My fault as a traveller (inherited from my parents) is that I overpack even for the shortest trip.
So you can expect to see my lug my Scrabble board, my oversized travel bag stuffed with:
4 t-shirts/polos
1 pair of jeans
1 sarong
5 changes of undies
4 singlets
4 pairs of sock
2 shorts
1 pair of sandal (is this the correct spelling?)
my OSL
my OSW-I
my clipboard
my rugsack
my lucky cap
my toiletries
my religious stuffs
all for a 3 day 2 night tournament up in Penang. Am I full of myself or what?
Thursday, September 29, 2005
Monday, September 26, 2005
Odds to win the Penang Open
Disclaimer: the following odds have been generated by fuzzy logic without the use of any mathematical or scientific methods and are subjected to change based on my whims and fancies. Pundits looking to bet on the outcome should contact me personally to get the latest odds.
| Ganesh | 2:3 |
| Cheah Siu Hean | 2:1 |
| Tony Sim | 4:1 |
| Goh Jiang Pern | 4:1 |
| Andy Kurnia | 6:1 |
| Ricky Purnomo | 6:1 |
| Yeo Kien Hung | 7:1 |
| Aaron Chong | 7:1 |
| Hubert Wee | 7:1 |
| Dianne Ward | 8:1 |
| John Lam | 8:1 |
| Kong Chock Heng | 8:1 |
| Chuah Sim Swee | 10:1 |
| Jocelyn Lor | 10:1 |
| Michael Tang | 10:1 |
| Tan Jin Chor | 10:1 |
| Shim Yen Nee | 10:1 |
| Ong Suanne | 15:1 |
| Mohd Ali Ismail | 20:1 |
| Seshi Ramanathan | 20:1 |
| Warren Lau | 20:1 |
| Chim Wai Main | 20:1 |
| Albert Yeap | 40:1 |
| Jerry Jang | 40:1 |
| Yeap Gim Sai | 40:1 |
| Paulette Yeoh | 40:1 |
| Lim Sha Lyn | 50:1 |
| Michael Wong | 50:1 |
| Sandy Tsen | 50:1 |
| Ng Chee Eng | 50:1 |
| Mohd Salahudin | 80:1 |
| Yeoh Sue Jane | 100:1 |
| Yeoh Sue Ann | 100:1 |
| Adele Tan | 100:1 |
| Krishna Iyer | 100:1 |
| Azlan Tajudin | 100:1 |
| Zeenath Ariff | 100:1 |
| Irene Lim | 100:1 |
| Edmond Capel | 100:1 |
| Haji Masri Selamat | 100:1 |
| Khairuddin Abd Halim | 100:1 |
| Sharfizi Azmal | 100:1 |
Saturday, September 24, 2005
words, words, words and more words
Finished another 5000 bingos today.
What a chore it is to do well at the WSC once you qualify for it.
Pathetically wishing there was an easier way to study.
The best thing is that I get to fit in a trip around UK while I am there.
What a chore it is to do well at the WSC once you qualify for it.
Pathetically wishing there was an easier way to study.
The best thing is that I get to fit in a trip around UK while I am there.
Wednesday, September 21, 2005
Confronting the Adjudicator
Like it or not, there has to be winners and losers in debates. We don't give out draws.
So if you don't like my decision, I still very well expect you to respect it.
Most of my debating days (about 7 of them, since I never made any teams) were probably spent trying to improve my performance. I didn't spend them whittling away at the adjudicators for their justifications (I was probably too busy trying to understand the oral adjudication and what the adjudicators have to say about the entire debate)
If I lose, I just try to find someway to do better the next time.
I don't tell adjudicators what to do or how to judge, and I expect them to do their job properly. If you are asking me to judge debates on facts, that simply goes against the grain of being an adjudicator because we are breaking the code of neutrality (& impartiality) for many reasons.
One, for us to judge on facts, we must know the facts and that means we should know more than the debaters to decide whether or not their fact is right or wrong.
Secondly, by passsing judgement on facts, we are tantamount to entering the debate, because we cannot refute facts and such unless the debaters point it out themselves and we are doing it for them.
