Lifestyle Adjustments

As our financial reporting work is switching from quarterly to monthly routine, there are several adjustments me and my fellow co-workers need to make to our lifestyles.

"Honey, I don't think it's a good idea if the baby is born during the first two months of the year. You know, I need to make sure I finish the annual filing on time."

"Ok, try not to plan our vacation to Hawaii on the first week or the last week of the month, ok? My team expects me to be there to do the monthly reporting."

"Let's make plans for dinner and a drink afterward. Don't plan it too late because the admin data downloads will be coming in at midnight and I need to kick start some runs."

"I can't go to the outlet mall with you because I need to start mentally preparing for the quarterly work starting next week."

Three Places you want to visit

Towards the end of a house-warming party, about 10 of us from my department were having a group Q&A session. Here's how it works- someone asks a question and then we all take term to share our answer.

It reminds me of the campfire talk while everyone tried to open up to share their feelings etc. Dwight talked about his top 3 criteria to select a mate, while another girl shared her most embarrassing moment...

Co-worker A: Tell us 3 places that you have to visit.

Co-worker B: I have to visit an small island with beaches because I like the sun, Thailand for the food and New Zealand.

Co-worker C: Building 1, Building 3 and Building 4.

(Note: My company has 4 buildings on campus and my department is located in building 2)

On Self Defense

Big Boss was trying to teach a female co-worker self-defense in the narrow hallway between cubicles one day.

Big Boss: Ok, now if I grab your collar, what would you do?

When I was pondering what I would do with my rusty Wing Chun background, I thought, "Ok, is it too much when the first thing I thought is to poke his eyes? I mean, that's ABSOLUTELY going to work.....Wait, or maybe I can step on his toes like stepping on a cigarette butt and then run away....."

Actually what I heard from my co-worker was this and it really amazed me.

Female co-worker: Errr.....I guess I'd take my shirt off.

What is this green drink?

Co-worker: What are you drinking?
Me: Green tea frappuccino from downstairs.
Co-worker: It looks you are drinking avocado with whipped cream on it!

You Want to Cuddle?

Female co-worker: It's 5 o'clock. I gotta take off soon to avoid the traffic hurdle.
Male co-worker: What? You want to cuddle??

Inspired by Overheard in the Office

Things that can keep you awake at a meeting

Things that can keep you awake at a meeting:

1. Starbucks doubleshot
2. Redbull
3. papercut (a deep one!)
   

Office Politics 101: Littie Ant and Elephant

Something happened at work today that made me come up with the following conclusions.

• On Office politics: People usually can't see their own major flaws. On the other hand, people can easily see minor flaws in another person. There's an Indonesian idiom that describes it quite well, "Gajah di pelupuk mata tak tampak, semut di seberang lautan tampak." (Elephant in front of the eye can't be seen, ant across the ocean can be seen) This is especially true if someone doesn't like you or is jealous of you in the first place.
  

• Gossips and office politics (particularly being talked behind your back) is pretty much human nature. It can happen in any offices in the world. And today, I had a first-hand experience.

• Jealousy at work- usually it happens when someone sees you are better than he/she is. (I really wonder what people can be jealous about me, a small potato at work)

• Some people at work cares about me, but just a little bit too much. Shouldn't they spend more time to think about their work, their daughter's soccer games or remodeling their house? Just leave me alone! I'm not in your way against your promotion and bonus. If you want the corner office or a bigger bonus, go for it. I like my good feng-shui cubicle anyway. I believe there's more than enough for everyone.
  

The Likeliness of Falling Asleep in a meeting

I've been wondering how people can stay awake in office meetings. The morning meetings are fine, but the most challenging ones are the after lunch meetings. There are only a few useful resources that I can find to tackle this issue from wikihow.

So here are a few pointers I learned based on my research:

• Have enough sleep. (It sounds obvious. For me, I can still feel sleepy after sleeping for 9 hours!)
• Exercise regularly.
  
• Eat a light lunch before meeting.
• Drink plenty of water.
• Bring some gum/mints to the meeting.
• Bring a pen and writing pad to take notes.
• Pinch yourself if necessary. (Though it doesn't really work all the time if you feel too sleepy.)
• Excuse yourself to the washroom before you gave in.

I wonder if the presenter/committee chair/whoever is speaking at that moment can make the meeting just a little bit shorter, just a little bit more interesting and just a little bit more engaging, the likeliness of falling asleep in the meetings would decrease significantly.

By the way, have you seen people falling asleep at Steve Jobs presentation? I doubt that.

Season's Greetings

As you can see, people in my office are from all over the place and can write in many different languages. After I wrote my "Merry Christmas" in Chinese, I thought I'm supposed to sign my name in bracket. Indeed, within the bracket, I was supposed to put down the name of the language. Since I'm the only person who can write Chinese in the office, I called it a new language "Yukkish" ;)

Happy December, everyone!