As A Mexican Soccer Commentator Would Say...

GGGGGGOOOOOOOOAAAALLLLLLL!!!
I'm back on track...at least, for the next three months! Now it's just a matter of breaking them down into bite-sized 1-week chunks and go from there. Wish me luck :)
I even have "write in the blog" as one of the goals, so that my overseas friends can semi-keep in touch with what is happening in my life. If you're reading this, put in a comment!

On a totally different note, nothing brings people together as much as team sports....the Playstation 2 kind, that is! With the purchase of my new multi-tap for the PS2, it's no-holds barred Virtua Tennis action. I haven't heard that much shouting and high-fives since we played that Puzzle Bobble game all those years ago at Des'. "Hold it, Gobbo"...."I can't!!!" (yes, I know, you had to be there :))
So an inaugural tennis tournament is planned, complete with the SportsTAB action. Should be awesome!

Damn! 18 cheap calls already:

I think i missed something... did u score?
pskis - 30 September '03 - 21:21

Hehe, I wish mate!
Don't you hate it when people don't call you back?

Nah, I've just set my goals a bit more properly.
JookBoy - 01 October '03 - 09:14

Depends on WHO didn't call u back now doesn't it?
pskis - 01 October '03 - 12:29

Anyone who doesn't call back gets no love :)
JookBoy - 01 October '03 - 16:47

Puzzle Bobble, Puzzle Bobble - can we play that at your virtual tennis match - Puzzle Bobble Match!
jen - 01 October '03 - 22:10

'Anyone who doesn't call back gets no love' - Kev
...unless of course they come to see you instead, dressed in only suspenders and a fake fur coat (because like, real fur is just so passe.)

But I digress
Dre - 02 October '03 - 00:10

Get Des to bring it...don't know if it will work on an unhacked PS2.

w00t w00t for suspenders :)
JookBoy - 02 October '03 - 09:14

Don't suspenders need to be suspended from something.
pskis - 02 October '03 - 16:58

Err.... from crotchless panties?
Dre - 03 October '03 - 00:34

seems i hooked into this conversation at just the right time...
bjee - 03 October '03 - 18:30

I second that call BJee...I didn't know you prowled these waters :)
bOGi (email) - 06 October '03 - 21:44

BJee is a cheap calls man through and through!
JookBoy - 07 October '03 - 09:01

I took one set off you! muahahahaha!
:P
xtn - 07 October '03 - 11:52

Don't get cocky hehe
So much emotion invested in that game...I'm exhausted by the end of it :)
JookBoy - 07 October '03 - 12:04

I bags playing as Patty Rafter. :)
Dre - 08 October '03 - 01:59

I shouldnt have played that third set. Shoulda known my thumbs can only take so much :P
xtn - 10 October '03 - 11:53

gday mate, no cheap calls from me, only wanted to say hello as you requested... also since you sound so elated, please elaborate: what GOAL did you score? who did you score it on? and who was the goalie at the time?
al (email) - 18 October '03 - 05:08

Mate, read the previous comments!

I've just been a bit more specific in my goal setting, a bit clearer on where I want to be and where I want to go...there has been no "scoring" in any sense of the word :)

Hope Shanghai's treating ya well!
JookBoy - 24 October '03 - 04:44

Focus Focus!

I think it's time to get on with life and get back on the goal-setting path. Without the weight of Gap on my shoulders, weekends feel so long. I slept in for BOTH Saturday and Sunday, and felt so bad! Still reckon that I've got 18 months of lack of sleep to make up for :)

A friend of mine invited me to an Anthony Robbins seminar. Whilst I have not gone to any of his self-improvement seminars, I did shell out some money to attend one a year or so back. Man, was that an experience! I saw an exorcism with my own eyes :) But I digress...
I very much believe that goal-setting does help you in life. Having read the Stephen Covey books about putting important things first, I have a fear that I'm lacking direction without these goals. I need to start putting time in to dedicate to look a bit more to the future instead of what is happening in the next few days.
Where do I want to be? Where do I want to go? What do I want to have achieved?

