Random Solitary Thoughts

Sunday, November 30, 2003

I have been very busy.. and my un-updated blog is testament to that fact. Already, I slept at 5.00 am on Saturday, only to get up two hours later to go to work. And now, as I'm writing this, I'm just finishing up some work with only about 4 hours of sleep before I wake up for work tomorrow.

But even though the work may be taxing, it's good to know that you're appreciated and my vacation date is just after the deadline. Perfect timing...

Anyhow, since I've lost track of day and night, and I can't really say last night, because that would be just a couple of hours ago, and it was supposed to be on Saturday, and yesterday was Sunday, and to make things short, it was on Saturday night that my PC power supply konked.

Panic gripped mild-mannered Kalamari like a tentacle of the legendary kraken! What can he do? He is just an ordinary mild-mannered executive trying to meet a deadline and working hard to feed his current family which consists of himself and a dog.

"Fear not!" A voice resounded in the same room. And lo and behold, Multipurpose Man has arrived!!! "M..m...m..mu...mul... Multipurpose Man!!!" screamed mild-mannered Kalamari as Multipurpose Man stands there in a supposing heroic, but somewhat 'cacat' looking pose.

"H.. how can it be? I thought you died back in 1961?" said the shocked Kalamari. "Muahahahaha!!! You have been deceived, ignorant human! For I am Multipurpose Man! I appear whenever someone is in need of some Multipurpose Task and is somehow too retarded to do it him or herself! In other words... I LIIIIIIVE!!!! Muahahaha!!!"

Kalamari could only cower in fear of this Madman.

So with a wave of his hand, Multipurpose Man brought Kalamari's PC to the shop and had the power supply tested and replaced and even upgraded the graphics card! After that, he efficiently brought it back and was in time for lunch! But, not before he slapped Kalamari with a big fat bill for the service.

Suddenly, Kalamari wakes up and realises that he's late for work! "Ahhhh shucks... I HATE Mondays... sigh... "

Thursday, November 20, 2003

This is a angst-driven blog... by Kalamari the Angsty

This blog is filled with angst. I am filled with angst. Angst is driving me insane.

Working with certain people can be a pain. Some people are just plain cocky. No, I don't mind if you chat while you work. I don't even mind if you chat and don't work. But when you deliver sub-standard work and can't meet deadlines and work slower than a snail trying to get to Timbucktoo by crawling, it's totally unprofessional and you should be shot!

Know your place and worth before you act like a know-all expert. So it's fine if you go back every 5.15 pm sharp. It's okay if you take excessively long breaks or aren't totally dedicated to your job. It's fine if you want to take a nap in between. But when you can't deliver for nuts and put the whole project in jeopardy, you can go kiss my @$$ and go to heck!!!

No, forget the 'kiss my @$$' part. I don't want your germs or your infectious lack of professionalism to rub off on me. Yes, so what if I do take the occasional N.O.T.? So what if I go back every 5.15 pm sharp? So what if I chat while I work? I can, because I CAN deliver! I work fast, and hard, and I produce work up to the expected standards and more! I meet deadlines, and I don't talk back to my superiors!!!

So look at the different levels of professionalism and KNOW your place!

Okay, sorry for all that angst. I just need to release some steam. Work getting to me... deadlines, deadlines... and I'm listening to angsty Linkin Park right now... shucks... Angst is the word of the day... not mundane... Mundane is nothing like angst. Mundane is mundane, angst is angst. Never the two shall meet...

I have now officially calmed down, and shall proceed to enjoy a night of Futsal. Who wants to play?

Wednesday, November 19, 2003

This is a recurring blog... by Kalamari the Repetitive

The day started out being extremely sleepy. I gotta work less and sleep more, and I have a meeting tonight. Shucks, at least I took a half day leave for tomorrow, so I won't be so sleepy.

I'm feeling productive after lunch. Worked throughout afternoon without napping. Great achievement...

Meeting cancelled tonight. More time to work on sketches. Yea...

Tuesday, November 18, 2003

This is a sleepy blog... by Kalamari the Tired

I am extremely sleepy. Hence the need to type something in a bid to keep myself awake. It is not working... (becomes yet another victim of qwertysis)

I haven't been having enough sleep lately, and having 8 hours of sleep once a week doesn't help! I need more sleep. A lot more sleep. Lots of sleep! Plenty of sleep! I gotta start sleeping more...

