Showing newest 5 of 18 posts from May 2009. Show older posts
Showing newest 5 of 18 posts from May 2009. Show older posts

The Guys Nowadays

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这几天,一直有些东西憋在心里,想写出来,但又好像整理不出什么。

同事说我是一个很“文字型”的人,尤其在拨电话给我时可以感受到,而且在看过我那些充满文字的地图之后,更加觉得这样的形容贴切。可能我真的是比较文字型,不过不要问我为什么。或许我天生就注定是这种人。


星期五放工回来,第一次连电脑都没开,就不省人事、去会周公了。星期六一早上网,查看工作的电子邮箱,过后还是声声叹气,然后我在“面子书”(陶杰的翻译)那里写说:

we trust the ability of some people, coz of their position, experience, age (by assuming they are knowledgeable about what to do, how to do)... but most of the time, it ends up in disappointment... so, depend on no one except ourselves!

有时我真的很不明白,为什么被称(也自称)是SENIOR或MANAGER的人,可以做出很多很可笑的东西。连最简单的什么时候该做什么事,都不能有一点sense。虽然有人在我查看邮件之前已经回复“建议”说,以后请不要这样做,我还是忍不住要多加一把嘴,把我的观点也说出来。当然,我很假斯文地说,我也有一些建议要说,如此开始那封邮件。

老实说,我真的很怀念已经离开,虽然要照顾家庭和念书,也能够把工作兼顾得很好的前同事(就算要考试的时候也不必请什么study leaves)。在我心目中,她根本就是神,太棒了!她走了之后,接手的,真的很令人失望。所以,新加入、被“接手的”所“训练”出来的,也只是许多笑话的根源。应该做的,他不做;不应该做的,就做到足!


最令我不能忍受的是,平时没事时,简直当我透明,什么weekly progress update从来没有让我知道。一到有问题不会回答或解决的时候,才forward过来给我,指示我在什么期限内要回答。以前我一看到这样的电邮,火就马上来。现在,根据情况,我或许会马上删除电邮,眼不见为净;或对他的所谓期限视而不见、见也不理。

可是我还是尽量不要过分到会给我老板制造麻烦的程度。没有性格哦?

在这里讲那么多,可能我在公司里的寿命也不会太长。不理了,总之今时今日我还没有被certified,所以不要期望我会安静。

不懂怎么说,今时今日,很多时候我都觉得现今的男人不知道发生了什么事,好像很多都比女人惨,最厉害的就是遇到小小挫折就放弃,一点也不懂得坚持。从学院、大学开始到现在,就发现了这些现象。注意,我不是说全部男人都是这样,我是说大多数。


大学的时候,我记得有个同学,去了那里一学期,就说不习惯澳洲沉闷的生活,等不及要回国。其实他的课程,只要读两个学期就毕业,既然都熬过了一半,为什么另一个学期不能坚持熬完它?他的成绩是很不错的,人又聪明(学业和其他方面)。他有很多理由的,说什么回国读会比较省钱、又可以工作赚钱等等。据我所知,他回国之后,不只没有半工读,而且用了不只一个学期才“终于”毕业,之后找工也是困难重重,可能是受不了苦。

老实说,现在回想起来,我也不明白那时候为什么会跟他那么好。不过我们也已经将近5年没有联络了。我也不觉得有什么特别的必要联络。


上星期,我哥跟我说,他不要在台湾念书了(他今年年头才过去,还不到半年),下星期五就会回来,然后会回去以前那间公司工作,顺道在本地拿一些课程。基本上,和上述的个案差不多。他跟我说,那里的课程怎么不好、没前途,我就说,之前是你自己去搜集资料并且决定要去念书的,此时此刻你不要怪任何人(他有怪说我妈妈没把什么查清楚)。后来他说了很多有的没的,总之就是说,我不明白他的状况,但幸好我妈可以明白。我也不想多说,就把他要的钱传去他的户口就暂时close case。我没有心情再讲下去。

我才不相信我妈真的会“了解”他,因为他不是第一次了。以前,曾经在两所学院读到快要毕业了才说不继续,真的是令我父母很失望。工作了多年,我以为他真的发觉到,少了一纸文凭,真的很难找到好的工作,所以下定决心去念书,照理应该会比较不会半途而废。怎知道,现在半途都还没有到,他已经要打道回府。


