The last few days, food has been crap. The workshops were long... so we had packaed lunch.. first day, sandwiches. 2nd day sandwiches.. by the 3rd day, cannot tahan oready.
So one of my Mexican colleagues took me out of lunch. A real typical Mexican lunch, just at the side of my Mexico office's building. It was a quaint road side stall selling Quesadillas - Tortillas stuffed with cheese, folded and grilled. A simple dish often served with beans or a little salad and suitable for those avoiding anything spicy. The ones I had was stuffed with pork and mushrooms. MMM... mmm... 8 pesos only! that's like 70 US cents! great.
Then at nite, he took me to a Mexican taco place where we had great taco with pork and would you believe it, Mexican cactus! Great stuff. Best meal this trip!
Saturday, October 29, 2005
Wednesday, October 26, 2005
W
I got in and checked into W, a brand new hotel in Mexico city. This was quite a spunky hotel.. when I got in, the lobby looked like a dance club with dim lighting, bouncers and pulsating music!
The room, quite different from the norm.. Ikea style! Even the shower did not have curtains, kinda like an outdoor balinese setting. Nice!
http://www.architectureweek.com/2004/1006/design_1-2.html
Unfortunately, I had more Con Calls to attend, so by the time I got to bed, it was around 3.30am... the worst thing, I could not get proper sleep... so tomorrow's gonna be tough...
The room, quite different from the norm.. Ikea style! Even the shower did not have curtains, kinda like an outdoor balinese setting. Nice!
http://www.architectureweek.com/2004/1006/design_1-2.html
Unfortunately, I had more Con Calls to attend, so by the time I got to bed, it was around 3.30am... the worst thing, I could not get proper sleep... so tomorrow's gonna be tough...
Tuesday, October 25, 2005
Security
I'm sitting at a piss shit lounge en route to Mexico city. This lounge is in LA, which you'd expect top notch facilities.. but is is like shit! Small... crappy... my god...
As I sit here, I am reading a "official welcome note to Mexico". I am extracting relevant sections out, which I thought was just hilarious...
Crime: The rate of crime in Mexico City is very high.
Mexico City leads North America in the total number of crimes committed with more than 190 violent crimes each day. Almost as many crimes are believed to go unreported. Approximately one million incidents of petty crime are reported each year. The crime rate is attributed to the high rate of unemployment, poverty, corruption and drug use. The Venustuano Carranza, Cuauhtemoc, Gustavo A. Madero, Miguel Hidalgo, Iztapalapa, the Zona Rosa district and Alvaro Obregon districts are the most dangerous areas. The Oriental Market, Pepitos Market and La Marquesa areas are also high crime areas. Avoid travel to these areas, especially at night. The number of crimes committed in the more upscale districts of Polance and Lomas de Chapultepec has also increased. In addition, statistics released in March 2003 show a 35 percent rise in crimes in public areas, specifically the theater districts in San Rafael, Perisur and Plaza Universidad.Crime against travelers has risen dramatically since 1998. Most incidents reported by travelers are petty crimes, such as theft, but travelers are still at risk for violent crime. Many petty crimes are committed by criminals brandishing weapons. If confronted by an armed assailant, surrender valuables without hesitation to avoid harm. Many crimes are committed during the day and in front of witnesses. U.S. and Canadian passports are sought by many thieves. ATM users are often robbed or targeted for kidnapping. Use ATMs that are located inside well-populated hotels or banks and restrict use to daylight hours.
Police: Police may be corrupt in Mexico City.
Many Mexico City police officers are corrupt and are sometimes involved in perpetrating crimes. The police in Mexico City are routinely involved in bribery, extortion and other crimes. Street officers will pay off their superiors to be assigned at busy intersections where they charge to overlook violations, many of which are bogus. Mexico City officers target travelers by stopping them for an identification check and then soliciting a bribe. Police officers in Mexico City are not authorized to stop and verify identification. In an effort to limit such corruption, the government has replaced many of its officers with soldiers who are posted in six-month rotations. The police station at Ave. Florencia #20, located in Zona Rosa near the U.S. Embassy, is set up specifically to assist travelers. Many of the officers and aides at this station speak English.
Property Security: Hotels Security and theft prevention in Mexico City.
