Jook - Quarter-Century Egg

Here we go again, after two years :)



Since it's a small venue, get there early.

Special offer:
If any girls wear what the chick in the flyer is wearing, you get free entry!
If any guys wear what the chick in the flyer is wearing, you have to pay $20 entry :)

Damn! eight cheap calls already:

The memories of that night long ago at Sharkies for the traffic lights Jook party are still alive and kicking. Such a pity I can't be there this time *sniff*.

I'll wear that outfit in Shanghai on the 7th to show my support ok?
beckster (link) - 28 December '04 - 17:52

WHOA - pls send pictures hahahahahah
(for kev *wink*)
addy (link) - 29 December '04 - 03:58

THAT is a chick??
ken (link) - 29 December '04 - 05:47

Do I still need to pay $20 because I am under orders from Bec to monitor your behaviour that night? What if I wear whats on the pic? Does that cancel out my fee?
As long as there are no kiddie wading pools, I will be there :)
so - 29 December '04 - 05:47

those pants are kinda high and major VPL!!! hmm.... so not sexy
addy (link) - 29 December '04 - 15:48

Am I the only person who thought she had a moustache and little "the spot" beard?

RC
randomcow - 03 January '05 - 03:39

I think the only person who has to be worried about kiddie wading pools is Yui so...;)
ricegrains (link) - 03 January '05 - 07:21

i was framed! i'm calling my lawyers.
ue - 04 January '05 - 05:42

The Seven Habits Revisited #1

Doing a little Christmas shopping for myself, and decided to buy this classic book for some inspirational reading. I've been feeling a bit out of sorts, and hoping this book will again point me in the right direction as it did the first time I read it.

One of the points in the book is that you should read it as though you are going to teach others about it, so I'm taking that path, and distilling the concepts for myself, as well as anyone else who cares to know. Plus, hopefully other people will point out things that I've missed. Of course, for those who don't care, there will still be plenty of other cheap calls on this website!

So here goes....

Habit 1 - Be Proactive
Until we take how we see ourselves into account, we will be unable to understand how others see and feel about themselves and their world.
How we see ourselves depends on our attitude to determinism. If we believe wholly in determinism (that is, other factors ie genetic, psychic or environmental shape and limit our lives) then we will always blame others for how we react. We are not response-able.
The realisation must come that between stimulus and response, man has the freedom to choose. And the ability to subordinate an impulse to a value is the essence of the proactive person.

In most cases, it's not what happens to use, but our response to what happens to us that hurts us. Our character, our basic identity, does not have to be hurt at all. The three central values in life are the experiential, the creative, and the attitudinal, and it's the attitudinal (our response in difficult circumstances) that's the most mindset-changing.

Many people wait for something to happen or someone to take care of them. But people who end up with the good jobs are the proactive ones who are solutions to problems. Holding people to the responsible course is not demeaning, it is affirming.

Our language is a very real indicator of the degree to which we see ourselves as proactive people.
Reactive Proactive
I can't ---> I choose
I must ---> I prefer
If only ---> I will
The word "love" is a verb. Reactive people make it a feeling. Love is a value that is actualised through loving actions.

The problems we face are in three areas; direct control, indirect control, or no control. Direct control problems should be the ones we deal with straight away, by changing our habits. Indirect control problems should be dealt with by changing our methods of influence. No control problems...just smile :)

Within your Circle of Concern are all these problems. Within your Circle of Influence are the things you can personally change. It's about character focus within the Circle of Influence, and the greater your focus in the Circle of Influence, the larger it becomes. And as always, it's the language that is use. The focus word is "be"...be a better listener, be a more dedicated employee, or just be happy.

Mistakes should be acknowledged instantly, corrected and learnt from. "Success is on the far side of failure".

There are two ways to put ourselves in control immediately. We can make a promise - and keep it, Or we can set a goal - and work to achieve it. By making and keeping promises to ourselves and others, little by little, our honour becomes greater than our moods.

Actions:
1. Determine which category your problems lie in. Focus only the direct control problems and go from there.

Damn! six cheap calls already:

My mum is qualified to lead those Seven Habits courses for work, she has tried to get me to get into the habits for years but I can't be stuffed. It's too much effort to be conscious of them all, I got to Habit 1 and gave up.
riss (email) (link) - 21 December '04 - 03:38

Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.
JT (email) (link) - 21 December '04 - 07:55

Justin Timberlake has a point
Googleeyes - 21 December '04 - 08:32

Thanks for typing that up dude. Are you going to be proactive and type up the whole book for us? Thanks in advance.

RC
randomcow - 28 December '04 - 04:23

I can be proactive and shove that comment up your ass :)
However, it won't be a win-win situation.....but then again.....
Jookboy (link) - 28 December '04 - 17:35

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People is a priceless book. At least in my experience, I have found it be filled with timeless priciples that have profoundly changed my life.
If you are not interested in improving your life, do not read it. If you are willing to accept ordinary relationships with others and yourself, do not read it.
The first principle, Be Proactive, is the most important principle. As riss pointed out, if you are not motivated from within (proactive) you will not achieve anything.
The principles in the book allow you to appreciate that success and happiness can only be achieved within yourself. They are not determined by your income, job or status. Anyone who is looking to be a leader either at work in another area of their life must read the book. It is no good to wait for someone else to summarise the book or teach the habits to you. Habit 1 is Be Proactive ie if you want something GO AND GET IT!
Kev, regarding you feeling out of sorts you should know that Habit 7 (the hardest habit) is the key to avoiding those feelings - Sharpen The Saw!!! The problem with "achievers" is that they are never satisfied, regardless of how much they achieve.....sound familiar Kev? ;)
Taipan (email) (link) - 29 December '04 - 03:42

Stirring The Creative Juices

Pretty soon *fingers crossed* I'll be moving to a new role in the marketing department of one of our business units. This is a good opportunity to try something a bit different, and of course, with new ooportunities, there is a high amount of trepidation at to whether you can step up and deliver. This one is especially daunting as the first thing the marketing manager whom I'm reporting to said to me was "Kev, I've heard really good things about you from your managers...." Oh dear :)

Anyway, I've always thought that I did not have one creative bone in my body. Like in art, I had more fun doing sketches of existing paintings/drawings, rather than liberally applying paint across the canvas Pro-Hart style. In business, I felt I did not have the visionary abilities that my partner displayed on a much more frequent basis. Give me a lead or aim, and I'll deliver it for you. Ask me for the vision, and I'm quite stumped.

I think marketing is about understanding what the consumer values in your product, and pushing that message to induce the need in the consumer's minds. A lot of times, this comes just from listening to the customer, and to really get to the bottom of their psyche.

How much creativity is needed? The skill is marketing is presenting the message in a way that makes it memorable for the consumer...or is that the advertising exec's job? Is thinking creatively and being creative two different things?

On a different tangent, where does the creative side come from? And how does one develop it more?

I'm hoping that my IT skills will bring a different perspective to the table, and that further down the track for me, it's something to add to my skills...I keep reading that it's not hard-core IT that gets you places, but an ability to bring the business and IT perspectives together.
Give me a few months, and I'll come back all arty. Maybe my hair could be as "tzsujed" as Boges'!

Damn! eleven cheap calls already:

You don't have to come up with the creative, that's what your advertising agency is for and why you pay them big bucks :)

I think your IT skills will help, especially if you do Online/Digital stuff. Some of the clients we have are retarded when it comes to things like that and we have to hold their hand through the whole process which makes it so painful.
riss (email) (link) - 08 December '04 - 11:10

i always wondered how u would spell "tzsujed".
pskis - 08 December '04 - 12:32

i think he made that up ,we need to check with the queer eye boys...
addy (link) - 09 December '04 - 02:31

IT + business is my entire work world and I think it’s very true that hardcore IT will only get you to one spot - hard core IT. But if you know IT and u know business u can use that to help the business really achieve its goals and objectives - then u can be at the top of all the business (hardcore IT-ers and all!). Now you’ve got another important skill which u can use to conquer the world à marketing + IT + business acumen = WORLD DOMINATION :)....hmmm…anyone for Risk?? It’s been awhile since playing that!
mushiejc (link) - 09 December '04 - 03:47

Riss, are you tring to drum yourself up some business?
Dre - 09 December '04 - 06:18

dre- yes :p
riss (email) (link) - 09 December '04 - 11:32

tzsujed is correct. The queer eye book says so :)
PeeDz - 11 December '04 - 13:48

Dude, you've been practicing for this role for years! Think of all the hos you've been selling yourself to at your dance parties, planting in their mind the idea that your product is superior, more durable, longer-lasting, etc.

