One file down, 5 more to go!

I completed the development phase last week and just started with the testing yesterday. I worked only til 730PM yesterday and just this morning I was able to close one file already! That was damn fast, well at least its beyond what I and my boss expected. You know, testing/recon has always been the hardest part of what we do.

Just like in basketball, this is a good start. I'm in the zone right now. And when I'm in the zone. I'll just keep on shooting.

Woohoo.. work til 2am!!

NBA Live 2008 on PSP!

Bad things happen to good people. But good games deserve good market.

.. Oh does it?

NBA Live 08 came out on different gaming platforms early this month. EA Sports promised that the game play would be a whole lot different compared to the previous version. Actually, there were a couple of previews featured at NBA.com where last year's NBA Live champ got beaten by EA Sport's head AI engineer a.k.a "The Brain" - showing that techniques before won't really be that effective now.

Anyways, right after I bought the UMD for S$60 at GameScore in Funan (famous for its IT shops) - I played 2 full 8-min/quarter games right away. So addicted, so excited I didn't went back to the office for overtime. I just played the game the whole night.


New things on NBA Live 08
No jump shots! - I'm on the 2nd week of November already in my Dynasty and I've made no more than 10 jump shots?! Seriously. I'm like 10/50. I just can't seem to figure out the rhythm, timing, and the proper way of pressing the button. I don't know, outside shots won't just go in. In every possession there seems to be a different way of how you should take the jump shot. I'm not really sure. I've been an NBA Live gamer since its 97 version in Sega and I didn't had this jump shot problem.

This is seriously challenging my NBA Live skills. Anyone there can gimme some tips?!

The Crown - They have this new system for tracking all statistics you've acquired during playing. Be it in dynasty mode, all star weekend, 2-ball, etc, it will record all the stats you get. What's the point? Same as before, to unlock special feats and as EA says it - to become an NBA Live Legend.

Loading and transition time - Just noticed that the on-screen menus and transitions are significantly slower than before. Simulation, going to different menus, loading the game, it all takes longer than before.

Superstar buttons no more - They just inserted this feature and they've taken it out in this version. They made it automated - depending on the situation, the player executes whatever he has in his arsenal of moves and tricks.

So no more forcing Kobe dunk on 3 Phoenix players.

Go-to move and go-to team - Seriously, I don't know anything about this stuff yet. But as EA markets it, looks like it's the primary feature of NBA Live 08.


Boring
I'm not happy with how the game is interacting with me right now. The fact that I got Kobe score 120 points in one game and that about 100 of those points are dunks. And the fact that that's the only way for me to win the game by 2 points.

Its just so unrealistic.

So sad. I thought it's gonna be worth it. I mean buying the UMD instead of downloading it somewhere in the internet. Tsk tsk.

Give me back my money! :|

1st day: Pamper yourself

Thanks to some DR (Disaster Recovery) simulation activities, I'm having a 5-day break and yesterday was such a relaxing one!

GI Haircut
In the morning, took my brunch and had my "GI haircut" (as the barbers here call it). Filipino term: "semi-kalbo"

Stressed IT people
In the afternoon, I went for a massage. Kind of weird at first because no-one there knows how to speak English, they were all Chinese, tsk.. good thing they have banners so I get to point out the kind of massage I want:

• 60-minute full body massage and
• 40-minute feet reflexology

So relaxing. The owner told me that most of their customers, if not old people are stressed IT people working in banks. *ouch*.

14 Meridian points - Chakra flow? No, its Acupuncture
After the massage, they made me feel comfortable in the place and I get to have a conversation with the owner, shared some stories and learned something about Acupuncture:

• Main philosophy is about these 14 meridian points all throughout the body which if pointed correctly will send signals to particular body organs such as the heart or lungs. The kind of signals depend on how the needle was applied to your body. *For Naruto fans, this reminded me of the philosphy in Chakra flow - something Neji can see perfectly. If I'm not mistaken, it was like 64 chakra points all over the body? Hmm.. so Japs have 64, and Chinese have 14. Either way, its interestingly weird.
  
• Needle is either being poked or circled slowly into your skin, both of which have different purposes, for healing and nourishment, respectively.
• When needle is applied, it does not and should not hit the muscles, veins, tendons or bones but instead the gap between those and the skin.
  
• When needle is removed, there should be no blood; else, it was incorrectly done.
  

Interesting? Yes. But come on, needles all over your body? Someone planning to do this, make sure you go to the best and certified acupuncturist.

Promenade
While they had me stay after the massage. I get to eat a new fruit (something to add to my very short list of edible fruits) - Promenade. I don't know if I spelled it correctly because I can't find it in Google but it's something rough and brownish outside and has tiny bit of red circles inside - which is actually an outer coating of the seed. You eat it by sucking the juice out of those red circles then spit out the seed. Kind of tedious process to eat something, imagine 1/4 of the fruit took me like 30-45 minutes. But it was nice.

