I sprained my back and was away from work for 3 days. Most colleagues came to offer me their sympathies, recommendations and generally good advice on what I should do, which acupuncturist I should visit, what kinds of "heaty" food I should avoid etc... but added to the mix was this one... "You should blog about it".
My instant response to that was sure! It will be HOW NOT TO READ THE 700 EMAILS IN YOUR INBOX!
But seriously, how do you separate mere traffic noise from the real siren? How can someone remain effective without being considered 'unreachable' by not reading an average of 200+ emails a day? Think about it! Reading 200+ emails at an average rate of 1 minute an email = 3-4 hours of work = half a day gone!
So I asked around, did some googling and came up with these 3 strategies:
(1) Filter: How to differentiate immediately if a mail was sent to you directly, or if you are just on the CC. list. For how to, Click HERE.
(2) Be Honest: I'm never ever going to catch up with all the mails that were sent. So instead of feeling guilty, I should just get over it and stop trying to be perfect. So there, all you unimportant mails, I'm going to sentence you to DELETE!
(3) Avoid Boomerangs: Yay! Now that I'm left with 80+ emails after filtering and being honest, I want to make sure that these emails I respond to don't boomerang back so I'm going to (a) communicate strictly to those who needs a response from me (i.e not "Reply to All") and (b) communicate so clearly, nobody will feel they have to send me a "Reply".
Cheers! Happy Weekend! Don't try breaking your back and a toast to a better 'Outlook'!!!
Friday, June 27, 2008
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Telemarketeers
All telemarketeers are stupid but some are more stupid than others!!!
Yours sincerely,
GROUCHY
Yours sincerely,
GROUCHY
MC for 3 days
I only read like 5 mails, took 3 conference calls and attended 1 meeting. So I'm back to work and guess what? 723 mails are sitting in my inbox! *curse*
Sunday, June 22, 2008
The truth
On normal days:
Me: Am I fat?
He: Either no response, or "You need to exercise!"
( which will lead to )
Me: So I'm fat?
He: Everyone needs to exercise to be healthier!
Yesterday, after having 2 men haul me into the car:
He: You are very heavy!
Me: When people lose consciousness, they become heavier!
He: The weight doesn't change!
Me: No, but if I can hold on to you, then I'd definitely be lighter!
The truth is difficult to swallow isn't it?
Me: Am I fat?
He: Either no response, or "You need to exercise!"
( which will lead to )
Me: So I'm fat?
He: Everyone needs to exercise to be healthier!
Yesterday, after having 2 men haul me into the car:
He: You are very heavy!
Me: When people lose consciousness, they become heavier!
He: The weight doesn't change!
Me: No, but if I can hold on to you, then I'd definitely be lighter!
The truth is difficult to swallow isn't it?
Faking Death
I always imagined dying to be a struggle. Maybe if you are strangled, that would be the case. But after yesterday's fainting episode, I'm wondering if it's more like fainting... the body shuts down without you realizing it and then you're gone!
OR even if you knew you were losing consciousness, like I did, you couldn't help but slip uncontrollably into the dark and you wouldn't know that you did lose consciousness until you've woken up from it.
When I did wake up, I was so refreshed by it, I thought I could start walking again. Wrong.
But guess what? I can now finally relate to the phrase "died peacefully". It's just a permanent form of lost consciousness isn't it?
OR even if you knew you were losing consciousness, like I did, you couldn't help but slip uncontrollably into the dark and you wouldn't know that you did lose consciousness until you've woken up from it.
When I did wake up, I was so refreshed by it, I thought I could start walking again. Wrong.
But guess what? I can now finally relate to the phrase "died peacefully". It's just a permanent form of lost consciousness isn't it?
My bad.
I heard a shout, "Uncle! Ni ke yi bang wo mah?" ( can you help me?) and realised that I was not leaning beside the big one. I was half kneeling in front him and he was shouting for help. I had what the doctors in the hospital recorded as "LOC" - lost of consciousness.
What happened? I sneezed and popped my back. The pain was so intense, I fainted.
My back is a joke. The first time the same thing happen to me, I was flinging the comforter over the bed. Next thing I knew, I keeled over and slumped over side of the bed. The ambulance came to pick me up and I was hospitalized.
This time round, I just lay on the bed in the A&E ward while the morphine shot they gave me took effect.
6 hours later, I was sent back home in a "zen" state, with a few packets of really strong painkillers.
What happened? I sneezed and popped my back. The pain was so intense, I fainted.
My back is a joke. The first time the same thing happen to me, I was flinging the comforter over the bed. Next thing I knew, I keeled over and slumped over side of the bed. The ambulance came to pick me up and I was hospitalized.
