Countdown to the end of being a temp-kia: 2 DAYS

2 more days and I'll be through.

It's not 2 more days to holidays, yet I'm happily counting my final days. Hmmm...final days sound a bit inappropriate. But then I don't care.

My replacement just came today. A sweet looking girl, who's going for her orientation rounds now. Just like a lamb to the slaughter. However, I'm not the butcher, and there's not much to butcher in just 2 days. I hope she can survive this place.

Maybe the first thing I'll teach her is to blog during office hours without being discovered by the manager.

Countdown to the end of being a temp-kia: 3 DAYS

Looking forward to the gym workout session after work today. And every other activity lined for the rest of the week (I wonder if ahqiang is already drooling in anticipation of DOTA). Most of all, I can't wait for my colleague to bring my lunch back to the office for me. This is the first time I chose to ask someone to buy something back instead of going out to eat.

Personally, I think doing a sedentary job means one should not spare any effort in using up reserve energy. Things like climbing the stairs, walking to the toilet once every hour (oops), visiting the pantry every now and then (double oops), helps a little. At least it's better than not doing anything at all.

I wonder if I can still get to do all these 'exercises' after I've switched over to my perm job. I miss all my old gym kakis.

This morning, on my way to work, I witnessed the unruly and inconsiderate behaviour in Singapore's public transports.

The LRT had barely come to a halt at the station and a middle aged man, who was dressed up like a blue collar worker, was already standing right in front of the door, impatient to board the car (they refer to each vehicle as a car). There wasn't anyone else waiting to board, but the man maintained his proximity nonetheless.

As the car doors opened, passengers streamed out of the car but the Mr. BC (let's just call the person waiting to board Mr. Blue Collar for short) got in everybody's way. Now one of the passengers, a person in typical white collar attire (hence he shall be named Mr. WC, don't care if it sounds lame), bumped his should against Mr. BC, possibly to show his displeasure at the inconsideration of Mr. BC.

Mr. BC seemed stunned for a fraction of a second, probably because he thought he was the only punk in Bukit Panjang with guts, but he recovered and shoved Mr. WC in return. By then, Mr. WC had walked far enough to avoid the full force of Mr. BC, but he ignored the aggresion and continued walking out of the station.

Mr. BC looked as though he wanted to shout a challenge to Mr. WC, but when he glared around and realised that the onlookers were looking at him with disapproval, he kept his mouth closed though the anger never left his eyes.

Subsequently, I transferred from LRT to MRT. The train was jam packed with people as usual. There was this tall guy (shorter than me of course) who had difficulty keeping his balancing in the accelerating train. However, there was a much shorter lady standing between him and the grab pole. Regardless, the man reached out for the grab pole, and it looked as though the lady was taking shelter under his armpit.

I wonder if she was completely put off by her situation.

Life is so much more interesting when you take public transport to work. Sure beats crawling along the road during a traffic jam.

Countdown to the end of being a temp-kia: 4 DAYS

Slept at 1 am again last night, luckily I don't have much to do today or I'd have fainted from exhaustion.

My company organised a session to the gym tomorrow, which means I'm finally going to do some exericse. I was thinking of having dinner with friends on Thursday, and anticipating a very likely LAN gaming session on Friday night. That makes the rest of my week fully occupied.

Trying very hard to keep my eyes open now...but not quite successful...zzzzz...

Countdown to the end of being a temp-kia: 5 DAYS

My 'ORD' mood is floating all around me. But that doesn't mean I'm not doing my work. Everything is as per normal, just that my mind keeps drifting off to the near future - how will things become when I switch jobs, and when will I finally be done with shopping for office wear.

I'm utterly disappointed with the limitations of the male fashion market. It's not only the lack of variety that disappoints me, the sizes available are unbelievably restricted. It seems that every designer thinks that guys are always as fat as they are tall, or they don't mind wearing clothes which make them look out of proportion.

Hence the only clothes that are long enough for me seem to be meant to wrap around a tree trunk with its branches through the sleeves.

How can anyone blame me for not enjoying shopping? I'm beginning to think it's more fun to look at girls' clothes (and the girls wearing them).

Getting ready for work

min started singing:

I'm sitting here in a boring room
It's just another rainy Sunday afternoon


__________________
I'm being lame again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Product:

Pancake


Design improvement:

• changed to Mickey Mouse shape from the usual circular shape


• added chocolate chips for flavour and as a form of defining Mickey Mouse's features on the pancake

Result:





Conclusion:

• melted chocolate chips make the pancake sticky, harder to flip over and makes a mess (brown smudges on the plate is just one such example)


• difficulty in arranging layout of chocolate chips to form the features


• great improvements in taste (yummy!)


• more practice needed to get the size of both "ears" identical (note that the left ear is slightly bigger than the right)

Was aspiring to be better at making pancakes than my dad. An attempt to make myself useful. I think I just need more practice. Anyone wants to be my guinea pig?

How many more blogs can I post from Carrier before I leave?

I've been assigned a new post at my temp job today - an observation post (pun intended).

For those who don't know, an observation post is a point where the army stations its scouts to keep track of the enemy.

I was suddenly expected to keep track of the people in my department - people started asking me "Do you know where is so-and-so?". Just because I'm tall doesn't mean I'm always on the look out for the people in the department...

[Edit] Auditors came to do stock taking today and I was assigned to be the "checker", just a third party witness. Stayed back till 8 pm waiting for it to end. Everyone is trying to make the most out of me before I leave. But at least I get OT pay for doing it. [Edit]

My ('ORD') mood is here. Think I shall try to blog everyday next week.

I bumped into Peifen on my way to work this morning. That little unexpected meeting reminded me it had been a while since I last blogged in the office. A quick check showed that it has been exactly one week since I last blogged. I missed Blogger, and I think Blogger missed me too.

