1. I found a cockroach in my apartment.
2. Its dead.
I don't know whats more worrying. That I found a cockroach, or that its dirty enough to kill one.
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Perspectives
Going to different countries has changed my perspective a lot. So many places which are just so different from what I'm used to. Not just the places, but the people are just so different from what I expected them to be.
I think a lot of it has to do with the different languages people use to communicate with each other. I guess I'm lucky in that I'm partially multilingual, and I know that being able to speak a different language makes a huge difference to my life. Not that I can actually speak anything other than English very well, but I think I know enough to know that thinking in a different language influences what you think about something.
Just make sure you keep this in mind the next time you disagree with someone. They might not have thought that different if they were speaking the same language.
I think a lot of it has to do with the different languages people use to communicate with each other. I guess I'm lucky in that I'm partially multilingual, and I know that being able to speak a different language makes a huge difference to my life. Not that I can actually speak anything other than English very well, but I think I know enough to know that thinking in a different language influences what you think about something.
Just make sure you keep this in mind the next time you disagree with someone. They might not have thought that different if they were speaking the same language.
Friday, December 05, 2008
Just a little
I'm just a little bit depressed. Oh don't worry, I'm not going commit suicide and I'm not having suicidal thoughts. I'll get over it eventually. Its just one of those phases where I'm slightly more emo than usual, have trouble getting up for work in the morning, and all I want to do after work is just go home.
Normally I'd write about whats currently making me depressed, but thats probably just going to exacerbate the situation, and today isn't normal.
So instead today's message will be brought to you by a lack of imagination, and also a lack of content.
Normally I'd write about whats currently making me depressed, but thats probably just going to exacerbate the situation, and today isn't normal.
So instead today's message will be brought to you by a lack of imagination, and also a lack of content.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Its not that bad
I really should write something about the economic situation. The problem is, however, that there really isn't really much to say which hasn't already been said in various news columns, blogs, and chats around the water cooler. Much of this relatively well informed literature probably has it more or less correct. Well, at least as far as anyone can be correct with hindsight and a bit of self assurance with a pat on the back.
So, its time for another ill informed post about something to do with the real world while not actually reflecting it. Actually, that doesn't actually do anything to justify this post or anything else I've ever written. But oh well, its the Internet.
Just as a side note. I'll be referring to bankers and cosmetic surgeons a lot. In this context they're more or less synonymous with rich people.
So lets see what this 'recession' has actually done. This wiki page gives a nice overview about the (likely) events that might come from this 'economic crisis'. It rekons that 20 million jobs might be lost because of the crisis. 20 million is not a small number by any means. But that is 20 million worldwide. We've got 6 billion people worldwide. Thats 0.3% of the total population. In Australia, people don't make too big of an issue about 0.3% of the population.
Granted, I'm overgeneralising a bit. A lot of those 20 million people are centered in a few select places, and if we take 20 million people out of the working population, then that figure gets a bit higher, but still... this 0.3% isn't the group which requires a lot of help.
Lets look at the people who lose their jobs first. That is, the people who are working for those big banks who lost all that money trading what a lot of people are now calling 'junk bonds'. These people, in a good year, make the same as about a gazillion Mexicans making Nike shoes or begging for extra Pesos only a few thousand miles away. If they lose their jobs, they might also lose the ability to get their daily botox injections or that Audi R8. *dribble* Needless to say, they'll survive, even if it means that they can only eat out once a week, and have to skip on the appetiser.
Then of course we got on to all the effects of bankers like these not having botox injections. Less botox injections means less cosmetic surgeons. Less cosmetic surgeons means less medial secretaries. Less medial secretaries means less secretaries and cosmetic surgeons' wives going shopping for Gucci bags on their lunch break. The Gucci salesperson therefore probably loses that extra bonus they might get to buy that box of chocolate cookies at the supermarket. If this happens to a large degree, some cookie cutters at the factory might lose their jobs too. But we all have cookies once in a while. How many bankers and cosmetic surgeons are there anyway? Well, I can't actually find a good link on short notice, but here's what I've got instead. At number 2 on the top 5 list of cosmetic surgeries performed in the US is breast implants. 364,610 breast implants performed in the US in one year. So out of a population of about 300 million, 0.1% of the population gets breast implants every year. At number one on the list was liposuction. 455,489 procedures performed in a year. About another 0.1%... Then we go onto things like eyelid surgery, so that Asians can have less squinty eyes, nose reshaping, so that Italians can look like they haven't been lying their whole life, and Botox injections so that people don't have to try and smile, they're stuck with that expression all the time.
These are all things, I'm fairly sure, we could do without. Instead of lipo, run around the bloody park. I don't care if you can't get out of the room without help. You got in without help right? You can use all the energy you gained in the room trying to get out, losing weight at the same time and thereby saving everyone else a whole heap of trouble. I know I can't talk. I'm a lazy bastard who doesn't do enough exersise and is quite fat.
As for breast implants - Sure, I appreciate a nice rack, but I'm not all that shallow. A nice pair doesn't make up for the fact that your brain probably needs an implant as well. Probably explains why you didn't ask for the 2-for-1 deal. Me? I probably need breast removal.
For Asians who want double eyelids - put on some weight, your eyelids will sag over soon enough. Italians - stop lying to everyone about how its lunchtime and its time for the shops to close. The rest of the world take staggered lunch breaks. We can all do without.
These are the same sorts of luxury industries that grow because bankers have too much money to burn. We don't NEED them. In fact, if someone like a cosmetic surgeon spent his time doing more socially beneficial work, like say, fixing up psychos, that'd be nice too. Though one could argue that the same people who are a bit psychotic are also the ones who get the Botox. Apparently theres no shortage of psychos.
