Archive for the 'Stories' Category

Gastric

Published
by
Zz85
on April 27, 2007
in Stories
. 0 Comments

After feeling nausea for weeks, I thought if men could get morning sickness too. At least I thought it was motion sickness.

So I went to the doctor, and my surprise was I had gastric. The doctors said many patients didn’t know too, claim they just had “wind” and the next thing was they vomited blood.

I then heard the longest list of “do not eat” I have heard in my life. No spicy, no chilli, no curry (only porridge), no fruits- no orange, no kiwi, no … (only apples), no tea, no coffee, .. (only milo)

After medicine, I went home and concussed in bed.

MIO is here, at last.

Published
by
Zz85
on April 4, 2007
in Stories and Technology
. 6 Comments
I signed up for the value plan of $68 for internet, home and mobile lines each month. Below is my first day experiences plus the changes that affected me.

So finally, MIO was scheduled to arrive today, and the home telephone line got cut off for its conversion into digital voice. I took off the whole day especially for this (actually plus other events planned but got canceled due to wet weather). A mio personnel was supposed to be here at the given time slot, but he was extremely late. I had to go out, and later I had to provide him my singnet login details over the phone.

The most significant change will be the “MIO Box” or actually a 2wire 2700HGV-2 router with a customised/restricted singtel/mio firmware. Not too bad actually, supports ADSL2, 4 ethernet ports, usb connection, line, VoIP, 802.11g, except maybe its bigger and runs warmer. I soon know the restrictions of the router, or maybe its firmware. I know I can update the firmware to unlock more features, but I resisted the temptation of such risks even though I thought I’m capable of doing it.

So hit http://gateway.2wire.net/ or 192.168.1.254 to log into the router. I differences and adaptations I had to do from my previous router- the netgear dg24m are-

* Different router address/subnet. I attempted to configure the 2wire router to retain my old subnet but it refuses. Time to redesign my home network.

* Navigation and settings are shown in an easier, more “user friendly” style, icons and such, but seems its a different way of configuration compared to usual routers and advance configurations seems to be lacking.

* Doesn’t allow me to add a static route, or add another network, which means, to allow another router to work together. The solution? Reconfiguring my linux router into a linux bridge with an interface (aka firewalled bridge). See my next post for details.

* Doesn’t provide updating of dynamic dns services like DYNDNS.org. I decided to install ddclient on my linux server in this case.

* Doesn’t seem to support uPNP for port mappings and such.

* It should support port forwarding (described with a different term on the 2wire router) but I haven’t seem to be able to get it to work.

I stop here with this list about the MIO Box temporary.

At for its unlimited voice call service, I have yet to find out where the bad interfaces I hear during calls come from. 1) MIO Line 2) Old Sanyo Analog cordless phones 3) new philips DECT phones

So much for now.

Window Shopping for a Viola

Published
by
Zz85
on March 4, 2007
in Music and Stories
. 0 Comments

My aim was to buy to a bow, a music stand and check out the price if I were to buy a viola.

1st stop supposed to be Gremacy. After realising Bus 7, instead of Bus 197 which I should be on, wouldn’t go to Tanjong Katong Road, I alighted and run against the rain towards Tanjong Katong Complex for my supposed 2nd stop:

Synwin. I tried a couple of violas from the china made - $500 - $1500, and the german made $2800 to $3800. I left the shop buying a 16″ viola bow for $90 and a music stand for $16.

I took the walk thru the Istena Park from Doby Gaut Mrt station towards Merien Shopping Centre. Thats the first time I been to Music Essentials after they moved from the Specialist Shopping Centre. They sell mainly Eastman instruments, an American company which moved their production to China.

For the sound quality you get from those instruments, its hard to get for a lower prices. I thought I would get the $800 16 inch viola if I really decided to get one.

Next stop. Shopping for a piano teacher to prepare myself for a sponsored Grade 8 exam?

Its so TV Drama

Published
by
Zz85
on March 2, 2007
in Stories
. 0 Comments

When you look at airplanes take off after you didn’t manage to meet the people you want to send off.

SIA

And that happened to me after I was late (for certain reasons). Not wanting to waste my trip to the airport (at another corner of Singapore) I went to the Observation Gallery to see airplanes depart even though I hear and see F16s taking off about everyday,

Ground crew travel on little small but fast vehicles to travel around the airfield quickly. 2 guys sitting on top of rectangular diesel powered looking machine controls to push and drag the 747s out from their aerogates and position them on the taxiways.

I see classes of kindergarten kids brought around by their teachers to view the aircrafts and the takeoffs. It felt like I was as excited as them to see the planes when I was small too like all children does, I think. Some kids lean against the window panes, some fill up the seats, while I spotted one taking out this lunch box to eat some sandwiches. The excited kids then carried their cute carton bags, held hands in pairs and threes as their teachers guide them back.

There’s a intercom area you could see and talk to those who area already inside the departure hall. The glass panels which separates inside and outside resents those prisons visits we see in show. Maybe you can try the hand on glass and mirror stuff next time. Singapore Airlines have a service which alerts you via mobile messages before airplane takes off. I should have set it to 2 hours.

I took some time reading Singapore Aviation history on exhibition before leaving.

Choke on a Fishbone

Published
by
Zz85
on October 18, 2006
in Family and Stories
. 0 Comments

I choked on a fishbone today.

I don’t have much experiences with fishbone chokes (as I use to stay away from fishes) but I have at least 2 experiences:

  1. Knowing there’s bones my mouth, I kept chewing until the fishbones break down and then swallow it.
  2. Removing a bone from my sister’s throat with a pincer after 1 was stuck in her’s.

Cant remember what’s the fish called, but it has lot of bones. I had used a big spoon and swallow carelessly. One piece of fishbone was felt in the midway of my throat though I tried to spit them out after feeling discomfort down the throat. Juggled and rinsing with some water did not help much.

So the father’s/grandmother’s typed advice was heed.

Swallow riceballs. I took handful of rice and swallow. It helps.

Of course another “grandma” remedies was that you place a finger into your mouth in hope of vomitting them out.

I would think western doctors might have a differing view. Its better out than in. Swallowing down bone might puncture your throat or maybe somewhere more serious deeper down - intestines? Of course I think the size of the fish bone is a factor.

A church member shared that the doctor had to use some instruments to remove the fishbone from his son’s throat. Had they unable to resist his struggling, they would give him GA. Not something nice to imagine about.

Thank God I’m alive and kicking.