I think this is your calling.
randomcow - 12 December '04 - 02:02

In the immortal words of Huggy Bear from Starsky and Hutch - "I lay it out for ya'll to play it out"

JB, don't stress about the creativity; Miss Riss is right, while you need some, that's why we pay the advertising peeps the big bucks. To take your vision and message and turn it into something that the consumers will, in short, want.

Creativity comes from so many sources. What you read, what you watch, insights...it's all about turning these influences into something that you can use in your role to help market your product.

And RC is right; you'll be fine...years of fine-tuning :P
ricegrains (link) - 12 December '04 - 06:32

hehe, thanks for the wise words everyone. Equating it to spading chicks always makes more sense to me.

If I ever get to allocate spending, riss, you'll be the first on my list :)
Congrats on your role Jem! I think the role is Marketing Communications, although I'm still waiting for the job specs to come through. Doing some education with the help of some digital formats ie CD distributions and other mediums.

That LOTR Risk is wild...pure luck, that game, althought the figurines are very cool! I'm down for Diplomacy if anyone has it (do you have that mushie?)
JookBoy (link) - 14 December '04 - 17:54

Oooh LOTR Risk - count me in!! :) okies diplomacy/risk night soon...although diplomacy will prob take many many nights to play (we better play it - only played it once and it cost me big bucks!!)...maybe we should combine it with another LNP night??? ;)
mushiejc (link) - 15 December '04 - 14:44

Some People...

It seems like this...



turns to this....



which in turn turns to this....



Cheap call away :)

Damn! ten cheap calls already:

hahahahahaha ... I'd been hoping to see some photos of THAT Lil from the dance party :) - r u still insisting that was not alcohol-induced?
Dessy (link) - 01 December '04 - 05:35

hee hee - i'm sure ms poon is ecstatic about your post!
mushiejc (link) - 01 December '04 - 06:13

dude, where are the last three pics in the series??

RC
randomcow - 03 December '04 - 04:24

Hey, shouldn't this post come with a parental guidance warning? Hahaha...

That's a side of Lil we don't see very often...agh, the mantle of digital voyeur is shared around, right Matt?
ricegrains (link) - 03 December '04 - 11:47

Oh dear
Ms poon is NOT ecstatic about your post!!
Altho, that doesnt compare to the party action in New York! :p
Lil - 04 December '04 - 01:17

i am just SO glad none of me in the cage have yet to surface.......
addy (link) - 04 December '04 - 03:13

Yes, I'm sure 'Paris' Poon is living it up elsewhere...I'm sure there be digital photos taken from that :)
JookBoy (link) - 05 December '04 - 04:14

right boges! lucky for you i didn't bring my digicam ;p
thevault - 05 December '04 - 07:29

A wolf in sheeps clothing... our Lil.
PeeDz - 06 December '04 - 16:45

Lil do you actually remember that you were grinding ME up in the cage too??!!!?

Well geez *blush*, I didn't realise our friendship has progressed to 'that' level. Hot stuff girlfriend.
beckster (link) - 07 December '04 - 23:09

Long Letters

In this age of cheap one line emails and "I'm too busy to talk", I love getting a long letter to read. I remember writing such things in the olden days of high school, and getting them as well. It's the thought of "knowing that they're just thinking about you" (as a friend told me) that makes it so worthwhile.

The higher quality ones are the hand-written variety, where there has been no full-on editing of the text, as can happen when you write digitally. It comes across as very honest and usually quite heartfelt, and seems to provide a deeper window to their thoughts.
I have to admit that I haven't done a hand-written letter for a while...will have to consider it for the next big occasion :)

I have a drawer at home that has all the letters that I've received over the years. Of all my possessions, I think I would fear losing that the most. So many memories of good times are contained in that drawer. And now, I have another letter to add to that collection. Thanks babe!

Damn! sixteen cheap calls already:

I love long letters too =).
beckster (link) - 19 November '04 - 21:19

its a dying art...writing a letter......
i wrote a letter to my grandmother the other week..Boy was it hard! I can write pages and pages of essays and blogs but writing a letter gave me a mental block.... It starts out with: Dear (insert name), How are you? (or the equivalent) , The weather is fine here.... and then im stuck :P
I think we should all start writing letters again... Its extra special nowadays....
addy (link) - 20 November '04 - 06:39

write it in word, do all the necessary editing, run spellchecker then write it on A5 texturized-purfume-scented paper using an HB pencil with those crap ass paper tearing rubbers on the end of them.

just like an assignment in reverse.

you've been suckered jb.
ue - 21 November '04 - 03:21

Remind me never to trust any "hand-written" letters from you ue :)
JookBoy (link) - 21 November '04 - 10:42

You better still have all those letters I wrote you in your cupboard too biatch *wink wink*
PeeDz - 21 November '04 - 18:18

Hmm...on second thought - who wrote you those letters in the drawer again JB???!! =p
beckster (link) - 21 November '04 - 19:51

hahaha, now i can see kev just going and editing that part of his entry out bec :p

the reason why i've stopped writing letters is because my handwriting has gone to crap after school/uni because everything is done on the computer at work and i hardly have to write anything anymore. and when i do my hand gets sore. meh.
riss (email) (link) - 22 November '04 - 03:20

Its been a couple of years since i wrote a long hand written letter...my hand has forgotten how to now!

I write long emails these days...but i dont edit those...takes too much effort to edit the emails too! ahahahaha
=P
petals - 22 November '04 - 07:19

I totally agree there JB. the best thing I've received would've been a handmade card from someone a few years back, probably coz i found out it took over 4 hrs to make! emailing/sms-ing can be soo impersonal sometimes. bring back the pre-email days (oh my gawd did i just say that!!!) ok, maybe not that extreme, but bring on the more personalised forms of communication!
lmm - 22 November '04 - 08:58

Long letters, hey? Have you done a search on Google?

Actually, I get hand-written letters quite often. I just cleaned a bunch of them out from my desk drawer last week. They're all in Japanese :)

I think that if you like receiving hand-written letters, you just have to have a lot of girlfriends.
randomcow - 22 November '04 - 09:45

i cant write if the page has no lines! its bizarree...its like i have no sense of 'straight'
hm....
addy (link) - 22 November '04 - 12:23

Those letters were close to the heart! No edits of this post...Alright, I admit it, they're all from Peedz :P

But your're right, riss with the writing side of things. I had an exam that I had to write short answers for...had cramps after 30min of writing!

Sage advice, rc. But I think I'll pass at the moment.
JookBoy (link) - 22 November '04 - 18:03

That reminds me.... (sorry to hijack your blog, btw - feel free to delete/move. Just that I don't know a better place to put this)

I go out and meet way too many Japanese girls. Often what will happen is that for some reason or another we can't get together (eg I have already been with her friend, my reputation preceeds me, personality incompatibility, etc). However these girls are keen to meet Aussies and make friends. Sometimes too keen, and they end up in the company of people who prey on these kind of girls. Quite honestly if they're going to get eaten then I'd prefer it be my friends doing the eating.

So I was wondering if any guys (or girls, I guess) would be interested in coming out and meeting a few of these girls? Most of them speak a little english, but even if they don't you can communicate in the universal language. I just think it's a waste for me to go meeting these girls and then just never call them again just because they don't suit me. Call it philanthropy if you will :)

Email me: randomcow@hotmail.com

RC
randomcow - 25 November '04 - 11:26

I know how you feel mate, pimpin aint easy
Dre - 25 November '04 - 11:51

"Call it philanthropy if you will :)"

PIMPanthropy :P

I believe I just coined a new term.
PeeDz - 29 November '04 - 12:26

Yes, rc, you're generous beyond belief :)

"Just that I don't know a better place to put this". What are you saying about my blog, mate? It ain't that much of a pimp website, is it??
JookBoy (link) - 29 November '04 - 16:53

A Lack Of Sleep

Couldn't get to sleep the other night. Just too much thinking of where I should be and where I am currently, and what the options are. I suppose a lack of activity at work has prompted a review of what Lend Lease means to me, and why I feel that I'm not moving forward as fast as I can. Also, seeing a friend last night made me think of what overseas has in store.

I so want to be sure that the next step is the right one for me. However, buy thinking so much about which step is best, you end up not making a decision at all.

