Some pretty poor shots from day 1 of singapores f1.hope to do better tomorrow. click on the pics to view full size
9/27/2008
F1-Singapore Day 1
Some pretty poor shots from day 1 of singapores f1.hope to do better tomorrow. click on the pics to view full size
9/24/2008
9/23/2008
9/21/2008
9/15/2008
Teamwork and other issues
You ever notice that the same people who talk about teamwork in your office are the very same people who screw you over? Their version of teamwork is you do what they think you should do, no matter how dumb it is . I have noticed that these same people who always say "down here we work as a team" are also the most likely to be playing little games in office politics.
WHAT THEY SAY
Here we work as a team
WHAT THEY MEAN
Screw you, i have been here longer so just sit there and do what i say while i try and undermine the trust others have placed in you.
Needless to say these people can be very successful until the time comes where they have to prove their worth and all their flaws are exposed. Needless to say their protectors are exposed as well, the sheer stupidity of gossip, lies and pushing of responsibility in a work environment means more time is spent playing games instead of doing work.
I also notice that these games are often played by low level coolies who tend to hero worship someone in management and do their bidding and always exaggerate minor issues. These trouble makers like to sow the seeds of discord and when confronted play a simple game of "oh but the manager asked me to report" "or oh the system here is like that" implying that the system is at fault not the individual. The managers who pander to these weak willed individuals who hero worship them are seriously flawed as well, they encourage a culture of fawning and the currying of favour and will take anything the "worshiper" says as gospel truth...that is until it becomes in-convenient to have a sniveling lackey loiter around.
How do you handle these problems? Well you can either ignore it and hope it will go away, you could say i will allow my work to stand for itself. This can work, if you didnt have the "Manager" above you who wants the lackey to help put you on the defensive, the manager who could not perform in your job and so is threatened when you performing better then them in the same post. So allowing your work to stand on its on is a long term hope for the best solution.
You could go higher up and bypass your immediate superior. This has potential provided you have an enlightened higher up to seek redress or understanding from. In most cases they will say settle it yourself or ask the "manager" and be told oh him he is a trouble maker according to my lackey he is giving alot of problems.
You could as i do try and create concensus with a majority of people you work with, above and below you. Show them that both your work and your attitude are an asset not a hinderance. These means taking credit for work that you have done, and done well. Also it means sharing the credit with your staff who have performed beyond expectations . IT means selling yourself but in an honest and humble way, as well as selling your staff without selling out yourself. If you or your staff make a mistake make sure you take responsibility for it but if the mistake is not yours do not throw yourself on yoursword or your staff to the wolves. Concentrate on rectification and ensuring no repeats.
The above option is not sustainable, how long are you going to keep clean when your surrounded by mub. IT is an option only if there is a run out date on your service with these people. You do not leave with a bad taste in your mouth but the success of your efforts. The only way to stay clean in a mud hole is not get in. SO ask for a transfer, or let senior management know your are planning to leave and the circumstances that brought you their. Do not play games by saying i want to resign because of them, and then not follow through. There is only one rule in bargining and that is you must be prepared to leave the item on the table and walk away.
There is one final option, i call it the american option that is to take a sub machine gun and go crazy, but i stress if you are the one with the sub machine gun then you are the one with the problems.
WHAT THEY SAY
Here we work as a team
WHAT THEY MEAN
Screw you, i have been here longer so just sit there and do what i say while i try and undermine the trust others have placed in you.
Needless to say these people can be very successful until the time comes where they have to prove their worth and all their flaws are exposed. Needless to say their protectors are exposed as well, the sheer stupidity of gossip, lies and pushing of responsibility in a work environment means more time is spent playing games instead of doing work.
I also notice that these games are often played by low level coolies who tend to hero worship someone in management and do their bidding and always exaggerate minor issues. These trouble makers like to sow the seeds of discord and when confronted play a simple game of "oh but the manager asked me to report" "or oh the system here is like that" implying that the system is at fault not the individual. The managers who pander to these weak willed individuals who hero worship them are seriously flawed as well, they encourage a culture of fawning and the currying of favour and will take anything the "worshiper" says as gospel truth...that is until it becomes in-convenient to have a sniveling lackey loiter around.
How do you handle these problems? Well you can either ignore it and hope it will go away, you could say i will allow my work to stand for itself. This can work, if you didnt have the "Manager" above you who wants the lackey to help put you on the defensive, the manager who could not perform in your job and so is threatened when you performing better then them in the same post. So allowing your work to stand on its on is a long term hope for the best solution.
