Have you ever wondered why some people are permanently away, or busy, or never online on MSN? Have you also realised that sometimes, the status on one's MSN is no longer indicative of whether the person will chat with you? After doing some research, (aka spending hours on MSN and not doing my work) I have decoded the complex meanings of what MSN statuses really mean.
Online - I'm in a friendly mood now. I will probably chat with anybody, including people I don't like. However, when such people approach me, I will suddenly become "busy" or "away", or I will "be right back". Or worse, I will "appear offline". And then I will continue chatting with those I want to chat with. Has no filtering effect, so prepare to be chatted up by randoms.
Busy - I am currently busy with an assignment, work or project meeting of some kind. However, only people who know me well enough will know that even if I'm busy I will still chat with you. Hence this keeps out randoms. Alternatively, I could be really busy. But if I were really busy, I wouldn't be on MSN. So am I really busy? Go figure! Has a mild filtering effect.
Be right back - I need to do something and I will be back soon. However, soon ranges from anything from a few seconds to infinity, with infinity probably meaning "see you in school tomorrow!" Personally I find this one of the most irritating statuses, because the people who put this status usually forget to indicate that they are back. So it becomes "I'll be right back but you won't know when that is so bye!"
Away - I am currently not at my computer. Used most by serial downloaders who are online 24/7. Alternatively, this is a stronger filter than "busy". Because unlike "busy", you can actually claim you weren't at the computer when some swaku tries to chat you up. For busy you may not be able to, because you were there but merely busy. You actually have to put some "filler" text like "sorry I'm busy now can't talk". A proven effective filter.
In a phone call - It was supposed to be "away" but I misclicked. Alternatively, I am really in a phone call and I just had to let you know, so I couldn't have used "away" or "busy" instead. Used by people who like to talk on the phone, or like to appear like they talk on the phone a lot. Maybe they are trying to tell you that they are good communicators. Otherwise I don't see why this status even exists.
Out to lunch - More or less a redundant status. If I were really out to lunch, I could use "away", "appear offline" or just sign out. I put this when I want to be away and yet different from other people. Note - It looks like away but its "out to lunch". Chao extra. Cool right?
Appear offline - The best status in the world, because it is so useful.
This is used by people to check who is online before they decide what status to give themselves when they come online. Secondly, it is used as a filter all system. People can't talk to you, but you can talk to people. It totally eliminates any chances of stalkers, weirdos, and other randoms talking to you.
Decoding MSN statuses is an art. Do it well and you'll always have friends to talk to online!
Friday, October 12, 2007
Monday, October 08, 2007
Just Do It - When ordinary students do the impossible
In all of my life, I don't think I've ever worked this hard. I don't recall a period of time where I spent everyday sleeping at 2am or later, and waking up at 7. I don't recall in a period of time in my life where there is a constant deadline for numerous assignments, quizzes and what have you hanging over my head like I have now, reminding me every waking moment that the end is near. However morbid that sounds. What kind of insane existence is this? Who the hell told me uni was fun? Is your idea of fun having no life? Like when was the last time you went shopping? Or did anything you wanted to do?
Its so bad I'm beginning to look at army as being slightly better because I did not have to use my brain and it was a stress free existence. I didn't have to think of what to wear everyday, or even think for that matter, and you basically ate the free slop they threw in your plate everyday. In NTU, you pay for the slop. Mmm I lived like a pig, but a skinny one that could not be fattened up.
However, I suddenly remember how there were no girls, and I banish all thoughts of army being better.
Has anyone realised that its only been 2 months since we started uni? I have no idea why but it feels like half a year has gone by. The days in uni seem to stretch and merge into one another, becoming one long neverending ordeal of work, work and more work. Maybe its getting to me but doesn't it feel like that to everyone? And what's frightening is how fast the weeks seem to fly past. Before you know it, another week has gone past and suddenly you're staring right at the deadline for that term paper you've barely begun. And who could forget that all the work that you're behind on piling up on your study table.
This is when... ordinary students become heroes. This is when... they just do it. They do the IMPOSSIBLE. I salute all the brave souls who have gone this way before me, simply because its seriously shit.
You have a term paper due next week and you haven't started? Holy crap. There's no time! And thus, the student transforms into a superhuman creature who needs no sleep, who can work for hours on end, grinding away at the most mundane of tasks, poring over thousands of words and eventually, the term paper ends up on the lecturer's table. Who knew the sweat and sacrifice that went into it? Who knew how many hellish nights the student endured struggling to come up with something coherent? Who knew how many days the student woke up with an imprint of a keyboard on his or her head?
And you never realise how much you can cram into your brain till the night before a test. The fear of failure drives people to do amazing things. Everyone suddenly becomes a professor on the subject topic. If you were to visit the school on the day of the test, you'd be astonished at how many little professors there are ready to recite definitions and explain abstract concepts to you. Come back a week later, and everyone becomes normal again. Apparently PhD (permanent head damage) only lasts a week. Unless you get the cert and you're certified. That is permanent.
The student. How innocuous looking, yet how inspiring. (Can you tell I'm trying to inspire myself? Oh nevermind. Back to work.)
Its so bad I'm beginning to look at army as being slightly better because I did not have to use my brain and it was a stress free existence. I didn't have to think of what to wear everyday, or even think for that matter, and you basically ate the free slop they threw in your plate everyday. In NTU, you pay for the slop. Mmm I lived like a pig, but a skinny one that could not be fattened up.
