Nanoindenting my way through University...

Nanoindentation....

That's the name of my research, and will be the one thing that will keep me busy for the rest of my life here in NUT. For those who feels lazy to click the Wikipedia link...it's a kind of test to find out strength and hardness of thin films of micrometer order. Constant force is applied on indenter and indentations of nanometer order will be made on thin films....surface area of indents are then calculated to find out mechanical properties. Recent test can also be applied to acquire tensile strength and yield strength.

An even simpler explanation will be I punch holes into a thin piece of film, then I see how big a hole I made....sounds simple right? Well, it is. My job is just to make it "sound" difficult, like the explanation above. Haha...if you have a difficult time trying to understand what I wrote above, then that means I'm doing a very good job.

Anyway...yeah, that's my job from now on.

SO, why would I want to write about something as boring as that? That was just like...sponge cake without cream on it...like plain yogurt without honey or sugar....like eating roti canai without dahl or curry.

Randy is NEVER without exaggeration and lies...

You see, yesterday my professor, me and a fellow researcher(Masters Student) had a meeting with a representative from Elionix, a Japanese company making nanoindenter devices(My University is doing a joint research with that company, so we have meetings every 2,3 weeks). We were meeting to discuss the next step to take in developing a new device. So, you now know that the research I'm doing is of quality as results of research will be used to develop a new device.

So, me being a Undergraduate, they were practically ignoring my presence as they thought that I was not up to their level. So discussions mainly went on between the Masters Student and that company rep.

Then came a time where he was discussing about a new indenter....given the required perimeters, he asked the Masters Student if he could acquire the measurements needed to design a new indenter....well, Masters Student humbly replied that he doesn't know....which surprised me a little bit as it is not that complicated to achieve. Anyway, getting no useful answer from Masters Student, that man turns to me instead and asked if I have any ideas on that...and I did have a few.

So, I laid out my ideas on how we could acquire the measurements needed....and suddenly, I was assigned to the job!! I mean...I got the research!! My professor bluntly pointed out that he need people who is capable to get it done....and assigns Masters Student to do other things instead.

Wow...they chose me, a Bachelor Undergraduate.... over a Masters Student!!!

Now, I'm not showing off here....well, maybe I am showing off....but damn, just can't help but feel proud for myself!! Haha...Shows that smarts only are useless without creativity...GO RANDY!!

Nut Fest 3 : Keyword "Nut"

Woke up to a brightly smiling sun, eager to to get the day on...



While we only get to perform at noon yesterday, today we got the privilege to do the kick off!! Yes, that means we got to announce the start of Day 2 with the beatings of our drums. And clear skies means that we get to do it outside...yes Ai Jun(childhood friend of mine), I get to wow girls in my ridiculous shorts and chest revealing happi coat.

We practically played the same song as yesterday, so, no point putting up videos here...

The performance ended with applauds from the crowd....cheers me up every time. Two weeks of blistered hands and sore shoulders...only to receive claps from strangers. Yes, sometimes I myself wonder why do I even want to take the trouble to practice for days...shedding blood and sweat...only to receive meager claps from the crowd. But then again, thanks to my parents for giving me a simple mind, I quit thinking that hard and just continue on beating the drums...

Anyway, having performed yesterday and today, my job is done. Finally, I get to roam about....attend to the main event, the NUT Fest.




In collaboration with NUT Fest...we Malaysians decide to come up with Satay and PeaNUT sauce....see? it's not called NUT Fest for nothing...

The satay was...DELICIOUS!!! It was very very good...no offense, but thank my god that I'm not Islam and I don't have to fast. The Satay and kuah kacang was too good to give up. Spent more than 3000 yen buying just Satay and Air Bandung, the other thing we also put out to sell. Tasted so good that I forgave them for turning up late for preparation night...


I like to call him the Spokesperson for NUT....far as I know, he's the MC for any event organized by NUT. Be it Freshmen Orientation or Football Tricks Show, he's the man to look for....and yes, he is as nutty as he look.


Just like all Japanese Campus Fest, the "Guys in girl's dress competition" is a must. What the hell is wrong with these Japanese Guys....why would they want to embarrass themselves like that? Are they NUTS?? .....oh wait, they are...just like me...hehe.


Some show by the Karate Club...and just like what you see in the picture, they were doing plank breaking. Too bad they have a nutcase head coach....the coach had them break 5 planks stacked together. 5 PLANKS!!! Unless you are Chuck Norris, how can a hit-the-books-often guys break em' ?? Sigh...this otherwise cool show ended up being a somewhat scraped-knuckle-painful show. The crowd seems to love seeing blood on the planks though...


And this was the performance by a band called "Microphone too tall for the girl" Band...they were singing Yui songs. And they were...hmm....they need more practice.

And then it was 4 p.m ...time for the second performance by Taiko(Japanese Drum) Members. This time excluding newbies such as me. And let me tell you, the seniors' performance had much much more power and beauty than the one I did...

Enjoy...






This is happened to be my favorite of all...








Gotta love the part the guy's drum stick flew from his hands at 2.20 ...haha...

Nut Fest 2 : Rain rain go away...

Nut Fest unfortunately started with rain fall...

Gawd bless my blistered hands....

