DOTA

The game which I enjoyed when I found out about it this year. I am not really a computer game expert as I sucked in my hand co-ordination in multiplayer games like counterstrike. I only like to play strategic-based games like Age of Empires where teamwork and strategy is necessary to win in these kind of games. However, DOTA is a mix between strategy-based and a little hand co-ordination which you can kill heroes.

Let me explain how the game plays...

First, you choose a character either from the Sentinel or from the Scouge. Then you build up your hero by killing creeps (little minions) which will gain you experience and money. With enough money, you can buy items to make your hero more powerful and strong so that you can kill other characters heroes. The game ends when your base is defeated or you successfully kill your opponent's base.

Simple? Yah, it is. However, there is more to this. You need to know which items to buy for each hero character so that the item you buy will not be wasted and useless. And backstabbing is part and parcel of the game…You have sometimes backstab other opponent's hero in order to kill them. However, this may not gain favour with your friends who are playing. I know of someone who hates being backstabbed and would always shout and cursed before quitting the game halfway which is a big no-no...

So I played this game about once or twice a week with my church friends. I think the price of the usage for playing computer games in lan gaming shops is quite high, so I tend to play less and only minimal...

This game helps to booster your confidence and increase your strategical skills. However, some pple take reel to be reality and constantly spoil the mood of the game. They tend to be uptight and agitated and perhaps angry when their teammates are lousy players or noobies and do not know how to play the game well...so they will vent their anger and frustrations on them... relax!! Just treat this as a game and all will be ok...

My New iPod!!!

I got my first iPod!!! It's a 30GB 5th gen video iPod. Yah, after so many years since iPod is launched in 2001 that I am finally financially free to buy this product. When it was first launched, it was so expensive and not very nice. I only like the click wheel, however the iPod is quite bulky (1st gen). Now, it has improved tremendously. Slim sleek design with cool click wheel. And it comes with a click wheel and can play videos too!! my first video mp3 player!!

Why I bought it? Coz i keep losing my mp3 players!! The first one I got was a Philips model but it spoiled after 1 yr and 1mth. It spoiled the first time during warranty period and I got it fixed. However, this model got spoiled after again just as my warranty period ended. Curse myself for bad luck!!

The second mp3 player was Zen Neeon. Quite a good reliable mp3 player. The player again got spoiled during the warranty period b'coz water entered it. I got a new player but then I lost it during clubbing in Jurong sometime in Mar 06. Such bad luck.

Now, I decided to get iPod. Perhaps fate was trying to tell me to choose iPod as my ideal mp3 player. Every player I get, it either gets spoiled or lost within a year. I hope that my iPod can last for more than a year as it is a costly investment...

Only drawback - short battery life for video playing. Only can play abt 2 hrs or most....hope that battery life can be improved when the next iPod comes out...

My iPod taken from my Samsung D600 phone. The above model is from the Apple official Website.

Interview

Interview - the one many of us have to go through to get our dreams like a job or a place in the university.Since I cleared my leave in April, I have been going on the job hunt for a part-time job so that my three months before university will not be wasted. Here are some excerpts of the questions they posed to me.

"Why do you want to work at Starbucks?"

"What do you want to achieve by working here?"

"Is it ok if you are willing to work shift jobs?"

"Any job experience?"

The interview with Starbucks was the most thorough. The interviewer asked a lot of questions which I felt that very exhausted after the interview.

"Describe an experience that you received excellent customer service?" (I sort of cooked up a story - true story but just spiced it up a little)

"Are you willing to work together as a team?" (Er, can you say no?)

"Describe a time where you work together as a team and some conflicts arises. How did you mediate and resolve the conflict?" (I just jibber-jabbered about my project work experience in JC days)

"What if you and your partner had different ideas and how are you going to convince your partners to follow your idea instead of his?" (I really can't remember what I said. Perhaps I think I said that I will compromise and combine two ideas together)

In the end, I got the Starbucks job which I thought I would not be able to get it. Looking back, I think every time I go for an interview, I always have the feeling that I screwed up the interview process and will not be hired...

Then there's one interview which I went to which I didn't even know what is the job I am seeking for.

The interviewer was sitting on the chair while I sat on his sofa.

"So you are looking for a job, is it?"

"Yes. What is the job about?" (kind of stupid question to ask)

"Oh, they send you for training and they pay you around $1k."

"Oh, so what do I have to do?" I suspiciously asked.

"Don't worry. No sales involved. So why do you want to work here?"

"Erm, to get job experience and your place looks vibrant and energetic."

I am not quite sure till now what is the job scope is.

"So what am I working as?"

"Er, we are an advertising company. So we will send you for training where you will work together as a team to brainstorm and solve conflicts. You will learn leadership skills and management skills and we will pay you."

Sounds suspicious. Where on earth does a company give you money to send you for training?

To cut the long story short, I nearly got conned. Luckily my friends went for the same interview and asked him about the jobs. Turns out, they are looking for people to sell charity tickets to raise money for charity as have some commission at the same time.

Wait a minute, isn't that sales? Nope, the interviewer said. You are doing it for charity.

So then, why are we getting a commission for the charity tickets we sold?

I immediately quitted on that day. Luckily I never went for the training courses due to my problem of punctuality. I guess when they mean no sales involved, you have no idea that you might be conned. I have my friends to thank for finding the truth out.

Renewal

Wow, it's been a month since I last posted. What is new now?

• A new different layout (yeah!!)
• A new tagboard which people can post their comments and messages (yeah! yeah!)

How's cool is that? I learnt all this from the Internet, should kudos to the Net where everything is can be learned and enjoyed.

Enjoy the new layout...

Chill