Sunday 26 December 2010

2010 - A Look Back, Part 3

Merry Christmas, everyone. Hope you had a blast.

Now, where was I? Ah, yes, the much-awaited, eagerly anticipated, oh-I-can't-hold-my-pee third and final post of 2010 is here. Keep holding that pee, this is going to be a while.

Me
After the tumult that happened towards the end of last year what with me ending my association with my first "real" job post 2010 was going to be the year. Yes and hell no. Yes, because people finally know me for me.

On the professional front, I no longer feel trepidation was up against senior ranked individuals, in fact, I view them as equals. When people throw flaming emails at me I don't baulk and back down, no, I throw it back, adding a little acid to burn the edges a little quicker.

Patience and anger can come together at the same time, believe you me. For instance, I don't mind looking for a parking lot during peak hours but if I see a douche taking forever to get out of the bay, I will utter certain words that if printed here would scare off nuns from Jamaica.

RM
Me is not complete without RM. Quite possibly the toughest mineral known to humankind, my RM has been the cornerstone of the success of 2010. Naturally, we have had our ups and downs but we've managed to pull through every time. And that's just our body weight. Adverse times were dealt with pouts and the deafening silence of indignation but in the end we'd overcome them with love and a small tub of green tea ice-cream.

All in all, 2010 is meaningless without her. Thank you, RM.  

This was not a lacklustre year. Heck, the lustre has been pretty good (and downright pricey). What can I expect of 2011? That's another tale to be told.

Someday.

Hope your 2010 was a grand blast and here's a warm welcome to 2011.

This is Chris, signing off.

P.S. Okay, all right, it'll be told next week. It's so hard being so well-loved by all of you.

Sunday 19 December 2010

2010 - A Look Back, Part 2

First up, TRON: Legacy put me to sleep. Not even the delectable Olivia Wilde and her absurd bob could've kept me awake. Was it a bad movie? Nah. Was it good? Nah. I'll leave it at that.

As promised, here's part 2 of Chris's 2010.

Friends
I'm glad to know I can still call a few people whom I know won't hang up on me thinking I'm trying to sell them Amway. I try to leave a lasting impression (it helps when asking if they know of any vacancy somewhere) wherever I am. Glad I've made some pretty good acquaintances this year.

Fashion
Over the years, I've always maintained to be a rugged individual. A man's man. A shorts and tee guy. Give me a suit and I'll give it back to you. My Caribbean-inspired shirt will rock the house down. Urm. Yo.

Not anymore.

Gone are the vagabond stylings of my past. In comes designer articles that could feed entire villages for a week. And that's just the belts. There are some things I think I will graduate to in a long time to come:
  • Undies
  • Socks
  • Ties
  • Handkerchiefs 
  • Combs
I added the last one just to make it a 5-numbered list because 5-numbered lists look cool. Right?

Hobbies/Likes/Being a dude
Basically, this is me being a dude. I guess the most significant hobby/like/whatever of the year has to be horology or to be more precise, watches. I still know no nuts about a lot of things but I'm slowly becoming more knowledgeable. Or at the very least, not so dumb-sounding when up against seasoned watcheroos.

Next week will be the third and final 2010 retrospective. In the meantime, stay naughty.

This is Chris, signing off.

P.S. Santa doesn't exist. Ho. Ho. Ho.

Sunday 12 December 2010

2010 - A Look Back, Part 1

It's been a good year.

Because I don't really remember 2009 nor the one before that. 2007 and before? I went through all of that? I must've coasted by those years because the memory sure is fuzzy right now. In all seriousness, this year has been a good one. So starting with this entry I'm going to recap (to the best of my recollection, naturally) various aspects and events of what has transpired the last 12 months. In no particular order except what came to mind first:

Work
I've changed two positions this year. The first was a highly promising and exciting post that made transformed me from a lackey doing support work to a big-time Charlie undergoing projects and helping to sell the company. Could it have gotten better?

They told me all of that after I resigned.

Then the second opportunity came and immediately I was taken by the prospect of being the boss. Who could say no to that, right? Turns out I was going to be the boss, the lackey and general garbage collector. Did I hit the jackpot? You bet your Irish bailout money I am.

Truth be told, there was a tiny chance of striking it the third time.

Final judgement to come next year. Stay tuned.

Food
Angus beef? Absolutely and delightfully delicious. Wagyu beef? Wow. Who knew cow fat could taste so good and make me, the Phil Heath-wannabe, eat it knowing it packs an enormous amount of calories? Or what about having balaclava in Melbourne, thinking its name is cool but it's sweeter than eating a spoonful of sugar? Those are some of the firsts of mine and certainly won't be the last time. I've become more open and ready to eat and try anything at least once in my life.

It's been a wonderful gastronomical ride and I can't wait to sample more.

Though, I think I'd rather down a spoonful of sugar than have another go at balaclava.

Music
The current most liked song is Linkin Park's Waiting for the End. A week ago if you told me that I would've taken a spatula and hit you on the head 3 times and wish for a new spatula. Have I gone to the dark side? Or is this precursor to something more sinister?

Fuck no.

I guess I'm slowly starting to be more receptive to other genres besides my beloved heavy metal. I've always been open but I find that I no longer am excited by the latest br00tal as heck death metal band who can play at 260bpm in every damn song.

What's next? Justin Bieber? Kill me if that ever happens!

Training
As you most of you know, I am a gym freak. From being a lard of tub to a tub of hot, the past year has been a brutal year. But having said that I reckon I still am about a year or so from achieving my ultimate goal. I've accomplished two things this year: 110kg deadlift and 300kg leg press. Not bad for a guy who couldn't walk properly 3 years ago.

Look out for part 2 next week where I will discuss friends, fashion and what's it like to be a ballet dancer.

This is Chris, signing off. 

P.S. Note to self, no tutus next year.

Sunday 5 December 2010

Honestly? Don't be too honest.

I won't lie to you. I'm a really nice person once you get to know me.

All right, all right, another lie but a soft one.

I'm not a totally honest person. There have been times when my frankness in some situations have let me down, I admit. I can be brutally honest when it comes to criticising certain things, people's way of going about their business, people's parking skills ("WTF! Argh! C'mon, asshole, I need to pee!), people's way of doing their work ("WTF! I told him to stop the system not kill it!").

At work, it's better to be upfront right from the get-go when you've erred so that it can be rectified soon without it descending into a potential bureaucratic nightmare more so if you've got a lead that kowtows at every damn whimsical request. But when the matter is close to heart they are tougher because it involves emotions that if you were to let it loose in the boardroom might cost you that pair of Bally shoes you've been eyeing.

It kills me every bloody time someone says they are the most honest person yet when honesty comes by their way they'll get into defensive mode and start the pointing accusatory finger you of being unfair, like you've stolen their teddybear away, threatening to disembowel it of its cotton insides. This are insecure individuals that masquerade behind their persona of no-nonsense when their sense if full of non. Yes, if you can decipher what I've just said then you are definitely brighter than me.

I appreciate honesty, I really do. It's good to know your mistakes or how you've been to others as it will improve relations and makes one a better person. But if the honest remark is borne out of something you have a personal vendetta against and you tell me you don't like it? Shove it. Shove it where the sun doesn't shine and if still does it, shove it some more. There comes a time when shutting your mouth is the best possible thing you could do.

Sometimes lying is the best form of honesty.

P.S. It'd be darn great if you could read people's faces and their body language just like how Tim Roth does it in Lie to Me. It sure is a useful talent when playing poker, that's for sure. Po-po-po-ker face, anyone?

P.P.S Upon completion of this post I realised that this can be related to Wikileaks. The same as above applies. It's just better to not know.