Tuber Warts...

Start-ups are such pains!!! More so if from Ground Zero.

Boss in Jail, may be a blessing in disguise after all. Well, that's what I like to think =D.

Given a month's worth of rotting time, to measure every inch of space I have in the house. As the Cantonese called it leong tei kun (Floor Measuring Officer), meaning a person with nothing much to do.

With so much time on my hands, went to a book sale and came back with a self-help book. Rather out of character!! I was always likened to a PIG, seeing that my favourite pastime is eating and sleeping. Helping myself is the last thing on my mind, so to say.

I use to think as well, when I see people reading self helps: "How BORING!!!". Nothing beats a good thick captivating storybook, filled with Magic, Mystical Creatures, Mystery, Politics, Romance, all set in a foreign imaginary land.

Maybe too bored! I guess a switch turned on. Or fused. Or short circuited. Whichever you like.

Now I turned that imagination to another angle, to the money-making angle. MUAHAHAHA!!! *Evil Laugh* *Turns Red* *Grow Horns* *Fork in Hand* (Money is the root of all evil!!!)

But to reach The Root of Evil is so so hard......

It feels like a video game. I have to cross a Huge River to the pot of gold on the other bank. To get across I have to jump from stone to stone. Some big, some small, some will sink and some are steady. No map, no clue. Might have crocs in the waters.

I jump on the first stone... I'm so GOOD! I picked the right one! But every time the euphoria is short lived, because you have to go on to choose the next stone. You wait, you see. I think I will choose the small stone, fits my small feet. The big stones have easier footing but with moss, I have slippery shoes.

Then I chose one that sunk. As I sloshed in the mud, I thought of turning back when the shore behind me is still close. But then my feet hit solid ground! Enough to climb back up on a stone.

What a game!!!

Posted by SzeSin at 11:41 PM | Permalink | Comments

This video is a marketing talk by Professor Barry Schwartz by Google's invitation. The video is too long, I will break it down and write in parts. This is the so called "Good Enough" theory that Vinh is always talking about, and most people do not understand the beauty of it.

Choices are good. More choices are even better. Right? WRONG!

Why???

The general assumption in society:
More Freedom is more Welfare.
More Freedom is more Choice.
Therefore, more Choice = more Welfare

This is so deep rooted in us that it is very hard to imagine that this is FALSE.

"BUT we are a Progressing society!", you say. True.
Where there were options, there are MORE options now.
Where there were NO options, there are significant options now.

Consumer Goods
There use to be only a few brands of cereal. NOW there are at least 30 brands and types of cereal to choose from in the supermarket. Low fat, High Fibre, Low Cholesterol, Low GI, Extra Crunchy, Wafer-like, Berry/Tropical/Chocolate flavoured...and the list goes on.

Phones
There use to be only ONE phone company, even your house phone is given by that company, no choice whatsoever. NOW you go into a handphone store and ask "Do you have a phone that is just a phone?". The answer is "No".

These choices are placing enormous burdens of decision-making, consequential and inconsequential, on consumers.

Medicare
Back then, doctors tell you what to do. NOW the practice of medical ethics focus on "Patient Autonomy". Meaning?
Doc: These are the pros and cons of surgery and chemotherapy. You choose."
You: What should I do?
Doc: I already told you the pros and cons.
You: But what if you were me? What would you do?
Doc: But I am not you.

Beauty
There is no part of your body that cannot be altered, take the fat from undesirable places and inject it into desirable places. (How I wish nature had done that for me) Plastic surgery used to be taboo, but NOW it is nothing to be ashamed of. How you look is a matter of choice.
What are the consequences?
If you are ugly, then it is your fault.

Work
With technology advancements, it is possible to work anytime anywhere. Handphone on one hip, Blackberry on the other and Laptop on your lap, watching your son's soccer game. *Maybe I should return that call, answer the email, or draft that letter* Even if you said "No, this is my free time", but you were thinking of saying "Yes". It means you have a decision to make, basically every 30 seconds, if the game continues to be a bore.

Family
In older times, there was a default: get married as soon as you can, after that start a family as soon as you can. The ONLY question is Who?
NOW, get married? Or not? Soon or late? Whether to have kids? Soon or late? The choice is taken for granted. There is no default.

People have to make a lot of NON-DECISIONS compared to last time. They spend a lot more time thinking about it, and less time to do their work. Reading journal articles is not a matter of life and death, but making a wrong decision with your romantic life might be.

You can even reinvent your Identity.

Who do you want to be today?
*cue Lord of the Rings background music*

~We will discuss later what too many choices can do to you.~

Posted by SzeSin at 4:23 PM | Permalink | Comments

The topic of JOB/CAREER is unavoidable, in every yumcha session with friends. Most of us had joined the onslaught of noobies fresh graduates, that takes the market by storm every year.

Discussing over Tiger beer (beer here sarks btw), the subject of reaping MAXimum benefit from each other's profession came up. Tsk tsk...how China Man.

So, a list of the Most Useful People To Have Around is warranted, to make your increasingly difficult life (trust me, it is only going to get harder) a lil' easier to live.


10. Travel Agent

Cheap travel deals...if it's your friend they won't cheat you (Disclaimer: No Guarantees!). On business trips, with a some advice, you can combine business and pleasure leisure.

9. IT Geek

When the computer starts smoking, this is the 911 number to call. It will save you ambulance and medical fees to the Machine Hospital. Also prevents you from giving extra profit to Low Yat traders. This is especially true for people like me, who would be very likely to ask the "where can I find the ANY key?" question.

8. Mechanic

For majority of the male species, this is the Plastic Surgeon of their "wife/girlfriend/baby/car". For majority of the female species, this friend is better than AAM (the tow-truck company).