I only know of one person who has lost his job because of this financial crisis. He was a management jargon spewing project manager who was looking after a project that was doomed from the start. So doomed in fact that the project has now been canned. Not to say that it was his fault, (it was doomed before he got there) but I think he was excess management fat anyway and hired only to grow another person's empire. Sure, he's got kids to feed, but he'll get another job. It might not pay as much, but they'll survive.
A colleague of mine recently had a friend who was laid off by one of the big banks. She seemed devestated. From a high flying banker job to being unemployed in New York City is probably a fairly big deal from their point of view. However, the banker salary probably covered a relatively lavish lifestyle compared to what they get in Mexico. So they can't get cable and have an interior decorator anymore. Shucks. Sometimes people don't get enough to eat.
The very same colleague told me during one a lull at work, where we just bitch about how stupid some things are: "Its not that bad." You know, it really isn't.
So, its time for another ill informed post about something to do with the real world while not actually reflecting it. Actually, that doesn't actually do anything to justify this post or anything else I've ever written. But oh well, its the Internet.
Just as a side note. I'll be referring to bankers and cosmetic surgeons a lot. In this context they're more or less synonymous with rich people.
So lets see what this 'recession' has actually done. This wiki page gives a nice overview about the (likely) events that might come from this 'economic crisis'. It rekons that 20 million jobs might be lost because of the crisis. 20 million is not a small number by any means. But that is 20 million worldwide. We've got 6 billion people worldwide. Thats 0.3% of the total population. In Australia, people don't make too big of an issue about 0.3% of the population.
Granted, I'm overgeneralising a bit. A lot of those 20 million people are centered in a few select places, and if we take 20 million people out of the working population, then that figure gets a bit higher, but still... this 0.3% isn't the group which requires a lot of help.
Lets look at the people who lose their jobs first. That is, the people who are working for those big banks who lost all that money trading what a lot of people are now calling 'junk bonds'. These people, in a good year, make the same as about a gazillion Mexicans making Nike shoes or begging for extra Pesos only a few thousand miles away. If they lose their jobs, they might also lose the ability to get their daily botox injections or that Audi R8. *dribble* Needless to say, they'll survive, even if it means that they can only eat out once a week, and have to skip on the appetiser.
Then of course we got on to all the effects of bankers like these not having botox injections. Less botox injections means less cosmetic surgeons. Less cosmetic surgeons means less medial secretaries. Less medial secretaries means less secretaries and cosmetic surgeons' wives going shopping for Gucci bags on their lunch break. The Gucci salesperson therefore probably loses that extra bonus they might get to buy that box of chocolate cookies at the supermarket. If this happens to a large degree, some cookie cutters at the factory might lose their jobs too. But we all have cookies once in a while. How many bankers and cosmetic surgeons are there anyway? Well, I can't actually find a good link on short notice, but here's what I've got instead. At number 2 on the top 5 list of cosmetic surgeries performed in the US is breast implants. 364,610 breast implants performed in the US in one year. So out of a population of about 300 million, 0.1% of the population gets breast implants every year. At number one on the list was liposuction. 455,489 procedures performed in a year. About another 0.1%... Then we go onto things like eyelid surgery, so that Asians can have less squinty eyes, nose reshaping, so that Italians can look like they haven't been lying their whole life, and Botox injections so that people don't have to try and smile, they're stuck with that expression all the time.
These are all things, I'm fairly sure, we could do without. Instead of lipo, run around the bloody park. I don't care if you can't get out of the room without help. You got in without help right? You can use all the energy you gained in the room trying to get out, losing weight at the same time and thereby saving everyone else a whole heap of trouble. I know I can't talk. I'm a lazy bastard who doesn't do enough exersise and is quite fat.
As for breast implants - Sure, I appreciate a nice rack, but I'm not all that shallow. A nice pair doesn't make up for the fact that your brain probably needs an implant as well. Probably explains why you didn't ask for the 2-for-1 deal. Me? I probably need breast removal.
For Asians who want double eyelids - put on some weight, your eyelids will sag over soon enough. Italians - stop lying to everyone about how its lunchtime and its time for the shops to close. The rest of the world take staggered lunch breaks. We can all do without.
These are the same sorts of luxury industries that grow because bankers have too much money to burn. We don't NEED them. In fact, if someone like a cosmetic surgeon spent his time doing more socially beneficial work, like say, fixing up psychos, that'd be nice too. Though one could argue that the same people who are a bit psychotic are also the ones who get the Botox. Apparently theres no shortage of psychos.
I only know of one person who has lost his job because of this financial crisis. He was a management jargon spewing project manager who was looking after a project that was doomed from the start. So doomed in fact that the project has now been canned. Not to say that it was his fault, (it was doomed before he got there) but I think he was excess management fat anyway and hired only to grow another person's empire. Sure, he's got kids to feed, but he'll get another job. It might not pay as much, but they'll survive.
A colleague of mine recently had a friend who was laid off by one of the big banks. She seemed devestated. From a high flying banker job to being unemployed in New York City is probably a fairly big deal from their point of view. However, the banker salary probably covered a relatively lavish lifestyle compared to what they get in Mexico. So they can't get cable and have an interior decorator anymore. Shucks. Sometimes people don't get enough to eat.
The very same colleague told me during one a lull at work, where we just bitch about how stupid some things are: "Its not that bad." You know, it really isn't.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Credit Cards
I think I've finally figured out how credit cards made money, and also how they make different amounts of money in different countries. Well, at least in this country and at home. Its actually quite a LOT of money when you add it all up. Actually its quite sad the amount of money that they make at the cost of 'everyone else'.