You could go higher up and bypass your immediate superior. This has potential provided you have an enlightened higher up to seek redress or understanding from. In most cases they will say settle it yourself or ask the "manager" and be told oh him he is a trouble maker according to my lackey he is giving alot of problems.
You could as i do try and create concensus with a majority of people you work with, above and below you. Show them that both your work and your attitude are an asset not a hinderance. These means taking credit for work that you have done, and done well. Also it means sharing the credit with your staff who have performed beyond expectations . IT means selling yourself but in an honest and humble way, as well as selling your staff without selling out yourself. If you or your staff make a mistake make sure you take responsibility for it but if the mistake is not yours do not throw yourself on yoursword or your staff to the wolves. Concentrate on rectification and ensuring no repeats.
The above option is not sustainable, how long are you going to keep clean when your surrounded by mub. IT is an option only if there is a run out date on your service with these people. You do not leave with a bad taste in your mouth but the success of your efforts. The only way to stay clean in a mud hole is not get in. SO ask for a transfer, or let senior management know your are planning to leave and the circumstances that brought you their. Do not play games by saying i want to resign because of them, and then not follow through. There is only one rule in bargining and that is you must be prepared to leave the item on the table and walk away.
There is one final option, i call it the american option that is to take a sub machine gun and go crazy, but i stress if you are the one with the sub machine gun then you are the one with the problems.
9/11/2008
8/15/2008
Screenshot
Just a screen shot of my desktop, with my latest wallpaper i nthe background. the eyes = skin for media player.
8/13/2008
A walk backwards.
Its been an eventful couple of weeks to say the least, 2 trips to bintan and a sisters island weekend.
I love both places, they both evoke similar emotions in me, the feeling of separation of all that is stressful on the mainland, bills ..work..work bills. Nothing else is a problem, life is grand aside from these few items and much like the folks who lived through the great depression by hiding out in cinemas, i hideout at the beach. Bintan, with its clear blue waters and clean beaches, friendly staff, comfortable beds, room service and air-conditioning is a great getaway. The first half a day or so i am there i keep checking my phone, in case work calls and i am needed after a couple of hours i chuck it. IF they need me that's just too bad. I feel it all just drain away and am able to relax. The moment of return and we get back to singapore i feel that weight on my shoulders once again. But lets get back to the bintan for a bit, i went in July with the boys and we spent our time playing frisbe and snorkelling (the weather was pefect) and it was a great little holiday. Bounce ahead to august and Tloml and i went without Caitlin which felt abit odd, we had a really great trip with our little walks and our long talks. Didnt do any snorkelling or not much but we did feed the fish alot....very relaxing.
Moving down the line we find me and the gang back on sisters island, its been around 4-5yrs since we have been back and boy was i excited. I love that place, the first night, there was no on else on the island and it was paradise. Part of the joy in going camping nowadays are the elaborate meals we tend to have, from pasta at dinner to bacon and eggs for breakfast and not forgetting a very well cooked roast chicken at lunch time(one year we even had roasted leg of lamb). This year marks the 19th year i have been organizing these little camping trips, i started when i was 16 and till today i get excited just thinking about another trip. We have always gone local, from the early years on Pulau Ubin(it was so clean and peaceful) to St Johns Island and then to Sisters Island(in between we hit, pulau hantu and lazarus). Next year is the 20th Anniversary of my little adventures and i think i shall paln a few little trips.
This time we brought 3 newbies to the island and i thinkt they like it too, its nice to keep the traditions alive.
I love both places, they both evoke similar emotions in me, the feeling of separation of all that is stressful on the mainland, bills ..work..work bills. Nothing else is a problem, life is grand aside from these few items and much like the folks who lived through the great depression by hiding out in cinemas, i hideout at the beach. Bintan, with its clear blue waters and clean beaches, friendly staff, comfortable beds, room service and air-conditioning is a great getaway. The first half a day or so i am there i keep checking my phone, in case work calls and i am needed after a couple of hours i chuck it. IF they need me that's just too bad. I feel it all just drain away and am able to relax. The moment of return and we get back to singapore i feel that weight on my shoulders once again. But lets get back to the bintan for a bit, i went in July with the boys and we spent our time playing frisbe and snorkelling (the weather was pefect) and it was a great little holiday. Bounce ahead to august and Tloml and i went without Caitlin which felt abit odd, we had a really great trip with our little walks and our long talks. Didnt do any snorkelling or not much but we did feed the fish alot....very relaxing.
