Sydney Visit Oct

People at work were saying to me, "didn't we just see you?"
However, being on different work projects meant the people I interacted with were quite different. I believe it is always worthwhile to have the face-to-face meetings, things just done so much faster. The economy ticket I got was super cheap too!

What was also great was to catch up with everyone who had come back for Stu's wedding, as well as my family. Wonderful to see the kids still as cute as ever, and so touching to see that my friends still are as goosey as ever (both at the bucks and at the wedding). There is something to be said for 12 guys going to Karaoke and belting out Bon Jovi.

Having stayed at Yvonne and Jase's place, I am now totally familiar with the Wiggles, and can quite competently sing a few of their choice hits. Has anyone else (who has nieces/nephews that are fans of the Wiggles) noticed the drastic change in Anthony?? He's become super lean and mean!

Sydney doesn't disappoint with the scenery, as I visited Balmoral with family and Collaroy for the wedding. Ah, miss them beaches.

Congrats Stu and Yve, it was a fantastic wedding, enjoy the Maldives!
Photos for the trip can be found here.

As a intro, my fave kiddie shot from the trip (my nehpew Jono).

Back to Back...to Back

It's always fun to have friends visit, and we welcomed Boges with open arms. There were also other visitors from HK (Joe) who came along at the right time, as well as some new transferees from Sydney (Steve).

I have to admit that there has been a perfect storm of events to lead us to last weekend's mammoth efforts. Bec and I meeting some party-goers recently, the rekindling of my dance party days, and the above mentioned visitors, hungry for some NYC outings.

So we stayed out till 2am on Friday morning, 6am on Saturday morning, and 5am the Sunday morning, and made it out to our local haunt on Sunday night for a nightcap. I don't recall having had this big a weekend in a long time. And it was wonderfully enjoyable. There was even some pre-game drinks at our place before we hit the clubs on Friday and Saturday nights! Good to have friends around who fire up and go hard.

So as one friend (Joe) leaves, another (Mary-Ann) comes to visit. I think I definitely need some more sleep in the next two days!

Success and Failure

Success and Failure

I had my first trapeze class today. Two things about trapeze classes stuck out
1. The fact that they give you a 10 min information session and then staright away you are using the trapeze and doing tricks
2. The climb up to the launch platform is on one of the most unstable ladders I have come across! It makes the first attempt even more of a scare than it already is.

I have to admit that my heart was racing when I got up to the launch platform the first time. But there wasn't too much hesitation before I jumped off and started swinging, annd doing what they taught us. And it is exhilarating, as I'm upside down, doing a "catch" where I move from one swing to another (just like in the acrobatics shows! Of course, on a very VERY simple level), and generally having fun.

It was a success in my eyes, to have conquered that initial fear.

Contrast that with my failure the night before to play a proper wingman for a single friend of mine when we went out to a club. So there's a group of 4 girls who are dancing near us, and I'm with my friend (who's single) and another guy (who's not). I'm told to step up and approach those girls. Of course, having watched this series you would have thought I would have some kind of ablity here. Unfortunately, after 12 years of going out to these clubs, I still have nothing...no approach, not even a "hello". It was an utter failure to launch.

This surely begs the question, why am I quite willing to risk life and limb, but have stage fright to talk to random women, in which the outcome of that talk I really couldn't care less about?

To paraphrase the instructor for the trapeze, "it's just time on the trapeze, that will be what will make it easier for you. Of course the first time you do this, you'll freeze up and have panic/fear/trepidation, just keep doing it until it doesn't".
I think the ease of cold talking to new people is something that comes with practise. And I'm not just talking about talking to random girls at a club. It's more about being able to go into a room and starting engaging with people, and make it interesting.

Vow to myself: just do it! And to my single friend last night, I vouch that I'll be a better wingman next time!

Cayman Photos Up

Stingrays feel like velvet!

Personal Trainer

There was a special on for personal trainer hours at the gym in my building. It's my first time with a personal trainer, and the guy is brutal. He was especially brutal the other day, after a big night out.

Exercise regime that just occurred:
30 x jumping jacks
25 x squat and press with weighted bar
20 x side jumps across bar [2 sets with above exercise]
8 x long jumps
10 x push ups [2 sets with above]
3 x lunges
3 x side squats
8 x dips [2 sets with above 2 exercises]
12 x curl + reverse press with weighted bar
20 x cross over hops on weight bench [3 sets with above]
5 x side lifts (10 lb each arm)
5 x side drops (arm starts at shoulder height and drops half way) [3 sets with above]
8 x front lifts, swing out to side, and back down (10lb each) [3 sets]
20sec plank
20 x plank with leg extension out to side + 5sec plank (now that 5 sec was rough)
10 x plank with knee up (each leg)
20sec plank
20 x swiss ball crunches
12 x back lifts face down [2 sets]
30 x jumping jacks

Total exercise time: 50min
No wonder people get such better results with trainers :)

Labor Day Weekend

Labor Day weekend was pakced with quality expereinces:

Drinks night at K-Town (with special guest Nick Seeto). I'm down for those soju shots!





