Remora Fish

Do you know what a remora fish is?
Ans: It is a suckerfish that attach itself to sharks, manta rays, whales and so on, and allow them to do the work while they just enjoy the reward.

Which are you?

 The doubters said,
“Man cannot fly,”
The doers said,
“Maybe, but we’ll try,”
And finally soared
In the morning glow
While non-believers
Watched from below.

The doubters claimed
"The world was flat.
Ships plunged over its edge,
And that was that!"
Yet a brand new world
Some doers found,
And returned to prove
This planet round.

The doubters knew
"T'was fact, "Ofcourse,
No noisy gadget
Would e'er replace the horse."

Yet the carriages
Of doers, sans equine,
Came to traverse
All our roads in time.

But [to] those who kept saying
"It can't be done,"
Never are the victories
Or the honors won.
But rather,
By the beleving, doing kind,
While the doubters
Watched from far behind.

-Bruce Lee

La Catedral

La Catedral is one of the most colorful and difficult works in the guitar repertoire. It originally had two movements, and is often performed in that form.

The original opening movement, Andante Religioso, represents the reverent mood that struck the composer when he entered the cathedral and heard music of Bach being played on its organ. The writing for the guitar is remarkable in imitating the sound of that music.

The original second movement is marked Allegro Solemne. It represents the impression of leaving the Cathedral and returning to the bustle of the street outside the building.

La Catedral's composer, Pio Agustín Barrios, was the first South American guitar performer of international stature and, although largely self-trained as composer, the author of guitar music of outstanding worth. He is credited as the first guitarist to record music by Johann Sebastian Bach.

In 1938, Barrios added an opening movement, "Prelude (Saudade)." The Portuguese word in the subtitle means something like "nostalgic recollection" and this movement touchingly views the 1914 version of the work as a souvenir in a musical memory book. ~ Joseph Stevenson, Rovi

The Emperor's New Clothes

This is a modern day adaptation of a classic short tale by Hans Christian Andersen about two weavers who promise an Emperor a new suit of clothes that are invisible to those unfit for their positions, stupid, or incompetent. The moral of the story tells of the pitfalls of giving in to courtly pride and intellectual vanity rather than adulterous paternity.The tale has been translated into over a hundred languages.

Once upon a time there lived a vain CEO who was obsessed with Process Re-engineering. He changed organization structure and shuffled roles every month, much to the frustration of his employees.

Word of the CEO's idiosyncrasy spread over his industry and beyond. Two scoundrels who had heard of the CEO's obsession decided to take advantage of it. They introduced themselves at the lobby of the office with a scheme in mind.

"We are two very good consultants and after many years of research we have invented an extraordinary method to re-organize a hierarchy so lean that it looks invisible. As a matter of fact it is invisible to anyone who is too stupid and incompetent to appreciate its quality."

The chief of the HR heard the scoundrel's strange story and sent for the CFO. The CFO notified the VP, who ran to the CEO and disclosed the incredible news. The CEO's curiosity got the better of him and he decided to see the two scoundrels.

"Besides being invisible, Sir, this structure will be tailored in a management style created especially for you."

The CEO gave the two men a million dollars budget in exchange for their promise to begin working on the re-org immediately.

"Just tell us what you need to get started and we'll give it to you." The two scoundrels asked for a room, financial statements, and computers and then pretended to begin working. The CEO thought he had spent his money quite well: in addition to getting a new extraordinary consultation, he would discover which of his staff were ignorant and incompetent. A few days later, he called the old and wise VP, who was considered by everyone as a man with common sense.

"Go and see how the work is proceeding," the CEO told him, "and come back to let me know."

The VP was welcomed by the two scoundrels.

"We're almost finished, but we need a lot more cash. Here, Sir! Admire the solution, feel the efficiency!" The VP bent over the monitor and tried to view the screen which was blank. He felt cold sweat on his forehead.

"I can't see anything," he thought. "If I see nothing, that means I'm stupid! Or, worse, incompetent!" If the VP admitted that he didn't see anything, he would be discharged from his office.

"What a marvelous configuration, he said then. "I'll certainly tell the CEO." The two scoundrels rubbed their hands gleefully. They had almost made it. More financing was requested to finish the work.

Finally, the CEO received the announcement that the two consultants had come to request access to company records needed to complete his new org chart.

"Come in," the CEO ordered. Even as they entered, the two scoundrels pretended to be holding large stacks of printouts.

"Here it is Sir, the result of our labour," the scoundrels said. "We have worked night and day but, at last, the most cost efficient business structure in the world is ready for you. Look at the PDFs and visualize how powerful it is." Of course the Emperor did not see any printouts and could not feel any paper between his fingers. He panicked and felt like fainting. But luckily the throne was right behind him and he sat down. But when he realized that no one could know that he did not see the fabric, he felt better. Nobody could find out he was stupid and incompetent. And the Emperor didn't know that everybody else around him thought and did the very same thing.

