One of those days

Its one of those days when things just dun go the way u want

Today...

- I perforated and overfilled one of the molar roots...
- Had to talk to this idiot guy who wants $300 bike for $150
- Stuffed up temporary crowns over and over and over
- Lost my fav La Cron carver, the best pros weapon second to wax knife
- Realised I havent made a wax rim for a 9am patient tmr
- My frens told me they semi-broke a badge-making machine

Game Frenzy

What come to ur mind when u think of the word 'cards/board game'?
The classic names are such as monopoly, uno, cluedo, pictionary etc
It wasn't until last yr that my eyes were opened to the endless possibilty of mind games

So here r the games I've come across


Bang!!!
By far the most addictive game my frens and I played last yr
A western cowboy theme role-playing cards game for 5 to 7 players
The Sheriff is out to capture outlaws. The outlaws wanna kill the sheriff but also wouldnt hesitate to kill each other for rewards while the Renegade stirs his own plot
A very friendly and fast game. Doesnt require heavy thinking but still hav that strategic element in it
Much more fun with expansion pack: High Noon, Fistful of Cards and Dodge City
The collector set is a rip-off but I got it anyway


Kil Doctor Lucky
This is the game we got for our frens Bday last yr
Its the murder-in-the-dark board game where everyones trying to kill Doctor Lucky and also prevent others from killing him first
u cant attempt murder while someones watching u
ull kill with just about anything u can find...rat poison, monkey hand, bad cream...killing joke
But Dr Lucky isnt called Dr lucky for nothing
Loose ceiling tiles falls down...the door frame hits u in the face....chattering mice distracts u....u forget!!!...ur thoughts turn to a misspent youth
Not a bad game but can take a long time depending on the number of players
On most occasions the games r won by luck and planning often go to waste
Usually I feel pretty crappy after the game... someone always get blamed
The game still hav multiple flaws with the rules and the design in general
Should play with 4 players


Carcassonne
I just got this game recently
A tile-laying game where players keep adding the roads, cities, fields and cloisters
Followers are deployed as thieves, knights, monks and farmers on each terrain to earn points
Its not too heavy and quite easy to learn, yet it still allow some strategic plannings
The game time isnt too long which is good (limited by the number of tiles)
Some games arent fun to play when there r less players even though the box says u can play it
but this one, the essence of the game can still be enjoyed even by 2 players
The thing is...if there are more players, its best that u get expansions cos there prob wont be enough tiles going around
The good expansions I've looked up online are prob Inns&Cathedrals, Traders&Builders and Abbey&Mayor
Problems: The paper tiles r prob not very durable
Still need to review further once I get more gaming hrs


Family Business
A short and simple cards game
u own a mob and ur trying to put the other mobs on the hitting list
The last mob with members still alive wins
Fast...simple...basic...with some tricks here and there
but dun plan... cos it doesnt work...its really just what ur being dealt with
The golden rule that ppl should remember: no one is invincible
If u have enough ppl ganging up on u, u'll die... sooner or later
No need to think too much...just enjoy it
This is what my fren consider an appertizer


Munchkin
Enter-the-Dungeon cards game
u fight monsters behind the door and u level up...
u may flee but if ur caught then theres a price to be paid
Collecting items along the way, u fight from evil-looking Pot Plant to Plutonium Dragon
ur frens may help u but often backstabbing is what happened
The rules may seem complex at the start and there re still balancing issues
Interesting game to play but I wont buy one for myself
Prob for 4 to 6 players


Settlers of Catan
u build settlements to harvest surrounding natural resourses... brick...woods...sheep...rock
u trade...u find ports and expand ur settlements
A HALLMARK GAME
very challenging for those who enjoy strategies but not too much
More thinking to do than ...bang or family business
An average boardgame player would want to hav one in their home
Not difficult to learn... will take about an hour and a half to play
A bit of luck...a bit of skills... it encourages interaction between players which is really good
My bro reckons that most of the thinking comes right at the beginning of the game when picking the right tile for ur settlements...the rest is has to do with luck a lot (i.e whatever the dice roll)
Best to play with 4 players
I played it once and really liked it
Definitely would want to get one for myself when I hav money