There is a wide range in class of hotels throughout Mexico City, with some having better security for travelers.In the Polanco district the J.W. Marriott, Presidente Inter-Continental and Nikko Mexico are all located near the Bosque de Chapultepec Park and have a shared security program including plainclothes officers who patrol the hotels and surrounding streets.
Transportation Security:
Pirate taxis represent a threat of robbery in Mexico City; women are frequently targeted.
Taxis are safer than local buses, but threats exist for travelers, particularly women, who use taxis in Mexico City. Passengers are sometimes robbed by drivers and accomplices in pirate (unofficial) taxis. According to Mexico government statistics for 2000, more than 2,100 travelers reported being robbed when using taxis in Mexico City. Most of these victims used unregistered pirate taxis hailed from the street. Many of the pirate taxis are Volkswagen Beetles that are painted green and white or yellow and white to look like legal taxis. Travelers in Mexico City should only use radio- or telephone-dispatched taxis or taxis requested from taxi stands (sitios). Ask for the driver's name and license plate number so you are able to verify that you are using a registered taxi. Before entering a taxi, check to see that the license plate number is the same as the number on the side of the vehicle, that the driver's permit is in plain view and that the picture resembles the actual driver. Before the trip starts in a metered taxi, ensure the driver resets the meter and that it is running.Pirate taxis can be further identified by their license plate numbers. Any street taxi with a number higher than L96645, or stand taxi higher than S09997 is a pirate taxi. Do not get in such taxis. Also avoid taxis with license plates with numbers painted on by hand. The more trustworthy taxis can be reached by calling Servi Taxis at 5-516-6020 or Radio-Taxis at 5-566-0077. Other reliable taxis can be hired by calling 566-0077, 272-6152, 271-9146 or 271-9058.
Scams: Petty Theft
Travelers have been victimized by criminals disguised as Mexican police or other officials. The "officers" will demand to see currency, claiming to be investigating counterfeiting. If you are approached, do not hand over any personal possessions; ask to see identification. Let the perpetrators know you will not give them anything unless you are taken to a police station where the transaction can take place in front of witnesses. If second-guessed, most criminals will leave the scene. The most common and successful scam in Mexico involves the spraying or squirting of a substance on victims' clothing or belongings, followed by a theft. The sprayed substance can be as seemingly innocuous as tomato sauce, mayonnaise or mustard. In other cases, it can be a combination of offensive smelling liquids, oils or gels. When travelers are distracted or accept help from a "bystander," thieves steal unprotected bags, purses, briefcases, backpacks or suitcases. Some are even so brazen as to steal wallets and jewelry. Do not attempt to clean personal items on the street and do not ask for assistance from nearby strangers. Enter a reputable hotel, restaurant or tourist facility to clean up.Mexico's cities contain thousands of homeless children; many of them commit criminal acts. One ploy is for a group of children to crowd around travelers and beg for money while an accomplice picks the pockets of the distracted traveler. If you are approached by a group of children, keep walking and remain aware of your belongings.The restaurant industry in Mexico acknowledges that organized crime has infiltrated the industry, providing unscrupulous waiters with small credit-card cloning machines that can be used to copy the information recorded on a card, allowing unauthorized charges to be made. The problem has been reported in the states of Mexico, Morelos, Jalisco and Quintana Roo and the cities of Acapulco, Cancun and Guadalajara.To avoid the problem, use cash or traveler's checks in restaurants whenever it is convenient to do so. Alternately, do not allow restaurant staff to leave your sight while carrying your credit card. The restaurant's card reader at the cash register is likely to be legitimate, but do not allow restaurant staff to swipe a different machine. Always request receipts and compare them with your monthly credit card statements.
As I sit here, I am reading a "official welcome note to Mexico". I am extracting relevant sections out, which I thought was just hilarious...
Crime: The rate of crime in Mexico City is very high.