I think I know what I want to do. I want to have my own business, and the learnings I need lie outside of the IT area. Things like marketing, sales, budgeting are not within the scope of the role that I have now. There is a possibility of a marketing job within that I think may help alleviate some of this knowledge deficit, but it is neither confirmed nor detailed.
There is a side of me that really wants to work overseas. Why? Because I think it's a step towards gaining a broader perspective on life, to meet new people, and to see what else is out there. Again, there is a possibility of this opportunity.

Both seem to be experiences that would be lots of fun. However, both are far away (possibly next June at the earliest) and both are (realistically) incompatible, given my low level of expertise in the marketing area. The highest priority task must therefore be to work out what the actual two jobs consist of. Of course, with the overseas

For some reason, I just feel so "meh" at work at the moment. Something's been lost at Lend Lease for me, that energy that was in there before. I think it's a case of hanging around the more negatively minded people, listening to their stories (which I can empathise with), or maybe it's the fact that I'm not really doing any new projects currently (although this situation has only reared its ugly head in the last 2 weeks).

It sucks to be in this position, I want to move forward, and I have this bad feeling that I'm not going to be able to for the next few months. But then I stop and think for one minute...only 26, and as my good friend's sister pointed out, not complete until 30. Another friend told me that, if you look at it another way, if both choices are good, then that doesn't mean either choices won't be available if one is picked. Also, I'm working in one of the nicest corporate buildings in Sydney, if not Australia. There's some wonderful people around me, and you have managers that like you.

Somewhere in that list, I should be able to utilise it to my advantage, right? :)

Damn! four cheap calls already:

The hunting never stops my man. I feel your pain..well, I've felt many things of yours I shouldn't have, but this is life.

All I can say is, if you really want something to change be prepared to take some other chances. You know that I know that you know this well, sometimes it just has to be said again.

Oh my other point, WE F**KING YOUNG STILL. Dont sweat it. I for one now believe life truly begins at 30 :)
PeeDz - 10 November '04 - 18:08

Dude, my suggestion is to go overseas and just lie about the experience you have. Tell them that you have 4 years in marketing and put me as your reference/contact phone number. Then you just have to sit back and wait for the life experiences to come knocking on your door...

RC
randomcow - 14 November '04 - 05:58

"Dude, my suggestion is to go overseas and just lie about the experience." - RC

yes, I am in ageement. Tell the ladies you worked as a porn star before being deported from Australia due to three lewd conduct and indecent exposure charges, with one of the more serious incidents lasting over several hours. Or conversely, tell them you're overseas getting penis reduction surgery because the extra weight be 'throwing off your balance when you walk.'

I'm sure that will get you some good work in Germany.
Desi Arnez - 14 November '04 - 09:30

Thanks for the quality cooments! I'll keep them in mind. Or maybe others who read this website may find that they're more useful to them :)

I was in a strip show...does that count for me being a porn star?
JookBoy (link) - 18 November '04 - 12:41

Year 9 Homework

It feels pretty easy! I went to a youth centre to help out a Year 9 student doing her geography assignment. It's part of a Lend Lease initiative to assist with the youth in the Miller's Point district. The instructions are quite clear, there are a lot of tips and guidance to help you with the assignment...ah to be back in Year 9 again!

However, what is depressing is the amount of apathy that this Year 9 student showed. The assignment was late already, but it was just like she didn't give a fuck. It was a lot of effort to just get to concentrate on looking at some web sites, to search around for some information. Every little distraction would cause her to focus elsewhere.
My admiration of social workers has increased tremendously. It's so hard to stay enthusiastic and to work out the amount of pushing you can do to these kids before they totally turn off you.

Apparently I might have some skill in this area. The student was willing to at least stay in the room for the whole hour, instead of just walking off, which she's done before. Maybe it was my random swearing that kept her attention :)
However, you do have this want to keep helping and trying. Maybe one day they might be inwardly motivated, instead of having to rely on external shoving to get shit done.

Where do kids get their motivation these days?

Damn! three cheap calls already:

Well hang in there...it's pretty difficult and can be frustrating at times. It's just that kids at that age don't see that by not making an effort now, it'll impact on their future (I don't really blame them 'cos I was like that too back then!). I face the same thing with my 11 and 12-year-old student.
dsd (link) - 04 November '04 - 20:46

You do what you can you know? It's good you're getting out there and helping kids; you just have to remember that you can't help EVERYone, as frustrating as that may be.

As for motivation, who knows? Probably from some reality TV show; now THERE'S an opportunity waiting to happen :)
ricegrains (link) - 07 November '04 - 02:45

When I was teaching I realised that you get attention from your students by connecting with them or their level. If that fails, try flashing your tackle. It will at teh very least get their attention (but may also land you in jail.)
Dre - 09 November '04 - 13:38

The Second Brain

I remember being told about the fact that dinosaurs had two brains, one to control the front, and one to control behind. Alas, this was only a myth.

I've long had a theory that this two brain phenonemon occurs in human. Studies have shown that there is a function at the bottom of the spine that allows instantaneous decisions to be made. For example, if you pick up a hot potato, there is no conscious decision to drop the potato, but rather the senses in the fingers feel the heat, these senses go to the spine, and then the reaction is to immediately drop the object.

Along those same lines, a guy has the ability to answer correctly questions posed by females, without any conscious decision-making process.

Case #1:

Girl: Do I look fat in this dress?
Guy: No.

Case #2:

Girl: Is that girl hot?
Guy: Not as hot as you.

Case #3:

Girl: Do you want to get in the back seat of my car and ...
Guy: Yes yes yes!

And so on a so forth.

Maybe it's instinct, like the fight or flight thing that humans have.
Maybe it's genetic, through bitter (and most likely bitch slapped) experiences of our forefathers.
Maybe it's just pure luck that we get the answers right.

In any case, hurray for that second brain!

Edit: After reading Beckster's post, the true answer is:

"It's an in-built function in the neanderthal male brain and heart that works on auto pilot whenever the particular 'special someone' comes into the equation."

w00t!

2nd Edit: After reading pskis' post, I have another one:

Girl: Am I an $800 TV?
Guy: No, $1000 at least.

Oh it's too cheap :)

Damn! 18 cheap calls already:

so did you get the big prize by giving those 3 correct answers?
ding! (link) - 20 October '04 - 16:59

Bottom line: If a girl is stupid enough to ask a guy a second brain question, then she deserves a second brain answer.

Nonetheless, I think I safely speak for a lot of girls when I say that guys can shove their suboptimal neanderthal second brain responses where the sun don't shine if that's the best they can do. Pffftttt.
beckster (link) - 20 October '04 - 17:32

ooooooo u tell these boys becks! tell em! tell em!
addy (link) - 20 October '04 - 18:17

I don't know that ur Edit does u any good jb. Aren't u saying that when that special someone is in the picture ur brain and heart give pre-programmed answers to those case questions? As in - u don't actually mean it when u say she doesn't look fat?
pskis - 25 October '04 - 05:15

tell it like you see it jb, practice what you preach! :)
ue - 25 October '04 - 10:19

Maybe you mean it just that little bit more when it's that special someone.
The thing is, you'll never say someone looks fat...it's just not gentlemanly. When you really care for them, you will actually believe what you're saying!
JookBoy (link) - 25 October '04 - 13:45

You've just f*xed us all Jookboy! We'll never get away with those throw-away lines now ...
Dessy - 26 October '04 - 08:02

Ue's right...you gotsta walk the walk too~

And co-sign to what Dessy said jb...what ever happened to "a gentleman never tells????" That goes for male secrets too! :P
ricegrains (link) - 26 October '04 - 11:08

Perhaps the point is that you answer what you believe the questioner WANTS to hear. Actually you 'respond' instead of 'answering'.

Any adult surely understands that when a woman asks you whether she looks fat in a dress she does not want anything other than NO. It is a no-win question for the guy, there are only potential negatives if he answers incorrectly or heaven-forbid honestly.

So the instant reponse is more to do with social conditioning. We have "learned" what is "right" to do for ourselves and others in these social situations.

As for shoving these male answers where the sun doesn't shine, well the questions should be the ones going up there :) Maybe I am wrong, howver when the same selfish questions get asked repeatedly, men are bound to respond without actively thinking. Yes there could be a case presented that men do not think EVER, however a simple rule holds; "Ask a stupid question, get a stupid answer".