Moving down the line we find me and the gang back on sisters island, its been around 4-5yrs since we have been back and boy was i excited. I love that place, the first night, there was no on else on the island and it was paradise. Part of the joy in going camping nowadays are the elaborate meals we tend to have, from pasta at dinner to bacon and eggs for breakfast and not forgetting a very well cooked roast chicken at lunch time(one year we even had roasted leg of lamb). This year marks the 19th year i have been organizing these little camping trips, i started when i was 16 and till today i get excited just thinking about another trip. We have always gone local, from the early years on Pulau Ubin(it was so clean and peaceful) to St Johns Island and then to Sisters Island(in between we hit, pulau hantu and lazarus). Next year is the 20th Anniversary of my little adventures and i think i shall paln a few little trips.
This time we brought 3 newbies to the island and i thinkt they like it too, its nice to keep the traditions alive.
8/06/2008
8/04/2008
7/31/2008
7/29/2008
7/28/2008
Such a dilema
Question.1
What should one do when walking along the common corridor to the lift?
Here is my problem. Everyday, sometimes several times a day i walk past my neighbours house to the lift. They keep their windows open and there is always someone in the living room, they are really good neighbours always ready with a hello and a smile. My issue is this, if it was my house i would not want anyone looking in every 5 mins and have to say hello or wave just because someone is walking past my house. However there are times when i am walking past and trying to look busy they will shout out from their sanctury "hello" or give a vigerourous wave. TLOML is not consistent in her behaviour when it comes to this matter as she sometimes looks in and sometimes doesnt, Leni(our staff) is the worst she always looks in and waves smiles and say's hi.
WHAT WOULD YOU DO! Do i seem rude and uncaring by looking busy and dashing by, do i seem kpo and overfriendly by looking into their house....these are the things i have to deal with on the way to the lift. such a dilema.
Question 2
What do you call taxi drivers?
Lately i notice when i get into a cab( or should i say money pit) more and more cabbies calling ME uncle(yes yes i am that old). Which often leaves me stumped for a response as i normally greet them with a "Hello Uncle..take me too..." now as we know this is a singapore phenomena, everyone older is an uncle or an aunty but it would just be wrong for both cabby and i to be callign each other uncle. ITs a cab not a retirement home. I have since started calling them "Boss" but it seems rather odd to be calling the person providing me the service (albeit at a heavy cost) Boss, shouldnt he be calling me that? Maybe i should not call them anything and just start of by saying "morning" but this just seems to formal and un friendly, i mean how will the cabby know i am his buddy, kaki as he rails on about the government lol. (by the way 90% of the time i love listening to the theories of cabbies, most of which if i posted on this blog i would surely do jail time for)So what do you call cabbies?.such a dilema
Question 3
Actually this is a rant, My name is Edward. People real close to me call me eddy, now i will only stand for a few people calling me that cause it sends shivers up and down my spine when they do but its ok they know me well enough to do it. There is one person that calls me eddie cause she has always known it annoys me! mind you i call her all sorts of vulgar things so we are pretty even(D.J you know its you). Since i have i have grown older (lol) i am not so ANTI eddie BUT and this is an important BUT i dont like people i have just met taking liberties with my name. THe other night we were at this event and my sister introduced me to a friend of hers "edward this is bleh bleh" and bleh bleh shakes my hand and goes Hi Ed, i recoiled as if i had been slapped by a soccer players wet sock. Bleh Bleh didnt even notice and jsut kept bleh blehing along, really under normal circumstances i am sure i would have said something but i was just to stunned to say anything. I have been thinking long and hard about this, if you are newly introduced to me and want to shorten my name to something you can just call me SIR. thank you.
Sidebar-if you have notices the errors i would advise a change of vocation. Maybe something with the yellow pages.
What should one do when walking along the common corridor to the lift?
Here is my problem. Everyday, sometimes several times a day i walk past my neighbours house to the lift. They keep their windows open and there is always someone in the living room, they are really good neighbours always ready with a hello and a smile. My issue is this, if it was my house i would not want anyone looking in every 5 mins and have to say hello or wave just because someone is walking past my house. However there are times when i am walking past and trying to look busy they will shout out from their sanctury "hello" or give a vigerourous wave. TLOML is not consistent in her behaviour when it comes to this matter as she sometimes looks in and sometimes doesnt, Leni(our staff) is the worst she always looks in and waves smiles and say's hi.
