Zzz Monster

It never gives up. It creeps up to me when I least expect. And it never fails to cast its spell on me.

I have been fighting the monster for years now. A dreadful war that has no end in sight. When I was at my old company, I had the reliant of a saviour known as Nespresso. Sadly she is no longer on my desk any more and I battle alone.

There was a nice I gave in to its enduring spell. I would nap away comfortably at my desk. Ignoring the stares of the peers, bosses and big bosses. I must have look like I put in lots of hard work and deserve a quick shuteye.

Alas I am no longer in that safe zone. Sleeping openly is a declaration that I have not enough to do. That I hated what I am doing. That my boss simply bored me in the meetings.

So now, I have to fight the fight. To keep this madness Zzzz monster away. It aint going to be easy. Matchstick on my eyelids, burning eyedrops are helping me out. But there got to be a better way.

Tipsy

Well it doesnt happened too often. Come to think of it, in my 6 years of work, this has been the very first.

In any case, this is and perhaps would be the very first time there is beer given during office hours. We are also encouraged to toast our cupful of beer to our departing COO.

Now I must admit drinking during office hours is a big no no. Often there are uncompleted work on the table left behind while one has to attend such event. True enough you wont be able to complete it till the next day. There is also the office Politic aspect of it. Something that I am still learning.

Drink too much and you become a nuisance. The rest of the staff would never forgive you.

Drive too little and you are considered anti social.

Needless to say, those that could drink would just indulge in a cup or 2. Just so that they appeared accommodating. Those who cant, would just sip and play along.

I for one am a big drinker. But for this occasion, I have kept myself in check. No more than 3 cups and no loud noises. After all I wont know what really going to happen behind my back.

Ok time to sober up and get back home now. Its a good thing I dont drive

Bohm stiring engine

This is way too cool not to share. It would be nice to have sitting on my office desk

A micro biz idea

While having lunch today, I stumble upon an interesting biz idea. Its probably my 5th idea of what biz I should be doing in the future, but strangely I think this one might be a success.

What is it, I wont reveal a thing here. And all the hint you got is in the pic above.

Anyway, its so far 3 ideas that relate to food now. Perhaps being an ever hungry singaporean would drive me to think of mostly foodie ideas.

Well lets see how this pans out. This would just serve as a reminder for me in the event someone actually develops this and I can only cry about it.

Now onto my next biz idea

Pre-sales or Solution Architect

Hey future BLM,

I guess you probably know the differences between those 2 roles now. I however am still finding out.

Remember I was employed as a Project Lead. The role calls for me to manage and lead a team to carry out project works. However this is a SME and roles tend to overlap. As such, my director informed me that he is looking for me to be involved in either Pre-sales or Solution Architect. I must say, I am both nervy and excited about this.

I am guessing that Pre-sales would mean that I be assisting the sales team to pitch for contracts. What this seems to mean is that the sales team would generate interests and bring in the contact. When a potential customer responded, they would pitch the products/services to them. I would thus assist in the pitch to ensure that what the sales team promise, the engineering side could deliver. The promising part is that I would get some much needed sales experience from this. The down side is that this would be conflicting to the engineering role.

Solution Architect is a relatively new term to me. From what I imagine, this is the guy whom would design how the system would work. What parts would be needed, what structure the product should be build on, etc etc. This feels more at home to me. I have been keen on designing stuffs for a while now. However all the years in project management duties, all I ever did was to manage schedule, budget and relationships. At times, I envy those engineers whom get to do the exciting stuff while I just await their results. However the only down side to this is that, the growth is limited. An engineer would still be just an engineer. The progress to higher roles does not start from here.

I guess there is no clear path to success. I could do something I like and be lamenting on the limited growth or try to go out of my comfort zone and see if that works for me. The future is built on every small step I make now. It would be interesting that when future me reads back on this, he would laugh. Well I hope future me has no regrets.

Past BLM.

new work

After years of working for my old company, I came to realise one thing. I have forgotten how to make new friends.

and I am dead serious about it.

I was in my comfort zone. I had knew all the faces there. I could talk to those I fancy and ignore those I distrust.

But in this new place. Everyone is a stranger to me. Lunch was an interesting experience. I have to be careful to bring up topic that wont simply piss someone off accidentally.

Nevertheless I need to be fearless to get to know people and to get my job done. This is going to be an interesting firsts for me.

1/2 marathon

After years of running 10km, I have decided that I would not run that distance any more. Its time to progress.

I have been running the last 3 races as my frens did not want to challenge a longer distance. This time round, I decided that even if I have to go alone, I would try the 21km.