Mexico City leads North America in the total number of crimes committed with more than 190 violent crimes each day. Almost as many crimes are believed to go unreported. Approximately one million incidents of petty crime are reported each year. The crime rate is attributed to the high rate of unemployment, poverty, corruption and drug use. The Venustuano Carranza, Cuauhtemoc, Gustavo A. Madero, Miguel Hidalgo, Iztapalapa, the Zona Rosa district and Alvaro Obregon districts are the most dangerous areas. The Oriental Market, Pepitos Market and La Marquesa areas are also high crime areas. Avoid travel to these areas, especially at night. The number of crimes committed in the more upscale districts of Polance and Lomas de Chapultepec has also increased. In addition, statistics released in March 2003 show a 35 percent rise in crimes in public areas, specifically the theater districts in San Rafael, Perisur and Plaza Universidad.Crime against travelers has risen dramatically since 1998. Most incidents reported by travelers are petty crimes, such as theft, but travelers are still at risk for violent crime. Many petty crimes are committed by criminals brandishing weapons. If confronted by an armed assailant, surrender valuables without hesitation to avoid harm. Many crimes are committed during the day and in front of witnesses. U.S. and Canadian passports are sought by many thieves. ATM users are often robbed or targeted for kidnapping. Use ATMs that are located inside well-populated hotels or banks and restrict use to daylight hours.
Police: Police may be corrupt in Mexico City.
Many Mexico City police officers are corrupt and are sometimes involved in perpetrating crimes. The police in Mexico City are routinely involved in bribery, extortion and other crimes. Street officers will pay off their superiors to be assigned at busy intersections where they charge to overlook violations, many of which are bogus. Mexico City officers target travelers by stopping them for an identification check and then soliciting a bribe. Police officers in Mexico City are not authorized to stop and verify identification. In an effort to limit such corruption, the government has replaced many of its officers with soldiers who are posted in six-month rotations. The police station at Ave. Florencia #20, located in Zona Rosa near the U.S. Embassy, is set up specifically to assist travelers. Many of the officers and aides at this station speak English.
Property Security: Hotels Security and theft prevention in Mexico City.
There is a wide range in class of hotels throughout Mexico City, with some having better security for travelers.In the Polanco district the J.W. Marriott, Presidente Inter-Continental and Nikko Mexico are all located near the Bosque de Chapultepec Park and have a shared security program including plainclothes officers who patrol the hotels and surrounding streets.
Transportation Security:
Pirate taxis represent a threat of robbery in Mexico City; women are frequently targeted.
Taxis are safer than local buses, but threats exist for travelers, particularly women, who use taxis in Mexico City. Passengers are sometimes robbed by drivers and accomplices in pirate (unofficial) taxis. According to Mexico government statistics for 2000, more than 2,100 travelers reported being robbed when using taxis in Mexico City. Most of these victims used unregistered pirate taxis hailed from the street. Many of the pirate taxis are Volkswagen Beetles that are painted green and white or yellow and white to look like legal taxis. Travelers in Mexico City should only use radio- or telephone-dispatched taxis or taxis requested from taxi stands (sitios). Ask for the driver's name and license plate number so you are able to verify that you are using a registered taxi. Before entering a taxi, check to see that the license plate number is the same as the number on the side of the vehicle, that the driver's permit is in plain view and that the picture resembles the actual driver. Before the trip starts in a metered taxi, ensure the driver resets the meter and that it is running.Pirate taxis can be further identified by their license plate numbers. Any street taxi with a number higher than L96645, or stand taxi higher than S09997 is a pirate taxi. Do not get in such taxis. Also avoid taxis with license plates with numbers painted on by hand. The more trustworthy taxis can be reached by calling Servi Taxis at 5-516-6020 or Radio-Taxis at 5-566-0077. Other reliable taxis can be hired by calling 566-0077, 272-6152, 271-9146 or 271-9058.