7. Construction Expert

Mr. Home Improvement (comes with a costume too) coming to the Rescue!!! Prevents collapsing houses, cracking cement, peeling walls, leaking roofs, bursting pipes, termites invasion and cheating renovators. Most importantly your house won't look like a house painted with Paint X in a Nippon Paints' advert.

6. Real Estate Agent

Property on sale, anyone?
This week is Rent-an-Apartment week.

5. Insurance Agent

You: "I need to claim my insurance money. I just totalled my car."
Friend: "No no no...if you say that, you will never get any money. I'll teach you how..."

Good people...they will teach you how to Cheat Their Own Boss.

4. Accountant

Not a likable lot to most people. However, as the saying goes, The Enemy of my Enemy is my Friend. And here the common enemy is the Government. Tax Evasion, keep the $$$ you earn in your own pockets.

3. Investment Banker

Also known as "The Free Lunch Man" (or woman, depending). A few tips, an increase in your bank account, and you buy this person lunch.

2. Lawyer

In this case (no pun intended), the tongue IS mightier than the sword.

1. Doctor

When having various symptoms of pain, headache, nose bleed, ulcers, gastric, water retention, lack of appetite, weight gain/lost, late periods, constipation, erectile dysfunction, etc., feel free to call the toll-free number to obtain advice and home remedies.

Based on what you have searched up on the Net, this person will most probably try to convince you that you DO NOT have CANCER.

Posted by SzeSin at 12:35 AM | Permalink | Comments

Posted by SzeSin at 12:55 AM | Permalink | Comments

This story deserves a separate entry by itself.

How many of us on their First Day of work get to take a week or maybe 2 weeks off because their BoSs went to Jail???

HAHAHA...MOI did!

The reaction I got from everyone were all similar.
~OMGWTFBBQ.
~Do you still have a job?
~Is the company legal?
~You working for a Criminal!

Relax...BoSs just went to Indon to close a deal, got detained because of work permit problems. Apparently some guy who bought his "education" came up with an idea, that a social visa does not entitle you to visit business premises UNLESS you have a work permit.

Gave me a fright! Was suppose to give signed offer letter personally to BoSs last Monday. I couldn't contact BoSs by mobile. Automated Reply: This number is out of service. So I assumed he was still outstation. Asked receptionist to hand in for me.

This morning, I found out that BoSs did not come in at all for 2 weeks. Which means my offer letter is still sitting somewhere! I was thinking Sh**T...do I still have the job? I've rejected all other offers. DAMN!

Luckily BoSs's Partner came in. Explained the situation. Phew! I still get to keep my job...and saw my table too.

Ah well...more bumming for me...I hope I'm still gettin' paid though!

Posted by SzeSin at 11:39 PM | Permalink | Comments

Wheeheee...

New Year New Template New Outlook New Job

I have this insane URGE to blog now, 10 entries in a row (I might just attempt it).

After an absence of half a year. Welcome Back ME!!!

New Year a bit the late, I know. This Magic Pen template so preeeeety, nothing Tuber-Warty bout it. Graduated and finished job hunting. FINALLY!!!

I am such a hangat-hangat tahi ayam (hot-hot chicken poo) person. When I have the URGE to do something or implement an idea, I gotta do it NOW. That's not true for toilet businesses, luckily.

After a day or two...will become...three and four...five...six......what again? Did I really want to do that so bad? Nah...I got better things to do like lan chong (rolling around on my bed).

Someone should take note! When I'm feeling "naughty" you'd better come running then. HAHAHA...

Posted by SzeSin at 11:06 PM | Permalink | Comments

Oh NOOOO....I've misplaced my ski pictures....damn it.

It's old news to be blogging about ski trip now...so long ago and so many things has happened since.

I cannot blog any pictures now BECAUSE my boyfriend who had recently acquired a MACBOOK into his collection of geek gadgets had MAX OUT our Internet download with Mac software.

BRAVO!!! So now I'm functioning now at 64KB/sec ... ... ... -_-"

Now... This is a list of things that happened which you can read else where...

FOUR WHEEL DRIVE
in the AUSTRALIAN BUSH
& SOUTH COAST DRIVE
DestroyerLing's Entry: Seriously funny pictures click here


The Residence INFUSION Carnival
BeatRice's Entry: Lip-smacking yummy pictures click here

BEATRICE and KEERAN's BIRTHDAY BARBEQUE
No one has blogged this yet.

Sneak preview....

Posted by SzeSin at 9:36 PM | Permalink | Comments

Was reading a Liu Yong book, title loosely translated as "Love's Code".

In a particular short story, he recalled a documentary that he watched about Anne Frank's diary.

Anne, her mother and sister died in a Nazi concentration camp. Her father survived, and her diary was translated into 55 languages in the world.

The program interviewed Otto Frank:

"Frankly, I rarely spoke to my daughter, until I read her diary, only did I understood her. To date, there are thousands of young people writing to me, telling me how touched they were by Anne."

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This story reminded me of when....

We were chatting during dinner shortly after Rosline passed away, and we were sharing funny stories about her. Mango who was in Italy posted a lot of videos of her. BeatRice told us that during her driving test: She had her seat belt on and everything was ready. The instructor told her:"Keluar." And instead of moving the car out of the lane, she unbuckled and got out of the car.

How we laugh at that.

Then Vinh said, "If only her parents knew, that people and friends all around the world were talking and sharing her life stories..."

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Many people obsess about trivial and material things in life, and forget about the things most important to them. Until the day, they are lost, separated, or gone forever, then the hurt of realization comes too late.

Posted by SzeSin at 2:05 PM | Permalink | Comments