Somehow its really obscene. Before 'plastic money', there weren't that many alternatives. There was cash, which people carried around and are legally worth a certain value. There were also cheques, which are basically IOUs and were easier to carry around for large amounts of money, and first pioneered by the Romans. Then some weird person invented the ATM, and the requisite card that goes along with it. However, in each case you're using your own money, or money that was originally in a bank account in your name, or at least usually.
Then enter the credit card. Here we start introducing methods of paying for things where you actually borrow money to pay for your goods. Not that it appears this way to the guy you're purchasing off. In effect, you have borrowed from the bank and the bank has agreed to pay the amount for you and you have agreed to borrow from the bank. As long as the merchant has the piece of paper with your signature on it, the money is as good as theirs. You still owe the bank money for borrowing it though. For that, you might be charged an annual fee for the ability to have this line of credit, and also any interest you might have accrued during the period that you have borrowed it for.
In addition to this, the bank also has other revenue sources stemming from the use of credit cards. They also run the machines that process your cards as well. For that, they charge a nominal fee per annum to the merchant, plus a small fee on every transaction, plus a percentage of each transaction. All these things start to add up.
Lets start putting some numbers to it:
Annual credit card fee: Lets say an average of $50
Average credit card debt is about $5000 in Australia
Interest rate: 15%
This works out to about $800, assuming that people only have 1 credit card each and ignoring the interest free period.
From the merchant side, we have people spending about $18bn in a month on their credit cards. For your average small retailer, your credit card fee works out to be about 2.5% in Australia. So annually, thats about $5.3bn. Thats a lot!
The number of people with credit cards in Australia.. well.. actually I can't really find a link, so we'll be conservative again. I can see thats theres about 17m credit cards on issue, and even if everyone has 2, I think its relatively safe to say that half that number is about the number of people with at least 1.
So in total, we have 8m x $800 + $5.3bn, plus some extra cash that merchants pay the banks for having the privilege of using their machines, which works out to be $6.4 + $5.3bn = $11.7bn worth of revenue. According to Wiki, the GDP of the entire country is about $760bn USD, which in todays exchange rate, works out to be about $1100bn AUD. So if you work it out, thats about 0.5% of the total GDP comes from the use of credit cards. 50c out of every $100 that goes through the country... That might not sound like a lot, but fark, if I had 50c for every $100 that ANYBODY spent in the country, I'd be bloody happy.
Somehow its really obscene. Before 'plastic money', there weren't that many alternatives. There was cash, which people carried around and are legally worth a certain value. There were also cheques, which are basically IOUs and were easier to carry around for large amounts of money, and first pioneered by the Romans. Then some weird person invented the ATM, and the requisite card that goes along with it. However, in each case you're using your own money, or money that was originally in a bank account in your name, or at least usually.
Then enter the credit card. Here we start introducing methods of paying for things where you actually borrow money to pay for your goods. Not that it appears this way to the guy you're purchasing off. In effect, you have borrowed from the bank and the bank has agreed to pay the amount for you and you have agreed to borrow from the bank. As long as the merchant has the piece of paper with your signature on it, the money is as good as theirs. You still owe the bank money for borrowing it though. For that, you might be charged an annual fee for the ability to have this line of credit, and also any interest you might have accrued during the period that you have borrowed it for.
In addition to this, the bank also has other revenue sources stemming from the use of credit cards. They also run the machines that process your cards as well. For that, they charge a nominal fee per annum to the merchant, plus a small fee on every transaction, plus a percentage of each transaction. All these things start to add up.
Lets start putting some numbers to it:
Annual credit card fee: Lets say an average of $50
Average credit card debt is about $5000 in Australia
Interest rate: 15%
This works out to about $800, assuming that people only have 1 credit card each and ignoring the interest free period.
From the merchant side, we have people spending about $18bn in a month on their credit cards. For your average small retailer, your credit card fee works out to be about 2.5% in Australia. So annually, thats about $5.3bn. Thats a lot!
The number of people with credit cards in Australia.. well.. actually I can't really find a link, so we'll be conservative again. I can see thats theres about 17m credit cards on issue, and even if everyone has 2, I think its relatively safe to say that half that number is about the number of people with at least 1.
So in total, we have 8m x $800 + $5.3bn, plus some extra cash that merchants pay the banks for having the privilege of using their machines, which works out to be $6.4 + $5.3bn = $11.7bn worth of revenue. According to Wiki, the GDP of the entire country is about $760bn USD, which in todays exchange rate, works out to be about $1100bn AUD. So if you work it out, thats about 0.5% of the total GDP comes from the use of credit cards. 50c out of every $100 that goes through the country... That might not sound like a lot, but fark, if I had 50c for every $100 that ANYBODY spent in the country, I'd be bloody happy.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
The network is down
I guess I've been looking for excuses to post, but something got in the way. I actually got around to fixing my desktop PC. So instead its because the network at work is down.
It actually worked for quite a while. I mean, back in Australia. Hummed like a chior without a fault. Well anyway, it didn't quite make the trip here unscathed. There were plenty of loose things here and there. I didn't check all of them.
So after a while, I fried the motherboard. There was actually smoke coming out of it somewhere. That was about 2 months ago now. Since I had nothing else to do, I bought another one. Obviously doing what was super quality work, I installed it. The CPU fan didn't fit anymore, so I cut bits off it so it at least had contact with the CPU. Not ideal, but that measn that the motherboard can't go vertical with the case. Therefore it sits on the floor. Also, it doesn't need to be bolted down to the case, so, me being me, didn't bolt it down.
Another mistake.
