On my best behaviour

I never realised that it'd be so hard to put up at least 1 blog post per calendar month. This is only here cos tomorrow is June 1. Procrastination, thy name is Chai. I guess it doesnt help that I've a new job, which sucks away the energy.

Let me see, what highlights in May can I write about?
Ahhh... I lost all my credit cards. I was on my daily morning run/sprint and thought I'd expedite the process by removing my train ticket from my wallet while moving at full speed. I suspect it must have fallen out then. I once got fined $150(!) cos I thought I could validate it at the destination. And the guy was a real prick too. A curse on his complexion but I fear I may already be too late. Forced to use cash for everything, I never realised before how much I actually spend. Depressing.

And there is the new job, and the new co-workers. Pretty cool guys. Ugly but cool. Initially, I was put in the nice, clean and modern office. Then they moved all the contractors to the 'other' building, which I dont think is ever vacummed, has drawerless tables and smelt of sour milk. 5 of us in the one room (referred to as 'the box') plus visitors. But we're coping, in our own little ways. Eg. the others wanted all box people to use an Ashley Judd photo as our messenger avatar, which I reluctantly agreed to (they're psychos!). Which they then changed to something else but neglected to tell me. So I was Ashley for a day and a half. Was kind of odd to my other messenger buddies who were not in the know.

Also, for the first time ever, Kim made me lunch! It was the most delicious jam and butter on toast I've ever had. I promptly went out and got her a copy of this recipe book. Admittedly, the motivation was one of selfishness (ie. I want us to progress past toast real quickly). Exciting times beckon.

And I finally got my airline tickets (again, had to return the last set) and booked the hotel rooms. It seems much more real now as it's getting quite close to departure. The last time I was back there was in 2004 for a grand total of 36 hours. Mannn... was that a nightmare. A schoolmate (from wayyyyy back) offered to drive me back to my hometown but I had to make my way from S'pore to M'sia. Easier said than done with peak hour traffic. I had to walk across the causeway with my luggage (long story). It was so friggingly humid. My clothes were soaked, my jeans were clinging on to me from the sweat. It was horrible. Never again. I asked my mum if she wanted anything from here and her answer was Pecans. Huh? What? Weird-O. That's what I'd expect if I was calling from the supermarket. Ah well, lets hope it skips a few generations.



Gawd, this post really sucks. Just like Decoder Ring live sucks. I like their CD a lot though.
And if you have nothing to do, go see these guys. They've got a CD launch at The East Brunswick Club on the 17th June. They dont suck. They're fun. OK, so I work with one of them. Go. Buy some merchandise. CDs, T-shirts (assorted sizes), caps and underwear. Moi? I'm flying that night. Lucky, eh? You can hear them (Des Peres) online here. They're also playing in Canberra and Sydney.

Till later.

Why I Blog

OK, Rowena posed these questions on her blog. Well, it's her homework and I suspect she's using the power of the internet to do it for her. *winks* :-). Or at least, that's what I'd do if I was her, which I may be, or not, this being the internet.
So Ro, this is for you (sort of, I may be veering off topic, a little).

1. Why do you blog?
2. Blogging v journalism – is blogging the "new" journalism, an adjunct to it, absolutely nothing to do with it? (I’m talking about "current affairs" type blogs here obviously)
3. Do you also write for a living? How do the two co-exist for you? Why do both?
4. Positives and negatives of the blogging experience?
5. Does blogging foster connection and dialogue between people or is it all an illusion? Does blogging matter?




A1. I always saw it as a diary/journal. I know it's not, but that's how it started out for me. I thought it'd be cool for my kid to be able to read it when she was older, trying to figure out her dad. I know I could have used pen/paper instead but I'm an online kind of guy. It'd be so cool if my grandad/great-grandad had kept some sort of journal. Maybe they did, but it doesnt exist now.
These are some comments from my vicious real life 'friends'.
"I think your grandchildren will be very comforted to know that their grandfather was a nerdy loner, spending hours cataloguing his existence on an online blog,rather than actually living ;-)
Ahhh, they dont understand, do they.
The content sort of changed when I realised some people read it (my fault, I should have been anonymous). Which means I dont write stuff which is too personal and as hard as I try to ignore it, stuff which I think is not interesting to others. The latter which I didnt care before. Not that I do now, but it's at the back of my mind.