The farce continued as the two scoundrels had foreseen it. Once they had taken the records, the two began typing on the keyboards while printing with their printers on invisible paper.

"CEO Sir, you'll have to retrench all your current senior management to implement this solution." The two scoundrels flashed the blank presentation. The CEO was embarrassed but since none of his bystanders were, he felt relieved.

"Yes, this is a highly effective setup and it looks very good with me on top," the CEO said trying to look comfortable. "You've done a fine job."

"Sir," the VP said, "we have a request for you. The people have found out about this extraordinary strategy and they are anxious to hear your broadcast." The CEO was doubtful of showing to the people a presentation he could not see, but then he abandoned his fears. After all, no one would know about it except the ignorant and the incompetent.

"All right," he said. "I will grant my staff this privilege." He summoned his PA and the ceremonial parade was formed. A group of boot lickers walked at the very front of the procession and anxiously scrutinized the faces of employees in the conference hall. All the employees had gathered, pushing and shoving to get a better look. An applause welcomed the elitist procession. Everyone wanted to know how stupid or incompetent his or her neighbor was but, as the CEO passed, a strange murmur rose from the crowd.

Everyone said, loud enough for the others to hear: "Look at the CEO's new business strategy. It’s excellent!"

"What a marvelous concept!"

"And the leanness! The leanness would surely ensure huge cost savings! I have never seen anything like it in my life!" They all tried to conceal their disappointment at not being able to see anything, and since nobody was willing to admit his own stupidity and incompetence, they all behaved as the two scoundrels had predicted.

An intern, however, who had no important job and could only see things as his eyes showed them to him, went up to the stage.

"The display is blank," he said. “There is nothing on the stage except the CEO himself”

"Fool!" his supervisor reprimanded, running after him. "Don't talk nonsense!" He grabbed his intern and took him away. But the youngster's remark, which had been heard by the bystanders, was repeated over and over again until everyone cried:

"The kid is right! The presentation is blank! It's true!"

The CEO realized that the people were right but could not admit to that. He though it better to continue the presentation under the illusion that anyone who couldn't see his slides was either stupid or incompetent. And he stood stiffly on the stage, while behind him a clerk held his imaginary folder.

Being Analytical

Peasants: *complain complain*
Chief: "Ok lets start an issues log, who would like to volunteer?"
It suddenly became very quiet...

Cheap and Good

 The Queen asked her Knights for more new young (cheap) recruits for her wars.
Someone replied "There is 'cheap', 'good', and 'available', but you can only pick two of three traits.
An awkward silence ensued...

Sundown Marathon 2010

And they shall know No Fear

Their feet shall be swift like the winds, their endurance like the endless tides,
their fortitude like steel, and their morale unshakable, the fiery souls of immortals piercing the misty night.

With their minds at peace, their pace in check, hearts beat in unison, and they shall stride in harmony across the moonless blight.

The winds will rise, the rain beats down, their thighs will burn, their pace will slow, but they’ll never be broken, and they shall know no fear.

And with the crack of dawn they return as one, the first and the last man march abreast, silhouettes against the horizon’s first light. The standard bearer waves his flag, and the crowds roar in delight, as the runners end their triumphic flight.

Setback

Sitting in my room,
strumming on my own
my guitar shared the pain.
All the same old tunes, but different from before.
No pick was used, just the flat of my thumb,
producing a muffled downcast tune,
not assertive, not insistent.
Slower than the usual pace, kind and forgiving,
as befitted this humbled state.

Devoid of lyrics, as none were needed.
Only the lonely chords, soft and melocholic,
with haunting silence between breaks.

Slowly it emptied my mind,
and along came the peace.
Soon sleep shall come, and with new hope brings the morrow...

The Perfect Relationship

A man was looking for the perfect woman.

He kept searching.

Finally he found her,

but there was one problem.

She was looking for the perfect man...

When relationships fall out, stung individuals often feel their partner had changed, had lost the qualities which first attracted them; When employees leave the company, they tend to say things weren’t the same as before, it’s no longer the company they used to enjoy working in.

I had a revelation: Our other half did not change/The Company had always been the same. The person we first fell in love with; the wonderful company we thought we joined; they didn’t exist in the first place. It was a figment of our own self delusion.

