auyongtc’s blog

Finally got my FTTH service installed at home. For 2,980 yen a month, it’s crazy speed at 100Mbps!

Preliminary testing showed that I was downloading the latest Linux kernel (2.6.15.1) from a Japan mirror site at over 1 megabyte per second. Then I realized I was on 802.11G Wi-Fi, so I reckon it could’ve been much faster if I was connected over Fast Ethernet instead.

Gonna have more elaborate tests these few days. Before that, let me explain how FTTH works in my apartment:

The fiber connection comes into the building, into the riser room. And then the provider uses VDSL signals to provide access to each unit (that subscribes to the service) by tapping into the pre-installed phone jacks in each unit. Therefore, eliminating the need for a phone line! Which means I dont need to pay high price to rent/own an NTT phone line service. FTTH roxx my soxx!

Garrr, shiver me timbers!

Managed to find an open Wi-Fi AP at home finally after walking around my room with my laptop like some fengshui guy with the needle board thingy. Unfortunately, it’s at the entrance of the room and it’s quite cold there. I think I’m gonna go get myself a new Wi-Fi router and turn it into client-mode to siphon the Internet access to my laptop in my room.

My FTTH broadband access is still 2-3 weeks away. For all the fast speed, the service to get activated is damn slow, too much redtapes I guess. Oh well, gotta make do with the ‘borrowed’ Wi-Fi access for now. Gonna buy myself a desk and a chair so that I can surf with comfort at home.

P/S: new things to lookout for: young ladies in miniskirts riding bicycles… lol

Update @ 5pm: My FTTH provider called, they’re coming to install next Friday…. 1 week to go… phew…

Got in to the office early today, so I’ll share to you about my new neighbours. I stay in a mansion. Contrary to popular belief, it’s not what you think. Small apartments are called mansions here. So I live in a kuci-meow sized litterbox of an apartment.

There’s 6 floors in total,　and I think around 10-12 units per floor. Thus far, I’ve seen 27 young ladies in and out of the mansion wearing miniskirts. Of the 27, I would rate 21 as hot. I think I’m in heaven, not Tokyo.

Well, okay, I lied. Until this morning, I’ve never seen anyone else in this mansion, not at the lobby, not at the lift, not even at the corridors. There are tons of bicycles (and a couple of scooters) in the vicinity though, but no human. I think this place is haunted, or that they’re all hermits (does that mean I’ll turn into one someday?!! *gasp!*). My colleague said that it is normal, even after staying in his place for 2 years, he claimed to have only seen 2-3 neighbours at his block throughout his time there. Gosh!

But this morning I saw a guy waiting for the lift on the same floor as me. That’s somewhat reassuring that this place is not deserted. But I’m still keeping my eyes peeled for young female neighbours in miniskirts!

Arrived in Tokyo on Sunday. Got the basic life support system setup in my place now. LOL. Internet access still not yet ready

However, everything else is okay, applied for my Alien card today, and got my bank account - Shinsei Bank is really gaijin-friendly!
Have loads to write and pictures to post, but since I don’t have the convenience of Internet access at home, it’s gonna be sometime till I can get that done. Until then, stay tuned…

BTW, I still cannot understand why girls here still could & would wear mini-skirts despite the near-freezing weather out there. Well, my eyes aren’t complaining, just curious as to why… I guess it’s one of those “Only in Japan” thingy… erm dear, what’s with the frying pan?

Yeap, just managed to find out, finalizing the deal hopefully by next week…

It’s super small, only 16 square metres. Sigh, it’s so small, it’s almost like moving from my current bedroom into a similar-sized bedroom, except that this will include my attached bathroom (with bathtub), kitchenette with 1 electric stove and sink. A small walk-in closet and designated space for a washing machine is included in the built-up space as well… Sigh…

Oh well, consolation is that it’s damn near office (I still haven’t work that as to whether it’s actually a pro or con), it’s got a (small, yeah, following the “small” concept of accomodation in Japan) balcony and best of all - it’s got FTTH broadband Internet. At speed up to 100 Mbps (best effort lah.. but that’ll do), it’s a steal at just 2,980 yen per month!

Oh yeah, the apartment will cost me 64,000 yen per month - for such price, I can rent a big double-storey house here probably fully-furnished!

Let’s hope I get this unit and have it ready to move in when I get there on January 8th

Just wanted to update you guys, I’ll be moving to Tokyo, Japan supposedly early January 2006. Just got my Certificate of Eligibility (COE) today, and will be applying for my work visa on Monday.

As such, my current mobile number shall be terminated just before my move. Best form of contact from then onwards would be via e-mail. Update you guys soon..

Hey peeps, just updated my photo gallery… you guys can access it by going to http://auyongtc.theuseless.com/photogallery or clicking the “My Photo Gallery” link on the right —>

Added the US & Canada trip photos - enjoy

I’m back!

It was a tiring 2 weeks trip to North America. But it was well worth the trip. Anyway, I will be posting up the photos soon, in my spanking new gallery that I’m still working on it. Gonna be doing something radical on the gallery front - stay tuned for that!

Yeah, paul, I know, it’ll be radical if it finally made it to an end product, I know

I just made a nice postcard-like wallpaper from the photo I took in San Francisco, CA. Let me know if you want it

Hey peeps…

I’m now in Eatontown, New Jersey. Flew in on Monday night and it was a nightmare! Blardy hell, I had a connecting flight from Chicago’s O’Hare airport to Newark airport and my checked-in luggage got stuck at Chicago because of TSA (Transportation Security Administration) holding it up for closer inspection - wtf?!

I had my fair share of TSA (Tourette Syndrome Association) speak especially when my entire luggage was only filled with articles of clothing - the only thing metal inside the luggage was my belt buckle! Grrr! But nevertheless, it got in around 9 hours later, at 7am local time when I woke up to go to office. Realized that a plastic corner broke and the combination lock no longer works - *insert more TSA speak here*

Eatontown, NJ - quite a nice place - a suburb really. The weather’s nice, heck, any weather anywhere better than of Malaysia’s is nice. Had my first ever Philly Steak for lunch.. yummy..

I stopped by the mall last evening in order to get a padlock for my luggage case. Packed some dinner to go, and I went to call for a cab. While waiting for a cab, a chinese man of around 40 years old walked towards me. He was also waiting for a cab, and we got to talking - got to know that he’s Steven and he’s from Malaysia, Shah Alam specifically! What are the odds of meeting a fellow Malaysian in such a small suburb in the United States?! That was a pleasant surprise - we got to chat a lil bit about cars and all while waiting for the cab. We shared a cab since his destination was just a bit past the Red Roof Inn that I was staying in at Tinton Falls.

Alright - that’s all for now, tomorrow I’m headed for Ottawa, Canada for the weekend. I’ll blog again later…

Yeap, I’m back writing regularly about Formula 1. It is now at its own domain name - http://www.f1pitbuzz.com/. Go check it out now

Also, a forum is provided at http://forum.f1pitbuzz.com/