More people leaving

today I was in my old firm's office and I found out that many of my colleagues were leaving the firm. I felt sad that some of my close friends are leaving, mostly senior managers, to join a global bank's IT arm...

First, there is my good friend who went to Uni of NSW and studied together with me. I did Computer Engineering, he did a double degree in Elec Eng and Comp Science (he likes pain). He's now with the CRM group. Decided to tender a few weeks ago because he felt like he was treated like shit.

Then there's another good friend. Damn keng chow in Insurance functional knowledge. But like me, he is all solid content, no sweet mouth, cannot sell for god's sake. So, in the firm's model, sell or be shipped out. He finally decided that it was time to cut all losses. Man, this guy can calculate the cash value of a decreasing sum assured unit linked product that has undergone a partial reversal due to a bounced cheque. Keng!

Then finally, another dude. Haven't really worked with him, but he's solid. Last year tendered, was coaxed to retract, then had to go down to Singapore for a banking job, but I think he cannot tahan the politics there due to all the ang moh getting all the glory.

Sigh... so sad... the firm has truly changed once it IPO-ed... :(

KNN

Today I went to the Mexico embassy again. I'm like, WTF, KNNECCB, just my luck, when I arrived there, there was a mutha f*cking fire drill. I'm like.. what the..

I tried heading to the 22nd floor, the Indian receptionist said "tak boleh naik" (I sure can naik!). "Fire drill".

I'm like, kaninah man..

Then I spotted the embassy folks and I had to put on my sweetest smile...

"Hola! What time will this end?"

The freaking Mexican woman said 12pm!

KNN!

Luckily by 1040am, it was all over. Wah lao eh.. I was wondering whether the gods were not smiling on me.. everytime I go to the Mexico embassy, shit happens!

Disney part 2

Some of you have asked, eh.. real ar the wait times. Here's photographic evidence!


Anyway, there's a trick to HK Disneyland. Some rides have this concept of a "Fast Path". Kinda like the Amazing Race where u can zoom to the finish line quick.. this FastPath allows u to get some times booked for some rides/ events. So, the trick is once Disney opens, run in and get 2 or 3 Fast Paths (there's more, but they control.. u can only get max 2 or 3.. nahia).

Then you can lesuirely do other stuff (still more waiting) but at least u have a fastrack thru some events.

Today, I encountered one Chinese dude, nahia, cut queue at the water station and he had the cheek to make tea (KNNECCB, I shit you not) at the place that we filled up our water bottles! Wah lan eh...

But overall, it's a nice place. Recommended.. with a lot of patience and tolerance!

Disney HK review

Today, I took my son to Disney Hong Kong.

I've heard so much horror stories abt Disney HK.. the queues, the place is small...

Ok, personally, I didn't find the place that small. It's the same size (maybe even a teenie weenie bigger) as Movie World on the Gold Coast. But it's newer obviously than Movie World.

Did I like it? Well, I must say that the rides are ok, some of the attractions are quite nice. I particularly liked Tarzan's Tree House and the Festival of Lion King http://park.hongkongdisneyland.com/hkdl/en_US/parks/listing?name=AdventurelandAttractionListingPage

I also liked the 3D movie at "Mickey's PhilharMagic". http://park.hongkongdisneyland.com/hkdl/en_US/parks/listing?name=FantasylandAttractionListingPage Quite cool, the seats are all fitted with water squirters and during the movie, there are scenes of water thrown at you and it came from the water squirters. And during a magic carpet scene, you could feel the gush of wind as tho you were on the carpet.

But enuff of the good stuff. U just want to see me go ballistic at the bad, rite?

I tell you what's the problem. It's the close proximity to China! Wah lao eh.. you know all these fabled stories of how "ulu" these China folks are? Jialat man.. can you imagine, billions of Chinese fellas lining up for rides. I'm like, the freaking Dumbo ride has an average 90 minute wait! I'm like WTF! And that was the one my son insisted on riding. KNNECCB. 90 minutes man!

