Riding itch..

Tomorrow is Labour Day, a public holiday for us. So it will be a good time to bring the family out. J I have plan to ride, but my wife don’t agree so I guess I need to put my family priority first.

Thus push back my riding date to this coming Sunday, if possible. Few of my mates should be riding tomorrow as they have no commitment like me.

I’m not prepare to hibernate my bike again last 1 year ago, that’s why I need to constantly get the bike warm up, to keep it in a riding state. The itch to ride is getting really bad, so got no choice. And also, my fitness level is dropping significantly and I hope to get it back soon by constant riding and to revive my hobby.

More than meet the eyes

Yesterday I have come to realize and more insight of the coy work scope for the position I’m in.

When I was about to leave after 15mins pass my knock off time, the receptionist stop me and ask me to help to answer a customer complaint phonecall.

So ok, while waiting, I was asking what is the complaint about, and as I listen, one staff was asking why they don’t get the other staff to handle it (this staff is one who is related to the boss) and he mentioned he did not want to talk to this customer, so I have to do it.

So when I listen to the complainant, he was angry, aggressive etc and I try to pacify him but it seem like not really working at all. After all the ranting, I told him I will need to investigate before getting back to him, and he seem like still not happy.

Finally, after putting down the phone, I call up the technician which he complaint, and after checking with him and his supervisor (also another boss relative), I realize this is a unreasonable customer, and this supervisor was saying, we will not entertain him, ask him to look for other contractor to resolve his problem.

And before we end this discussion, this supervisor told me, “as a manager, you have to learn to handle all this difficult customer”. Although he deals with techncians alot (like a supervisor only) but he don't talk like one, he talk like he is one of the boss.

Ok, I seem to see abit clearer now, is it the position they create for me, just like the few manager before me, need to handle all this shit? When all the boss’s relative can choose not to handle the difficult customers? And if the issue is not handle problem and get blow up, this manager will just get the chop to appease or close the case?

It’s more than meet the eyes.

My thoughts...

12 days into the organization, 2 proposals have been put up. But one was rejected and the other, no conclusion…

I can see this problem coming, talk to a colleague about this issue and he said they have consider it before but need to spend some money on it to implement, and also he mentioned that this problem have here for the past 10 over years (since he work here) and he is used to it now.

I don’t know how he is related to the boss of the company (btw, this is a typical Chinese managed company with many of the boss’s relatives working in here) but somehow, their management is very way backward, abit like how my dad run his small business, but this coy has about 100 over staff.

Discipline is lacking, lot of foreign workers with dye hair, torn jeans, wearing slipper instead of safety shoes, many can’t communicate or read English etc… although this is a well know coy in Singapore, but I already see many complaints about service standard, working attitudes, work standard etc

From 2006 till now, there is a trend of sales, transaction, turnover amount dropping and 2008 first quarter shows very clearly that there is about 25% drop in term of income.

Did a search in this particular pc which the previous manager was using, his email account was somewhat been removed, I can’t find any correspondences at all! This makes me very difficult to trace what had happen before and what are still going on. I have asked the IT department for access, but no news yet.

One important finding, from the search in this PC, I come to concluded that the last manager stay here for only 3months. From September to early December, I can see some documents data (but nothing interesting) and the website he have surf.

Best part is, he surf the website -> jobsdb on 27th Nov, cool, now what? I was analyzing, what he is the same boat as me? Trying the best to propose some improvement work, but due to coy not willing to pay, and allowing those problems to snowball?

I had the same equal feeling, I take the salary, I’m putting my head down and find a solution, but somehow, it is not working out. And like I said, the boss’s relative already mentioned this problem has been going on for past 10 years, if it can be resolved, I reckon the FEW managers before me could have done it, instead of me now.

Shit, I feel I’m wasting my time now, although I may do nothing, but this kind of work does not appeal to me, I’m feeling restless and useless now…

Sunday workout

Have been wanted to ride on sunday, but wife no approved..

And she suggested we go gym instead, so ok, I guess we need to sweat it out as we have miss gym session for a few weeks already.

Went there, all threadmill are taken up, so I just do some weight training instead. Using dumb bell to do some free weight and later, hit those station, to build up my upper body strength.

After the gym, had a nice shower, and both of us went to have a good food. To replenish the body needs.

