Happy Halloween!

31 October 2008 | sila | | Family Pics
 

Although today is Halloween, for some reason, our town decided to do Beggars Night last night. So we filled our candy bowl and awaited the trick or treaters. Of which there were three! Batman, Barbie, and I believe, some kind of Harry Potter (I was a little distracted when handing out the candy as Lily was trying to escape out the door). Our little Allie was kitted out but way too young to be out trawling for candy:

I want my Mummy!

* Mouse over the pictures for captions

 

Where Do These T-888 Infiltrators Go To Eat?

29 October 2008 | Hisham | | Humour, Misc Sci-Fi, TV
 

These different models of Tee-Triple Eight infiltrators below: they're a different series of endoskeletons from the T-800 and the T-850 (model 101) from the Terminator movies. 

Bunch of Metals

I might have found the exact place where they all go to eat out.

 

Figuring Out the Y-wing

28 October 2008 | Hisham | | Star Wars
 

The third episode of The Clone Wars animated series prominently features the Y-wing fighter defending the Kaliida Shoals Med-Centre. Specifically the Koensayr BTL-B Y-wing fighter, in its intended role as a fighter/bomber. The BTL-B looks much different from the single-seater BTL-A4 variant we saw in the movies. The most distinct feature is that it has full fairings installed, as per the following concept illustration (originally found here):

Fully-faired Y-wing
 

Escaping the Death Star using Dice

26 October 2008 | Hisham | | Board and Card Games, Star Wars
 

They're just posing for a photoOnce upon a time, Sila brought back with her a Star Wars: Escape the Death Star Action Figure Game, which is actually a board game with two sets of rules (an easy and an advanced rule) as well as two Hasbro action figures, a Luke Skywalker in stormtrooper disguise with removable helmet and lightsaber, and a Darth Vader figure with removable helmet (complete with exposed back of head) and lightsaber.

It must have been ten years since, and I've never actually played it until recently. Because Irfan wanted to try it out. However, I realised that the easy rules were too easy and straightforward, and the advanced rules were too complicated for Irfan.

So the gamemaster in my blood took over, and I not only modified the rules so that the difficulty level of the rules are something in between and it's something Irfan can play and enjoy. Also, I can integrate what Star Wars action figures I had with me into the modded rules that I came up with. It took several runs with Irfan to refine the rules, but I think I've almost got it. Hopefully this game will also teach Irfan the basics of role-playing.

Here are the new rules:

 

Allie's 3 Month Birthday

23 October 2008 | sila | | Family Pics
 

Yesterday, Allie passed her first quarter-year mark. She turned three months old! Wheeeee! Of course this means pictures! :-)

Musing on Daddy's shoulder

You know the drill - there will be baby pictures aplenty to follow. Don't say I didn't warn you. :-)

 

Someone Played With Scissors

21 October 2008 | Hisham | | Family Pics
 

So some kid, who lives in this house, who goes to kindergarten found some scissors at school. Then he decided he'd do a little experimenting with the scissors. On his hair.

Below is the result of said experiment, which left parents of said kid shaking their heads.

 

Classic Conversation

20 October 2008 | Hisham | | Friends, Humour
 

When Shane and I start chatting, we mostly chat geeky. But sometimes it goes way up to epic. It's about time I blogged about my usual chats with Shane

This didn't really escalate to epic level, but it's a taste of how our conversations usually go:

Hisham: Hey... what would have happened if there were no clouds at night in Gotham City?

And Gordon needed to shine the batsignal?

Shane: Wouldn't it hit the atmosphere anyways?

Hisham: Still needs something flat for it to project onto.

Shane: Good thing Gotham is a dark, fictional city

Hisham: With a flat, fictional piece of plexiglass across the sky.

Shane: POLLUTION!

HA!

There!

Axis Chemicals has been pumpin shit into the atmosphere for decades

Hisham: Well, never let it be said pollution was good for nothing.

Shane: This is classic Shane/Hisham convo right here.

That last line? Amen.

Note: Edited for clarity.

 

Bridge Crew of the NCC-1701

16 October 2008 | Hisham | | Misc Sci-Fi, Trawling The Net
 

...."No bloody -A, -B, -C or -D."

