here it is, another year to chronicle.

i guess for some it seems kinda formulaic or boring to keep blogging about trite matters, but i suppose it is nice to look back at those posts and remind myself what has been done thus far. its like putting a yardstick on the ground and comparing against previous years as a form of progression/sanity check.

to be honest i usually only write this post hours before the end of the year as a 'forced' form of recollection and not go on a rambling tirade, because if i wanted to document every single happening throughout the year it will never end. ha ha ha.

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lets start with work.

i think it was ok in general, though there were occasional tense moments.

a downside of dealing with multiple projects is that there's so many items going in parallel which tends to split my focus and kind of affect how much time i can devote to, and the quality/accuracy of the work i provide. given that each project is unique with its own specific issues, i got to admit it does take its toll when i keep switching my reference frames/basis etc.

maybe thats just the nature of the job as i continue to progress along this line.

there were quite a number of people moving on from the company which makes me think whether the market is really that good outside, or rather there were other extenuating circumstances behind the move. to be fair, there were a few recruiters on linkedin but i'm also partially wary of having another job of the same exact role. also, i got to admit that a direct client-facing role can be rather exhausting.

i would like to try a slightly different role rather than doing something that is exactly the same again.

well i suppose now is a good time as any to see how the market is doing before making the next move. gotta dust off the resume after years and years of neglect.

also, after writing this post i think i need to lay the groundwork for some number crunching calculations etc.

kinda mixed on having to resume back to 50% office 50% home from next year/week on, i'm too spoilt by the current setting of WFH.

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continuing from last year, two semesters worth of masters.

with covid becoming a regular fixture, all lessons continue to be online. still feels like a double edged sword, trading off physical networking/class learning for webcast/time saved on travelling etc. i cant complain that the timed saved from travelling is indeed a major plus given that i've been working for the most part at home.

another key difference is that most of the modes of assessment are remote (because they cant possibly get 50+ individuals to be stuffed within a single room and fill in sheets of blank paper within 2/3 hours, and risk getting wrecked by the authorities); in lieu of written exams it became online tests and end module assessment/term papers. the only exception was one particular module which insisted on a physical in-person exam which coincidentally, was the same room was one of the final modules that i've taken as an undergrad. time flies, does it not?

does feel weird to take a written exam after graduating years ago. but at the same time, it feels just like yesterday. still did well enough so i suppose its all good.

for the other aspect, i find that term papers are actually more intense than a written paper in the sense that quite a good bit of effort is required to research and trying to distill the information into a cogent argument. the good thing i can say in favor of term papers as an assessment tool is that rote memorization is off the window (because seriously, this isnt primary/secondary school for goodness sake), and as a more application/practice type of module it makes more sense to create some case study and from there apply said knowledge into resolving that particular issue.

i wager i spend perhaps double, or triple the preparation time necessary to do a term paper compared to say a physical, written final exam. though i would say that i do like term papers more than a written exam.

to the module contents themselves, in the first half i took modules that were relevant to my job like say functional safety etc, which were awfully technical; without access to international design standards i would had been toast.

the second half was essentially crossing the other side to industrial hygiene and taking seemingly random modules such as radiation safety which to be honest is rather enjoyable as a general knowledge type of module; at least you know where and how to make a dirty bomb! (i jest, please do not detain me under ISD)

all in all, i enjoyed the modules.

one more semester to go though before it finishes, which i suppose neatly ties in to finding another job  after graduation (maybe more demanding/better compensation?).

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did i mention that i have accidentally injured my finger while trying to maintain my bike?

was trying to fix the bike chain which had came loose somehow, though it was in tension and as a result, the bike chain whiplashed against my little finger which caused some pain/bruising.

oddly enough, that pain didnt subside after weeks and it was only after some MRI scan that the ligament didnt heal properly. the first doctor had proposed surgery to repair the ligament though there was the risk of scarring/imperfection and quite a lengthy period of rehab (~2-4 months, well not THAT long compared to other types of surgery but still quite long)

mom suggested seeking second opinion from a doctor that she has worked with, whom proposed some steroid jab to to dull the pain as a first resort. fortunately, it seems like its working.

while the effect requires at least a month to work, three weeks in and it seems to be working well, with almost no pain experienced on my finger during bending moments.

guess this is a sobering reminder that i am ageing, for better or for worse.

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i've also cleared grade 7 for both theory and practical.

lets start with theory. had to sit with a bunch of teenagers and the odd (relatively young, i wager around my age) adult in those conference rooms in suntec city. as if i needed any more reminder on how old i am now ha ha.

to be honest, didnt really prepare too much for it (if i recall correctly i had a module test the day before) but i scrapped a merit so lol. oddly enough, the section that i wasnt expecting to do well apparently did so well and vice versa.

for practical, i decided to take the performance grade route i.e. just record 4 pieces and send over for grading. seems easy on the surface, though it masks the repeated filming/taping attempts after each minor cock-up which does make things quite difficult when you have to film those 4 pieces in a single recording. its a pretty time consuming endeavor, i reckon spending almost 2 months worth of weekends just to get a decent recording up. all in all, still did pretty good too so no complains there.

moving onwards, it seems like i'm nearing the end with grade 8. the pieces are looooooooong but i do enjoy them so it doesnt feel like a chore.

also been trying to play some experimental pieces as well, which are more modern in terms of composition style, and just as melodic as classical style music.

if nothing else i suppose going for piano was a good choice made back at the start of uni. its a pretty low maintenance hobby and is fun.

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i regret to inform that i've placed JLPT at the backburner again due to masters, but i commit to throwing myself to formal classes probably from the 2nd half of the year to finish N3. though i suspect i'll need quite a fair bit of bridging classes in order to relearn what i've forgetton years ago, especially those on grammar/sentence structures etc.

sometimes, all you need is some form of 'structure'/motivation in order to see things to fruition.

also, while i managed to crash course myself through python through eldin's mod, i would also want to formalize my learning through AI4I (? or that is what i think that program is called under NUS) for good measure.

so many things to learn, so little time (or rather how not to spend too much time gaming and prioritize more on learning).

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i bought a switch (finally, after almost a year of deliberation).

having fun with breath of the wild, guess the comparison with skyrim was pretty legit, though i do have qualms about the equipment breaking aspect which is sort of annoying but it does encourage weapon cycling (what fun is it to stick to the same equipment until an upgrade comes along?) which i ... sort of can understand though i dont fully agree.

looking forward to rune factory 5 when it releases.

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as a continuation from last year, brother's (actual sit-down dinner) wedding at raffles hotel.

... the food was pretty good, the wedding itself was short and sweet (by wedding standards); can't ask for anything better for that.

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spent some of my leave to clean my room.

i suppose part of marie kondo's lesson rubbed off me; it feels kind of cathartic to clean my desktop (including the internal components/fans etc) as well as the room in general. its mindblowing how much dust accumulates within a single year!

those dust bunnies sure are pesky aint it?

also took the time to cycle around singapore with a friend. was pretty exhausting covering ~60km but it was also refreshing at the same time.

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i think i have made this declaration two years ago before covid hit in full force, but i think now is a good time as any to push myself for a harder/more rewarding role.

financially wise i think i'm comfortable with my allocation between government bonds and international ETF, though it would be good to explore alternative mechanisms such as options. after all, i'm playing the long game so i'm not too fuzzed about 420-tier profits.

... maybe just a dip in the crypto/ETH pool? 

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well, lets make good use of 2022 gary.

it wont be as long as you think it is so better maximize your time while you can!