In general people like to wait for things to be offered to them before they take it. But, the fact is that if we never open our mouth to ask, most of the items on our wanted list will not just drop in from of us. We need to spend efforts by simply asking. Without asking you'd never know if you can't get what you want. Chances are that you don't get it simply because you don't ask for it!
Another thoughts. If you feel that you need to learn and get the training, just ask for it. If you never ask and admit you don't know, you'd either get sidelined because you are assumed as not able to perform or simply ignorant.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Ode to Robert Jordan
Sigh.... Little did I realize that Robert Jordan, the author of the Wheel of Time fantasy series has actually passed away on 16 September 2007. :( My wait for the series completion shall no longer be satiated. Would the notes that he passed down to another author enable the new author writes the book in his style? That will remains a question. I'd prefer the story to stay as it is, incomplete, simply because that's original.
I have been greatly touched by his book. First introduced by my best friend, I have been hooked and followed the series till the "Knife of Dreams". Despite many people critiquing that the stories becomes very political, I believe that was what he intended to do. To write about power struggle without political conflict is simply impossible. Somehow, I tend to think that everyone is more or less playing politics to a certain level. It only depends on whether to use it for something wicked or just to ignore it.
I have been greatly touched by his book. First introduced by my best friend, I have been hooked and followed the series till the "Knife of Dreams". Despite many people critiquing that the stories becomes very political, I believe that was what he intended to do. To write about power struggle without political conflict is simply impossible. Somehow, I tend to think that everyone is more or less playing politics to a certain level. It only depends on whether to use it for something wicked or just to ignore it.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Work as if it's your last day in the job!
Some of you could be thinking that I advocate laziness and idleness in work. I will disappoint you that I actually intend to ask you to work harder! :D
At jobs, many of us tends to just work our way through the day without much thoughts. In the end, complacency and contentment set in and we'll be just there, as in there... hanging in the air, not moving spiritually and mentally. Not moving forward to be a better person each day should have disappointed you. You are not created to be just in status quo! Work as if it's your last day in the job and keep innovating. Keep your minds moving to ensure that if you are sacked or decided to change job that day, you'll be able to get a better one in no time!
At times jobs are segregated very well such that every single person is very specialized and very skilled in their jobs. The process might be such specialized and compartmentalized that once the owner of the process decides to change job, the company would be at loss. Even a sick employee might delays the process. How could it not be if the job segregation allows only the process step owners to understand the step? A company should be designed, ideally, to keep moving and productive even if suddenly they lost 50% of their staff strength at the same time. A process step should clearly identified such missing employees (due to sickness or holiday) will not derail the projects.
Team leaders should actively understand the status of their junior colleagues' project and have free access to the project's item. The managers should be able to recall all projects' status and to even do what the junior employees do when needed. One should work such that one is not indispensable but to ensure that other people can easily take on and continue one's job easily. By doing so, one can easily be sick and take a holiday without fear because one can be sure that other people can easily continue one's project without much adverse effect on timeline and quality! Wouldn't you wish to take leave easily without having to be afraid of getting called by colleagues to ask about any work? :)
So, work as if it's your last day in the job and ensure that you can take leave without having to worry about your job (provided you are a responsible person, some people might not have the work ethics to even consider this matter). Work as if when you leave, you won't cause any adverse events to the company! Be responsible today and learn to be a better person! Trust me, it's not easy to work as if it's your last day in the job, responsibly.
At jobs, many of us tends to just work our way through the day without much thoughts. In the end, complacency and contentment set in and we'll be just there, as in there... hanging in the air, not moving spiritually and mentally. Not moving forward to be a better person each day should have disappointed you. You are not created to be just in status quo! Work as if it's your last day in the job and keep innovating. Keep your minds moving to ensure that if you are sacked or decided to change job that day, you'll be able to get a better one in no time!