星期五晚上回到来,我跟妈聊到关于她儿子的事,她才跟我说,不只我哥,连我弟,也是一样,还叫我上网和我弟弟聊聊,劝他不要放弃。到现在,我都没有做任何事,因为我对他们两个已经是彻底地失望。我甚至跟我父母说,我认为他们两个真的很没用,我也觉得很羞耻

我弟的理由是,他搞不好他的数学。回想我中四的时候,刚念add maths和那些物理、数理、化学时,成绩也是前所未有地一落千丈,从平时的5名以内跌到20多名。那时我也很懊恼,甚至有想辍学的念头(刚好我的钢琴老师也力邀我去帮她教钢琴),不过后来,我秉着“其他人可以做到,没有理由我不可以”的理念发奋图强,年终时回到班上的第3名。那时候我就深深了解到什么是“世上无难事,只怕有心人”。

学院的时候,由于我选择双主修(新闻系和电脑),别人一学期念六科,我却必须念九科,课业繁忙得难以想象,还要兼顾许多课外活动(采访和投稿),不过我还是秉着“路是我自己选的,所以要坚持走下去”的信念,熬完那两年。


念大学的时候,第一年的远距离学习,有些科目是自修的,我还记得是accounting和organizational behaviour。那时我白天在律师楼工作,其他时间念书,不明白的地方自己mark起来,和学院的讲师Mr Fong约他没有上课的时间,我去找他,他免费教导我。

那时在澳洲念bachelor honours的第一学期,我也是半生死,因为班上不像之前那样有很多亚洲人,他们当地人都说我很难听得懂的英文,上课之前要读的东西又很多(上课时就大家讨论),查字典就用了我不少时间。那时我也是很自卑,除了因为他们很多时候讲的东西我都听不懂,大家都笑的时候我还捉不到他们到底说了些什么。可能我的是超级好胜,我觉得耻辱越大的,我就更会发奋。一年之后,我竟然成为了最杰出的那个,也是人生中第一次拿到7/7的CGPA。


说那么多,不是要炫耀我学业成绩多么标青,只是想说,那句谚语是没有错的:不经一番寒彻骨,焉得梅花扑鼻香。从小到大,在不同的阶段我们都有所谓的“应该做的事”,而我都尽可能在每一个阶段都做到最好。当然,路从来不容易走,可是是否能够跨越每一个山头,就看你是否能够坚持。也是在坚持过后,你才可以回头望,发出会心的一笑,感受到心里的那份满足感。

有的人会说,学业成绩并不代表你以后的成就(我老板就时常这么说,因为他小时候也是包尾的那种)。对,如果你不觉得一纸文凭可以帮助你什么,那就不要想回到校园稀罕那所谓的一纸文凭,然后又半途而废。你必须认定你要的是什么,然后朝着那个方向,无怨无悔、不管有多大困难都坚持走下去。

今天读翠霞的文章,她提到:“我突然想到《心靈雞湯》裏的一句話,大意好像是:路,永遠有兩條,一條叫簡單,一條叫艱難。選擇簡單的,最後的結論也只不過是這是一條好好走的路;選擇艱難的,一路跌倒了再爬起來,最後習得了克服和堅強。”翠霞也是在台湾念书,我想她的压力比我哥和我弟更大,因为除了是硕士学位,另外她还受缚于拿奖学金的条例(完成整个课程的时间有限,成绩又必须达到某标准)。


上一次和老板乘的士去印尼机场的时候,他跟我说了一句话:“如果你是男的就好了”。在问他为什么的同时,我心里就在想,如果我是男的,我妈就真的伤心死了。老实说,我真的很不明白,为什么我和我的兄弟们会相差那么多?失望的时候,我真的想说自己有一间屋子,周末周日的时候不必回家来,因为我不想看到他们,然后想到他们不能坚持、遇到挫折就等不及要放弃的态度。不只念书,工作方面也一样。我呢,没有一份工我做少过一年就辞职。

总的来说,我还是认为,不管男女,你不能完成,只是因为你没有心去完成,千万不要怪罪于其他的任何方面。如果你不努力,就必须甘心接受你在日后得到的不怎么的一切,不要怨天尤人。这就是所谓的“种瓜得瓜,种豆得豆”。

不坚持的人,没有贪心或要求更多的资格。你可以做的,就只是一世人都在认命。

Siem Reap Temples (3)

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Temples Visit 1 | Temples Visit 2 | Temples Visit 3 | Temples Visit 4 | Temples Visit 5 | Temples Visit 6 | Temples Visit 7

On the second day, we started our journey a bit later, at only 9am. The sky was no longer dark, and we had enough sleep for the day!