I have no intention of showing off (sometimes I doubt anyone would believe my words), but my colleagues said they are going to miss me. Though my new workplace is quite close to my present one, it isn't close enough to walk over. The most likely meet-ups we can arrange are lunch at IMM and dinner or some other activities after work.

It intrigues me the way people can bond together in such a short period of time. My colleagues wanted to give me some sort of a farewell party upon hearing that I had found a permanent job. I had barely known them for 2 months when they made the suggestion. Even Mary, the temp worker before me, didn't receive any special treatment though she stayed for 3 months.

Some times, I can't help but wonder how different things might have been if I were not working as a temp...

Dear Supervisor,

RESIGNATION

I wish to tender my resignation with effect from 11/11/2005. My last day of work shall be on 25/11/2005.

I would like to thank you very much for your patient guidance during my stay at Carrier Singapore Limited.

Your sincerely,

Melvin


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


It's the very 1st time I'm writing a letter of resignation, to indicate that I'm terminating my temp job at Carrier. The reason?

Ha.

Ha ha.

Ha ha ha.

Ha ha ha ha.

Ha ha ha ha ha.

Ok, enough of pervertic laughter. I've been employed by MEA Technologies as a Product Design Engineer. Finally, someone wants me...I mean someone realises that I can be a pretty valuable asset to his company.

Everything happened like a tornado sweeping past with full force and then vanishing abruptly.

My 1st interview was scheduled at 1130h on Tuesday, 8th Nov. I was almost late for my interview because there was this huge "SONY" sign on the building which misled me. During the interview, I faced 3 interviewers, of whom 2 are Japanese but they hardly spoke, the most number of people I've faced during at interview so far.

I could still remember the HR manager's (the other interviewer) change in expression when I told her I needed 2 weeks notice as stated in the employment policy for Carrier. I thought I blew it again.

It happened that 1 of the Japanese interviewers was due to return to Japan the next day, and thus, they had to come to a conclusion (as to who to hire) by that night. Maybe their haste to make a decision could turn the odds in my favour. But I dared not harbour high hopes.

Later that night, I went to NUS to help HCl's sis (Xingzhi) with engineering drawings for her project. Her lecturer actually expected her to create these drawings without prior knowledge of CAD software. A world-class university, they say.

Halfway through familiarising myself with the latest version of SolidWorks and figuring out how to draw a distillation column, I received a call from the HR manager of MEA Technologies. She can't possibly call me to inform me that I've been rejected. I answered the call as my heart picked up its pace.

Over the phone, she told me that I was the only person shortlisted among the interviewees (can you imagine the elation I felt then?) and asked me if I was able to sign the letter of appointment the following day. I tried my best to swallow my enthusiasm as I said yes.

Only Xingzhi would be able to describe the look on my face upon receiving this wonderful news. All I remember is that I had a hard time refraining from jumping around like a kangaroo gone bonkers.

That was barely 8 hours after my interview at MEA Technologies.

After that, I was more than happy to resume completing the mechanical drawings Xingzhi needed. Despite my high moral, the work dragged past midnight because I had forgotten most of what I've learnt.

As I was rushing to get the job done, a loud voice boomed behind me. I ignored it, trying my best to focus on completing the work ASAP. However, the voice started getting louder and louder, and I turned around to look for its source.

The voice belonged to a campus security guard. I managed to catch the words "I can be a bastard if I wanted to" as I turned around. It seemed that there is a closing time for the PC clusters in E2, something which neither me nor Xingzhi and her project mates know about.

The security guard was, very rudely, telling us to stop our work and leave the premises. "Don't force me to take down your names" he threatened before he left. Pissed off as I was about his ill manners, I ignored him and tried to work even faster. The security guard took my actions as a sign of defiance and called out to me, "Young man, do you understand my words?".

I had to turn around and acknowledge him before he backed off and let us finish our work. There were a few things I'd have liked to point out to the security guard, were I not rushing for time:

1. I can also be a bastard if I wanted to.

2. He can take down my name, my parents' names and even my grandparents' names for all I care. I'd like to see what he can do with them.

3. As I left the PC cluster, I tried to look for anything at all which states the change in the opening hours of the clusters. There were none. Anyway, the chemical engineering undergrads have absolutely no idea whatsoever.

World-class university with a world-class security guard.

I just signed my letter of appointment today. Hands were a little shaky, but I managed to keep them under control. Starting work officially on 28th Nov. Time to do shopping again. Life is sometimes like an endless need for shopping...

6th week and counting

Time passes before you know it, be it during studies or at work. It's already my 6th week at Carrier. I wonder how many more weeks would I be here.

So far, I've not been assailed by Monday blues, yet. Most likely because as a temp worker, I don't face much workload or pressure, much less politics.

That doesn't mean I intend to stay at Carrier for long. Wish I can experience real working life soon. If only I can pass the upcoming interview...

If you find yourself nicely seated in your comfort zone for some time, that means you're either in the wrong place or you're not doing the right thing.
- Strategems on war gaming and living

Overhaul in progress

My PC is down again (so what else is new?).

That just gives me another excuse to blog from my office PC. Of course, the more obvious excuse is that my office is empty today.

There was literally no one else in the office when I stepped through the door. I almost thought there was a off day for the entire department or something.

It is a good idea to take an off day on such occasions, because the adjacent holidays and weekends would add up to something similar to a block leave. But for me, I choose to go to work while everyone else is away. The reason is that when there are less people in the office, the Temp Admin Assistant - yours truly - will have less arrows firing at him.

Anyway I can still carry out my work in a holiday mood, so it's not too bad. Plus I need some cold hard cash to carry out my overhaul...