I don't know if I'm too ignorant but I told them we don't have that in Philippines. (Someone knows this, tell me tell me). They say they got it from China, and they also have it here in Singapore but in smaller sizes. Those fruits are only harvested once a year. The flower blooms in August and they get to have it in September, just right before the Chinese Lunar calendar.

Sweet and a biscuit
The other two Chinese girls, who just came back from Shanghai, forgot their names - I'm not that accustomed yet in remembering Chinese names. - gave me a biscuit and a sweet just before I left the massage spa.
Looks good and I hope it tastes good, might eat them later.

Impulse buying
Found some DVDs sold at S$8 each, bought 5 of them.

• Rush Hour 3 (bad copy) - still made me laugh though, haha.
• While in a bed scene.. Girl: "I've never been with an American man before"
• Chris Tucker: "Neither do I, baby"
  
• The Ultimate Gift - good inspirational movie. Transition between scenes were not that good but need not be since the focus was really on the "gifts".
• Gift of Work: "If you do work just like what you've done, you'll get anything."
  
• The Contract
• The Reaping
• Zodiac

Promise, I won't buy another DVD here! tsk tsk!!
Well, except for Criminal Minds Season 2 - to be released in Asia, 4th quarter this year.

Nails, nails, nails
In the evening, I had my nails cleaned - feet and hands. I'll get to have it with this shop for the next 6 times. Some kind of a package deal. See, this might be costly but to tell you, I don't really know how to cut my toe nails. For my hands, I have some issues on nail-biting since college. My mom used to tell me, it is some sort of insecurity, like a psychological behavior. I may have some insecurities but I will change them feel more confident and I hope pampering my finger nails would be a good start. Something like, "your nails look good, you paid for it, so don't bite them!" *silly* =)



Great, so much for one day! 4 more to go, I get to clean my room, do laundry, iron clothes, grocery perhaps, then study study study, and finally get a perfect score in the Informatica Certification exam on Monday!

Gene Amdahl

Passion at its finest.

I was reviewing Informatica code pages when I found about this Amdahl guy, one of the implementors of IBM's System 360 mainframe computer models - considered one of the most successful computer designs in history. And as I looked over his resume of different ventures, accomplishments and failures - it struck me that at an age of 74, he was still engaged in VLSI/mainframe computer system designs. Apparently, we have the same birthday.

a brief summary of his resume (sourced from wikipedia)
- born on 16 November 1922
- Amdahl finished his doctorate degree in Theoretical Physics on 1952
- He went on to work with IBM and was Chief Architect of S/360 computers
- Awarded IBM Fellow in 1965
- 1970, left IBM and founded his own Amdahl Corporation - concentrated on "plug-compatible" mainframes w/c battled the more expensive IBM S/360 machines
- Amdahl Corporation sold over US$1 billion
- 1979, left and founded Trilogy systems with funds of almost US$200 million - concentrated on designing ICs for even cheaper mainframes which eventually failed. Then concentrated on VLSI technology which also failed.
- 1985, merged with Elxsi and failed in 1989
- 1987, founded Andor International which became bankrupt on 1995 due to production problems and business competition - concentrated on making smaller and more efficient machines
- 1996, founded CDS (Commercial Data Servers) which has been renamed to Xbridge systems - concentrated on designing new super-cooled processor designs
- Xbridge systems - creates connectivity software for mainframes and open systems
- November 2004, named to the board of advisers for Massively Parallel Technologies

Now that is how you put yourself in Computer History. This is passion at its finest peeps. Age 74 and still greatly involved in mainframe stuff? W-o-w. This just made me realize that I'm not yet really that passionate in Data Warehousing. Before this, I have not seen myself doing DW stuff past 40. All I thought of was to relax, have some good time, do other interests.

How does Billy Gates think? James Gosling? How about Linus Torvalds? Ralph Kimball? Bill Inmon?

Dang - with my attitude, mindset and lifestyle right now, I feel like I'm not really part of this computer evolution era - Data Warehouse evolution more specifically. Grr...

Surface computing

Have you seen Minority Report? Remember how crazy Tom Cruise looked doing all of that hand movements with his computer? Well, future has arrived.

Two key entities - Jeff Han and Microsoft had conducted press conferences and demos of their surface computing products. Based on some readings I had, Jeff Han made it known to the public last 2006. Also came across some stuff that he was one of the designers of I-Phone? Anyways, what was mind-blowing with the apps he presented was that of NASA's global navigation/map (dunno). It was really cool! I just came to think what if it's getting a satellite feed real-time? Like that in the movies.. Tsk, imagine - on someone's hands he can just take a look, zoom-in/out, navigate and see anything everywhere seamlessly. Now that is some real high-tech mind-blowing stuff, and the good thing about it is it's possible.

Project Milan is Microsoft's surface computing. They'd be releasing their product to some of their commercial partners T-Mobile, casinos, etc. by end 2007.

A lot of discussions has been going on in the web about how Microsoft stole the idea from Dr. Jeff Han, but as per Microsoft their top-secret project had been going for 5 years.

Anyways, I don't really want to put in too much details about this subject, just some of the facts I remember while going through the different videos. Just search in YouTube and you'll get informed in no time.