My new flatmate is moving in with me soon, so I had to move all my stuff out of that room. During the move, something came loose, and kinda went under the motherboard. So after I'd moved it, it wouldn't start again. Usually I like problem solving, in fact, its one of the big things that I miss as part of my old job. But this was a problem I couldn't really find a solution to since there was only really one symptom. The system wasn't powering up.
This was the same symptom I got on my old motherboard, but without the smoke. Normally I'm the one who tells people to RTFM, so I tried to take my own advice. I went to the troubleshooting part of the motherboard manual. 'Check to see whether the motherboard is short circuited'. I checked. 'Unplug everything with only the power supply and see.' I saw. Since I didn't really get any further than that, I naturally assumed I'd done the same thing again, and out I went to buy another motherboard, this time, as cheap as I could find.
Same issue again. No, it couldn't be the motherboard right? Well, what comes before the motherboard? Oh thats right, theknee bone power supply. I took my time getting this one, since I thought I was spending way too much money on this and if I did end up getting it working again, I'd just spend lots more time playing games. However, a friend convinced me to. He needs some help with his MMORPG character.
So back I went and installed this brand spanking new power supply.
It failed =( What could possibly be wrong?!?!
I'm lucky I have a laptop to play around with as well, otherwise I would be totally screwed. So the first thing I thought could be a problem now was the power switch. Maybe I yanked it too hard and it broke.
So I googled atx power switches and so forth. That didn't last long - making a new switch was thrown in the "too hard" basket, and it was a long shot anyway.
Next - testing the power supply. It took a bit more googling to find that some people happen to use the power supply for non-computer purposes. Don't ask me what - I wouldn't know. But they wanted to know how to 'turn on a power supply without a power switch'. Apparently you just short a couple of wires in the ATX power cable thing. Specifically, the green one and any of the black ones. They suggested a paper clip to help with the job.
I didn't have any paperclips, but conviniently remembered that my parents, aunts and uncles told me never to stick cutlery in power points, and in the case of my grandmother, toasters. (What? Sometimes those little toasties get stuck because they pop out at the wrong angle!) 5 minutes later i'm sitting on the floor of my bedroom sticking forks into a power supply in an apartment to which only I have the key in a country where nobody would really notice if I went missing.
Not that the ridiculousness of the situation was on my mind at the time. With the benefit of hindsight, that was probably a bad idea.
It wasn't all that bad though. I've had worse shocks in primary school when kids would deliberately rub their socks on the floor and me around to give an electric shock. It also helped to prove that the power supply was absolutely fine. Both of them. Fan started spinning, and apparently electricity was flowing.
Back to the motherboards then.
Pull out the motherboards from the case, attach it to the power supply, and then short the power switch with a fork. Easy enough right? Yes, actually. The CPU fan starts spinning. Right. So its not the motherboard... back to the switches.
I plugged the switch into the appropriate position on the motherboard while it was still outside the case, lying on the floor of my room.
Whhiiiiirrrrrr....
Seriously considering leaving all the hardware sitting out on the floor while I went back to playing games, I went back on MSN for a break. Who ever thought that shorting your power supply and motherboards with a fork would be so much work?
Later on I found the problem. It was a bit of metal from a SATA cable that fell off when I moved it. It was under the motherboard and was shorting it! Argh.
It actually worked for quite a while. I mean, back in Australia. Hummed like a chior without a fault. Well anyway, it didn't quite make the trip here unscathed. There were plenty of loose things here and there. I didn't check all of them.
So after a while, I fried the motherboard. There was actually smoke coming out of it somewhere. That was about 2 months ago now. Since I had nothing else to do, I bought another one. Obviously doing what was super quality work, I installed it. The CPU fan didn't fit anymore, so I cut bits off it so it at least had contact with the CPU. Not ideal, but that measn that the motherboard can't go vertical with the case. Therefore it sits on the floor. Also, it doesn't need to be bolted down to the case, so, me being me, didn't bolt it down.
Another mistake.
My new flatmate is moving in with me soon, so I had to move all my stuff out of that room. During the move, something came loose, and kinda went under the motherboard. So after I'd moved it, it wouldn't start again. Usually I like problem solving, in fact, its one of the big things that I miss as part of my old job. But this was a problem I couldn't really find a solution to since there was only really one symptom. The system wasn't powering up.
This was the same symptom I got on my old motherboard, but without the smoke. Normally I'm the one who tells people to RTFM, so I tried to take my own advice. I went to the troubleshooting part of the motherboard manual. 'Check to see whether the motherboard is short circuited'. I checked. 'Unplug everything with only the power supply and see.' I saw. Since I didn't really get any further than that, I naturally assumed I'd done the same thing again, and out I went to buy another motherboard, this time, as cheap as I could find.
Same issue again. No, it couldn't be the motherboard right? Well, what comes before the motherboard? Oh thats right, the
So back I went and installed this brand spanking new power supply.
It failed =( What could possibly be wrong?!?!
I'm lucky I have a laptop to play around with as well, otherwise I would be totally screwed. So the first thing I thought could be a problem now was the power switch. Maybe I yanked it too hard and it broke.
So I googled atx power switches and so forth. That didn't last long - making a new switch was thrown in the "too hard" basket, and it was a long shot anyway.
Next - testing the power supply. It took a bit more googling to find that some people happen to use the power supply for non-computer purposes. Don't ask me what - I wouldn't know. But they wanted to know how to 'turn on a power supply without a power switch'. Apparently you just short a couple of wires in the ATX power cable thing. Specifically, the green one and any of the black ones. They suggested a paper clip to help with the job.