At times jobs are segregated very well such that every single person is very specialized and very skilled in their jobs. The process might be such specialized and compartmentalized that once the owner of the process decides to change job, the company would be at loss. Even a sick employee might delays the process. How could it not be if the job segregation allows only the process step owners to understand the step? A company should be designed, ideally, to keep moving and productive even if suddenly they lost 50% of their staff strength at the same time. A process step should clearly identified such missing employees (due to sickness or holiday) will not derail the projects.
Team leaders should actively understand the status of their junior colleagues' project and have free access to the project's item. The managers should be able to recall all projects' status and to even do what the junior employees do when needed. One should work such that one is not indispensable but to ensure that other people can easily take on and continue one's job easily. By doing so, one can easily be sick and take a holiday without fear because one can be sure that other people can easily continue one's project without much adverse effect on timeline and quality! Wouldn't you wish to take leave easily without having to be afraid of getting called by colleagues to ask about any work? :)
So, work as if it's your last day in the job and ensure that you can take leave without having to worry about your job (provided you are a responsible person, some people might not have the work ethics to even consider this matter). Work as if when you leave, you won't cause any adverse events to the company! Be responsible today and learn to be a better person! Trust me, it's not easy to work as if it's your last day in the job, responsibly.
Monday, September 17, 2007
Complacency
I'd say complacency is a danger to health! When you feel that you love the status quo, you might have fallen into the trap of complacency. When you like the situation as it is, you might rest too well such that any possibility to improve is obscure and you'll lose the notion of living to the challenge. At the end, your thoughts might have withered away.
Complacency kills! It kills your brain cell and might sway you from making improvements to your personal and/or working life. Keeping yourself on the tip of the toe once in a while is good. It keeps your brain working and ensures that you'd have enough brain cells working to prevent old age mental problem from setting in too early. Hahaha... but the root benefit is to ensure that we makes our own lives a better one each day by not being complacent. Feeling challenged is good for health provided that it doesn't set into depression as well.
Balance is the key yet complacency should be entirely avoided.
Complacency kills! It kills your brain cell and might sway you from making improvements to your personal and/or working life. Keeping yourself on the tip of the toe once in a while is good. It keeps your brain working and ensures that you'd have enough brain cells working to prevent old age mental problem from setting in too early. Hahaha... but the root benefit is to ensure that we makes our own lives a better one each day by not being complacent. Feeling challenged is good for health provided that it doesn't set into depression as well.
Balance is the key yet complacency should be entirely avoided.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
It's that time of the year!
Yeah! It's that time of the year in Singapore! Time for bus/ MRT operator to raise their fee!
In Singapore, the bus/ MRT transport fee is bound to increase every year. The reason being put by the operator is that they have not raise the fee when the economic is in down turn (as if they HAVE to increase the fee EVERY single year). Ironically, despite the implicit statement that they are facing higher operating cost, they are actually posting HIGHER PROFIT in 2006 compare to 2005. So, I bet they are going to have higher profit in 2007. Time to buy the operators' share guys. It seems that the operators care more about the shareholders than the public although they are public transport operators, in which case, residences DO NOT have other operators to choose from except the two that are operating in a seemingly "purposely separated" route. Yeah, the operators does not run the same route!
In Singapore, the bus/ MRT transport fee is bound to increase every year. The reason being put by the operator is that they have not raise the fee when the economic is in down turn (as if they HAVE to increase the fee EVERY single year). Ironically, despite the implicit statement that they are facing higher operating cost, they are actually posting HIGHER PROFIT in 2006 compare to 2005. So, I bet they are going to have higher profit in 2007. Time to buy the operators' share guys. It seems that the operators care more about the shareholders than the public although they are public transport operators, in which case, residences DO NOT have other operators to choose from except the two that are operating in a seemingly "purposely separated" route. Yeah, the operators does not run the same route!
Friday, September 7, 2007
Food facts
Got this from "Bread for the World"
1. 800 million people in the world go hungry every day.
2. 12 million chidlren in the United States have to skip meals or eat less than they want so that their families can make ends meet
3. 6 million children die each year from causes related to hunger.