And sunday night, it is unbelievable kinda humid and hot. Shitzz, I even had to go for a quick shower to cool down myself... aghh..

TGIF

Am planning for a few programs as I do not want to waste my weekend again last the last time.

Weekend have become more precious now as my workplace here need to work 6 full days a week on alternate weeks and this sux..

So tomorrow I will be having 2 days of weekend, so must not waste it again!

Recently, I feel that I have been trying to do alot of things but it seem to be moving very slowly again as I can't really spend time doing it on my own or direct supervise it.

2 items, A special plan and my riding/fishing program.

Due to full time job, I'm been very restricted and almost desk bound... shittzz..

Hope to break through all this soon.

Strange, it seems like everything is coming back to me...

I had this very strange and weird feeling, it is coming back to me...

And I can feel it...

unable to decript it, but I definitely can sense it so strongly as days goes by...

Ehh, my name is Batman...

My surname is Superman...

Nice meeting you.

Broken KTM

Shit!!!! I better check the frame around my steering cone area, for any visible crack line.

It will be nasty if this were to happen on a big jump.

Man, I'm still sore..

Today is already tuesday, I'm still as sore as yesterday.

I would try to sit down as long as I can, not moving the butt, as my thigh are aching when I start walking, my back and both arm ache as well.

And this whole shit reminds me back in 1997, when I just started riding. I would always drag my beat up body to school, and would behave and walk like a zombie.

It is back again, but I reckon it would go away when my fitness is back up to the minimum level and I would not feel so much.

However, it just shows that my body sensors are still functioning well.

I'm sitting in front of my pc now, both arm and my back are aching, i have not been riding for the past 1 year (base from my record)

Saturday night, went to prepped the bike, like spray new air filter oil, lube some parts, do some quick check etc, What i worried is, if the bike will fire up on the next day anot.

with the new RON98 gas pour in the tank, i try to kick start the bike, luckily it fie up within 5 attempts, i'm gald it start up and just let it warm up for awhile.

Was suppose to join a motocross race today ay msia, but because of some registration issue, am unable to make it, so nevermind, do my own practise ride.

My mate Mike was the only guy riding with me today, with 2 of my mates fly me aeroplane, but it's ok, I have enjoyed my ride today.

The moment I straddle up the bike, I don't have the "used to" feeling, perhap too long a break. And I need awhile to get familiarised with the bike again. Luckily, I got my my momentum pretty quickily.

Mike was showing some speed as well, it seem like he have improve quite significantly after weekly practise ride. good for him, the track today is still muddy and he is much get used to the "bad terrain" fear and are able to ride on it like he is on rail.

ok man, i need to stop here, my arm are aching now.

Check this out, it's funny!

Last weekend I saw something at Larry's Pistol & Pawn Shop that sparked my interest. The occasion was our 15th anniversary and I was looking for a little something extra for my wife Julie. What I came across was a 100,000-volt, pocket/purse-sized taser.

The effects of the taser were supposed to be short lived, with no long-term adverse affect on your assailant, allowing her adequate time to retreat to safety. WAY TOO COOL!

Long story short, I bought the device and brought it home. I loaded two triple-a batteries in the darn thing and pushed the button. Nothing! I was disappointed. I learned, however, that if I pushed the button AND pressed it against a metal surface at the same time; I'd get the blue arch of electricity darting back and forth between the prongs. AWESOME!!!


Unfortunately, I have yet to explain to Julie what that burn spot is on the face of her microwave! Okay, so I was home alone with this new toy, thinking to myself that it couldn't be all that bad with only two triple-A batteries, right?! !??


There I sat in my La-Z-Boy recliner, my cat Gracie looking on intently (trusting little soul) while I was reading the directions and thinking that I really needed to try this thing out on a flesh & blood moving target.


I must admit I thought about zapping Gracie (for a fraction of a second) and thought better of it. She is such a sweet cat. But, if I was going to give this thing to my wife to protect herself against a mugger, I did want some assurance that it would work as advertised.


Am I wrong or what ??? So, there I sat in a pair of shorts and a tank top with my reading glasses perched delicately on the bridge of my nose, directions in one hand, and taser in another. The directions said that a one-second burst would shock and disorient your assailant; a two-second burst was supposed to cause muscle spasms and a major loss of bodily control; a three-second burst would purportedly make your assailant flop on the ground like a fish out of water.


