No Mood, No Inspiration

Been feeling tired, lethargic and generally lack of mood thus contributing to my lack of blogging. It could also be due to my lack of time for anything rather than work and studies.

A new MBA module just started and already I can see the assignment due date looming on the horizon. Interesting that they expect a full research paper to be completed in a mere 10 days. Bleh...

Here's a pic of Wawa that I took at 1 Utama. Apparently she has a fascination for huge robots, I wonder...

My Job Musings...

After spending more than 4 years at my present company, I think it’s safe to say that I’ve more or less been exposed to almost all the facets of my company’s operations. I remember when I first joined my company which incidentally is my first job; I was working as a developer writing the actual application software.

I’ve always had a passion for software development after being introduced to it during secondary school. I derived a huge amount of satisfaction trying to find the best solution to tackle each problem and to a certain extent; I really miss that part of my job.

After working for 6 months, my company decided to transfer me into a functional role which completely removed me from software development and instead required me to meet clients and translate their application requirements into documentation.

Due to the nature of the job, I was based in Manila, Philippines from the period of Sept 24, 2002 to Jan 16, 2004. Wow, I actually still remember the dates! =) I had a fantastic experience in Manila being able to see another country as a local and not a tourist, finally gaining my independence and best of all, being paid for it! =D

When I returned from my stint in Manila, the company decided to retain me in a functional capacity. I was also hesitant to request for a transfer back to software development as the pay scale was generally lower, so I stayed put. I was told to travel to Kuching, Sarawak and spent the better part of 2004 traveling to and fro Kuching from KL.

When compared to the metropolis that is Manila, Kuching seemed like a sleepy old town but I did appreciate many of its rustic qualities especially Sarawakian food which doesn’t taste as good when found in KL. I’m sure many Sarawakians will agree with me on this point. =P

In 2005, I was exposed to pre-sales tasks which involved preparation of project tender documents as well as conducting marketing presentations for prospective clients. I remember being very proud to be selected for this task as these tasks were normally undertaken by the managers in my company.

Today, after numerous project implementations which seem to be getting more and more repetitive, I find myself totally demoralized to go to work each day. That was one of the reasons I decided to further my education in the form of a MBA degree. Perhaps after I have completed it, I will be free to move on to a new job that could provide me with a new environment, newer challenges and hopefully a better salary :)


My Office Lobby In Cyberjaya

 

In a melancholy state…

Have yet again started sneezing in the office which is a surefire way of my body telling me I lack sleep. Seems like my immune system is not what it used to be. Symptoms of growing old showing up already… *Sigh*

Half thinking of declaring MC and taking the day off to sleep as I seem to be underutilizing my MC days but don’t think I can afford the time due to my present workload. Oh well…

Thankfully, I still have my cache of Vitamin C pills that I keep for emergencies such as this one. Have been chugging them since I came into the office… Might as well finish them as I just noticed the expiry date is May 2006!

Doesn’t look like I’ll get much extra sleep this weekend either as its due for another barrage of classes from Friday evening till Sunday with barely sufficient time to rest between classes. And I would have to pay full attention as well as I have no marketing background whatsoever! *Darn!*

*End Ramble*

Cents Wise Ringgit Foolish …

I seem to suffer from this problem ever since I can remember. There will be times when I take the toll-free road to save a few bucks only to get stuck in a massive traffic jam that probably cost me more in time and petrol. What started off as a measly attempt to be frugal ended up costing me more money at the end of the day.

I have friends who skimp and save on their daily meals by only eating the cheapest food available and choosing to photostat books instead of buying them even when there is hardly a big savings in cost. They do all these only to splurge rather needlessly (at least in my opinion) on a big luxury item such as a new luxury watch or a new luxury car.

Is it worthwhile? Depriving ourselves of one thing to obtain another? I guess at the end of the day it would be up to the individual to make that decision for themselves. Perhaps it would be better to say that everyone has something that they are very willing to spend on and are prepared to make other sacrifices in order to afford them.

Eating Healthier Today for a Healthier Tomorrow…

Is the statement above really true? I mean I’m sure it’s accurate as far as certain foods are concerned. If we don’t start to take care of our health now, we might not see the problems in the near future but will most probably start to feel the affects of it in our twilight years.

However, shouldn’t there be a balance? Take for example, the previous hype about organic fruits and vegetables. Is paying two or three times the price of conventional vegetables justifiable for results that can only be seen twenty or thirty years down the road if at all?

For the more health conscious, in the grand scheme of things, the monetary sacrifice probably does not seem to be much but for the rest of the general public, I really don’t see how they would be willing to fork out more of their hard earned money for something that hasn’t really been scientifically proven to reduce health problems.