Thirdly, do we decide based on quantity of facts, or the quality of facts, or a combination of both? (Someone is rewriting the bloody criteria, for christ sake)
The correct thing to do in this case is to blame the debaters for not being accurate about their facts and not make adjudicators judge to your criteria.
So if you don't like my decision, I still very well expect you to respect it.
Most of my debating days (about 7 of them, since I never made any teams) were probably spent trying to improve my performance. I didn't spend them whittling away at the adjudicators for their justifications (I was probably too busy trying to understand the oral adjudication and what the adjudicators have to say about the entire debate)
If I lose, I just try to find someway to do better the next time.
I don't tell adjudicators what to do or how to judge, and I expect them to do their job properly. If you are asking me to judge debates on facts, that simply goes against the grain of being an adjudicator because we are breaking the code of neutrality (& impartiality) for many reasons.
One, for us to judge on facts, we must know the facts and that means we should know more than the debaters to decide whether or not their fact is right or wrong.
Secondly, by passsing judgement on facts, we are tantamount to entering the debate, because we cannot refute facts and such unless the debaters point it out themselves and we are doing it for them.
Thirdly, do we decide based on quantity of facts, or the quality of facts, or a combination of both? (Someone is rewriting the bloody criteria, for christ sake)
The correct thing to do in this case is to blame the debaters for not being accurate about their facts and not make adjudicators judge to your criteria.
Monday, September 19, 2005
Being a Debating Alumnus
There is really not much benefits in being one these day.
You don't get paid for your services.
You get confronted by the juniors.
You eat whatever the organizers serve you.
You agonize over every decision.
You do all the above for at least 3 days.
Then again, you get to raise hell.
You get to bash the juniors ego.
You get free drinks (non-alcoholic beverages).
You can say someone sucks and it is true.
You don't have to go to work for 3 days (take leave, duh!)
(Maybe that is what keeps me coming back, again and again)
Wonder which one should I attend next year?
You don't get paid for your services.
You get confronted by the juniors.
You eat whatever the organizers serve you.
You agonize over every decision.
You do all the above for at least 3 days.
Then again, you get to raise hell.
You get to bash the juniors ego.
You get free drinks (non-alcoholic beverages).
You can say someone sucks and it is true.
You don't have to go to work for 3 days (take leave, duh!)
(Maybe that is what keeps me coming back, again and again)
Wonder which one should I attend next year?
Sunday, September 18, 2005
My House is now a place of worship
The consecration and installation ceremony went smoothly today, but I can feel somewhat dissatisfied that I no longer have any privacy in my house (on certain days).
Basically, 'kumites' from KL and around can come over to my house to pray and practice our beliefs in the 'Goshintai' mini dojo we installed at the back on the house. So I no longer have free access to many parts of the house and all my things have been crammed back into my room (feels like a dormitory anyway).
Not much in terms of privacy, but anything to sooth my parents beliefs. Hopefully, the better aura that descends upon my house today will bring in more blessings in the coming years (don't care about money as long as I have enough to live and travel to play Scrabble).
I wonder how much will I have to offer from my WSC prize money should I win any at all?
Basically, 'kumites' from KL and around can come over to my house to pray and practice our beliefs in the 'Goshintai' mini dojo we installed at the back on the house. So I no longer have free access to many parts of the house and all my things have been crammed back into my room (feels like a dormitory anyway).
Not much in terms of privacy, but anything to sooth my parents beliefs. Hopefully, the better aura that descends upon my house today will bring in more blessings in the coming years (don't care about money as long as I have enough to live and travel to play Scrabble).
I wonder how much will I have to offer from my WSC prize money should I win any at all?
Thursday, September 15, 2005
One year on
As I sit here typing, I do reminisce about what has happened in the past one year since I took over as the Scrabble columnist for the Star after the death of my predecessor, Mr. Leonard Wong.
Back then, I was still a whippersnapper (still am now, but I feel old with so many juniors invading the tournament scene, many of whom I introduce in the first place), who just wanted to play, play and play.
Since Leonard passed on, I probably continue a lot of his work. I was mainly focus on writing about Equatorial, Causeway, the Nationals last year. Then 2005 rolled in and I realized that there was no tournament to write about unless I organized it. Then there was the irritant of the ex-president, who has wronged the whole committee and the association.
