Update

It's amazing, but there still seems to be people that are reading this blog (hi Mom and Dad!). So it's worthwhile to post some updates.

Multiple trips across SE Asia. I love the tropical islands around here, so easy to get to from SG and also fairly good value for money. I'm a big fan of those resorts where you don't have to think much and get all the food catered for.

Tried to do some diving again (in Redang, Malaysia) and in hindsight I should have done the refresher course. Had all this trouble staying at neutral bouyancy. It may have been due to me taking enormous and quick breaths! After one diver (where I came to the surface with a bloody nose) I've decided it's not my sport.

Going to Hong Kong next week, might even swing by Macau. Always good to see family and friends. And then NYC at the end of the month!! Should be fantastic.

Work continues to be quite enjoyable. I've come to the realisation that I do like mangaging people. I like talking to my staff, encouraging to do bigger and better things. I'm not sure how good I am at it, but it's definitely a learning experience. This coming year, I need to do more engagement with the people in country, and understand what ICT options they need. More video conferencing!

And as this year has flown by, it's time for another birthday. Next week, 33. I was talking to some friends the other day about internal contentment. Am I content? I am much more comfortable (and confident) with the person that I am. Not content because there is still so much more to achieve in life. I'm still young enough to hold a dance party! Jook revived in Singapore!

Here's to another great year.

Japan and Plan C

It has (again) been a while since I've updated. Apologies to family members that have been waiting breathlessly for the latest news!
First off, Japan. Bringing skis is good in theory, but slightly annoying when having to carry three other bags. I was unlucky with the snow in Niseko, somehow getting the only 4 days of sunshine for Feb. Tokyo was a blast, eating, drinking, partying. I totally recommend going to Shibuya 109, the all female department store just to check out the cutey chicks! My new favourite look, the short shorts, off shoulder top and heels. Hot!
Hoping to get to Korea at the start of April, there's so much hype for that place!

On a completely different topic, I think I understand what being a "Plan C" for someone feels like. They enjoy your company, have fun conversations over chat, willing to say yes to dates, but they NEVER initiate. You never feel like it is quite right. In essence, you are not their "Plan A", and if they are your "Plan A", then it kind of sucks.
The question then becomes, can one move from being a "Plan C" to "Plan A"? From my experience, I think the answer is no. The only real method is to make them a "Plan C", through mental and emotional discipline, and pace oneself. Don't "give all your cookies away", as a friend once told me. (As an aside, telling them that you like them may not be that bad. At least everyone is clear on where they stand).
Such is life. To all the people that suffer this syndrome, you have my sympathies!

Reconnections

One of the real joys of moving to SG has been to reconnect with old friends.

Reconnecting with my high school mates living in SG on a regular basis makes me feel that SG is so much more like a real home, as opposed to a place that I am just passing through.
They look after me through dinners, giving local advice when needed and living vicariously through my up and down social life. It has definitely made the transition to this city much easier.

I'm reconnecting with other friends here in SG, acquaintances previously but now good friends. Time and proximity does that to people!

I'm reconnecting with good friends in South East Asia, such as HK, Shanghai, Tokyo (in two weeks!). When traveling around is this easy, I should have no excuse not to visit.

I'm reconnecting with people have swung by SG in the last 5 months to visit, adding new memories to old memories. Everyone seems wiser, more comfortable with themselves. Some are putting a greater commitment to living the life they have, others are ambitiously planning a change to their current one. I'm happy for everyone's successes, and wish it upon myself as well!

Business Success

It's been a while.

I just recently heard that a friend of mine got bought out by Groupon, in essence replicating the idea of "group buying" here in Singapore. Given that Google tried to buy Groupon for $6 billion, the offer Groupon made to my friend was pretty sweet indeed. Plus they made him CEO for their South-East Asia region!

It's funny cause I remember talking to him about it in New York, when he was getting himself set up and making trips to Singapore. It's fantastic to see him do good and achieve the success that he has received.

Of course this makes me think about getting myself started with some business ideas here. What it also made me realise was that it's all in the execution, even if the idea is modelled after someone else. Whilst the internet has made certain things easily accessible across the globe, there are still many location-based services that just need to replicated to a new location.

