Going South

It is time to hit Singapore. Yeah! It was a good thing I expedited the card application because the stand-in Department Manager briefed me on all the terms and conditions by Friday evening just in the nick of time! I don’t know if I am going to enjoy this ‘vacation’ though. I’m going there alone. Well, we’ll see. At least I should learn something from the trip.

KLIA visit

Looks more like an UMNO Counter to me.

We sent Kak Long to the Sepang airport. To pursue a doctoral degree overseas while retaining her current job is indeed a chance of a lifetime. Furthermore, the program is fully sponsored.

You have always wanted to study there, sis. Now you can.

I will sorely miss my daughter - K.Long.
Now I have to be the mother of my daughter's daughter. - Mom.

Bye, good

I am very, very disappointed. I couldn’t believe I have to handle and arrange the trip myself. Not only did I lack the experience or expertise in doing it, I was doing someone else’s job! But it’s fine. I get to pick what to do, where to stay, how to travel, and so on. If instant-job-tai-chi like this prolongs, someone needs to get a hold of the supervisor.

That's why I wrote this:
I think it's about time that I leave this virtual world behind. I will continue writing every once in a while even though I won't be able to put them all online. It has been great to learn and play with all the digital tools. I enjoyed every bit of it. Thank you, friends, for visiting this site ever since its launch in 2001.

Sun rises, Time flies,
And Shadows fall,
Let time goes by..
But memories last forever.

Man are cursed with short memories. On the other hand, it may prove to be a blessing in disguise. With all the dramas and tragedies happening around us.. are not we lucky to be given the ability to forget ?
But this small niche is not for "forgetting". It is for good memories.. and remembrance.

[borrowed from a reliable source who prefers to remain unknown..]

Tai Chi

My superior came in and corrected the job-tai-chi after seeing the significant amount of cash advance request. He expressed his concerns but there was no follow-up on his part. Or maybe he did, but without my consent. I don’t know. But I alone pushed for expediting the corporate credit card as well as getting the hotel reservation out of the way. Dang. Only the flight tickets were taken care of while I was doing everything else. OK. That’s fine. At least I learned that people do a lot of tai-chi-ing there in the building and I had just become a victim.

Once Upon a Time...

Here’s another story depicted from my early days on the job:

Being on the job from scratch can be tough if you are in a very competitive environment. Everything is going so fast and no one cares if you are catching up or not. It has been quite hostile and slow. Even my temporary office is being temporarily used as a venue for another workshop. After two weeks on the job, I am still expecting to get my own office with my name on it, a computer access, and my door access ID to be functional but nay. I am currently ‘floating’. My computer access is still being approved which would usually take about 2 days but it has been more than a week now; my door access card refuse to function especially in the afternoon; and I settled in someone else’s office to read! Now I have to revert to begging coworkers to let me in, either by opening up the door from the inside or scanning their IDs from the outside whenever my ID fails the scan. The sun is not shining and I do not hear any birds singing after all. But on top of that, I would like to bear in mind that, all-righty, maybe responsibility comes first and privilege comes later.

There is also a dilemma on whether I should interrupt the others or not. I need to ask a question, but is there anyone available? What happened to the Development Program? Should not I be assigned a mentor? Unless you have the guts to barge in their office, stop them from whatever they are doing and innocently inquire, then nobody is going to bother if you are stuck or moving along just fine. In this case, I think everybody expects you to pick yourself up as you go. They expect you to handle the steep learning curve. And I don’t feel like interrupting people from their tasks and/or assignments.

To be quite frank, I am also facing a difficulty in the status difference. What do I mean by that? Simple. Majority of the people around me, and I am not saying this is inferior by status, are modern people. I am old school. I live in a classic household. I wouldn’t like to hang out late after office hours or spend more time in the city than I need to. This is not a question of fun level or social but of taste and preference instead. I prefer to spend more time at home and be with those who care about me and more importantly, with whom I care about. Some people have smaller families thus staying home is boring, and so they’d like to work late or hang out with friends. To me, family supports you like no one else does. It is the first and foremost in priority regardless of how dull or exciting then can be. Nobody in the history of mankind would proclaim at the end of his or her career, “Oh man. I should’ve spent more time working/hanging out.” I guarantee you that 99.9 percent of the time, it would be, “Dang it. I should’ve spent more time with family.” I know this is easier said than done. But to make up the mind about this is the first step in the right direction. Yusof Al-Ayyubi once said, “You’re married to your family, not your company.”