Regarding the hot potato event, that is completely different. I failed neurobiology twice, so I will leave that one alone ;)
Taipan (link) - 27 October '04 - 09:02

i think bens almost got it downpacked guys. my usual 'i feel fat' comments follows with variations of 'dont be silly addy, youre not fat' from ben. ahh.. me luvs me boy :)
its all about being tactful. all you men have to learnt to be tactful about saying stuff. (including you bb)
addy (link) - 27 October '04 - 12:15

To be fair, I must say that girls are occasionally guilty of second brain answers too. Next time you boys ask intelligent, thought-provoking questions along the lines of 'am I buff?' or 'was it good for you too?', perhaps it's worth remembering that the second brain isn't gender specific.

Or maybe I shouldn't have said that as 'a lady never tells'.
beckster (link) - 27 October '04 - 18:56

hey dont dig a hole for us gal! HAHAAH
addy (link) - 27 October '04 - 20:11

haha, cheap calls all round!

We all need reassurance once in a while. It's just the frequency of this need which makes the difference.
JookBoy (link) - 28 October '04 - 07:19

I'm with beck, tho i am fascinated by the term "downpacked" addy.
pskis - 28 October '04 - 12:53

am i in the minority in actually wanting my boy to tell me if i look kinda tubby in a dress? cos yeah, i don't want my flab hanging out for everyone else to see either!
riss (email) (link) - 31 October '04 - 11:05

pskis, 'almost'
addy (link) - 31 October '04 - 17:21

Heres a second brain question for a gal:
"I'm *huge* aren't I?" :)

All females are just insecure. End of story. Guys too if the answer to the question above is "heheh..err... yeah"
PeeDz - 07 November '04 - 17:13

Damn, we've got a *second* brain?? Already my first brain keeps getting in the way when I'm trying to follow the teachings of my true master the one-eyed trouser snake. I don't need a second brain to intercept me just as the in-zone is within sight...

"Yeah, honey, you're... ummm... beautiful."

vs

"Whatever. Just spread em, biatch."

RC
randomcow - 14 November '04 - 06:07

Anna's Wild Boys Afloat

I remember the days of 21st's, and the skits that we used to do for our friends. They were hilarious, from dancing routines, to skits with guys dressed up as mums and grandmas, to our own version of Jeopardy. There was always some form of nudity, but with this latest effort, we've really sunk to new lows.

Anna is a friend of mine getting married this month. We were asked to perform a strip dance for her. Yes, ladies, complete with trenchcoat and the letter "A" on the front of my undies :)
It's actually quite intimidating to walk into a room full of chicks with nothing but those items of clothing on, especially since everyone's yelling and screaming, and they weren't even drunk!

People would say we like to flash ourselves. Believe me, my white upper thigh area is not something I want to show again in public for a long long time. The performance was good, everyone did their moves properly, and really it was all for Anna, cause we're all her friends.

However, if I was to ask my chick friends to do the same for a good guy friend of their who was going to get married, I am 100% certain they would say no. Why?? Yes, there is shame, but if you're friends....would any chicks out there be willing to step up and do a strip dance for a guy friend of theirs for their bucks?

Apparently there is a video floating around...damn you digital camera revolution!

Damn! three cheap calls already:

i think there is more than one video flying around and many photos too :) great performance guys - should i post up pics too??? ;)

And would you really want to see your chick friends doing a strip dance??? somehow i don't think so...just too weird!
mushiejc (link) - 12 October '04 - 04:56

ive seen ur sexy white upper thighs...... but with a letter A strapped to it? totally priceless.....
someone have a movie nite plsssssssssssss!! i gotta see this videoooooooooooooooooo
addy - 16 October '04 - 17:55

I demand royalties if this ever hits the airwaves :)
PeeDz - 07 November '04 - 17:10

The Good Old Exchange Days

A friend from my exchange days had been touring around Oz and NZ, and had come back for one night before going to Germany to work (that's where his girlfriend lives).

We went out for dinner, and the whole dinner consisted of regaling each other (and other friends with us) with the tales from that exchange trip (also note that my flatmate went on exchange with me). I had forgotten so many of these stories, and made me realise that without regular maintenance, memories can just slip away, and what was a fantastic experience becomes more and more mundane.

Being a non drinker at the time (yes, it was sooo long ago!), I missed out on some major drunken activities, I'm sure. However, I am definitely glad that I missed out on that toilet bowl retching activities that seemed to be in abundance during our story recollections.

One story (which doesn't involve me or alcohol!):
We were at a house party (a very very regular occurence when you're on exchange) and one of our friends brings in these random chicks from the apartments a few doors down. Immediately one of the chicks starts hitting on an Italian friend of mine (Umberto is his name). She works him to one of the bedrooms and makes a move on him. The conversation as follows:

Umberto: I'm sorry, I can't. I have a girlfriend back home.
Girl: That's ok, she's not here.
Umberto: Umm....I also have a girlfriend in the next room...

w00t w00t! :)

There are so many more things that happened...biking around Sweden, skiing, midsummers when the sun didn't set. Someone remind me to look at my old photos more often!

Damn! sixteen cheap calls already:

'Non drinker at the time'???!! You went on exchange when you were what, 3?! No need to be modest babe ;)

WANT.TO.SEE.PICTURES.
beckster (link) - 29 September '04 - 09:57

how can someone not drink when they're on exchange?! isn't the whole point of going on exchange to be corrupted? heh
riss (email) (link) - 29 September '04 - 12:18

hang on, the chicks are hitting on the guy? thats a nice change ...
al - 30 September '04 - 02:10

Bec, there's been a whole "pure" life I've led before all these Friday night drinks started :)

Riss, I tell you that exchange did open my eyes to a whole new perspective on things. More of that "fuck it, just do it" attitude appeared. So in a sense, a (good) corruption occurred!

It's just like Shanghai, al hehe
JookBoy (link) - 30 September '04 - 05:38

haha yeah right, bring your white meat and fat wallet
al - 30 September '04 - 19:58

Pure life? What? In the words of BJimmy...what the heeeel?

And I must agree with Kev Al...you don't have to have white meat or a fat wallet to meet girls in Shanghai; it all depends on how rich your tastes are (and how much you want to taste).
ricegrains (link) - 04 October '04 - 13:21

Here is a question, since it seems like you are all so hot on shanghainese girls... what's the difference between dating an "aggressive" chic in shanghai who throws herself at you and finding yourself a prostitute? In both circumstances : 1. you have to expend a lot of $$$ 2. they are after your $$$
TT (email) - 07 October '04 - 00:42

Whoa!
If you're equating a willingness to buy someone a drink to buying someone for sex, that's a bit of a distant link, no?

Aren't there any "aggressive" Shanghai chicks that like you for you? Like I'm sure everyone has a material consideration in their analysis of you, but it's not the be all and end all for everyone?
JookBoy (link) - 07 October '04 - 12:17

While you are technically correct.... i question the underlying motives : why are you buying her a drink? what is your end game?? and what is hers?? of course if it is just for a chat, a flirt, then you are right....
TT (email) - 07 October '04 - 13:14

kota kinabalu... highly under rated.
bjee - 10 October '04 - 10:54

I would buy a drink as a social courtesy.
I wish she would buy me a drink, but I think that's wishing for too much :)

I think the end game is something that you can't predict, it's not like you are thinking that far ahead. But if you like her and she likes you....

Can I ask you, then, if a guy buys you a drink, do you automatically think they want to have sex with you?? Do you always question a guy's motives for buying you the drink? Can't he just be generous?
JookBoy (link) - 10 October '04 - 11:14

"Can't he just be generous"...? Err...no. Social courtesy? Bit far-fetched. When guys buy girls they don't know a drink at a bar it normally goes hand in hand with some ulterior motive - even a chat or a flirt is considered an underlying ulterior motive. Generally speaking the reason isn't as simple as because they're generous unfortunately, but of course there are always precious exceptions :)

I distinctly remember buying you a drink at Pier 26 not so long ago.
beckster (link) - 10 October '04 - 17:19

Then my wishes have come true!
Or did you have an ulterior motive? ;)
JookBoy (link) - 11 October '04 - 11:24

Before this degenerates into an A and B conversation that the rest of us can C our way out of, let me just answer TT's questions by saying that the difference between spending a lot on a girl and paying for one is the method. Sure it may lead to the same thing if you focus on the end gain, but it's up to the individual what they're comfortable with.

And as for buying drinks, quit frontin' ya'll! You know it's all about the ulterior motives. I don't see anyone shouting the whole bar when they walk in the door.
ricegrains (link) - 12 October '04 - 16:37

Jimmy does
xtn (link) - 14 October '04 - 11:49

A Dedication

To Jen and Des,

I was trying to write something meaningful in your guest book, but 12:05am after a long day wasn't helping the focus :)

You are probably the first couple in our close group of friends that's getting married, and for that I congratulate you. It takes a lot of mental preparation, both economically and emotionally, to go through a wedding, and I'm sure you both will be glad that the ceremony's all over and you get to relax on your honeymoon for a while!