Scams: Petty Theft
Travelers have been victimized by criminals disguised as Mexican police or other officials. The "officers" will demand to see currency, claiming to be investigating counterfeiting. If you are approached, do not hand over any personal possessions; ask to see identification. Let the perpetrators know you will not give them anything unless you are taken to a police station where the transaction can take place in front of witnesses. If second-guessed, most criminals will leave the scene. The most common and successful scam in Mexico involves the spraying or squirting of a substance on victims' clothing or belongings, followed by a theft. The sprayed substance can be as seemingly innocuous as tomato sauce, mayonnaise or mustard. In other cases, it can be a combination of offensive smelling liquids, oils or gels. When travelers are distracted or accept help from a "bystander," thieves steal unprotected bags, purses, briefcases, backpacks or suitcases. Some are even so brazen as to steal wallets and jewelry. Do not attempt to clean personal items on the street and do not ask for assistance from nearby strangers. Enter a reputable hotel, restaurant or tourist facility to clean up.Mexico's cities contain thousands of homeless children; many of them commit criminal acts. One ploy is for a group of children to crowd around travelers and beg for money while an accomplice picks the pockets of the distracted traveler. If you are approached by a group of children, keep walking and remain aware of your belongings.The restaurant industry in Mexico acknowledges that organized crime has infiltrated the industry, providing unscrupulous waiters with small credit-card cloning machines that can be used to copy the information recorded on a card, allowing unauthorized charges to be made. The problem has been reported in the states of Mexico, Morelos, Jalisco and Quintana Roo and the cities of Acapulco, Cancun and Guadalajara.To avoid the problem, use cash or traveler's checks in restaurants whenever it is convenient to do so. Alternately, do not allow restaurant staff to leave your sight while carrying your credit card. The restaurant's card reader at the cash register is likely to be legitimate, but do not allow restaurant staff to swipe a different machine. Always request receipts and compare them with your monthly credit card statements.
Sunday, October 23, 2005
Fair
Today, took a break from con calls (altho a few slipped in, due to monitoring of mock run...).. and brought my son to the fun fair that just only last nite was set up next to 1 Utama. Excellent fun.. I was quite impressed with the fair - had ferris wheel, mini roller coaster (which I got stuck in trying to get out, cause it was more for kids...), all manners of twisting, flinging, fly in the air and turn up side down attractions...
Adults - RM3 to get in, children RM1. Tokens are RM2 each and each ride on average takes 2 tokes (RM4).
There were also those "rigged" games. There's one where my kid wanted to play.. there was this pool filled with rubber ducklings. You fish them out using a net, and turn them upside down to see what you get. The poster boasted "Semua mesti menang!". I stretched over and turned at least 10 ducklings over in random.. none had any prizes!
Adults - RM3 to get in, children RM1. Tokens are RM2 each and each ride on average takes 2 tokes (RM4).
There were also those "rigged" games. There's one where my kid wanted to play.. there was this pool filled with rubber ducklings. You fish them out using a net, and turn them upside down to see what you get. The poster boasted "Semua mesti menang!". I stretched over and turned at least 10 ducklings over in random.. none had any prizes!
Saturday, October 22, 2005
ID
i just finished another slew of con calls.. it's 2am in the morning! And I have another one at 6am. Damn.
Anyway, Korea's doing some mock runs, and there's some trouble, hence the 2am call...
The funny thing today was, I noticed some funny email ids in this organisation.
One of the top Korean fellas has an id called "hyucks"!
And, there's another guy with the email id "Wankhede".. Hilarious!
Anyway, Korea's doing some mock runs, and there's some trouble, hence the 2am call...
The funny thing today was, I noticed some funny email ids in this organisation.
One of the top Korean fellas has an id called "hyucks"!
And, there's another guy with the email id "Wankhede".. Hilarious!
Friday, October 21, 2005
Home
ya ya.. i know i know.. slack in updating blog, ya?
Well.. a few things has happened since my last blog.
Firstly, I found out that the portal project that I was chasing before I left, sounds like we're No. 2. Yup.. another Indian vendor put in apparently a cheaper bid and the client is seriously considering them. I'm like... but why did the client then emphasize more on change management during our earlier rounds? Sigh.. price talks.. that's the problem with being a big consulting firm.. our pricing sometimes shafts ourselves up the place where the sun don't shine.
Enough about that...
My son lately has been on a Sponge Bob binge. I recently downloaded the entire first season of Sponge Bob and my son has been devouring that like a rabid dog. He now goes about the house saying
"Tar tar sauce!"
"Holy Fish cakes!"
Working from home has its advantages... firstly, I save a lot on petrol. I noticed that I have not pumped gas into my car for more than a week! Yay!
I also save on washing detergent.. somehow, the amount of laundry I do every day has gotten less... no long pants to wash, no business shirt to wash.. no underwear to wash...
That also means I have less ironing to do! Yaay!
On the downsides, the amount of facial hair I have has triplicated. Gosh.. I haven't shaved since... damn.. since I got back from Brazil! That's a good 1 week plus ago!
The wife sometimes expects me to do a lot of housework.. damn... "wash the toilet", "wash the bathroom", "wash the car"... ho hum...