Speaking of friends, I realize how blunt and dry I can be when it comes to buddies. Even though I know quite a spectrum of people but my circle of friends is miniscule. In fact, I’d like to keep it this way. It’s better to have two or three real ‘Sahabah’ than to have a hundred friends who would join you for laughs and then leave you when in misery. Hence, I would like to apologize to those who have been pushed away or the ones I haven’t kept in touch with. I may not be able to stay in touch even occasionally but if I know of you from the past, especially those who have helped, I am here if you need me. By all means, contact me and ask if you need any help or even advice. You’ll get more depending on the right timing and resources. It’s just that, I don’t actively search for friends and I think I’m a little passive when it comes to this. I believe friends especially ‘Sahabah’ come naturally as you interact with them. Like some of the personality research says about me (don’t believe every one of them) I wait for friends but I don’t look for them. And when it comes to this, I believe in quality, not quantity.

All in all, people are still people. I have my own weaknesses and so does everyone else. Everyone is faced with different sets of problems. It’s only up to us whether we want to help each other out or not. The old consensus is that, people usually make choices based on their interests and what benefits them the most. But the one choice that people seldom see is others first. If you believe in helping others as the way to help yourself ­ you’re in the right track (again, this is easier said than done.) You should enjoy giving, not just taking [Hal Urban]. Look at what’s good in people. Good values always triumph any other.

And again, I shouldn’t be complaining but instead appreciating this opportunity. Your attitude towards hardship makes a big difference. I don’t know if I’m ready to join the workforce but somehow I have to. Wallahu a’lam.

Back to School?

I spent some time with dad while fetching Alya from Seseri. It’s always timeless. Dad is one heck of a guy. Not only is he intelligent, he views in profound perspective that amazes me every time. Even though I disagree with him every once in a while, he takes the time to articulate a particular angle. Then he inserts a few different angles to spin the bottle. The bottle stops. Then it all becomes very clear.

Since we arrived a bit early, we walked down the PWTC corner to the nearest mamak stall near Jalan Ipoh. As we passed by the recently painted and shiny Maxwell School, I gazed at the incoming vehicles near the roundabout. Traffic was a little light but dusts still infested the curbs and road patches. Each stride from an automobile thrust the tiny particles up and away even more. The city is hazardous, somehow. But we keep on driving in and out the urbanization without considering the aftermath. Isn’t this the kind of act to survive and to comply with job and life requirements? Don’t we all long for the good old days? I think we all long for the walk to the serene river where geese are gracefully sipping the water, the sun is shining and the birds are singing…

Bing! My mind quickly recovered from the three seconds dream while I was talking to my dad. A conversation outdoor in the city couldn’t be too engaging -- we had to watch out for motorbikes and vehicles passing by. I woke up from the dream as we entered a mamak shop. A few customers were busy consuming their late breakfasts while some preferred to chat over a glass of teh tarik. The restaurant had two rows of tables with one edge faced flat to the left wall. The front entrance like other regular mamak places fit in one huge round-flat-pan booth, an entries booth, and a cashier counter with shelves of cigarettes on the backside. There was nothing too special about the place and it wasn’t too gloomy either. On one side of the shop stood an opening to a view next door where a hotel whose name I didn’t bother to find out seemed alive from a distant. Hopefully the food wouldn’t be too pricy. Quickly ordering roti canais and teh tariks, we settled for a 4-seated table right in the middle of the row.

As I had anticipated, the CB issue came up. During his earlier days at Alam Shah Putrajaya, everything was great. CB didn’t complain therefore mom and dad were more than glad. Until the inter-school co-curricular competition ended, the nightmare began. Six form one students wanted out and a lot more suffered the same fate later. Fourth formers had revealed their wraths upon unsettled juniors and being the idle seniors - no more competition workload and the big exam wouldn’t come until next year - it was the time for them to unlock their inner beasts. I was once in their position about 6 ago and I don’t remember being cruel to the juniors? That’s clearly not the way to earn respect. Being a senior means helping out the juniors to start up, not beating them up for no reason.

