A Mind of My Own

As opposed to Sicarii’s hypothesis that only “popular” bloggers are being read, I shall post some links here that I read because of the catchy title and the partial text that is available.

• Do you have Transformers toys? Those that transform into jets, cars, beasts, and other things? Nike has them transform into Nike shoes and when they transform, they are still wearing Nike shoes!
• Have you said something nice today? It’s always heart warming to hear someone say, “Hey, forget that you said the wrong thing. Your presentation slides were well thought out.”
• I haven’t been reading for quite some time, these books that transform into mirrors may just be it but they are expensive though.
• Seems like there are new ways to cheat in exams. No wonder the exam rooms are no longer in lecture halls.
• If you don’t have a letter opener, this bunny will help you.
• I didn’t know that the use of a handkerchief and tissue can start a debate. Old post but interesting thoughts on it.
• For free and open source software, try here.

I did my internship programme years back. It was where I first met a new friend from the same school and the time spent there was less torturing. We were supposed to get some working experience so that we would be prepared for the real working world. We agreed on one thing, the company was lousy was had totally no experience related to our studies or modules.

We were doing administrative stuff more than anything that was remotely related to our course of studies. All I remembered was that we had to shred paper which were tons and thus both of us decided to do it together. The accountant, on the other hand was concerned that we would be talking more than working. She complained to our lecturer who was supposed to take care of us. I forget what the role was, facilitator? Never mind, it’s not important.

He spoke to us and wanted to know our side of the story. We told him what the problem was and felt that we were being bullied. Heck, our hardship can’t be compared to those who were underpaid and hoodwinked into applying something they had expected but it wasn’t true. The irony was that the ladies in the small office did more talking than us and expected us to be focusing on the work?

When we finally completed the internship, we were both elated to be back in school. The internship only taught us something, the school tied up with companies that looked for them. They did not match us to the related fields we were studying. The companies usually pay the lowest amount and we were paid $300 per month and when I hear of anyone complaining about their $500 per month, I said, “I was paid $300 per month, the minimum amount required and did all those shit. You get to surf the net every time while I don’t.” That shut them up.

Moral of the story is, network with those companies that you wished to work for and their pay is definitely more acceptable than those who are out to exploit students.

When I graduated, someone passed me a book, an autograph book to put in my peoms or wishes in it. I could pick any page to put it in and used that page. No limits. The only limit was that I had a blue and black pen. I didn’t have other colours to beautify that page that stated that I had autographed it. Somehow, I managed, abeit simple because I’m not artistic neither am I creative. All my words were limited to “Great to have you as my friend!”, “Study hard!”, “Stay funky!”, etc.

Later through the years, that tradition died. I never saw anyone pass me anything to write and neither did I. The blank beautiful books were expensive, they still are. I didn’t have the fortune of owning 5 or 10 to keep.

I wonder where did I keep the ones I had.

A colleague of mine is leaving next week. She is studying part time and have changed companies a few times. She is tired from juggling the work and studies when the priority has to be the work. There have been cases whereby an employer throws the employee more work despite knowing they are studying in the evenings. When such a situation arises, the employee leaves and concentrate on the expensive education instead.

No, this colleague is not leaving because of the workload. She’s leaving because of her personal reasons that is of no use to anyone except her. For my case, I have worked in 4 different companies, each with its own culture. Reasons why I’m considering a review of my career path is not just the hope that I’m finally getting my degree but also adding value to myself.

All these years, I’ve been stuck in a particular skillset, I’ve never been able to overcome the fear of speaking to a crowd of more than 3 people. I’ve never liked talking to strangers about how this software is going to help them. In fact, I’m real lousy at people skills. Thus, my real people network is small.

I have always harboured the hope of doing something I like and earning tons of money with it. However, it’s never possible to earn tons of money with hobbies because you won’t keep track of the money issues. When something becomes a job, I tend to lose passion in it. I thought I liked IT but in the end, it has become a chore instead of my past passion for it.

What if I am able to get out of IT and pursue my hobby as a real paying job? Would I be thinking of going back to IT after a few years?

Has anyone encountered such a dilemna before?

It’s a pity that University of New South Wales (Australia) decided to pull out of its venture in Singapore. However, I’m truly shocked that the students here pay the same amount as their students on their homeland. $26k to $29k is no small amount to be cough up every year. Despite that they get scholarships to study in Sydney for the affected students, it still does not include lodging, food and transport. These are basic needs.

Their reputation is truly affected because they have decided to pull out abruptly in just 3 months. Even the lecturers who have uprooted to come here to teach are affected. The consequence is not just the 148 students, the teachers and the students’ families are also affected.

The moral of the story is, take up a course when it’s been here for more than 3 years. So, you won’t have to be uprooted only to be told that you have to uproot again.

There’s a severe communication breakdown. I don’t understand why certain things that was requested, I gave but the most important party never received. I had a call this afternoon from the tuition agency and the lady claimed that I didn’t give them anything. I thought everything was to go through one person and that was the tuition coordinator?

So all these 2 months I thought wrong. What went wrong? I don’t want to figure that out. All I know is that the coordinator did not do her job well. She told me nothing that would get me my pay. All I know is that every month, they’ll get a cut from the pay and the student is supposed to get an online account to access the papers. However, the mother didn’t know anything. It was the 2nd time I have told her. I guess the mother does not have good memory.

I truly wonder why the heck do I have to give them an amount every month. Other agencies get the 50% in the first month and the money goes to the tutor from the 2nd month onwards directly. Why is there a big round just to get my pay?

I only want to help the student and earn something extra. I’m not going anywhere. Why can’t I get the money from the student’s parents and pay them the amount instead? Why can’t I make life easier? Why…. Never mind. I just don’t want to be cheated. If I get cheated, I will announce to the whole wide world. Don’t you worry.

The final step towards my degree has been cast in stone envelope, er, whatever. I just sent it (the report) via courier, the most expensive courier since I started the practice 2 years back when I couldn’t finish them to pass to the school for free courier. It cost me $61.10 including that envelope ($1.70). Major Heart Pain. In caps, I tell ya. Heart Pain.

This had better get me that degree classification, I don’t care what class, as long as got class. I sure hope it’s the final time I’ll ever face the books and endless research. I ain’t gonna take up another expensive cost course for the next 5 years. I ain’t paid enough for those slavery I’ve done on just them assignments and exams.

Thank goodness I spent it on the courier. I’ve saved on the binding and printing except I had to print the coloured pages at home. No laser printer in the office found.

I left out my degree name on the evelope though. GAH! Wonder if they can find my course name with my student number. Hmm.

Come May 30 after the exam on that project, I am going to enjoy myself. Really must let myself loose relax.

I’ve become less remember-ful these days. I forget to do this or that and end up slapping my forehead. Not sure why but maybe the lack of sleep, exercise and project stress have combined to give me such short term memory loss.

The things that I can forget is to what I was about to do when something distracted me and I forgot what the task was supposed to be. A few seconds later, I ask myself, so what was it that I was supposed to do? Other times would be, did I do it?

Does this classify as short term memory loss?

Tired. Sleepy. Sick of the project. 3000 words left. Darn.

4000 words left to go. 2 days to binding the report. After 7 May, I’m free! Well, not quite, I still have to go through the exam on the report. Sigh. I just want to get the degree.

I ask myself for the nth time why on earth did I torture myself for 4 years to get this degree when I could have just taken a 1-year advanced standing degree without the honours. It’s not as if I’m that great in studying anyway.