So I probably end up doing everything for Malaysian Scrabble (and the KL Scrabble scene), received a few thankyous here and there (and a lot of misguided criticisms from the ass who is the current president, who sits on his ASS all day while the select few on the committee toil everyday).
Am I happy with the current situation? NO
Am I happy with the current trend? NO
I am still not satisfy with my articles, I want to write better but I need a serious revamp in my style. I am dissatisfied with the dictator, aka president, who is an ASS and tries to control everything. He is not touching my articles or the webpage that my friend maintains for me. He simply does not have the support of the committee to bully me as he wishes. So there!
I am also giving thoughts to the next few days to decreasing my involvement in organizing Scrabble tournaments because it is too stressful, especially when I am still starting out in the workforce. I find it very annoying that there are people who do have the free time and resources to organize Scrabble just sit back and do nothing but play. They should be the one getting off their butts and trying to organize their own tournaments, instead of coming up to me with ideas and suggestion. I am very pissed when people give their suggestion for two reasons. One, I don't take criticism lightly or easily. Secondly, I don't want to be the only one to organize Scrabble tournament in KL for the rest of my life.
I do take pity on Mrs. Yap because of all the committee members, she probably works as hard as me, if not harder than me. She has put together the Interschool Championship and National Championship this year already inspite of serious fumbling from the ASS.
So wake up, people. From next year onwards, you might find out that you will be on your own for most of the year. So, you want a Scrabble scene, start by helping to create one, before I bow out early like Leonard Wong (who was very overworked in 2004).
Back then, I was still a whippersnapper (still am now, but I feel old with so many juniors invading the tournament scene, many of whom I introduce in the first place), who just wanted to play, play and play.
Since Leonard passed on, I probably continue a lot of his work. I was mainly focus on writing about Equatorial, Causeway, the Nationals last year. Then 2005 rolled in and I realized that there was no tournament to write about unless I organized it. Then there was the irritant of the ex-president, who has wronged the whole committee and the association.
So I probably end up doing everything for Malaysian Scrabble (and the KL Scrabble scene), received a few thankyous here and there (and a lot of misguided criticisms from the ass who is the current president, who sits on his ASS all day while the select few on the committee toil everyday).
Am I happy with the current situation? NO
Am I happy with the current trend? NO
I am still not satisfy with my articles, I want to write better but I need a serious revamp in my style. I am dissatisfied with the dictator, aka president, who is an ASS and tries to control everything. He is not touching my articles or the webpage that my friend maintains for me. He simply does not have the support of the committee to bully me as he wishes. So there!
I am also giving thoughts to the next few days to decreasing my involvement in organizing Scrabble tournaments because it is too stressful, especially when I am still starting out in the workforce. I find it very annoying that there are people who do have the free time and resources to organize Scrabble just sit back and do nothing but play. They should be the one getting off their butts and trying to organize their own tournaments, instead of coming up to me with ideas and suggestion. I am very pissed when people give their suggestion for two reasons. One, I don't take criticism lightly or easily. Secondly, I don't want to be the only one to organize Scrabble tournament in KL for the rest of my life.
I do take pity on Mrs. Yap because of all the committee members, she probably works as hard as me, if not harder than me. She has put together the Interschool Championship and National Championship this year already inspite of serious fumbling from the ASS.
So wake up, people. From next year onwards, you might find out that you will be on your own for most of the year. So, you want a Scrabble scene, start by helping to create one, before I bow out early like Leonard Wong (who was very overworked in 2004).
My first quiz --- LOTR
I give in to temptation.....and look what I have got in return.
I pretty much doubt all these online quiz generators but it is nice when you do see the results (I wonder what answers are needed to generate Sauron or Saruman in this instance)
I pretty much doubt all these online quiz generators but it is nice when you do see the results (I wonder what answers are needed to generate Sauron or Saruman in this instance)
 | You scored as Frodo. You have a great source of internal strength and even when faced with the impossible, you don't give in.