Any burst longer than three seconds would be wasting the batteries.? ? All the while I'm looking at this little device measuring about 5' long, less than 3/4 inch in circumference; pretty cute really and (loaded with two itsy, bitsy triple-A batteries) thinking to myself, 'no possible way!'?? What happened next is almost beyond description, but I'll do my best...


I'm sitting there alone, Gracie looking on with her head cocked to one side as to say, 'don't do it dumbass!!' Reasoning that a one- second burst from such a tiny little ole thing couldn't hurt all that bad, I decided to give myself a one-second burst just for heck of it.


I touched the prongs to my naked thigh, pushed the button and...

HOLY MOTHER OF GOD, WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION !!!


I'm pretty sure Hulk Hogan ran in through the side door, picked me up from the recliner, then body slammed us both on the carpet, over and over and over again. I vaguely recall waking up on my side in the fetal position, with tears in my eyes, body soaking wet, both nipples on fire, testicles nowhere to be found, with my left arm tucked under my body in the oddest position, and tingling in my legs!


The cat was standing over me making meowing sounds I had never heard before, licking my face, undoubtedly thinking to herself, 'Do it again, stupid, do it again!' Note: If you ever feel compelled to 'mug' yourself with a taser, one note of caution: there is no such thing as a one-second burst when you zap yourself! You will not let go of that thing until it is dislodged from your hand by a violent thrashing about on the floor.


A three-second burst would be considered conservative. SON-OF-A-*%#... That hurt like **% !!! A minute or so later (I can't be sure, as time was a relative thing at that point), I collected my wits (what little I had left), sat up and surveyed the landscape.


My bent reading glasses were on the mantel of the fireplace. How did they get up there??? My triceps, right thigh and both nipples were still twitching. My face felt like it had been shot up with Novocain, and my bottom lip weighed 88 lbs.

I'm still looking for my testicles! I'm offering a significant reward for their safe return!!

P. S. My wife loved the gift, and now regularly threatens me with it!

If you think Education is difficult, try being stupid!

WHY EMPLOYEES LEAVE ORGANISATIONS ?

Got this article in my email, and I find it very TRUE!!!



WHY EMPLOYEES LEAVE ORGANISATIONS ? - Azim Premji, CEO - Wipro


Every company faces the problem of people leaving the company for better pay or profile.Early this year, Mark, a senior software designer, got an offer from a prestigious international firm to work in its India operations developing specialized software.


He was thrilled by the offer.He had heard a lot about the CEO.. The salary was great. The company had all the right systems in place employee-friendly human resources (HR) policies, a spanking new office,and the very best technology,even a canteen that served superb food.


Twice Mark was sent abroad for training. 'My learning curve is the sharpest it's ever been,' he said soon after he joined..Last week, less than eight months after he joined, Mark walked out of the job.Why did this talented employee leave ?Arun quit for the same reason that drives many good people away.


The answer lies in one of the largest studies undertaken by the Gallup Organization. The study surveyed over a million employees and 80,000managers and was published in a book called 'First Break All The Rules'.


It came up with this surprising finding:If you're losing good people, look to their immediate boss .Immediate boss is the reason people stay and thrive in an organization. And he 's the reason why people leave.


When people leave they take knowledge,experience and contacts with them, straight to the competition.'People leave managers not companies,' write the authors Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman.


Mostly manager drives people away?HR experts say that of all the abuses, employees find humiliation the most intolerable. The first time, an employee may not leave,but a thought has been planted. The second time, that thought gets strengthened. The third time, he looks for another job.


When people cannot retort openly in anger, they do so by passive aggression. By digging their heels in and slowing down. By doing onlywhat they are told to do and no more. By omitting to give the boss crucial information.


Dev says: 'If you work for a jerk, you basically want to get him into trouble. You don 't have your heart and soul in the job.'Different managers can stress out employees in different ways - by being too controlling, too suspicious,too pushy, too critical, but they forget that workers are not fixed assets, they are free agents.

When this goes on too long, an employee will quit - often over a trivial issue.


Talented men leave. Dead wood doesn't..

My daughter called me today, twice

Vivian is already 18mths old, however, she seem to have problem to start talking. Her brother, was already started to blabber at this about this old. We were kinda worried if she would have difficulty to learn how to talk all this while. We have consult our family doc, but he said she will be fine. We don't know, if she is still not learning to talk, we may need to bring her to a specialist.

