New Edge

Hello, I'm a Mac. And I'm a PC.

Picking Things up

Live the day as if your last.

More Reminder

Yanni - Love Songs
This song would remind me of the time I spent at the hospital. Right after the operation.

***
I have been told that "what you do" in the company doesn't really matter, but "how you do it" actually does. I also realized recently just "who you are" also plays a great deal in positioning yourself there. But on top of that, "what you have accomplished" actually plays a greater role especially when the buzzes that come from management is that they want to see results (even without appropriate direction or guidance).

The last advice I got from a senior was this: "Just do it".

But we are not in a sports industry. One more thing, getting results with minimal direction or guidance is seen as the "leadership" quality demanded - regardless of the people that have been bulldozed along the way or accountability for an even longer term (the mindset that somebody filling in my position once I go up shall inherit all the underlying troubles)

***
I am feeling an entirely different sense of exhaustion. I am too exhausted to even feel exhausted. Unsettled. I walked outside for a while for some breeze. A deep sense of loss. I don't wanna be asking "where are you?", but emphasizing "here I am" instead.

Tough luck

Break... down. Down.

Some sort of Tag

Busy days tomorrow onwards. I better get this one out of the tray quickly while I still have the time. I'm not going be tagging others so.. sorry it ends here and does not flow to 6 other folks.

So, 6 weird stuff. Here goes.

1. I wouldn't normally stash my cash in the wallet. It's a whole new group in the pocket.
2. I write with right but peel oranges or eggs and shuffle cards with left.
3. I'm beginning to like Economics even though my background is technical and engineering. (this is probably not so weird)
4. I don't normally set any kind of alarm anymore. Maybe an automated reminder every once in a while.
5. I like Macintosh computers. (again, not so weird, but different)
6. I have a greater than average sense of inferiority complex. (You don't wanna know) I have a weird sense of joke. I think I have great potential but I don't accomplish all that much. etcetera. (I think it's weird but not all that unique)

Schutzgrade

Weekend Duty
Trip to office twice. One seems like a false alarm even though the issue has been rectified and the engineers just needed to support the causal finding. The other one is quite complicated to solve. Two senior engineers were called in to handle the situation. A little while later construction guy joined and the facilities supervisor arrived. All during the long break.

Ethics
Is it ethical to go around and go, "Your career is at stake. (Pointing to another person) Your career is at stake. My career is at stake," in order to motivate and get some 110% from the people? I don't think it's working.

Back Pain
Has subsided. Kak Nab pulled the "strings" and snapped some strands at the back. It's painful but at the same relieving. Sore but the uneasiness is pretty much gone. So now is a waiting game - see if the thing comes back.

If you search for Schutzgrade, notice there is an IP that comes with it. IP stands for Ingress Protection. gegen Staub (dirt, dust) und gegen Wasser (water). I don't know why I know this. Maybe engineering requires it.

I used to read labels when I was a kid and I always came across this word: zusammensetzung. And I noticed zusammenfasung too.

A Still Morning

Here I am, at 4AM something, not being able to continue my sleep. I don't usually take care of my sleep so I guess it's fair if my sleep is not taking care of me. Does that make any sense? lol. I used to sleep at least 7 hours and I could go on and off, back and forth (deferring or moving forward several hours) and the sleep still accumulates. But not anymore. My bedtime nowadays has to be in between 12AM to 6AM. Otherwise, the rest/unit time rate simply wouldn't start.

My Fingers
I can actually type up to 80WPM with roughly 96 to 97% accuracy, depending on the keyboard response and the type of chair I sit on :P You can try it at TypingTest.com. And it's done without the little fingers working. I can touch-type but not the formal touch-type where each finger is assigned to a fixed number of buttons. Professional secretaries can go up to 120WPM if I'm not mistaken. Not sure how the accuracy is like.

My Back
It has been persistently giving me jolts in regular intervals ever since I returned from the US. Well, it had started much earlier, if I had to guess, during the time when I was moving my stuff a lot as a nomad there in overseas, but the pain has very much increased in its intensity over the last 24 months.

Perhaps there is a leak in a fusion reactor there. :P

The red area in highlight is where it is most painful. I'm not sure if that's the right diagram to use, I'm not a medical expert, ok.