My personal goal is to just run without stopping. I likely be pacing at no more than 10km/h. With this, I hope to complete in 2hrs 30min.

5 days to go

Honestly I cant wait for this. In a short 5 days, I would be closing a chapter at my ermm first job (honestly I can never be sure this is my first job... There is the pilot stint)

And in July I be starting work at a new place.

Its just brilliant.

Seats

I am months away from getting my new place. (Ok maybe more like a year away)

Nevertheless the kaisu part of me has decided that its time to look at house reno mags and get some ideas from friends.

I chanced upon this website that sells chairs. And it giving me a positive outlook. (YES!)


Though I am a bigger fan of couch, I think I would prefer these chairs instead.

Now comes the question on what letters I should use. WTF? CHAIR? SEAT?

My last 2 weeks

After the letter has been laid and the persuasion given by my boss, my decision to leave here after 5.5 years has not waiver.

Indeed, I am sadden to leave. I have made plenty of frens here and get along well with most people. There is indeed some emotional links that has been rooted deeply. But I know I have to unplant myself and move on. (Ok too much PvZ has lead me to link to plants)

I am a little curious on what the private sector is like. Words has it that its frightening and the FT would do the same for half the price. I guess I would have to see it for myself.

For those who knows me well, I aint keen on being an employee for life. I have aspirations to be my own boss one day. This has been my life long dream where I get to run something. Perhaps it may be a F&B, where I be flipping pratas. Perhaps it may be me setting up a prawn shop (not porn or pawn). Perhaps it may be me running a team with 10 others, aiming to rob a casino with muscle cars. Yep, it could be anything and that day would come.

I shall enjoy the last few weeks of work while I can. Very soon this would all become a past memory

recycle me?

Just this afternoon, I was heading towards the MRT with my dear wife. We spotted an empty plastic bottle with a giant tag that says "Recycle Me".

Pretty interesting I tot. A bottle was certainly looking for some attention. Or was it something more.

I spied around quickly and notice a dude sitting not too far away with those giant inflatable clapper. And to my right a bunch of teens at starbucks staring at the bottle with clappers partially hidden.

I could only imagine the outcome when someone pick up that bottle. These little guerillas will spring into action and scare the person who is trying to do something noble.

This is perhaps why there will always be litter lying around. For we all would fear being single out for doing something that was right and natural.

My wife din quite believed me on this. I dared her to pick it up and she dared me back. Instead we walked away to get some snacks that we so hungrily needed.

blank out shades

Now I find this is pretty useful .... for a shameless politician that is

My last 5.5 years

Its been a great 5.5 years where I am now. Looking back, I could not have possibly imagine that I have stayed this long.

After I left school, I am driven to strive on an engineering job. Something that allows me to put what I learned to good use. Its was a turbulent year in 2005. Economy was getting back on track yet jobs are not readily available.

Armed with only a technical degree and no real working experience, I flipped through many pages of the Recruit and highlighted stuffs that interests me. Over 20 applications were sent in my first month alone. With no replies coming in, my desperation grew along and my preference drop. I began to pick about anything that I could get a reply from.

Just then I gotten a friendly email. Its from my current company and they are keen to schedule a meet up. (Interestingly, I applied for 2 jobs here and both call me up within 2 hours)

I put on my best shirt and tidied up my resume. Met up with 2 interviewers, one is my former boss and the other is my current. We had a good round of discussion and my previous boss highlighted this. This aint an engineering establishment, we do Project Management. I aint entirely sure what this meant back then. Aint Project work similarly to engineering?

They must have liked me. For within a week, I gotten a confirmation and I came down to sign my soul away. A contract term of 3 years was given and I happily accepted. I started work and was happy to learn that most of my colleagues are fresh grads as well.

I was given a big project and gotten acquainted with my new team mate. Soon I began to understand what is project work. Its about time management, resource management, people management and budget management. In short we make sure our supplier is able to deliver the end product to our customer.

There was barely any thing engineering about what I do. And frankly I was disappointed.

I carried on with my work and lasted till the 3rd year mark. I was keen to complete this big project and leave on a good note. Just prior to that, I was informed that I be transferred to another division at the end of the milestone. It got me thinking. Perhaps I should try out another year in this new role before leaving.

That is to be my current role and I survived in it for 2.5 years now. It became more or less like a maintenance job. But once again, the actual work is done by the maintenance agency. I just managed them.

I had planned to leave in 2009-2010. Sadly it was the same situation out there as it was at my beginning. Jobs were few as the economy was hit by the US bad debts.