The worst thing, the neighbours are starting to circulate rumours that I've been retrenched. Dammit... you know lah.. all these good for nothing, Cantonese serial watching, bitchy, tai-tais... the ones that drive Toyota Harriers... well, can't win em all...
Well.. a few things has happened since my last blog.
Firstly, I found out that the portal project that I was chasing before I left, sounds like we're No. 2. Yup.. another Indian vendor put in apparently a cheaper bid and the client is seriously considering them. I'm like... but why did the client then emphasize more on change management during our earlier rounds? Sigh.. price talks.. that's the problem with being a big consulting firm.. our pricing sometimes shafts ourselves up the place where the sun don't shine.
Enough about that...
My son lately has been on a Sponge Bob binge. I recently downloaded the entire first season of Sponge Bob and my son has been devouring that like a rabid dog. He now goes about the house saying
"Tar tar sauce!"
"Holy Fish cakes!"
Working from home has its advantages... firstly, I save a lot on petrol. I noticed that I have not pumped gas into my car for more than a week! Yay!
I also save on washing detergent.. somehow, the amount of laundry I do every day has gotten less... no long pants to wash, no business shirt to wash.. no underwear to wash...
That also means I have less ironing to do! Yaay!
On the downsides, the amount of facial hair I have has triplicated. Gosh.. I haven't shaved since... damn.. since I got back from Brazil! That's a good 1 week plus ago!
The wife sometimes expects me to do a lot of housework.. damn... "wash the toilet", "wash the bathroom", "wash the car"... ho hum...
The worst thing, the neighbours are starting to circulate rumours that I've been retrenched. Dammit... you know lah.. all these good for nothing, Cantonese serial watching, bitchy, tai-tais... the ones that drive Toyota Harriers... well, can't win em all...
Sunday, October 16, 2005
Teruk
Phew.. u guys must be complaining.. dulu updates almost every day... sekarang.. lepak aje...
I'm starting to get to grips with my work.
I run the Enterprise Services Delivery Group, with about 2 project managers working under me, and possibly a 3rd one.. this 3rd one is the CIO of one of the affiliates which had its presence shut down. Ya.. what a challenge, managing this dude. More on that in a later posting.
On the good side of things, one of my managers is an ex-manager from my old firm. So he's quite clued in on the finer art of project manager. My other one, is someone based out of the continent south of a recent earthquake. Yes.. you can see where my troubles begin. This guy, damn keng chow when he talks to you. He's like god's gift when you hear him in action. But once u start drilling down, koyak!
Like his last status update. Niama.. he sent 2 documents.. one in excel with the project milestones, one in word. The excel file had some tasks clearly labelled "delayed". His word document had the team as "On schedule". I'm like.. what the...
Then in the issues section, there was this one classic issue which read "The XXX vendor needs to resolve 2 outstanding issues". I'm like.. hello.. that's not the way to report issues? Where are the 2 bloody issue details?
Then I get this Integration test status report coming out of that place. One slide 2, it showed 8 open defects. On slide 7, it says 16 open defects. And there are no details on how many total scenarios, how many executed, how many pending etc etc...
Shit man.. all these are basic shit...
I'm starting to get to grips with my work.
I run the Enterprise Services Delivery Group, with about 2 project managers working under me, and possibly a 3rd one.. this 3rd one is the CIO of one of the affiliates which had its presence shut down. Ya.. what a challenge, managing this dude. More on that in a later posting.
On the good side of things, one of my managers is an ex-manager from my old firm. So he's quite clued in on the finer art of project manager. My other one, is someone based out of the continent south of a recent earthquake. Yes.. you can see where my troubles begin. This guy, damn keng chow when he talks to you. He's like god's gift when you hear him in action. But once u start drilling down, koyak!
Like his last status update. Niama.. he sent 2 documents.. one in excel with the project milestones, one in word. The excel file had some tasks clearly labelled "delayed". His word document had the team as "On schedule". I'm like.. what the...
Then in the issues section, there was this one classic issue which read "The XXX vendor needs to resolve 2 outstanding issues". I'm like.. hello.. that's not the way to report issues? Where are the 2 bloody issue details?