I didn't have any paperclips, but conviniently remembered that my parents, aunts and uncles told me never to stick cutlery in power points, and in the case of my grandmother, toasters. (What? Sometimes those little toasties get stuck because they pop out at the wrong angle!) 5 minutes later i'm sitting on the floor of my bedroom sticking forks into a power supply in an apartment to which only I have the key in a country where nobody would really notice if I went missing.
Not that the ridiculousness of the situation was on my mind at the time. With the benefit of hindsight, that was probably a bad idea.
It wasn't all that bad though. I've had worse shocks in primary school when kids would deliberately rub their socks on the floor and me around to give an electric shock. It also helped to prove that the power supply was absolutely fine. Both of them. Fan started spinning, and apparently electricity was flowing.
Back to the motherboards then.
Pull out the motherboards from the case, attach it to the power supply, and then short the power switch with a fork. Easy enough right? Yes, actually. The CPU fan starts spinning. Right. So its not the motherboard... back to the switches.
I plugged the switch into the appropriate position on the motherboard while it was still outside the case, lying on the floor of my room.
Whhiiiiirrrrrr....
Seriously considering leaving all the hardware sitting out on the floor while I went back to playing games, I went back on MSN for a break. Who ever thought that shorting your power supply and motherboards with a fork would be so much work?
Later on I found the problem. It was a bit of metal from a SATA cable that fell off when I moved it. It was under the motherboard and was shorting it! Argh.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Singapore Pizza
I had a craving for pizza tonight, so I ordered some. I really wasn't very satisfied. Theres something about the pizza here which makes it a bit NQR. Now I realise why, when I went to Italy with a couple of friends from this country, they LOVED the pizza. Of course, after a couple of weeks of nothing but pizza and pasta, they got sick of it, but the standard is so much different over there. Its a bit like flying from Antarctica to the middle of Botswana and discovering the difference in temperature difference. Thats if you can equate the weather to the taste of pizza. If in some sick way you can't, join the club. I don't understand what I write most of the time either.
I've actually had a couple of pizzas here, and neither of them are any good at all. I thought that maybe the first was just an abnormal sample, but as I'm now doubling the sample size, my significance level is getting just that much better.
So I think I figured out what it is. A couple of things actually:
The Cheese
The first thing is the cheese. Its really not er.. cheesy enough. I don't actually know much about cheese, but normally the cheese I eat on pizzas is melted and stretches when you pull the next piece off the pizza. The cheese here just breaks. Thats just wrong. Theres no slippery slide of cheese between you and the rest of the pizza. It also spoils the whole pizza eating experience.
I don't know if its the same thing that makes cheese stretchy as well as taste better, but its the best that I can come up with.
The Meat
All the Aussies I talk to here all agree that the meat in this country is two things: bad and expensive. The only American I'm on speaking terms here also agrees. I guess it only makes sense. Apart from chicken, all the other types of land animal meat on sale here has to float halfway around the world before it actually gets here. The beef, lamb and pork comes from either Brazil, Australia or New Zealand.
The meat on this particular pizza I had tonight looked like spam. I ordered a super supreme, so I was guessing it was either ham or salami. It tasted like neither, which is a bit scary. If I wake up sick tomorrow, then I'll know why.
So point to note: If you ever come to Singapore, don't eat the pizza, even if you have a REALLY big craving for it. Its also very expensive ($25~ SGD). Try the chilli crab instead.
I've actually had a couple of pizzas here, and neither of them are any good at all. I thought that maybe the first was just an abnormal sample, but as I'm now doubling the sample size, my significance level is getting just that much better.
So I think I figured out what it is. A couple of things actually:
The first thing is the cheese. Its really not er.. cheesy enough. I don't actually know much about cheese, but normally the cheese I eat on pizzas is melted and stretches when you pull the next piece off the pizza. The cheese here just breaks. Thats just wrong. Theres no slippery slide of cheese between you and the rest of the pizza. It also spoils the whole pizza eating experience.
I don't know if its the same thing that makes cheese stretchy as well as taste better, but its the best that I can come up with.
All the Aussies I talk to here all agree that the meat in this country is two things: bad and expensive. The only American I'm on speaking terms here also agrees. I guess it only makes sense. Apart from chicken, all the other types of land animal meat on sale here has to float halfway around the world before it actually gets here. The beef, lamb and pork comes from either Brazil, Australia or New Zealand.
The meat on this particular pizza I had tonight looked like spam. I ordered a super supreme, so I was guessing it was either ham or salami. It tasted like neither, which is a bit scary. If I wake up sick tomorrow, then I'll know why.
So point to note: If you ever come to Singapore, don't eat the pizza, even if you have a REALLY big craving for it. Its also very expensive ($25~ SGD). Try the chilli crab instead.
Tuesday, October 07, 2008
A night of hilarity
I was reading some of the old posts on this blog and its actually quite funny. I think it has actually made me want to start writing again. That, coupled with the fact that my game playing desktop machine is kind of broken right now gives me the perfect oppurtunity to start trying. So I thought I'd share something because nobody I talk to on a regular basis actually knows about this situation, and I found it really quite funny. I still chuckle to myself when I think about it a few weeks later. It actually happened on one of those rare occasions I went clubbing.
To put it in perspective, I don't actually go clubbing very often. Once every 3 months at the most. The average is probably closer to once every 6 months. I think I've written before about why I don't go. Its somewhere in the plethora of words that somehow made it from my computer to Blogger in the past few years. Personally I wouldn't go searching for it, but suffice to say that I'm not someone who has the personality nor the physical dexterity to make an impression in that sort of environment. Plus, its not exactly cheap.