Ticket to Ride: Europe
This one was the game my fren owns
We are building railroads from city to city. missions to complete
Short routes...long routes...intercepting someone elses line
Simply an awesome game... my intro really downplays the fun and joy we get
A neat strategic game... not many issues like some others
Really easy to learn
Can be played from 2 to 5 players but i enjoy it when there r more player i.e. 4-5
The series come with the original game, Ticket to ride
The later editions of the game are Ticket to Ride: Europe and Ticket to Ride: Marklin which is all independent of each other
Apparently the latest one got the best review with more balance and it forces more competition between players ie. more challenging
However, some reviews also suggest that the addition of 'passenger' component makes things stupid and unnecessary too
I was quite happy with the Europe edition I've been playing but I find that ppl with the longest route usually win so that makes the game a bit boring as ppl tend to go for that simple strategy.
At times, we did use a house rule which also gives a player with the most missions completed 10 extra points but my fren usually don't enforce this
There can be some variations on how you want to play the game as well because it will get boring with normal rules after a while
None the less, I feel like I have had my share of European edition and that Marklin version would be something I look forward to
Ticket of Ride: Marklin is another game I really like to collect... would be a good addition


Shadows over Camelot
My fren also owns this game
Interestingly, This game is different to every other games cos with this one, everybody is fighting against the board, not with each other
Mind u the board isnt a piece of cake that will let u chew on so easily
We are knights of the round table and we win by completing quests
Each turn everyone get to do something evil and something noble so if overall, u dun plan ur moves carefully, evils that have been revealed will just overruns u
Hearing what I had to say probably didnt give u the picture how much the boardgame screws with us
Sometimes so much has been sacrificed for so little in return
And if that wasn't enough, there is also a 'possibility' that there may be a traitor among us
I noted the word 'possibility' because its worse than knowing that theres definitely a traitor among us
It put doubt in ppls minds and everything they do
My golden rule is: If ur sincerely trying to be helpful, u shouldnt have too many cards left in ur hand
Its those ones who say they can't do anything but are holding 10+ cards that r dodgey
The first time we played this game, we played for 10 hrs or so straight
and we lost 5-6 games straight too until the last game which we managed to win
Even though now my fren reckons that if each of us does the right thing, the board should be easy to kill and its really just a battle between us all and the traitor
I disagree bcos like what some reviews say, the game has about 50% chance of winning without a traitor and with a good traitor, u just have to be prepared for disappointments.
I'd seen some games with screwed up luck and some luckier ones which resulted in us winning (usually not the case either)
Seeing that: 1) we didnt win a lot of the times even when we were lucky 2) the traitors havnt been very effective just yet 3) none of us has managed to accuse someone correctly 4) There is so much table-talking (which means cheating...)
, I dun see how he can comment that this game is "too easy"
I'm pretty much over 'Shadows over Camelot' now but I dun mind playing it every now and then
This game is suitable for 4-7 players

Puerto Rico
Recently I had a chance to try this game out
This game involves us running a business in a town and we have to grow crops, build factories, manage our employees, trade our products and also ship our products back to our country
Again, sounds simple but if u actually get to see the game for urself, ull realise that the whole mechanism of the game is very complex and the possibility is endless
I heard a fair amount about the game before I tried it out and most of it turns out to be true
First of all, its the number 1 ranked boardgame which is recommended to players who are more competitive

The element that attracts advanced players is probably cos this game is very well-balanced

