Eclipse

And it was written, at the chosen hour on the chosen day,
the sky would become black, day turns into night,
the frost princess shall be reborn, her metamorphosis complete.
she rides a cave troll to battle, and orges answer to her calls.
such eternal beauty, yet chilling to the bone...

So engrossed in their oblivious ways just mere moments ago, the monkeys now tremble in terror, the legend was true after all! Meteors shall fall, lightning smite the unworthy and oceans of flames to drown their cries.
They stared at where the sun should be, they sniffed the air, imagining the smell of sulfur and brimstones.
The usual excuses will not save anyone, for all now are equal and there were none to blame. Some pretended to be cattle, disassociation being their defense against awareness, while others beat their chest lamenting "how unfair". Here a monkey offered his unfinished bananas, there, another one volunteered to work harder, as if the last feeble pretense of diligence would somehow redeem their souls.

It got darker even more, and they knew all was lost, and faintly whimpered of how they would become better primates if only there was another chance...

Looking at the heavens with tears in their eyes, only the stillness of remorse remains.

Now the darkest hour has come to pass. The monkeys stared at one another. Mildly embarrassed, they gratefully returned to their daily lazy ways.

Getting along with co-workers

1. Get to know others
2. Be polite to everyone
3. Use humor
4. Smile
5. Be energetic
6. Respect colleagues
7. Like yourself

Promotions

May the better bootlicker win!

I noticed a consistent trend of undeserving* promotions**. This usually comes after the periodic staff appraisal runs. This phenomena takes place everywhere. Often, some of the staffs that did not receive this promotion becomes upset.

I feel that these are the possible reasons:
- Self interest >wants the increased incentive for themselves
- Lost of Pride/ego >unwilling to see someone they considered equals carry a superior title
- Personal angle of fairness >feels someone else (or themselves) is more deserving
- Interest of the company >doubts the promoted person's capacity in the new role

I do not see it that way now. Changing a person's rank and title does not change the underlying individual. It doesn't make the person superior in anyway over his/her peers. A rose by any other name is just as sweet (and the reverse applies for a pile of shit)

It is also the complete freedom of the management to do so. Almost always, this promotion has nothing to do with the individual's abilities. It's a combination of factors; very much like the four 'P's of marketing. Some understands this concept and masters it like an art, while others are just lucky.

There is no money to be made from being a sore loser or screaming sour grapes. Although I don't feel anything, I make it a practice to offer my token congratulations to the promoted.

*based on popular agreement
**Including my own promotion

Managing Challenges

Some asked me whether I felt excited about taking on difficult jobs. They appear to see it as fun, they wish to "seek thrill" and claim to enjoying "living dangerously".

I have to disagree. It is not fun. Fun is for games and leisure. I take my work seriously. When I take on a contract, it's because I want the pay. And by accepting, I have accepted the responsibility, I have an obligation to fulfill and must do so professionally.

受人钱财，提人消灾

I cannot go in with the attitude of a child visiting the playground, as that would mean I am not ready*.
I am also not keen on unnecessary risks. From an investment viewpoint, risks must be justified by a fair return. It's still more preferable, if we can avoid the risk and achieve the same payoff.

*the athlete who expresses a feeling of euphoria before an event is probably in a poor state of readiness.

The mark of the immature man

The mark of the immature man is that he wants to die nobly for a cause, while the mark of the mature man is that he wants to live humbly for one. -William Stekel