Triscribe

Category: KL/Ipoh, Malaysia

  • Yet Another Nat’l Novel Writing Month Ends, or Hello December!

    As it was last year, National Novel Writing Month sadly came to an end. I did my silly novel:

    Finished the story, not just hit the 50k word minimum. We’re all winners!

    I’m not sure if I’ll touch this story again – something I’m calling “The Mystery of the Venerated Chalice” (take a guess – the mystery isn’t exactly about the chalice itself) – it’s a historical romantic murder mystery, with too many characters and coincidences. Plus, taking place at a historical time that I’m not exactly up on (research? what research?). But, the murderer’s sanity completely cracked and the male inspector and the woman of interest reached an understanding. It ended in a nice way, but I didn’t quite feel I knew the characters and it can be quite confining to write a mystery with clues along the way and not make it that obvious that I know who’s the murderer already (short of, say, putting an anvil on the murderer’s head, along with big red glowing arrows).

    But, it was fun to have hanged out with other NaNos and cheering each other on, and maybe I’m creatively re-charged to get back on track with non-NaNo projects, of which there are many!

    On to items, of the more usual triscribe note (as I dust around here while my fellow triscribers are… not here…)…

    Asians/APA’s in the news… (for better, or for worse!):

    On a belated note, Yahoo’s CEO Jerry Yang stepped down as CEO. Well, there are many reasons for this – not getting that Yahoo/AOL merger was probably one thing or the thing with Microsoft, and maybe getting pommelled by Google… There seems to be discussion that he wasn’t enough of a leader – perhaps even too… “apologetic.” The latter link there is to a NY Times blog post that kind of concerned me – if Jerry Yang were a white man, would the commenters in that post say the same things? Am I reading more into this than I should? After all, poor business judgment transcends cultural/racial backgrounds. Plus, Yang seemed too wishy-washy about things. Maybe.

    Part of me could be more concerned for Yang, but for the moment, I’m just hoping that Yahoo keeps going, since I’ve tons of e-mail there.

    Speaking of other CEO’s with trouble… I don’t envy the situation of Vikram Pandit of Citigroup. His 11/25/08 interview on Charlie Rose could’ve been more interesting, but there wasn’t much Pandit could say about the developing situation other than “let’s see what will happen next in this unprecedented situation. Thank God we’re getting help from the government.” Or maybe I got bored because finance and economics bore me until they scare me. But, it’s cool that Charlie Rose got this exclusive. He really asked questions, even if he got mostly non-answers (and probably shouldn’t be blamed for what his predecessors caused).

    Time’s cover article is about Michelle Rhee, superintendent of the public school system of Washington, D.C. Another person whose job I don’t envy. After reading the article, I can’t say that I quite agree with her tactics, but I guess it’s clear that her intentions and ideas seems genuine. There’s also an interesting accompanying on-line video.

    Plus, this issue of Time has this fascinating article about a walking desk (that is, a desk with a treadmill, so you can walk and work). The article’s author, Belinda Luscombe, was even generous in demonstrating the device in the on-line video. In high heels! (visually confirming what she described in the article). How she managed to do any work amazes me. Plus, her British accent made the whole thing seemed very authoritative. But, was Time awfully nice about putting such an item up – the video, that is. But, the article was illuminating too, so read it!

    Fascinating bit on Newsweek.com – a Q&A with Jean Ping, Chairman of the African Union Commission, on whether Africa may have a federation much like the US (well, we’re still one nation, with various states) or the European Union (hmm – now that’ll be interesting – a whole continent in economic collaboration). Turns out that Jean Ping is half-Chinese and half-Gabonese – which might give him a unique perspective – at least, I wonder if it does?

    Yoga is a centuries-old Asian exercise, so… kind of interesting to read that various Muslim clerics in Malaysia are now saying that yoga makes a Muslim less… Muslim, just when yoga’s turning into quite a trend for middle class people looking to find ways to relax and be fit. Hmm…

  • Change!

    That’s the key word…

    I dropped by on my Saturday day off and found so much change on this site! I think it’s good… but nowadays I don’t know what change is good or bad. Change is… just change.

    B- is out today in her cooking class and she’s come up with some great recipes and stuff. She also has been doing flower arrangements as well and I liked the Yellow Chrysantheneums next to the TV in the living room. Very nice stuff.