This time round, I just lay on the bed in the A&E ward while the morphine shot they gave me took effect.
6 hours later, I was sent back home in a "zen" state, with a few packets of really strong painkillers.
Friday, June 20, 2008
Lions in winter
Finished the previous book and will strongly recommend it for anyone who's every thought of officially retiring before the official retirement age.
Now reading:
Now reading:
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
4 hour work week
Currently reading... 
This is the first "self-improvement" type book I've read that contains words like "p*n*s" and "m*st*rb*t**n" in them. I'm only about 1/4 through the book but am predicting that it's definitely a book I'd read to the end.
My attention span is pretty short nowadays and I don't really have time to waste on boring books. My intellect simply doesn't appreciate being challenged by complexity for the sake of it anymore. Simpler better!
This is the first "self-improvement" type book I've read that contains words like "p*n*s" and "m*st*rb*t**n" in them. I'm only about 1/4 through the book but am predicting that it's definitely a book I'd read to the end.My attention span is pretty short nowadays and I don't really have time to waste on boring books. My intellect simply doesn't appreciate being challenged by complexity for the sake of it anymore. Simpler better!
Monday, June 16, 2008
Mysophobia - fear of dirt.
Jun 12 - A piglet in Northern England who developed a phobia of mud has overcome its fear with the aid of some Wellington boots.
Cinders, a young saddleback pig, appeared to have a condition called mysophobia - a fear of dirt - having refused to wallow in the mud with her siblings.
Her owners had the idea of fitting her with the bespoke miniature footwear to help conquer her fear.Debbie and Andrew Keeble run a sausage company in Thirsk, North Yorkshire.
However, they have said that Cinders will be spared the butcher's knife and instead act as a mascot to the Farm Crisis Network which supports struggling farmers.
~Reuters
Cinders, a young saddleback pig, appeared to have a condition called mysophobia - a fear of dirt - having refused to wallow in the mud with her siblings.
Her owners had the idea of fitting her with the bespoke miniature footwear to help conquer her fear.Debbie and Andrew Keeble run a sausage company in Thirsk, North Yorkshire.
However, they have said that Cinders will be spared the butcher's knife and instead act as a mascot to the Farm Crisis Network which supports struggling farmers.
~Reuters
Kai Hua - Open Flower
My comment to his teacher during his last lesson. The boy had "blossomed".
The little one had been very encouraged by the concert he took part in the previous week and over the last one week, learnt 2 new pieces. A feat. Considering it took 2 terms (half a year) before he could play "Twinkle".
Practice is becoming more regular now... and the aim for me is to encourage him to keep in beat and play music that can "sing and sigh".
The little one had been very encouraged by the concert he took part in the previous week and over the last one week, learnt 2 new pieces. A feat. Considering it took 2 terms (half a year) before he could play "Twinkle".
Practice is becoming more regular now... and the aim for me is to encourage him to keep in beat and play music that can "sing and sigh".
Business opportunities
Received this note from a reader:
"According to this new survey, Singapore is the easiest place in the world to do business! What do you think makes it so easy? Many factors. The easy availability of public toilets. Lots of people selling tissue paper.... big business, small business, all can!"
"According to this new survey, Singapore is the easiest place in the world to do business! What do you think makes it so easy? Many factors. The easy availability of public toilets. Lots of people selling tissue paper.... big business, small business, all can!"
Friday, June 13, 2008
Hot Job
(Part 1) Hot Job
Tissue peddlers! Don't you think there's a lot of them around nowadays? It used to be a partnership business and one of them had to be blind but not anymore my friends, they are everywhere now! I'm petty sure they'll invade bus-stops and mrt stations next!
(Part 2) Tissue Peddler
So this lady came to us and I bought some. Whilst eating, she came back again and my mother politely told her we've bought some from her already. 15 minutes later, she came back yet again and this time, my mother picked up the proof, showed it to her and said, a tat impatiently, Look! We bought from you already! The lady responded, "The other guy also sells this type of tissues" and walked away. I burst out laughing before my mother could give her retort.
(Part 3) Rejected Offer
Which reminds me of this Teochew man in the hawker centre last week. (I seemed to be spending way too much time in hawker centres) This man was probably in his forties and must have been undernourished as a child. His teeth was really bad. A couple had fallen off already and the ones he still had were yellow and pointy. He was sipping his soya bean drink when along came the elderly owner of the soya bean drink stall, a fellow Teochew man. The old man advised the 'young man' to do something with his time, like (what else?) sell tissues! The man prompty rejected, saying, "Look! The auntie who used to come round? she's not here anymore! She's been taken away by the authorities for selling tissues! Better not sell tissues, wait get taken away. I don't want to be taken away!"