Why does it have to rain?? Now I have to perform my drums in the gymnasium...not to mention that people stay at home when it rains...

no....No...NO!! How can I let something like a little harmless rain fall to dampen my spirit!! I've practiced for 2 weeks for goodness sake!!

And here it is...the drum play that moved even the heart of the gods that they cried their holy tears(means that it rained harder)











So...what do you think of our drum play??

Nut Fest 1 : Culture differences...

Nagaoka University of Technology's Festival....or NUT Fest.

This festival was held last week on the 13th and 14th...but for me starts two weeks before the event as I busy growing blisters on my pitiful palm practicing drums. For two long weeks I've been practicing drums every day from 4 in the evening till 8 at night....trust me when I tell you it's tiring on both physical and mental state. Other than the gawd blessed blisters on my palm, I also "enjoyed" muscle pain and "seduced" by the everyday temptation of wanting to skip practice.

But how can I?

My seniors were all so hard working and dedicated to the practice that I feel bad skipping the practice...there's also a few times where I've been scolded for turning up at 4.03 pm...

Yeah, I was late for 3 minutes and I was scolded....3 MINUTES!!! What the hell?? I know that "Time is gold" but that's just an idiom, right? I don't owe my colleagues 22 karats of gold for being 3 minutes late....but one have to admire the punctuality and the dedication of the drum members.

So finally....the day before the event. My Uni was kind enough to give us the day off for us to prepare for the big event. So, I spent my Friday practicing drums from 9 morning till 6 evening...after that, I headed over to help other Malaysians with preparation as we were presenting a stall as well.

So, tired...sore all over my body, I headed over....only to find out that they are starting later at 8.30 p.m. Okay, FINE...that'll give me sometime to rest before working again...

After a good long shower, checked some of my mails, I cycled for 15 minutes to school again...reached at 8.35 p.m...

And guess what? NO ONE'S THERE!!!

Yeah, there were a few girls preparing kuah satay....but where's the rest of the guys who were supposed to come with the chicken and skewers??

And I waited...and waited...and waited...DAMN IT!! It's already 9.30!! Are they coming or not??

They finally showed up at 9.50 after I called them several times on the phone. And when they finally do arrive, they gave me a sorry excuse saying "Sorry-la Randy, I fell asleep"...

WHAT THE F'%$?!! I fell asleep?

Yes, I know, it's fasting season and I know that they have to get up early in the morning but...like Anwar said, Fasting season is no reason to slack off from things...

I had to struggle soooo hard not to lose my temper....you want my help, fine, I'll help but don't waste my time like this!!

Sigh...to think that my drum members scolded me for being 3 minutes late....and my Malaysian friends come in one hour late with a stupid smile on the face....

Patience Randy...patience.....

Taiko : Japanese Drum...

So...once again, why was I missing for so long? Was is a girl?....wished it was so....but no. I'm not that lucky. The picture below could probably explain why.


See how my fist was suspiciously wrapped in white bandages? And if you observe closely, you can see that they are also suspiciously dirty.....as if I've been in fights.....

Yes, you guessed it right...I've been practicing Japanese drum all along!! (Otherwise, why the title, right??)

It all started on the second day at University...I was walking towards the convenience store to get a drink when I heard Japanese Drums in play. When I turned to look, I saw a group of people beating various sizes of drums (which I later found out we're playing only 3 types). Everyone, hands moving along a single beat.

Such power...such elegance...such...spirit!

And that's when I decided that I want to join this circle. I want to be part of the group that displays such strength...a group that possess such unmoving spirit. So, I enlisted myself and have been practicing ever since..



The movie you see is the event where I debuted....at the early stages, the guy that stops halfway and says something in Japanese, that's me....heh heh.

I practiced weekly and more often than not, I suffer blisters and had to tape my hands so that I can continue practicing even though I have bleeding hands....as you'd probably guess by now, the practice sessions are tough. I confess that there are times where I felt like quitting as seniors aren't too polite when it comes to "commenting" on us newbies' performance.

And to think that no girls will ever like me now when they hold my "rough" hands....*sobs

But that day....that day when I finally get to perform in front of people......it was the most fulfilling day I've ever had. Although it was a performance at a small town with equally small crowd, about 30~40 people, I felt so much joy when I see people applauding to my performance.

All those blood and sweat...and skin too...they were worth it.....

And the best yet, I got to perform at one of the biggest events in Japan, the Nagaoka Summer Festival. I played on 2 of the 3 days festival. With thousands attending the first day, tens of thousands on the 2nd.....IT WAS EXHILARATING!!! I...I...I don't know how exactly to describe what I felt but I have NEVER felt such sense of accomplishment and joy getting to perform in front of so many people. I mean....there was so many people!!!
You see, summer time is special for the Japanese as that's when they have their yearly festival, so it means a lot to them...while others(foreigners) are just observers, me being able to be part of something special...I just don't know what to say.....

Too bad there aren't any picture or video as my housemate, Lai Chee Wei, stood on the wrong side of the crowd on the first day and he was too far away on the second day.

Sigh...such good friends I have.

But I guess that makes my experience much more special now that everything is chiseled in my memory. This might be the most memorable thing that I'll bring back with me once I get back....probably the best memory in my whole life....well, other than owning my own patent.