I haven't been updating my blog as regularly as I did the past few days. This is attributed to a sudden increase of work, of which I've been busy trying to clear, but still have plenty left undone. Thankfully, the deadline is around the same time as my trip to Bali, so I'm glad in a way that I'm getting a vacation at the end of it.

Went shopping during the weekend for a new pair of shoes with Kotak. I needed a new pair of sports shoes as my old hand-me-downs are worn out and torn. So we drove down to Sg.Wang and went hunting for a good pair of fake adidas shoes.

Luck was on our side, for we found a pair of fake Adidas shoes going at RM 57. Fortunately we saw a pair of original Puma shoes going at RM 99. The maths went something like this... Fake Adidas = 6 months = RM 57. Real Pumas = 1 1/2 - 3 years = RM 99. The winner takes it all!

I'm happy with the new shoes!

Friday, November 14, 2003

This is a Kalamari Blog Exclusive... by Kalamari the Motivated

I didn't manage to update my blog yesterday. I was so engrossed in work that I totally forgot to write one until it was time to go and even then, all I could think about was work.

It has finally happened! After so long, I never thought it was possible, but it has happened! I am motivated to work! NoooOOooOoOoooo!!! The terror! The horror! The sin!

It's all the fault of that funky new project! It was so interesting, that it kept me preoccupied for most of my working hours and my nap times as well. I am proud, though a bit sad to admit that I haven't had an N.O.T.(Nap Of Termination) in the afternoons since I began work on this new project.

Anyway, today I woke up just in time to hear it thundering and lightning-ing outside my window. My first thoughts were 'Great! How am I going to work in the storm?' Then, I thought, 'Great! Let me stay in bed and enjoy the weather!' And I did just that!

I took a couple of hours of 'flexi hour' and enjoyed a glorious time in the cozy comfort of my bed amidst the rainy weather outside. For those of you who are not sure what I am talking about, let me explain in plain morbid detail.

My company has a policy. It is called the Flexi Hour policy. But unlike other companies whose Flexi hours are really Flexi, my company places a few... er.. let's say, limitations. First off, we cannot take more than two hours at a time. Secondly, if we were to take Flexi hours, we have to repay it the day itself or the following days, which is standard procedure. Now here comes the best part. We can only take a two hour(max) Flexi hour/hours ONCE a month! Kinda defeats the purpose doesn't it?

So we have to plan everything that we need to do, to be done in the space of two hours, inclusive of travelling time, so that we can do them during our ONcE a month Flexi hour/hours.

Seeing that I already used up mine to sleep in on a perfectly cozy karma-given morning, I have to resort to paying others to do my banking and other numerous chores that I can't do because I have to get to work on time and I can only take two hours (which I have to repay back anyway) once a month to do them. So who wants to do a blood test for me?

Anyway, I didn't have time to write more long-winded stuff before I go home so here's where I end this blog. Oh, by the way, I ended up having a short N.O.T. when my boss wasn't around.. sigh... there goes the record... old habits are hard to lose...

Wednesday, November 12, 2003

A tragic blog... by Kalamari the Frustrated

Tis a tragic day today. Today is a public holiday... and I'm sitting here in my office typing this blog. This is so sad and tragic. I hope no one has to share my fate...

I finished reading 'Angela's Ashes' last night. Tis a good book... tis tis... Now I have to read 'Tis', the sequel to the first.

It was interesting reading about how the author suffered throughout his youth. Some parts can make you cry, and some can make you laugh. At times I even caught myself reminiscing my youth and how things turned out, and at times I'm glad I have a good family.

The book opened a new window for me. I saw the world in a different light. I forgive petty thieves for their sins, but only after I beat them up... I understand why some people are so bitter, and I feel sorry for people without manners, and I sympatize with those who do not know how to smile for they do not know the value of one.

I realised how lucky I was and how lucky I am to have a crappy job in a crappy environment in a crappy place in the middle of nowhere with nothing to eat and no internet connection because some people don't even have jobs and have nothing to eat at all when they go home and I should be grateful that I don't drink my salary and actually have enough to survive at the lowest level of survival.

Well... maybe I will bathe in the temporary enlightenment until some ridiculous event disappoints me and I start thinking and feeling like the unluckiest guy alive and I have to read the book again to get over it. I think I shall keep the book nearby for some 'chicken soup' for my soul.

