2018 in numbers

Another year gone.

2018 was a year of big changes.

Mom's rapidly deteriorated condition, and the scare. Civic, nursing home, huge expenses and financial burden. The ever changing job roles, and finally the plunge.

Things lost, things that never will be, and unwanted things that happened.

Can only hope 2019 will be a better year, but deep down I sensed that it will not be.

*Sigh...*

Anyway,

125 blog entries, no surprise there. This is the 11th year in a row. It's called consistency and discipline.

185 days of commute to ulu place recorded, which covered 18445.2 kilometres, giving an average of 99.7 kilometres per day. Guess I have found a shorter distance route compared to last year. Since I have changed department and now working in Penang island, this will change for next year.

37 (MyVi) + 9 (Civic) petrol filling recorded. My ex-good old 11.5 years MyVi was doing an average of 15.8 kilometre per litre of petrol. Good car, that MyVi, consistent performance all these years it served me. Based on limited data, the Civic is doing 16.0 km/l, will see what the mileage becomes next year, with primarily horrible city traffic.

23 days of worked till overtime-worthy late. Least for the past five years, fantastic!

16 days of leave taken.

67 badminton sessions attended, out of 73 that happened (while I was still working there). 91.8% attendance rate, one of the highest attendance rate since I started the badminton session nine years ago. I will miss the badminton sessions...

40 tabletop gaming sessions held, highest since I started TTG in 2014. A combination of 17 board and card games (including expansions) played. I will definitely miss these...

28 novels read, slightly better than last year but I have primarily been rereading Forgotten Realms novels. 13.0 days for a book, was really hoping I can get back to about 10 days for a book, oh well.

41, 14, 11, 9, for my own reference.

Happy New Year dear reader, wish you a good and healthy 2019.

Other |hyped up heads up| category entries.

The plunge (5)

So, one week at the new job.

I was thinking of posting something like "I survived my first week..." and joke about getting a "I survived" t-shirt, that sort of things.

But then I figured that would probably send a wrong message, since it's really a very quiet and uneventful week.

After all, it's a four days week with many colleagues out on year end holiday.

Even knowing that it doesn't matter what we put in it, that the management has decided beforehand and it's just about the formality of going through with the process, I still spent three days writing my annual performance review.

Oh well, I am a perfectionist and I had nothing better to do...

As usual, first thought that popped into my mind was 'I can lift 20kg' when it came to writing about my strengths, hehe. =P

Still don't know what I am suppose to do in this new role, asked the manager to plug me in and link me up with the relevant people. He did, but the colleague he linked me up with is out.

So after I was done with the write-up, I spent the day viewing and learning stuff on Wikipedia. Stuff that I hope is relevant to the new job.

And the more I read, the more I realised I need to read up on. Internet is a dangerous place! =P

I probably should put in some effort to get to know the teammates, but the antisocial trait is still winning thus far, oh well.

Other |temperamental thoughts| category entries.

叉烧

两个瓜今天做功课时犯牛劲、耍脾气。

他们的烂态度和臭脾气真的是叫我很看不过眼。

一早哭闹做作到下午三点四十五分才终于结束。

辛苦了我可怜的情人老婆仔。

我一直压制自己，不要过去赏他们几个耳光巴掌，或去拿藤条鞭几下。

除了不想打孩子，希望可以用爱的教育之外，也想到毕竟多数时候他们做功课时我都不会在家，不能靠我的惩罚，而是需要老婆仔自己就能解决的方法。

实在忍耐不住时警告了他们几次，但过一阵他们又打回原形，仿佛知道我是不想打他们的。

这两个瓜，偶尔就是要犯贱，真是的。

让我想起岳父岳母说过的那句：

“早知道生块叉烧还好，至少可以吃。”

唉…

随兴随想 |系列|

Salvaged time

Things didn't go as I wanted to.

No surprise, they seldom do.

So instead of getting two days and three nights to get myself rested and ready for the new job, I get one day and two nights.

Well, really just one day and one night since I am tired as it is now after the drive, and there's not much productive time left of tonight.

Don't think I will get much rest time tomorrow anyway, need to deal with the aftermath of leaving the house vacated for a week, need to wash the car, go through all the emails accumulated through the week, and there is a dinner date.

Many tasks and things to do, not much time.

Basically a busy and tiring day tomorrow.

So, a break from work that leaves me more tired.

Oh well.

But I shouldn't complain, I should be grateful, since initially I don't get any time to do anything at all, just directly drive back home in time for dinner.

On a side note, I made a mistake in my previous entry, my goldfish memory failed me (no surprise there!), I thought I started the blog in an airport but it's actually just a short, unfinished story that I wrote in airport instead.

Not that anyone would notice, heh.

And I am still just dreaming about being a billionaire...

Other |temperamental thoughts| category entries.

Random thoughts

Waiting for flight at Cam Ranh international airport, for our return trip from Nha Trang, Vietnam to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Nothing specific in mind, just nothing to do, and figured that since I started this blog and wrote the first entry in an airport (bet nobody knew that!), let me do another entry while in an airport.

