CAC FOC 2007

I'm back! After spending like a week off television and computer, its good to actually channel surf and surf the internet.

I actually got back on last Friday but I have to get my sleep back (yes, I'm that tired). I can't believe there are actually people going back for another camp today.

The camp was fun though I hate the waiting part. Glad that I actually decided to get my ass up and join a camp as I can picture myself lazing around the house for that whole week.

Like always, more updates once I get hold of the pictures.

Sleepless at 3am

Its a pleasant 24 degrees night, which means really good sleeping conditions. Look at the time. shouldn't I be snoring in my bed now?


Maybe its the afternoon nap I took. Or the coffee I had in the evening. Perhaps its the cola I drank when I'm eating my dinner.

I guess maybe I'm excited about the orientation camp tomorrow. I'm like packed my bag halfway and planning to finish it tomorrow morning (ok make it like a few hours later).

You should see the list of things to bring especially this portion:

- Minimum 6 sets of clothing (Dark coloured and “unwanted” clothes preferably)
- One set Clothes for clubbing
- Sports shoes
- Sandals (try not to wear slippers)

So the above actually meant 7 sets of clothes and 3 pairs of footwear! And how in the world are you going to have 6 sets of "unwanted clothes" hanging around in the house? Even though you have 6 sets of "unwanted clothes", would you even wear them to an orientation camp?

Anyway I just hoped that they will be tons of cute girls in the camp (Oh please make it true). What's the use of knowing more male friends when I'm going to be surrounded by guys in my course (Materials Engineering) for the next four years.

Guess the next update will be in a week's time. Hopefully I'll get my Hong Kong pictures from Kah Hui by then.

HK: 5 - 7 Jul 07

Some pictures taken in Hong Kong on my mobile phone (its a N73).

This is taken at Wan Chai MTR station. Pretty neat huh? The MTR is the equivalent to our MRT. I think I must had spent like 10% of my time on the MTR due to the travelling.


Look at the queue outside an Louis Vuitton Store (okay you got to zoom in). The queue reminded me of the Donut Factory queue in Singapore. We actually found out that the queue is for some limited edition of those re-usable bag (you know, those bags Cold Storage sells on Bring Your Own Bag days).

Edit: They are actually queuing for the Anya Hindmarch 'I'm Not A Plastic Bag' bag instead of a Louis Vuitton Bag. Looking back there isn't a queue for Louis Vuitton but the guy at the door refused to let us in judging from the way we are dressed in.

Oh yea, speaking of donuts, this is actually taken for those who queue up hours at those different donut stores in Singapore. :D Hong Kong has Krispy Kreme outlets and I got ONE glazed donut in like ONE MINUTE.


Here's the view of Hong Kong overlooking Victoria Habour from the Kowloon side. This is taken like minutes before the light show at 8pm so there's like tons of people in the area. Since we went like in the week of the 10th Anniversary of the Handover of Hong Kong, they actually had fireworks instead of the normal light show.


Another shot of Hong Kong from the Peak. The view is rather clear because it just rained.


The desserts in Hong Kong are to die for. They tasted tons better than those eaten in Singapore. I had Mango Sago in Mango Juice. Seems like overkill of mango huh? Note that I had this like around 12:30am. Stores closes late at 11-ish and the last MTR train is at 1am. Contrast that to Singapore where nothing much stays opened at around 10pm.


Ok that's all I have until I get all the photos from Kah Hui.

Just got back from Hong Kong. The weather is horrible over there. Will update further once I settle my stuff.

First entry! It seems like years I've started a blog (lemme guess seven donkey years).

Gimme some time while I try to sort out how this thingy actually work, cos the last time I actually keyed in my entries using html.

Updates are to be followed shortly. Stayed tuned!

Now for something serious. I don't know why do you always have this intention to win? Must it be 'let's-have-a-verbal-duel' everytime you talk to me? So I don't agree with you and I explained my reasons as to why I disgreed. Does it assume that I'm all for the opposite to happen instead? Stop putting words into my mouth. Ever wondered why I don't really like talking to you?

wtP?

Edit: Originally dated 22/8/2008, 11.21PM.

Note: This post will be insulting to some. You had been warned.

You know sometimes things don't go your way and you can't help but to be angry at something, or anything.

I'm writing this down, intentionally with my emotions still somehow intact. Maybe in the future, I hope to look back and have a chuckle at how childish I was then.

This story is my version of the story. Nope, I still haven't spoke to the other party yet. It doesn't sound one-side, 'cos it IS one-sided.

The story apparently began like a few weeks after the end of the camp. wt approached me with the possibility of a chief programmer. Naturally, I gave some thought and said to myself: 'Why not?'

But things started to go downhill from there.

Words spread quickly especially when the circle is small enough. The signs begin to show when people said that I'm running against p once i mentioned that I will be running for that position.

Naturally, being a straight-forward person, I asked p whether is it true or not. p denied that he wants the position and I trusted what he said.

Before the commencement of the interviews, I spoke to p again to sound him out about his intentions as I'm beginning to have bad vibes about the whole thing since wt changed his position from Chair to Vice-chair and m going in the opposite direction. This time, I insisted that I want that position and is not willing to settle for an assistant role. Once again, p said that he don't want the position.

Edit: To be fair, i was told by wt after the decision was made, that p is still very hesitant about whether to take up the position. But I wonder why don't he just tell me that he haven't made his mind up rather than saying that he is not going for the position?

After the first night of interviews, it is clear (well, to me at the very least) that p has the position of Chief Programmer yet he still somehow said that it's going to be up to m's decision whether to pick the person for the position.

Since the decision was only made on a Friday, I have no idea whether that p has confirmed to be the new Chief Programmer. That is until I got a message from that p is the one making calls to confirm people for the programmer positions.

I've lost.

Now you know my side of the story, let's go into my thoughts about the whole thing:

1. If in the first place, p is undecided about the whole Chief Programmer position, and yet there's an intention (on m's part) to take it up, why say that you are not going for it? If p mentioned that he is undecided and is still giving some thought about the whole thing, I will not run for the position in the first place, as I have another position offered to me.

2. Why does that position mean so much for Danny? Why not take up the position of Assistant Chief Programmer? Because in my 22 years of life, I was denied time and again for positions that I want to take up. I wanted a big break for my to prove myself (and others) that I can lead a team and do a job at that. And this is my big break.

3. Since p, like what he said, is undecided about the Chief Programmer, why not make him take up the assistant role while I take up the chief role? I know I sound self-centered.

Another thing that I want to address is that the importance of 'networks'. I think m's decision to pick Danny over p for Chief Programmer is also based on the fact that p had worked with m in the previous committee for FOC, which means that m knows p's strengths and working style. Danny, on another hand, is untested, unproven and wasn't known as long as p. I have to admit that I also have benefited from my 'network' for my current position offer (yes, I had taken it up).

I know that I said that work is work, and friendship is another thing entirely. In the end, whether I got the position or not isn't that main point anymore, but it's how the whole episode is handled on a interpersonal relationship level that left a bad taste behind. We are friends, and I'm always clear on my intentions about the whole matter, why is it so difficult for you to do the same? Tell me you're undecided and I will then make my decision accordingly.

I will like to say 'let's move on' but I don't think that things will return back to the past in the short term. I will like to move on, but the mark this thing had left behind was too deep to be forgotten quickly. And been hypocritical isn't really what Danny is.