I believe you two make a wonderful husband and wife, and yet I have this feeling that there will not be that much of a change. As a couple, you have managed to keep that delicate balance between friends and your own relationship so that we never feel we've lost contact. Hopefully there will be no change to that balance, and that you guys will always be there for me, as I will be there for you.

UK does not seem that far away now, for you both and (hopefully!) for me. It will be a new chapter in our lives, and I'm sure it will be a blast (remember to go to Scandanavia during the summer, tanned babes everywhere...not that you care, right Des? Actually, that reminder was really for myself :P)

Your speech that night was all quality Des. You just have to restrain that part of you that has to qualify all your statements. Although I heard from Manda that when you said "I've known over the last three years that you were the one, I think...", that the "I think" was actually the start of the next sentence! :) Punctuate properly! I think you should give Jen the speech so that she knows what you were really trying to say haha

For some of us in the group, we might take a little bit more time to get to this goal that you have achieved last night, but we're all working on it in some little way. You both have shown me that love is real, and that, through thick and thin, it's worth it in the end.

"From today, until forever, I promise to love you, I promise to hold you...." What a song!

love, Kev

Damn! two cheap calls already:

Congrats Des and Jen once again. Beautiful wedding, classic speeches and gorgeous bride. Stunning groomsmen and bridesmaids too.
Addy (link) - 19 September '04 - 04:58

Thanks Kev for your sweet words! I'm pretty sure nothing with change either - except maybe more serious arguments over who will be the lady/fella of leisure - but for sure that we will always be around for you too (esp for lots of the goss that u might want to share! :)).

Thanks for being one of our closest friends and for all your hard photo posing for the wedding!
mushiejc (link) - 20 September '04 - 19:28

The Player Syndrome

A friend of mine told me a story of when she first met me. Just after we met, someone asked her:
"Have you met Kev before?", to which she replied in the negative. Her friend's response (or some variant of this):

"He's quite friendly, but he's a bit of a player"

What the...??

The reasoning was that I flirted with a lot of chicks when I'm out and about.
I've always been of the thought that being a player implies a certain sense of purpose to your actions, that you deliberately set out to mislead a girl for some booty calling. Can a person be an "accidental" player? Isn't that a contradiction in terms? If you are just a friendly person, can that be misconstrued as "playing"?

Most of the time I do not wish for such a title. It has the potential to detract from chicks that might actually like me, to be a bit more guarded when they chat. However, I'm generally an optimist, and would like to look at it from a different perspective...at least I don't stop meeting new people!

You just have to be honest with your intentions, I think. If casual is what you want, then say it. There's no right and wrong in these situations. If I'm feeling the same, I'll let you know.

Oh well, as my good friend Jo says "let a player play, y'all!"

Damn! 23 cheap calls already:

you know, certain girls can be drawn to these kinds of reputations too ... you knooow you want it babee!
al - 12 September '04 - 23:49

Just be thankful you don't suffer from the "nice guy syndrome" - trust me, it's not that great!
shuai - 13 September '04 - 04:09

Flirting = playing? I tend to agree that some people are naturally flirty, touchy-feely and sociable, which can be misconstrued as playing as you say. You would fit into this category, no?

The word 'player' often has negative connotations, but to me it simply means a person who is not looking for a serious relationship. As long as a)you're honest b)you're single c) the ppl you play with are single too, then the world's your oyster. Play away. Go Jookboy go.
beckster (link) - 13 September '04 - 05:24

Man, you're not a player. A player 'plays someone', in terms such as you have fun with people, play them for what you think they're worth so to speak, and then move on. Players may also string women along, in multiples usually, and I don't think you do that, do you?

If you can safely say to yourself that you don't play women like puppets, that you aren't just out to use women like your name was 'Pimpin Hoes' Chung, that you don't cheat on the ladies that you're seeing... if you can say these things to yourself and truly believe them, then you're not a player. You're just a single guy, and like a lot of the other single guys out there, you're just trying to meet someone. You can't do that by keeping to yourself and twiddling your thumbs right?
Dre - 13 September '04 - 07:05

I'm with dre. I don't think u r a player in the sense of the word we use today. U don't set out with negative intentions towards the women u are friendly with. Any reputation u get as such is more a factor of ur relative environment, i.e. what the people around u regard as the norm. U'd be goody 2 shoes over here jb.
pskis - 13 September '04 - 08:32

don't worry dude, i wouldn't rate you as a "player" in the true sense of the word.. extremely jolly, very friendly, tremendously hypo (esp when usher's on) - yes, but not a player :)
so (email) - 13 September '04 - 13:24

I totally agree with dre and pskis too. You;re not a player in the negative sense. But i can see why ppl say that. To me you're just overly friendly and like making friends and are 'playing' the field which does not mean u play around with gals hearts and then squish them. So in that sense, PLAY ON!.

Meanwhile, beckster is a wanna-be-player HAHAHAHA Stop breaking guys hearts you foxy chick you!.
Addy - 13 September '04 - 14:22

Don't you just LOVE how everyone's saying you're 'overly friendly' JB? What's that supposed to mean, is that akin to being overly nice or overly helpful ie. too much of a positive makes a negative?? Agree with Dre, you're a single dude trying to meet the one, that ain't going to happen while you knit booties at home.

Whaaaat?! Addy you're creating a rep for me on JB's blog! And if anything I'm the real thing, not a wannabe =p.
beckster (link) - 13 September '04 - 18:14

Quality cheap calls round!

- Break out from that nice guy syndrome Shuai!
- Yes, touchy-feely and sociable I am. Aren't you the same...or that only on Friday nights? :P
- No multiple action Dre, and no cheating. It's all about trust
- Yes, pskis, Vietnam is a next port of call
- Usher Usher!
- Wanna-be-players unite! :)
JookBoy (link) - 13 September '04 - 19:38

I agree with your friend Jo.

Let a playa play ya'll...shhiaaat~
ricegrains (link) - 13 September '04 - 20:02

"Overly friendly" could be an issue. Maybe I just need to direct that friendliness a bit more!
JookBoy (link) - 13 September '04 - 20:28

BECKY IS A PLAYER! SHE Broke my heart!!! DAMN YOU BIATCHHHH :P
Addy - 14 September '04 - 04:34

well Becks.. you DID pick me up in a club... and our relationship has grown from strength to strength since. I got them butterflies that you talk about on your blog that nite... :) *sigh* hee hee
so - 14 September '04 - 04:54

hmm...the comment your friend made after someone asked her when she first met you...well that was the same conclusion i had after i first met you too.

someone asked what i thought of you, and as a first impression your are very friendly...but the more i saw you, i came to realise that it was part of your nature to be a really friendly, fun-loving guy w/genuine intentions...nothing player like.

dont change...
petals - 14 September '04 - 07:39

I'm touchy-feely and sociable on saturday nights too JB =p. See how many of us luv you the way you are? Don't change. Perhaps re-direct as you say, but don't change.

Addy: I thought I broke your shoulders, not your heart! Let's go bench-press together biatch.

I got butterflies from you as well So, maybe you can help me strengthen that player image and pump up the girl-on-girl action to make the boys drool. Still swear it was YOU who picked me up at 333!! You're just in denial over how much you were attracted to me!!
beckster (link) - 14 September '04 - 08:10

My conclusion after first meeting u jb was that u were a bit of a d!ck. U were wearing a Goofy tie (or was it a badge?) and u were mopping up the drink i'd spilled on my school uniform with ur own trouser leg.
Thank goodness u don't wear Goofy accessories anymore.
pskis - 14 September '04 - 10:31

di - at least that we know of!!! send me an email - lost your deets
bjee - 14 September '04 - 10:53

"The same conclusion"? Noooo....
And why do people keep asking other people what their first impressions of me are??

hehe, yes Bec, I'll keep that in mind :P

pskis, I swears there was no towel around. Obviously trying to be a gentlemen doesn't cut it anymore :)
Yes, fortunately I came to my senses, and the Goofy accessories have been archived.
JookBoy (link) - 14 September '04 - 13:14

errr... i know i'm going to get my arse wooped for this call, but kev, could it be cause you're hanging out with the stereotypical asian crowd most of the time? and the ppl in that crowd are probably very "straight", very "moralistic", and consider anything outside of holding hands - playing around? harsh over-generalisation, but you get the picture. now excuse me while i run for cover -reenie hides out in a nuclear bunker-
reenie - 14 September '04 - 13:34

C'mon Reenie...you know better than that! As the alpha-stereotype-Asian-crowd-male, I can safely say that...well, we won't swoop.