Then I get this Integration test status report coming out of that place. One slide 2, it showed 8 open defects. On slide 7, it says 16 open defects. And there are no details on how many total scenarios, how many executed, how many pending etc etc...
Shit man.. all these are basic shit...
Thursday, October 13, 2005
Grunt
Got back from Sao Paolo almost 30 hours ago and it's been not stop since!
Today was hectic. A con call at 630pm, 8pm and 10pm! When will it ever stop? My best friend is now my cordless phone and the best function it has is the mute function. This organisation is hell.. but I'm learning, and I'm having fun.
slightly more than a week from now, it's a trip to Mexico.
You can now imagine my lifestyle!
No more time for Championship Manager!
Today was hectic. A con call at 630pm, 8pm and 10pm! When will it ever stop? My best friend is now my cordless phone and the best function it has is the mute function. This organisation is hell.. but I'm learning, and I'm having fun.
slightly more than a week from now, it's a trip to Mexico.
You can now imagine my lifestyle!
No more time for Championship Manager!
Sunday, October 09, 2005
Differences
man... being in a user organisation is really very different from being in consulting.
Yes.. given that consulting gives u the client pressures, the deadlines etc, but I'm only on my first week here and I'm feeling the heat.
Firstly, I head up a global position. So, with this, I'm already one up from my previous job. I have to deal with a lot of corporate bigwigs in New York and it's already very daunting. Most of those suit wearing pencil pushers just wanna taichi things to you and be done with their responsibilities.
Secondly, in a user organisation, every god damn project falls onto your lap. So, how to tahan? In a consulting organisation, I handle 1 or 2 projects and most of these, we can drill down to the finest detail. Because in a user organisation there are so many projecst, I really cannot drill down to so much details and I have to rely on my mah chais...
3rdly, it's the political shit being thrown around. This guy is aligned with whom, this guy hates who, etc etc... tricky.
And I thought I could use this week as a honeymoon...
Yes.. given that consulting gives u the client pressures, the deadlines etc, but I'm only on my first week here and I'm feeling the heat.
Firstly, I head up a global position. So, with this, I'm already one up from my previous job. I have to deal with a lot of corporate bigwigs in New York and it's already very daunting. Most of those suit wearing pencil pushers just wanna taichi things to you and be done with their responsibilities.
Secondly, in a user organisation, every god damn project falls onto your lap. So, how to tahan? In a consulting organisation, I handle 1 or 2 projects and most of these, we can drill down to the finest detail. Because in a user organisation there are so many projecst, I really cannot drill down to so much details and I have to rely on my mah chais...
3rdly, it's the political shit being thrown around. This guy is aligned with whom, this guy hates who, etc etc... tricky.
And I thought I could use this week as a honeymoon...
Thursday, October 06, 2005
Crash
Wah lao... yesterday, jet lag crashed in quite terribly around 4pm. Just felt so.... sleepy.. even all the way thru dinner, I tak boleh tahan oready... so I crashed out around 10pm, but I'm up again at 2am doing some work.
Damn.. hope it doesn't happen again tomorrow.
But yesterday was interesting. The office was close to the hotel, but one of the guys said that he was advised not to walk, and all laptops should be dumped into the the car boot. Huh? Then we were inundiated with more scare stories of how guys in black jackets and motorcycles will pull up along side you and snatch your laptop bags etc.. scary..
so we took the cab...
Damn.. hope it doesn't happen again tomorrow.
But yesterday was interesting. The office was close to the hotel, but one of the guys said that he was advised not to walk, and all laptops should be dumped into the the car boot. Huh? Then we were inundiated with more scare stories of how guys in black jackets and motorcycles will pull up along side you and snatch your laptop bags etc.. scary..
so we took the cab...
Wednesday, October 05, 2005
Sao Paolo
Touched down in Sao Paolo roughly 10pm last nite. Early impressions of Sao Paolo? Well, the drive towards the hotel which took 30 minutes, the roeads seem a lot like US roads. But the driver himself can be mistaken for a Jakarta driver. Man, the way he handled the bus was like a seasoned Kijang driver in Jakarta!
Jet leg started to kick in. Slept at 2am. But woke up at 5am! Niama! Felt like an afternoon nap.. maybe because it was the afternoon in KL.
Damn, it's gonna be a long day...
