Licence2Play 2012

Saturday, 9 December. This is my very first time visiting a gaming event. I spent most of my time on the Blizzard and Wargaming booths. Just wish I had a better quality camera. Still, I found my time there to be quite exhilarating. Can't remember the last time I ever took a photo that I really wanted to cherish.

The Blizzard booth.

The Wargaming.net booth.

This Wargaming model had a World of Warplanes logo on her uniform. The sign she was holding read: "I love men with BIG TANKS!" Behind her is a replica FV 4202 (105).

Got a chance to try out this rare premium tank, the PzKpfw V-IV Alpha, which was awarded to players who participated in the alpha phase of World of Tanks, and it made me wish I had one.

Contents of the World of Tanks goodie bag: mousepad, 2013 calender, tattoo, notebook and dog tag. Some visitors apparently got a watch with their goodie bags, which I didn't get, probably limited supply I guess.

A signed Diablo III Collector's Edition. I may have played the first two Diablo games for nearly ten years, but this time I chose not to play the third. The story had just gotten old for me. Evil can never be defeated.

Beautiful Blizzard model posing with an Orc statue from World of Warcraft. iPhone 4 camera is mediocre, but I love the way the light reflects against her hair. Damn it, I missed her high heels!

Airfix 1:76 T-34/85

I bought this kit back in 2004 and built it out of the box. Eight years later, I took the model out of the cupboard and it renewed my interest in it. Now I discover that Airfix have re-released the kit. Since it uses the same mould as its predecessor (with the exception of plastic colour and decals), I decided to just contact Airfix for spare parts instead. I only requested parts for the 85 mm turret (don't want to be greedy and ask for the entire kit).

 The parts.

All ready for painting. Comparing the new turret with the original on the right. I was unwilling to paint the old turret as I had already applied decals on it. The same went for the 76 mm turret, though I chose not to request for those parts. 

For a while, I thought perhaps I won't paint the turret because it looked very nice on its own. But not so much when its on the tank. Since both the old and new instructions show the tank as painted in dark earth, I decided to use Tamiya's dark earth (RAF) spray paint. I previously used it on Tamiya's 1/48 Brewster B-339 Buffalo, so I didn't want to waste it on just one model. 

Done. Missed a few spots time and again, but I managed to cover up most of it without re-coating it too much.

Then I decided to paint the road wheels with Tamiya flat earth, just to make it match with the turret a little better. If I ever put either of the old turrets back on the tank, then the painted wheels can simulate mud instead. I could have spray painted the entire hull with dark earth as well, but then the old turrets would not match as a result, and the rubber tracks were already glued together.

I also notice Airfix has re-released the MiG-15 (another kit which I also bought in 2004). But since it uses newly tooled parts, 'modifying' the old one is a lost cause.

Women's artistic gymnastics at London 2012

I actually tuned into the Women's artistic gymnastics on television hoping to see Heem Wei Lim competing, only to fall in love with the Romanians instead. I ended up staying up late just to see them compete. Unfortunately, Heem was only shown performing on the uneven bars, out of the four apparatus she competed in. The cameras were mostly focused on the Romanian and Japanese team.

In the end, Sandra Izbasa drew my attention, who went on to win bronze in the team all-around final, and gold on vault final. She was in Beijing 2008, but I never had the chance to watch women's gymnastics back then thanks to national service (bastards).

Apparently, one of the Romanian gymnasts, Diana Bulimar, was in Singapore for the 2010 Youth Olympics, winning silver on the floor exercise. Two other gymnasts, Viktoria Komova of Russia, and Carlotta Ferlito of Italy, were also in Singapore. If only I was interested in the Olympics back then, I would've paid for a ticket just to see them (take some pictures too if I could).

I first saw artistic gymnastics during Sydney 2000. The jumping, swinging and somersaults are what attracted me to the sport, something I never saw before until then. When London 2012 started, I made sure it was the first sport I would look out for.

P.S. Don't ask me what about men's gymnastics, for it doesn't feel right for me as a male to be watching them.

"We hope you have a very fruitful and eventful experience": SCDF

My reward for two involuntary years of national service, paid for in flesh and blood. To prevent subsequent infection, the doctors had to leave the wound open after surgery, rather than sew it up. As a result, I endured over two agonizing months recovering from it. It was certainly a very "fruitful and eventful experience" as the NS letter put it.