The game has very little luck component and that good end result depends on ur effective judgement throughout the game
With so many variables, its very hard to keep track of things
New players will experience the state of "analysis paralysis" or simply "brain-fried"
Its funny how I used to play bang!!! and I was fine.
I started playing Shadows over Camelot and Ticket to Ride...then my head was a bit numbed after a couple of game. But with this, my brain switched off before the game ended
Being a new player in this game, I felt like I was blind the whole game
There is no direct conflict in this game so ull find that manipulations are quite subtle
To me, its like being stabbed in the dark. It stings a bit here and there but u really have no idea until u walk out into the light (end game) and find out there are 13 knives on ur body (and drop dead of course)
Prob best for 3-4 players
Even though its prob a bit more complex than my level of experience
I do think this is an art of all boardgames. The designer of this game has my respect
The problem with this game is that it will be hard to find frens on the advance level to play with u
but hey... if i hav it (and i want it), I dun mind playing it every now and then (kinda like a chess board)
I'll develope skills slowly over time and this way I won't get bored of it so easily like other games

So there u go...

When I noticed you...

When I noticed you, I thought you looked like someone else I knew. I looked at your name and even though I was wrong, it was the first thing I knew about you.

I often saw you in pros lab. When I noticed you, I couldn’t stop looking at you. You’ve got a heart-shaped face with short dark hair, big bright eyes and a cold stare. I thought you were boyish because of the way you walked and talked. Your voice is soft and calming. I thought you were shy and reserved. You never laugh and rarely smile but when you did, it was the prettiest smile I'd seen. When I noticed you, I no longer dare to look at you. I realised I really like you but couldn’t remember since when.

Once, you walked in while I was doing lab work. When I noticed you, my heart beat 2 steps faster. My eyes stared at my wax work but my mind drifted to you. You got up and left and I cursed myself for being an idiot. From then on, I kept going to the lab until I had nothing to do. Greg got sick of me and my friends thought I lived there. I became a pros-nut because of you but you didn’t come any more.

Post-ball, I saw your pictures. When I noticed you went to the ball, I wanted to kick myself for not going. I always see you in the cream-coloured jacket and black pants. In your black dress that night, I thought I had never seen you prettier.

13th September was the first day you talked to me. When I noticed you beside the filing cabinet, the words escaped me. I asked “what’s the date today?” even though I had a watch. You didn’t smile but looked back blankly and said “13th” then walked away.

In the afternoon clinic, one 36 chair was next to 47. When I noticed you taking the chair beside me, I felt like the luckiest guy in the world. Even though I knew the answers, I asked you random questions anyway. I didn’t listen to a single word you said because all I could really hear was your voice, echoing meaninglessly in my head. I finished GP early but I hanged around for a chance to see you. You said “You stay in the lab too much”. I can’t remember words I mumbled but how flattered I was that you recognised me at all.

Coming down to the first floor lab, I was seeing a demonstrator for TP help. When I noticed you by the stairs, I realised that a surprise is the most pleasant because it wasn’t planned.

The end was near, urging me to do something. I waited for an hour but it was all worth it just to have a few words with you. When you gave me your email, my heart was filled with indescribable feelings. The next thing I knew I was outside the hospital, going home. When I noticed you walking home with that guy, I questioned myself why must bad news always come after good news.

Do you give up? Is it time to let go? These days, when I noticed you, I felt like a kid who doesn’t get what he wants. Would you choose to be away or close to the person you know you cannot be with? I felt hopeless, knowing that soon I may never see you again. Someone told me that some people are coming into your life destined to leave it. I just wish it wasn’t you.

One afternoon, annoyingly I missed the lift but when I noticed you also waiting for the lift, it made me realised that not getting what you want isn’t always a bad thing and that life seems to throw you pleasant surprises when you are least expected. I still couldn’t let go. I was never good at it.

Glancing at you from across the room, I wondered why, why...and why...... I didn’t notice you any sooner...

Idiots

Hav u ever been in a never-ending argument?
u knew the other person was wrong but they also think likewise
BUT they were wrong...ur just so certain beyond any doubt its annoying
cos the other idiots shut their little brains from any reasons u hav to offer...

