On killing time

Today we have the half day off. That occurs for every 3rd Friday of the month. Can you believe that? Where else can you find such policy. Who else can afford to have so much time off. If I were in KL I could really use a half day off. In Miri we, or at least I, seem to have so much time in our hands.

Its not really literally a half day off I think. Its supposed to support the "work hard play hard" culture the management are supposedly trying to instill into the organization. And people were supposed to organize activities, things such as jungle trekking, team building etc etc. Sometimes we dont have these kind of things, although they did organize a hiking expedition on top of Canada Hill just a few weeks ago. I missed that one because it was Ramadan.

Do you still need to come to office if you dont have anything organized? Thats the big question right. I used to come to office during such predicaments before. But usually the office was always deserted, only a couple of senior guys who were obviously very busy would be there. Sometimes Ill be there and one or two of them would ask me what was I doing there and told me to go home.

Miri has got Starbucks...

For some reason all these chains of restaurants and cafes are popping out of nowhere here. I returned from Raya leave and suddenly now we have got our own Starbucks... It is occupying this one new lot in Bintang Plaza that has been vacant for as long as I remember. Me trying to contribute to the local economy of course dont mind at all spending 8++ bucks on a cup of coffee... is it me or is it cheaper here cause I remember starbucks coffee cost at a least 10 bucks... or is it that they actually reduced the prices....

Now if they did reduce their prices thats really good news in these times with all that financial crisis and credit crunch. It is jut so mind boggling to me... how can all these behemoths of investment banks and financial institutions just failed the way they did.... I mean these investment bankers are supposedly smart people making lots of money for their companies and themselves right... and the next day the whole company just failed.... I still dont understand how these investment banks are so adversely affected by that subprime mortgage thing... now i am just happy that I still have a job. Or should we be worried about our jobs? I mean the way that the companies just collapsed.... it seems like that could happen to any company.