What a day!

It's been a while since I last wrote and I am not kidding that I have been very busy, to the extent that my bladder capacity increased tremendously over the past two weeks. Two times a day is a good day. Three times is the day when I know I have my winning lottery ticket.

I worked till past midnight and was barely awake when the alarm went off this morning at 5:45. I had a 8am flight to catch to Beijing. I do not know why we picked the day before the start of the May day long weekend to meet with Chinese clients (I thought they were all rushing to HK for some retail therapy which I desperately need but cannot afford). All Beijingers were trying to escape town when outsiders all rushed in for the celebration. I needed to move swiftly around town from East to West and back and I saw more cars in one day than I have the entire month last month. Think locust flying, I saw the car version on the highway.

Anyway, the day started out alright. I bumped into an old colleague whom I respect a lot at the airport. We were leaving at the same time to different cities. We had a pleasant chitchat at the airport lounge. No work talk, mostly about family and friends which really help to alleviate the stress I have.

On the plane, I couldn't sleep and ended up watching a Will Smith movie (Seven Pounds). The pace was compariable to that of a Korean period drama series but I watched it anyway. I needed total diversion from work.

Then, my day really started to crumble after I landed. Panic email after panic email popped up. I have people who are upset, screaming and kicking. It's like a candy store of lunatics, you name it and I have it.

After a long meeting with client (what's new other than the client is talking about something which is different from what we were told by coverage team and I ended up having to scrape the book and improvise on the spot?), I went back to the office and was told that I didn't do my work properly for an internal risk committee meeting to discuss my deal. I thought a manager is someone to help you to escalate, to open door of senior people for you. Silly me, it should be the other way round.

The meeting was postponed for various reason. It was a good outcome from some serios chaos. It really forces me to think what the hell am I doing 15 hours a day??? I signed an employment contract but I did not sign a contract to sell my soul. I thought it's my right to eat during my 1 hour lunch break but no, I was so wrong about it. The verbatim comment, "Why do people think they are entitled to a lunch break in Asia?"

I think I had enough. ARrgghhh!!

Movie Land

The atmosphere in the office isn't at all time high and to describe to you some of the looming changes:

Return of the Dodo - We thought the Dodo was gone and no one else wanted to adopt the Dodo and next thing I know, we will have to extend a warm welcome

Housewife Strikes Back - see above

Shawshank Redemption - A need to escape, regardless of the price (including crawling through a pile of poop)

The Monster Inc. - That's what it's gonna be like around here soon

There was a particular blow up by my boss yesterday. No matter how you look at it, it's unreasonable. I am ready to just quit. This time, it's not movie land.

Three Cups of Tea

If you are reading this piece, please spread the words and tell your family and friends about the work by Greg Mortenson.

http://www.threecupsoftea.com/
http://www.ikat.org

I picked up the book on my way from immigration to the gate when I went to Shanghai for work couple weeks ago. The way I buy books, whether they are on any list at all, is to flip to some random page, read two to three paragraphs to see if I like what I am reading. I didn't know about the book but I liked the building school in Korphe, Pakistan part and paid my HKD 150 for it.

I had lots of doubt over America, especially after 9/11, the way the Bush administration dealt with issues (domestic and foreign) and the whole political correctness attitude across the country. What Greg Mortenson's work tells me is that there are people in America who still believe in doing good to people, whether they are American or not. Mind you, there's no gold or oil in Korphe even though you get lots of apricot. What I like about Greg Mortenson's work:

- The CAI schools do not teach Pakistani children the American way. The schools are there to help children to acquire the learning skills that will help them to define their own path in the future. The right way to fight terrorism is to let children to have the freedom of choice. Not to brainwash them one way or the other.

- Greg Mortenson resisted the association with the US government in fundraising in order to remain neutral.

- In his dealing with the locals in Pakistan and Afghanistan, he showed lots of respect to the locals by learning how to pray, speak the local language, listen to the elders for their advices...etc.

- He showed Pakistan and Afghanistan to outsiders the way they are. There was no glorification or derogation on anything.

These days, people have a funny look on their faces when the word "Muslim" comes up. Lots of people associate Muslim with Terrorism and Extremism. I believe no one is in the position to criticize a different culture or belief without getting to know it first. Lots of the problems we have right now stemmed from people drawing conclusion way before scratching through the surface. You think that's too far away from your life? Think of all the racial profiling going on in the US. Do you believe that there's no terrorist in a particular race? For those in Hong Kong, what about the police shooting a Pakistani man who lived in the woods close to a public estate couple weeks ago?

I remember a scene I saw at the hospital waiting room when I went for my prenatal check up. An English mother with her toddler son sat next to a mainland mother with her toddler son. The two kids could not communicate in a common language but they had fun rolling little matchbox cars around together. The differences in their appearance, cultural background, social standing didn't stop them from enjoying each other's company.