4. The basic health needs of the wordl's poorest people could be met for less money than what animal lovers in the United States and Europe spend on pet food each year.
I am more surprised of point 4 than the rest. So many expensive pet food nowadays and so many animal rights group. So, where's hungry children rights group? Not that animal rights group is wrong. Yet, I feel that the plight of animals are being advanced far more often than hungry children's rights.
Let's be mindful of what we do bearing in mind that there are lots less fortunate people in the world and be thankful of what we have. Be able to save money to help other poor people should be in our mind.
1. 800 million people in the world go hungry every day.
2. 12 million chidlren in the United States have to skip meals or eat less than they want so that their families can make ends meet
3. 6 million children die each year from causes related to hunger.
4. The basic health needs of the wordl's poorest people could be met for less money than what animal lovers in the United States and Europe spend on pet food each year.
I am more surprised of point 4 than the rest. So many expensive pet food nowadays and so many animal rights group. So, where's hungry children rights group? Not that animal rights group is wrong. Yet, I feel that the plight of animals are being advanced far more often than hungry children's rights.
Let's be mindful of what we do bearing in mind that there are lots less fortunate people in the world and be thankful of what we have. Be able to save money to help other poor people should be in our mind.
Luciano pavarotti left his mark
Luciano Pavarotti was called back to God. He was a great opera singer and has left his mark. For the outsider like me, he looks like a person who has lived his life to the fullest. But, who knows how he really feels inside, huh?
His death kinda reminded me of late Mother Teresa's letters that talk about her darkness in her search for God. Human soul is too deep to understand and the corner of the soul normally is a kept secret, even to the dearest one. So, it is very normal for even saint-like people to doubt her faith in such a way. It's not in the sticking out with strong faith all the way but it's the resilience and persistence to stick with the faith. That's what matter. The struggle to maintain faith is something that has to be learned and even more difficult to maintain. The choice to stick with it, that's the strength.
A writer some day ago wrote in The Straits Times criticizing Mother Teresa's portrayal of Kolkata. The author blames her for equating Kolkata with the downtrodden saying that Mother Teresa has covered up the resilience of the town. I can but wonder whether the author himself is not deluded into doing what he seems to hate. That is to see only the bad effect. After all, Mother Teresa has tried her best, always. She helps many despite their background. It's the media that brings up the news and sensation. I don't think it's Mother Teresa's will for her work to be exposed in such a manner anyway. So, perhaps let's just cherish the good work and learn to face the truth that there are many other poor people in so many other cities. Mother Teresa is but one human who has tried her best to live her dream and helps as many as she can.
She has died living a legacy. Pavaroti as well, has died living a legacy. It's not a comparable persons of course. The key point is to treasure the living ones and understand that every one can make a difference.
His death kinda reminded me of late Mother Teresa's letters that talk about her darkness in her search for God. Human soul is too deep to understand and the corner of the soul normally is a kept secret, even to the dearest one. So, it is very normal for even saint-like people to doubt her faith in such a way. It's not in the sticking out with strong faith all the way but it's the resilience and persistence to stick with the faith. That's what matter. The struggle to maintain faith is something that has to be learned and even more difficult to maintain. The choice to stick with it, that's the strength.
A writer some day ago wrote in The Straits Times criticizing Mother Teresa's portrayal of Kolkata. The author blames her for equating Kolkata with the downtrodden saying that Mother Teresa has covered up the resilience of the town. I can but wonder whether the author himself is not deluded into doing what he seems to hate. That is to see only the bad effect. After all, Mother Teresa has tried her best, always. She helps many despite their background. It's the media that brings up the news and sensation. I don't think it's Mother Teresa's will for her work to be exposed in such a manner anyway. So, perhaps let's just cherish the good work and learn to face the truth that there are many other poor people in so many other cities. Mother Teresa is but one human who has tried her best to live her dream and helps as many as she can.
She has died living a legacy. Pavaroti as well, has died living a legacy. It's not a comparable persons of course. The key point is to treasure the living ones and understand that every one can make a difference.
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