The first plan for today was to come to the campus lab at 8.00 and prepare before going forth for the presentation. But yesterday June called and asked me to take her school report because her parents can't take it. So I changed the meeting plans to 9.00. When I arrived at the campus after I took the report and delivered June home, my friends were already waiting in front of the lab. I asked them if we should prepare then, and they answered they feel no more need for any more preparation, and that they were ready to just face the preparation. They're ready for the "get rich or die tryin" thing... er... no, I mean the "pass it or fail it" thing. So there we went, the five of us, fully "armed", to the lecturer's office with the USB disk in my hand.


So finally, after a short walk, we arrived. Like those girls always say in the movies, the "men go first" thing, there I went first into the office. After a short idle blah-blah chatter, I plugged in my USB disk containing the project data to the USB port. The lecturer opened the program, loaded a MIDI file, and it ran up nicely to our "phew..." feeling. We were really glad that it works. The lecturer then started asking some questions, but those were simple question, not thrusting in too deep into the details, and not what we can't answer. Then he asked again, "Where's the vis?". I ran up another program, a FFT spectrum analyzer thing. To my surprise, he said, "Hey, this titlebar said Tom's Spectrum Analyzer. Did you download this one?". Oops... forgot to erase that titlebar thing. Bad me. XP

My friends were getting worried and sweatdrops fell one by one from their brows. I tried my best to maintain my calmness and composure, although I was shocked myself, and my clothes was already wet with sweat round my back. I answered him, "I took this from the Internet, yes, tried to study it, but failed. The lab assistant said that we should learn FFT first, then he will teach us how to use that to make a vis". He said, "Why didn't you say so? Which part you didn't understand?". I then pointed him at the FFT function's mathematical equations and he taught me how to use that, and then he said that to make a vis you need no FFT, just use some basic variable passings from the MIDI parameters and you're done. And he said, "I appreciate though that you went so far to learn FFT, it is indeed hard, and if you're interested, you can take a Master of Digital Sound Processing... they learn all about that stuff there". Then came the last part which startled me... "Okay, we're done. 80, no more questions asked..."

W-what? Just that? 80, no more questions asked? And I thought I was getting 40 or 50 for that one! Hey this must be a grace, a miracle. What I thought to be my weakness (I didn't understand FFT at all so I hoped that he wouldn't ask) went to be my strong point because he thought I was willing to learn that. 80, no questions asked, will give me a good night rest today, knowing that I will pass all my subjects nicely this semester with grade B or B plus. Thanks to the LORD! He really hears us when we cry, and He gives the best for us! He will never ever fail us! =)

" LORD, thank you for hearing my prayer. Even in times that I thought there is no hope, You showed me the Light. You made a way where there seemed to be no way. I thank You, LORD. Teach me to just hold on to You and follow, no matter what. Because it's the mighty works of Your Hand that leads us through the darkest valleys, and gives us victory. Thanks for Your amazing Grace! AMEN! "


••• Saturday, January 10, 2004 •••