Wimbledon Fever

The other day, Andy Roddick was playing this unheralded italian, and he almost lost. I am no roddick fan by the way. This guy has so many weapons and somehow never fully utilised them I think. I mean how can you not win Wimbledon with that kind of bullet service? There is more to wimbledon than just that of course..... but service is such a big factor.

So this Italian reminded me how gorgeous the one-handed backhand is in tennis. It suddenly occured to me that not many players master this technique. Federer is one.... but he's the master of everything. And of course Justin Henin, who has the best backhand in tennis. I cannot name anymore players with one-handed backhand. So I guess you are either born with the skill, or not. And I used to be able to do this .... the one-handed backhand.... LOL.

Anyway, this year's wimbledon reminded me of many things. I saw Lindsay Davenport's match last night..... how good are her ground strokes. I am picking her over sharapova to win it this year. Venus williams also look so good last night. Federer to win it again maybe..... he is just a class above everyone else. Since Marat Safin is already out, who I think is the second most talented player after federer..... what is left is roddick, I guess..

omfg WTH was that.... ?!

Finally, I got online. Connection at home back to normal, after apparently "cut" over the weekend. I have long suspected someone didnt pay some bills..... but that allegation was "categorically denied" by the "party" concerned. I guess I was right all along.

Into my last week at the company..... last day is on Friday, and its official. I produced my resignation letter last week. The bosses were actually nice about it..... I feel bad and not happy with my action heh. Yesterday was the signing ceremony for the granting of funds for the company's projects.... such a huge event..... even the CM was there.

I was in Miri yesterday though, because shell called me again after they rejected me. However that session did not go well at all..... in my opinion. I think I accidentally/unintentionally rejected an offer from shell. To say the least, someone pissed me off yesterday..... so I returned the favour and make the person angry as well lalala. I feel like a dumbass, although I had enough of this shell flip flopping. It is safe to say that I will be working for komag for now.

At first..... when all this started, you know, the venture into the "real world".... all that matters for me was big bucks. Things can change pretty quickly for me, and right now I want to stick to a job and gain experience.

Hot and Tiring

The left rear tire of the medieval pajero that I usually drive to work exploded today. It was inevitable. The tires were bulging all over the place. Bulging because the protective layer of steel wires in the tire failed.... hence pressure concentration at said failure points. So bad the "bulging" problem was....... the stering wheel was shaking like crazy whenever the vehicle go over like 70 km/h. Apparently, the blown out tire and the front left tire were "bulging"...... the rear tire I changed with the spare..... then I had to fork out money to change the front set, and make the front right tire the spare. Total cost 420 for the two tires..... of course I am claiming it..... first paycheck pon tak masuk lagi.

I didnt know bulging tires would result in such circumstance. Fortunately I wasnt speeding...... if it happened along the kuching-bako "highway" where the lanes are wide but bumpy all over the place, where I usually speed like crazy, I am pretty sure that ancient machine would roll over and who knows what would happen to me after that. For that I am grateful. So I had the latter half of the day off..... dealing with the tires.

Two weeks into the job, didnt do much. But since the project manager, whom I was supposed to assist, is still away.... I am like the boss at the site lol..... bos bergaji kecik. Have been attending meetings, but for most parts, I was like the observer and said nothing, because I knew nothing lol. Introduced to so many people. And I am particularly bad in remembering names. The contractors and subcontractors, all of them so far, are your stereotypical contractor, chinese and rich. They always pay when we go for "minum". The one I met today was a communist. Not kidding at all. He spent 10 years in the Sarawakian jungles in the 60's. He was claiming that the sarawak gov gave the ex-communists something like a tender for logging in the 80's...... and the communists refused because they felt they already lived in the jungle and have seen trees for 10 years and enough already lol. And now all the sarawakian tauke balaks are millionaires, even billionaires.