(Part 4) Inconclusive
The majority of tissue sellers I'm sure didn't elect to sell tissues in order to make a living. But if you have been to other parts of Asia, you'd notice that there are a lot more 'career' opportunities for these people in those countries than it is here in Singapore. I'm not sure if it's due to people being 'hungrier' or the governments there being less 'sophisticated'.
(Part 5) Scene from the past
This image of an old lady I saw years ago, on the streets of Hanoi, with less than a kilo worth of strawberries (most likely home grown), squatting under a bulb that runs on electricity she's tapped (illegally) just struck me as ... entrepreneurial.
(Part 6) Limitations
The same opportunities doesn't exist here for people that falls off the sides. First, you dont' have any land on which to grow things on. Second, there's no free electricity to tap from and lastly, you need a license before you can hawk anything, anywhere.
(Part 7) End
What am I doing, writing all this s**t whilst sitting on a cushioned seat in an air-conditioned room? Why do I freaking care about tissue sellers?
Tissue peddlers! Don't you think there's a lot of them around nowadays? It used to be a partnership business and one of them had to be blind but not anymore my friends, they are everywhere now! I'm petty sure they'll invade bus-stops and mrt stations next!
(Part 2) Tissue Peddler
So this lady came to us and I bought some. Whilst eating, she came back again and my mother politely told her we've bought some from her already. 15 minutes later, she came back yet again and this time, my mother picked up the proof, showed it to her and said, a tat impatiently, Look! We bought from you already! The lady responded, "The other guy also sells this type of tissues" and walked away. I burst out laughing before my mother could give her retort.
(Part 3) Rejected Offer
Which reminds me of this Teochew man in the hawker centre last week. (I seemed to be spending way too much time in hawker centres) This man was probably in his forties and must have been undernourished as a child. His teeth was really bad. A couple had fallen off already and the ones he still had were yellow and pointy. He was sipping his soya bean drink when along came the elderly owner of the soya bean drink stall, a fellow Teochew man. The old man advised the 'young man' to do something with his time, like (what else?) sell tissues! The man prompty rejected, saying, "Look! The auntie who used to come round? she's not here anymore! She's been taken away by the authorities for selling tissues! Better not sell tissues, wait get taken away. I don't want to be taken away!"
(Part 4) Inconclusive
The majority of tissue sellers I'm sure didn't elect to sell tissues in order to make a living. But if you have been to other parts of Asia, you'd notice that there are a lot more 'career' opportunities for these people in those countries than it is here in Singapore. I'm not sure if it's due to people being 'hungrier' or the governments there being less 'sophisticated'.
(Part 5) Scene from the past
This image of an old lady I saw years ago, on the streets of Hanoi, with less than a kilo worth of strawberries (most likely home grown), squatting under a bulb that runs on electricity she's tapped (illegally) just struck me as ... entrepreneurial.
(Part 6) Limitations
The same opportunities doesn't exist here for people that falls off the sides. First, you dont' have any land on which to grow things on. Second, there's no free electricity to tap from and lastly, you need a license before you can hawk anything, anywhere.
(Part 7) End
What am I doing, writing all this s**t whilst sitting on a cushioned seat in an air-conditioned room? Why do I freaking care about tissue sellers?
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Monday, June 09, 2008
Random Rage in Tokyo.... 7 killed.
Excerpt taken from an article reporting the same on Reuters...
"Japan has entered a period of selfishness. People have the feeling that they can do anything," said Jinsuke Kageyama, a criminal psychologist at Tokyo Institute of Technology.
"But when these people fail to fulfill themselves in socially acceptable ways, they are treated as losers and their frustration builds up," he added. "A series of disappointments can lead them to try to regain their sense of self through crime."
Kageyama blamed Japan's obsession with exam grades for making many feel like failures, and said the decline of the extended family was one factor cutting support for troubled youngsters.
Tackling the root causes of such attacks would be a complex task, and harsher penalties would likely not be helpful, he said
This is a war waged by a single person upon the society he lives in. Think how more horrible it is to have societies wage war against each other. Yet, it is these single acts of selfish rage that shocks us more. Why? Is the agenda of one less permissible or more selfish than that of a group?
Do we despise losers? Do you? Do I? Why?
( Sidetrack: I was always happy to point out to my parents that so and so did worse than me. And when I did end up last in class, I didn't hesitate to point out that I wasn't last in the standard.)
Regaining self through crime? Come on, who really knows what self is? Looking back, my 20's was of hope. 30's now is simply one big struggle to become. I think maybe at 40, I'd finally know for sure.
Extended family support. Hmm.... who's really reponsible for the decline?