I should take it easy.

"Verily in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest."
Ar-Ra'ad (13:28)

Rivalry ends

Gee whiz. This phone has no rival. Position in its line: leader.

(Business, 3G, 3.2MP camera). Find out more.














How about this one then?












By the way, I'm getting new glasses.

The Feast

Abg.Long & K.Long held an event, a gratitude to the Almighty, for their second child was safely born. Guest of honor: the orphans of Fuqaha'.

Pak Su Azhar (dad's cousin) explaining something to Abg Din (my cousin).

Look at the dark

side.. and then you'll appreciate the brightness.

• I'm a mess
• Disorganized
• Forgetful
• Passive at times
• Absent-minded
• Couldn't care less
• Drop things
• Lack confidence
• Unmotivated

I can be insensitive at times. Completely overlook things. It's a wonder how I survive all this while.

Lack of emotional intelligence.

Watch your back

Only one person knows why I capture the following pictures:

Delicious.

Round Peg in Square Hole

I was a terrible host. I couldn't go with the vibes. I was emotionally and socially slow. I was partially hungry.

I think my mind was somewhere else.

I obviously don't fit in. Like these trees in the middle of the hotel.

Break Away

I'm taking a break for two days and two nights at Shangri-La, Putrajaya.

Sweet. I can literally jump from the bathroom straight into bed. :P Can't imagine when would I really need to do that.

k750i Medley

If you wonder the kind of phone that I use.

I need to get an EOS. :P How much now?

A Tribute

"The day.. the music died."
- Don McLean (on tragic accident in which a few rock & rolls mavericks were killed)

Now, change that to:

"The day... Alam Shah died."
- Hawking (on original Sek Alam Shah being moved to Putrajaya and renamed Sek Sultan Alam Shah afterwards)

More here.

Now what do I tell my kids? Which school did I go to?? Sek Men Sains Alam Shah?

Back to fitness

Jogging. 2 rounds. Then I had a round of tea with Ir. Lamat, the process engineer. Bought tonnes of nasi lemak for the whole family.

It's Ridhwan's birthday!

"Ridhwan, let ayoh Cik show you how to use a Mac. Here is the Caps Lock button. LOOK, A LIGHT COMES ON."

Science in Islamic Civilization

I finally made my way into the "Scientific Excellence in Islamic Civilization" exhibition after so many times walking right pass it. It's sponsored and endorsed by MOSTI. Arif came too and we were exploring the Astronomy section first before checking out the Biomed section, and later some replicas of Astrolabs, observatories, and instruments.

Then somehow our conversation with the host turned into an age-guessing quiz somewhere in the middle. There was also career talk thrown somewhere in there. As usual, I ended up being in my late 20s/early 30s while Arif fell into early 20s even though he's actually a year older than me. It's OK. I'm even used to people thinking that I'm already married.

In the humblest of my opinion, the show lacked details and applications that I wanted to learn about. Perhaps exhibition is not enough for details.

For those who are interested, the exhibition is still on until Feb 14, at the lower level Kuala Lumpur Convention Center.

Surgical tool in the early days. Is that an Allen key?

Niece II

<- Niece no.2, Siti Aidah. Born 3.5 something kilos, she seems unbelievably healthy, doesn't she? (Born a quarter past 9AM, picture taken 7.11PM the same day)

We all visited K.Long at around 6.30, immediately after I returned home from work. Everyone was there except Muzani, whom I think was about to finish an exam or something.

Hospital Putrajaya was again the venue for K.Long. She was admitted the night earlier, the exact time of which uncertain because I was at work. I found out when my dad called to ask if I could send CB & Ashbi to the tuition place while he was visiting K.Long that night.

Hair Development

I seem to be developing a natural cut starting through my temple and to the back as if this hair portion has been 'carved out' from its place.

I hope it's making me more handsome, and not older. ;p

SS1 Sg Way

After the wedding ceremony, dad, CB and I ventured to PJ in search for dad's old teacher. The last time they bumped into each other was 30 over years ago. We ended up exploring the area around with the help of an outdated map (dad's reminiscence of the place in the early 70s), realizing that many things have changed, while locating Dato Hussein's place.

