Au Revoir
It's hard to believe that I started this blog 2 years ago.
20th Aug 2005. I had started a blog because I wanted to see how I (and the school) could use blogging as a tool to better communicate with students. I had started teaching in April 2005 and I wanted to champion this cause, something different from what most other lecturers were consider.
Fast forward to 2007. I am now no longer a lecturer. Did my intentions and scheme work? Well I guess it did on many aspects.
My new job has kept me very busy and it's getting harder for me to do postings that will excite (and perhaps entertain). I wish I had the time but I simply do not.
I had done some pondering about this and decided that this decision was the best. Therefore, it's with much sadness that I announce that this will be my final post. I have had the honour of your eyes and attention of the past 2 years. There have been so many memorable posts and comments from you. For that, I thank you.
I would love to keep in touch with all of you. Please do tinkle me if you see me online on MSN (leest at hotmail dot com).
Let me take this opporutnity wish everyone all the very best and thank you for all the memories. Good luck!
Horizon
After months of training together with a few weeks of attachment to a project in Singapore, looks like my first overseas project coming up in the 3rd week of August that I will be observing would be in Beijing China. Thereafter I will be headed to Pattaya and Hua Hin. The Beijing project is not 100% confirmed but the Pattaya and Hua Hin projects are confirmed. I'm especially excited about Beijing because it belongs to a global brand with a 5-star rating hotel that has not yet opened! Pre-opening! It's going to be a big project and if confirmed, I will be there for a week. I will be sure to take photos! The opportunity to stay at a new plush hotel that has not opened does not come easy.
The project at Pattaya and Hua Hin is back to back and both properties are also part of a global brand. I will be there to do pre configuration of the new system and thereafter be there for the live cutover (in case there are problems, issues, etc). I have never been to either place but I heard Pattaya is pretty...seedy. We'll see. I'll either be too busy or lounging at the resort pool everyday.
I know there are things that are bound to go wrong (gut feeling) but that's what they pay me for right?
Teach, implement and troubleshoot!
Stressed is bad...
It's official. Australian scientists have finally discovered and
published a finding that I always suspected.
Stress makes you fat. Their studies revealed that "chronic stress triggers the body's fat cells to grow and multiply".
Yes, now I know I've been stressed! And that I should be less stressed! And to top it off, I should exercise less because exercise makes me stressed! Wheeeee!!!!!!
Yeah right....I wish.
Opposite
There is one thing about my life that has never failed to follow me no matter where I've gone and what I'm doing. I call it "
Oppositism".
When I was a small boy I wished for a BMX. I got a type of bicycle that I can't name but I swear it could have been made for girls.
When I was in the final year of kindergarten, I wanted to join the yellow group for a sports event. I was put in green.
When I was in primary school, I wanted to be the striker for the school hockey and soccer team. I became the goalkeeper.
When I was in high school I was so sure I would score high and be in the top 20% of all students in Yr 12 in Western Australia. That would mean scoring 400 out of 500. I scored 399.
When I was in University I was so sure I would get this girl so I asked her to date me. She refused and went the other way.
Okay, you could always call this something else...Even when I came to Singapore, oppositism followed. I went to an interview with company A and I was so sure I'd get it. Yep, of course I didn't. I ended up with company B. Even when I have to catch a bus from no matter where, all the buses that I DON'T want will appear. The bus that I want would invariably be the last one to show up.
Oppositism.
Long have I thought of ways to fend it off. In my desperation to lose oppositism, I've even considered chanting, praying, sacrificing, shaving my head bald but I doubt any of these options would work. Perhaps I would do the opposite of what I want to do. Like being a bum so I can be a CEO. Be a beggar so I can be rich. Be fat so I can be thin (wait..that's not happening...).
Some may call this destiny or "aiyah, it's your life!". I call it oppositism, not far from a curse perhaps?
Stoned Mondays
This is the last week of my attachement for the current project at THS. I will be back in my office by Thursday. Over the past 2 weeks I've learnt a lot. I am sure this is only the beginning but I can already see how stressful the work may be! The variety of questions imposed by the end users can be overwhelming as each department jostles for their rights, their functions, etc. It's still a fun process though and I am sure when I start doing it myself, the challenges would be no different.
On a separate note, I have begun a new programme of exercise that I have promised to stick to. 10km every week. Yup, for the first time in my life, I am going to run/jog/walk at least that distance every week. When you get to my age, you'll know why. I also have to change my diet (excluding sashimi of course). I'm never going to have a six-pack but must try right? As I slowly creep to another birthday, I am beginning to think more about my future and my health. *sigh*
Monday blues. First day of the week and I'm already stoned out.
Kawabunga!!!!
For those of you that know me, you know I'm a foodie. Not a typical foodie because I can't really afford to be one that goes around and samples everything. Explains my current out of shape look but what the heck!
When you talk about turtles, I would typically think of
TMNT and turtles as an endangered species but for this post, I won't. Anyway a good friend of mine brought me to a superb place that is famous for Turtle soup called Ser Seng Restaurant tucked hidden away in a small road in Geylang.
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Apparently this place is famous for "those in the know" for turtle soup and it's herbal black chicken soup. A glance around the restaurant revealed that the client base is mostly made up of uncles and aunties "in the know" so I had high hopes. Turtle soup is not something you can eat a lot of because it's quite heaty. It's been ages since I've had it so I happily went along.
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After waiting for about 10 minutes, the dish came. The frangrance of sweet chinese herbs mixed together with the turtle meat escalated our hunger and we were not disappointed.
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Served with yam rice, the large serving was just right for the 3 of us. The turtle meat was cooked just right and was extremely tender. The infusion of wolfberry, ginger, spring onion and other secret ingredients ensured that the soup was duly finished in record time.
The damage? More than $50 for the soup alone! It's not cheap but if you are a fan of turtle soup and am wiling to pay a little more, I guarantee you won't be disappointed. Must try at least once! 5/5 for me!
OK, I promise not to eat any more turtles for 2007!
Address: Tan Ser Seng Restaurant, 29 Lorong Bachok (Inside Lor 21 Geylang).
TGIF...almost
The fourth day of training ended earlier this evening. It's been a real eye opening experience so far. Training real end users of the system is unlike training students on the system. The hotel was previously a user of an older version so they come in knowing what are the basics of the system. It doesn't, however, make the job of the trainer less easier!
Training students are often just "feeding, showing and doing". To effectively train hoteliers, you really need to know your product inside out and customise it according to their needs because they'll press and question you.
Can the system print out normal report? How do we block groups who want to share costs? How do we set up wake up calls in different languages? Etc... At the end of the day, you can really see that they appreciate it because the system is designed to make their lives (in most cases) easier.
This is the first time in many years that I'm able to re-connect with hoteliers and it feels very familiar. After spending more than 4 years in the hospitality industry, it's great to be able to do this. Our team consisted of ex-FO staff from different hotels and we enjoyed sharing old "horror stories". Turns out there were many similar ones amongst everyone who came all came from different hotel chains.
There are still another 2 weeks of training to go as we have to train all the key personnel of all the departments of the hotel. It's Friday officially and I'm just going to chill after work in the evening.
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