Then also these Chinese fellas, all dono how to line up one. You are there, lining up, and this bloody crew cut China fella with the smelly shirt will try to squeeeeeeezzeeeee past you. CB! I nearly head butt this one fella. Small kid also defler wanna over take. I'm like for god's sake, the line is 90mins long, you cut also u reduce 2 mins only. Nahia.

Everywhere, lines, lines, lines. Nahia.. even the water cooler also got to line up. Why? Cause there's this China guy right in front filling his water bottle for himself, his wife, his grandfather, his grand mutha, his grand uncle, his son, his daughter.. Wah lan eh...

Then the souvenir shop.. firstly, damn expensive.. then you got it, more Chinese fellas. Wah lan.

Seriously, man.. if I had the cash, I'd open a Disneyland in JB! Target the Singaporeans and the Indonesians. Indonesia's population also quite large, ya?

Rubber

My son, the champion, is somewhat following in my footsteps in school.

I used to be very talkative, always singled out, always the only fella standing on my desk during a school period...

Just last week, my son was telling me abt how he was asked to come out to the front of the class with his best buddy, because he was showing his friend his new eraser. So his teacher said ..
"you stand here next to the blackboard, then you must rub your rubber hard hard until smoke come out only you can go back and sit down"

Now, it must have been quite funny because how fast lah can a Standard One kid rub an eraser in his hand?

Then his teacher came around and inspect

"Aiya, not hot enuff, lemme show you"

Dono whether wanna laugh or not.. but the thought of this 150 cm kid at the front furiously rubbing his hands together to make his eraser warm is just too hilarious

Your Englund damn guud

Actual email sent from a tech head in the place that I work:

Alice,

Please install Cash desk in SG Prod. As for TD backup and restore, we have newer version. We currently testing it now. The newest version is:

\\mlsgwis12\SS521SP1\Sourcefile\td_backup_restore_Web\1.02

The install is very straightforward. I'll let you on Wednesday to install it or not. I will my documentation updated.

Thanks,

Bad counseling

Last nite, I spent some time counseling an ex colleague who got back stabbed by another colleague in my old company. You see, in my old firm, there's this "banding process" where the managers all "root for" a particular person. So this colleague, let's call her Mayflower, got pissed because one of the managers, let's call him "French Monster" suddenly chose not to support her...

So I sent a note to her "counselor":

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Pole,

I think you need to have a heart to heart talk with Mayflower. She approached me last nite to state her disappointment that French Monster did not support her for a promotion. so she kept asking why, why, why... She also seems very uncomfortable talking to you, her counselor.

What's going on? Are you not providing a patient ear to her concerns? Pls give her your full support. She's a great consultant and I would have her on my team anytime.

Karipap

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And I got back this cock assed response:

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I have spoken to her but she does not want to listen to me…

I agree with u that she is a great consultant and will make a great manager. Have spoken to people who works with her now in SeeEyeEmmBee and they all think that she has what it takes to make it to the next level

I think she has what it takes to be successful in Arthur Consulting. She is disappointed that she is not making this round. Will talk to her again when I am back in KL next.

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I'm like.. WTF? I ask you to talk to her, you say she dowan to listen. Then it's your freaking problem lah! That's why you are her counselor mah! Then say "will talk to her when I am back in KL". CCB! Why must wait? Don't care ar?

I'm so pissed with the attitude of some of the current managers left in my old firm. No "feelings" anymore. So pissed!

Results

I'm now in Korea. 2 days working out the kick off of a massive core system replacement, then on the way back, dropping bye Hong Kong for a steering committee meeting.

Today I called home and I was so surprised to hear that my son, the standard one kid, who "failed" his bahasa getting 41 marks the last time, this time got 85!

He told me.. eh daddy, Harith got 61 only. I'm like "wah... more keng chow than Malay, man...."

then he said "my friend Veenoth got 95!"

You can never win!