Your Lord of The Rings Alter Ego Is...? created with QuizFarm.com |
Wednesday, September 14, 2005
Communication breakdown at the top!
I was first ask to return to headquarters yesterday by the MD directly to help out with the accounts department.
Arrived here in the morning and two hours later, another manager said my services wasn't need and chased me back to our branch.
What is going on?
Arrived here in the morning and two hours later, another manager said my services wasn't need and chased me back to our branch.
What is going on?
Wireless Connectionless
Right....., at this moment, I am at JC's house setting up his wireless network.
The router is fine, internet connection is up, but why isn't the laptop getting the preset signal. It seems to like some other network name "belkin_pre_n". So if anyone out there has any ideas how to resolve this, please inform me ASAP.
Pretty funny that I am being defeated not by the hardware setup, but by the laptop unable to configure itself to the wireless network I just set up on Monday.
So please, tell me what to do.
The router is fine, internet connection is up, but why isn't the laptop getting the preset signal. It seems to like some other network name "belkin_pre_n". So if anyone out there has any ideas how to resolve this, please inform me ASAP.
Pretty funny that I am being defeated not by the hardware setup, but by the laptop unable to configure itself to the wireless network I just set up on Monday.
So please, tell me what to do.
Monday, September 12, 2005
Busy Mind, Busy Body
Having gotten over the shock of Sunday (actually, not yet), I am already putting out feelers to find me some way of transporting me (physically and mentally) to London in November.
That's is on top of my day job, my dictionary/wordlists study time, my commitment to the Rotaract club (and Rotary International Foundation, this one better pay off with some benefits when I do go to London). So everyday, I am busy as a bee can be (an absolute lie at times).
I just hope my health is going to be okay by the time WSC comes around. I don't want to win my spot on the team and scupper the team by being sick like I was at the last WSC when I was doing the pairings and infected Ricky the same day.
That's is on top of my day job, my dictionary/wordlists study time, my commitment to the Rotaract club (and Rotary International Foundation, this one better pay off with some benefits when I do go to London). So everyday, I am busy as a bee can be (an absolute lie at times).
I just hope my health is going to be okay by the time WSC comes around. I don't want to win my spot on the team and scupper the team by being sick like I was at the last WSC when I was doing the pairings and infected Ricky the same day.
Sunday, September 11, 2005
I am still in denial
I have made it. YES! YES! YES!
Tony made it, Cheah made it, JP made it, Andy did it in 2003, Ganesh made it, Nigel made it. And I have made it (just have to show up at WSC to join the club). Sorry, Ricky and Hubert, hope to see you guys do it in 2007.
Now that the euphoria is over, have to start hitting the books ASAP (and search for sponsorship).
I will admit that I was pessimistic about my chances post LWMST when I dropped below 1600 while Pui and Michael both maintained their 1700 ratings. Then everything just fell into my lap.
At ECH, I was too busy trying to stay ahead of them to see how they crash and burn because I wanted to stay three wins ahead of them. Even in the last round at ECH, I was sweating because I just lost four in a row and the three of us were playing at tables adjacent to each other (I was only one win ahead). Somehow, they lost their games while I won mine. Good news: I climbed back up to pre-LWMST rating while Michael dropped below me. Bad news: Pui is still 11 points above me despite dropping. So Nationals would either be hell or godsend for me, I didn't know at that point.
So I started hitting the books really hard. So when Nationals rolled in, everyone (including Michael) started to psycho me and play mind games when I really couldn't be bothered. I was just playing like mad, stealing some games from Jerry and Yeap. Somehow managed to stay on par with Ganesh, two wins above Pui, Cheah and Co. (In spite of a very incapable TD in the Masters divisions and handling the pairing and data entry for all four divisions, roughly 30 matches per round to input)
So on day 2, we started the KOTH early (the TD decided at the last minute to increase it from four to six. I, of course, grumbled about the possibility of having to face Ganesh for six rounds instead of four and that Pui might just overtake me at the last hurdle. Why is everyone conspiring against me?)
So, Play Ganesh. Lose, 1 wins ahead of Pui & Cheah.