Tennis at the US Open. Tennis is so much better live, the ball goes so fast. Got to see Federer and Roddick, in picture perfect weather. More photos here:


Labor Day dinner, to sample Nick's cooking skillz. Am mightily impressed, Nick should do Top Chef :)


And in three days time, Cayman Islands!!

Value of Time

Even though I had said earlier that my 30th birthday seemed to have come and gone without much impact, I'm starting to think of the value of time with slightly more seriousness.

Previously, given my current transfer situation, I knew I was committed to working in the company for another year, and after that, it's not much of a stretch to be around for two more years to hit my 10 year mark and enjoy the fruits of my labours. But suddenly I'm thinking that there could be other options and those extra two years seems like a long commitment.

Now don't get me wrong, I think the company is great, and the people there are wonderful, the question nowadays is "where next"? Staying a bit longer, there should be a managerial spot for me. Is this what I want? Can I see myself being the nurturing type for my minion employees? I think I've said before that my strengths seem to be on focusing on a deliverable and hitting the target ie project management. Trouble is, will there be many more interesting projects to deliver in the next few years, with the financial climate as it is?

Perhaps extra schooling might be the answer? Funny thing is the first question they ask on those MBA forms is "what position do you seek after graduation?", and I'm already stuck! I need more thoughts on the matter...

Deep

"Fountainhead" by Ayn Rand is about celebrating what the author sees as the epitomy of man, a person who is "utterly selfish" and selfish in that every motive is internally driven.
Rand slams the concept of selflessness, claiming that if selflessness (or the sacrifice of oneself for others) was the best virtue, then we would necessarily need another's suffering to heighten our sense of selflessness. If everyone was selfish, everyone would be able to treat each other as equals, as two parties in a trade.

Of the characters, there is on by the name of Peter Keating. Peter is shown to be someone who finds their values based on the judgements of others and who does not have the ability to make it on his own, relying on another's skill to make him famous. He reflects other people's opinions and concepts, to a point where he has none of his own.

Disturbingly, or perhaps with clarity, I feel that I have a lot in common with Peter Keating. I think I am easily persuaded of an idea, and whilst I don't take on other people's ideas as my own, I would reflect their thoughts.
I remember a phrase that a project manager is a "conduit of other people's dreams" and I may have taken that to an extreme level (which may be why I am good at PM'ing!).

I did one of those personality analysis tests and from the strengths they listed I see myself as someone who tries to bring in others to the group and "win them over". The fact that I tried so hard to please would logically not make me as forthright in my own judgement and opinions.
However, there is a fear in me that I may look inside one day and come to the realisation that there isn't much underneath the surface...

So is this what the word "shallow" means? Do opinions make the man? Or is it something else that makes a person "deep"?

Should I balance myself out and start sprouting some more opinions? Or should I focus on my strengths and realise that this is who I am, and find what is best for me? Or maybe I should just think things through and whilst I don't have to sprout the opinion, know in my heart what I feel?

Yay for Go-Live!

I like when projects go-live.
There is a certain satisfaction to be had when all the hard work comes together and a product is rolled out to the users.

Of course there are issues, I don't think any project goes to the users without something that someone would complain about. However, as long as the issues are not too many, or too severe, I would consider it a success. The comms out to the business was terrible (side note: I really do think that people in the business do not understand change management) but the usability of the system was enough that most people were up and away.
Funniest part: an email from one of the business units that said "Tomorrow is the dawning of a new era in internal communications" when in fact the system was already live today.

There is some really bad statistic that says that 40% (or is it even more?) of ICT projects don't see the light of day. So I have to make sure that the team celebrates. Think I might have to buy some thank you items!

Let's kick back, relax for a bit and savour the moment.

Memories From Last 3 Weeks

Got some photos up.

Sydney was only a week ago, but it already feels far away. Great to see family and friends, and the best thing was to see that everyone was healthy, happy and enjoying life. And the kids are unbelievable! I just glad that our M&M shirts all fit :)

Toronto was great to see my Dad's side of the family. Mama looked like last time, but was even less responsive to our presence. It's sad for me to see her in this state, I'm sure it's even harder for her children to. However, I'm glad I got up there, I realise that I really should see my family here more often. My cousin is going to be studying in Chicago which makes it only a hop, skip and jump away.