I have been spending endless nights in debugging the UMTS extension to ns2, which the simulator for my thesis work. Ns2 is an open source freeware, one of the two most used simulation softwares for analyzing network preformence. The only other alternative is Opnet, a commercial product that no student can afford and not popular enough to have pirate copy to download. I don’t want to work on the slow servers in the stinky school’s lab, therefore I choose ns2 for my work. The core of ns2 is relatively stable, other than lack of documentation, it is fairly good. Alas, the UMTS extension is poorly maintained. The original coder of that module only debug it for his own research. It still has lots of holes in the logics. Worse, there is absolutely no document on implemenation, I can only guess the function of the code and try to fix it. I found to debug hardware is easier debug than software. The major problem in debugging software is I can’t have the wavefrom traced. I can’t run the simulation all the way till the end and then check the state changes back in the timeline. Instead, I have to set breakpoints and step throught the code carefully. This is a very time consuming and repeatitive task.

Ping pong, also known as table tennis, is a common game played among children in Hong Kong. I remember there was a ping pong table in my primary school. Kids play ping pong during recess. The most common format of game is winner stays, each game is up to 3 points. There ain’t much to do in recess, so kids all line up for the game. I am never good at this game and I only know the basics, so I lost almost instantly. Thus I spent more time in the line than playing, and eventually lost interest to this game. Ping pong is not popular in Lasalle, never to say in highschool here in Canada, so I rarely play this game. In university, there is a ping pong table in the engineering student room. Just like in primary school, the table is a monoploy of the good players. Recently, PMC setup a recreation room and brough in a ping pong table. Not many people play ping pong seriously at work. I manage to find some players at my level, and got some pointers from my friends. Finally, I re-discover the fun of this game after so many years. With regular practise and causal game, my ping pong skill will improve to a point that is at least presentable.

Guacamole is the green sause usually come with fajitas. Usually I perfer salsa, the red sause, more over guacamole, with one exception at the Stone Frog. Stone Frog seems to become the default resturant of choice for our subsystem team lunch. Last time when Mike and Mileend came over, we went there for lunch, and we went back there for our tape-in lunch this afternoon again. The famous dish at Stone Frog is their mexican meal that come with make in front of your guacamole. Guacamole is very simple to make. First prepare all the ingredients: The ingredients are: half of an avocadoe, chopped onion, jalapeno and tomatos, dry leaf oregano, salt and pepper, and lime juice. Then put all the ingredient into a bowl and mix them up. I tried jajita last time and I ordered the quesadilla this time. Both taste very good. I finished my bowl of guacamole and had three of salsa to go with my quesadilla. The meal is very satisfying, especially it is paid by the company. The only downside is after such a full lunch, I feel kinda sleepy in the afternoon, and very thristy from the salty Mexican sauces.

I stayed home all day toady, didn’t even leave the door. I would probably enjoy staying home more if I have my own house instead renting a small apartment. Yet, not having to go out for a day is quite nice. The most obvious advantage is I don’t have to get change. Well… that’s not totally correct for today, I did change when walk Pat back to her car. Pat visited me this afternoon and brought along Charlie. Charlie has invaded my place twice already. It is not very bothering to me, except I found the dog seems too big for this small place. I made some good progress in my thesis today, just start running simulation with video trace. I wonder how many days I can stay home without going out at all? The food supply in the fridge should able to last a week. The deciding factor is when I can’t stand confining myself any longer. Too bad that I don’t have enough vacation days to waste to let me find out the answer of this question.

Tonight I got dragged by Pat to watch a fund raising musical organized by my church. Yes, it’s from my church, CMCC in Richmond, but somehow I am not aware of it. There must be something wrong about their promotion or simply I don’t to CMCC often enough. The musical is better than I expected, but still kinda boring in general. The first act is quite interesting, the angels are cute, the scene with travellers waiting at the airport is quite funny. I think that is the only part in the whole musical which is original, and raised my expectation for the show. Then the play turns south starting on the second act. The next four acts are modular components that are out-sourced to different groups in the church. Each group responsibles for 3 dances or songs, then mininal interaction with the travellers to keep the plot going. Indeed, this is probably most efficient way to involve everyone from the church in the show. Alas, I feel misleaded. This supposes to be a musically, not a variable show in disguised. Oh well, what can I expect from a church event? The only comfort is the Peking duck dinner before the show, green tea ice-cream and green tea latte after the show are very nice. Nope, meal and dessert are not included with the show.