Back to Skool Part 2/5

Today is the 2nd lesson of a 5 part series to Project Management Professionals. I decided to drive to work today and pay that $11 car park fees because the reading materials are too heavy and bulky. haha I am so spoilt.

A lot of team activities and classroom work today. Learnt how to do a Project Charter, Work Breakdown Structure and Stakeholder analysis diagram. I cant wait to finish the classes and get my certification. Feels good to be studying again!

Check my l ater posts on the unhappiness with the services rendered by the EducationProvider. I am supposed to draft a email to the Sales Director which i will be doing right after posting this.

QB meet me after my class as she is rushing her Q1 report in the office. Since we are so near to the south, we decided to go to Keppel Bay @ Marina for dinner and some chill out. We didnt realise there is a Boat Asia 2009 there this weekend. It is super crowded but i still manage to drive in and get a lot in the Yacht Club. One of those yachts costs at least 300-400k SGD. OMFG! Will i ever own one of these?

Online Shopping - Walk the Talk

Pertaining to my previous post on 2 items i saw on the magazine , i already got both of them! lol

The earphone is great. The game, i dont have the arcade stick so i cant comment on it yet. KH saw it on forum someone selling it at $60 and told me at 1am yday. I quickly text the person this morning when i wake up. Luckily he stay along YCK road and we dealed on the same day.

Now i need to find a cheap arcade stick . Recently bought a lot of things, this includes

在摩托罗拉剩余的日子 : 159 days

There are a lot of firsts today.

- This is the first time i watch show with some of my colleagues/lunch mates even though we have been working together for at least more than 4 years.

- This is the first time i watch show during official office hours.

- This is the first time i purchase 23 movie tickets at one go.

Kat Tan , the dept secretary decided that we should do something on a monthly basis to keep everyone together since we are the remaining bunch of "piglets" waiting to be slaughtered. The first even that happened in the month of April is Movies on Fridays. We selected the show "The International" since it just starting showing on screen on THursday and everyone have not seen it. Verdict 1* , dont watch it.

We are already discussing what else we want to do for the remaining fridays already.

Organising 10 man and 25man Raids

25man has 2.5 times more people than 10 man and is definately more difficult to organise and getting everyone ready. One thing i do notice is when we have 10 man invitations , the invitation out on the calendar is sent and accepted by the parties > the 10 people are aware and conscious they need to be where and at what time.

Comparatively to our 25man, it is more like a , set the event, and see who turns up rather than confirming the attendance for the 25man prior to the event. One suggestion that might work would be to pre confirmed the 25 ( or 20 ) people so that they DO turn up at 10pm. In the event if some of them cannot turn up at 10pm, the raid leader should suggest or decide if they wanna start at 11pm so that the rest do not have to waste their time. Using the calendar is the easiest way, but it is not the most effective way for 25man raids. Putting down either in forum or any other forms of communication “hey you are in for this Sunday 25man, please be there at 10pm “ makes people know they have a responsibility and 24 people are waiting for them.

That is how my ex guild does it. And amazingly it works fine. What we are lacking is proper planning in getting the people in.

First taste of ulduar

Entering the 2nd week into ulduar. For 25 man achievements, we only managed to down FL. For 10 man runs, we are slightly better, moving all the way to Ignis. However , i think the best part is still the 25man. We have problems getting the critical mass into the raid on raid nights, many nights is usually wait and wait and then end up doing something else ( naxx25 or 10man )

在摩托罗拉剩余的日子 : 161 days

Goo33 Summit @ Oplus

1. Lessons Learnt - wear as simple as you can next time. My Burberry polo tee become Size XL after my colleagues attempted to take it off from me. L-O-L

2. Andy "Enjoy yourself last nite?"
Joe " Yaman"
Andy "Moto Colleagues hard to find"
Joe "I cannot find this happiness in new coy"

I thought i didnt expreience the other part of the field , that is why i thought this pasture is always the greenest. now that these words come out from people who has seen both sides of the pastures, it seems like Moto is still the best place to be in !

