August 26, 2004 at 10:38 am (Books)
Left with nothing, I picked up the book my brother borrowed and started to read. I stayed glued to it.
Honestly speaking, I don’t like his first book, Zigzag Street. But Perfect Skin has captivated me. It seems to be a leisure book for easy reading but deep under the humor and the unexpecting plots of the story, it discussed serious issues of death,love, friends and kins.
I particularly like the style of writing. Reading Jon, the lead character’s thought and speech, draws the distance between the reader and Jon. It’s is like I’m Jon and experiencing what he went through.
I feel that the incompletness of the conclusion is where the author wanted to make a point about life. Well, that’s up to you to decide after you read it. One thing I realised from the book, you have to accept the fact that life isn’t going to be easy and isn’t going to be what you wanted, but with help from friends, kins and yourself, you may sail the way through.
All in all, I truly enjoyed the book. 4 stars out of 5.
Yup Yup! It will be roughing out the sea again. Going back to my Captain Aubrey adventure soon. Just need to collect the book from the library.
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August 24, 2004 at 11:45 am (Way of Life)
What is thermal comfort? Thermal comfort is defined as the sensation of the mind feeling good under room climatic comfort criteria. Studies have been done to determine the criteria that human will feel comfortable in the room. People have been tested in the room under different parameters. The thermal comfort level is then calculated from the feedback and from there the thermal comfort criteria are determined.
The factors that affect the thermal comfort are body metabolism, clothing, temperature of the room, body, humidity of the room and air velocity.
To feel comfortable in a room during summer, this is the room thermal comfort criteria as stated in ISO:
1. Temperature should be between 23 deg Celsius to 27 deg Celsius.
Practically for Singapore, the temperature range is about 23 deg Celsius to 25 deg Celsius. Therefore, there is really no point in turning your aircon to 18 deg Celsius. You will feel cold but definitely not comfortable. Unless you are wearing winter winter clothing in the room just to feel warm. That seems quite ridiculous.
2. Humidity in the room should be between 30% to 70%. I can’t remmeber the reason for the range. Anybody can tell me?
3. Air velocity should be not more than 0.43m/s.
Some studies has restricted this speed to 0.07m/s. This is the speed a piece of paper will fly away.
That’s about all I can remember. Did I tell you before I did a research for this during my Industrial Attachement? No?
Actually right now, I’m one of the subjects been tested in a aircon room where I have thermocouples taped to my forehead, hand and leg and wearing 2 jackets. They are testing the aircon. The test is for a month. Now I know what lab rats feel like. Except I get to sit in front of a computer, doing my work and blogging.
Yup Yup! That’s all for now. Have a beary nice day.
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August 19, 2004 at 8:19 pm (Way of Life)
Refer to article: The Clean Facts On Washing Machines
The top loader uses more water than a front loader. But the current technology allows the washing machine to release the amount of water according to the amount of load.
The top loader is also less gentle on the clothes but now usually there is a gentle cycle available for the delicate clothes.
The advantage of the top loader is that the washing is faster than a front loader and it is more convienient as we need not bend to put in the clothes. It is also possible to add in clothes in the middle of a wash.
So generally the front loader is generally rated higher than the top loader. But in the market there is a washing machine that combines the best of two worlds. The washing machine that is a top loader with a front loader drum. The disadvantage of this washing machine will be a longer wash and no adding of clothes in the middle of the wash.
Yup Yup! That’s all I have for the report on washing machine. Stay tune for next great advice on my house appliances! (Whichever spoils first.)
Have a beary nice wash!
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August 18, 2004 at 9:43 pm (Way of Life)
Yipee! Our new washing machine has arrived today! No more hand-wash clothes. No more back-breaking groans from my mum, my bro and me anymore. (We have hand-washed our clothes for 6 months already.) The last washing machine broke down just after the warranty period. A bag strap got tangled in the agitator and broke the pump, the motor and the electronic part. The repair will cost more than the new machine and so we decided to buy a new one.
Let me share some basic knowledge of washing machine that I found on the Internet:
A. Types of washing machine:
1. Top loading: Pulsator wash, Agitator wash and Tumbler wash.
2. Front loading: Tumbler wash
B. Washing technology:
1. Pulsator Washing Machine:
A tub that rotates clockwise and counterwise which allows clothes to rub against one another. (What we are having now.)
2. Agitator Washing Machine:
A tub with a long cylindrical agitator in the centre that turns as well as the tub. The washing machine can contain less volume and clothes can tangle easily. (The previous one that broke down.)
3. Tumbler Washing Machine:
It has a steel metal drum that spins on the horizontal axis. The machine is heavy, could last a long time and expensive. Usually it is front loading which my dad doesn’t like. He says water will leak if the front cover is not sealed properly. (Never bought this before.) The best type my family agrees upon is the top loading, tumbler washing machine. (Our first washing machine back in the late 80s we bought). Believe it or not, it had lasted us for 8 years. Definitely worth the price even it is far more expensive than the rest.