So anyway, it was a Friday night, and I'd been to a work team building function thing where people just seem to drink and eat, and then drink some more. Throw in some games and collegues making a fool of themselves, and you have a night of hilarity for people to talk about during the next week in the office and to spread rumours about others to those who didn't attend. It was in some ways quite an eye opener.
Instead of staying around to make a fool of myself in front of my boss and the people who tell me what to do at work, I thought I should go catch up with a friend I haven't seen since I started uni. She was at a club down the road drinking, so I went and met up with her. We went in, and I met some of her friends, and we drank. I'm not sure what I was drinking, but I thought it actually tasted quite bad. Normally I wouldn't keep drinking, but it was free, and being from an Asian background, I just can't say no to free stuff. In fact, the only junk mail I keep is where they give you free samples or vouchers for things. But I digress.
So we did the usual thing. Cheers to just about anything you could think of, and cheers to about an equal or more number of things that we couldn't think of. I remember meeting a few people, but if you put them in front of me today and asked me who they were, I probably couldn't tell you. It was dark, and it was a club! I never actually saw any of them in the light. Its probably better that way, they end up looking better.
Needless to say, I probably had about 5 drinks too many, and had to go to the bathroom to make it all come out wrong. At last count I think it was about 3 times. In the end I kind of went back to the table we were sitting at and promptly fell asleep. Not exactly the best impression to have on a friend I used to have a crush on. Oh well. No, I didn't come to this country because of her. It was a long time ago, and girls skipping the country after I start to have a thing for them seem to happen more often than not. I think theres just not enough room in the country for my ego and them, so its usually them who make room for my ego, and now my belly.
The next thing I knew was that I was sitting at a table with drained drinks with another couple who looked vaguely familiar. I think they were my friend's friends. However, at that stage, they could have been complete strangers and I wouldn't really have cared. All that really mattered was that I wasn't quite alone in a club which was rapidly becoming empty. They looked at me sympathetically. I gave a relatively weak smile in reply.
Someone else who looked quite familiar and was probably smoking weed earlier in the night came by with a couple of girls who seemed quite pleasant and started dancing around near the table. Not knowing what to do and too lazy to do anything, I stared. From what I remember, they were wearing things that were quite flattering. Well, actually, anything would have looked flattering in my state of mind. One of them asked me to dance. As much as I would have liked to, I think that would have just led me to falling over again, so I, as graciously as I could under the circumstances, declined her offer. She seemed to take it as a mortal insult and walked away. Now that I think back on it, I think it must have been the way I was slouched with googly eyes talking to her breasts rather than her face. I have, however, been wrong before.
The couple on the other side of the table seemed quite amused about my state of being, and after a while asked if I would like to dance in the usual way people do when nobody can hear what you're saying:
Girl: *Mouth moves while jerking thumb towards dancefloor and a questioning look*
I surprised myself by replying:
Me: *Expression of surprise coupled with a slight nod and a mouthing of 'okay'*
So she led me by my hand towards the dancefloor. Clearly I wouldn't have been able to make it on my own. The (what I assumed to be) boyfriend, however, was not impressed. To tell you the truth, I wouldn't be either, but the expression on his face was priceless. She started dancing and I waved my arms about and shuffled my feet. Boyfriend stood on the side and watched us glumly. I was trying to milk this for all it was worth.
After a short while he pulled her away a bit. Thinking that it would be stupid to stop dancing by myself, I kept going, making a general fool of myself in front of people I'd never met before. Something else which is not the first time. She seemed to look sorry for me, but also had to placate the boyfriend, so spun a few moves and went back to their seats. Feeling more foolish than before, I thought I should make an exit and stop eliciting spurts of jealousy from the boyfriend, however entertaining it was. I announced to my new found pals it was time for me to go home. We wouldn't want him to start off on a worse impression than I was already giving, in the event that I ever meet them again.
I thought that would be the end of it. I would have been quite content to leave him and his alone. But he seemed quite insistent that once I'd made my announcement, he should escort me to the door. Not exactly the most confident move by a guy in front of his girlfriend, but who am I to judge? All my confidence at the time was alchohol induced. He seemed to also have an issue that I left my bag in the cloak room and needed to fetch it. He really wanted to get rid of me.
I shook his hand on the way out.
'Thanks mate.'
I'm coming back with a bang!
To put it in perspective, I don't actually go clubbing very often. Once every 3 months at the most. The average is probably closer to once every 6 months. I think I've written before about why I don't go. Its somewhere in the plethora of words that somehow made it from my computer to Blogger in the past few years. Personally I wouldn't go searching for it, but suffice to say that I'm not someone who has the personality nor the physical dexterity to make an impression in that sort of environment. Plus, its not exactly cheap.
So anyway, it was a Friday night, and I'd been to a work team building function thing where people just seem to drink and eat, and then drink some more. Throw in some games and collegues making a fool of themselves, and you have a night of hilarity for people to talk about during the next week in the office and to spread rumours about others to those who didn't attend. It was in some ways quite an eye opener.
Instead of staying around to make a fool of myself in front of my boss and the people who tell me what to do at work, I thought I should go catch up with a friend I haven't seen since I started uni. She was at a club down the road drinking, so I went and met up with her. We went in, and I met some of her friends, and we drank. I'm not sure what I was drinking, but I thought it actually tasted quite bad. Normally I wouldn't keep drinking, but it was free, and being from an Asian background, I just can't say no to free stuff. In fact, the only junk mail I keep is where they give you free samples or vouchers for things. But I digress.
So we did the usual thing. Cheers to just about anything you could think of, and cheers to about an equal or more number of things that we couldn't think of. I remember meeting a few people, but if you put them in front of me today and asked me who they were, I probably couldn't tell you. It was dark, and it was a club! I never actually saw any of them in the light. Its probably better that way, they end up looking better.