For now.

You have been warned.

Hee~ :)
ricegrains (link) - 14 September '04 - 16:45

Player?! You WISHZ0r you was a playaZ0r!!! LOL.

at least your not known as "Dodgy Kev".. imagine that :)

Ok ok, when someone asks me about you I will say "oh, you mean the strikingly handsome, movie star esque ex-model stripper Kev? Yeah.. he's cool"
PeeDz - 14 September '04 - 17:35

reenie, you're probably right, with regards to that we have conservative friends. I think pskis has mentioned that numerous times.

Yes, Dodgy Kev doesn't have that good "ring" about it
Cheers mate, you're all one can ask for in a friend :P
And considering our next skit, I think we're "current"-model stripper!
JookBoy (link) - 15 September '04 - 06:12

Yes, that ex-stripper has turned out to be quite prophetic....
PeeDz - 26 September '04 - 17:47

Singapore Subsidiez

I went to a family dinner on Sunday night, and was told that I should go to Singapore. There is a mandate from the government via the Social Development Unit to have more Singaporeans marry and have kids. Apparently the previous mandate of getting everyone to become a professional and pursuing careers is to the detriment of the family life, and therefore the population of Singapore suffers.

So I was informed by some family friends that if I had three kids, I would be earning a tidy sum of SG$35,000...that's nearly my annual income! :) I was also told of Speed Dating, singles activities and function....anything to get people together. There is now a lunch service that matches you up with other "busy professionals". I especially love the bit in the FAQ section, where it tells you that the "founder of Lunch Actually has been certified by the Matchmaking Institute in New York , an institute started by one of the most established modern-day matchmakers in US." There's an intitute for this stuff??

Of course, this got the entrepreneurial side of me thinking that Jook would be great over there. Jook Singles would promote family oriented fun, where the aim is make every event a reunion of your old friends that you haven't seen in ages! We would promote via viral marketing ie email, and hopefully I'll get some money from LKY for this service :)

What this whole social experimentation has shown is that you cannot forgo everything for one focus. Whilst we all have great career aspirations, it is finding that right person that really is the key to a happy and balanced life. The other thing that strikes me is that all these services keep emphasising the fact that you are so busy you have no time for dating. Don't they realise that if you do find someone you really like, you will make time for them, no matter what?

Damn! seven cheap calls already:

a friend of mine has started up http://www.feverlunches.com
check if out if you're interested in meeting some "busy professionals" over lunch... registration is free and you could win $250!
ding! (link) - 06 September '04 - 06:51

Hah, I liked how the website says that the media are getting the fever, and one of the articles they display is their own ad :)
JookBoy (link) - 06 September '04 - 06:59

y'all might end up romancing each other through those lunching sites, remember, the asian social scene is sydney is reduced to a maximum of 3 degrees of separation.
ue - 06 September '04 - 08:02

I think it's closer to 2 degrees of separation ue.

I used to say that all exes and their exes should be transported to some remote island, kinda like convicts. Have figured out that is not feasible now since there'll be nobody else left to play with!

Does lunch today count as a fever lunch? We're busy professionals!
beckster (link) - 06 September '04 - 10:23

Sick of getting rejected because well, you're ugly? Quit playing those silly relationship games and come to SINGAPORE - the desperate and dateless capital of the WORLD. Not only will you get laid, we'll pay you for it! Visit -----> http://www.singaporehos.com.sg
Dre - 06 September '04 - 12:22

Jookboy, if you can singlehandedly raise the population of Singapore with that entrepreneurial spirit of yours, i'm sure you can expect a big fat "Hong Bao" from the Lee family. Or maybe they'll give you a lifetime free subscription to Optus.

But hey, it's not only Singapore who's passing such a "mandate". If i'm not wrong, some minister of yours went something like "One for the husband, one for the wife and one for the country!"
dsd (link) - 06 September '04 - 19:13

Haha, I'm down for Optus

You make a good point dsd. I was also told that Australia was letting in a lot more Chinese immigrants than before. Unshackled from that one child policy, our kiddie population will explode!
JookBoy (link) - 07 September '04 - 19:16

The Snooze Button

I am a fan of the snooze button. there's a certain comfort in knowing that hitting the snooze button on the alarm will allow you a few more precious minutes of sleep before you have to get up, without the fear that you will totally miss the alarm.

However, I'm beginning to believe that it really is not good for me. Example:

1. Alarm set at 7:45am.
2. Alarm goes off, I hit the snooze button.
3. 6 snooze button presses later (at intervals of 8min), it's 8:33am, and I'm still not out of bed.
4. I'm now regularly late to work (lucky my boss is relatively lenient on time of arrival!)

The snooze button implies delaying the inevitable. There's an unwillingness to face a new day by attempting (somewhat pointlessly) to grab those few more minutes of sleep. And since you really can't fall asleep within an 8min timeframe, you just lie there, waiting for the next alarm to go off.

Obviously I am comfortable in the state I'm in, but is there a more sub-conscious reason about the excessive use of the snooze? Probably not, but I'm going to attempt some meaningful ie random dialogue below. Yes it's Friday, I'm in Melbourne, people did not come to my training session, so I'm searching for more meaning in my life :)

Am I just tired?
Do I not want to face the day ahead?
Is my job that bad that I'm willing to be late all the time?
Is it because of the inherent nature of people in being resistant to change?
Am I STILL recovering from that Gold Coast buck's weekend?

Strangely enough, if you have something really important going on early in the day ie having to go to the airport at 6:00am, you will automatically wake up and get yourself ready without any snoozing action.

So here's the resolution. Have to get up on the first alarm, no excuses. I did it this morning, and I feel better already!

Damn! thirteen cheap calls already:

Can relate. Also am a snooze-aholic. Always remember not to put anything breakable between ur bed and the alarm clock as all the hand-to-button action should happen with ur eyes still closed. I do think sometimes that after multiple repetitions of alarm, snooze, alarm snooze, u prob could have just set the alarm later and gotten a more decent half hour of uninterrupted sleep.
pskis - 02 September '04 - 16:24

haha...an interesting post about something we hardly think about but is such an integral part of our lives! I love the snooze button...thankfully i'm usually up after one snooze cycle, else my boss wouldn't be too happy!
dsd (email) (link) - 03 September '04 - 15:39

Good to know it's not just me who's a snooze-button junkie! The twilight between sleep and consciousness is just so blissful, that plus enjoying something illicit that you're not supposed to be enjoying makes it all the more sweeter.
beckster (link) - 04 September '04 - 16:09

Update:
I put the alarm to once off only today, woke up at 7:45am, and promptly stayed in bed till 8:30am, even without the alarm. :(

"something illicit"? I didn't know the snooze button was a criminal offence :)
JookBoy (link) - 05 September '04 - 05:55

i use my phone as my alarm clock. does it have snooze? hehe....
addy - 05 September '04 - 15:05

as a matter of fact, the mobile phone alarm clock does have a snooze button - but you gotta pick up the phone and hit the snooze button through half dazed squinting eyes and you know how big they make them phones these days.
ue - 05 September '04 - 17:23

i am snooze queen - so much so that i now have to set my clock half an hour fast. then set my alarm for half hour before i need to get up (which is actually an hour before i need to get up cause my clock is fast). alarm goes off and can hit snooze button multiple times - feels like sleeping in for and hour and eventually get up 15 mins before need to really leave the house - get up get dressed and get out the front door! - it's all psychological i tells ya :)
mushiejc (link) - 05 September '04 - 17:45

Geeeeez Bec, what kinda dreams do YOU have?! I want some "illicit" dreams like that! HA!
...
...
note to self: stop verbalising thoughts out loud.. ;p
So (email) - 05 September '04 - 18:50

*deadpan* I used the term 'ilicit' loosely to describe the enjoyment of something you know you're not supposed to ie. chocolate after spin class, wallowing in bed when you KNOW you need to get your fat azz to work.

No comment on what I'm dreaming about when I'm abusing the snooze button!
beckster (link) - 06 September '04 - 06:10

Getting out of bed in the morning certainly does have a subconscious element to it. You are correct in saying that when needed at the airport by 6am you automatically wake up. Why? Perhaps it is purely based on the fact that you are expecting something different in your day. Yet it may be the fact that you have mentally prepared yourself differently.