However, I suddenly remember how there were no girls, and I banish all thoughts of army being better.
Has anyone realised that its only been 2 months since we started uni? I have no idea why but it feels like half a year has gone by. The days in uni seem to stretch and merge into one another, becoming one long neverending ordeal of work, work and more work. Maybe its getting to me but doesn't it feel like that to everyone? And what's frightening is how fast the weeks seem to fly past. Before you know it, another week has gone past and suddenly you're staring right at the deadline for that term paper you've barely begun. And who could forget that all the work that you're behind on piling up on your study table.
This is when... ordinary students become heroes. This is when... they just do it. They do the IMPOSSIBLE. I salute all the brave souls who have gone this way before me, simply because its seriously shit.
You have a term paper due next week and you haven't started? Holy crap. There's no time! And thus, the student transforms into a superhuman creature who needs no sleep, who can work for hours on end, grinding away at the most mundane of tasks, poring over thousands of words and eventually, the term paper ends up on the lecturer's table. Who knew the sweat and sacrifice that went into it? Who knew how many hellish nights the student endured struggling to come up with something coherent? Who knew how many days the student woke up with an imprint of a keyboard on his or her head?
And you never realise how much you can cram into your brain till the night before a test. The fear of failure drives people to do amazing things. Everyone suddenly becomes a professor on the subject topic. If you were to visit the school on the day of the test, you'd be astonished at how many little professors there are ready to recite definitions and explain abstract concepts to you. Come back a week later, and everyone becomes normal again. Apparently PhD (permanent head damage) only lasts a week. Unless you get the cert and you're certified. That is permanent.
The student. How innocuous looking, yet how inspiring. (Can you tell I'm trying to inspire myself? Oh nevermind. Back to work.)
Thursday, October 04, 2007
The one blogskin to rule them all.
I was looking at a few blogs around and I realised that everyone had such beautiful blogs. Maybe it was time for a revamp. Hence I began the long arduous process of searching for the right template.
Too girly, cannot. Nice colour scheme, but on closer inspection got butterflies and swirly things. Cannot. Got nice little pink ribbons and ponies. Cannot. Got pictures of guys. Confirm cannot, I don't swing that way and I wouldn't be able to look at my own blog without cringing. Got couple embracing. Cannot. They don't look right for each other.
Layout not very readable. Also cannot. Then I chanced upon a layout that was almost perfect. Why almost? Because in one corner there were a few little hearts! Ooh so cute ah. But I'm a guy. Argh damn it why are blogskins so girly???
And so my search took me through many websites, over search engines and personal webpages. There were many blogskins, but none of them were suitable, and I soldiered on, hoping that one day I would find THE ONE. The blogskin to end the search for all blogskins. The one skin that rules them all. And finally, in a space of ten minutes, I located not 1, not 2, but 3 suitable blogskins! And I thought my search was over.
So I took a look at the 3 I had selected. The naruto one was ok at first sight, but the jokes soon got pretty lame after I looked at them a second and a third time. Ok maybe not. Then I had a look at the skin about alcohol being a man's best friend. It wasn't too bad, only problem was the html was in Spanish. Good luck trying to edit that.
That left Stewie Griffin from "Family Guy" mooning Brian. That was quite an interesting skin. I decided to try it. I copied and pasted it into my template, clicked the preview button, and held my breath.
Everything was just mashed together. The pictures merged into the text, and the boxes at the side were in the middle. I couldn't understand what was wrong, so I tried to read the html and see if there was anything I could change.
Unfortunately, there was nothing I could do. It was all geek to me. Hence, 4 hours later, the blog has not changed, and I have nothing but a stupid post to show for it. Sheesh.
Too girly, cannot. Nice colour scheme, but on closer inspection got butterflies and swirly things. Cannot. Got nice little pink ribbons and ponies. Cannot. Got pictures of guys. Confirm cannot, I don't swing that way and I wouldn't be able to look at my own blog without cringing. Got couple embracing. Cannot. They don't look right for each other.
Layout not very readable. Also cannot. Then I chanced upon a layout that was almost perfect. Why almost? Because in one corner there were a few little hearts! Ooh so cute ah. But I'm a guy. Argh damn it why are blogskins so girly???
And so my search took me through many websites, over search engines and personal webpages. There were many blogskins, but none of them were suitable, and I soldiered on, hoping that one day I would find THE ONE. The blogskin to end the search for all blogskins. The one skin that rules them all. And finally, in a space of ten minutes, I located not 1, not 2, but 3 suitable blogskins! And I thought my search was over.
So I took a look at the 3 I had selected. The naruto one was ok at first sight, but the jokes soon got pretty lame after I looked at them a second and a third time. Ok maybe not. Then I had a look at the skin about alcohol being a man's best friend. It wasn't too bad, only problem was the html was in Spanish. Good luck trying to edit that.
That left Stewie Griffin from "Family Guy" mooning Brian. That was quite an interesting skin. I decided to try it. I copied and pasted it into my template, clicked the preview button, and held my breath.
Everything was just mashed together. The pictures merged into the text, and the boxes at the side were in the middle. I couldn't understand what was wrong, so I tried to read the html and see if there was anything I could change.
Unfortunately, there was nothing I could do. It was all geek to me. Hence, 4 hours later, the blog has not changed, and I have nothing but a stupid post to show for it. Sheesh.
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