Solve and Serve

"You're hired to bring solutions, not problems,"

Expectation is tricky. The above written seems so ordinary and straight forward. Yet, a normal route for you might already be considered a problem to them. A successful task completed might be an issue arose to the firm. A small casual talk could risk your whole career.

"Whatever it takes" can mean a lot of things - unimaginable things. Sometimes things you won't want to ever consider through your entire life, or it's just simply out of your norms. Not too bad, there are others who's willing to go across borders. However, we are to bring solutions, not problems, and not doing anything is a problem. Even there are times to feel insecure, just to breathe. Solutions and results are the only value we have. It's okay at times to voice out problems. Yet, we are only valued by our capability to solve and give results. No one will give you a star for raising out an issue. Problems are fine, but most of the time, people are more interested when you continue, "So, I propose that we do this,". Thus, there's another issue that to whom you're solving the problem for and who will benefit best from the result produced?

Insecured to talk, act and walk. Freeze should not even be an option. Eager to move. Yet, I'm tired. Aiya, tomorrow die la.

Defying Gravity

Approaching Task | A concept of overview

A not so good approach would result postponed datelines.
An ordinary approach would stick to the datelines.
A good approach would be ahead of datelines.
An awesome approach would be ahead of datelines and save millions of dollars along the way.

I'm getting behind in my job. Screw up a few times. Stacking up a few tasks. One officemate left and two will be leaving by end of this week. One computer broke down - I had important files in it. Printer is refusing to print. We're out of my favourite biscuit. Scarce stock of Nescafe.

It's just one of those phases eh?

Wisdom of the Day

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We are born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us, it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."

-Marianne Williamson-

I think this is just beautiful.

100th Post

This my 100th published post. Since I posted my first entry on 15th of November 2006, this blog is averaging 1.42 post each week, 2.48 comments for each entry, 11.1 blog clicks each day (including mine heh), 388.6 words per post, 99.1% written in English, 76.3% of its content is crap, 20.4% fictional and 3.3% came from the purity of the heart.

Not bad at all, for me at least. My standard is low. :)

As similar to my past one year anniversary post, cheers for all readers, whom had read, commented, made fun of this blog with others, or forward some stuffs in the spirit of sharing, I am blessed with great companions in my life - both cool and nerdy life. Thank you and come again.

NJB

I Write You Perceive

How far can you tell about a person from the way he writes? Some notable people said that you can tell a lot about a person from the way he or she talks, listen, walk, sit or anything that worth observing for. A dear friend once told me that my writings tell a lot about myself and I wonder whether that's actually true or not. I controlled what I wrote here, paint only pictures I allow people to ponder on, play only the music I wish for them to listen. I'd say that I am a very reserved person, keeping too many things bottled up inside and portraying only things that I think is perhaps necessary for show. So how can people say that they can tell much about us from our writings?

No, I'm not against the possibility. Just wondering.

There's this theory in our writings when we have this tendency of using fewer first person pronouns such as I, me or my, we are putting a psychological distance between ourselves and our stories; as if we don't "own" our message. Another theory that writers who use fewer exclusionary words like but, nor, except , whereas have the tendency of trouble for complex thinking. Both of above are actually presumptions made by some specialists to detect fraud in writings.

Anyway, what "I'm" getting at is that people who love to write (the term writers seems too posh to me now heh) do, at times, leak certain personal trait unconsciously giving away his or her own personal weakness, probably "except" for those professional writers who are extremely alert to every inch of details that they wrote. Thus, I wonder how would it be to read Stephen King's personal diary or blog? Who knows, he might be a very cheerful vulnerable afraid-of-blood-and-ghost love-barbie-dolls kind of person. I'm no Mr King or Mr Grisham or Mr Clancy thus I realize the human me would sometimes be vulnerable to situations leaking away emotions or uncharacteristic behaviours.

Perhaps, a lot can actually be told from the way we write. At least it can be a part of our perceptions through things surrounding us. Then come the way we talk, walk, walk the talk, melepak menapak, tertipu tertipah hahahaha. *Sigh* Is there any needs to perceive anything anyway? Read my blog, you'll see a part of me. Come lets have a conversation, you'll see another side. Quarrel with me and perhaps then you won't do any of above anymore.

"But something happens when you write – something that’s not a normal thing. Whoever I am, when I’m walking around, that’s one person. But somebody else writes the books,"

-Stephen King-

Again, I'm no Mr King.