No doubt there will be sacrifices along the way. My friend dropped out of an INSEAD programme in order to get his business off the ground. What sacrifices would I be willing to make? Am I still too wedded to my job? I told another friend that my heart is still in my current job. Perhaps I need to accept that this job is what I want to at the moment...if that's the case, then I need to make sure that I am achieving everything I want to in this job.

Shanghai

It's been 7 years since I went to Shanghai. The place has undergone a dramatic change, from all accounts. What made it good before still applies...the food (sheng jian bao, yum!), the view from the Bund, the French Concession. I remember vigorously partying the first time I was here. On that front, it seems like nothing has changed! Can't believe they opened up a Prive there. Fun to meet new friends, more places to visit around Asia.

Di and I went to an "art battle" event, where random artists are making artworks in front of you and you vote for the one your liked best. It's this kind of stuff that I don't think is available in Singapore, although perhaps I'm not looking hard enough.

Finally made it to the expo, on the second last week it was showing. I'm so glad I had connections to get into the Australia pavilion (our company built it) and the Taiwan pavilion (friend was VIP). Not sure if I would have lined up 4 hours to see these things, although if I had lined up for 4 hours for anything I'm sure I would have raved on about it just to validate that it wasn't a complete waste of time!

Spent time at the office as well. It always seems that hospitality is wonderful in these regional offices. I'm sure they get sick of random staff members coming in to visit, but they are so gracious about it. It's good to get some face time with these guys though, makes work easier when communicating or convincing them of a certain process.

Speaking of hospitality, thanks Di for taking me around! Hope you get your visa sorted out so you can visit me in Singapore!

Hips Don't Lie

My last 1.5 years in New York were filled with forays into nightclubs around the city. What always attracted me to a place was much less about the physical qualities of the people there but much more about the quality of the music that was played. So I would willingly go to places that my friends deemed questionable in order to dance to my "pop-RnB" tunes.

Friends who have known me for a while (which I assume is every person who can be bothered to read this blog) know that I am quite happy to boogey away by myself, as long as the music is good. Those last 1.5 years have, I believe, improved my dancing abilities to a point that it gets recognised as a value-add item!

I was never quite sure what made my dancing good, having not had any training (apart from many 21st birthday party performances). The Economist has now shown the way. Indeed, all it comes down to is a willingness to "drop it like it's hot"!

It has been a both pleasant and unpleasant to find out surprise to find that Singapore does not have many people who I would consider good dancers. Guys especially seem rooted to one spot. Pleasant in that it makes me at least be better than average, unpleasant in that there are girls here who can't dance (side note: drunk foreigners here still love to do that mosh pit thing in the middle of the dance floor...both a dangerous (for the people around them) and idiotic exercise).

Ah, memories of Circle come flooding back!

A Servant Life

One of the big pluses of being in Singapore is that I get to enjoy Jo's company. Whilst it can get silent sometimes, he does ask (or usually states) good questions, things worth thinking about.

He posed a question to me the other day, "I don't think you should stay in IT too long, as you are in a servant role, and it's not helpful in understanding how to grow a business".

I was initially a bit shocked. But it did get me thinking about it more.

He's quite right, internal IT is all about serving our business, and quite a reactive place. When the business grows, we grow. When the business shrinks, we shrink. It's a place of ideas, yes, but always of ideas to cut costs, not to increase revenues.
Granted, at my company, there is a small group of IT people with a focus on growing the "technology in property" part, but the focus is always on IT serving the business. And especially in construction, where the majority of people think that they can still build a building with just pen and paper.

And the pitfall with the service attitude is that creativity is more difficult to achieve. When IT is in reactive mode, it's comforting to not have to think and just do, just fix the problem at hand. We become great problem solvers for the problems that we can see. But growing a business usually involves fixing problems that are not yet visible, tapping the untapped opportunity.

So I need to think more holistically, and understand how the business wants to grow here. As a start, I need to think of how we can position our IT offerings to enable this growth. Perhaps business ideas will grow from there.

Should I totally step away from this servant life? A part of me quite enjoys this role, so for the time being it's the right thing. I do like the managing people part, that is where I'm learning a lot. I'm sure that will come in handy in the future.

