Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Working late - for the LAST TIME for consumer PC team!

My last show with my current team. Getting Neptune ready for show&tell was a lot of work! It was so raw - looks like handbuilt by R&D guys in the US. We had missing drives, wrong drivers, missing DMI, the HD-DVD drive came separate...
Of cos being the last minute cocky idiots who never learn, we waited til end Monday to freak out.

Running around in panic state, calling our Taiwan office, bugging our US folks who just flew in for the Summit (thank God for them).

By the time Terence & I packed up our 8 boxes - we were exhausted. Hey a PC weighs 15kg and a monitor about 12kg. Thankfully my new job is with notebooks - they are tiny relative to what I have to heave around today.

Tomorrow the summit starts & the product fair is Friday. Will be up late setting up, fixing and preparing my presentations... Sigh, gonna be a long next 2 days.

Cycling Pulau Ubin

We intended to go last Sunday but it rained... This Sat unfortunately my uncle flew off so he missed this trip. Sigh. He would've liked this.

We took some creaky rental bikes whose gears stick bad - uphills were painful (that's understating it). But seeing how I went with 2 sufferers of "hard-core-itis", I expected a true blue hardcore trip.

We biked hard (my forearms were so sore from grabbing my handlebars in fear as we tore down steep hills that the next day I couldn't cut my passport photos for my Taiwan work permit)...

We climbed hard - eh? Mountain biking where got climbing, not salah, we cycled to a quarry, stashed bikes behind bushes, and dive off the cliffs only to climb back up. Called deep water soloing where if you fall, you crash back into the water. Derek took videos which were a blast. While uploading to YouTube I kept laughing out loud to my monitor.

We teased and laughed at one another... It was very memorable. I will so miss these 2 hardcore sufferers so much *sob*

Friday, June 22, 2007

Mileage

It's been years since I last used the term 'mileage' ;) shows how lazy I've been.

It was a half-marathon mileage over 3 days.

Mon - 5k with Steph thru HP-Hyderabad Rd. Then we pigged out on Korean BBQ. Yummy...

Tue - 7k with Ms HardCore. Then we climbed.

Thu - 9k with Joanne, Derek and Ms HardCore. Then we suppered on yi-mee cooked with a mountain of lard. Gross!

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Hot chick

While showing me his photos on Flickr, Terence saw mine and tot Joanne was a babe...

She was thrilled all nite after I told her...

But the woman still cannot differentiate between Prana & Prada!

So Joanne, this is



PRANA (the cool brand we climbers wear)


The very cool climbing top & pants we bought you for your birthday? Prana!



Prada is the brand of our shoes, handbags, wallets (not including those of us with the Prada accessories from KL's Chinatown.. tsk tsk!)

Absent-mindedness

Some call it blur, I prefer to say absent-minded. Gives the illusion of a mind distracted.. instead of just not having it all together ;)

First I tot I lost my HP access badge. That would've cost me $50 replacement fee. My friends were so nice, they all panic-ed and offered me helpful advice. Ultimate was a colleague who asked me to tell them that I dropped it into toilet, before I flushed...

Found it subsequently after freaking out 1 day in the laundry basket. Blur me dumped both dirty clothes + badge in there.

Next I packed 2 running jerseys and no shorts to go for an evening jog. It gave me an excuse to not have to run with Yingzi (Ms Hard-Core wanted to do laps up and down Mount Faber)... Or I could run in my underwear. No flashing in the Telok Blangah area - Yingzi offered me her running shorts and jogged in surfing bermuda - she looked like some sufer chick all nite.

Last nite, I left my pink and very beautiful Nalgene bottle behind at the coffeeshop after supper. I spent all nite thinking how much i loved it and how some lucky bastard will never treat it as well as I would... *sob* Thanks to God for good friends, Yingzi (again!) picked it up after me and had put it in my car for me.

Conclusion

1. I need to get my act together!

2. God is good! I have good friends!

3. How will I survive Taipei alone?! *wail*

Saturday, June 09, 2007

My body hurts...