Needless to say, I probably had about 5 drinks too many, and had to go to the bathroom to make it all come out wrong. At last count I think it was about 3 times. In the end I kind of went back to the table we were sitting at and promptly fell asleep. Not exactly the best impression to have on a friend I used to have a crush on. Oh well. No, I didn't come to this country because of her. It was a long time ago, and girls skipping the country after I start to have a thing for them seem to happen more often than not. I think theres just not enough room in the country for my ego and them, so its usually them who make room for my ego, and now my belly.
The next thing I knew was that I was sitting at a table with drained drinks with another couple who looked vaguely familiar. I think they were my friend's friends. However, at that stage, they could have been complete strangers and I wouldn't really have cared. All that really mattered was that I wasn't quite alone in a club which was rapidly becoming empty. They looked at me sympathetically. I gave a relatively weak smile in reply.
Someone else who looked quite familiar and was probably smoking weed earlier in the night came by with a couple of girls who seemed quite pleasant and started dancing around near the table. Not knowing what to do and too lazy to do anything, I stared. From what I remember, they were wearing things that were quite flattering. Well, actually, anything would have looked flattering in my state of mind. One of them asked me to dance. As much as I would have liked to, I think that would have just led me to falling over again, so I, as graciously as I could under the circumstances, declined her offer. She seemed to take it as a mortal insult and walked away. Now that I think back on it, I think it must have been the way I was slouched with googly eyes talking to her breasts rather than her face. I have, however, been wrong before.
The couple on the other side of the table seemed quite amused about my state of being, and after a while asked if I would like to dance in the usual way people do when nobody can hear what you're saying:
Girl: *Mouth moves while jerking thumb towards dancefloor and a questioning look*
I surprised myself by replying:
Me: *Expression of surprise coupled with a slight nod and a mouthing of 'okay'*
So she led me by my hand towards the dancefloor. Clearly I wouldn't have been able to make it on my own. The (what I assumed to be) boyfriend, however, was not impressed. To tell you the truth, I wouldn't be either, but the expression on his face was priceless. She started dancing and I waved my arms about and shuffled my feet. Boyfriend stood on the side and watched us glumly. I was trying to milk this for all it was worth.
After a short while he pulled her away a bit. Thinking that it would be stupid to stop dancing by myself, I kept going, making a general fool of myself in front of people I'd never met before. Something else which is not the first time. She seemed to look sorry for me, but also had to placate the boyfriend, so spun a few moves and went back to their seats. Feeling more foolish than before, I thought I should make an exit and stop eliciting spurts of jealousy from the boyfriend, however entertaining it was. I announced to my new found pals it was time for me to go home. We wouldn't want him to start off on a worse impression than I was already giving, in the event that I ever meet them again.
I thought that would be the end of it. I would have been quite content to leave him and his alone. But he seemed quite insistent that once I'd made my announcement, he should escort me to the door. Not exactly the most confident move by a guy in front of his girlfriend, but who am I to judge? All my confidence at the time was alchohol induced. He seemed to also have an issue that I left my bag in the cloak room and needed to fetch it. He really wanted to get rid of me.
I shook his hand on the way out.
'Thanks mate.'
I'm coming back with a bang!
Monday, October 06, 2008
How its all been going
The short answer is: Well.
The long answer is, well, long.
Its vague yes. I guess there are plenty of stories to tell, and not all of them flattering, but there are plenty of good things going on too. I'm finally starting to get settled into my job and actually getting some productive work done. Its not actually a job which requires a lot of brains, but its not a job which could be done by me 5 years ago either.
The thing is, I'm almost defining my job scope as we go along. There is of course a certain minimum standard I have to meet, but apart from that, the amount of work is really only constained by the amount of time we have to do it. Technically its only meant to finish up by June next year, so it sounds like plenty of time, but theres a lot to cover.
I need to go through data from lots of different countries and make sure its 'right'. This is all to report figures to regulatory authorities to determine how much money our bank needs to do its everyday things and keep some on the side for a rainy day. Its nice to know the outcome of my work will have a profound impact - think billions of dollars of funds going to or fro.
Apart from my job, I seem to be meeting plenty of people. However, they all seem to be similar to me. That is, they're all from western countries who've moved to Singapore to work. I think now I understand why the foreign students in Australia all seem to hang out together. Its not really that they don't want to hang out with the locals, it can be hard to meet them if you're not from around there. They all have their circles already set up, and its not easy to be a part of them. The background and things which bring them together are likely to be different. Whereas if you're with people who are 'like you', then you have more in common, more to talk about, and therefore are more likely to hang out together.
I guess its not all bad. At least they don't hang out with me because of my money. Yeah you know the stereotypical Singaporean girl who seems to think thats a huge status thing - the ones who buy Gucci bags on credit because it apparently reflects how good a person they are. Well, it seems true on the male side too. However, bags aren't quite so common. Its more about their car or shirts.
Or maybe I'm just jealous I don't have a Gucci bag.
I'll let you decide.
EDIT: Apparently, I've already written about this before
The long answer is, well, long.
Its vague yes. I guess there are plenty of stories to tell, and not all of them flattering, but there are plenty of good things going on too. I'm finally starting to get settled into my job and actually getting some productive work done. Its not actually a job which requires a lot of brains, but its not a job which could be done by me 5 years ago either.
The thing is, I'm almost defining my job scope as we go along. There is of course a certain minimum standard I have to meet, but apart from that, the amount of work is really only constained by the amount of time we have to do it. Technically its only meant to finish up by June next year, so it sounds like plenty of time, but theres a lot to cover.