An analogy (that I read): A lot of people hack away at the trees to clear a path for themselves, but never realise that they're in the wrong forest in the first place.

So where would I be in five years?
- Steady relationship (hey, it could happen! :P)
- Own a profitable company (go the Indo contacts)
- A high position within Lend Lease
- Still have a six-pack (it's an on-going bet with my sis that I'll lose it by the time I'm 30)
- Financially stable (there's a number in my mind that I had agreed with Jo....bloody looks pretty diffiuclt at the moment!)

Some goals within five years
- Worked in Asia (more Shanghai action)
- Did one Summer Camp in USA
- Skied overseas
- Fluent in Mandarin (and brushed up on Cantonese)
- If all goes well with the company, have a non-profit business that gives people opportunities to get ahead themselves.

But most of all, you have to enjoy the journey along the way. It's all about the number of stories that you can tell your kids when you're old!

Damn! nine cheap calls already:

What a subtle way to tell the world u have a 6 pack.

Enjoy the journey mate.
"The true traveller is he who goes on foot, and even then, he sits down a lot of the time."
pskis - 17 September '03 - 16:06

It's my blog :P

Although at last check, it's not looking quite as good as in the heydays of 3rd year uni!
JookBoy - 17 September '03 - 16:52

Man, that's a lot of goals...but I have to admit, it's good to have goals; solid ones, as opposed to the "yeah, I wanna be rich and famous" ones.

Not that that wouldn't be nice, but...

However, you're right, focus is needed.

Being all action with no theory is just as bad as being all theory and no action.
bOGi - 17 September '03 - 18:06

Let me state here that (as BJee would say) any action is good action :P
JookBoy - 17 September '03 - 18:36

You got a 6pack? Maybe to get your number one on your 'where I want to be in five years' list you should start flashing that 6pac of yours more. In fact, to incorporate all of your goals together, you should design a fitness machine that you can sell (there's your profitable company), use it to get/keep your 6pack, get on tv to do those late nite ads and then get recognised as a buff fitness dude, which is sure to get you the ladies (and hopefully a stable relationship) and then start tae boesque training classes for the rich and famous (which will be your stable income.) Then start selling your product in asia, incorporating into your design the ergonomics of your typical asian male and female. This will eventually lead you to Shanghai (obviously the fitness epicentre of asia) where you will have to learn mandarin to make television ads to sell your KEVPRO3000 (it works your upper abs, lower abs, obliques and even connects to the internet so you can surf the information highway at the same time.) And now that you're a famous fitness celebrity, you can start doing fitness camps in the USA, and you'll even have your own television show, with a special episode shot entirely in the swiss alps (entitled 'my alps are bigger than yours' or something equally cheesy. And you can even have snowmen littered through the set with like, rock hard abs carved out of their bellies.) Using your celebrity status, you could then start up a 'fitness for the youth' campaign that promotes fitness in young people by highlighting and rewarding up and coming young athletes... And finally, (you thought i forgot this one) you could be Lend Leases fitness consultant, working on company health and moral (though i don't know if that would mean you woud be in a higher position that you are now.)

take matters into your own hands and change your life, like me, Andre Robbins!!!!
(to buy Andre Robbins tapes please send a cheque or money order to thisisnottonyrobbins inc. or call 1800 6pack)
Andre Robbins - 18 September '03 - 00:34

"My alps are bigger than yours"....
Quality comment dude :)
JookBoy - 18 September '03 - 08:55

Hmm I dunno about these Robbins things, it seems like his seminars are just about convincing everyone to shell out $$$ for more seminars!
al (email) - 22 September '03 - 22:22

i remember a conversation from a couple of years back where you said your long term goal was to become a dirty old man.

btw kev, youve been linked!
xtn - 23 September '03 - 10:14

What the..?
I swearz officer I have said no such thing! Maybe something about "ho-asis" hehe