Mr Bean was our driver that day. He was no longer drunk and assigned his friend to drive us.

On the way, someone attached himself to our Tuk Tuk, to save his energy.

He still posed for a photo.

Ticket checking at the entrance.


Day 2 (1st Destination) - Srah Srang

Our first destination of the day was Srah Srang (皇家浴池), a quick one to start with. We were pestered by a little girl upon our arrival, kept asking us to buy something and visit her shop.


Srah Srang (Royal Bath) is a picturesque baray opposite the east entrance of Banteay Kdei.

A multi-tiered landing platform on the west edge of the baray is adorned with naga balustrades and guardian lions. According to travel guide, the very sparse remains of an island temple can be seen poking out of the middle of the lake during the dry season, when the water is low. However, it was not observed during our visit.


I was more tempted with the colour of sky and water. The view from the terrace over the water is beautiful. You might feel it conveys a scary message.

Quick information -

Constructed: Mid 10th and Late 12th century C.E
King/Patron: Jayavarman VII
Religion: Buddhist
Style: Bayon


Srah Srang offers a pleasant, much less touristy sunrise alternative to Angkor Wat.

Day 2 (2nd Destination) - Banteay Kdei

Just opposite Srah Srang, there is Banteay Kdei.

There were still children around selling things to visitors.

If you are really kind, you've gotta prepare a lot of money before coming to Siem Reap :)


Quick information -

Constructed: Late 12th and Early 13th century C.E
King/Patron: Jayavarman VII
Religion: Buddhist
Style: Angkor Wat / Bayon



It was originally constructed over the site of an earlier temple, and functioned as a Buddhist monastery. It's a tightly packed architectural muddle, which suffered from several changes in the plans at the time of construction.


It was also built using an inferior grade of sandstone and using poor construction techniques, leading to much of the deterioration visible today. A restoration project is underway on many of the towers and corridors, and some areas are blocked off.

Huh, what happened at Banteay Kdei? Don't worry, they are just students cum visitors.

They really took off shoes, knelt down and prayed.


The foundation stele of the temple has not been found so there is no record of to whom it is dedicated. The 13th century vandalism of Buddha images that is seen on many Jayavarman VII temples is quite apparent on Banteay Kdei.


Later on, we proceeded to take a brunch, in order to have energy to walk longer and further.

Dinner at Warung Made

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If you wanna save money, you could choose to eat at 'warung' instead of restaurant. Warung is a Malay/Indonesian word that means local eateries, which are less classy, less elegant, resulting in cheaper prices.


Prior to my departure, my Indonesia friend, Dedy, already reminded me few times to visit Warung Made (pronounced as MA-DE, not in the English way). According to the info online, others also recommend this eatery, but state that, it's a little pricey compared to normal Warung.

On our first night in Bali, we didn't go to the seaside and have seafood, as most of the tourists will do. This is because, Dedy told me most of the seafood restaurants tend to cheat. Whey they claim to give you 1kg, the actual weight could be around 600g only.

In addition, I'm not really a fan of seafood. Just can't understand, why is it necessary to pay more and get cheated for seafood elsewhere, when there is also a lot of fresh seafood from my hometown, Sekinchan?

We went to the Warung Made in Kuta for dinner on the first night. It's just located near a busy road.

The environment was not bad. But if you reach too late, it might be quite crowded.


When talking about local Balinese food, it's expected that it's similar to Malay food in Malaysia. Honestly, I do not really take much Malay food. Every time when my colleagues ask me where to have lunch, I'd just say, as long as that's not Malay food, then it's okay.

However, when traveling to some countries, there is not much choice, especially when you wish to be near to and know the locals.

An overview of our meal that night. 3 dishes and 3 glasses of juice.

Nasi Campur Special, which costs 55,000 Rupiah (USD 5.50). The rice was served with few types of veges, chicken satay, pork, beef, fish, prawns etc. The sambal was quite spicy.

Spicy pork satay. Very nice! 38,000 Rupiah (USD 3.80). Ten sticks altogether.