We passed by a house of that seems to be of Steve Jobs'.

Nah. It's not insanely great enough. =p

Jerks. 9600.

It seems like we only gather when one of us got married. That could be discouraging for the frequency of the gathering, but on the other hand, encouraging for the frequency of the (wedding) events! :) I'm sure many and many more will follow suit. Jasin or Wan Azryn would have to go next. Ha-ha.

Counterclockwise from the right: Wan Azryn's gf, Wan Azryn, Izad, Zidni, Azim, Luqman, Syahill, Jasin, Jasin's gf.

Latest update:
Solehuddin - Drilling Engineer, Petronas
Syafiq Effendi - Production Operations, Petronas
Alifnor - UEM
Izad - Price WaterHouse Coopers
Azim - Perodua
Fitri - Project Executive, Waja Serangkai



























From left -
Top row: Jasin, Irsyad, Fakarudin, Linoq, yours truly, FIR & SERI, Siam, Mamat, Meen, Azie, Fahmi & Abu.
Mid row: Syahill, Radzi, Ajis, Matyi, Izak, Gjoi, Koye, Ajim, W.Azryn, Yus
Bottow row: Luqman, Doyoq, Am, the board, Ahseng

Bachelorhood

Speaking of bachelorhood, our batch had actually started up the "End of Bachelorhood" fund where the preceding groom shall pass over to his successor a collection of money from the batch right before the event. The current groom then adds his name to the board and repeats the above for the next candidate. Here's how the fund board looks like. So far 5 names have marked their names on it.

Izad: I can't donate like this. The content of the box is bare open! What if I want to donate just RM1.
Izad (later): I can donate, but then I can't fill up the gas for the ride home.
***
Izad (much later): It's like Tsunami relief.
***
Izad (much later, when choosing someone to hand over to groom, since Ikhwan couldn't make it): When need to have someone not very handsome, so the groom stands out. [laughter]

Izad is the master of condescending joke.

A New Start

Cherish the good things in life. Two of my close friends, one from school and one from varsity, ended their bachelorhood in style.

Teambuilding

Good and bad news as always. But the most important is to make full use of the current moment to build communication and team rapport across the organization. It is so true that we fail in our objective not because of the failure to initiate the effort, but the failure in the effort to maintain the initiatives.

Myself and Kaarthik (machinery engineer.)

Turn Around

Conversations that I remember the content the most. I'm not sure why. Maybe because things really matter these days. And you really, really care.

Hm, but I can still feel the memory-deletion effect. It has slowed down but not completely. I have to cut loose some of the relation to the past, to enhance present, and guarantee future. I must.

Accountability as Freedom

In the case of unfreedom, the constraints are imposed on us by the powers that be.

In the case of freedom, the constraints are imposed by us on the powers that be.

- Dr Anwar Ibrahim, honorary president of AccountAbility.
.

Job Requirement

4 factors determining whether a not a job is high-paying: (rephrased from Freakonomics)

1) Abundance (supply) of able doers.
A job will not be high-paying if many are able and willing to do it, i.e. janitor, receptionist, etc.

2) Specialization
Rare and highly specialized skill is a valuable resource. Such scarce ability is worth more than other skills that are more available everywhere. (Example: neural surgeon vs. general practice)

3) Unpleasantness nature of the job
If a job is unpleasant, less people are willing to do it and thus a higher incentive has to be offered to attract doers.

4) Demand for services that the job fulfills.
If person A has a set of skill that can match the demand easier than person B of a different set of skills, person A is more likely to land a job than B, no matter how specialized B is.

So a prostitute may easily earn more than an engineer. Even though the engineer is more skilled and better educated (as usually defined), little girls don't dream to become a prostitute so supply of potential prostitutes is relatively small. The skills, although not exactly specializing, are applied in a very specialized context. It is very unpleasant due to the tendency of violence and the lost opportunity of having stable family. What about demand? Let's say an engineer is likely to hire a prostitute than vice versa.

Bear in mind that the inner working of the above was discussed within economy's context that is amoral. Therein lies the problem, isn't it?