3. how we spend 1.1k in 3 hours. Here is the damage list

9 x HoeGardeen ( PINT ) - $144

6 buckets of Heineken - $210

2 buckets of Carlsberg - $70

6 x Chicken Wing - $36

2 bottle of Macallan - $310

5 boats of sashimi - $150

1 x 1.8litre sake - $148

4 x sotong ball - $24

4 x nuggets - $24

80 pcs of Satay - $32

在摩托罗拉剩余的日子 : 162 days

Yesterday Nz drop me a email and tell me " we need to talk". Was thinking what it could exactly be? Could it be work related or department related?

In the end , it was neither. He was concern about my recent indulgement in running and gaming and thought it could be a "delayed post-retrenchment obsessive behavious" ( DPOB ) . I told him wasnt , but was touched that he showed that concern to me.

Anyway we have a 20 mins talk about myself . Hopefully, our boss-employee relationship will continue somewhere else after Sep30.

Name Analyzer

There is this name analyzer on Facebook , tried it. Conclusion -> doesnt works and is not accurate. haha

Back to Skool Part 1 / 5

Somewhere in my earlier posts i probably mentioned i took up 2 courses as part of government CITREP funding and also skills upgrading. One of them is PMP certification ( Project Management Professionals ). I took the saturday classes which mean 5 x saturdays i have to wake up usual time and make my way to New Horizons ( tiong bahru ) for the classes. Today is back to Skool Part 1/5. ( i wrote the blog real time using my HTC Dream , so the language and content reflects how easily and my mood at that point in time )

7.52am - boarded mrt. Wah lao, saturday morning oso no place to sit. I decided to take train not because I want to avoid erp or parking charges. But sometimes doing something out of your normal routine just let u see things in a different perspective. Watching people on the train is a new experience everyday! I always wonder who they r, why they r in the train at this time and

7.56am - ey wait. I found a seat! Mai Tu Liao.

8.02am - reading my book in the journey. Saw this from Eleanor Roosevelt " Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart " hmm.. I start to form up 3 names each from my different phase of life that I can immediately think of and did they leave any footprints behind ? *ask me how to see it if u want to see it*

8.48 - I reached early. Tb plaza is so crowded w students this morning. Couuldnt find a place for bfast ended up eating nasi lemak from old chang kee n soya milk along the pavement seats. My class has 19ppl. Classrooms small chairs creaked. I started to hv a bad feeling abt this place already.

11.43am - took my pre course assessment. 65 qns in 30mins. I scored 13 correct. Can't finished. I sucks. Instructor say we will redo this after the course. Real life projects also same. So many tasks so little time . How true. Haha

Pics of the Classroom

- The chairs creaked and have stains!

We supposed to have table space for a book and a file. Apparently we dont have. And who is still using CRT monitors! And how are we supposed to see the screen in front ( where i am taking the pic from ) with all the big rocks blocking!!

在摩托罗拉剩余的日子 : 167 days

Today, my boss asked me into his room and ask "Give you last chance, do you want to be Murano IM?"

I said, " No thanks"

"Why"

"Because there is no career"

"Yah i guess so , and i dont have the passion to do it anymore"

10mins later, EG sent a note, "Nz will be the interim IM"

开心网

今早闲着无聊，就进开心网查看有什么组件可以玩玩。有一个婚外情测试，以下是我测试后的结果。。。。



都不知道准吗。 哈哈.

开心网给我的今日运程::
你恐怕会为了一时的口头痛快而让自己陷于困境呢。今天你身边的是非会比较的多，能躲多远就躲多远吧，别把自己卷进去就好。

so that means today talk less , interact less.

幸福是要自己寻找的

我在摩托罗拉剩余的日子 : 169 days

Tuesdays are staff meeting days. Usually there will be some news from boss. Sometimes is good news, sometimes is bad. Today, we got to know that one of my boss direct report have found a IOS to another sector within the organisation. That is good news for him

Then i start to think for myself. 他终于靠岸了， 几时到我 。 i havent been really thinking what i should do when i receive my notification that i will be retrenched in Sep30 on Jan15th. Because, the usual reasons "still early", "now find job also no use", "just relax first". even till now, i am still enjoying my life , doing things which i have always wanted to do but never have the chance to find time to do. I am a dedicated WoW Raider now, i read up more than i have ever for the past 8 years, i go back to my AMK house more often, exercise more and spend more time with my loved ones and friends.