Three Cups of Book is a good story about building school but the important thing is that Greg Mortenson showed us how to bring peace to the world. We should remember the lesson and live it.

Terribly Two

"I don't like mummy! I want snack! I can eat snack!"

That's the response I got from Changunnie when I told her "That's enough snack for the day". She did not eat well at all over the weekend. I tried her food and they tasted perfectly fine. I was happy to eat her left over pasta as my lunch (I spent an hour to make the sauce!) She rejected her lunch and dinner but always wanted to have something substantial around 10pm.

Then, I realise it was grandpa feeding her snacks throughout the day. The list was actually pretty impressive:

- Milano cookies
- cheese (my precious 4 year Comte!!)
- banana chips, dried cranberry and blueberry mix
- mini wheetabix with fruits and nuts
- cup cakes
- ice cream

No wonder she's not eating. On Sunday, I finally decided to put on my dictator hat. No food between lunch and 8:30pm. By then, she was hungry and ate the entire bowl of rice and Miyuk Gook (Korean seaweed soup) within minutes.

The toughest thing of raising a kid with grandparents around is the grandparents always have a big soft spot for the little ones. The little ones may be young but definitely not ignorant. Changunnie knows grandma and I are the disciplinarians. Her tactic is to grab grandpa or daddy into the kitchen and quietly asks for snack. I find it difficult to enforce my rules. On the one hand, I want the grandparents (which include both sides) to know that I appreciate what they are doing for Changunnie and I respect them. On the other hand, I need Changunnie to know who's words are final. A very fine balance to strike.....

Cheese cheese!

I walked into Caprice at the Four Seasons for my Friday Lunch Club meeting yesterday feeling pretty down and walked out feeling satisfied and very grateful.

It was my first time to lunch at Caprice. I had lots of reservation going to nice french restaurants in Central as there are lots of "to see and to be seen" going on. I think the quality of food is more important than the decor or the presentation (nice to have but it's not going to stop me from eating a stew! I guess that makes me one of David Fishman's folllower).

The food was good. I am not a big fan of lamb but the lamb shoulder pastilla with sweet harissa and young green herbs was actually my favourite dish from lunch. The distinct flavour of lamb was there and contrary to my usual reaction, it was very inviting. I finished everything and I mean everything including the gravy before my fellow lunch club members did.

My mood improved as we went through the courses. By the time the cheese arrived, I was already a very happy person. Then came the 4 year Comte. Let's just say I was very glad that I ate my cheese caveman style and was able to smell the cheese on my finger in the afternoon.

I wanted to share the cheese with my family and asked if I can buy 200g. Instead, Mr Cheese gave me a big wedge of Comte. I felt so indebt. I should visit the restaurant again for sure but I should also bring something homemade as a token of my appreciation.

Only if I understand

The atmosphere in the office (and for that matter, in Central)has not been good. We constantly hear things like "realign ourselves to embrace the challenges presented to us under the extraordinary market conditions". Whatever that means, we are not having an easy time at work and the lack of certainty makes people very very irritatble.

Every week, we hear rumours of "restructuring". I accepted that as part of the package for getting paid the kind of money we do but having someone who I bluntly label as "Chief Dodo" joining my group?

Don't get me wrong, I believe that when God created people, He gave every one something special. However, people should be put in places where they can use that talent! Chief Dodo in my group?? Chief Dodo is a people person! Chief Dodo cannot even figure out if 1 + 1 is the same as 0.5 + 1.5!! What annoys me more is I hear that from people outside of the group, including the Chief Dodo.

I am starting to see diminishing importance in being able to repay the mortgage. The Chinese saying 士可殺,不可辱is the best way to describe how I feel. I would rather be killed than being insulted.

- If you treasure the value of a group, you don't dump people in that group because you cannot find another place to house that person

- Having someone like that with management sponsorship to remain employed means my opinion will never ever be heard by anyone

- Having someone who doesn't have complimentary skillset means I have more poop to clean

Calm down calm down! It's not too late to sign myself up for cooking school. I can learn a real skill and prepare good food for people I love and care.

April's Fools

and I definitely feel like one now....

I was sent to see our new regional god this morning. We are constantly realigning ourselves to meet the challenges that present in the current market. Enough said?

The meeting was not a meet and greet. It was a full blown job interview. I was asked to quote the projects that I worked on and I was kinda tested on my technical skills.

I am ok for the new regional god to do that as, frankly, he didn't know that he had to inherit the team/me. What makes me wonder is why do we spend enormous amount of time each year to do Performance Management Online ("PMO"). You will be amazed at how much money and effort are being put into the system, Why is our new regional god not referring to them?

If I am fortunate enough to complete another PMO by end of this year, I will copy and paste the same thing from last year and see whether anyone notice. Hohoho!