Ever since the decision to move to Taipei end July, I've been punishing myself...

Cycle - Vesak Day
Last Thu was a public holiday and I went with Yz, Derek, my 50+ uncle in a small band of 9 gung-ho weekend warrior friends to cycle Penggarang. Intended as my farewell ride - selling my Trek to You Chien - my cousin afterwards. I cycled off fast and knew Yz would follow. She did more, she overtook me. The return was crazier : Yz, Kenny & I drafted each other, pushing one another on. It was absolutely crazy the speeds we were doing despite the strong headwinds. Often cruising 28-30km with the strong headwind.

Of cos we pigged out big time on lobsters and crabs and too much food in general. BURP!

Climb - last weekend
2 days later, over the weekend, we drove up to KL to climb at Camp 5. Yz borrowed her brother's BMW, so we went up in style. We chose to stay close to the climbing gym, in Royale Bintang at the nearby The Curve. Hotel was new and way nicer than KL Plaza Suites. The best part, we found out we could walk back after climbing to our hotel room. Need to trek 15mins thru the mall's carpark, by golf driving range, then voila, hotel!

This is me, during and after...


The next day we chilled, Melvin & family went swimming while the rest of us ventured out to shop around at the Curve. Then stroke of luck, Derek's wife found a spa. Amazingly they had slots for all of us - the Urban Retreat was simply fantastic! I will gush again, their Thai masseurs could work magic, absolutely fanastic!

Thursday 7 Jun

Yz proposed this zany plan. We leave work early for a triathlon of sorts : jog 5k, swim 20 laps and then climb 5 climbs. I was on course and couldn't leave til 5pm, so we dropped the swim. The jog went ok, until the last 800m or so when Derek broke away on a sprint. Tried to chase the man (he claims the last run he did was during reservist 5yrs ago!) but he was way too fast!

Then we climbed.

Now I am sore... and Yz sadly hurt her shoulder badly doing a tough climb. Praying Yz for a speedy recovery, may God heal your shoulder!

Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Taiwan - here I come!

I took the job. Timing was perfect.

Got 2 months to close up everything & pack. Woo...

Friday, May 25, 2007

Decision Time

After some weeks of furious interviewing..

Let's see, I went for,
- numerous rounds (i forget) for WW Product Manager - Entry Level Home PC. Based in Taiwan reporting into Cupertino. I started interviewing in Oct 2006.
- WW Product Manager - Notebooks. Based in Taiwan reporting into Houston. I started interviewing last month.
- Citrix. 1 round. Last week. Came almost immediately after I parked my CV on Monster.com.
- Microsoft, for Product Manager for XBox. Just initial screener call. Same week as Citrix.
- EMC, for Product Manager. Just initial screener call. Early this week

Was offered the WW Product Manager - Notebook role yesterday.

Decision time!

Wednesday, May 16, 2007

The song I have on repeat play

It came up during dinner after one of those climbing sessions. Melvin sang a little of a Hokkien Christian song that had everyone in stitches. He was surprised none of us had heard of Hokkien Christian songs that he cut us a CD with 2 Hokkien songs on it. Ironically, I liked the song in between the 2 Hokkien songs. So did the other gals... Now we hum it all the time...

He Never Sleeps - Don Moen

When you've prayed every prayer that you know how to pray.
Just remember the Lord will hear and the answer is on it's way.
Our God is able.
He is mighty.
He is faithful.
And He never sleeps, He never slumbers.
He never tires of hearing our prayer.
When we are weak He becomes stronger.
So rest in His love and cast all of your cares on Him.

Do you feel that the Lord has forgotten your need.
Just remember that God is always working in ways you cannot see.
Our God is able.
He is mighty.
He is faithful.

Monday, May 14, 2007

1st Dive Trip 2007

Went diving over weekend with YeanYean and her friends.

It was great cos I had a brief respite from the chilly atmosphere at home and also I didn't have to pretend over Mother's Day.