Crap... crap crap crap... in my hurry to finish my work and get out of here, I saved my rendered draft as another file and I've been making adjustments based on the previous file and when I lst checked I over-animated the sequence! Crap! Now I have to make changes again... sigh... maybe I'll wait until the voice-overs arrive first...

Well, looks like I was too caught up with work to continue writing this... so I'll leave it till tomorrow to rant and pass my time when I'm too bored to work! Till then...

Tuesday, November 11, 2003

A sedated blog by Kalamari the sedated

Tis a cold Tuesday morning, and I'm feeling extremely sedated knowing that I have to work tomorrow (which is in fact a public holiday) with no extra pay or perks. I am so tempted to take an MC so I can stay home and sleep late like everybody else.

I guess it's inevitable that I leave the company the moment it's convenient. Who wants to work in a company where they don't give you your public holidays?

The silly HR manager always says the labour law says this, the labour law says that. The labour law says only 10 public holidays allowed per year. Yeah right, like anyone is gonna complain to the labour department that we are forced to stay home during public holidays! To heck with them all!

My dog puked last night. I think it might have been the medication he took prior to his vaccination. Maybe he doesn't like it.

Played Futsal last night and had a blast! Would definitely be going back there on Thursday. Skinned my calves a bit but nothing will keep me away from football! I can already see this as a regular pastime activity.

It's afternoon now at the office, and I'm sleepy thanks to the heavy lunch and the rainy weather and the mundane working conditions here. I can feel a sore throat creeping up on me. Hopefully it comes tomorrow so that I don't have to work on a public holiday and I can sleep late, and when I wake up I hope it goes away so I can enjoy some decent food on a public holiday instead of the indecent food I have to eat if I don't bring my own lunch.

I know I am not making much sense out of all this but what can a guy do when he's bored and sleepy and waiting for the work to render and not being able to sleep and all? At least all this
writing is keeping me awake and helping me type better although I don't think it makes too much difference because the keyboard here is crappy and the space bar doesn't work too well.

And so it came to be that my skinned calf is sizzling and for a moment I regret playing football without football socks and I remind myself to buy a pair, but then I think of the cost and I tell myself I don't really need football socks and injuries like these happen only once in a while, and I'll probably regret it the next time it happens...

My ex-colleague just came in to say hi! She's so much happier now that she's not working here anymore. Well, maybe it's because she's not working at all, but she is considerably happier and that's the point.

Now it's almost time to go, and I'm itching to get out of here and back home where I can see my dog and hope that he isn't puking all over the place like last night. Then I'll have to weed the garden so that my grass can grow in peace and then work on some 3d textures late into the night.

I need a life...

To all of you who have tomorrow off thanks to the public holiday, enjoy it well knowing that I have to work on a perfectly good public holiday because my bosses are sadists and should be shot! I hate my bosses...

A constipated blog by Kalamari the Critical

It has been a weekend of fun and destressing and the results have shown. Today, I was miraculously productive. Not only that, I was hardly sleepy, and managed to do quite a bit of work as well.

But as of now, I'm beginning to feel a bit monotonous in this mundane environment, and therefore I shall alleviate my boredom by happily typing out this blog.

The weekend was nice. Spent Saturday going to a casting agency with Kotak, Booya, and a friend to get our pictures taken. Then, onwards to Mid Valley for buka puasa and to watch the much anticipated Matrix Revolutions.

Movie was thoroughly disappointing, although that was much anticipated. Too much special effects spoilt the whole thing although I could say the same for the overly cliched script. The only highlight (no spoilers ahead since everybody knows that the good guys always wins in the end) in the whole movie was the battle for Zion. Now, THAT was good...the rest was what I would call 'kelefeh'!

Overall I applaud the team which animated and brought to life the battle of Zion. For the rest (and that goes for Mr. 'Wooden' Reeves), I feel they either need more work, or they have been working too hard. Enough is enough. When the same stuff is being repeated for a total of 5 hours, it gets downright boring and mundane!

To all matrix fans out there, sorry if I offended you people. I definitely feel they could have achieved so much more with what they had. Maybe some cool ideas won't get mutilated by overzealous producers in the future.

Onwards to Sunday, and I had a great game of badminton followed by indian food for lunch. Went back and killed Porings before bathing the dog and doing other numerous chores followed by dinner at a nearby mamak complimented by a good football match between Liverpool and Mancester United.