Jet leg started to kick in. Slept at 2am. But woke up at 5am! Niama! Felt like an afternoon nap.. maybe because it was the afternoon in KL.
Damn, it's gonna be a long day...
Amsterdam
The flight was brutal. 12 hours and worst still, the audio system was not working so there was no sound coming out for the movies! Niama! I was looking forward to watching Jessica Alba in Fantastic Four (but when it's Jessica Alba, maybe sound is not required... but since she's the Invisible Girl, maybe there's nothing much to watch..."
So I touched down in Amsterdam around 530am Amsterdam time, 1130am KL time.. and I have time to kill till 155pm Amsterdamn (no pun intended). Damn....
So I touched down in Amsterdam around 530am Amsterdam time, 1130am KL time.. and I have time to kill till 155pm Amsterdamn (no pun intended). Damn....
Tuesday, October 04, 2005
Two
... hours to go before my cab arrives for KLIA. Taking the 11.10 flight to Sao Paolo, transitting in Amsterdam. A killer flight.. 12.5 hours to Amsterdam, then transit for 7 hours (ayooo!) then another 12 hours to Sao Paolo.
I'm getting ready for this grueling trip. My companions are
- the latest SD Times readings (www.sdtimes.com)
- a fully loaded Championship Manager laptop
- 9 DVDs of Lost, Season 1
I wonder if the dutch stewardesses are cute...
I'm getting ready for this grueling trip. My companions are
- the latest SD Times readings (www.sdtimes.com)
- a fully loaded Championship Manager laptop
- 9 DVDs of Lost, Season 1
I wonder if the dutch stewardesses are cute...
Omelette
I had a funny yahoo conversation with one of my ex endearing analysts.
She had this yahoo status : "tan egg yolk joined XXX".
This was the conversation...
karipap: who is tan egg yolk?
bamliew : oooh an avarnade dude who joined XXX
bamliew : saw him just now
karipap: no shit
bamliew : dunno u know him or not
bamliew : philliip tan
karipap: i know his sister
karipap: Ong Meh Let
bamliew : huh?
bamliew : should have same surname right?
karipap: adopted sister...
bamliew : ooooh, icic
:))
She had this yahoo status : "tan egg yolk joined XXX".
This was the conversation...
karipap: who is tan egg yolk?
bamliew : oooh an avarnade dude who joined XXX
bamliew : saw him just now
karipap: no shit
bamliew : dunno u know him or not
bamliew : philliip tan
karipap: i know his sister
karipap: Ong Meh Let
bamliew : huh?
bamliew : should have same surname right?
karipap: adopted sister...
bamliew : ooooh, icic
:))
Monday, October 03, 2005
List
I heard that the partner who ran my last successful job wanted to "buy me a gift". It's because our last job with one of the largest banks clocked up almost RM800K of write up. Write up is a case where you have "reserves" left after executing a project.. and typicall, the partners or managers don't officially submit a "writeup" because then the money is gone. Sneakily, we typically keep it to fund the next business development activity or others...
So I thought I'd better make a list of items I could wish for, in decreasing order of cost (in case he "cannot afford it")
1. BMW 3 Series. http://www.bmw.com.my/products/3sedan.htm
2. Nissan X-Trail. http://www.nissan.com.my/vehicles/xtrail/specifications_25_luxury.html
3. Toyota Altis. http://www.altis.com.my/index.cfm?fuseaction=Content.Default
4. 50 inch Sony Plasma TV. http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1076584&CatId=388
5. Tag Heuer Aquaracer 3000 http://www.tagheuer.com/watches/detail.lbl?watch=CAF2110.BA0809&search=s:3;t:2;i:1;m:1,5;d:10,90,30;b:1,4;F:0;T:6;C:b;
6. Rainbow Vacuum Cleaner. http://www.thevacuumcenter.com/rainbow-vacuum-e-series.shtml
7. Roomba Robitic Vacuum Cleaner. http://www.sharperimage.com/us/en/catalog/product/pcatid__21/catid__21/sku__IR111
8. Sony DVD Handycam recorder. http://www.sonystyle.com/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/eCS/Store/en/-/USD/SY_DisplayProductInformation-Start?ProductSKU=DCRDVD403&Dept=cameras&CategoryName=dcc_DICamcorders_DVDHandycamCamcorders
9. Nokia 6680 3G Phone http://www.nokia.com.my/nokia/0,,71616,00.html
10. iPod Photo 60G. http://www.apple.com/ipod/color/
11. iPod Nano 4G. http://www.apple.com/ipodnano/
12. Sony Playstation 2. http://www.us.playstation.com/consoles.aspx?id=3
13. Macross scale model of Roy Foker's Valkyrie VF-1S http://www.tisinc99.com/mavfvafiroyf.html
.. I'm not done yet with the list... but i heard my gift will come from the bottom of the list so i gotta keep cracking...