A2. First, define journalism. I think it's one type of journalism. Maybe a hybrid between a journalist and a writer. What makes something journalism? If one writes for a paper, then it is journalism? If said same writer gets sacked from the paper but continues writing the same thing via a blog, has anything changed? Just the medium. So I think the answer is in the content, rather than the medium used. Similarly, just because it gets published in a paper doesnt make it journalism. The medium used is inconsequential.

A3. Is writing software considered writing? If not, then no. I guess I sometimes write documentation for it, as well as requirements, correspond with customers, which may need use of lots of weasel words. Anyways,...

A4. Positives are that I get to communicate with people with whom I would never have been able to in a real world, cos of geography, different social circles. Just like friends of engineers are mostly other engineers. I assume it's similar of other fields. Plus I get to read some wonderful writers. I think Jay is very talented. And I've actually met people (eg. fluffy, bekk, rachy, tim and a few others who I know are bloggers but not what their blogs are called off the top of my head). This should be under 'Negatives', you say? Yeah, very funny.
Negatives - it is so frigging time consuming. It takes a lot of energy, time and creativity to maintain a constant output, which I dont have and I admire those who actually manage to do this. Chicky and Steph comes immediately to mind.
I am quite surprised that some people still visit here cos I would have thought my irregular posts and uncommentable content would repel all, eventually. :-) Do I care if I get zero visitors? Yes and no. I dont want any readers (I think. Wait! Dont leave), but I would be a little upset, initially. I dont understand either.

A5. For sure (fosters communication). It is just another medium. 100 years ago, people were using the poets corner in the market, now it is this. Nothing has changed except the medium. You still get the odd loony spouting whatever. But the internet gives all a global audience.
And I dont think blogging matters in the whole scheme of things. The internet matters, but not so blogging. If blogs disappeared overnight, I'd have a few hours a week of my life back.

Hope this was of help, Ro. I have opinions on many other matters as well, such as the AWB thingy. Poor Mark Vaile. He can either tell the truth, and get into big trouble or pretend he remembers nothing, and come across as an incompetent buffoon.

Fool on the Hill

First things first. This is for Rachy.
It's a shout out at the Clyde and it's on THIS Saturday. I may be there with my camera (hidden and otherwise). Actually, just remembered I have the kid that day. I'll see.

Anyway, be there or be talked about.



OK... the following is pretty dull so you have been warned. I treat my blog as a journal for my kid to read to me when I'm in the sanitarium she puts me in.

Anyway, these are the chronicles of my job hunting the past fortnight. The dull starts here. My contract ended here on the 28th Feb and I'd got a job offer from a mob in the building 5 doors down and it was in the building of this girl I knew and that just added to the complexity/excitement/novelty. I dont think she'd have minded but her wife might not have liked it, BUT that's another story. "Start anytime in March", they said. Work wanted a 1 week extension. Sure, I said. Asked the new mob. No problems. Then another week extension. Same thing. Then a third. Emailed the new mob. No reply. Not wanting to seem 'too keen', I rang them up 2 working days later. 'Dont worry. We got someone else.' Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh...... I said. Ahhhhhhhhh, I said again. I was *so* annoyed at myself for not asking for the job offer to be on paper, annoyed at them for not telling me that they werent willing to wait anymore (I'd have ditched the current work) and annoyed at the current work for extending me 1 week at a time (5 times!). Granted, I'm getting a farewell lunch every week but the turnout has been pretty poor lately.

Job interview #2. I'd worked with this person before. Got the job email Thursday night, interview Friday evening. They were desperate. MUST deliver in 4 weeks. It would be stress city. They want me to start Monday morning. Told them I'd need to go back a day or 2 to hand over stuff. They cant allow that, they say. I told them morally (whatever that is), I cannot accept the job then. Immediately after the interview, I rang my current work commiting myself to them for another 2 weeks. 60 seconds later, I get a call from the interviewers. They say, OK, I can go back to hand over stuff if I still want the job. "Dude, you are 60 seconds too late". Crazy really. They get me, they lose 1 day this week. Today is Wednesday, they still havent got anyone, so they have lost 3 days already. Loyalty? Gawd, I hate having it. I dont know if I did the clever thing, but I think I did the right thing. And I'm relieved it worked out this way.