Another tiring vacation. No surprise there.

It hasn't ended yet though, still have a few more days left before the vacation is over. Will only be back to Penang a day before I resume work.

Basically, according to the plan wifey told me, I foresaw I won't get to rest and recharge in comfort for my first day in the new department.

Wonder what kind of first impression I will give looking like a zombie on the first day?

Oh well.

Guess that's just not as important in the grand scale of things.

Other |temperamental thoughts| category entries.

The plunge (4)

Received private messages from a few friends after I linked the previous entry on Facebook. Their concern and questions made me wonder if my writing skill is really that bad?

Was that entry really so confusing or unclear? Is it a composition or comprehension problem?

Basically I have changed from one department to another department in the same company. I did not quit my company. I am still working.

And I don't know how to make that clearer.

I wrote all those simply because I am a sentimental person, which probably only those who are close to me would know.

So leaving the department that I have been working all these years since I joined the company, one that I would have stayed with till I retire if all went smoothly, one that I have established the network and made friends in, makes for a heavy heart.

Also, having to start all over again is a stressful thing for me, but I will survive. I hope.

Anyway, I am fine, thank you for the concern, kind words, and well wishes. 

Other |sane side| category entries.

有感而发：感触

二零一八年十二月十三日。

明天是我在一加入公司就属于的部门的最后一天。

两年前部门第 n 次重组，断了我的前路。

不能接受就改变，不能改变就离开。

两年后，改变不了部门、改变不了自己。

心灰了，又有机缘，所以我离开。

做了十一年多，经过几次的部门重组，终究还是不能始终如一。

我是忠诚的，是真的想在同一个部门做到退休的。

但真的已经看不到前途，真的已经对管理层彻底失望。

唉…

部门九年前跨洋搬到野外，一转眼在哪工作已经一百十一个月了。

今天收拾办公位，暂且把东西搬回家，直到新部门给我一个办公位再转移。

看着那渐渐空去的办公位，心中千言万语、感触良多。

一百十一个月，我都已在哪儿结交了一群工作以外有互动的朋友，那一起玩笑娱乐、运动唱歌的朋友。

可知道对反社会、反交际的我而言，有一群不只是同事，而是朋友的人，是何等重大的事吗？

我这自荐的康乐组组长如今要离开他们了，我好不舍得。

心中酸酸苦苦的。

唉…

有感而发 |系列|

有感而发：活在当下

二零一八年十二月九日。

人生短短几十年，一转眼就过。

要活在当下，珍惜每一天。

不要过去了才遗憾，不要失去了才惋惜，因为那无济于事。

要在事物消逝前用心保护和珍惜，及时享受和表达、及时诠释和感恩。

不要只会受而不施，不要认为别人对你好是理所当然。

要有感恩的心，要懂得珍惜和感谢那些对我们好的人。

人生没有得倒带，很多事物过了就不再重来。

可以怀念过去，可以展望未来，但要及时的生活。

有感而发 |系列|

Backlogs #22: Trust

This screenshot is dated 3rd of February 2016, titled "trust".

Don't really remember what we were talking about that broached the subject of trust and promises, probably the friend broke a promise or something like that.

Just thought I should share this.

I keep my promises. Trust is earned when actions meet words.

In this series: |1| |2| |3| |4| |5| |6| |7| |8| |9| |10| |11| |12| |13| |14| |15| |16| |17| |18| |19| |20| |21|

The plunge (3)

So, I clicked the "I Acknowledge Acceptance" in the job offer letter at 08:15 hours on the 28th of November 2018, Wednesday.

This is it, no turning back.

And I haven't even discussed the transition plan with my manager. Oh well.

Then again, the disappointment with the management is one of the causes of my decision to leave the department.

To me, it all went downhill since the reorganisation in August 2016, when the management merged the local process/hardware team with the software team and all to report under the software group.

The misalignment with the group objective started since, and despite the many dialogues with the management, nothing changed.

There is this saying about when we are subjected to a significant change: first we should try to accept it, if we can accept it, then good, end of story. If not, then try to change, either change it to what we want, or change ourselves by adapting to it. If we cannot make the change happen, then as the last resort, leave.

So in short: "If cannot accept, change. If cannot change, leave."

Here I am, after two years of trying to change, choosing to leave because I just don't see a future staying.

I have more to say, but I am suddenly hit with lethargy and profound sadness, so I will write more on this topic some other day.

All I have now, is a long, heartfelt sigh.

Other |sane side| category entries.

Random behaviour for December 2018

While I had the discipline to execute October's resolution without fail, I didn't really feel good.

You see, I was hoping it rekindles my gaming passion, which it didn't. I stopped gaming as soon as October was over.

=(

November is slacker's month, so no impromptu resolution as show of respect, hehe. =P

Given that I am going to lose many of my other entertainment and hence stress relief means soon, I really ought to get back to gaming more frequently.

So, for December 2018, starting after I post this, my impromptu resolution is: to have at least three gaming sessions every week.

Because I can.

Other |flickering fling| category entries.