Today I fell like that this morning
I was stuck at the traffic light on my bike
When the light turned green I rode off and I was wondering why the car on the left stayed so close to me
later, the idiot honked me for being slow (how fast can u be riding uphill?)
Thats not the point
That idiot was in the turn-left lane trying to sneak into the going-straight lane when he wasnt supposed to
Thats why he honked me cos with me on his right, he couldnt sneak across
I stayed in my lane. I didnt obstruct any traffic. but he acted as if I did something wrong

The fact I cant accept is that, now, he went away thinking I did something wrong when really...Im supposed to be the one smacking him in the head

Mr nice guy

He's a great bloke. shes such a nice person.
How do we judge such quality in ppl

I think these days a lot of relationships between colleagues/peers or ppl in general have become increasingly superficial
u put on the smiles...u crack jokes...u say hi every now and then
and we say he/she is a great person
but thats about it......

In reality, u can only tell how genuine ppl r when the pressures on
I do believe that most of ppl in the world r nice if they r in their comfort zone
cos deep down none of us wants to be the bad guy or be hated
but circumstances often test how strongly we hold true to such belief

u put on the smiles...u crack jokes...u say hi every now and then
but when s**t happens, u put ur interest first...take the easy way out...safe in ur comfort zone
Lots of us r like that...
However, those genuinely "nice" ppl go out of their ways to help others
My mum often says that we r all equally good and bad
The difference between individuals is how much of each we decide to act on

I felt at times, that I hadnt been very upset in a long time
but thats cos I live in a social group which ppl hav higher quality of life...ie in their comfort zone
so there are minimal conflicts... everybodys happy getting on with their lives
as u get older, uve got more responsibilties and expectations
thats when each of us are being pushed out of the comfort zone
and then......u can prove urself who u really r

A nice quote from a play back a couple of yrs:
Your mates or your morals: when the heat rises, what melts?

P.S. I dun think im nice...just in my comfort zone (most of the time)

I'm getting high

Here we r in 4th yr
Lotsa changes, lots to learn and lotsa decisions
one of the things to think about is getting dental loupes

After the loupes display last friday, it has suddenly become the "talk of the town (dental building)"
"whos getting what?" "which is better?" "what did 5th yr say?"
and its of concern to me how some ppl think

Regardless of whether ur getting it or not, its fine as long as u know what u want
cos these little "toys" r well over $1000
I can understand that a lot of ppl got excited cos suddenly a lot of ppl r getting it
but u shouldnt let ur decision be influenced by others
Some ppl said Im stubborn and I can accept that
At least I know what I want, why I want it and how I want it

Get ur priority sorted
Looks is important but is it more important than functions and practicality?

Is removable prescription lens necessary?
Most of the ppl hav been to clinics so far with just contact lens
and they've been fine with that (unlike me...im not fine with contacts and i dun wear them at all)
so why why why
... would u want removable prescription lens?
For that option of wearing or not wearing contacts?
After a month or so, the lens prob end up staying permanently on ur goggles or permanently in the locker anyway
and is it worth the extra $300-$400?

I want flip-up loupes cos I save myself from the hassles when I have to change prescription lens
I want Titanium Frame cos again its easier to put in prescriptions and prob more durable in the long run than sport frames
so dun bother me... I know what I want

and dun ask for my opinion
"but its not good getting dependent on loupes right?"
well this is the time to decide...
Loupes are not drugs
U get dependent on it cos its good...cos it enhances ur vision/improves posture/improves quality of work
Its not like loupes give u back pain and ur still dependent on it anyway

Dependent as I maybe, I can live with that knowing what it'll do for me
and I'm ok with ppl not using loupes as long as u hav ur stand
not this "but its not good getting dependent on loupes right?"
just cos ur unsure and u want me to convince u

Lets be honest...u dun care about my opnion
we r all stubborn in our own ways
But if u ever decide to use it (be dependent on it) then now is the good time
while u still hav time...while u still hav labs... and the works ur doing don't matter so much...
Thats why I'm getting mine now...happy?

My verdict is - If loupes are drugs then I'm happily getting high

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