Linked back to ya :)
JookBoy - 23 September '03 - 11:44

Heroes

Checking out Boges' quality links from his site, and I find myself in Time Asia. Particularly interesting was the article on Asian Heros. I spent a good hour going through some of those people, and... have you ever had that tingly feeling when you read about people or things that really make you want to achieve more?....it was that over and over again. What was also interesting was the number of times I read in the article that Asian people say that are proud that these "heros" achieve so much, and "are yet so polite". Courtesy and respect takes such a high priority within our culture, which probably explains a lot about how we interact with others around us, and why we have been seen as an ethnicity that is quite often overlooked.
Maybe, finally, being a gentleman is coming back into flavour :)

Whilst on the subject (kinda) of ethnicities (and being gentlemen), that "Fat Pizza" show is damn funny! Pauly's line "I'm a snag, but in a macho kinda way" sums up the fine line us males have to tread these days! The scene at the end, where he's trying to get his keys back from the drunk dude, was all class hehe

Damn! two cheap calls already:

Very cool link mate -just read about Yao Ming ... it's awesome that us Chinese can play some sports and compete - go those Matt Sing's and Richard Chee Quee's.

It'd be interesting to look at how much support these heroes got in terms of parental support to play sport - rather than "go to UNi get a degree" sort of Asian mentality.

Asian parent: "Basketball (or tennis, footy etc.) - where will that get you? How's that going to help your TER mark?" I guess they want the best for us thou.

Would you want a sportsman / son or a educated/professional career son? Hopefully they can balance them both out, but if you want a career in it - you've gotta go full ball.
Dessy - 12 September '03 - 09:05

Yeah, that's a hard question to answer. I think security is something that my parents have drilled into me year after year, so education and a career is always high on the list.

Strangely enough, I'm all for taking a punt and following your passions, and I suppose that would extend to my kids. But as a 4 year old kid, how do you know what passions you have???

Basically, I just don't want my kid to be some lazy-ass :)
JookBoy - 12 September '03 - 17:47

Feels Good To Be Called Special

Finally got my pay review yesterday, and it was all good. Got a 10% increase, and comparing that to the company average of 1-2%, makes me feel like a special boy :) There were some "we see the potential that you have in this place" as well as "this increase is quite out of line with everyone else's", but also came with the more ominous "you'ed better deliver!"! But all in all, I know that the management are looking after me.

People are taking notice of the work I do (even the CFO of our region was chiming in with some calls saying that my project was a "key deliverable"...ooooh!) and so if it all works out, it should be fantastic. If it all doesn't....well, let's just hope it all works out :)

Also got a cash bonus, which sadly will be directed into funding the new tyres I had to get for the pink slip. Registraion sux ass! Now I'm just waiting for the share price to kick up, so that my Lend Lease shares (got as part of the bonus) will increase as well. Go you good thing!

Strangely now, with the imminent sale of the Gap Games business, I have taken a more serious look at where the career is going. It seems a lot of friends are taking opportunities with different companies and really getting out there and seeing what's available. For me, I feel that Lend Lease is a great place to work. The culture here is awesome, and that's half the battle of finding a good job. Throw into that a management team that knows you and a CIO that is taking a personal interest in you (most likely because I'm half decent at the sports our department organises), and what else is there to look for?

And the answer to that, kids, is.......a much higher salary!!

For the foreseeable future, I think I'll stick with this construction company. If I can get a secondment over to Asia somewhere *fingers crossed*, that would be awesome. Let's see how it goes, eh?

Damn! seven cheap calls already:

woot WOOT!
Dre - 08 September '03 - 21:38

Not until the 19th mate :) Show me the money!
JookBoy - 09 September '03 - 09:23

Just an update on meeting famous ppl (or semi not so famous people) I THINK I saw that asian chick from neighbours on the train the other day. So I went up to her and was about ot say 'wassup' when she hopped off at central. She got on at town hall so I thought I had enough time to get my groove on so to speak. Oh well.... if it WAS her, she is much finer in person.
Dre - 09 September '03 - 22:54

who watches neighbours?
pskis - 10 September '03 - 11:53

Dre isn't "Neighbours" filmed in Melbourne?
-Stephen- - 14 September '03 - 22:08

Yeah, but she's already left the show I think. And as I said, I THINK I saw her :P
Dre - 18 September '03 - 00:37