Grooves

3-years can leave such a lasting impression on you. It's been a month since my new job (and I'm eagerly awaiting the next paycheque already!), the old habits from the old job still lingers around. Having working hours that are too flexible can be quite hard to adjust back into the corporate world groove. Well, for me it's still a new experience for me. Coming from small agencies (and at one point, medium) I had always wondered how life would be like in a bigger setting. I've always picture it to be like college or university again except that you get paid to show up and do stuff. Now that I'm in one, it does have that certain similarity to it. For instance:

- You'll never get to know everyone.

- And the ones that you do know, you only remember their names. And maybe some basic background information.

- You have the popular 'kids'. 

Like point #2, of course they are categories of social circles within the office. I've yet to find mine. The 'new guy' tag is starting to loosen up. Eventually I will need to find my groove. 

Now the true experience starts.
 

Come And Go

He has moved on after a battle which he had fought on for 2-years. Never really got to know him, but death is always something that shocks you. No matter how many times you have gone thru it; death, when it happens, will always have you look back into your own life and wondered if you should be doing better, work harder, love more and hate less.

The Hard Way

I'm still struggling to sleep early. This is what advertising does to you, "I have a cousin who was in advertising," my new colleague said to me, "She lasted a year and decided to leave the industry for good," stating that one of the key factors was the gruesome hours that has become a staple in the industry. To his disbelief, I told him I was in it for 6-years before deciding to take a indefinite hiatus away from it, "Wah, 6 years?! Quite hardcore, huh?"

Indefinite hiatus is how I would coin it. Despite all the terrible and excruciating bits of it - the hours, the clients - I still have a soft spot for it. Truth be told, I did enjoy my 6-years in advertising. Sadly, leaving it was largely due to the external forces that came with it. Maybe it's just my luck, maybe it is like this but I have had enough with 2-faced people I've come across throughout my time. All the years spent and I have nothing to show for it. Empty bank accounts, enemies amassed and huge sacrifices. I keep waiting for the light at the end of the tunnel to shine, but it never came.

So I packed it in and headed elsewhere and out of the industry. It's strange how all that has lead to me coming here. Industrial design had been my first choice when I was a student. Sadly, such courses costs quite a fair bit and it was in the city, which made it even more costly for my parents to bear. In the end, I had to settle for second best; Graphic/multimedia design. I guess everything does happen for a reason and now I have somehow made my way back to where it should have begun. 

Call it; doing it the hard way.

Sailing Thru Turbulant Waters on the 23rd Floor

So, here I am. Seated on the 23rd floor with a desk by the window, or glass wall. Every now and then I’ll peer into the horizon, trying to use my imaginary x-ray vision to see thru the thick fog that surrounds KL and onto the distance. Sometimes it works, sometimes I feel as if I can see pass obstacles set before my eyes, like how sometimes I can see thru a girl’s dress and say, “She’s obviously wearing a thong,” or something like that. But then again, that’s probably her provocative dress. Oh, that sweet piece of ass. I’d make a sleazy Superman if I was ever one. Supersleaze I’d call myself. Abusing my power to satisfy my curious, naughty eyes. Sometimes, I can’t see pass anything and start to obsessed about the building that is under-construction in front of me. Would I see any bangla or Indon fellas falling to their death while painting the walls on the scaffolding? I’m sidetracking.

It’s been 7-days since I jumped from a small raft (or sampan, if I were to localize it) onto an international cruise ship in an attempt to steer myself from these turbulent waters to calmer, warmer waters. Or at least be more comfortable in these unpredictable waters. Maybe eventually finding land where I can finally stop and reap the rewards of my efforts. But that is still a long way to go. Sure wished it wasn’t that hard though. A full week (working days) into my new life, new career path I’m still not entirely certain where am I headed to or end up, what I do know is, I’m in a place where I’m presented with opportunities. I guess that’s what we all want in life, isn’t it? Chances. Opportunities.

The first 3-days were obviously the toughest. Not necessarily a good idea to have your first day of work on the eve of your birthday especially if your birthday falls on a weekday. Essentially, my first day was a blur. Coming from advertising, I’m used to sleeping late. Perhaps a little bit too used to it. Naturally, sleeping early was next to impossible. And impossible it was. I had only 3-hours of sleep as my alarm rang at 7am. But nothing beats the second day. I was at work, attending my orientation course whilst hung over. On the bright side, it distracted me from being overly nervous or anxious, so I made a huge impression with the senior executives who were conducting the courses.

7-days in, I still can barely remember 50% of my new colleagues name (doesn’t help that we have 300+ employees here and another god-knows-how-many in the manufacturing plant), so I go by nicknames, like; guy with huge belly, Mohawk dude, the Mac guy, the Indian contingent, fellow new comer-girl and so on. I’ve always been terrible with names. Maybe this is the universe’s way to force me to at least TRY harder in remember names.

Peering into the horizon again, I noticed dark clouds are gathering. Half the floor is empty. We do have quite flexible working hours, but then again, it’s Ramadhan, so this view may be a wee bit distorted. I think I should pack my bags and head off to battle the unforgiving KL traffic.

Laters.

The Return of Blogging

At long last – after months and months of procrastination (or just lack of motivation or reason) to revamp/update the site – it is done!

About bloody time I’d say. But who blogs anymore these days? The world has changed so much since I wrote my first entry towards the end of my internship with KLUE magazine. Camera-phone were painfully mediocre, iPods had no colour screen and could only hold no more than 20 albums, 3G was a dream and well Streamyx was still the best thing that had ever happened in our lives. That was in 2004.

Fast-forward 7-years later, 2011; iPhones (or any other smart phones for that matter) are now a standard issue requirement, nobody buys mobile phones anymore. We shoot videos with our phones in HD, we have fibre optic internet and iPods can hold your entire lifetime collection of albums.

Not to mention to rapid emergence of Facebook (which subsequently killed Friendster), Twitter and heaps of other “social-networking” sites which contributed to the demise of blogs. Or did it? I’m not saying blogs are making a comeback, on the contrary, I believe blogs were never really killed off but rather, it took a back seat. Sure, it can’t compete with the speed and functionality that social networking sites can provide. It survived for one reason; it’s old-school.

Much like iPads and the introduction of iBooks - real, printed books will never truly die.

So, here’s to the second or third coming. Blogs are not making comeback, because they were never really outdated to begin with, in retrospect, it is me that is making a comeback!

Slow Thursday

It makes you wonder doesn't it? When someone you've known all your life is making breakthroughs in their life. It gets you thinking, "What the hell have I achieved with MY life?"

It's so shallow yet so profound. It's stupid to constantly compare yourself with other people, but then again if they are in your generation, it makes you wonder if you could have done any better yourself. Doesn't it?

Not that long ago it seems we were just kids playing outside on our pathetic piece of garden outside of our house. She was the only friend I had which was my age. We were close. For a awhile. But as we grew older, we grew apart as well. I do miss the old days. I reminisce now and then.

It's funny how she is now entering a new phase in life. And I still feel I'm stucked on my end. It must be that syndrome. The one where when you see your friends making that big step, you start questioning yourself. I guess I'll find out tomorrow.

I'll be preparing for a fashion show during the weekend. Free cocktails! Can't say no to that. Though the Man Utd game is on. Tough decision to make...

Oh by the way, I totally typed this entire entry on my iPhone. It's way intense. Would have still preferred doing this on a computer.