I need to go through data from lots of different countries and make sure its 'right'. This is all to report figures to regulatory authorities to determine how much money our bank needs to do its everyday things and keep some on the side for a rainy day. Its nice to know the outcome of my work will have a profound impact - think billions of dollars of funds going to or fro.
Apart from my job, I seem to be meeting plenty of people. However, they all seem to be similar to me. That is, they're all from western countries who've moved to Singapore to work. I think now I understand why the foreign students in Australia all seem to hang out together. Its not really that they don't want to hang out with the locals, it can be hard to meet them if you're not from around there. They all have their circles already set up, and its not easy to be a part of them. The background and things which bring them together are likely to be different. Whereas if you're with people who are 'like you', then you have more in common, more to talk about, and therefore are more likely to hang out together.
I guess its not all bad. At least they don't hang out with me because of my money. Yeah you know the stereotypical Singaporean girl who seems to think thats a huge status thing - the ones who buy Gucci bags on credit because it apparently reflects how good a person they are. Well, it seems true on the male side too. However, bags aren't quite so common. Its more about their car or shirts.
Or maybe I'm just jealous I don't have a Gucci bag.
I'll let you decide.
EDIT: Apparently, I've already written about this before
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Manila
So I'm in Manila right now. I didn't really choose to come here, but here I am. Actually thats not quite true. I'm only really here because nobody else wanted to come, but I was kinda relishing the oppurtunity while at the same time cautious about why nobody else in the team wanted to come.
Yes, its actually just for work, for the new job. I won't go over what I'm actually do, but more about the city.
The Phillipines is technically still a developing country, so I think there are quite a few similarities to the other many and varied developing countries I've visited (read: China and Thailand, no I'm really not THAT well travelled). So theres this big contrast between the poor and the rich part of the city. The modern shopping malls with the luxury goods from Europe are around, but if you drive 10 minutes down the road, its a very different picture. Slums are plentiful. There does seem to be a middle class though, which is nice too.
Theres not much to do in the capital either, a bit like Bangkok. Well theres the nightlife, but thats about it. Its not really in the centre of the city either, you kinda have to know where to go. Lucky I had a wannabe local (I have a workmate who gets taken advantage of by Philo girls wayyy to easily) to take me around. I'm also told that the beach and tourist places are kinda the same as Thailand too - Really nice but just around the tourist area.
I went to this 'dance club' which was kinda weird. A bit different from what I'm used to, but yeah. Oh well.
Yes, its actually just for work, for the new job. I won't go over what I'm actually do, but more about the city.
The Phillipines is technically still a developing country, so I think there are quite a few similarities to the other many and varied developing countries I've visited (read: China and Thailand, no I'm really not THAT well travelled). So theres this big contrast between the poor and the rich part of the city. The modern shopping malls with the luxury goods from Europe are around, but if you drive 10 minutes down the road, its a very different picture. Slums are plentiful. There does seem to be a middle class though, which is nice too.
Theres not much to do in the capital either, a bit like Bangkok. Well theres the nightlife, but thats about it. Its not really in the centre of the city either, you kinda have to know where to go. Lucky I had a wannabe local (I have a workmate who gets taken advantage of by Philo girls wayyy to easily) to take me around. I'm also told that the beach and tourist places are kinda the same as Thailand too - Really nice but just around the tourist area.
I went to this 'dance club' which was kinda weird. A bit different from what I'm used to, but yeah. Oh well.
Monday, August 04, 2008
What Ez has been up to
Wow its been quite a while huh?
Well, now that I'm spending less time DOTARing, and more time well, doing house work, it gives me more of a reason to procrastinate, and, well, blog.
So, apart from DOTARing, what else has Ez been up to?
Well, actually quite a lot. I actually started to drink a lot less, and play a lot more sport. That was actually quite good until I stopped - We'll get to the reasons behind why later. I started playing soccer for a couple of teams, and there was also regular badminton involved somewhere too. So that was my whole Sundays taken up and also some Wednesday nights.
Drinking less was a big thing too. Well, not really. I had excuses to go home and do stuff. Some of the classics were: haircuts and dinner.
Oh, and I also went to Italy. That was fun.
Other significant events include (but are not limited to) quitting my job, moving to Singapore, and getting a new job. Hence, I've stopped played sport for the time being until I can find a new group to hang out with that also play at more or less my level. That'll be hard.
Also implied is that I've moved out of 'home'. That is, away from family and things. So here comes housework and other associated activities that I normally don't do.
So its a big change, a brave new world, and we'll see where life takes me from here.
Well, now that I'm spending less time DOTARing, and more time well, doing house work, it gives me more of a reason to procrastinate, and, well, blog.
So, apart from DOTARing, what else has Ez been up to?
Well, actually quite a lot. I actually started to drink a lot less, and play a lot more sport. That was actually quite good until I stopped - We'll get to the reasons behind why later. I started playing soccer for a couple of teams, and there was also regular badminton involved somewhere too. So that was my whole Sundays taken up and also some Wednesday nights.
Drinking less was a big thing too. Well, not really. I had excuses to go home and do stuff. Some of the classics were: haircuts and dinner.
Oh, and I also went to Italy. That was fun.
Other significant events include (but are not limited to) quitting my job, moving to Singapore, and getting a new job. Hence, I've stopped played sport for the time being until I can find a new group to hang out with that also play at more or less my level. That'll be hard.
Also implied is that I've moved out of 'home'. That is, away from family and things. So here comes housework and other associated activities that I normally don't do.
So its a big change, a brave new world, and we'll see where life takes me from here.
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