We went to Tioman. Was organised by a friend of Yean's, so it was overall cheaper and we also slept on terra cotta, albeit a sleezy, yicky budget hotel in Mersing. But beats sleeping on a rocking boat.

Mostly seasoned divers with cameras so the diving was leisurely and they were great at spotting macro stuff. After a while though, I was bored of drift diving and staring at yet another nudibranch. Tioman is still good diving despite the sheer no. of divers there.

The highlight was the 2nd day when Irene spotted a shark in a cave, when I finned over, there were 3 guys lying on the seabed staring into a cave. As I approached, Irene signalled shark, I squeezed beside the guys and stared into nothing - just blackness. Then I saw a fin, it was big, then the side of a shark, then the whole shark appeared maybe 10cm in front of my face - so close I saw razor sharp teeth! The nurse shark is at least 5 feet. TS said it was trying to escape from us, but I think it was trying to remind us that it's a shark, with teeth fully capable of eating one of us! Anyways, I screamed so loud that everyone was laughing at me once safely up on the boat.

Great weekend!

Cycling Mandai Road

I've been meaning to cycle Mandai but somehow, fear of being roadkill on Singapore roads and also I guess just never gotten round to it.

Until Yingzi suggested cycling to Yishun to climb instead of driving there.

Since I've been binging on seafood twice that week, decided it may be time to work off my butts.

We met along 6th Avenue and started down through the length of Bukit Timah, then into Mandai Road. It only got less scary after Mandai when the no. of cars pettered out. But then the rolling hills started. *Groan*

But it was fun! It took us slightly over 1 hour to do the 30km ride. So quite proud of myself. It helped that Yingzi took off at a crazy pace along Mandai and I had to chase her down.

Amazingly after a short rest and 1 bottle of 100-Plus, we could still climb!

Wednesday, May 02, 2007

May

Wow, time does zip by. It's 1 May and we get a day off. Had a long list of todos, but only managed,
- wake up to climb (vain attempt to work off the lobster from Derek's birthday dinner last nite)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8062670@N07/

- ate midday meal at 3pm

- afternoon nap to make up for the lack of sleep from sharing a room with mom last weekend

- watch 300 on DVD (it is so violent!)

So much for the evening jog or washing my filthy car (poor baby). Will wait for rest of week!

Saturday, April 07, 2007

Holy Saturday

I'm toying with 2 changes :
1. find a new job
- with recent people changes, the team is now more political than ever. Plus they backstab!
- I've been here 3 years, it is about time to move on.

2. move out
- I really find it really hard to stay with my mom. Perhaps it is cowardice, but perhaps with some space, we can find a more amicable relationship.
- And I am 37 years old this year, I think I have a right to my own place right?
- However, I'm not sure if this decision makes her happier than I'm not there to fight with or would it be viewed as not caring for her anymore...

Been praying about these decisions for the last week.

Wednesday, April 04, 2007

Stop the world! I wanna get off!!

Ever had one of those times when everything possible goes wrong?

I've pretty much painted myself into a corner... I'm tired, fedup of being attacked and depressed.

To the baying hungry wolves howling for my blood, I wish you a blessing from Numbers 6:22-27.

May the Lord bless you, and keep you ; The Lord make His face shine on you, And be gracious to you ; The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace. So they shall invoke My name on the sons of Israel, and I shall bless them.

Monday, April 02, 2007

IF

If you can keep your head when all about you
are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you
but make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired of waiting
Or being lied about don't deal in lies,
Or being hated don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good nor talk too wise!

If you can dream and not make dreams your master;
If you can think and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken,
twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools;
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools.

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve their turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds worth of distance run,
Yours is the earth and everything that's in it,
And, which is more, you'll be a man, my son!


Rudyard Kipling

Thursday, March 22, 2007

Bitch at work!