    Meanwhile, next week, I’m back on the CX shuttle again to KL Malaysia for an IT conference. After about a couple of months of no travel, I’ve been to Malaysia during Merdeka week and Kunming China for company department team building the previous two weeks. The Kunming trip was important because I got 3 new managers on board plus some helpdesk people. Getting the right people have been quite difficult this past year but i can say that at least for the Business IT group of the team, we’re complete. Still need some more work on the Technical IT group side of things…

    More change coming at the work front – reorgs coming down the pike and 2009 will be quite the interesting place to be. I’ve shattered my record for staying in a company – 2.5 years this past week. I might just make it into my 3rd year, early 2009. That would be quite a milestone in many ways.

    Looking forward to next month and seeing you all 🙂

  • August into September

    Time flies… “summer” is about finished in so many ways and the ramp up of the end of year is coming up. There’s a bit of a yearly “corporate life cycle” – the ebbs and flows – and we plan our holidays and other activities around it. This year is happening really fast and I’m getting new folks arriving to the team this month. Just came back from a week in KL & Ipoh – part holiday and part training. Was good.

    Will be quite interesting to see how things go from here. The old and the new trying to bring things together and bond. Pretty tired and looking for a boost and pick up. one more month and I’ll be heading stateside. That’ll be good !

    Happy labor day all! And happy Merkeda Malaysia (51st year)!

  • Happy CNY from Malaysia 🙂

    37 years and I’ve finally been able to celebrate Chinese New Year with my relatives in Malaysia :).  It’s a nice feeling.  Got to see some lion dances and firecrackers.  Eat lots of good food and relax from work!

    Life is pretty good!

  • Gong Xie Fat Tsai!

    Definitely wishing everyone a happy Chinese New Year.  A big deal here (Taiwan gets 9 days, including weekends).  I’m typing this from the Taoyuan International Cathay Pacific lounge.

    It’s mad on the highways due to the exodus of people back to their home towns from Taipei.  Boarding soon and I’ll be arriving in Ipoh just after midnight.  Tired, looking forward to it and being with family for recharging.

    Just ended one of the most grueling stretch of 6 weeks in my professional career :s.  I need the R&R.  Instead of the 20 degree weather, KL is more like the hot hot hot :o.

    You all be well.  Say hi to AS for me. I didn’t get a chance to meet up with him since Jan.

  • Malaysia

    Back here ,2 days for work, stayed the weekend and now headed back.  A  bit early at KLIA but is ok.  KLIA has a lot of new things and B-‘s shopping and looking around.  Next month, going to be on the road a whole lot more :(.

    Trying to take things a lot less fast and stress. 

    Still need to put up the Hawaii photos and story.  11 roles of film and a lot of it was really nice :).  I’d like to take photo lessons and golf lessons.

    Nothing new else to report but check in soon.  Work will suck up a lot of my time.  Such it is…

     

  • The last leg!!!!

    Arrived at KL this afternoon… and almost predictably, my immigration  experience at KLIA was a facsimile of rush hour traffic … loads of people queued up and inching slowly forward.  A potpourri of Malaysian visitors from Republic of Yemen, India, US, Taiwan, Commonwealth countries, Japan etc.  Luckily I got there because soon after me, there was another couple of plane loads that pretty much filled up the snaking lines.  My time at the immigration officer takes up time now as they check out my passport and the stamps going along with it.  A well-travelled passport is a bit of a warning I guess because they’ll look through all the pages and if they see something, they’ll look at it some more.  Been getting that a lot in all my destinations – arrivals and departures.  I still think it’s cool though… but my 6 months passport validity is coming up soon and will need to go to AIT Taipei to get a new one in case they reject me from entering Taiwan (or elsewhere).  If I had more time, I’d do it in KL ’cause I know those folks better.

    So back in my favorite KL hotel, Le Meridien.  Unfortunately their new Prime steak house isn’t open yet (mid July) but can’t wait for my next trip. Even so, the past 5 weeks of non-stop travelling has gotten me fat.  I wonder what my upcoming health checkup next Friday is going to say about me :s

    I definitely need a lifestyle change I think but this travelling isn’t helping much. It’s really more mind over matter.  I should just step away from the computer!  At least having my Blackberry shut off hasn’t proved to be too devastating.  It’s off because I didn’t pack my charger cables and in Asia, getting BB accessories is really hard to do and my model, 7730 is old so it’s particularly troublesome.  Even asking the IT staff of the company is coming up zilch….

    I’m going to decompress here in my hotel room this weekend and try to catch up on my personal emails and get back to my current project of establishing a new project management community, SdB+PM Forum.  We started out as a Yahoo Group joined by the LinkedIn and common interest and experience in project management. A year ago, what started as a hobby with a dozen or so people has grown to over 300 people world-wide :)!  We’ve adopted the SMF platform for expansion which I think is a good fit which allows for greater growth as a portal via Mambo if necessary.  A little lean on the frills and development but solid and simple.