This conundrum has long been brought up ever since I came back from the U.S. Life at boarding schools today is far worse than it was twenty or so years ago. Boarding school was more comfortable than home and to get enrolled was a privilege in itself after showing an outstanding performance in the elementary school. In the present days, it is the other way around. Big tycoons put their children in well-known schools via underneath-the-desk-agreements just to obtain the school brand on the certificates. Dormitory is less comfortable home and the food quality is debatable. Even dad agrees that teachers nowadays lack the minimum integrity to be the gurus. There is no more passion in educating the pupils. Teachers are no longer educators. They are merely tutors in for income.

I chewed and swallowed the last bite of the ‘bread’. Dad was taking his time to finish his as usual. He was enjoying the teh tarik even more. The ampleness of time we had while waiting for Alya gave us the time to slow down and reflect. Perhaps the issue is not going to be resolved there and then but it has to be addressed in the interim. Each Friday brings a dilemma to dad when he visited his third son after the prayer at the school’s mosque. CB would always want to go home for the weekend and the difficult part is to get the permission. I don’t understand this myself - parents visit the school to bring home their children and the school overrules it? “Wouldn’t that ease up your responsibility in taking care of my kids?” ask the parents. Perhaps it is against the principle of boarding school if students go home everyday, but if you go by the case basis, shouldn’t there be an exception? I remember those days when dad had to bring me home for an important family function. There was no issue - he faxed the office an official letter, the principal looked at it, and then signed my outing card.

Dad and I have been giving the utmost support to CB even before he started. We were also the students of SAS some five and thirty five years ago, thus we have a fair amount of knowledge in all-male boarding school particularly Alam Shah. My situation is probably more relevant since I graduated more recent, but dad’s got more impact on his psychological stability. CB himself is quite reserved and quiet. Unlike any other siblings, his seemingly melancholic character proves to be the key that enables him to compose songs and play some musical instruments. He may lack the extroversion but there’s quite a genius in him. He saw me hooking up some speakers, subwoofer and a receiver and instantly picked up what I was doing. I was poking some buttons on my laptop and he immediately recognized the function.

Due to the difficulty he is having right now, he might not be able to fully utilize his talents. However, this is only temporary: he is a late bloomer. Even if he has to transfer to another school, I still have faith in him. This brother of mine sets his own standard. He upholds a certain quality discipline, diligence, and perfection. He’s only a victim of the situation, with all the contributing factors hitting him all at once. I hope he is going to be fine… (to be continued…)

Alya on the other hand is a different story. She was appalled only at the earlier stage but has now become more stable. She’s already part of a nasyid team that represented the school and the federal territory to the national competition. Although she is being recruited as a prefect, she still needs a little push in academics, and dad’s already on top of that with his special tutorials and lessons.

Dad finished the last sip of his tea. It was nearly twelve and we had to go back to Seseri right away. Back-tracking the path we just walked, I glanced over Jalan Ipoh and the roundabout again. It used to be a simple cross-junction as dad described it. He recalled the moment when he gave mom fifty bucks to shop there and it would last for a month. Ten Ringgit would literally fill up the boot. But time passed by and only the memory remains. We reached the entrance as some vehicles lined up to enter the school. Alya walked out the gate shortly and moments later, we were already on our way home.

Back to College?

I think I should cease from whining about my occupation. You don’t really want to know, do you? Job sucks. The end of story. It sucks so bad, they even have to pay you to do it. The insanity of it is like doing the same thing over and over again while expecting different results. I’m going back to college. Someday.

Quotable quote: People are a lot like icebergs; there’s always so much more underneath the surface. [Entwistle]

Traveling and Translating

Gao and I returned to Awana Kijal after coming back on the earliest chopper in the morning. Without the permanent Wing, today was just going to be traveling. The road to Kuantan didn’t appear foreign to me. All my life I have gone up and down the east coast trail especially during the holidays. I can’t recall exact places one after another but I have seen familiar bends and corners as well as landmarks. Once I regularly drive back and forth this eastern track, I would surely be able to line up one place after another, like Cherating is after Sg. Ular, which is after Gebeng, going towards the capital of Terengganu.

