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Another Lap Round the Sun


It's been really a busy year.... 2013, and I guess I've kinda given up on blogging. Each post that I made could take up to one hour just hammering out an interesting thought that I had (the crowd fluidity, dream analysis, etc) and while I still love to think through such things, it's getting tiring to try to translate them into written form. Nevertheless, it's been another round round the sun again (23rd lap now) and I've decided that I'll give the previous lap a review.

Cambridge has definitely given me lots of opportunities as I've said before. What has passed since the last post is... probably too long to write up properly. Instead, I shall just list things which come to mind (non chronological order). I've always looked out for firsts (first time doing or achieving something), and that is my general principle. So, firsts for the previous year:

  • First proper PCB designed and manufactured, soldered, and works. That was the DC-DC dual rail power supply I mentioned in one of the earlier posts. Yes, I followed up and finished it.
  • First time setting up a solar charging system in my house. Like proper. It charges a 12V lead acid battery for later use via an AC inverter, not powering some cheapo calculator.
  • First time assembling and owning a 2.8W handheld continuous wave laser. That's a class IV mind you. I'm actually kinda scared of that thing and use safety goggles most of the time, except when shining into the night sky to see the beam.
  • First time flying so many miles in a year! I flew from UK back to SG each term, and over the summer, I flew to Japan for a holiday as well. Just early this year, I flew to Finland too, before starting the second term here.
  • First time being to Japan's Comiket, and first time queueing for over 1km for anything. Comiket's so awesome, you actually get a minor depression after it and loss of enthusiasm for any other conventions (I've asked a few friends, and they've all faced the same issue).
  • First time going on a "pilgrimage". I visited Ooarai while in Japan. There was GuP stuff almost everywhere there was a store. Couple-owned and family-owned shops featured GuP. The one and only mall there featured GuP. The observation tower featured GuP. The station even had a welcome sign featuring GuP. The trains was also decorated in GuP stuff. WOW. Just WOW.
  • First time skiing (last Jan). In one week, got pretty much confident on blue slopes and wanted to go for a red one if only there wasn't so much cloud in the way (visibility was like 10m)
  • First time seeing the Aurora (Borealis). It is indeed spectacular, and we were incredibly lucky to catch it. Conditions weren't with us till the 4th and last night.
  • Built my first snowman when it snowed just about exactly a year ago. This year there isn't a proper winter here, which is extremely unfortunate. Temperatures never went below zero.
  • First time traveling to Scotland (just last term), and for the first time, I actually went that distance just to watch anime. We watched 6 films there over the weekend. DURING TERM. That was quite rushed. It was also the first time I watched something before it even aired in Japan (2 months earlier than them! yay!)
  • And of course, I've managed to get my first first in Cambridge. Not first in the cohort mind you, just first in college, and first class (grade). Not bad I guess. I'll try harder this year.

So there you go. A whole list of firsts. All of them, incredibly fun or incredibly awesome, or both. "Upgrades" wise, my photography has also been improving. I haven't bothered to revamp the gallery yet, but my latest and much better pictures are here: my 500px portfolio. My Kendo has also been improving, now at 4th Kyu up from 6th Kyu. (Skipped 5th Kyu yay!)

I also seem to be going deeper into things.... much fan stuff bought. I think I'm running out of space in my display cabinets... That aside, I've also started Sound Voltex and passed a few 15s. It's my main since Reflec Beat is gone from SG. Sigh.

Thinking about what I've done during the last year certainly makes it feel alot more than a year. Just so much. I hope this year will be like that too. The year's just beginning after all.

05:43 29 Jan 2014
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