But that announcement suddenly ticked me and for a second i was thinking, hmm is IOS the way to go. Should i forgo the $$$ and stay on in my comfort zone or should i end this chapter , take the $$$ and try something else. You never know if the pasture on the other side of the field is greener until you go over. But what if , you gover already and find that the pasture is not green , there is no turning back .

Is a decision i got to make, should i make now or should i make later. Things evolve and change every minute. what is green now make whither tomorrow.

I still have 169 days. Actually probably more than that since i am going on a holiday from Oct 1 to Oct 12. That will make it 169 + 12 days :)

DBS CEO Richard Stanley dies from leukaemia infection

I only came to realise DBS CEO has already left this planet when i was reading facebook and one of my friends status msg read "Hope Richard Stanley rest in peace"

He is only 48 years old , and i think he earns millions of dollars every year. Unfortunately, he doesnt have the opportunity to enjoy or reap the rewards. Well at least in my opinion, if he is CEO of one of the best banks around the region, he probably is going to be very very very very busy. and that makes me think about another question :: Is making money more important or enjoying one's life on this planet more important. Probably a chicken and egg issue to some of us ( No money how to enjoy life? )

This incident also brought back memories back to when i was in Sec 2 when one of our schoolmates, classmate in fact have had the same illness. And he didnt survive past O Levels. I think he took the O levels, but he didnt saw his results. First time in my life that a friend passed away. I hope he has find his happiness wherever he is now.

*God Bless*

我在摩托罗拉剩余的日子 : 170 days

Damn , Mot share now is $4.90. I sold it for $4.53. Could have earn 0.37 cents ( USD ) more per share. Assuming i have one lot, thats about 370 USD which is equivalent to $555 SGD or 37 pints of hoegaarden at O+, or 2 nights stay at Fairmount Hotel inclusive of breakfast!

This morning we received official announcement TWIN is cancelled. Cancelled after about 3 months of effort. I do not know how to convert that into $$$ lost. The labour, materials , the business trips. Been in this company for 8+ years, i still cant figuire out how the senior leaders who are sitting comfortably in their office do their "Front End planning".Why start on a project which they know they cant sell to the market? and why they know they dont have a guaranteed volume to reap profits, start on a project and waste everyone time.

Anyway... good luck to those who are still going to stick around to all these *#*&

A Picture A month

I suddenly have this wild idea to create a totally different category in my blog space. I want to capture down my evolving life in pictorial form. Decided to do it on the 1st of every month and post a representative event of that month that happens. Maybe a few years later, when i look back at it, feelings will flow. So to start with , i decided to back track and start from Dec 2008.

Dec 2008
Kelvin's Wedding. Has been some time since one of my closer friends get married. None of them wanna get married. lol. all want to be bachelor's and enjoy life and freedom.

Jan 2009

SDC Black Day. Jan 15th is the day we all know we are going to be retrenched sometime this year. We wear black, and even Business Times reported it! Above my team in Singapore. We are retrenched, but our spirit remains!

Feb 2009
Last ICT. Entered Mindef Reserves. No more SAF!

March 2009

Transitioning activities to Taipei Design Centre. We went to Taipei, did a teambuilding since there is a merger with another group in Taipei. Probably the last trip i go there on company expense

Getting serious about running

The time i really got serious about running was probably last year during AHM 2008 where i joined the 6km Fun Run. After that, i signed up for SCSM 2008 half marathon and started my workout training.

I have a goal for 2009 iin terms of running. I wanted to do a 42km. I desperately wanted to do a 42km marathon. I love running organised runs, especially by big organisations. ( nike, stand chart , SAF probably ) . Mrs Chan used to question me why pay $$$ to go run when you can just do it on your own time. I guessed the atmosphere and the mentality is different when u go for the run with 10,000 or 20,000 other people. Everyone wakes up early in the morning , head to the same starting line , and go for the same finishing line. Moreover, you do not really have much chance to run through the island city landscape. This is not only a run, is already beginning to be a lifestyle that i like to live in.