Gao didn’t speak any Malay at all and the cab driver didn’t speak any English thus I instantly turned into a translator. The best part was none of them spoke even the proper version of the language - English with the Mainland Chinese accent and Malay with the eastern accent. It was good that I was ‘raised’ in an eastern Malaysian environment so the accent was nothing new and that I have had some conversations with non-native speakers of English before. I was shoving in my best communication skills for both of them to be comfortable - I never thought I was going to cover the whole spectrum today.

As we cruised on the eastern coast pathway I requested for the driver to stop for Keropok. Even though my parents are accustomed to purchase this tasty Terengganu cuisine, I never bothered to learn exactly how to pick the good ones. That’s my loss. I bought two bundles anyway as goody from the ‘home’ state. After the Friday prayer at Gebeng, which had left Gao sleeping in the car for a good three-quarter hour, we reached the city of Kuantan where Gao and I were hungrily looking for a place to eat. To accommodate his taste I insisted on inquiring his preference and finally led him to a regular western fast-food restaurant. It’s been a while since the last time I went there so I pun bedal sama lah.

The return flight was smooth except for the excessive heat from up above. Malaysia Airlines was not providing enough air-conditioning, perhaps due to the rising price of oil (does kerosene go up as well?) Gao thanked me for assisting and I thanked him even more for fixing the module.

Working Hazard

Work started at 0600 hours. Gao arrived at the airport on time and the three of us took off to the destination. I had no idea that GSF was running the show and that the platform is actually manned. Scott from Scotland managed to get us acquainted with the working scene. Having no other reaction to the surprise, I went down to the production deck with the rest of the team in an attempt to educate myself. We were fixing the module with Gao leading the replacement. Even though I was looking closely at what they were doing, only about 20 to 30 percent of the process is within my comprehension.

The day got hotter as the sun shone right from above. The system cabinet was not even placed in a proper control room but a simple shelter instead. As the drilling bit was making its way to the borehole, the deck rocked slowly from side to side as a result of the momentum. It was real dirt on the floor and that spots of water were everywhere. Metals and beams were already showing the signs of oxidation - reddish spots on corners and open surface. In this condition of zero comfort, I was wondering why men would go out and work here. Were jobs so difficult to get until we were left with one option only? Or perhaps we were enthusiastic about oil and gas?

The slow rocking movement continued, making an ambient sound that blended in almost perfectly. It was as if a huge air-conditioning machine had just been throttled to its full power. I glanced over to the open sea and admired the glitters on the surface of the water. The mere sight of flickering reflection from the sun rendered me speechless. Even at the remotest of a location, nature never failed to make us ponder. Noticing schools of tiny and huge fish dancing against the ripple at the base of the deck, I sighed in relief realizing that the natural habitat had not been disturbed at least. And if only I had a fishing line with me there and then, I wouldn’t feel so bad for not coping up with the system.

Even though we had a break for lunch in between, I was wearing off quicker than the sunset. In the middle of the fix, I felt so dizzy in the utmost fatiguing endurance test ever. No system test had ever been this meticulous and long. The experience tech. didn’t even bother to describe it to the level of details that would had kept me aspired. I sat down on a wide red box of which appeared to be a temporary storage for miscellaneous tools. It’s been a while since the last time I felt this thirsty, I thought. Finally, under the hot blazing rays of sun we wrapped it up and convinced ourselves that the local module had been successfully restored. Only the outer link required a little more configurations. I was sleeping like a baby while spending the night at the mother platform nearby. It was good that we had to travel to there by boat - I learned how to jump on and off the basket.

Development?

A development program for new hires is under way. Not only did I have to forward documents to appropriate recipients quickly, I had to prepare for other matters before going out of the office for two days. The MPC lunch with department managers required a necktie that I decided not to wear last minute. Larry came to the rescue by lending me a dark blue tie that fortunately matched my light blue shirt. There had been a lot of feel-good assurance type of discussion as the program continued - payment based on performance, benefits, extension of sharing contract, and so on. I had the opportunity to observe why the managers and supervisors are where they are now. My mind was still on the program until Awana Kijal emerged out of nowhere. “Oh, I’m here.”