This is called Pepesan Ikan, which is similar to our Otak-Otak in Malaysia. 38,000 Rupiah (USD 3.80) too.

Okay, going to eat the look-so-good food!!

The bill goes to 176,000 Rupiah (USD 17.60). No additional tax was charged.


Will share with you more Warung food in future posts. It's definitely a good choice, especially when you run out of money :P

After Bali Trip...

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After the Bali trip, realized that I'm not as healthy as I thought. Just due to forgetting to drink a lot of water on the 4th day, I fell sick.

After the Bali trip, I always feel something is wrong with my stomach. There is always a weird feeling. So on Monday morning, I couldn't wait to see a traditional doctor. Eating the medicine now, and hope the weird feeling would go away soon.


After the Bali trip, I try to have myself resumed to "normal eating habit", by taking dinner. My colleagues are good enough in encouraging me to execute this plan. Reminders, accompany from them to eat dinner... these are all appreciated. Although I find it funny to "purposely" get something for dinner (it's like doing something for the sake of following procedures), but I'm scared that one day I'll suffer from serious stomach problems.

After the Bali trip, I try to sleep early at around 12am everyday.


After the Bali trip, I don't know why, I always wake up before 7am in the morning. Then, I don't try to sleep again. Instead, I got online till the time to go office (to avoid jam).

After the Bali trip, the load at work still has no change. Am learning to delegate tasks to others, so that others can learn whilst I can be offloaded. Wanted to quickly finish the items in the to-do list, but things are not always that smooth. When I'm okay, others might not be in or free. I've gotta continue to wait...

Simpang Inn, Legian Street

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We failed to book for any accommodation prior to departure. All the answers we got were "fully booked".

Okay, then we thought, just find when we arrive. In addition, we arrived at noon, there should be plenty of time. While we were still at the Ngurah Rai airport, some people approached us and recommended us some places, by showing us brochures. After the experience in Guangzhou, I didn't want to directly reject these people.

All in all, that's just a way that they make their living.

There were still some bargaining between the man and I. Finally, we decided to go to Simpang Inn, at the rate of USD 25 per 3-people room (tax included).

Click for clear figures. The rate we got was below the normal price offered. Supposed we should have paid USD 37. People said, you need to bargain for everything in Bali.

The shower room cum toilet. The shower is strong, which is very nice!

There are 3 single beds in the room.

It's just a fan room. No air-cond.

Inside and outside.

The corridor outside the room.

The weather was hot, but it's quite cooling sitting here.

There are a lot of plants... see the green swimming pool?

Had no chance to swim at the pool, as we spent too much time wandering outside.


These are some information available from the Simpang Inn name card:

Address: No. 133, Legian Street, Kuta, Bali.
Phone: 62 0361 761 306
Email: simpanginn@denpasar.wasantara.net.id
Website: http://www.simpanginnkuta.com/

We stayed there for 2 nights. No complain. Just that there is only 1 power cord for us to charge our electrical appliances. Have to do it in sequence, one by one.

We did visit and survey the prices of other accommodations nearby. The cheaper ones are not as good as Simpang Inn, at least at the first glance. They are either too dark (the room) or not so clean (stains on the bed sheet and sofa).

Forgot to mention, breakfast is also included.

Their Simpang Cafe.

There are 2 types of breakfast. For western-style, the waitress will direct you to sit downstairs. For Indonesian-style, you sit upstairs.

Our first day's western-style breakfast. Just 2 toasts, 1 cup of coffee, and 1 glass of orange juice. If you usually have heavy breakfast, for sure these are not enough to make you full :P


After the day, we tried to ask if there are other options for breakfast. Need to eat more, be energetic enough to walk and travel around.

Remember, if you want anything, you have to request it. You don't get anything if you keep quiet.

We were given another breakfast voucher on the next morning.

Sitting upstairs, there were buffet-style settings and more varieties of food. From left, you see fried rice, fried egg, simple veges and fried prawn crackers.

I got these for myself. We were served a cup of coffee each.

There were fruits too.


One night, we also had our dinner there. We originally wanted to walk to some Warung selling inexpensive meals, which are located quite some distance away. However, due to tiredness, the hotel staff recommended us to eat at Simpang Cafe.

He still gave us 15% discounts, hehe.


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