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Sunday, May 29, 2011

Centrifugal force

Comic from: http://xkcd.com/123/
Wei did something extraordinary and unbelievable today.  Before starting our Sunday Buddhist class this morning, and Wei helped to get a small pail of water to clean up the bookshelves in his class.   Halfway walking through the corridor, he asked me to hold the rag, and said: "Mom, I will show you magic."
There and then he started to swing his pail of water round, wanting to show me some physics law of centripetal and centrifugal force, where the water was supposed to stay in the pail.
And you know what happened, half the water spilled into the corridor hallway, and I was staring at Wei in disbelief.  Wah, I was so mad, how could he do this? I started to scold him, and quickly got a mop to mop off the mess, while he returned to the class.
Thinking back now, and telling J about it, we both laughed and laughed.  I should have taken a picture of Wei in action, swinging the pail.  Obviously he didn't swing it fast enough and didn't have the sense to try the swinging in the bathroom instead of the corridor.

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Golden Rules for Career Success

I had the opportunity to come across this article which was being circulated in our office, and I can't help but think, it is so true.  So I would like to share it here, for those of you who work in a corporate environment as I am now.
Image from www.autoprofessionals.com.au

Golden Rules for Career Success

Richard Moran : Working as a business consultant all over the world, I have discovered some basic career-related rules that everyone should know – but many don’t.

* Business is made up of ambiguous victories and nebulous defects. Claim them all as victories.

* Keep track of what you do; someone is sure to ask.

* Be comfortable around senior managers, or learn to fake it.

* Never bring your boss a problem without some solution. You are getting paid to think, not to whine.

* Long hours don’t mean anything; results count, not effort.

* Write down ideas; they get lost, like good pens.

* Always arrive at work 30 minutes before your boss.

* Help other people network for jobs. You never know when your turn will come.

* Don’t take days off sick – unless you are.

* Assume no one can/will keep a secret.

* Know when you do your best – morning, night, under pressure, relaxed; schedule and prioritize your work accordingly.

* Treat everyone who works in the organization with respect and dignity, whether it be the cleaner or the managing director. Don’t ever be patronizing.

* Never appear stressed in front of a client, a customer or your boss. Take a deep breath and ask yourself: In the course of human events, how important is this?

* If you get the entrepreneurial urge, visit someone who has his own business. It may cure you.

* Acknowledging someone else’s contribution will repay you doubly.

* Career planning is an oxymoron. The most exciting opportunities tend to be unplanned.

* Always choose to do what you’ll remember ten years from now.

* The size of your office is not as important as the size of your pay cheque.

* Understand what finished work looks like and deliver your work only when it is finished.

* The person who spends all of his or her time working is not hard-working; he or she is boring.

* Know how to write business letters – including thank-you notes as well as proposals.

* Never confuse a memo with reality. Most memos from the top are political fantasy.

* Eliminate guilt. Don’t fiddle expenses, taxes or benefits, and don’t cheat colleagues.

* Reorganizations mean that someone will lose his or her job. Get on the committee that will make the recommendations.

* Job security does not exist.

* Always have an answer to the question, “What would I do if I lost my job tomorrow?”

* Go to the company Christmas party.

* Don’t get drunk at the company Christmas party.

* Avoid working at weekends. Work longer during the week if you have to.

* The most successful people in business are interesting.

* Sometimes you’ll be on a winning streak and everything will click; take maximum advantage. When the opposite is true, hold steady and wait it out.

* Never in your life say, “It’s not my job.”

* Be loyal to your career, your interests and yourself.

* Understand the skills and abilities that set your apart. Use them whenever you have an opportunity.

* People remember the end of the project. As they say in boxing, “Always finish stronger than you start”.

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Wesak 2011

Recurring events are those that really make me think, my children are growing year by year, and J and I are growing older (and stronger in our bond, I'd like to think!)

Today while driving to the Wesak day celebrations, Yuan asked J:
"Papa, this coming school holidays can you take us to Cameron Highlands?"
Ok, this took us by surprise as we have never spoken about Cameron Highlands before in our family conversations, where did that come from?
Yuan said: "I want to see Taman Ros, Taman Kaktus and Ladang Teh.  My teacher told me that all these things are in Cameron Highlands."
Wow, I think the BM teacher is doing a very good job in her lessons, inspiring interest and  recall like this.  
Later at the temple, we bought some flowers and Yuan wrote on the card all by herself:  "Our thankfulness to the Buddha for his teachings, Happy Wesak Day."
It made me think: the children are really growing up.  They make us proud.
Now we have to think about that driving trip to Cameron Highlands one of these days....

Sunday, May 15, 2011

My Very Intelligente Pocket

Here's a neat idea that I picked up from the flight.

Instead of always missing out your lip balm, name cards and office ID tag or even a pen when you change bags, now you can always put all the stuff inside this pocket, and move this pocket in and out of bags. You can even slip some emergency money inside so that you are never caught without money.
A cool gadget that I really like.

Saturday, May 7, 2011

List Operators Theatre Show

As a treat to the kids, I took them to a theater performance for children today.  I got the tickets about a month ago when the organizers had a promotion for 50% off ticket prices, and we got prime seats that were right in front!
The show was a Saturday matinĂ©e at 2pm.  It was really enjoyable, especially the part when there was an alien attack and we got to throw the "aliens" which were towels wrapped around little pillows all around the stage.  The 2 actors, Richard and Matt were really funny and the children thoroughly enjoyed themselves.