The strange thing is, she does understand what we are talking, and she can hear us too. We were thinking perhap she is "lazy" to learn to talk?

Normally, when she poo or nappy is full, she would either keep quiet or keep tagging her nappy, or we would smell it and then we will clean it up for her. But i always told her, "you must call papa if you poo ok?" She would always nod and I guess she understand it. I have been always repeated this to her when I wash up her little ass. (YES, it is always me to clean her shit and wash her ass, not my wife!!)

This morning, it is a sunday and I'm lazy and like to laze on the bed. My kids would normally wake up earlier than me. So today, as i was sleeping on the floor (my daughter slept with her mum on the bed), my daughter came and wake me up, i saw her keep pulling the nappy and I thought the nappy could be already "fullhouse", but not because of the poo. I just ask her to get her mum to clean her up and I close my eyes, continue to sleep.

But, she kept pestering me, and she pull my hand, trying to lead me up from the bed. But still, I don't bother about her as sometimes I think she wanna someone to play with her only. So, I just turn my back away from her and continue to sleep. Suddenly, she called "papa", I heard it, so was my wife who was sleeping on the bed, I was so happy that I quickly jump up from the bed and lay the rubber mat on the matteress and start to change the nappy, true enough, she poo.

As usual, I would clean up her ass and wash it at the sink, with water, with my bare hand (which my wife can't make it for this task at all!) I was thinking, perhap she was really irritated by the poo stuck on her ass for sometimes already.

This evening, I was busy reading up a magazine and couldn't be bother with the kids, as they were playing with toys in the leaving room. As it is bed time, my ger would always pull my finger, wanted me to hold her hand and bring her to the room to drink milk and go to sleep. Again, I couldn't be bother and was thinking to try the tactic again, I told her, "if you call papa, i would bring you to the room now to change the nappy and prepare to sleep.

So, she was not willing to do it, so I just continue with my reading. And after some pestering and action from her (she rather use hand than to use mouth), she tried, I could hear a faint "papa" from her, so immediately I bring her to the room.

She seem like she is trying to pronouce it with difficulty and sometimes, she would blabber non-stop while I'm not around, but i'm glad she is finally willing to learn to talk.

A brand New Start

Will be going to a new place tomorrow, hope it will be better.

Today suppose to go gym, as me and my wife have miss the training for past few weeks, BUT, we had to give it a miss today again, due to no body look after the kids.

Next week, am planning to do something, hope I will be able to make it, wish me luck!

Fishing Night

Had not been fishing for donkeys months, so had a last minute decision to do fishing at the cat pond. Didn't expect much, just wanna relax by the pond and chill out enjoying the night out.

Bought dead prawn from the pond and they gave me those monster prawn from those prawn pond, it is so big that i have to split the prawn into halve. For the first hour, I caught a pacu, about 2kg size, and 30mins later, a giant tilapia, knnz...

Those small tilapias by the pond side seem like are missing! I had been hunting them the whole night and manage to get 2 of them only.

And on the 3rd hook up, I got a cat! My 8lbs old braided line can only be bully by the cat, I tried to thumb the spool once a while to hold the cat movement, but it is just overwhelming on my size 1000 reel. And after a few freeze movement of the spool, line snap... there goes my first cat.

Nevermind, hook up a tilapia and cast in the line. A mate came down with kopi and we start talking cork. No action for the next 2hours or so. And suddenly, a strong pull and when I manage to pull out my rod from the fence and strike, line break again... time to change my line...

I got no acton for my next tilapia as it is dead after a while, so switch back to prawn meat, and another mate came down with roti prata and kopi-o. 3 of us start talking rubbish again. And no action for next 1.5hrs or so... however, a group of fisho next to us caught a cat, foul hook by the tail.

And they got another cat, but lost it when the cat dive it right under the concrete near the old hut. what a shame.. and the guy who fought it, seem like a newbie, so it is no big deal to him.

So my last action of the night, a light jerk on the line and a sudden pull is observed, by the time I strike, hook did not engage... arggh..

The last big action is from 1 guy from the group next to us, he has been fighting this cat for 1hrs plus, and still, the fight is going on. To prevent my line to entangle with his, I decided to pack up as it is almost 5am. And this guy line has already had his friend's line entanle with char been hoon with chicken liver tangling on the tight line. This cat has been swimming casually in the pond for the past an hour plus, seem to me, I don't think this cat can be brough up.