For example, thinking of the list of all the things you have to do to get yourself on the plane (get out of bed, brush teeth, shower, get dressed, pack your luggage, drive, park etc) can become overwhelming and undesirable. However, if you instead focussed upon WHY you were getting on the plane you will easily motivate yourself.

Similarly, this applies in your Monday to Friday morning routine. If your thoughts are focussed on what must be done(get up, go to work, work all day, spend time with people you don't like, etc), as opposed to WHY you are doing them (build a future, provide for your family, meet new people, buy a house etc) you will have trouble getting out of bed on the first alarm.

Or you could make it even simpler by moving your alarm clock to the other side of the room (or into another room) so you are unable to reach it from where you are sleeping.

We all need a compelling reason to get up in the morning. I am normally up by 5:30 each morning and find that by getting out of bed, putting my sneakers on (right next to my bed) and leaving the house for a walk is a perfect morning routine which gets my day started.

Basically, if you aren't jumping out of bed in the morning excited about a new day, then your passion for life is lacking. Either that or your significant other is awake...
taipan - 09 September '04 - 07:17

Wise words taipan, totally agree. The even stranger thing I noticed was that today (Saturday), I woke up feeling quite fresh at 6:00am, even though I went to bed at 1:30am! Must be something good happening today
JookBoy (link) - 10 September '04 - 08:05

I too am a fan of the snooze button, however it's gotten so bad that now I have to set my initial alarm for 5:45am. This provides a large enough time period for me to hit snooze about 12 times before I eventually roll out of bed by 7:30am, heh.
riss (link) - 12 September '04 - 08:24

A Book To Read

I have just finished reading a book called "Road to Serfdom" by an economist named F.A. Hayek, and I thoroughly recommend it. It was written in the 1940's and analyses the reasons why Germany became the tyranny that it was during the Second World War, and why the whole concept of socialism will always become a dictatorship, due to the choices that the people who are put into the planning role have to make. It was a very interesting book, although I have to admit it's not a light book. The sentences are so long! You have to read the paragraph a few times to understand what he was trying to say. Good bedtime reading material.

I used to believe that the equalities of people in the world could be achieved through some sort of redistribution and planning, but am now a lot more convinced of the smaller government and free market abilities to increase wealth. However, I still have faith that one day we will have a Star Trek universe, where the quest for knowledge, rather than the quest for wealth, is the driving force of mankind :)

I did meet a professor on the way back from Melbourne who noticed I was reading the book, and we started talking about it. The only problem with a smaller government, he added, was the fact that it sometimes is too small to assist in bringing more competition into the marketplace to decrease the power of the monopoly. As he was a professor from MGSM, I assume he knew what he was talking about!

There's another book, "Atlas Shrugged", I think it's called. Anyone read that? I've heard it's quite good.

Damn! seven cheap calls already:

atlas shrugged is also a deep long book. a bit long winded in some areas but poses an interesting macro views. ask jay, he's more well versed with Ayn Rand's work.
alvina - 28 August '04 - 19:24

That professor was right IMHO; weak government will lead to a poor level of social benefits, which leads to civil unrest and possibly even civil war. Civil war = no FDI. No FDI turns Singapore into Nauru. And as we all know, Singapore rocks, while Nauru is just a bunch of them.
ricegrains (link) - 28 August '04 - 19:51

you can have civil war and FDI - granted, its not ideal, but just ask parts of Africa, or central asia for that matter. maybe its not the FDI that counts, its the LKY...

Effective govt doesn't need to be big govt. In my view govt provides the incentives and the safety net (oh remember that term). The safety net recognises the market isnt perfect and that the market fails. But the market also works (right, mike moore?)

Kev, next you should read "the right nation - a history of conservative power in america".
bjee - 30 August '04 - 14:51

I'm reading "Atlas Shrugged" now. It's a bit more challenging than Ayn Rand's other novel, "the Fountainhead" (a novel that's had a profound impact on many I know who've read it) but so far it's been worth the struggle.

Ayn Rand has been called a fascist for her views. Indeed, her views are quite extreme and advocate an extreme form of free market capitalism and nurture a kind of cult of the individual - something anathema to anyone with a sense of altruism - while also mocking institutions and individuals that harbour a purported sense of corporate or social responsibilty.

Interestingly, both these books are favourites among the right wing intelligentsia, including Ross Cameron and John Howard.
-Stephen- (link) - 30 August '04 - 20:28

Apropos Singapore, it's certainly strong and big government that keeps the LKY dynasty entrenched in power. Singapore's lack of democracy is only tolerated by modern-day culturally apolitical Singaporeans because its sound fiscal management thus legitimises the regime. Singapore has instituted a strong system of forced savings (that's why they own half of Sydney's icon properties through GIC) while having virtually no unemployment insurance and with very modest social assistance schemes.

Essentially, although government is run like a streamlined modern-day corporation, without a system of democratic accountability and transparency to its constitutents, it will remain to be seen whether a climate of widening income inequality (esp between Chinese and Malays) is sustainable.

In my opinion, it's nepotism at its finest.
-Stephen- (link) - 30 August '04 - 20:46

Ayn Rand's theories aren't bad in theory, but dont work in reality. Atlas Shrugged is a great book tho
al - 31 August '04 - 23:57

Yep, bjee and Stephen, will add them to the collection.

Good to know that I do have some intellectual readers on this blog :)
JookBoy (link) - 02 September '04 - 06:10

[8008boyz] On Tour

A true boyz holiday up in the Gold Coast for Geri and Dessy's bucks weekend.
I have not partied this hard for a long time....I'm guessing about 10 hours sleep in 3 nights.

Gokarting was great, golfing was great, and my wrist is still stuffed.

Of course, what goes on tour stays on tour :)

But I'll put these two quality photos up! The clock's ticking for you, Che-Z!

A big shout out to Bill for his ChopDesigns shirts. You rock mate!

Damn! six cheap calls already:

sweeet!
ding! (link) - 24 August '04 - 07:35

You're wrist was stuffed ey Kev? What sort of fun were you having up there? (hopefully the kind you have when you're on your own...)
Dre - 25 August '04 - 10:26

I think it was too much leaning up on the bar at Shooters wasn't it? Like a steel hunting trap from what I remember~
ricegrains (link) - 25 August '04 - 11:18

I swears it was a sporting injury.

And Boges, a gentleman never tells. I'm going for a mystery look :)
JookBoy (link) - 25 August '04 - 18:59

It's damn hard work to look good with a condom on your head! (even with a sweeeet 8008boyz t-shirt on) :)
Dessy - 06 September '04 - 12:06

Forgive me, but I have been away far too long. I saw the photos and thought "what the hell are these guys up to??". LEast now I know Des did not choose to wear that thing on his head...
TT (email) - 07 October '04 - 00:36

Thredbo Fun

For the "best week of powder for the last decade", as described on Snow FM.

Injury list
- Back problems
- Sprained wrists
- Pulled shoulder
- Sore ass
- Bruised knees
- Twisted ankles
- Strained neck
- Numerous head injuries

Best stacks
- Kev polishing the N-Gage rail with his stomach
- Too many toe-side turns to head first landings on the snow
- Stu and I turning right into each other in the middle of a slope when there was only three of us on the damn slope.

New nicknames
- Leafing Loi, Leafing Levine, Leafing Lai
- Pubeboy
- Huge Kev (that's me :P)
- Massive Kev (that's Kev)
- Warren "Fibs" Macdonald
- Wench!
- Kung Fu Billy

Theme song
- "Yeah" by "Usher, Usher"

Damn! five cheap calls already:

Were any of those injuries actually sustained whilst skiing/snowboarding? Or were they a result of the love-nasium acrobatics? ;) What happens at the snow, stays at the snow :)
Taipan - 06 August '04 - 09:50

Damn I polished that N-gage rail good too.