The same could be said about consuming supplements routinely. The argument is that normal foods are not sufficient to provide your body with its daily requirements of nutrients and vitamins hence the need for supplements. Perhaps I can agree with the need for supplements for the older generation, but consuming supplements in your early-20s? Where is the logic in that?

In my opinion, certain commercial entities are just playing on the fears of the health conscious to encourage sales of specialized consumer goods such as the above mentioned organic vegetables, supplements, etc.

There should be no need to consume additional health products or even deprive ourselves of certain types of food provided you get enough exercise. Not only does exercise provide physical benefits, it also does wonders for your mental and emotional health. =)

Relationship Lingo ???

Due to exposure to Hollywood films, I have been bombarded with various types of relationship phrases but until today, I have no idea what these terms actually mean. The terms that I know of are:-

Boyfriend / Girlfriend – I’m sure everyone is familiar with this

Going Steady – I believe this relates to boyfriend / girlfriend

Going Out With / Seeing Someone – Are these terms meant to be associated with dating
exclusively or are they used in casual dating instances?

Dating – I believe that this term can be used to indicate either exclusive or casual scenarios

It all seems rather complex to me, if it were up to be I’ll associate dating / going out with / seeing someone with casual dating and restrict the use of going steady / boyfriend / girlfriend to exclusive dating practices.

Reflections...

Though we started of as friends, there was an undeniable chemistry between us that served as a catalyst for us to get to know each other better. Among the many things we discussed were our views on relationships, and I’m extremely glad that you are looking to have a mature relationship as well.

Even though a mature relationship may sometimes lack the passion that drives many relationships; it is most likely to last throughout the good times and bad times. The passionate feelings of love will come and go throughout the years but I feel there must always be a bed of honesty and maturity to fall back on if there is to be any chance of a life long happy relationship.

There is no fear of commitment from my part except perhaps the fear of expressing myself too early and scaring you away. I do not engage in flings or intentional short term relationships, and every time I commit myself to a relationship, I enter with the mindset that my girlfriend is a potential wife.

You are the reason I go to bed every night with a smile on my face...

~TITG~ Saves RM1!!!

I recently noticed that there is big flaw in the SmartTag tollgates along the Lebuhraya Damansara Puchong (LDP). This loophole actually allows anyone to skimp on paying the RM1 thus allowing yourself to indulge in an extra teh tarik or teh ais courtesy of SPRINT Sdn Bhd.

So, here's for all you cheapos out there who are interested to save RM1:-

1) Drive slowly towards any SmartTag tollgate along the LDP. Chances are another Malaysian driver will get pissed off at you and start tail-gating.

2) If you do possess a SmartTag, hide it in your glove compartment or under your seat so that the SmartTag sensor will be unable to read it.

3) There is a gap between the sensor area and the tollgate barrier. You will want to drive past the sensor area and come to a complete stop just before the tollgate barrier.

4) The idea is to use the tail-gating car's SmartTag to trigger the tollgate barrier. When you see the barrier going up, immediately speed off with a smirk on your face.

5) As for the tail-gating car, if the tail-gating driver is quick enough, driving through before the barrier comes down again will not be problem.

6) However, if not, never fear as the tail-gating driver will not be charged twice as a complaint to the tollgate attendants will raise the barrier again for the driver to pass through.

The only ones hurt in this escapade would be the loss of revenue by SPRINT, the delay caused to the tail-gating driver and of course the massive traffic backlog incurred at the SmartTag tollgate.



PS: Picture is stolen of the Internet. Credit to whoever watermarked the photo :)

PPS: The author assumes no responsibility on whatever actions were inspired by reading this blog entry.

 

Happiness Is A Conscious Decision ???

I remember I first heard this phrase from a friend sometime ago who also convinced me at that time, it was true. Each person decides whether they want to be happy or not. It could be on a daily basis, on an hourly basis or just plainly whenever they need it.

As of late, I’ve been pondering what exactly does that statement mean? Does it mean that in order to be happy, we only think happy thoughts all the time? Does it mean that we should suppress our sad memories on purpose to maintain a happy mood? Does the same apply to stress? Are we capable of being happy and stressed out at the same time?

Come to think of it, perhaps that’s not the point of the above saying. It’s my opinion that you are merely giving yourself some control over your emotions by saying that happiness is always within your grasp. All you have to do is to desire it and you will feel happy. That is of course easier said than done.

It’s not an easy task to have control over your emotions. After all, emotions are part and parcel of being human. They make life more interesting, more fulfilling, more challenging and at the end of the day more satisfying. I would endure many sad days to enjoy a single day of extreme joy to treasure as an eternal memory.

Personally, I feel that I’m blessed that I’m not a particularly emotional person. On one hand, I don’t suffer from sudden mood shifts and experience sudden changes akin to riding an emotional roller coaster but on the other hand, I would probably never know how it feels like to be blissfully happy.

