When the sun's out...

Never play soccer after a 5km run. I'll get to that at the end.

Let's start off the day on a happy note, with the last 42215 Geometrical Metrology class, complete with presentations and instrumuent familiarisation, and kanelstang (an awesome Danish cinnamon pastry), which Leonardo treated the class to.

I woke up at 7 to meet my 2 Danish teammates at 8am in the M-bar at 421 to discuss who and what to present for the first and last time, just one hour before class proper. I had finished up the slides all by myself the weekend and night before, so there was really nothing more that I wanted to add, or that I could be bothered about. Presentation went superb, with me blabbering my way through the 3 introductory slides, and my other team mates finishing the other 7. Compared with Edwin and Fili's presentation of 42 slides, self-photographs and "chirpy" sound effects, Leonardo actually recommended us a grade 10 (upon 13) and 9 for Edwin's team.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not boasting. The significance in the Functionality Analysis Report was really to identify the best distinguishable parameter, with the least parameters used as a comparison. It didn't mean that the more stuff you dumped into the presentation, the better it might appear. Well at least that's a lesson learnt for me. Too bad the 10 was for only for the Report and not for the presentation.

But what Fili said to me over lunch was equally encouraging too, that amongst the 3 Singaporeans, I was the most comprehendable one. *beams*

After the presentations of the 5 teams ended, we headed to the workshop at 427 for an hour of introduction to the Cincinnati Machine in measuring errors calibrated by a ball bearing. I must admit I wasn't really paying attention since it wasn't important to my final Tolerance Verification Report, and there was a high chance I won't see a similar machine back in NUS. But of course not everyone was like me.



After lunch, we carried on more introduction to other methods in metrology, in particular using lasers to determine the straightness/waviness of a plate/bearing, and using the MONDO to eliminate the "machine and block error", with teaching assistants Rene and Guido respectively.



We went back to the classroom for a final course debrief and Leonardo quizzing us on previous lessons' subject matter, to which only Edwin seemed to remember. The other Danish students behind me had the "I-don't-believe-this-guy, is-he-normal?"-kind-of-look on their faces, with a wide-eyed stare, wry smile and semi-smug look on their faces like it won't matter anyway. I suppose it just masks their guilt that exchange students like us (or Edwin) put in a whole lot more effort than themselves. Well it appears so only in this course. So don't get me or the Danes wrong, they are hadworking. The worried Leonardo jokingly threatened for us to return him his kanelstang (damn good Danish cinnamon pastry; picture on right) since we appeared to be lost.

We ended on a rather silent note, without beers like the other course I took, but it isn't the end for me yet. Until I can get my final Tolerance Verification Report (40% of total grade) completed and submitted, I won't feel at rest. As you would have guessed, I just had to get some form of remembering these (slack but) super friendly tutors:

Rene (assistant engineer), Guido (lab tech), and of course the mastermind of assignments, our lecturer Leonardo De Chiffre.

After class, on the way back to campus village, I passed through the car park and saw first signs of the bushes turning green...



a car park (to the left of the road) in Feb and now in May...

The tempting sun and divine weather was almost too good to be true, with clear skies and a warm temperature of 17 degrees. Despite my aching quadriceps from yesterday's run, I decided not to pass on God's grace. I invited YH along, and after some contemplating, decided to bring my bulky camera out in a ziploc because I knew the nearby Lyngby lake would offer exciting scenery.

With only a general direction in mind, I led YH towards the lake, cutting through the serene forest and meandering streams, before emerging from one underpass to the scenery that lifted our breaths momentarily.




An impromptu thought popped into my mind, that if I was already by the lake, why not make a surprise house call to the Viggo staff mates, Aga, Chiara, Alessandro, and Oliver, just to name a few. With every luck, I shouted Aga's name from the fence separating her garden and the lake, and to my delight, saw her sticking her head out of the window! Even better, she told me Alessandro was changing up to head out for a run in 30 mintues, together with her. Pure coincidence!

YH and I ran further around the lake, with the end nowhere in sight. Some distance later, we turned back and navigated our way back to the house amidst the unfamiliar streets, ready for part 2 of our run, back to DTU.



Aga and Alessandro joined us for a segment of the beaten path circumfering the lake, before they turned left back around the lake and us, right back to DTU (not without a quick shot).



On our way back, we passed by the Lyngby Tennis Centre again, and this time I couldn't resist scanning the area and snap some some shots of clay courts! Words can't express the eagerness of finding a tennis racket to start hitting balls again! My tennis kakis Quek/Ken...if only you guys were here...man oh man... it would have been a nice prelude to Roland Garros! LC was just mentioning the possibility of playing next week when he sets up a date, I mean a calendar date la, with Christine (from CBS, whom I met only once in London Stansted). Let's hope I haven't lost my touch yet, else I can just go join the old folks corner, where the any-pattern-you-like-just-return-the-ball-high-above-the-ground-and-over-the-net policy seems to be in effect.



Back in campus village, I was all ready to call it a day, but when Fili spotted me there was no turning back. He called me to join the rest in a "short" game of soccer, to which I grabbed YH too, knowing his enthusiasm in the sport I dread running about in. My legs (quadriceps in particular) were "destroyed" in the 5km-odd run to Lyngby and back, and now I had to subject myself to soccer?! I was just too kind to oblige.

We played at the field behind 229, and YH and I basically took turns substituting each other whenever (the frequent) cramps kicked in. Really a sight to laugh at, but YH proved how good he was kicking balls, I mean, scoring a goal or two, and missing one almost-successful bicycle kick.I had two near misses as well, which would have otherwise set a record for a "personal best". Together with Jan, Tsal, and Onur, YH and I (we can be counted as one if you like) set the final score at 11-9 against Fili and his team.

And that's the story on how my aching legs are now "destroyed" for the next few days. Tonight's sleep will not be good with impending cramps surprising me. Help!

*Special thanks to YH for kindly helping take pictures, without which I wouldn't have appeared in. This is for him. Heh.