So now i got serious about running , and i happened to know a WoW mate who runs for a living. We first met up on the eve of Good Friday and i start to get to know more about how to impreove performance and reduce the timing goal i set for myself on Aug 16 ( AHM ) . I want to run below 2 hours ( my last 21km in Dec2008, i clocked 2hr 10 min ) . JF say no problem, and the topic centred around HRM. Heart Rate Monitor.

So over the weekend, i googled, forumed , discussed, facebooked this three words. H-R-M . I decided that i should invest on a reliable, affordable HRM device to facilitate my running dream and running goal. I narrowed down to 2 devices which i am still thinking which to get. Found this on the net comparing the 2 device..

Garmin ForeRunner 50 ( USD $50 )

The Garmin Forerunner 50 is the ideal heart rate monitor for ANY level of exerciser from amateur jogger / cyclist to very serious triathlete. What the Garmin Forerunner 50 will give you is heart rate, running speed, distance and pace (with optional foot pod) and bike speed, distance and pedal cadence (with opional GSC10 bike speed/cadence sensor). With the Garmin Forerunner 50 you also have the ability to download the training sessions to the PC using the Garmin Training Centre software and USB PC data stick (all included free of charge) - FANTASTIC VALUE for MONEY.

Garmin Forerunner 305 ( USD 160 )

The Garmin Forerunner 305 will do everything that the Garmin Forerunner 50 will do, plus the ability to download a TRACK of where you exercised (based on the GPS co-ordinates stored while exercising). Unlike the Foreruner 50, which uses FOOT POD (accelerometer) and BIKE POD (wheel revolutions) to calculate speed, distance and pace, the Garmin Forerunner 305 uses GPS. You may, if you wish, add the FOOT POD, or the GSC10 BIKE SPEED/CADENCE sensor to provide INDOOR running speed (on a treadmill) or bike speed / pedal cadence while (on a turbo trainer). The Garmin 305 also has a far more flexible method of presetting interval sessions (pretty well unlimited transitions), plus the ability to RACE YOURSELF using the VIRTUAL PARTNER option (you tell it you want to run 10K in 42 mins.. it paces you around)

我在摩托罗拉剩余的日子 : 172 days

From: XXX
Sent: Thursday, April 09, 2009 9:00 PM
To: Chan Andy-F11858; XXX; XXX; XXX
Cc: XXX; XXX; XXX
Subject: DM deck for Sun 4/12


Hi, Andy and team

There will be a SLT call on Sun night our time, by then we will need to decide if 0ER is good enough to go. Please help to prepare the DM deck including FUT status by 5pm Sun. Sorry to make you work on Sun, hope this is the last big push.

Got this mail on Thursday night but i was on leave and didnt really read it. Friday morning got a call from YZ. Sighz, no choice, last push. So i text my team and we will have a meeting on Sunday morning to get this task clear up.

Once your passion is lost, everything you do out of your 9-5 scope, you feel is not worth doing . I dont know if i will want to work for another American company again.

No Raids this week

Entering the 3rd day of the week since server restart, our guild havent run a 25man raid yet. There always isnt enough people and some guildies are disappointed. A lot of questions was in everyone's thoughts : Do we have enough raiders ? Do we still need to hire? Is it due to the fact that Uldar is coming and everyone is just waiting for it ? What about hardcore raiders who just want something to keep themselve occupied? Will people leave as a result of No Raids ?

I can keep going but there will be no answers. I think this week was probably the week where everything happen together

1 x overseas travel
3 x ISP service provider sucks
3 x went to Mambo
1 x Need to prioritise real life work
1 x School Term coming to an end and need to finish work
1 x missing for quite some time , also quoting school work
1 x pregnant girlfren cannot commit
1 x suddenly sick of the game ( or raid i not sure ) and not turnning up anymore

Everyone has priorities and not every priority will be the same. Some put gaming as something they can't live without. Most can live without it. Personally i do not put gaming with online friends as something that supercedes everything else in my life. However gaming WITH real life friends makes the difference.