Here are some of the best videos about this subject.

Link: Microsoft Surface Computing - PopularMechanics (nice intro)

Jeff Han on last year's press-con


Micrsoft's Surface Computer - explained in full

Revamp

Seems like I don't have to decide for myself whether to start from scratch or not.

Mid-Monday morning, at some conference room, just after telling about what could have happened why such records existed (and seeing the project manager's email), team lead gathered us and informed us of a system revamp.

"Start from scratch, start as if nothing exists, but use them as reference." - Those were the clear instructions.

I just sat there smiling.

:happy:

1 3 5 7 8?

My theory of what could the previous developers have done why such records existed was confirmed by my team lead. However, the resolution for the problem came out differently from what I had expected. I'm still assessing the solution he had suggested and honestly, I'm still kind of lost.

Guess, I don't have a reaction quick enough to adapt to what he suggested. I mean, I do think in advance on possible next steps but, things are really different when they are not the ones you thought they would be.

Lesson: React and adapt quickly

surprises every now and then

Funny how a month-long concentration can easily be shattered by just half an hour,
by just someone who asked for directions,..
..you walked her home,
had a mini get-to-know conversation,
held her while crossing the street,
looked for the house, she said 'thank you'
I said 'bye'

then gone.

God has his own ways of keeping you excited.
He has his own ways of telling you "you're doing just fine".

certification exams - something to fear?

I've been putting forth the effort for sometime now especially last week in reviewing for the certification exam this August 18. It is kind of hard because there are also a lot of things to finish at work. Right now, I'm only 40% confident in taking the exam so I still have to exert more effort and concentration on studying.

My goal is to have 100% rating on all certification exams. For that, I'll need to have more than a 100% confidence in taking it. There's no better way to put it like this:

"I was as prepared as I could possibly have been for that moment. I couldn't go back and practice a little harder. I knew I had done the right things to prepare myself for that situation. One way or another, I knew I was prepared to be successful. Now, if you know you haven't prepared correctly, or you know you haven't worked hard enough, that's when other thoughts and emotions creep into your mind. That's stress. That's fear.
.. you are the sum total of all the work you have put in, nothing more and nothing less. If you are confident you have done everything possible to prepare yourself, then there is nothing to fear."
Driven From Within, Michael Jordan

costly massage?

I went for a massage in China Town last Tuesday. I needed it since I've played a lot of basketball and also had some tough stretches at work. I don't know if the price was cheap or expensive, but what I do know is it would have been better if I was back home.

Still, it took away some stress and made my body feel good.

ETL to the core

Close to what I've experienced during my first three weeks at work, I was just as excited last week. And you know it's because I learned some special things.

Core ETL - Different from what I was checking out before, a new file was put into priority. It is a major component on one of the systems I'm handling. As a DW CSI, my investigations on this led me to learn the core details of the history maintenance process and it was damn e-x-c-i-t-i-n-g. I'll try to develop a new implementation for that logic and test it on one of my systems - just for fun.

the next billionaire

I just met with my financial planner last Thursday at one of the finest clubs in Singapore. We had dinner, shared some stories and did my financial planning.

My financial goals?
S$500,000 August 2010
$1,000,000 August 2017
$1,000,000,000 August 2035
*Networth

He'll get back to me next next week (latest) to kick off my investment initiatives.

Data Warehouse CSI

After last night, I just really felt that I was part of CSI - only that I'm investigating Data Warehouse stuff.

I've been working on making one system work for 7 days already - longest time frame so far for me to work on something, considering that I 'm not even close on finishing it. Damn. I'll be taking this seriously now coz I'm sure that this has really some W-E-I-R-D problems in it.

Just put it this way, investigate a crime scene with all the evidences and trails right in your face, and you came up with the wrong suspect.

Then your captain said, one or some or all of those evidences might be planted. No one even knows.

Do you try to go and validate each evidence each trail? Or just take them all out, investigate the whole thing from scratch then come up with your own evidence?

Oops by the way, you have 5 days to close it.

The Great Singapore Challenge

I found this great song that really inspires me a lot. Its message sank in when this was presented during a business event I attended last week. Just enough motivation really for anyone. I'm happy I'm here in Singapore.

Excerpts from Will You - Singapore NDP 2007 Theme Song
Will you swim the current?
Will you scale new heights?
Will you make it happen?
Will you let your dreams take flight?
Will you make the difference?
Will you seize the day?
Will you live each moment?
Will you dare to find new ways?

turn it up!

I want to turn it up. Everything. I want to be the me who keeps on knocking at my heart because I know that that's the best me. That's what God really wanted me to be. In life, relationships, career, basketball, opinions, everything. I don't want to grow up and be an old man thinking what could have happened if I turned it up? I will do it now and I'm doing it now. There will be a lot of changes, conflicts, and rewards. Mostly on situations I've never experienced before. That's what I want. I'm not satisfied with what I am experiencing and how I am being perceived. I will turn it up.

"Insanity is doing the same thing and expecting a different result"
Rich Dad Poor Dad, Robert Kiyosaki