Friday, February 5, 2010
I recently made this puzzle.
Art Club
I recently left my old EP3, SJAB to join the Art Club, as i had injured my leg. Today, we put up the Chinese New Year decorations in the Kah Kee Hall. To begin with, large designs were painted or printed on large sizes of styrofoam. Next, they were cut out. Today, what we did invovled the mounting process. I did not actually get to see the making process, as it a) probably did not involve the lower sec students and b) it could have been made last year.
Basically, the process of mounting was simple in theory but in reality, required a lot of co-ordination and teamwork. To begin with, the styrofoam boards needed to be transported carefully from the General Art Studio to the Kah Kee Hall, a crucial process as the styrofoam broke easily and the path to the Kah Kee Hall was met with several obstructions, namely six flights of stairs and passing the training grounds of the Wushu and Scouts people. Rather expectedly, some sharp edges snapped off and had to be mended with masking tape.
This however, was not the most serious issue at hand. The next process was the most tedious. As the wooden frame had been used before, meters of snipped up heavy-duty masking tape were fossilised to the wooden frame. Taking them out involved scratching, peeling and doing whatever was humanly possible to the stubborn tape pieces. Thankfully, we had the help of a chisel and a screwdriver, which eased the situation considerably. Of course, when we were done, heaps of sticky shreds remained scattered all over the stage, and the next backbreaking task was to pick these gooey globs up. Fortunately, Mr Kuek was around and he developed the efficient system of sticking these tape pieces with masking tape. This was highly effective and saved a lot of our time and energy that we would need later on.
After arranging the pieces, we needed to stick them on using more mounting tape. Once again, because of the excessive movement and lack of co-ordination in xome grops, more styrofoam broke off. Thankfully, no lasting damage was incurred and Mr Kuek was able to remedy the situation.
After mounting the frame, we stood back to admire our handiwork. As expected, it was very well done and in combination with superior positioning, looked perfect for the Chinese New Year decorations for the Kah Kee Hall.
By the way, it is still on display and will be there till after Chinese New Year, so if you happen to pass by the Kah Kee Hall, do stop by and take a look.
Though the Art Club may not be the most prominent CCA in Hwa Chong, but it certainly does help out in increasing the beauty quotient of our school. Therefore, the next time you see our school nicely decorated for the season,. don't forget: it's the Art Club at work again!
Basically, the process of mounting was simple in theory but in reality, required a lot of co-ordination and teamwork. To begin with, the styrofoam boards needed to be transported carefully from the General Art Studio to the Kah Kee Hall, a crucial process as the styrofoam broke easily and the path to the Kah Kee Hall was met with several obstructions, namely six flights of stairs and passing the training grounds of the Wushu and Scouts people. Rather expectedly, some sharp edges snapped off and had to be mended with masking tape.
This however, was not the most serious issue at hand. The next process was the most tedious. As the wooden frame had been used before, meters of snipped up heavy-duty masking tape were fossilised to the wooden frame. Taking them out involved scratching, peeling and doing whatever was humanly possible to the stubborn tape pieces. Thankfully, we had the help of a chisel and a screwdriver, which eased the situation considerably. Of course, when we were done, heaps of sticky shreds remained scattered all over the stage, and the next backbreaking task was to pick these gooey globs up. Fortunately, Mr Kuek was around and he developed the efficient system of sticking these tape pieces with masking tape. This was highly effective and saved a lot of our time and energy that we would need later on.
After arranging the pieces, we needed to stick them on using more mounting tape. Once again, because of the excessive movement and lack of co-ordination in xome grops, more styrofoam broke off. Thankfully, no lasting damage was incurred and Mr Kuek was able to remedy the situation.
After mounting the frame, we stood back to admire our handiwork. As expected, it was very well done and in combination with superior positioning, looked perfect for the Chinese New Year decorations for the Kah Kee Hall.
By the way, it is still on display and will be there till after Chinese New Year, so if you happen to pass by the Kah Kee Hall, do stop by and take a look.
Though the Art Club may not be the most prominent CCA in Hwa Chong, but it certainly does help out in increasing the beauty quotient of our school. Therefore, the next time you see our school nicely decorated for the season,. don't forget: it's the Art Club at work again!