Weekend

I work on Saturdays, so unfortunate. Does that make me value my Sunday more? I only get one day in a week to wake up late in the afternoon. Well, I like sleep. I like waking up in the afternoon, or precisely I don't like waking up early in the morning. Probably not that I don't like waking up early, just I'm not that used to it. Perhaps my body is tuned up to turn active under afternoon UV and heat. Maybe a lot of us are like that. Maybe I'm the only one who has trouble waking up early in the morning. Once I had a conversation with a dear friend, wake up early in the morning and a lot of other good things will come after. Bangun pagi murah rezeki kata orang-orang tua la kan. I agree of course. Well, its not like any of those usual heavy arguments anyway where it's a difficult decision to make. Everyone knows waking up late is not good damnit!

So wake up early in the morning, why is it so hard? It's like chocolate. It feels good but not very healthy and fattening, or if later it is proven chocolate is actually good for us then I'll switch my metaphor to cigarette or drug whichever relevant. The point is, I do wish to be a vegetarian, ergo; I do want to be a morning person. Metaphorically and literally, respectively. Yet, I spend my Sunday morning on bed until afternoon. Such unproductive behaviour. Sigh. I pity myself. I wish I can wake up in the morning naturally, not due to obligation on anything; work, events, classes, etc. I'm working on it by the way, sadly, very slowly.

They say the simplest solution is to sleep early. Sigh. Now that's another topic.

Nothing

The second time I went to the KL Land Office yesterday, she wasn't there. I was, actually, disappointed. Yet, a bit relieved. What could I've done anyway?

I can't make anything out of nothing.

This afternoon, I went there for the third time, because of my amateur-ish in regard to this land matter, I've failed to run my tasks efficiently- not because that I wanted to find the lady at counter no.9 again due to her absence the day before. Today, she's at counter no.12. My task needs only to be done at counter no.7, which is further away now. That doesn't stopped me from passing through nearby her counter to take a closer look at this fair lady - she looks like in her late 20s or early 30s. Still lovely nonetheless heheheh. Erk, lupa tengok nama die sape!

"Ala mintak je la no. tepon die,"

My colleague's suggestion sounded so easy. The idea of a guy approaching a girl asking for her phone number out of nowhere seems so natural to her. I, perhaps, am not one of those cool guys who can comfortably approach a girl just simply like that. I repeat, and thus emphasize; I can't make anything out of nothing. I need a common medium. She could have worked at the Planning Department at Level 2, or counter no. 5 to 7 so that I can have something to initiate and make something out of it, but no, unfortunately, she did not. Sigh.

Take all my past scandals for instance. I always had something to use to initiate and make something out of it. You ladies remember? Anyway, let it be as small as picking up her keys she 'accidentally' dropped, be in the same line of queue for coffee, or in job-related purpose where she happens to be one of my consultants for the current projects I involve in or an office clerk in MBSA helping me to sort out my authorities checklist.

I can't make anything out of nothing.

I wish I can. I think I will. Perhaps, when the right woman falls in sight, when the path opens up and nothing else matters anymore, when time stops and never the room seems so ever clear (which explains why she seems so radiantly beautiful), and the only logical thing to do then is to be brave, and everything else will follow after.

I hardly believe in love at first sight. Perhaps, I've yet to meet one, or actually I did and I screwed it up. Cupid said, "Forget it, this guy is hopeless. Lets shoot some sheeps instead."

The Rojak Table

Thought of the day: What's the immediate implication of this post-election period?

Would the political instability causes investment insecurity? Through the purity of the process of democracy eliminating the corrupted from the system, who would suffer as the casualty of wars? Let them be who've had their share of sins drinking blood money from the deprived and innocents, but how far would this modern day Robin Hood would take responsibility marching into this historical reformation in our country?

I'm all good for something different - a new revolution. Changes can be very difficult. Despite the possibility that a lot can be gained through this massive shift in the governing direction, how dignified can the great Robin Hood be in defending its integrity for the coming days?

I may be ignorant at some point, yet how different are we through different perspectives? A wise old man once said, no pain no gain, or no greatness is achieved without sacrifices. Touché.

Sigh. The temptation to be among these stereotypical youngsters demonstrating some immature political ideas.