At the end of the day, we play the hand we’re dealt and we make do wherever possible…

 

A New Beginning...

Having started this blog a few months ago, I feel its biggest contribution besides giving me an opportunity to rant and ramble is to improve the way I express myself.

I've always had trouble expressing myself as I struggle with different combinations of words and phrases which hopefully would not be mis-interpreted as something else to other people.

Recently, I've been chastised on putting too much stock in how others perceive me. I've admitted before that I seem to have this need to be in the good books of everyone I know, but perhaps lately I've realized its not really such a big deal.

At the end of the day, the people who are close to me should know me well enough not to judge and as for the various acquaintainces, I guess I couldn't care less how they really perceive me.

Perhaps as there is a new beginning in my life, I should take this opportunity to reevaluate myself, to improve myself and hopefully at the end of the day, I'm a happier person because of it.

PS: Think I also have to reevaluate how much personal information to reveal in this blog. Not being able to blog about everything and anything is finally getting to me...

PPS: Happy Mothers Day! I love you, Mom! Hope you enjoyed the cake and dinner to come =)

Ramblings ...

I'm sure everyone addreses their own problems in their own unique way. Some of them prefer to talk it out to a confidant, sometimes hoping that he or she will be able to give some insight or help to solve the problem or at the very least be a good listener. Others prefer to keep their problems to themselves perhaps to deal with them when the appropriate time comes or maybe its to protect others from their pain or to refrain from embarassing themselves in exposing their problems to others.

Having been on both sides of the fence, I can relate very well. I can safely say when I was growing up, I never had any friends that I felt comfortable sharing ALL my problems with. Hence, I began to feel I shouldn't share any of my problems with anyone. After all, there are my problems! I should not burden others with my own problems. Other people have their own problems to deal with. Furthermore, other people might take advantage of my problems and use them against me so I remained wary.

Honestly, I cant say it made it a happy person. When I was still a small boy, perhaps my family sheltered me from all my problems or solved them for me without me even knowing about it, so I could still remain blissfully ignorant of the big bad world. However, when I started secondary school then graduated to college and then on to the working world, I was pretty much left to fend for myself.

Any problems that I encountered, I kept to myself. Any personal issues that I was going through remain buried in my heart. I think back now and wonder perhaps it was the fear of others finding out how weak I was that motivated me to build a great big emotional wall around myself allowing no one inside but keeping me safe at least in my opinion. At times, when I was overwhelmed, I wondered whether I would actually implode and kill myself just to get it over with but I was too much of a coward to go through with it.

I maintained this opinion for the first 23 years of my life. Till someone out of the blue spent countless hours getting me to open up. Toiled for many months convincing me that people are generally good and trust should be given before it can be received. And I actually began to believe.

I began to have more faith in people, learnt how to share and release all the hurt, anger and distrust that were slowly consuming me from within. I would like to believe that I was becoming a happier person until something else happened and now I dont really know what to think. Perhaps a balance is necessary to maintain sanity to the crazy journey called life.

Money As A Problem Solver...

After working for the past 4 years, I still have mixed feelings when it comes to managing my money. I like to think that I strike a good balance in managing my finances so that I save enough of my monthly salary and still have sufficient funds for my monthly expenditure. My initial thoughts were money's most important role was to ensure a good future for me and my family.

Lately however, I am beginning to feel money's most important role is to be a problem solver. Yesterday, when I was driving my Dad's car, I somehow hit a railing at the side of the road causing a dent at the side of the car. My dad hasn't commented on it yet as I guess he wants to see the extent of the damage before unleashing his wrath on me.

It is pointless arguing whether the fault is totally mine or partly due to the heavy rain or the tight space that the car was wedged in. This situation is the best example I can think of that best describes the role of money as a problem solver.

By informing him that I will bear the full extent of the repairs on the car, I will be spared a long lecture about careless driving and just might get off with a stern reminder to be more careful in the future. In this case, the money spent would be well worth it and justified anyway considering I was indeed in the drivers seat when the accident happened.

No doubt there is some pain in having to fork out a few hundred ringgit all of a sudden but I guess like the saying goes, "Shit Happens..." and you just have roll with the punches and get on with your life. It would seem there is no point to feel regret anymore at this juncture.

But this was not the only incident, I remember the many arguments over money where both parties involved were squabbling over who was responsible to pay for a certain invoice and the arguments would get bigger and bigger resulting in many unpleasant experiences normally only ending with me agreeing to bear whatever financial costs necessary to maintain the peace.

Perhaps this is the best motivation I can use to as encouragement to earn more money, so that I have the capability to defuse any problems that occur simply by using money instead of having to put up with the sad, unhappy, disgruntled or dissatisfied situations.