So I thought I'd better make a list of items I could wish for, in decreasing order of cost (in case he "cannot afford it")
1. BMW 3 Series. http://www.bmw.com.my/products/3sedan.htm
2. Nissan X-Trail. http://www.nissan.com.my/vehicles/xtrail/specifications_25_luxury.html
3. Toyota Altis. http://www.altis.com.my/index.cfm?fuseaction=Content.Default
4. 50 inch Sony Plasma TV. http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1076584&CatId=388
5. Tag Heuer Aquaracer 3000 http://www.tagheuer.com/watches/detail.lbl?watch=CAF2110.BA0809&search=s:3;t:2;i:1;m:1,5;d:10,90,30;b:1,4;F:0;T:6;C:b;
6. Rainbow Vacuum Cleaner. http://www.thevacuumcenter.com/rainbow-vacuum-e-series.shtml
7. Roomba Robitic Vacuum Cleaner. http://www.sharperimage.com/us/en/catalog/product/pcatid__21/catid__21/sku__IR111
8. Sony DVD Handycam recorder. http://www.sonystyle.com/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/eCS/Store/en/-/USD/SY_DisplayProductInformation-Start?ProductSKU=DCRDVD403&Dept=cameras&CategoryName=dcc_DICamcorders_DVDHandycamCamcorders
9. Nokia 6680 3G Phone http://www.nokia.com.my/nokia/0,,71616,00.html
10. iPod Photo 60G. http://www.apple.com/ipod/color/
11. iPod Nano 4G. http://www.apple.com/ipodnano/
12. Sony Playstation 2. http://www.us.playstation.com/consoles.aspx?id=3
13. Macross scale model of Roy Foker's Valkyrie VF-1S http://www.tisinc99.com/mavfvafiroyf.html
.. I'm not done yet with the list... but i heard my gift will come from the bottom of the list so i gotta keep cracking...
Sunday, October 02, 2005
U
That was the restaurant that we went for my farewell last nite.
That could also be the type of turn I make if we sell the portal project. I got an SMS today from the partner chasing that piece of work and he said that "heard the 3 letter acronym has been kicked out and we're neck to neck with the other party. Inside sentiment is our firm has gotten a lot.."
What that means is we have been winning quite a few projects in that bank recently.. so, the bank ppl are talking .. could be a good thing.. could be bad...
That could also be the type of turn I make if we sell the portal project. I got an SMS today from the partner chasing that piece of work and he said that "heard the 3 letter acronym has been kicked out and we're neck to neck with the other party. Inside sentiment is our firm has gotten a lot.."
What that means is we have been winning quite a few projects in that bank recently.. so, the bank ppl are talking .. could be a good thing.. could be bad...
Saturday, October 01, 2005
End
Never walked so much for a long time.. went to Menara Tan & Tan in the morning to do up my Mexican visa (2nd trip - because first time, my photo was the wrong size...), then the lady says "you must go and pay for this at Citibank". I'm like.. Niama.. why did they not mention this in the first place..
so there I went, backpack and all, huffing and puffing to Citibank, made a payment, thereafter walked back to Tan & Tan.. then walk back to the LRT.. man.. tough...
But at nite, I had a nice farewell dinner with some of the nicest people I have worked with. We joked a lot, all centered around body parts, double meanings and sex.. I will miss all that ...
but i have the biggest suspicion that I will be back... time will tell...
so there I went, backpack and all, huffing and puffing to Citibank, made a payment, thereafter walked back to Tan & Tan.. then walk back to the LRT.. man.. tough...
But at nite, I had a nice farewell dinner with some of the nicest people I have worked with. We joked a lot, all centered around body parts, double meanings and sex.. I will miss all that ...
but i have the biggest suspicion that I will be back... time will tell...
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