WHAT WOULD YOU DO! Do i seem rude and uncaring by looking busy and dashing by, do i seem kpo and overfriendly by looking into their house....these are the things i have to deal with on the way to the lift. such a dilema.
Question 2
What do you call taxi drivers?
Lately i notice when i get into a cab( or should i say money pit) more and more cabbies calling ME uncle(yes yes i am that old). Which often leaves me stumped for a response as i normally greet them with a "Hello Uncle..take me too..." now as we know this is a singapore phenomena, everyone older is an uncle or an aunty but it would just be wrong for both cabby and i to be callign each other uncle. ITs a cab not a retirement home. I have since started calling them "Boss" but it seems rather odd to be calling the person providing me the service (albeit at a heavy cost) Boss, shouldnt he be calling me that? Maybe i should not call them anything and just start of by saying "morning" but this just seems to formal and un friendly, i mean how will the cabby know i am his buddy, kaki as he rails on about the government lol. (by the way 90% of the time i love listening to the theories of cabbies, most of which if i posted on this blog i would surely do jail time for)So what do you call cabbies?.such a dilema
Question 3
Actually this is a rant, My name is Edward. People real close to me call me eddy, now i will only stand for a few people calling me that cause it sends shivers up and down my spine when they do but its ok they know me well enough to do it. There is one person that calls me eddie cause she has always known it annoys me! mind you i call her all sorts of vulgar things so we are pretty even(D.J you know its you). Since i have i have grown older (lol) i am not so ANTI eddie BUT and this is an important BUT i dont like people i have just met taking liberties with my name. THe other night we were at this event and my sister introduced me to a friend of hers "edward this is bleh bleh" and bleh bleh shakes my hand and goes Hi Ed, i recoiled as if i had been slapped by a soccer players wet sock. Bleh Bleh didnt even notice and jsut kept bleh blehing along, really under normal circumstances i am sure i would have said something but i was just to stunned to say anything. I have been thinking long and hard about this, if you are newly introduced to me and want to shorten my name to something you can just call me SIR. thank you.
Sidebar-if you have notices the errors i would advise a change of vocation. Maybe something with the yellow pages.
7/22/2008
6/24/2008
My Mini Vivarium
UPDATES-Philip and Michael went and hunted for some moss and its in great shape, i put it in the tank and i think it makes a nice difference. still got more to do plus the second tank..
My test tank. I did a small tank so that i could figure out how to do it..the mistakes here i hope not to repeat in the next tank. I have to say the pics look better then the real thing..amazing what lights can do.
6/20/2008
6/16/2008
6/01/2008
A fishy, frog day.
Banded Bull Frog(Asian Painted Frog or Chubby Frog)Kaloula pulchraCaught and released by Philip and Michael assisted by Megan
i took the pics of this frog as it moved around on my hand.
http://www.wildsingapore.per.sg/discovery
/factsheet/frogbandbull.htm
(for more info of this species) Click on the pics to see the full sized frogs,
esp of the toad its a great pic(by raju)
Beautiful Colouration and banding. A common and beautiful frog.
Asian Toad Bufo melanostictusCaught and released by me, assisted by Philip, Megan and Michael (this toad jumped and hit my leg as we were releasing the Banded Bull Frog) Picture by Raju
http://www.wildsingapore.per.sg/discovery/factsheet
/toadasiatic.htm (for more info of this species)
Sunday- 0845 Take Caitlin to meet Law and Kenneth (a morning of fishy business)
0920 Toa Payoh (dont ask)
1000 Bukit Panjang (dont ask again)
1030 Qian Hu Fish Farm (nice spot Caitlin fed the koi and the turtles and was rather excited by the fish)
1200 Cold Storage Bedok (Hunting for meat)
1230 Home for epic steak lunch
1420 Clean up mess left by said epic
1515 Em's House for tea
1800 Home with a sleepy and grumpy Caitlin
1845 Walk with Pepper
1915 Caitlin Wash up and Prayers
1945 Depart for Coffee with Sherwin and Raju at east point
1955 Get Call from Nephew regarding frogs
2045 Leave east point with Raju and Sherwin in tow for frog hunt at street 45
(great fun with the kids! no not raju and sherwin)
2200 Home :)
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