Back in May, I received a letter that inform me I am the recipient of 2008 Asian Alumni Association Scholarship. Yay.
However, today I got back the acceptance letter which I replied to the Association back in May from USPS. On the front is a stamp that says: Unclaimed, Returned to Sender. The good news is I did send this acceptance letter with certified mail. The bad news is the deadline for acceptance has passed.
I honestly don't know what to do? The address to be sent to was a PO Box. What would be a good courtesy to follow in official letters like this? Should I have called them up 15 days after sending out the mail and not receiving any other response?
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My parents came all the way from Vietnam to attend my graduation ceremony back in May. Their trip finished yesterday. As the writing of this post, they should be landing in Vietnam after a 28 hours flight (and transfer). Their visits have left quite a few thoughts on me.
Firstly, I realize more than ever that family comes first. I notice that my parents are much older than their images that I still have in my mind. I feel shorter than ever the time that I have with them. Coupling this with my choice of pursuing a higher degree, my vision of the day when I am able to show them how successful their child can be is even more distant.
Second, I need to try harder. I had a chance to walk with my dad every morning in a park near my apartment. During this short period everyday, he tells me little stories about my paternal family. The stories of how my grandparents survived the Vietnam war being caught between the grips from both side resonates within me the most. I lost all my grandparents while I study in the States. Now, they won't be able to see me be the first person in my family to get a Ph.D. This reminds me that I need to try even harder; for the cost that I have incurred during my study is both expensive and non-recoverable.
Third, I need to learn how to cook. My mom cooks quite well. Her food is both simple and practical (not to mention quite delicious). I realize that in order for me to become a grown adult, I need to be able to take care of my most basic need: food. I don't have to be able to cook some extravagant dishes but I should be able to at least make simple ones.
Overall, my parents' visit change many ways that I look at things around me. I am now ready for the challenges ahead. It's time for me to walk in life.
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In the support to Amazon DRM-free music, Jonanthan Coulton, GLaDOS and Valve (for their awesome Portal Game), I have bought "Still Alive" song from Amazon ^_^. It feels great. Valve rocks. It is now #1 on par with Blizzard in my best game list and #2 on my employer list.
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Portal is an awesome game
I finished Portal in one straight run without consulting any guide in 2.6 hours. This game is amazing. The puzzle are nicely put together. Its graphic is more than decent. I fall in love with the ending music ^_^. Its subliminal messages are just genius. So great that I have to reference it here for your comfortable viewing experience.
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Sweet, I lost my 4.0
This might come as unnatural but I honestly feel great. Since I received an A- on my Computer Scientist and Society class this semester, my 4.0 track record is ruined. While I feel that Dr. Leiss' grading policy is a bit eccentric, I still respect the effort and vigor that he puts into his class.
What this leaves me now is a reminder that I have to try harder in everything that I do. As one says (and I summarizes): It is not possible to achieve perfection. But if you aim for it, you might reach exellence.
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Silent my new computer
One of the biggest grief that I have with my new computer is the fact that it is much louder than my own one. I traced the components down and figured out that the free-after-rebate Coolermaster PSU is the culprit. So right after I receive the full rebate for this product, I went out and try to mute it. Alas, the internet came to rescue. Somebody mentioned swapping out the fan of the PSU. I have never tried messing with the PSU before, but for the sake of learning, I gave it a go anyway.
I looked around for silent fan. At first I thought I would give a Vantec 120mm a go as I have read some good reviews about it. But then, since Directron carries a Scythe S-Flex 120mm 1200RPM for $12, I made the purchase and picked it up the same day. There are other version of this fan too that runs at 1600 RPM or 800 RPM. Reviews say that this fan is very quiet despite its rating is 20dBA. I would definitely recommend the 1200RPM version from my experience with it.
The disassembling process was quite straight forward but then I came across a minor problem. The fan inside the PSU is connected to a 2-pin socket while my fan is 3-pin. I was panic for a bit. Then I found this tutorial. Basically, I remove the plastic socket and then plug my 3-pin connector in so that red goes to red and black goes to black.
I booted up my computer again and voila it is whispering quiet. ^_^ I can finally sleep now.
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