Play Ganesh again. Win, 1 win ahead of Cheah who just beat Pui (Go Cheah, keep Pui off my back)
Play Ganesh again, Win (what!!!) 1 win ahead of Ganesh & Cheah and 3 ahead of Pui. (Go Cheah)
At this point, everyone started congratulating me on making the WSC but I was still unsure since I have the necessary buffer with 3 games to go but I am not counting my chickens yet until they hatch. Now that I was in the lead, I did change my goal from making WSC spot to something more amibitious (Cheah was giving me a pep talk all the while about it). I will admit that the ploy finally worked and I did shut off my brains at that point, so.....
Play Ganesh again (4th consecutive time, I am such a pig trying to hoard Ganesh for myself). Lose, somehow Cheah (playing on the table behind me heard it and) proceed to lose his game by 5 points to Jocelyn Lor. I wonder if Cheah chickened out of wanting to face Ganesh so early. Therefore.....Ganesh for the 5th consecutive time. Lose, but then Cheah did his job by beating Pui and keeping him down at 9 wins. So I can still finish ahead of him, which is good.
Then the last round fiasco, the stupid TD couldn't figure out in his thick skull that someone can still lose a game and play at a high table in the KOTH round (because the others people who woin couldn't overtake the said person, Jocelyn Lor) He insisted I paired the thing wrongly and halted the round for a full 5 minutes while we were all in play. I went with him and Jolceyn Lor to the computer and Lo and Behold! The data was correct and everything was paired correctly. This ruckus disrupted my concentration and lower my opinion of the TD even more (some would say, into the Nether Zone). At least Pui was diplomatic enough to say that the TD should make a public apology, I replied with heavy sarcasms as I was in a foul mood after the shouting match.
Anyway, I got back into the zone and romp home over Jocelyn (admittedly, my mood was so foul, I probably irritated her with me mind game + irritating habits that she complains about. Must do away with them before WSC. Sorry Jocelyn!!!)
After finishing the game, proceed to deal with problem of rating, since we do need to know who is going to WSC since Pui also won his last game. Stupid program found glitch with student division. So ignore student division first and test rated the Masters and the Open division and verify no problem. Announce that I made it in very hush tones. Everyone starts shaking my hand like it has the Midas Touch (I am still in denial). Proceed to work on student rating (which I botch up pretty badly according to Andy. Will let him figure it out and tell me what to do) and in the meantime, collect prize, and (don't know how to) pose for photo session and meet the public because I am a backstage person.
Well, at least I get a free dinner out of Cheah afterwards when it should be the other way around according to the SA tradition. Will treat him in Penang Open.
That's the end of it. Not very helpful since I didn't post all my games as promised because I need to study for Penang, Singapore and WSC. Will post some games, any game when I feel like it.
Tony made it, Cheah made it, JP made it, Andy did it in 2003, Ganesh made it, Nigel made it. And I have made it (just have to show up at WSC to join the club). Sorry, Ricky and Hubert, hope to see you guys do it in 2007.
Now that the euphoria is over, have to start hitting the books ASAP (and search for sponsorship).
I will admit that I was pessimistic about my chances post LWMST when I dropped below 1600 while Pui and Michael both maintained their 1700 ratings. Then everything just fell into my lap.
At ECH, I was too busy trying to stay ahead of them to see how they crash and burn because I wanted to stay three wins ahead of them. Even in the last round at ECH, I was sweating because I just lost four in a row and the three of us were playing at tables adjacent to each other (I was only one win ahead). Somehow, they lost their games while I won mine. Good news: I climbed back up to pre-LWMST rating while Michael dropped below me. Bad news: Pui is still 11 points above me despite dropping. So Nationals would either be hell or godsend for me, I didn't know at that point.
So I started hitting the books really hard. So when Nationals rolled in, everyone (including Michael) started to psycho me and play mind games when I really couldn't be bothered. I was just playing like mad, stealing some games from Jerry and Yeap. Somehow managed to stay on par with Ganesh, two wins above Pui, Cheah and Co. (In spite of a very incapable TD in the Masters divisions and handling the pairing and data entry for all four divisions, roughly 30 matches per round to input)
So on day 2, we started the KOTH early (the TD decided at the last minute to increase it from four to six. I, of course, grumbled about the possibility of having to face Ganesh for six rounds instead of four and that Pui might just overtake me at the last hurdle. Why is everyone conspiring against me?)