Singapore Update

Update:
1. Put a deposit down for an apartment, moving in end of the month. Funnily, I just found a video walkthrough of an apartment in that building that is the same as mine. However, mine doesn't have anywhere near that good a view (or come with that music!) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDQh2wxKycs

2. Since I haven't moved in, not sure about quality of food in my new area. I'm currently close to a hawker food centre, so hitting that up quite often. I'm a cheap eats kinda guy :)

3. Meeting people all over the place. Obviously catching up regularly with Anton and Jo/Krystal, seeing Nic quite often as well. Making some new party friends, which is good for me not having to line up at parties. Will try to catch up with other people here...

4. Found myself a volleyball group, so playing on Sundays. Good players, and very friendly people, so getting some exercise.

5. Need to find more people to practice Mandarin with, not throwing it out there enough.

6. "Mini CIO" job is ok, reporting lines are a bit blurred, but I don't really care as long as I've still got some influence. I've settled into the job a bit more, got some runs on the board with a new initiative. Truth be told, I haven't heard much at all from my Asia CIO, so I should reach out to him more...

Overall, I'm feeling happy about this place. It's been very easy to settle in and get into the Singapore rhythm. Looking forward to traveling around Asia. Still missing friends in New York, but glad to have internet/BBM to keep in touch.

Farewell and Hello

Pic from Boston / Cape Cod trip here. Thoroughly recommended.

As I count out my last days here in NYC, a friend asked me what I will miss most about the city.
I remember telling another friend ages ago that the one thing New York has above all other cities is the opportunity to do what I want at whenever I wanted. Through sheer numbers of people in this city (and especially Manhattan) there is always something going on.

So I will miss that feeling of opportunity. The feeling that "hey, something random and special will happen tonight!". Most likely it involves alcohol.

Of course, I will miss the friends, both new and old. From Aussie mates, to friends from work, volleyball, Company of Heroes and clubbing, everyone has been so welcoming. I would like to think that it's more than just the fact that my American friends like to hear my accent that they hang out with me, but who knows? My Aussie friends are like family now. I will miss them the most.

I have a few New Yorkers that have lived in this city and cannot think of moving anywhere else. Whilst I feel that I have made New York home, I was fairly sure that I would not settle down here. With the significant distance to family, if was always going to be a "time-constrained" experience. Experiences like acting, MOMA, Broadway shows, and Circle all add up to a lifetime of memories,

It's special to live in NYC, it's even more special to live in the city both as part of a couple and as a single guy. There is definitely enough things to do to satisfy either lifestyle, but if I was to pick one, I would say that New York is THE place to be a single guy :)

I have learned a lot about myself in the last 3 years and for that I am thankful. New York has forced me to try new things, see different perspectives and perhaps reinvent myself. New York has made me believe in me. Really, that is all anyone can ask for.

I believe that the transition to Singapore life will be smooth. Having good friends that already makes it much easier to fit in. Of course there will be challenges (one of which is the new role) but I am looking forward to it.

So farewell New York, hello Singapore!

Self Reverence

As I celebrate another birthday (Boston and Cape Cod!), I read an article on the three pillars of a successful person: self reverence, self knowledge and self control.

The first one has always been a struggle. I did not notice it as much in my younger days, but similarly to when someone points out that you say "um" a lot, I see it in my writing and my actions. I use a lot of self deprecating humour, and whilst it is effective, sometimes I wonder if it means I don't value myself enough.

I wrote about this lack of self reverence a while back.

To take one light-hearted example, at clubs, I will quickly remove myself from pursuing a girl if other guys come in and have a shot at that girl that I like. Why?? Why do I rate myself so lowly against other (mostly Asian) guys that if I objectively assessed the situation I would consider myself an equal or possibly better?
I know that my personality is such that I do not like to make such judgments against people, plus I'm not too big on confrontations.

New York has taught me that there are some arrogant people here, super confident in themselves, perhaps to the extent that it isn't even true.
However, being an Asian Australian living in America bumps my "perceived quality" quotient up a few levels, due to a) the accent, b) the attitude and c) yes the accent. As my friend says, "get it whilst the getting is good!". I'm following her advice :)

I need to understand that the combination of my personality, career, outlook and looks all add up to a decent package. I don't think that enough, and given my new life in Singapore, it's worth a shot. Believe, and Aim High!