Categories
Book Reviews Fiction

Mina’s Matchbox by Yoko Ogawa

According to the author’s note at the end of the book, Yoko Ogawa has won every major Japanese literary award. Her fiction has appeared in The New Yorker. Her works include The Memory Police; The Diving Pool, a collection of three novellas; The Housekeeeper and the Professor; Hotel Iris; and Revenge. She lives in Ashiya, Japan.

When I picked up this book from the library, the author’s name felt familiar. Then I realized—I had read two of her books 14 years ago! Yet, I have no recollection of them. So, this blog entry is written as though I am approaching her work for the first time.

Categories
Game Reviews

Children of Morta 6 Years Later – The 2025 Review (Is It Worth Playing?)

“Children of Morta” was a game I first played back in 2019, and now, six years later, I’ve returned to finish the story and collect all 100% of the Steam achievements. This is a pixel art roguelike RPG that really stands out for its storytelling and art design. But the question is: after all these years, is it still worth playing?

Stick around as we dive into my 2025 review of Children of Morta!

Categories
Diary

A New Chapter in My Career

In my three decades of working life, I have seldom changed companies. At first, I thought I was a loyalist or someone who resisted change. Yesterday marked my last working day with a bank where I spent nearly 18 years. One of my passions at work has always been to build teams and inspire people, and they became the very reason why I stayed for so long. As the saying goes, day-to-day work can be tough, but if the people are good, we tend to stay and weather the storms together. Every year, we might complain about the lack of career growth or that the pay raise and bonus fall short of our expectations. However, if we are attached to the people around us, most of us choose to stay for another year. And another.

Categories
Book Reviews Fiction

The City and its Uncertain Walls: A Reflection on Murakami’s Labyrinth of Closure

Few authors can weave a narrative tapestry as intricate and evocative as Haruki Murakami. For years, I have been captivated by his works, drawn to the way he blurs the boundaries between reality and fantasy. The City and its Uncertain Walls is no exception. While it may not rank among my personal favourites, it lingers in my mind long after the final page – a testament to its provocative themes and enigmatic storytelling. Yet, this lingering comes with frustration, as the ambiguous ending leaves much to the reader’s imagination, a choice that may not satisfy everyone.

Categories
Diary

I Asked AI to Create a Recipe with What I Had in My Fridge – Here’s What Happened!

Today, AI recommended a Cauliflower and Lentil Veggie Stew for dinner, and I’m here for it!

Categories
Diary

And I Finally Into AI

Here in Singapore, our government gives us money to up-skill ourselves and to stay relevant to the job market. One day as I was doing my grocery shopping at a mini-mart next to my condo, there was a counter selling AI courses. If I really want to DIY, I could. But I am lazy. So I have decided to spend zero dollar and sign up for a 4-day course over 4 weekends to learn AI.

Categories
My YouTube

Vampire Survivors: How to Beat the Reaper or Death from Stage 1 to 4!

If you manage to survive till the 30th minute in any of the four stages in Vampire Survivors, the Reaper will appear. More often than not, your character would be one-shot while the stage is considered as completed. To defeat the Reaper in all four stages, there are prerequisites (see bottom of this post). You don’t have to follow a specific build. You just need to follow the strategy and the tips below. An OK build may take longer to down Reaper. But you should be able to get the job done within one minute. This guide also works very well against RNG. You need a bit of luck to get the 2 items you need but there are ways to mitigate this.

PS. This guide assumes that you have the knowledge and experience in surviving till the 30th minute.

Categories
Observing Life

After 8+ Years of Driving a Hybrid Car, I Don’t Think It’s Worth It

Better fuel consumption, reduced impact to environment, these are some of the promises of driving a hybrid car. But after more than 8 years of driving Mazda 3 2.0L model, with 2 failed capacitors after a mileage of 60,000 km – and they are expensive to replace (S$2k or US$1.5k each) – I’d rather drive a regular car. Here is why.

Under the hood of my 8 years old hybrid Mazda car. The capacitor is located at the bottom of the bottom right compartment (hidden).
Categories
Diary

I Enjoy Random Conversations

Friday night, after a long day at work, I headed down to the supermarket opposite my condo to buy some beers. I wanted to cook something simple too. Like instant noodle and sardine.

Since the sardine collection was limited, I scrapped the idea of cooking and only bought a 6-pack.

As I joined the queue, a white man was in front with a basket full of grocery. He offered to let me go first, which I was grateful. I would have done the same.

But I was in no hurry. I thanked him and said just that. While waiting for the cashier to scan the items, I could have waited patiently, played with my phone perhaps. Instead, I asked him, “Are you from the neighbourhood?”

Categories
Diary

I am ENFP

OK. Cliche as it sounds, I have done a personality check. MBTI to be precise. It seems like people these days are so into it. From dating scene to … Korean reality show.