    Anyways, time to watch some World Cup matches!

  • Fly away ..

    Catching up on some blogging now at the Dynasty Lounge in Jakarta international airport before heading back to TPE.  Been on the road now for 8 days, KUL -> SIN -> CGK (Jakarta Airport code).  Glad to have missed the Typhoon up north but the weather down here has not been normal either.  Lots of rain in the early and late mornings.  In Malaysia, flash floods due to heavy rains is a real danger on the road.  Hills around the KL -> Ipoh -> Penang highway get washed away forcing the road crews to rebuild around the clock.  Making it harder is the fact that the soil around Malayia is soft redish sand/clay like substance.

    It’s a lot of work traveling getting to know people and learning what’s going on.  Met a few really nice and smart people.  Impressed with the folks here in the Jakarta office.  Wish I had them.  Team and relationship building along with skills development are the driving forces now. 

    What I haven’t figured out yet is that although it’s only 1.5 hours away from Singapore, Why is Jakarta an hour behind?  I’ll have to take a look at the map again.  I thought they’d be in the same window.

    Jakarta is a city of 11 million people, sprawling megapolis and quite beautiful, even though areas of it area quite poor.  In between Manila/Makati City Philippines, and KL.  Food delicious and the people here are just so warm, friendly and welcoming.  Refreshing compared to Taiwan despite the Taiwanese reputation for being friendly people.  My colleagues took me to Hotel Borobudur Jakarta which is famous for its oxtail delicacies and boy, it didn’t disappoint.  I’d love to come back again soon.

    Not-so-looking forward to a busy travel schedule the next 6 weeks.  I’ll be headed back to HK a couple of times, KL again, London, Singapore again.  In between I’ll have to find time to move.

    Ouch.

    Happy trails folks and be well!

  • It’s rainy season all over Asia-Pac

    The rain in Taipei is killing me… whole week it was raining and this morning on the way to CKS airport, the down pour was relentless.

    Now sitting back at the Le Meridien in KL Sentral and the rain has come with me. Thunder added to the mix.

    Hooking up later this evening with my bro-in-law. Hope to get some R&R away from Taipei. Need to bring up a SMF site by this weekend. Let’s see. Should be nice and comfortable here.

    Big holiday across Asia-Pac, May 1st being many country’s Labor Day.

    Oh, a funny thing happened on the way from KLIA Express terminal to the hotel. Stopped by Mainland Chinese tourists who ran out of money. This was my 2nd experience. There was 3 people here. It was the exact same routine that happened to me at HK Airport a month ago but that was an elderly lady. Both claimed that they were on tours and ran out of cash. They promised me they’d pay me back, contact me, etc and give me their business card. I’m like uh, flashback to the hustlers on NYC Subways…. anyways, I gave the three women RM500. I don’t think I’ll hear from them, but it’s ok. It bothered me last time I couldn’t help that elderly woman in the middle of HK airport, even though my spidey sense was tingling that it was a scam and not to do it.

    Enjoy the weekend folks….

  • Airport living

    No, it’s not that bad.  But it seems that I’ll be maintaining the 50% flight time over the next couple of months.  My KL trip is concluding with this little blog from the KLIA Plaza Premier Lounge, courtesy of EVA.

    It’s been a good trip: managed to get a lot of work, socializing, meeting new colleagues, reacquainting with old friends/colleagues, and enjoying all that KL has to offer.  A few comments from new colleagues have been amazingly supportive and complimentary.  I dunno, when people are this positive, I always wonder when the other shoe is gonna drop.  Meanwhile, I take it one day at a time and enjoy it as much as I can.

    Going back to Taipei then flying out again to HK for two days then we’ll see what happens.  Next month, back to HK and KL again for sure.  Moving to a new apartment in early June.  About the same size, slightly more $ but it’s fully furnished and has new fixtures.  A huge upgrade over my current conditions due to the major leak damage from upstairs pretty much ruined the apartment I’m staying at. 

    I think my goal is to get 100,000 miles on Asia Miles and Evergreen (EVA) this year.  I’m just about half way there on both and I still need to follow up on the AA Gold/Plat Challenge to see that they awarded my AsiaMiles to OneWorld/AA.

    Luckily this afternoon the weather is clear, but typically at this time and next month, lots of rains come right after lunch hour.  Get on the ground, meet up with my friend Steve from Maine for dinner when I touch down.

    You go get them FC.