So, Play Ganesh. Lose, 1 wins ahead of Pui & Cheah.
Play Ganesh again. Win, 1 win ahead of Cheah who just beat Pui (Go Cheah, keep Pui off my back)
Play Ganesh again, Win (what!!!) 1 win ahead of Ganesh & Cheah and 3 ahead of Pui. (Go Cheah)
At this point, everyone started congratulating me on making the WSC but I was still unsure since I have the necessary buffer with 3 games to go but I am not counting my chickens yet until they hatch. Now that I was in the lead, I did change my goal from making WSC spot to something more amibitious (Cheah was giving me a pep talk all the while about it). I will admit that the ploy finally worked and I did shut off my brains at that point, so.....
Play Ganesh again (4th consecutive time, I am such a pig trying to hoard Ganesh for myself). Lose, somehow Cheah (playing on the table behind me heard it and) proceed to lose his game by 5 points to Jocelyn Lor. I wonder if Cheah chickened out of wanting to face Ganesh so early. Therefore.....Ganesh for the 5th consecutive time. Lose, but then Cheah did his job by beating Pui and keeping him down at 9 wins. So I can still finish ahead of him, which is good.
Then the last round fiasco, the stupid TD couldn't figure out in his thick skull that someone can still lose a game and play at a high table in the KOTH round (because the others people who woin couldn't overtake the said person, Jocelyn Lor) He insisted I paired the thing wrongly and halted the round for a full 5 minutes while we were all in play. I went with him and Jolceyn Lor to the computer and Lo and Behold! The data was correct and everything was paired correctly. This ruckus disrupted my concentration and lower my opinion of the TD even more (some would say, into the Nether Zone). At least Pui was diplomatic enough to say that the TD should make a public apology, I replied with heavy sarcasms as I was in a foul mood after the shouting match.
Anyway, I got back into the zone and romp home over Jocelyn (admittedly, my mood was so foul, I probably irritated her with me mind game + irritating habits that she complains about. Must do away with them before WSC. Sorry Jocelyn!!!)
After finishing the game, proceed to deal with problem of rating, since we do need to know who is going to WSC since Pui also won his last game. Stupid program found glitch with student division. So ignore student division first and test rated the Masters and the Open division and verify no problem. Announce that I made it in very hush tones. Everyone starts shaking my hand like it has the Midas Touch (I am still in denial). Proceed to work on student rating (which I botch up pretty badly according to Andy. Will let him figure it out and tell me what to do) and in the meantime, collect prize, and (don't know how to) pose for photo session and meet the public because I am a backstage person.
Well, at least I get a free dinner out of Cheah afterwards when it should be the other way around according to the SA tradition. Will treat him in Penang Open.
That's the end of it. Not very helpful since I didn't post all my games as promised because I need to study for Penang, Singapore and WSC. Will post some games, any game when I feel like it.
Tuesday, September 06, 2005
Studying for Nationals
Let see, another 5000 7s and 8s printout in front of me.
I know I am studying (or putting up some semblance of it, since not everything sticks or is automatically retrievable).
Problem is that everyone is just 'revising' what they have learnt over the past 10 years or so, while I am still trying to accumulate that word knowledge.
So how am I going to catch up on those who have a headstart?
I don't know, seriously. Yet, I still have to do it if I want to go to London in November. I still wonder why it took me so long to get started on this game anyway.
I will promise to post my gory details on ECH and Nationals once the weekend is over, but for now, I have to study, study, STUDY. Bleah!
I know I am studying (or putting up some semblance of it, since not everything sticks or is automatically retrievable).
Problem is that everyone is just 'revising' what they have learnt over the past 10 years or so, while I am still trying to accumulate that word knowledge.
So how am I going to catch up on those who have a headstart?
I don't know, seriously. Yet, I still have to do it if I want to go to London in November. I still wonder why it took me so long to get started on this game anyway.
I will promise to post my gory details on ECH and Nationals once the weekend is over, but for now, I have to study, study, STUDY. Bleah!
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