Yup Yup! That’s all for now. Have a beary nice wash!
Fatty: Hurray! I can finally go for a bath! Yipee! Ha ha! Naughty cannot go!
(Important note: You are not suppose to wash furry teddy bears in washing machine.)
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August 16, 2004 at 10:19 pm (Teddy Bears)
It has been a busy kast week. Getting my notes, meetings for display, design module and teddy bears, lectures.. It’s a wonder I didn’t breakdown. What I know also is that my days will get worse. Final Year Project and the design module project together may kill me. I need a teddy bear hug!! Luckily my a-girl bear is just beside me. Hmm! Feel so good. Now recharge, I can continue my work..
Cecilia
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August 12, 2004 at 8:39 am (Music)
Touched by his deep, emotional voice.. This is how love ballad should be sung..
My initial thought when my brother told me his album is good, I laughed. For most of us, he is the big brother big of TV entertainment in Taiwan. Never do I think he would produce an album, moreover an english one.
But when I first heard it last night, I was struck dumb by his singing of the first line in the first song, Strangers in the Night. Touched to the core by his manly singly. From his emotional and carefree singing and his special voice, there is no doubt, it is him. His album has immediately become one of my favourite. (I repeated the album five times last night.)
Accompanied him in his sadness in Smoke Gets in your eyes and The Last Waltz. Brought me soaring through the sky in Volare. And when his When I Fall in Love is played, I realised this is how love ballad shoud be sung..
Rated 5 stars out of 5. An album not to be missed.
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August 11, 2004 at 6:30 pm (Books)
After reading it, I began my adventure in life..
It’s a book that changes my life. Everything I’m doing now and every reasons for doing the things sprang from this book. I would not have pursue my interest in teddy bear making without this book. I would not have joined Toddycats if not for this book. I would not have better treasured my family, my friends and whatever I have now if not for this book. My mind started after reading this book. For me this book is the best book I ever read. My number one book.
The book’s name? “Conquering your finanical stress : the five-point plan for conquering true wealth” by Bruce Eaton.
This book does not teach you how to invest in stock or shares. It does not teach you how to make lots of money. (That’s what I thought initially.)It does not teach you how to become a millionare.
It’s simply talks about how to change our perspective of life to gain true wealth, how to improve our quality of life. For those who are still wandering in life, this can be the guidebook. You will love the book.
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August 9, 2004 at 11:45 pm (ICCS)
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August 5, 2004 at 6:41 pm (Teddy Bears)
Yup Yup! I have finished sewing a hat that matches a beautiful dress for my A-lian Teddy Bear. Now my A-lian Teddy Bear has turned into a fair lady!
I realised sewing a hat is far easier than sewing a dress. So here is the recipe for sewing a hat.
My hat comprises of 3 sections, each section made of 2 identical pieces, one for the outside and one for the inside. The 3 sections are, the top, the side and the rim.
To begin, I started with the rim. The rim section is in a shape of a donut. Take the two identical pieces and sew them together using backstitch like making a teddy bear. When turn over, the stitches should be invisible. The section would be like puff up. Do press them down. For me, I ran stitches up and down the border of the outer rim to hide the stitches and compressed the section. Then make small darts in the allowance of the inner rim. This is to facilitate the sewing of the inner rim later on.
Taking one of the side piece, hem stitch the sides of the pieces and sew the side piece to the inner rim section. The side piece is a rectangular piece with length same as the circumference of the circular top section.
Take the top pieces and sewing them together. The top section is a circular piece with circumference that can fit the head of the teddy bear in. Make darts and sew the pieces to the top of the side piece. When this is done, the inner part of the hat is completed. Make sure no stitches can be seen.
Taking the other side piece, hem stitch the sides and sew them to the rim section and then the top section. Da-da. You got a hat.
Have fun making hat. I’m off to stuff my teddy bear’s leg!
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August 3, 2004 at 12:41 pm (Books)
Amidst a cough after a day of fever and flu, I started out my sea adventure again, couldn’t stop till 2 am in the morning..
In this book, Captain Aubrey was no longer just a ship captain, he was a commandore, a temporary rear-admiral, in charge of a squadron to take out the French in the Mauritius waters.
It was no easy task as the French had 4 new frigates with bases on Mauritius in the area to harass the Indiaman (Merchants). It was a different command for Captain Aubrey and different stuff to read for the readers if they have followed the series closely. We would not see Aubrey leading the fight in the front line but directing the battle in the back. ( A step up the Naval Ladder.)
The book had kept me glued to the book right from the beginning with the battle to take over one of the bases in the Mauritius waters. Then followed by the lost battle where it leaved 4 of the British man-of-war either in French capture or set to fire. At the end, we could see how Captain Aubrey turn the tide with his frigate.
Though the book did not have a victorious ending as I wanted (I wanted Aubrey to win the French singlehandedly, indirectly he had.), the journey was worth it.
PS. Pretty seasick now! It will be awhile before I read something from Patrick again.
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