Count Down - 17 days to go

The day started off with me realising that I've been commissioned to perform something that could have been completely avoided right from the beginning. I call this "DOUBLE WORK", something that has definitely been a big part of my working experience with this company. With proper planning, my work would be a lot easier, and I would smile more.

It has taken me 6 hours to completely edit a 46-page document because Microsoft Word keep popping up with this error::

After once or twice I decided that it might be a good idea to reinstall MS Office. That idea was given to me by my colleagues when I had that problem previously. So I went up to our main floor (I'm on the 23rd and they are on 26th) to request for the installation CD. I told the office administrator what I wanted and she said that I need to fill in a form. I was directed to the office receptionist who found for me that form. I took the form, filled in, went back to the 23rd floor to get signature from my manager. I rushed back up to the 26 floor, handed the form to the receptionist.

She looked at the form, saw the installation CD that I wanted & then said...

"Oh, someone has already taken it"

They say that filling the form is for recording purposes. But I remember the previous way of doing it is by simply filling out a log book. Isn't that sufficient?

I tell you, these administrators are out to make my last days here miserable. God help.

The Finger-Giving Laptops.

As I type right now, 3 of my colleagues have got their laptops. 2 of them are given 2 brand new laptops. The other got a second-hand laptop, but I believe it's still much better than this shit I'm typing on right now.

My colleagues have misunderstood me and my intentions. They think I'm bickering and complaining over a small matter. They think I want a new laptop. I don't need a new laptop. All I need is something that is functioning fine. Something that doesn't give me the finger & cause Word to crash. It doesn't matter how old it is. I just want a machine that works perfectly.

When I first started off in this company, I was given a desktop to work with. Even then, it was the lousiest machine in the office. But I had no complains. I could perform my duties with it. Then I started to attend more and more meetings & I had to travel around too, so they felt that I should carry a laptop around. Perhaps they wanted to minimize my errors in the minutes. The first laptop they let me used was a 4th-hand laptop. Occasionally the screen would go crazy & of course there's the blue screens. But I still had the desktop, so all was still good.

Eventually my laptop's screen went totally nuts. But believe it or not, I could still it. If I manage to adjust it perfectly, the screen would be normal again. Other times, I would just hook up a monitor. Of course, by then I stopped talking the laptop into meetings. Otherwise I would have to carry a separate monitor around.

I don't know how long it took, but they finally decided to give me a new laptop. Not as in NEW new - just a different laptop, one that hasn't gone completely crazy. This one has a completely different set of problems, just that no one wanted to be honest about it. On average, the laptop gives me the finger once a day. It comes without warning. So I've learned to press Ctrl + S every other minute. And on every other day, the mouse cursor flies around on its own accord - I would have no control over it. I forced myself to learn to work without the mouse, but dang, this just ain't right.

I've been having this laptop for about a year now. I've complained about it ever since I got it. Lately my manager finally promised me a brand new laptop. The laptop took ages to finally arrive at our office, and it was immediately snapped up by the boss, or so they told me. They also told me that the boss' laptop was less than a year old, so it should be working fine. But still I'm working on this shitty thing. WHY? Because my boss didn't come into the office for the next few days, so the transfer / exchange could not be performed. Then this colleague of mine fell ill & has to be on medical leave for 2 weeks. Talk about a series of unfortunate events. During this entire period my laptop's performance has become shittier and shittier by the day.

Now it's 6pm in the evening, the end of another working day. I'm hoping that my colleague would be back & I would be getting another old laptop that has no detects & doesn't give me the finger. Or else...

Laptop Woes

There were actually people who send me their 'condolences' upon reading my blog entry, It Pays To Be Smart, in which I talk about how I fixed my 7-year-old company laptop & therefore ruining my chance to get a new laptop. A few days later, I told my manager that the laptop is still useable, and that it's still entirely up to him if he wants to give me a new laptop. I was surprised to hear him say that the original arrangement will stay and I'll be getting a brand new DELL laptop.

