On the flip side

I know quite a few of you have heard me complain about certain aspects of my work, but as this project (hopefully) draws to a close, let me highlight the fun part of being on a plant in the middle of corn fields.

1. The best part, I think, of being away, is the fact that the company picks up the tab for everything. In essence, the only costs I incur this month have been on weekends only. So that should save me a bundle.

2. Another thing I liked about being on a plant site was the ability to be up close and personal to the action. Sitting in an air-conditioned room might be better for your complexion and temperament, but it's kinda exciting to be able to crawl into 20m long drums and climb about inside it. I tell myself I'm spelunking. In industrial caves. And it sometimes feels like I'm running around in a jungle gym made of stainless steel and synthetic insulation.

3. I think I learned about the operations of the equipment quite a bit faster on the job site. Being able to see what a diagrammed equipment layout is in real life was a real plus. Also, I could see how an actual control scheme worked. Which was cool, for the first 3 hours or so.

4. Finally, it was kinda fun to be able to do some workshop kinda stuff. It was the first time I drilled holes into sheet metal (for ventilation) and buffed that same metal (to smoothen out all edges). It was tiring but there's definitely a sense of accomplishment after you manage to do something you've never done in your life.

All in all, there are positive experiences to be had working out of a trailer in the middle of nowhere for 4 weeks and counting. But that's not gonna stop me from complaining some more.

2 Taurens & An Undead ...

have too much time on their hands. And you get this as a result. Based on Mahna Mahna by the Muppets.

There's f*cked up & there's F*CKED UP

Well, the week was going along so smoothly until the freakin' equipment blew up in our face. And so the true process of comissioning begins. Working against the clock with limited resources to fix someone else's f*ck up. It's a times like this that I feel so alone, being the only rep for the company here. But then I thank my lucky stars that I'm insignificant enough not to be held responsible for mistakes.

Oh well, as my mentor says, there are good problems and bad problems. Good problems are not yours and bad problems are. That was a good problem for me but a bad problem was that I dinged my camera. Yeap, MoronsVille population: ME. ARGH.

But in the end, that's not as fucked up as this ad from craigslist.

I don't know which pis more loserish, the people who completed the transaction, or the people who made fun of them.

And finally, for those who follow the Dallas Mavericks. This is a hilarious video.
Some classics from that video include:
1. Why did Cinderella get kicked off the basketball team? Cos she ran from the ball.
2. What do you call a pig who plays basketball? A ball hog.

Also, for Starcraft fans, this is awesome.

Hosed by (Mis)Reading...Again...

Or rather, by a lack of research. Although I don't know how much research could have told me that the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ7 DOES NOT HAVE SPEAKERS. I googled the camera and went around to a couple of review sites but did not manage to pick up that bit of information. So now when I have videos recorded, I need to play them back on a PC for sound... What a drag...

Oh well, at least for a point & shoot camera, it doesn't look half bad. But I haven't really tried to do anything with it yet. Maybe I can get a return on it... That's not too much to ask for is it?

Would You Like Cheese With That?

Justs some thought that I had this week. In reverse chronological order.
1. Word of the day - Sombong. It means aloof/arrogant in Indo. Perhaps a more colloquial translation would be "dao".

2. Getting an engineering degree from a (relatively) presitigous university: Approximately USD55,000 per year

Getting a job with said degree: Having the best starting pay (so far) amongst your buddies back home

Getting paid to clean spray nozzles as part of OJT due to OTHER PEOPLE'S INCOMPETENCE: A very WTF feeling.

Translating all the experiences I have had on the job site into my own Knowledge: Priceless. (Also awfully hard to do)

3. Travelling so often has it's drawbacks, but food is definitely not one of them. I think I've eaten Waaaaaaay more luxuriously in the last 2 weeks than I've had in the last 2 months. The joys of dining with older collegues who appreciate fine wine and food...

最近比较烦?

Before I get into the post proper, I'd just like to point out that there's such a thing as Gummi Bears overdose (you have been warned). And you know who you are, you spastic dreamer =D.

Okie, to the post proper.

最近比较烦,比较烦,比较烦,总觉得日子过得有一些极端

So I've graduated and have started working. My friends are scattered all over the world. I'm stuck (till August at least) in a hole-in-the-ground place and the work just keeps getting harder and harder. I've definitely reached a different stage of life that's radically different from the last 15 years or so. And I guess naturally, during this transition, there's bound to be some trials and tribulations. I just never figured they'd come so fast. And so frequent.

最近比较烦,比较烦,比较烦,我看那前方怎么也看不到岸

It increasingly looks like I'm gonna be the designated test-site engineer for the company. And that involves a ton of travel to different job sites when we are starting up our equipment. In the next 4 months or so, I expect to be away from home for at least 8 weeks, or more, depending on how smooth a start-up goes. 8 weeks out in 4 months means that I can probably find someone to sublet my house for summer... That's a very depressing thought. Not only will I not see the comforts of home, but that kind of schedule just f*cks up your social life. Trust me, no one ever builds a ehtanol plant on the hip side of town. In fact, I'd be surprised if an ethanol plant was ever built NEAR a town... Man, travelling it this sucks.

不烦,我不烦,只有一点烦

Well at least that was how I felt. And in fact, I still do now (a little at least). But thanks to an email from a good friend, I feel better. Because no matter how bad the situation is, at least you know that you can always talk to your friends and there are people there who have worse situations than you =D. Like being called to travel to the other side of the world with only 3 weeks notice. (As opposed to 3 months). Thanks. And please don't kill me.

So I guess, in the end, this is a rather exciting transitional period. And I hope to emerge from this phase of life smarter, more well travelled and have a more complete resume. And thanks once again to all the listening ears out there. Cheers.

终于明白笑里藏刀的意识。。。

这个世界上能信谁呢？好友，家人，除此以外，其他人都得争取你的信赖。不能凭表面而说能信不信。由此是在工作方面的人。

这次不算什么大事，可是，某某人的真面目已经被漏出来了。。。

下次要谨慎一点。

P.S. 爸妈，不用担心。当我能用自己的电脑时，我会寄email给您们的。

How Unembaressing Is This?

Before you actually click the video, be forewarned that some of you might find it very OMG-ish. But if anything, I guess u have to admire their guts to be able to do something like that. No matter how small the stage nor what the setting, to do such a thing would entail a 100x critical strike on your dignity I think.

So enjoy?


P.S. I'm not gay.