Monday, January 18, 2010
December and the New Year
2009 ended of on a good note, in my opinion. To begin with, I scored an average MSG of 1.17, which was a good reward for the hard work i put in the whole year. This year, I've made several changes to my curriculum. To begin with, I've decided to continue studying french. Initially, in Secondary one, i felt that i could not cope with the new intense secondary school life, and therefore decided to terminate my studying career at MOELC. This year, after careful consideration, I decided that a third language would be very useful as it could not only help me in my career later on, but could also help to boost my overall portfolio, seeing as I am not in a very competitive CCA. I've also decided to do French at Agape too, since I felt that the level of teaching was not very good.
However, the most significant change was in the new teaching pedagogy for the new school year. Selected classes were now to be taught using the JiTT. Under the new teaching system, teachers will post up online readings, and students are to check them automatically. In this way, teachers do not need to spend time teaching the lesson before posing questions and allowing students to think about them and answer them. The new system is good, because it maximises the students' potential in class. However, this system also has a serious flaw. If one student has not read up on the next day's lesson, he will be one lesson behind and will find it very difficult to catch up. In this way, one that is lagging behind will be unable to catch up and will be too far behind. I feel that this is where our director has made a serious mistake. A class's MSG could be seriously skewed, and all it takes is one busy day and we could find ourselves completely lost. Nevertheless, I feel that this will help to train a student's independence. There has also been a change in the ACE and OP system. In the past, the two were combined with the end of year academic grade, and this helped many mediocre students achieve and A1 and get a good MSG. The new system will show a student's true potential and show his flaws.
you must be wondering what has happened to my puzzles. Usually, I start off my blog posts with puzzles, but i feel that i should not let a hobby take precedence over academia. Either way, I am still interested. Here are a few updates. Firtsly, I did a puzzle count, and i now have 124 twisty puzzles. That isn't too bad, but i wished I had rarer puzzles. As for ongoing mods, I'm currently making a dino cube. I've also learnt to cast puzzles. The prcess of casting involves making a mold and pouring liquid plastic into it. It is a fairly complex process and I do not intend to make more than one copy of a puzzle since i do not sell my mods and don't have the time to do so anyway.
Dylan
However, the most significant change was in the new teaching pedagogy for the new school year. Selected classes were now to be taught using the JiTT. Under the new teaching system, teachers will post up online readings, and students are to check them automatically. In this way, teachers do not need to spend time teaching the lesson before posing questions and allowing students to think about them and answer them. The new system is good, because it maximises the students' potential in class. However, this system also has a serious flaw. If one student has not read up on the next day's lesson, he will be one lesson behind and will find it very difficult to catch up. In this way, one that is lagging behind will be unable to catch up and will be too far behind. I feel that this is where our director has made a serious mistake. A class's MSG could be seriously skewed, and all it takes is one busy day and we could find ourselves completely lost. Nevertheless, I feel that this will help to train a student's independence. There has also been a change in the ACE and OP system. In the past, the two were combined with the end of year academic grade, and this helped many mediocre students achieve and A1 and get a good MSG. The new system will show a student's true potential and show his flaws.
you must be wondering what has happened to my puzzles. Usually, I start off my blog posts with puzzles, but i feel that i should not let a hobby take precedence over academia. Either way, I am still interested. Here are a few updates. Firtsly, I did a puzzle count, and i now have 124 twisty puzzles. That isn't too bad, but i wished I had rarer puzzles. As for ongoing mods, I'm currently making a dino cube. I've also learnt to cast puzzles. The prcess of casting involves making a mold and pouring liquid plastic into it. It is a fairly complex process and I do not intend to make more than one copy of a puzzle since i do not sell my mods and don't have the time to do so anyway.
Dylan
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Puzzle Update
This is my first puzzle update in a very long time so expect this o be pretty lengthy.
Firstly, about all the newly released puzzles.
Mefferts has recently launched its Puzzle T-shirts. They're 18 each, it looks fine, not spectacular, but then again, it'll promote the spirit of puzzling, a non-existent element around here. The shirts come with designs consisting of the pyraminx, skewb and skewb ultimate. Mefferts has yet to launch their Jing Pyraminx and the Holey Megaminx, two highly anticpated puzzles. Only, the Jing Pyraminx was placed for reservation less than a week ago, and the Holey Megaminx, almost a month.The Jing Pyraminx, at a mere 18, is something everyone has to buy. It is a very unique puzzle. I can't say it's rare, because it's been mass-produced, but this version is pillowed, and is based on a standard skewb mechanism, so it's naturaaly very big, in contrast to the original versions that used mini-skewb cores, which are no longer in produce anyway. Well, all i'm saying that this is one good oppurtunity to get your hands on a puzzle that adds live to any collection.