The specifications were meant for a programmer, so I assume it'll be quite a powerful machine. I got really excited. I can't upload my videos to Youtube or Google Videos (and now, blip.tv too) with this 7-year-old company laptop. I believe it's associated with the Trojan Horse virus that my company's anti virus software is unable to completely remove. And since the OS will be Windows XP, I'll be able to actually do video-editting with Windows Movie Maker. Not as awesome as using Nokia N series for instant video blogging, but that will do for the next 3 months or so. I was so happy, I was even willing to endure the occasionaly pink screens I get...




Last week the new laptops finally arrived. The new colleague got a hand-me-down from the manager while the manager gets the new one. I remained calm & did not show any excitement, even though I knew that one of my colleagues was configuring my new laptop at the other side of the office. But I couldn't hold my enthusiasm for long, and once I saw my colleague during lunch hour I asked him where's my new laptop. Then he gave me bad news:

"You won't get the new laptop, cause boss wants it."

I don't know how you would feel, but I was really ticked off. My manager promised me a brand new laptop, had he say otherwise earlier I would still be able to accept it. I also found out that the boss has previously lost his laptop only last year and got a new one. And now he dares to rob me of what's promised to me? I know he's the country general manager and all, but the payment for the laptop came out from the project budget, in which he does nothing!!

The new laptop is right now under my colleague's desk. It's been there for a week now. I can't have it, because my boss wants it. But I'm not getting my bosses' laptop either, cause he has not been in office long enough for the exchange to happen. I really need those super powers now, God...

GIVE ME MY NEW LAPTOP!! ARGHH!!

Rude Awakening

This morning I was awaken by someone shouting my dad's name in front of the house. It's not unusually that people would approach my parents in odd hours, asking for help. After all, they are pastors. And more often than not, I'm the first person to meet / speak to that individual, then I'll wake up my parents up...

I got out of my bed & meet this person at the gate. He said he lived with us before, so that's how he found our house. I couldn't recognise him at first, plus he said his name was David. He requested for a cup of cold water, after which he drank & vomitted just outside my house. Before I called for my mother (my dad isn't around), I probed him to make sure that he wasn't trying to trick me.

He had been wandering on the streets for days, & whenever he had some money, he would buy Toddy (Indian alcohol) and drink with some Indian buddies. It was easy to tell that he had some before coming over. What happened this morning was that he decided to go back home, but his family wouldn't let him in. He climbed into the house, which led to the family calling the police to take him to the hospital. The police, however, sent him to the 7-11 near my house. God knows why, and only God knows if he was telling the truth. And there he was, asking me to send him to the hospital. He kept saying that if we don't help him, he'll commit suicide.

After giving him his fourth cup of water, I called my mom to come down & meet him. Immediately my mom was able to identify him as Peter Lim. He did stay in my house for a while. My dad was trying to help him get back on his feet, & of course get rid of his drinking habits. Twice we tried to help him set up a business. He was good at cooking, so once he did catering, the second time he set up a char kui teow stall. Both started off well, but ended up with him falling back to alcohol.

I forgot how he left the house, but I remembered the many times when he took me out for mamak. Almost every night he'll give me a treat. At that time my favourite was Roti Sardin, so I would call that everytime. I can recall one night he said he didn't have enough money, so I need to call something cheaper. Looking back I think it was his way of thanking my parents for taking care of him & also to not use the money for alcohol.

We tried to call his family, to get confirmation of the story, but no one answered the phone. He agreed that we should call the police & send him to the hospital. He even said we should take him to a mental hospital. I made him a cup of milo & my mother gave him some biscuits as we waited for the police.

2 things I want to highlight here. 1, is that we called the police at 7.30am, & the guy at the other end actually said that we would have to wait for 2 hours for them to come, as they were changing shifts at that time. Ermm... so the police isn't ready 24/7 is it?? My mom had to call the second time at 9am. Finally they arrived at the house around 10am.

Second thing is really simple. Peter started drinking at the age of 12. And now he's in his 40's, a burden to his family & the people who know him. Friends, whatever befalls you, don't turn to alcohol & drugs. Forgiveness frees you from hurting yourself more... An occational drink is alright, but don't ever assume you're not addicted. That's where the fall begins. Surround yourself with friends who know how to have fun, but at the same time can look out for one another. Don't let yourself be vulnerable to alcohol abuse.