I had a bit of a rough start in the morning at work. 3 staffs were on leave today and in this small department, that's a significant loss in labour to run the office effectively. Thus, it was a tiring trip till lunch, yet, risen to brighten up my remaining hours of the day with a masterpiece sight captured during my lunch break at a mamak restaurant nearby office this afternoon - a table consists of Malay, Chinese and Indian girls dining comfortably and happily together. Don't you just love that?

Tomorrow I hope would be my second trip to the Pejabat Tanah dan Galian Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur. A couple of documents obtained from my previous trip need to be revised and a few new Official Land Searches need to be purchased. Please Don Juan De Marco do give me courage to initiate something of your worthy with the lovely lady behind Kaunter No.9. Sigh.

Controlling in Management

Every chatting box opened, most of the blogs visited, newspapers headlines, morning televisions, well of course, Malaysia's 12th General Election 2008 is unsurprisingly the most popular topic nowadays. I just can't help it to be among the stereotypes - just a little winy bit.

.

There. Ok, now moving on, last week my mentor and I visited our architect for our Batu 3 Shah Alam project at his office in Subang Jaya. I think it's rather one of the tricks of the trade to carry out surprise visits to our consultants, to observe the working environment of that we, representing the client, are investing in. This usually occurs when the consultants, ranging from architects, engineers and surveyors, are not performing their tasks well as expected. There are times when there are these overly-ambitious consultant firms that only consist of fewer than 5 staffs handling projects worth over RM100 million, plus a few other projects in hand. This had happened back then when my dad was directing a massive project for UiTM Kelantan and during his visit to one of his consultants, the office was just a small cube shared with a photocopy and paper shop in a small shop lot in a small town in Kota Bharu. Two engineers was sitting down sharing the only table inside the cube and thus imagine their faces when their client along with my dad was greeting them by the small plywood door.

Anyway, we were just trying to make sure that our project is on the right track. We need to keep in control of our consultants. Termination should not be executed just as easy. Our consultants are not doing a good job, we visit them and see what's going on. Dig down to the core of the problem, cure, improvise and pray that better results are expected to come. Plus, its a tactful way to pressure the consultants telling them that their job is at stake.

Anyway, these recent entries are just a start of something I would like to try on, writing a journal about my training in Crest Builder Holdings under the Property and Land Development Department. Writing should keep my heads up and wishfully to be better in doing what I do hereafter. It does feel good knowing that you have some worth of doing something good.

I bid you reader, good day and have a good coming week.

Say Hello

Here's a story about my dad. Not too sure whether it will jeopardize his position or not, but I'd say its good to share for the younger generations. So discreet I will try to be.

He was having a casual lunch at a restaurant in XXX Pacific with a group of fellow engineers and builders. No business purposes, maybe. He was actually having a XXX million worth of project in his hand, so like a blueberry pie on a stove, hungry, or even just pie-loving people out of nowhere do come near to take a sniff. Anyway, in the middle of the lunch meeting, a very important person just walked into the restaurant and sat at the table next to my dad's. He used to work with this person before, and thus, he had to stand up and greet the person, in obligation of respect.

It happened to be that one of his lunch companion was the executive director for one of the leading consultant engineering firm in the country, as he was following a friend of my dad to this particular lunch. Seeing my dad shaking hands and having comfortable conversation with thy important person, he pulled out his business card in his pocket and set to propose an offer for my dad to become a sleeping partner for his company.

My dad does not actually know thy important person really well. He just once worked together for a small amount of time and he thought it would be rude to not say hello, especially since its a person of a far superior position and status. Thy fooled Mr. Executive Director thought my dad is as superior, and seeing him having such a good connection with thy important person, he thought my dad must be equally thy important as well. Plus, he needs a Bumiputra partner, which may raise another issue, heheh.

Anyway, the point is, whatever you can conclude from the story, be friendly. Simple. Say hello to anyone, or better perhaps, everyone even you're far from having any close relationship with thy annoying person. Have a good minute conversation is enough for you to open some other doors for rezeki to come in. Interesting. I need to practice my PR skills. This coming week might be a good chance since there'll be a number of meetings and visits to the building authorities. Have a good week everyone.

Owh by the way, recently, I think my dad and I conversed a lot (Of course since I tumpang him every morning going to work). More towards the building industry type of conversation though. Yet, still good I have to say. He's gradually starting to accept me as an adult. So, you can expect a few stories - something of an overwhelming experienced engineer and a super rookie project manager wannabe this coming weeks, before the naggings and complaints start kicking in heheh.

Again, good day.