Cube4you too has also launched several new puzzles. To begin with, they astounded us by mass-producing D.I.Y 3x3x4s, and that, is a really incredible feat, because a 3x3x4 isn't just as simple as extending the layer, this is fully-functional. The puzzle comes in black and white versions, and is only 20, excluding shipping. They also launched their clear and white versions of the void cube, so if you get both and of course have a black version, it'll look complete, for what it's worth anyway. Both versions are 8 and 7 USD, without shipping.
Here's the thing. It is known that cube4you is going to produce a gigaminx, which is essentially a two-layered megaminx. It soundsd simple, but think about it, it used to be selling on Bedard puzzles for a thousand American dollars, so this is no trivial toy. They have yet to sell it, but Mr. James has enlightened us with several details in some TwistyPuzzles forum threads. He has included the height and other relevant details.
My only hesitation in buying these puzzles is that I don't know which to buy. Of course, a very glaring solution pops up instantly, and that being to buy every single puzzle I'v mentioned, because that will save a lot of brain cells and energy. So lets think about it. I ordered a rainbow cube, a floppy cube and a mastermorphix through my friend recently, and the bill added up to 77 USD. That approximates to slightly over a hundred SGD. Now, I have already exhausted much financial reserves by buying my VCUBES, so I don't intend to work up another several-hundred dollar bill. The gigaminx, seeing it's initial price on B. Puzzles, is unlikely to sell for less than a hundred, or I'd be really surprised. Really. So the question comes as to whether I should buy a gigaminx, and leave no room for other RARE puzzles, like the above mentioned, or wait for those rare puzzles to come out and take the chance that the gigaminx would have sold out by then and that i would have wasted a valuable chance. Mefferts puzzles sell out really quickly, so buying the gigaminx too is taking a great chance. But, like the H. Megaminx, it may cease to appear for a very long time, and in that case, i would be waiting. For nothing. So what d'you think? If you've got some constructive comments or suggestions, write it below.
Firstly, about all the newly released puzzles.
Mefferts has recently launched its Puzzle T-shirts. They're 18 each, it looks fine, not spectacular, but then again, it'll promote the spirit of puzzling, a non-existent element around here. The shirts come with designs consisting of the pyraminx, skewb and skewb ultimate. Mefferts has yet to launch their Jing Pyraminx and the Holey Megaminx, two highly anticpated puzzles. Only, the Jing Pyraminx was placed for reservation less than a week ago, and the Holey Megaminx, almost a month.The Jing Pyraminx, at a mere 18, is something everyone has to buy. It is a very unique puzzle. I can't say it's rare, because it's been mass-produced, but this version is pillowed, and is based on a standard skewb mechanism, so it's naturaaly very big, in contrast to the original versions that used mini-skewb cores, which are no longer in produce anyway. Well, all i'm saying that this is one good oppurtunity to get your hands on a puzzle that adds live to any collection.
Cube4you too has also launched several new puzzles. To begin with, they astounded us by mass-producing D.I.Y 3x3x4s, and that, is a really incredible feat, because a 3x3x4 isn't just as simple as extending the layer, this is fully-functional. The puzzle comes in black and white versions, and is only 20, excluding shipping. They also launched their clear and white versions of the void cube, so if you get both and of course have a black version, it'll look complete, for what it's worth anyway. Both versions are 8 and 7 USD, without shipping.
Here's the thing. It is known that cube4you is going to produce a gigaminx, which is essentially a two-layered megaminx. It soundsd simple, but think about it, it used to be selling on Bedard puzzles for a thousand American dollars, so this is no trivial toy. They have yet to sell it, but Mr. James has enlightened us with several details in some TwistyPuzzles forum threads. He has included the height and other relevant details.
