clinch a job position first. But all in vain, the problem lies mostly they are looking for people to start work asap, probably in early May. So headache.... And after attending couples of interviews, I suddenly feel that its more appopriate to wait till I serve all my remaining days in the force before attending anymore future interviews. Well in all the success rate is rock bottom low and company ain't going wait for me to save the country first.

.

.

And after several rounds of interviews, success rate records a higher percent for ladies than other guys... For whom I know in school, out-of-school, jobs changers and so on, girls are more readily to secure a job they desire compared to guys. Well perhaps the fact that most papers said that S'poren guys are insecure, insensitive, non-presentable, incompleted, etc are true after all and its clearly seen in the way that how the male and female did in the seeking for jobs. The situation is even more established when the one interviewing you is a MALE, they tend to be more favourable to the ladies than to lead another man into the team. (Sounds like a old chinese saying: "One mountain cannot have 2 tigers".) The male boss always tend to believe that when they got the females in, they might be of lesser threats to them and easiler to control or whatever~

.

.

Perhaps its the time for the ladies to rule the world while foolish man in power still getting more ladies yet lesser of males into their empire. But come to think about it, in singapore the ratio of man:woman is 1:3. So isn't it obvious more ladies are seen to be recruited? HaHaHa~ In all, lets sit back and relax awhile for the time being but always keep a close tap on those potential recruiters.....

~* brianc - Today's Interview *~

I reached TECH at about 8.15am in the morning, and my interview session began at 8.40am whereby everyone geared on their shoes with a special white cover, which believed to prevent the dirt from your shoes to stain their grounds...

.

.

We're brought to their canteen and GOD I was darm hungry at that moment as I skipped my dear b'fast! Very soon, a piece of paper was passed to me. Apparently it was a personality check list for us to first understandf ourselves~ Well, probably fine filling it up since its simple and sweet looking. After we submitted, came another quiz typo stuff. Its named the "LOGICAL MAN QUIZ" which I heard from the lady that passed down the stacks of quiz papers! It was meant to see how logical we're as humans.... Trust me!!! its all Koo Koo questions and just in case you need a sense of how's it? Jus pop right up to me in school~ Soon I did all the 25 questions after reading through a few pages of essays.... And......................

.

.

WAIT!!!!!!!!! was the only thing to do after the Logical TEst. A bunch of people sitting at their canteen and waiting for your names to be called for face-to-face interview. Time-checked then was 11am. I waited till about 12.15am for my turns, understandable since alot of people was around.... say more than 100 came for interview....

.

.

Argggh, just as I yawned with my mouth closed, my name was called: Mr. Brian Chong~~~~~. Haha, i stood up immediately realizing its finally my turn. Grateful that my interview is on, the worst thing happened!!!!!!!!!!!! READ ON

.

.

The manager was kinda sianz coming back on a saturday for interview session... Well, who doesn't? He's was slpy-looking, eyes wasn't looking at me, and his table was sooooo empty! And here came the first question:

A (Interviewer): How much do you know about the company?

Brian: Its a wafer production company....... blah blah blah.

A: Suggest me a situation that allowed you to use communications to solve the problem?

Brian: I said alot on the challenges from my previous IA.

A: Hmmm, You have CCA?

Brian: No, but i do alot of marathon and cycling with organized group inS'pore. And some RC works in the past.

A: So, ermmm whats your CCA?

Inner Brian: didn't I just said I do marathon and cycling and RC works!!!!

Brian: I couldn't find an interests in CCA in ntu, so I focus alot on other activities involements outside.

A: Hmmm, no CCA in school bcos u cannot handle?

Inner me: huh? did my explaination went wrong?

Brian: I choose to focus on outside activites than in school, blah blah i save the details lah

A: whats ur plan in nx 5 years.

Brian: Wish to find a job, applying what I learnt to use and immese into the work life? so on so fro lah

A: Sooo, never wanted to become a millionaire lah? hahaha.

Inner me: Millionaire still work here~ crazy man

Brian: I prefer working step by step up~

A: Sooo, do you have maid?

Brian: Nope, ain't no maid.

A: Argh~ cannot ask you the maid's question le.

Brian: smiling

A: Tuning down his head once more and think hard for question

A: Errm, imagine you're from MOH and assigned a project to reduce SARs cases in s'pore. One of the way is to stop people from Spitting in public. How you going to go ahead, say a timeline of 6mths.

Brian: I explained using media to educate different age group of people. campiagn so on like that and invlove RC members conducting talks to older folks...

A: So how you mesure success?

Brian: Customers satisfactions and response give me feel of success (b4 I can con't)

A: excuse me, I meant the SARs case.

Brian: oh, a direct is records of sars case drops.

A; Yah I know, ermmm but older folks are more resisted to your teaching one....

Inner Me: then how, you expect me to put them behind bars?

A: So how u mesure the numbers of spits on say a place?

Inner me: WHAT THE F**K? stupid question.

and it goes on rounding this SARs toopid question for the next 7-10 mins and he esscot me back to the canteen and wait again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OH NO~~ And he mentioned shift work is shift work but off-days still need to come back settle stuffs one.... hmmm, sounded like to me got no time for other life..............

.

.

When i was back in the canteen, time was 12.44pm. I was hungry and sianz from this drill-interview. So i ask one of the HR coordinator whats the programme later and reply was: "Hmmm, sorry we ain't no sure, but u just wait can??? errrr, maybe is~~~~ opps paiseh" then walked off...

.

Darm it lohs...... I told another person i got things on and left the plant~ DAY ENDS

~* brianc - Dream Roadie *~

Cervelo Soloist

.