Job interview #3. I found out that the person who would be doing the phone interview was someone I worked with 4 years ago. I will refrain from saying too much cos I remember reading somewhere that employers sometimes do online research on job applicants. So apart from expressing a curiousity as to *why* he would want to interview me and asking you guys what the polite word is for stupid, I will leave it at that. O.K., just this bit then. I got 30 minutes worth of questions like these... "Chai, have you ever been really busy and your colleague asks you for your help. How would you handle this, Chai?" and "Chai, you are behind in your work and your manager hands you even more work. What would you do, Chai?". I was beginning to wonder what sort of technical position I had applied for.

Anyway, I did finally get a job. I start on the 10th April. It's with some people I used to work with. Yes, I know I'm professionally promiscuous. Anyway, the offices are the poshest I've ever seen. The work environment is like a hotel lobby, lots of space. It's really new and really well furnished. No expense spared. It'll be different from what I'm used to. Hope I can wear jeans not have to wear a tie, cos the elastic on my tie is a little frayed, from old age. Bow tie, you say?

Good eh? So have been very busy with work, looking for new work and as usual, preparing my tax for the ATO and trying to fit in a semblance of a social life in there somewhere. Frigging paper work. Next job, I'm going permanent even with all these new IR laws. Just need to work for a company with > 100 employees.

And I lost pennant racquetball to an 18 y.o. GIRL! The guys now want me to wear a skirt next time I play. Sure, no problems, I said. I already do that at home.
Is there no end to my humiliation? But anyway, 2 of the guys on the Australian C'wealth table tennis team, I've beaten before in competition, so there. Nyeh, nyeh. Oh yeah, I may have forgotten to mention the small matter that they were little kids then. Take that, you snotty little 12 y.o. OK, one was 17 and the other 15.

Live On My Mind

See you standing in the door against the dark
Fireflies around you like a crown of sparks
You blow me a kiss that blurs my vision
Blurs the human condition

You're the ocean ringing in my brain
You are my island ripe with cane
Catch the scent of strange flowers when you pass
Fluid motion like the wind in grass

It's your eyes I want to see
Looking into mine
Got you live on my mind
All the time

Light me like incense in the night
Light me like a candle burning bright
Light me like a searchlight in the sky
Time means nothing when I look in your eyes

It's your eyes I want to see
Looking into mine
Got you live on my mind
All the time

It's your eyes I want to see
Looking into mine
Got you live on my mind
All the time


* I love this song so much right now. Only version I can find is by Elbow though.

Random observations

As the world turns, (+ other midday TV serial titles), check out my restaurant review.

Here are some non-sequitur bits milling around in my brain (cos there's lots of room there).

* The USA is pushing for US infrastructure to be made US owned only. Implications? I think most of the private electricity companies here are US owned.

* It's better for one to be part of the team in opposition than for the team to be in government but without said one.

* Oil spill in Alaska. Hmmm... maybe I shouldnt have driven in this morning. Didnt feel like riding in the rain and the trains are running on Sunday timetables.

* The Queen is in town. Hmmm, hmmmm and hmmmm again.



* Last week, I saw Jana Pittman when walking in from the train station (near the CAE). She had a half smile on her face but was avoiding eye contact with all. Which got me to thinking, if I wanted to keep a low profile, I shouldnt be wearing a flourescent yellow tracksuit in the city at 9 a.m. in the morning.

* I picked up the plane tickets for the kid and I to visit her grandparents in June. She is really excited. Mine is more a mixture of mild dread and extreme dread.

* I am at work on a public holiday. Which is not that bad as I'm taking Tuesday off instead, to look after the kid.

On a lighter note, check this out dude. My restaurant review. Granted, it was done hurriedly cos I wanted the blog to have a constant flow of 2 reviews a week and the well is dry.

This band is becoming more prominent in my playlist. I should try and find out why the unusual name. Having said that, Steely Dan's Peg is my current ear worm. I think it's the funky rhythm.

Finally, I am happy but I hope the rest of my life is not going to be like this (while maintaining or exceeding my level of happiness, of course).

Point of this post? None.