Damn fine week it was. The most hurtful part is having to go back to work tmrw :(
Peedz - 07 August '04 - 19:56

Hey Kev I thought that you were demoted from "Huge" to "Tiny" status during our game of Kings :) (well, I had to make my first call a cheap one, right?!)

go Usher! ;p
so - 08 August '04 - 09:50

And then Kung Fu Billy promoted me back to Huge Kev back in the bedroom :P

And yes, most memorable moment, the last card in Kings being a King. Thanks for the reminder Kev.
JookBoy (link) - 08 August '04 - 18:56

more funnies... keep it coming mate. expecting a full account from the GC. sorry couldnt make it down. once the snows over you all have to come to bali for some quality beaching... and the good news is, the booze is DF!!
bjee - 21 August '04 - 17:52

The Dreaded Case Interview

Man, I've still got the heebie jeebies, as I've just finished one. I'm sure a few of you have done a case interview before. As a person who hasn't done an interview in about 3 years, this was one rude awakening! For anyone else who is ever planning to do one of these things, do the following:

1. Do not go anywhere near guessing the numbers until you have laid out your whole argument, from the very first number you need to get, to the actual answer. Every single step. Be as thorough in this part as possible.
2. Make your guesses realistic. As an aside, remember that lots of people ride bikes in China :)
3. Know your maths. At least I did ok here....it was about the only part!
4. In the end, when they ask how you would check your numbers, it's really just checking your methodology, and the numbers you have assumed.
5. Breathe deeply...and then again.

I think my chances of getting to the first round are severely reduced. So much for management consulting

On the flip side, I thought that my technical interview at Lend Lease was one of the worse interviews I have done...look where I am now :)

Damn! five cheap calls already:

I've felt your pain bro...

You can never fully prepare for an interview in my opinion. There will almost always be ONE question that floors you...it's how you respond that's the key.

And hey, at least you didn't have to sell instant powdered ice-cream back to two sales people in your interview. :)
ricegrains (link) - 28 July '04 - 17:15

"if you were in mcdonalds and had to line up, and all of the lines were the same length, how would you choose which one to line-up in?"
hint: the answer is not "the one closest to me" ;)
al - 29 July '04 - 00:38

MAcdonalds hey?

I'd take the line with the skinnier kids in it haha. Unless they eat like KC.
PeeDz - 08 August '04 - 09:34

I've only been in my new job for about a month and a bit and already I had to give other people interviews. One question I actually asked someone in an interview: 'It says here that one of your interests is dancing, so with that in mind, I was wondering wether you could do the robot dance?'

The answer was no, and suffice to say he didn't get the job. If you can't robot dance you really shouldn't be a graphic designer.
Dre - 17 August '04 - 06:00

Actions Or Words?

What do you believe in? What someone says or what they do?

I was listening to the radio this morning, and they had people people ringing in with regards to who had the most boring relationship. A girl rang up to say that she and her boyfriend had been going out for 17 months, and he had never gone outside of his place with him (obviously they must have been doing things at home which was entertaining enough! But I digress...)

The point is that there are people who are complaining how bad it is, and yet they are still plugging away at the relationship. Yes, I can understand the odd complaint here and there about how their partner doesn't do exactly what they want, but for 17 months??

Anyways, a friend directed me to a quality site for guys. The real interesting part (of course) is the dating section. The whole basis of the advice is to retain an air of "mystery" about you, to keep the girl's interest levels high by being a "Challenge" and all sorts of fun stuff. The main point though is this. That when girls give those excuses that we have all heard, that's what they are, excuses. Never rationalise a girl's behaviour. And the other point is that girls will not let a small setback throw them off if they are actually interested in you.

So then if actions mean a lot more than words, where does that leave the grinding part? Is that just a random event? I've come to the conclusion that grinding opens the door, but doesn't let you in. It's short term fun, with no long term promise. Curse that social lubricant they call alcohol! :)

And thanks to everyone that turned up to the party on Saturday night. I had an awesome time!

Damn! 19 cheap calls already:

So...what you're trying to say is that you got your grind awwn, but are just leaving it at that?

Why not follow up the action with a word?
ricegrains (link) - 24 July '04 - 19:45

... or more action?
xtn (link) - 25 July '04 - 06:19

why do you want to curse the social lubricant called alcohol? Do girls grind against you at any time other than when alcohol is involved? If so, then damn you got game :)

Perhaps grinding isn't the 'gateway' to that which you seek?
taipan - 25 July '04 - 07:59

I dont quite understand why people stay in relationships that they are not happy with and yet complain...change the direction in which it is heading (or lack there of).

About the air of Mystery, to remain a Challenge...thats the same advice women are given about men. BUT, the point about girls and setbacks:

"...girls will not let a small setback throw them off if they are actually interested in you."

I dont think that is entirely true...because even if she is honestly interested and there is an obstacle (more like a couple small setbacks)...most likely...she will move right along and give up. We do get thrown off the track, as much as boys do.
petals - 25 July '04 - 10:09

I'm not saying that there's no follow-up...I'm just saying that you shouldn't over-commit. It's all about self control.

It depends on the level of alcohol when the said grinding occurs, and that's hard to judge :)
Yes, maybe it isn't the gateway, which is why it's just short term fun.

Then, petals, the thought follows that she wasn't genuinely interested. Persistence wins in the end, I am sure. It's a matter of testing their resolve :)

Actually, I've reread this entry. It doesn't make that much sense!
JookBoy (link) - 25 July '04 - 13:49

to keep the girl's interest levels high by being a "Challenge" and all sorts of fun stuff

If you are too challenging I think a girl would just give up, she's going to wonder why she's wasting her time on someone who isn't entirely responsive when she could be seeing someone else. There's only so many games a person can take :)
riss (email) (link) - 25 July '04 - 14:11

i agree with riss. its the same with you boys. if the gal plays too hard to get too much, u get bored and give up. its a bit of both. and for that comment about complaining about relationships, i think most ppl complain a litttle about things in relationships. However you sometimes/rarely hear about all the good stuff of that relationship. Very few relationships dont have little issues, if they didnt, it mite get boring if anything. Big issues, thats a whole different blog for you.
addy - 25 July '04 - 15:06

oh yeh, grinding....
i think grinding means more to guys than gals. it opens a little door....cos if she wasnt interested in you AT ALL, she would run....
addy - 25 July '04 - 15:09

If she wasnt interested in your AT ALL, she hasn't had enough drinks :D

And whats so strange about staying in a bad rship. Remember, not all people have had the cosy upbringings most of us have had. For some ppl, its their only avenue for at least some sort of intimacy and companionship, its so easy to blind yourself to the negatives.

For some, bad is better than alone.
Peedz - 25 July '04 - 15:48

you're right, the entry didn't make much sense (hehe)

actions will always speak louder than words

and thanks for an awesome night on saturday. haven't had one of those in years!
al (email) - 26 July '04 - 12:15

i dont disagree about persistance, i wrote a blog about persistance paying off! altho, the amount of time you would spend being persistant each different person will vary, right? if it was a shorter span of time, it doesnt mean u werent genuinely interested...it just means u woke up earlier and realised that maybe that person isnt right for you if they arent showing an interest back and/or they keep playing games with you? which riss' point comes in...there are only so many games a person can take, girl or boy.
petals - 27 July '04 - 09:46

"altho, the amount of time you would spend being persistant each different person will vary, right?"

Yes, exactly. So the point is to separate the wheat from the chaff, as it were.

And what they are saying is that what chicks define as "right" is most likely someone whom they see as a challenge.

If you know they're playing games you quit, but obviously being a challenge is a little bit different.
JookBoy (email) (link) - 28 July '04 - 14:37

the type of girl that we want to be attracted to us is probably in high demand from plenty of others. make it too much of a challenge for them, and they'll just go movin' onto the next hot stud!
al - 29 July '04 - 00:34

Al, are those the chicks that will just thumb you through and through? :)
JookBoy (link) - 06 August '04 - 07:05

I think the best way to remain a 'challenge' to girls is just to have heaps of girlfriends. That way you are a challenge naturally. You don't have to pretend to be busy on Fri and Sat nights, and so organise a breakfast date for Wednesday morning coz that's the only time you can fit it in.

Being desirable to women is a lifestyle, not a couple of things you can memorise from a men's help webpage.

RC
randomcow - 08 August '04 - 11:00

Can I clarfy that as actual girlfriends, or just friends that are chicks? Cause I'm sure my buds would call me a "ho" (some already do!)
JookBoy (link) - 08 August '04 - 18:52

You know, we can refer to them as whatever we want. Guys don't really care about labels - the chicks can keep track of where the relationship is at any point in time. Chicks care about this kind of stuff.

But to help define it, "Females you are already shagging, or are working on." How's that?

And yes, you're a ho.

RC
randomcow - 09 August '04 - 04:26

Thanks :)

I think I would hit a moral issue with shagging becoming a plural. Maybe that's why I don't have that challenge about me.
JookBoy (link) - 10 August '04 - 06:51

maybe.

:)
randomcow - 10 August '04 - 07:05