~* brianc - A Dream to be True? *~

"Very slowly, I opened the suitcase and Bloffff~ tons & tons & tons of money flew out, splashing onto my face and grabbing one off my face and took a look at it, I managed to realize them all to be 100 dollar notes!!! YES, I'M RICH..... The very first thing that shoot into my head is the comfortable and realxing life ahead and the ability to buy my new fond dream bike 'The Cervelo Soloist'. Travel to all places on this planet and dine only in the finest restaurants~~~~"

.

.

Tooooo~ Doooooo~ ToooDooooo~ came a sound.........................

.

.

F**King hell, I was dreaming. Woah but indeed a very nice dream to have all nights, excluding the poor ending in the last part. Back to reality, FYP mode again and rushing the very last bit of it and handing in on this coming friday..... "wait! you can extend your submission date!!!" Oh shit, this good thing always passed me by. But anyway, I'm amost done now with everything and holding on any longer just make one's life more miserable~

.

.

Been to the career fair and managed to grab an interview session.... heehee, not bad yeah? But the work nature is pretty siong since its a 12-hr shift type.... The best part is it pays darn well, with a night shift totalling up to about 3k a mth.......

.

.

KK! i understand, back to fyp again~ Hai, can't even take a break..... MY running nose worsen, feeling abit cold and slpy..... Oh no no! cannot fall down now dudes!!!! COme ON!, GoGOGO~

~* brianc - ChompChomp *~

Just got back from Serangoon garden ChompChomp eatery, a short ride from Bt Batok which took about 45mins and clocking a distance of 23-24km, (multiply by 2 for the distance back).... Nah, still a mere 40km ride tonight only........... Shit* abit brain dead now, and the whole head is white~~~ ZzzzZzzZzZzz........ think I'm dozing off soon, darm it dunno why today so tired? Must be the earlier part of the day sitting infront of my laptop, trying to squeeze my left-over brain cells to complete the FYP..... In the end, still got somemore to go, Arrgggh shit**

.

.

Yawnnnnn, so long folks..... update the other day..... tomorrow still got Career Fair to attend.

.

.

Share my dream roaddie, hopefully to get it by this year end~

.

.

TCR-Advance

~* brianc - Thursday *~

Today, a lecturer from my previous school came down NTU to listen to our nano-matl lecture. Well apparently he's kind of mentioning he was invited by MJ to sit in, and something about starting a new course back in his school... Although we ain't pretty close back then, I still managed to remember where's he from... The thing is I think probably he got a cultural shock today! His eyes were glaring around the floor at my fellow classmates, & guessing he might not be targetting any pretty girls loithering there, the next top guess that strike me was he might be VERY amazed the dress-codes we had....

.

.

Almost everyone was in too casual attires, shorts, slippers, t-shirts, singlets, etc... Perhaps he though we should be more professional beings since we (university dudes) and our dressing just kind of didn't fit in.... Then I was asking him on 1 question: " So, is SP recruiting any people?" Strangly he looked away and down as quickly as possible and reluctantly replied: "Oh ermmm, well, they do........... sometimes~~" HAHAHA! I was really right on the spot while laughing hard inside myself, he was indeed very doubtful on our caliber as a university person... Well, it's ain't surprising because I was in a singlet, bermudas + slippers out-fit.... Maybe if I turn out in the old days of NTU with white colla shirt and black pants, i stand a better chance to hear " YES we do, we are more willing to recruit people from here!" Infact I think its pretty difficult to work there too, cos to my knowledge, only old old lecturers (90%) are still there while many retire.... New blood was needed............... I turned away and walk towards the rest of my friends and chat~ Still thinking if next lecture I turn out with jeans + collar shirt will the respect level goes up???

.

.

Arghhhh, Lam was still this fast but never doubting that she is talented and can really teach in-depth stuffs..... But her level of knowledge is too high up, and tuning back to our kinda level is which I agree pretty much tough for her.... Its something like A B C is difficult to a 1 year old kid , and darm easy for us 20++ years old dudes...

.

.

Its always about "judging a book by its cover" world.... inner beauty always comes second.... Ability to present oneself is crucial to sell and the last thing is LUCK.................

~* brianc - Bring the Bread Home, Dude *~

My my~ A remarkable wake up call from my nano-quiz yesterday. Kinda realized that I'm been pretty NUAH (lay-back) for the this year 2006, especially my attitude to studying... Wondering if it will turn out to be the same kinda behavior going to tag along with me while working in the society sooner in this year-end? Oh goooosssh, time to buck up more, and I meant it!

.

.

With new plans input, more quality time is going be delicated to the "FOCUSING" of my school works, and the always steady approach in seeking a job. This sunday going be my visit to the career fair, hopes to see much more opportunities stationed there? Well, personally I think luck plays a more important role in securing a job than flashing tons of A++ grades to those employers.... Many to 90% of my known-friends (which ain't scholars or top-few genius) got better jobs than those with A-graders. And most of the A-graders ended back in school, either teaching or doing further studies... Hopes the similar situation play for me too since I'm ain't no scholar.

.

.

The kind of life one desire depends on the type of bread they eat, therefore falling to their personal capability to earn that bread. Well, u can bring back a bread from downstairs kopitiam, BreadTalk from the neighbourhood shopping mall, or even to the very high-end hotel's cafe bread. Ok, they are all the same, BREADS but it reads out the life-style you have and the different enjoyments one can have.... Although we can say that different people seek different kinds of bread that best suit their lifes, but be frank to oneself buddy! In Singapore..... I think most humans prefer 5 stars hotel's bread....

.

.

Competition comes along when there's only limited high-class bread available for sale! Competition, competition, competition & more competition.... So dudes, fix on the bread you want , and head all way out! But always remember, it doesn't really matters if you got yourself the fastest car there to the bakery... it also depends on LUCK~

.

.