And a friend of this guy borrow a penknife from me to clear those messy line to prevent the line to jam up when it is been reel in. I told them to take it easy and be careful not to cut the wrong line.

Still packing up and while my mates are watching, the least unwanted happen... his friend accidentally cut the tight line... it's game over..

Shit, whenever I used heavy tackle and aim for cat, cat don't show up. But whe I used my light tackle, they appear, and this night, 3 times!!!

Shift it without your toe

How to ride without shifting of gear with ya toe?

Scroll down for the video.

The ultimate Cat walk!!

Scroll down and look at the "Best" cat walk !!!

Counting down

My last few working days in the coy.

They should have let me clear my leaves, now, I'm wasting my time, and coy $$ just to sit in the office doing "nothing".

It is not that I don't want to help, but seem like everyone is busy with their work and no one are interested to ask me to help, perhap knowing I can't really help them much with these pathetic few days left.

Anyway, will try to fully utilise this few days and waiting for the coy to pay me the $$ for the balance of the leaves I'm left with.

Branden & Vivian

Ya, took this photo while waiting for my in-law taking their dinner at AMK. And I don't know when my boy learn this new "pattern" for photo.

And you can see, my daughter is learning all the funny stuff from her brother.

Saturday afternoon

I'm stuck at home again. Was suppose to go fishing with my mates, but end up, both my parent and in-law are not FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEeeeee....

So stuck at home, once again.

It has been a year since I last rode my dirt bike, shit I wonder if the bike is still ridable anot.

And shitzzz, i have not been fishing also, don't know for how many months...

argghhh....

Cockroaches coming into your house during fumigation of rubbish chute??

Had heard of cockroaches crawling into your kitchen during fumigation or fogging carry out by the town council contractor?

Especially for those resident who stay at lower floors, the cockroaches will find place to escape from the smoke and squeeze into any micro gap they can find.

Most complaints comes from those residents who are using the original chute hopper which are installed by the HDB during the early days. But as time goes by, with those banging and chucking of rubbish into the hopper, most of them are unable to "seal" properly. Housewife or maid will have to seal the hopper with masking tape before the fogging work are being carry out.

Here comes the important part, there are several companies who are selling aftermarket hopper, and each of them, claim to be "good", PSB fire rated, seal well, etc. But how well does their hopper really work as claimed?

Personally, I have seen most of them, hear about the comments. And the only one brand which I can stick my neck out and recommend, is MAXDEN.

After reading through and understanding from few hopper manufacturer, MAXDEN is the only company who re-design, manufacture, install and got the design patented. And they do not engage in other business, just like other hopper's contractor except just installation of hopper!

Thus, Maxden are able to listen to all comments, feedback from the customers and improve from there. Believe it anot, if you know someone who might need a hopper replacement, give Maxden a call, a free demo, with no obligation, can be conducted at a place of your convenience, ask all questions you want, and Maxden will give you the answer.

For more details, look into http://www.maxden.com.sg/

Wednesday, in office

Just met my ex-colleague for coffee, from him, he is leaving the current company, which he had work for the past 5 years.

He will be stationed at China, for about 2-3 years, depend on contract. He will be the head or the manager of a building, good for him.

And he talk about his highly modified car, a Suzuki Swift. He added a turbo kit system in it, and are reluctant to sell it as he has already invested more than 10k into the car, so if he really fly over there, he should be letting his girlfriend driving his car.

For myself, my car is still stock, although I bought my car earlier than him, but is still pretty much stock condition, and didn't manage to add in any accessories as my wife don't like it.

Yesterday, happen to bump into a mate who is into car drifting, when I visited this shop who is doing sticker/decal for car. Talk to him briefly, and realise his car is in the garage again. Ask him when will the next drifting event will be, he replied, now focus on making more $$ first. Can play car later on.

It seem like many of my peers are giving up partially or totally of their hobby and looking for way to make more $$.

Seem like this will be the life of Singaporean in times to come... sad..

Tuesday

Counting the days over here.

also, hopefully my other plan/s can quickly get on track and kick off from there.

have been thinking to swing my leg over my 450 again soon.

however, this sunday, i will go and pay respect to my late grandmother..