Notepad Scribbles #20070514

I've gotten pretty busy of late, especially with the new work as I try to bridge the knowledge divide between myself and the rest of the team. It has definitely been an interestingly learning experience as well as an interesting way of learning, but the most important thing is that I am enjoying myself - something which I have not done in a while. One of the distinct advantages is being a client - so getting treated nicely is such a welcome change to being a provider of services all the time. Furthermore, it feels different when I have my own desk - it is a welcome change to be able to leave things at work and see the same people almost daily. The flows of people coming and going made it difficult to keep up with the people in the organisation. I guess the novelty at the moment is that everything is new - not sure how much shine will be lost once things are the same.

In my quest to try different things, I recently went bowling. For those who have been bowling with me, they can attest to how I am absolutely atrocious when it comes to actual bowling (rather than simulated bowling on video games consoles). The challenge was that there are more variables such as smoothness of the shoes, how slippery the indentations for the fingers are and of course fatigue. My highest score has been 153 but need to spend some serious time in there to get good at it, which is something I am not prepared to do - I am quite happy to be a pure amateur!

It is not easy to do well in something - it does take a fair bit of time and dedication. To be honest, I am not sure whether it is better to be a specialist, or a jack of all trades (but master of none). Many of my friends who are working are specialists of sorts - from mechanics to accountants - they have specialised in a particular area and flourished in each of the areas which they have chosen.

I suffered when I tried to play a variety of different sports in one week. Unfortunately, the skills and muscle groups required in each are very unique therefore never quite complementary, resulting in a difficulties in trying to adjust. Now I have decided to concentrate my sporting portfolio to maximum of two different main sports and play competition in only one of them. The jury is still out on my approach though...

Unfortunately, due to early morning meetings, I have had to adjust to becoming a more of a morning person - something which goes against my core hobbies of gaming and watching television. It has been a rather painful adjustment. Although, recently, I pulled a couple of all nighters (playing MahJong and watching a Korean series of course) and I was absolutely SHOT the next day. My brain function had moved from zero to negative and I was a zombie. I had never been so zoned out and it took me a while to recover from it. I scoffed when I was told it was because I was getting old....

*yawn* given that it's already 9:30pm I think I might have to call it a night...

Farewell

It was my first job, so many years ago.
What to expect? - I really didn't know.
Straight out of uni, all eager and keen.
A trip to Chicago - it was the first time I had been.
After that I was in Hong Kong for a bit,
And then in Melbourne, I did fit.
While in KL I caught up with relos,
Then went to Glasgow with a couple of the fellows.
Back to Melbourne for a year and a half,
Looking back at those photos makes me laugh.
Flew home to Sydney before Bangkok,
then off to Singapore - it was such a shock.
Coupled with making friends on the booze,
With tight deadlines there was no time to snooze.
With six months off, thrown in for good measure,
The experience gained is something I'll treasure.

After many years, I can't believe it's goodbye.
With a hand on my heart and a deep breathed sigh.
"Thank you to all who made the job so much fun,
But somehow I feel my job here is done.
Make sure to keep in touch and take care,
Now it's time to see what else is out there".