My only hesitation in buying these puzzles is that I don't know which to buy. Of course, a very glaring solution pops up instantly, and that being to buy every single puzzle I'v mentioned, because that will save a lot of brain cells and energy. So lets think about it. I ordered a rainbow cube, a floppy cube and a mastermorphix through my friend recently, and the bill added up to 77 USD. That approximates to slightly over a hundred SGD. Now, I have already exhausted much financial reserves by buying my VCUBES, so I don't intend to work up another several-hundred dollar bill. The gigaminx, seeing it's initial price on B. Puzzles, is unlikely to sell for less than a hundred, or I'd be really surprised. Really. So the question comes as to whether I should buy a gigaminx, and leave no room for other RARE puzzles, like the above mentioned, or wait for those rare puzzles to come out and take the chance that the gigaminx would have sold out by then and that i would have wasted a valuable chance. Mefferts puzzles sell out really quickly, so buying the gigaminx too is taking a great chance. But, like the H. Megaminx, it may cease to appear for a very long time, and in that case, i would be waiting. For nothing. So what d'you think? If you've got some constructive comments or suggestions, write it below.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Puzzle Update
Mefferts has recently launched its 4D8, pyramorhix, pyradiamond and pyrastar. I believe I have already mentioned this, but this just adds on. Anyway, the main foces would be cube4you's 3x3x4. It's fully functional, and that's saying something, because it isn't as simple as superglue. I believe they managed to get hold of a simple mechanism and mass-produced it, which explains the mere 19.99 USD. I would personally expect the puzzle, if it were not mass-produced, ather at an auction, to fetch a couple hundred maybe or 50 at least. But 20!! That's more than we can bargain for. Well, it all boils down to how cube4you mass-produces loads of "rare" puzzles and makes them extremely affordable. For a lowly puzzle collector (less than 1000 different puzzles) like me, this is only good news, but for those who already have one, well, they can be contented by the fact that they have more "original" copy. Well, that's about it. I hear they are producing a gigaminx? If that's correct, please confirm it with me. Well, that would be it.
Puzzles I am expecting:
- rainbow cube
- floppy cube
- mastermorphix (pillowed)
Puzzles I am expecting:
- rainbow cube
- floppy cube
- mastermorphix (pillowed)
Friday, July 17, 2009
Hexaminx
Hi all.
I had been meaning to write about this about a week ago, and I just remembered it: the Hexaminx! Anyway, Mr. Tony Fisher is now selling his Hexaminx on eBay. It's a really great deal. The Hexaminx is a really clever megaminx mod, as far as it seems. It has been cleverly crafted into a cube, but of course, it's not that simple. The Hexaminx is one of Tony's very nice mods, and will probably not be on sale anymore. Not for a veryyyy long time, anyway. Sigh. I've recently seen so many good eBay deals slip past me - a original dogis, a dino star, loads more. That's when I really wish I had a job. Boy, my puzzle collection would be a LOT more than a measly few hundred. Anyway, even though it's pretty impossible that I will get it, it's still marvels- the design and the cost. It's 200 GBP the last time I checked, which is approximately US 328.62, which happens to be 476.33 in our currency ( courtesy of XE currency converter). It's no small price, but it's worth it, with signature and all.
I had been meaning to write about this about a week ago, and I just remembered it: the Hexaminx! Anyway, Mr. Tony Fisher is now selling his Hexaminx on eBay. It's a really great deal. The Hexaminx is a really clever megaminx mod, as far as it seems. It has been cleverly crafted into a cube, but of course, it's not that simple. The Hexaminx is one of Tony's very nice mods, and will probably not be on sale anymore. Not for a veryyyy long time, anyway. Sigh. I've recently seen so many good eBay deals slip past me - a original dogis, a dino star, loads more. That's when I really wish I had a job. Boy, my puzzle collection would be a LOT more than a measly few hundred. Anyway, even though it's pretty impossible that I will get it, it's still marvels- the design and the cost. It's 200 GBP the last time I checked, which is approximately US 328.62, which happens to be 476.33 in our currency ( courtesy of XE currency converter). It's no small price, but it's worth it, with signature and all.
MEFFERTS update
Mefferts has recently launched the pryamorphix, after a long-time disappearance. This is the version with "fluorescent labels". It's 24, and it looks pretty nice, though I'd wait for the original one at 16 before buying. Also, they've made a T-shirt (abnormal) with puzzle pictures on them; I thought that that's pretty nice. It's 18 for a picture of a pyraminx or a "skewb cube", BUT 28 for a skewb ultimate, "ULTIMATE", it says. Oh well. Though with the puzzle and the Mefferts logo, it is pretty decent for any puzzlers.
Well, as for my Holey Megaminx, zZz. It still isn't even in stock, which means waiting for it to be stocked and shipped.
Well, as for my Holey Megaminx, zZz. It still isn't even in stock, which means waiting for it to be stocked and shipped.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