After a long stretch of working hard, I rewarded myself with a midweek break. However instead of taking 1 day off, I took 2. On advice from Terence, decided to take Thu off as well. Thu - NPI day so that I need not chair that @#$ meeting anymore and force Pam into taking up her new role.

The last few weeks has been quite busy - and that's an understatement. We've had crisis, Sales and Marketing meeting on Monday, a million things to do for Summer launch...

While I was initially relieved to have Pam join us from Mar 1, she's been quite an office player. Turns out she complained to boss abt me not helping her when all I've been doing is helping, even til now.

Since she wants the glam part of her job, I'll let her have her own job back. The good, the ugly and the dirty bits of it. Her excuse that she's not good with Excel is too lame.

I will always do my job - cos I owe it to God. And I will help out if needed, but, I am also not stoopid and will not be made use of.

So Pam, since you complain I'm not helpful, I will really STOP being helpful. You're on your own kiddo!

Monday, March 12, 2007

Cable Ski wknd


Cable skiing ain't as easy as I thought it would be...

Instead of climbing on a Saturday, someone suggested cable skiing. Since we all nursed climbing related strains/aches/overusage of fingers/wrists/shoulders, it sounded like a great idea to take 1 Saturday off to try a new sport.

Other than the early start & needing to take ferry to Batam.. Translated, I had to wake up early on a Saturday (sacreligious!)

The cable ski park in Batam costs $80 all day inclusive of the ferry/transfer & a packed lunch. Much cheaper than if we'd gone to East Coast.

All of us managed the kneel-boards easily.. So natural progression, onto wakeboards. And that's where the falling began. Considering I have tried both water-skiing (2 skis) & wakeboarding (single-ski) in the past, off a boat, cable skiing is awfully hard.

I pretty much spent the whole afternoon, adopting launch posture, to fall either forwards/backwards into water, swim back to platform, board drifts back, repeat step 1, fall, repeat...

The place is pretty nice. Nice hunks to chat with, pretty scenic place, hang around with friends..

Sunday, March 04, 2007

Another biz trip...

I've been in HP for 7 years now and never traveled as much as I did last year. Initially it was great and I guess I do enjoy seeing new places and experiencing different cultures, but when the trips are too often and too close together, it does get physically tiring and places tremendous stress on the body.

My colleague Steph schedules her trips inclusive of recreational trips back to back to the point she was sick for weeks. The gal's just got too much 'get up and go' attitude, very admirable for a lazy procrasinator like me.

This year, I visited Korea for my first time for an AP PR launch. Other than it being f#$ing cold in Jan, I had a great time.

Work wise - it was the worse trip of my life (2 demo PCs died after being manhandled by the hotel staff ; cables went missing ; we had to switch to static instead of live displays for our Product Showcase)...

But personally, I enjoyed the rest of it - had extended an extra day to see a little of Seoul with Steph. We visited temples, went shopping, took the Seoul subway, ate Korean BBQ and ginseng chicken, found ourselves insulted by insensitive Korean salespeople who estimated me to be a size L... Steph incidentally makes a great traveling companion. She's amiable, game for anything, and has a great sense of humour.

The highlight was visiting the DMZ, Steph wanted to see the "meeting room" where N & S Korea signed the ceasefire treaty. The correct name is the Joint Security Area. While the half day tour was very educational. I also found out that Steph had absolutely no concept of war.

Just booked another biz trip - Taiwan in mid Apr for the quarterly monitor review.

Saturday, March 03, 2007

Light at end of tunnel

February was a blur. I was asked to stand-in for the NPI lead role whilst Andy moved onto being SEAT RM, for the month of February. Pamela - Andy's replacement would only join the team Mar 1.

I found myself working late, working from home, working over weekends. It was horrible all over again.

Thankfully, it is now Mar. Pamela's on her 2nd day of work, Andy's taken over completely all SEAT related activities. Although the workload's still bad, but I can see light at the end of the tunnel.

Saturday, February 17, 2007

It's difficult...

*Whine* It's only Feb and I'm complaining. This year hasn't been easy!