Hasher penalties not likely to be helpful. ( If you had a child, you'd agree) But what then?
I've been to Akihabara, the place where the stabbings took place, and had bought hair curlers there. Perhaps if I hadn't, I would have just read the headlines and note, 7 killed. No relevance to me whatsoever. Am I selfish? er.......Yes?
One thing for sure. I'm definitely scared of the possibility of me or anyone I know/love being killed one day simply by just being in the path of a more selfish person. Worse, whilst buying something stupid like hair curlers.
"Japan has entered a period of selfishness. People have the feeling that they can do anything," said Jinsuke Kageyama, a criminal psychologist at Tokyo Institute of Technology.
"But when these people fail to fulfill themselves in socially acceptable ways, they are treated as losers and their frustration builds up," he added. "A series of disappointments can lead them to try to regain their sense of self through crime."
Kageyama blamed Japan's obsession with exam grades for making many feel like failures, and said the decline of the extended family was one factor cutting support for troubled youngsters.
Tackling the root causes of such attacks would be a complex task, and harsher penalties would likely not be helpful, he said
This is a war waged by a single person upon the society he lives in. Think how more horrible it is to have societies wage war against each other. Yet, it is these single acts of selfish rage that shocks us more. Why? Is the agenda of one less permissible or more selfish than that of a group?
Do we despise losers? Do you? Do I? Why?
( Sidetrack: I was always happy to point out to my parents that so and so did worse than me. And when I did end up last in class, I didn't hesitate to point out that I wasn't last in the standard.)
Regaining self through crime? Come on, who really knows what self is? Looking back, my 20's was of hope. 30's now is simply one big struggle to become. I think maybe at 40, I'd finally know for sure.
Extended family support. Hmm.... who's really reponsible for the decline?
Hasher penalties not likely to be helpful. ( If you had a child, you'd agree) But what then?
I've been to Akihabara, the place where the stabbings took place, and had bought hair curlers there. Perhaps if I hadn't, I would have just read the headlines and note, 7 killed. No relevance to me whatsoever. Am I selfish? er.......Yes?
One thing for sure. I'm definitely scared of the possibility of me or anyone I know/love being killed one day simply by just being in the path of a more selfish person. Worse, whilst buying something stupid like hair curlers.
Sunday, June 08, 2008
Bursting!
He did it! I am so proud of my baby! A week ago, you wouldn't have thought he could. The contrast between then and today was so great, it's like pairing nadir and zenith together. The Big One's take? "He came from such low base, everything else is a bonus!" That's how I felt. Like I got hit by an unexpected bonus and it made me swell with pride!His inaugural violin stage performance.
Well done my boy!
Well done!
Friday, June 06, 2008
Thursday, June 05, 2008
Salary Inflation
Doubleclick on the image to make it bigger... a colleague came to me and said, "We are in the wrong industry! This guy from Merrill Lynch earns $4.4 mil a year and he's only 10 years older than me!" Hmmm.... I did a scenario testing on excel. I started with a salary of S$1,650 after graduation. Assuming I had an increment of 10% a year ( ideal case sceanario)... and continue to have 10% adjustment a year, by the time I retire at age 62 ( if I hadn't kicked the bucket by then) I should be earning S$82,155 a month! Roughly S$1 mil a year??? But hey, if I worked till I'm 78 years old , in Year 2053, I can match what this guy does in Year 2008! Right... someone tell me, what'll be the price of loaf of bread in 2053?
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
Day 1 of Year 2
Yep. Today's Day 1 of Year 2.
Checked my bank account. Er, it's no different from the year prior....Hahahaa!!!
Checked my bank account. Er, it's no different from the year prior....Hahahaa!!!
Monday, June 02, 2008
Restructuring
Finally pulled my socks up and submitted my 'new structure for the team' proposal after the resignation of one of my senior staff. All in 2 weeks! It could have been a no-brainer but I guess, given that the business needs are evolving, I can't give a no-brainer hire-a-replacement solution.
Hope it goes through...
I don't think I'm ambitious.........though 'saying' this suddenly reminds me of a strange dream I had last night. I was trying to get my old job back. The one that pays less but was way more fun?
Tomorrow equals 365 days at this job. The 2 things that made me take this job up still remains challenging. (1) People ; & (2) Business.
I was actually relieved to wake up to reality.
Hope it goes through...
I don't think I'm ambitious.........though 'saying' this suddenly reminds me of a strange dream I had last night. I was trying to get my old job back. The one that pays less but was way more fun?
Tomorrow equals 365 days at this job. The 2 things that made me take this job up still remains challenging. (1) People ; & (2) Business.
I was actually relieved to wake up to reality.
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