The No.1 Boss

Qadir, my ex-supervisor whom I revered so much is leaving the company. It’s unbelievable. He started me up at the company when I did my internship there last year. Even though Yani welcomed me in at first, I was transferred to his group and he took over my progress under his wing. Every so often, he would ask if I had learned something from the tasks I was juggling and if I had had too much on my plate. Unlike any other in regular supervisory positions, he makes the time for his subordinates and not finds it. I would trade any other superior for Qadir any time.

Hectic, it has been. The course in the Lion Land is now confirmed even though the accommodation plan is under way. On such a short notice, I was instructed to tag along an experienced regular systems tech. to accompany a vendor for the rest of the weekdays. Though the task was a module replacement/repair at the site, to get to where the site is already more than half the work.

Quote of the day: There is more power in the pleasure of lifting others up than there is in the pseudo-power of knocking them down. [Weatherford]

Who Wants to Be an Engineer?

Is it possible to back off from becoming an engineer now? I have started to think that this profession is one of the toughest around. Not only that you’re accountable for the exact technical background like a technician/mechanic, you’re also supposed to handle the paperwork and documents like a secretary, make sales pitch like a salesman, mix in the crowd like a public relations officer, adjust people in and out your group like a human resource executive, give orders of a project execution like a top military personnel, draw detailed design of process flow and structures like an architect, predict the outcome of a project (planning and budgeting) like a fortune teller, estimate and balance the cost of project like an accountant, economically analyze the profitability of a project like an economist, influence external audience in technical seminars like a politician - it’s a whole bunch of jobs rolled into one!

The only profession I could not associate with is doctor. Let me rephrase. The only missing part in an engineer’s life is a doctor. I still daydream to become a comedian though, honestly. Or perhaps an actor.

Quote of the day : Most of us have an idea of how we think our days should go. We want nights of undisturbed sleep, regular meals and calm homes with a certain amount of order. But in our quest to keep order, sometimes we overlook the fact that some of the most important moments in our lives are unplanned. Through the cracks in our days often come life and love, and moments of connection. [Danielson]

Limping Off

Similar to last week, only with an addition of Muzani, Ude and I were in Shah Alam for another soccer game. I took it easy not to injure myself. For stretching out the left leg too much last week, I had a groin pain towards the upper left thigh that left me limping for nearly three days. I had to walk like my behind was sticking out of its normal position. A few people at the office thought that was sexy. I thought that was crazy.

Team Fortress

It was definitely one of the busiest Saturdays. The wedding ceremony of Pak Man’s son started us off, followed by a venture to fetch CB at Putrajaya. I wasn’t even too sure that the newlywed was his son or his daughter, but I guess that question’s redundant after tying the knot. The next trip took us to Pak Teh’s fortress in Taman Melawati nearby the National Zoo. It was apparent being one of the General Managers at BCB that general expenditure became no object. The sensitivity to hospitality however was still subject to discussion after seeing young generations, possibly Pak Teh’s children and friends, were playing guitars and singing popular tunes instead of welcoming us. I chatted with Pak Teh and Mak Teh instead and we blended in like a regular Mini in Vegas looking for a parking spot. The latest Cadillac and Limos wouldn’t let us anywhere near them but we found a few Oldsmobiles to park right next to. Though late for the occasion, we honored the objective still - the wellbeing of his grandson that was done earlier through Akikah (a welcoming ceremony for a newborn). Dad’s focus was a meeting at Seseri therefore he could not make it to any other occasions except for Pak Man’s event.

iTunes update

I may want to start a different format or style of blogging. I have a feeling that this type of daily musings is not suitable. K.Long and Muzani came by KLCC after collecting her UK Visa near the Ampang Park. We then ploughed on our way through the city to get her a digital camera, a gadget useful for capturing moments while she’s away.











Apple has released iTunes 5 and I’m not sure I agree with its new interface. The application has lost its ‘enclosure’ and its cosmetic is now similar to that of Mail. Many more applications in the future would suffer the same fate if nobody stops this march by Apple programmers. The iPod Nano was a whole different story though. It’s unbelievably small for a player with 1000 songs - salute Apple engineers.

Supervisory Position

For the first time ever, I heard the right sense of implication coming from my supervisor. While requesting for a particular status update, he also expressed the concern on his role in supporting the project. “What do you want me to do? How may I help in expediting this?” Perhaps it sounds normal to you, but compare the tone to the ones before: “You really have to communicate that right away. We definitely need to have that document in place. Please secure it. You need to go ahead and finish that.”