Paramount has been releasing a number of images from the new Star Trek movie, directed by J.J. Abrams the past 24 hours or so. The shooting of the movie has been kept top secret that production photos from it has been scant. This new batch of pictures have now circulated to half a dozen different sites on my RSS watchlist and forums. The first I read of it was here, at AICN.

Here are two photos from the deluge:

Pon Farr? Jamie Farr? It's the "Spock goes nuts and tries to kill Kirk" trope!

Above: "I have a hunger, Jim. I want what's inside your brain." Tick-tock. Tick-tock. Tick-tock.

The whole gang is here except Sylar... and Chekov's mop top.

Above: "Jim, I'm a doctor... not a Rohirrim. And why do I smell weed coming from Sulu?"

I'm not much of a Trekkie since Deep Space Nice ended, but my interest is piqued because the movie will be directed by J.J. Abrams, creator of Lost and Fringe - the former currently one of my favourite TV series. At the very least, we'll get an awesome Michael Giacchino score.

 

Irfan's Parents: Year Eight Together

15 October 2008 | Hisham | | Family Pics
 

Twelve years ago Ain & I met. Four years later, we got married.

Strangely enough this year we remembered our anniversary. As opposed to being reminded by Atok Irfan when he wishes us happy anniversary at night.

Happy eighth anniversary, Ain. May we still have each other's backs and make each other laugh for as long as we live. (And maybe some time after as well)

Earlier tonight we celebrated with a dinner outside, compliments of Emma:

Shane... it's your T-shirt!
 

A Time of Reunion 2: The Sequel

13 October 2008 | Hisham | | ACS Memories
 

Last year, we had a gathering up here at the Tenth Floor.

This year we found some time to coordinate another, but this time it was after Aidilfitri. So it doubled as an Aidilfitri open house, although theoretically it was not. Starting from 1900 hours the roster started to fill, starting with Kok Soon, then Yu Hoe, Samsul, Laksh, Anson and finally Mei Lin. Last minute cancellations included Kanesh, Sathya and Ah Bau.

Ain (aided by Cik Emma and Ciksu F) made rendang for lemang, kuah kacang for nasi himpit and a whole pot full of bihun goreng with tomyam paste. Our support troops, Kok Soon brought a bucket full of chicken and Mei brought dessert. Our just desserts.

Images follow below. Mouseover the photos for their descriptions.

 

Manjung District Scout House

09 October 2008 | Hisham | | ACS Memories
 

Being in the 1st Troop Manjung of the Scouts was great. Some memorable experiences while there. A bunch of us sometimes went down to the district Scout House on Fridays to see if one of the other schools had a camping excursion there. Then we'd sign up to be the camp ground guardians, keeping watch on the campsite all weekend as the kids as they and their respective Scoutmasters went about their work.

Last week I went for a quick drive into Kampung Sitiawan where the old Scout House stood, and was saddened by the fact that it stood no more. The camp warden's house was totally gone. Even the "haunted" trees with the unknown talismans tied to them surrounding the camp ground behind the scout house had been long uprooted.

I wonder where the district Scout Troops are based now. Below are photos of the Scout House from behind (coming up the road incline), and then the frontof it (with no warden's house beside it).

There was also a series of outhouses and bathrooms here

Stripped to its core
 

I guess next year there will be nothing left of the building.

 

Selamat Hari Raya from Ohio

07 October 2008 | sila | | Family Pics
 

Selamat Hari Raya, maaf zahir batin from all of us in Ohio. We wish we could have been in Malaysia for the holiday, but we will have rendang and stuff here too (eventually when I get my act together).

Lily did not show up for the picture taking session, and I had already changed out of my baju kurung, so here are Vin and Allie, wishing you all a wonderful month of Shawal.

Vin and Allie in their baju raya

* Allie is wearing the baju raya that Opah and Tok got for her.

 

Eid Mubarak From Ipoh

01 October 2008 | Hisham | | Family Pics
 
Greetings from Rapat Setia Baru

It's been already 30 days into Ramadhan and beyond? It's already Eid-ul-Fitr? How time flies. Greetings from Irfan's Opah Cu's home in Ipoh from our family to all three* of you regularly reading this blog.

*This number might or might not fluctuate according to the phases of the moon.