However, now I gotten an offer. And I am not looking back no more.

(PS. I din expect this post to sound so seriously boring)

Impulse buy

For the longest time ever, I been searching for a decent skeleton watch. I completely din expect to find it at a factory outlet.

It was to be an unexpected find. I brisked into the Fossil outlet with only mins to spare. We had to meet the flight time and were only given 4 hrs to shop. This includes having our lunch as well.

We know from the start that this would not be enough. There were 160 outlets arranged as boutique shops around a massive land area. I estimate that its 50% larger than Vivo.

We were down to the last 30 mins and we have a few more targeted shops to visit. I walked into Fossil for a quick look. Just to be sure that we din miss out on any gems.

Its then I saw this beauty. A round peg in a square hole. A skeleton body with brown strap. An automatic movement. I knew I fell in love and nothing else in the shop matters.

I asked the staff for a closer look. It had a thick body and it was rather large on my skinny forearm. And despite these, I din need to consider again. I want it.

They placed it in a box and gave me the VAT and I made my purchase. I placed it in my bag and endured the long wait on the flight. Its to be a long wait before I could bring it back and wrap it around my wrist.

Its been 24 hrs and the infatuation has not ceased. And it has barely left my wrist alone.

Honeymoon time

I would be gone for a short short while. Dun you miss me. I am sure you wont but just want to say that.

Anyhow, I be heading to Eastern Europe and all I can say is that I have yet to read up on where I am heading.

And yes I know.... I am procrastinating.

Work anger

I am normally a great person to work with, aside from my prankster nature of cos. I dun go about screaming at people or even raising my voice.

However I think I could no longer just keep being nice to everyone. Its beginning to seems like I am a softie. Someone whom can be pushed around with. I get email and calls from contractors to clients and I am always friendly. They can voice out their problems and I would go as far as solving it for them.

Perhaps its time to draw this line. For time and time again, their "problem" appears no more that they aint keen to work on it, and rather have me do it.

And the best part is, the credit is "shared" while the fault becomes my doing. (I guess this is kinda familiar to us all)

Well I have given up on being nice to everyone. Its time to be a FAIR person. Time to award some screaming to bums and idiots. This would give me back my sanity and of course release some steam.

I wont care if you are twice my age or that you hold a rank 3 times above mine. I would probably give you a heart attack cause perhaps you deserve to move on.

Watch out world. I am going to be screaming at you all.

Aviation Tables

If I have the money, I guess I would love to have this as my table.

It would defintely be one reason I would keep me working.

But well reality tends to smack you in the face. My future home is doomed to be small and confine. Nevertheless, you could always look for inspiration with the Japs designed ideas.



I bet this would keep my kids working hard

(Click on the pics for the links)

Happy Easter in advance

I wont be ard this Easter. The first time for me not to attend the easter season.

So well Heres a early wishes for all

Health is important

Just last week, a close buddy of my told me that he has high cholesterol. He is my age, plump and a big smoker.

This made me think, we are just started into our 30s. Still in the prime of our lives and the health issues have begun to creep in. And guess what this is an indication of more serious issues to come. He may be diabetic and may also have heart problems. (I aint wanting to curse him)

I spoke with another close friend today whom also has high cholesterol. His situation is under control now and is able to cut down on his medication. He remarked that I shouldnt be too surprised, that could be lots more whom has high cholesterol. He only found out his after a routine health check.

This is indeed true. My buddy found out his after a blood test was carried out and that was done becos of a separate health issue. Needless to say, I too may have high cholesterol. I just dont know yet.

I indulge in plenty of rich food. I laughed at thought of salad when I could fill the starter with a lovely piece of meat. I love burgers and love steak even more. And I have not carried out a check on my health for the last 4 years. Its time I do something about it.

With an active lifestyle of running and workout, my excuse to myself is that I do burn of what I eat. I shouldnt be too concern right. After all, I am not one of those who sit at his desk all day and go home to eat and sleep.

But well there are many things we dont really know. Things that doesnt relate to our lifestyle. And these things tend to be hidden quietly away and come out as a mean bully only later on.

As such, I am making an appointment to get myself tested. I hope for a good result as I aint mentally prepare to hear something bad now. I guess we can only hope for the best and sorta prepare for the worst.

Sneezy

Happens to me all the time....

In other news, the Japs have found a way to stop a sneeze. Simply press your upper lip with 2 fingers just prior to a sneeze.

Apparently you would stop the message being send to your nose. Dun ask me why, cos it doesnt work on me.