My time here at the company is ending, albeit prematurely.... as interesting and promising the project is, and valuable the experience is going to be...... ultimately for me its all about money. If you already spent years working with big companies and accumulating ringgits over the years.... like most of the "big" bosses here, thats a different story.

coldplay's new album is out

After a few listens...... I think X & Y is a decent album. By that, I mean I am able to listen to all of its songs..... instead of just listening to 1 or 2. After the first listen, I thought everything on it sounded the same.... they sounded coldplay. I think coldplay tend to pick the more mediocre songs as their first single. My favourite album is still the first one, my favourite tracks being yellow and shiver..... having said that, I am fine with them not turning into weirdos and coming out with some electronic weird "noises"..... like radiohead. I would say it is a "safe" album..... and I am absolutely fine with it. Also.... I think the new mariah carey album is good too.... finally a comeback album.

From the muddy banks of the Sarawak river

Yesterday went to the project site with a colleague.... all the projects are in their initial stages. Our company owns and is building, among other projects, an independent oil terminal (IOT), a crude palm oil refinery, jetty and LPG bottling facility, and I am in the IOT team. Thats what we do lah.... and eventually we will generate income when we have shell and Petronas using our facility.

Basically site preparation and start of piling..... only the jetty for oil tankers is already physically there. The workers and contractors claimed they had an encounter with crocodiles..... again. Yesterday, there were two of them, resting on the banks of the sarawak river...... but not particularly large ones.... besar paha they claimed. Hmm quite scary..... but sarawak river was not known to have angry crocodiles.

Today, went to the site again. Starting on Thursday, I will be spending most of my time at the site office. Not so far from kuching.... near bako. About half an hour's drive. Today went there with my boss in his car..... one of the most uncomfortable and awkward experiences. He talked about me trying to "lari" to other companies all the way to the site..... I tried to restrict myself to yes/no answers. Apparently, the whole company knew about me trying to "lari".... even our project management consultant, the ogp people somehow found out.

Savvy versus Myvi

Savvy and Myvi, new models released by Proton and Perodua, almost at the same time. Similar models, similar prices, but very different looks. In my opinion, the perodua looks like a generic Japanese/Korean car, whereas the savvy looks like something designed and manufactured by Malaysians, which I think is not necessarily bad. But the Myvi is based on the daihatsu right, so of course it looks generic. Like toyota cars, I think all the "muka" of toyota cars look the same/similar, they look like the creator themselves. Savvy, in my opinion, looks more sophisticated and european, in contrast to the gen2 which looks like a hyundai and a bad BMW rip off. However, the rear end of the savvy looks a bit weird, looks like the behind of a hyena.

Sangap

Currently at work with nothing much to do. Read the whole stack twice already. Apart from that, played some solitaire and did some surfing. Seriously sangaps. My supervisor and big boss are away... to KL I think. The senior staffs seem to be away all the time. So now I have no one giving me anything to do.

Yesterday I took the whole day off to attend an interview with Komag, even though the interview was in the morning. Felt really good to have the whole day off. That had better be the final interview..... I already did, including yesterday's, 4 freaking interviews with Komag.

Cant wait for the weekend. Work is boring me already. However, my mood was somewhat spoiled, when informed about our staff meeting this Saturday. God damn meeting on a freaking saturday... and 25 bucks deducted from your salary for an unexplained absence. ceisss...

My Official Entrance into the "Real World"

Today was my first day at work. After being idle for like half a year, the notion of work left me with mixed feelings. It sure feels good that you are actually doing something, because that what we are supposed to do, work and earn money. At the same time, the thought of going through this 830-530 cycle monday-friday, makes me want to just sleep and do nothing.

As expected, first day at work, nothing much going on. I was given a cubicle, and a pc, but dont think they are mineor permanent. The makcik served me coffee hehe. They told me I will be spending most of my time at the project site, and the office is just like a "transit lounge". Not sure what I will do at the site or the logistics, but it sure beats working in a factory. My supervisor introduced me to everyone, and then gave me a stack of documents. I read them all. Besides that, I surf the net for a bit. That pretty much sums up my first day. A friend said that, during his first two weeks at work, he did nothing but read. So, I guess its just the way it is.

Just before lunchtime, I went to see my supervisor, and asked for unpaid leave to attend other interviews...... I hid nothing and told the truth. He looked expressionless upon hearing my request, but I could see in his eyes, twinkle of hatred. I was facing an angry and pissed off man. He had every right to be pissed off, if I was in his position, I would be furious. But I got 2 days off anyway hehe. Man.... I truly feel bad.