I don’t think I would reach the level of supervisor by the time I’d feel like hopping to other company. That’s exactly the attitude that won’t get me there. LOL.

Small World

The world became a bit smaller. It turned out that Mr. Saadon Khairon, an HR rep for training knew of me ahead of time, even before I joined the workforce. During a conversation on our way to Suria, he was describing a little deja vu when saw me at XOM - “I’ve seen this guy before.” Then he recalled the moment of seeing me having a conversation with his son at Putrajaya. His son, Danial, was a junior of mine when I was a dorm leader - his dorm leader - in the year of 1999. I met Danial again during a Carnival Day of SAS at Putrajaya about two months ago. It was a short reunion but nonetheless, I was glad to see someone of my care five and six years ago graduated soundly.

It's Business

I can’t walk far and fast hence I parked near the building with an excuse of parking ID application in progress. Apparently, you gotta pay, even to park at your own company’s premises. After a while, I begin to conclude that the best part of the job is to actually go home at 5. It couldn’t get any better than that. I recommend fellow colleagues in the workforce to absorb the fact that the job is just a job. Just like the company would say to you: “There’s nothing personal. It’s just business.” I have nothing against any business but come on. Be real. No matter how loyal you are to the company, it is not going to be loyal to you. Perhaps you should give a hundred percent to your employer as soon as you arrive at the gate at 8 in the morning but after 5, you have no obligation to stay whatsoever. Unless you didn’t give a hundred percent and a few things crashed pass the deadlines, then that’s a different a story. Just as much as you wouldn’t bring family matters to the office, you shouldn’t bring office matters to your home. The end.

Ouch My Body Hurts

Ude and I commuted to Shah Alam for a soccer game with Firdaus and co. I played center forward and scored four goals. Ude had one of his contact lenses popped out during one of the fights for air ball thus he couldn’t drive the GTI home. I helped out and drove the GTI back to Bangi with a big improvement in manual-racing driving style. I couldn’t believe how fast I was going while overtaking cars around the corners. We were literally flying whenever there was a small bump on the road.

My back hurts. So does my neck. And my shoulders feel heavy. My thigh is in agony. My English is clearly deteriorating. Sore are my muscles and my writings.

Fellow Visitors

I have been quite self-centered, I think. Let’s not write about myself again. No one’s interested. Let’s talk about everyone else.

Alex: Hey chum. How’s your thesis? Everything’s good?
Chris: Hey pal. I didn’t know you visit this lousy site. Don’t you have to grade Jussame’s papers or something? LOL. Sign your name somewhere to show that ‘Chris Linnet was here’.
Ihsan: Keep on going buddy. I’m sure you will obtain the MI driver license. When you go back to Malaysia, apply for the International Driver License.
Intan: I need to try out the acupuncture treatment for my back. Or should I visit the chiropractor? =)
Sue: Have you studied the Lilac color and observed why it has such an attraction? :P
Mazz: How's the baby? I'm sure he's healthy. And how's the iBook? I missed the white G3 -- my first Mac ever.
JT: Seoul Power! Is it possible to bring me a souvenir from the heart of Korea? =p
Amiey: Nyampahh! =) Come and visit often. How are you? Dr. Hamidah can supply me one apple everyday.
Ija: Don’t knock your head ten times. You need it to finish Geology. LOL.
Art: I don't know if you actually visit this site but I hope you're enjoying the home theater to the fullest!

Fabrication Yard Visit

Asian Hercules carries up to 3200 metric tonnes.

The visit to a fabrication yard in Johor opened up my eyes to many different perspectives. I saw different modules and support frames, flare booms and many more, but the best part was to actually witness the Asian Hercules myself. The big crane of the barge was unbelievable huge. It was colossal. Lying down towards the frame waiting to be loaded out were immensely thick cables and shackles at the end of each to tie up the structure. The original schedule for the frame to be up on the barge was 96 hours. I thought I was going to witness that huge structure lifted up by the Hercules but apparently, the process was very slow even with all the men working around the clock to finish it up.

Team Meeting

A meeting took nearly half of my day but the best part was the sponsored lunch at Madam Kwan’s. I at least had the chance to observe how a Superintendent managed the asset team.