We all want the partner of our dreams, or to join the perfect company. We want it so badly that our subconscious paints a rosy picture. Being optimistic creatures, when uncertain, we see the best aspects of a new situation. We over-exaggerate them in our heads, and then end up disappointed when reality sinks in.
Which is why many relationships fail beyond the honeymoon phase*

Being aware prepares us for the awakening. It sets realistic expectations, takes us down to earth. We learn to accept one another’s imperfections. When we commit to a relationship, we accept our partner in total, both the strengths, and the shortcomings.

*Similarly defined as the honeymoon in Culture Shock

Fare thee well, for the end is near

keep floundering until the bitter end, and die in pitiful futility

And I dare not raise my head to look upon, that which has come to bring my end.
I shivered in cold awkward fear, and would turn tail and flee, had my body obeyed me.
My right arm heeds not, and my legs turn numb, I all but spasmed a little, which was all that’s left in me.

Bemirthed by my desperation, it glanced upon me and laughed. A laughter so hollow, more devoid of humor, than a corpse’s final stare.
“Finish me” I muttered, the last of what my crushed spirit could muster. “Finish me I say, End it now” a final show of defiance and nothing more.
But its capacity for cruelty, of this world it came not. The end it did not bring, instead unto my mind's eye it burned, the vision of what the end will finally bring.

And then in the dark it left me, knowing, and knowing the certainty. The many moons to anticipate, all the frightful more made the wait.

Downsizing with Grace

From The Straits Times - Sat Feb 20 2010

Downsizing with Grace
(If layoffs are your organization's only solution, do it with compassion)
Extracts:

Both 'survivors' and displaced workers also experience tremendous emotional and psychological trauma.
Companies therefore have to ensure that they develop appropriate and well thought out plans, before implementing the downsizing process and even more importantly, after the downsizing process is complete, to meet these challenges.
How you treat the people who leave and the people who remain is crucial. How downsized employees are treated directly affects the morale and retention of valued, high performing employees who remain.

Critical decisions
Downsizing is often executed with a brisk, callous efficiency that leaves laid-off employees angry and surviving employees feeling helpless and demotivated.
They produce a work environment of withdrawal, risk averse decision making, severely impaired morale, and excessive finger pointing.

Be Respectful
Many poorly executed lay-offs treat employees like children. Information is withheld and doled out unwillingly. How laid-off employees are treated is how surviving employees assume they may be treated.
When they see the company treating laid-off employees poorly, they will start looking for a better place to work, fearing their heads will be next to roll.

-Article by Chris Fenney, co-founder and director of Training Edge International.
www.trainingedgeasia.com

Scapegoat

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scapegoat
The scapegoat was a goat that was driven off into the wilderness as part of the ceremonies of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, in Judaism during the times of the Temple in Jerusalem. The rite is described in Leviticus 16.

Since this goat, carrying the sins of the people placed on it, is sent away to perish, the word "scapegoat" has come to mean a person, often innocent, who is blamed and punished for the sins, crimes, or sufferings of others, generally as a way of distracting attention from the real causes.

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

Being Professional

I tend to see myself as a contractor rather than an employee to a company.

The picture of a salaried 'employee' to me, hints of an exploited victim, someone who has no control and at the mercy of faceless shareholders. Someone who will always give more than he is paid. Why else would a company take him in?

As a contractor, I enter into a contract with the client company to provide services for the agreed price. I am my own company and my own product. I manage my own revenues and bottom line. I choose out of my own free choice to take on the contract and not because I'm forced to. As a professional, I do not pick my assignments. I am paid to do so and I will go where I am needed.

My work is of the highest quality so as to uphold my own reputation. Whatever title the client company bestows on me is less relevant compared to what I truely am.
If my fame grows, my services would be in demand and I can fetch higher value contracts.

Towards Managing Conflicts - With other people

Do you know how hard I tried?

to lose that foolish pride.

I find it meaningless to get into conflicts, there's seldom anything to gain and more likely will work negatively.

Getting angry with loved ones, will be regretted later.
Being sturbbon with friends erodes the friendship.
Starting a fight for whatever reason in the office, makes us look uncooperative.
Having a quarrel with strangers can at best ruin your mood, or (in the worst scenario) result in some less sane individual coming after your family, yourself or your properties.

Better to lose my pride for someone I love, than the other way round.
Remember the times our friends give in to our tantrums.
Keep cool, save the job, win that promotion, earn respect.
Often, "getting even" may not be worth it. It might be easier to just let the moment past, and enjoy the rest of the day.

Lyrics from some song:
sometimes I could get even
sometimes I could give up
sometimes I could give,
sometimes I don't give a ...

Death of a party

"Sadly it's time for us to go" This is not the most welcomed email subject, not when it came from the ishop. I hope there are alternative service centers available.

And so the shop where I bought my macbook will be gone by next month. Not completely left high and dry, but still quite the sour taste.