This reminds me of my real life work as a middle manager where I have to constantly face with turnovers and resignations and "i need to take 3 weeks leave" requests. Projects dont wait for people. I guess no one will really have the authority to say , No you cant do this. Yes you must make sure you do this for me. Probably doable if you are in the army but not in civilian life or in game life. I remember i saw this before by someone "I paid for the monthly game subscription, i like to play the game the way i play it ". For me , it will be "Since i paid for the monthly game subscription, i like to enjoy the game. It doesnt matter how i play it"

In real life, i wont end up emotional when things like the above happen. I probably did the very first time because i am inexperienced. But over the years, i learn how to handle such things better and able to see things in a different perspective. "Every door closed will open another door" In WoW, i let the guild leaders decide what is the best approach to handle such situation. I tried listing down 10 things i can do in WoW if there are no raids on Raid Days

1. Do Dailies
2. Do farming
3. Clear all my outstanding quests and get achievement
4. Chat with Guildies . I love to chat!
5. Play alternates
6. Play Trivia!
7. Just dont do anything and watch people running around
8. Check achievement page and see what else i can clear
9.
10.

Then , i try listing down 10 things i can do if there is NO WOW

1. More time on exercising
2. More time to pen down thoughts on what i will do after Sep30
3. More time on my Ps3 and Wii
4. More Time on Facebook!
5. More time reading and net surfing
6. More time to watch tvb drama
7. More time to learn something in RL like COOKING.
8.
9.
10.

I didnt put "More time with Mrs Chan" because Mrs Chan doesnt have much time for me also. :)

I didnt put "More time with RL frens " either because I manage to stay connected and in touch with my RL frens regularly as well.

Then i start to think about "What i will missed most if there is no WoW"
< i will filled this up later , now is 8.37am , need to go brush teeth first >

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
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10.

Wedding Anniversary 2009

5 years ago this day was a turning point in my life....

<>

Updated April 11 , 2345 hrs
Out for about 38 hours before i came back to complete this posting
Assuming April 11, 2345hrs is NOW, Lets do a recap what happened today

NOW - 1 hour - ARrived back at carpark , and on the way home. What a long day
NOW - 3 hours - went to chinatown for supper. Eat the Great Wall porridge. Wasnt as fantastic as before anymore. BF and Frens went to sing KTV, Mr and Mrs Chan tired, go home rest.
NOW - 4 hours - All of us cannot decide where to go, in the end we end up at Telok Blangah Hill Park. Is like the Macritchie Tree Top walk. I didnt want to go at first, because i think going there as a group doesnt really serve any purpose. That place really is for people to go piak piak in my opinion. haha. Or maybe for couples or to-be couples
NOW - 6 hours - Stayed at TCC for about 5 hours. Yes , in that 5 hours, i surf net, play nds, read my book, eat langsane, drink earl grey, talk cock . Mrs Chan once said 'all u need is a laptop and you dont have to go out . I do agree with her to an extent. Maybe i am also "Otaku", or Otaku that likes to go TCC

Now - 12 hours - Check out from Fairmount. I love the hotel, i will definately go back again


Now - 16 hours - breakfast @ Pregos. one word - Shiok.



Now - 24 hours - Midnite movie - Confessions of a Shopaholic. I have that book. But i havent read it. I think i got the book for 2 years already. I quite like the show , though it doesnt qualify for any "oscar". At least i feel entertained , and is only $6. ( New Cinema FilmGarde promotion ) .
What do i get out of the movie ? hmm...

1. I like the term "The woman with the green scarf '
2. I can relate to her and her shopping habits because i am also a shopaholic. I never missed out anything i like and can afford.
3. I dont like her telling lies to cover other lies. haha. I hope i dont do that :)

Now - 28 hours - Dinner at Glutton Place. Check the spread. I prefer this to eating at restaurant because is more comfotable to eat in the room and you can multitask :)



Now - 35 hours - Lunch and forgot to bring charger adpator. Sucks again. Went back to take. Then head to Fairmount to check in.

Now - 38 hours - left home , headed to AMK library found out the library doesnt open on Public holidays. Sucks.