A perfectly nice ending to a great weekend. Next weekend, I shall do something similar... But for today, Futsal awaits and I hope I remain productive tomorrow... peace!

P.S. You'll probably be wondering why I updated this only today... the reason? Either blogger was down, or for some weird reason which doesn't seem too weird in this part of the world, I can't access blogger on Monday night.

Friday, November 07, 2003

This is a Kalamari blogspot exclusive... by Kalamari the Lethargic

Today is Friday. I am not ecstatic. I'm not thrilled. No doubt the weekend is coming but that doesn't make much of a difference because I still have to work on Saturday and a whole bunch of chores to finish on Sunday. I need to get a life or quit this crappy job.

But time and time again I tell myself, hang on... next year, five day week, next year, five day week...

Still, the stress of working on freelance projects is getting to me. No doubt I'll get some extra moolah, but at the expense of my youth?!? I dunno.

Woke up feeling extra tired and letharghic today. Still, I dragged myself outta bed and went to work looking like a panda. Not that I wanted to, but I had to, and I hate going to see a doctor to get an MC.

So it was a game of qwertysis and 'catch me sleeping if you can' with my boss the whole day. Of course it helped that I took whatever breaks I had to sleep.

Now it's raining cats and dogs, and I wonder why the English called it cats and dogs when it could have well been kittens and mice, or grasshoppers and toads, or sambal and ikan bilis. Anyway, it's raining cats and dogs, and I could almost see cats and dogs falling down from the roof if only the blinds weren't in the way...

Now I'm not so sleepy. It must be the anticipation of going home that has given me a sudden boost of energy. I have concluded that I shall take no more freelance work even though my pay is measly and I have no way of surviving with what they pay me but I can't put my health in jeopardy.

Tonight, I shall rest and hope I won't wake up feeling like someone puked on me the night before... but only after I kill Porings...

Thursday, November 06, 2003

Another blog by Kalamari the Bored

This is another blog entry. I find that nowadays, thanks to the ultimately mundane (mundane... I like this word...) environment in my office that's fit for the undead, writing a nonsensical blog filled with misadventures of the boring kind will definitely help me pass the time in this timeless mundane place they call an office.

Having NO internet connection here doesn't help as well, as it only seeks to aggravate the already dull situation here. Still, I'm thankful for R & D day on saturday, because it means we have online connection and can surf and work at the same time. All company's should have R & D day. It's almost a sin not to have it.

My brother flared up with some allergy on Sunday. He said it was because of the KFC he ate on Saturday. Must be all those chemicals and stuff they inject into the chickens... followed by more chemicals and MSG before they fry them in two-week old oil.

He looked like a walking wart, what with his etopic eczema being the way it is. He tought it would go away in a day or two but when he came to see me yesterday, he still looked like a walking wart.

So I took him to a clinic and he had a jab and all was well and when we got back he played Warcraft 3 and watched me kill Porings. So let this be a lesson to all... avoid KFC at all costs... or become the next walking wart!

Earlier today I had to go down town to deliver some documents. Arrived around noon and by 12.30, I had finished my task. So I took a walk to a coffee shop within the Central Market area and had beef noodles. Yummy.. (no offense to all Muslims reading this...) Then I was so stuffed of koay teow and beehoon and beef that I missed a turning and had to encircle the town once more to get back on the highway to my office.

Now it's almost time to go and I'm not so stuffed with koay teow and beehoon and beef anymore. I have to rush to a meeting and hopefully things go well because if they don't, then I'm gonna be pissed and you wouldn't like me when I'm angry. Plus, I might just beat the crap outta my dog, but that isn't possible because Kalamari the Ill-tempered is no longer with us and has gone to heck.

So anyway with the last few minutes remaining and Jewel singing 'You were meant for me' through my headphones here I am typing away on this blog when I should be doing work. Ah well... you win some, you lose some... See y'all tomorrow... tonight, I kill Porings!

Wednesday, November 05, 2003

A blog by Kalamari the Even-tempered

The world is a beautiful place to live in!!! Yesh! It is... it is! The day before yesterday, I introduced a new punishment scheme for the pup. It is simple and reduces stress for both me and my dog! From now onwards, I will hide or place all restricted chewable objects in a place unaccesible by the dog until he's old enough to learn that he can't chew gardens!!!

Upon finding an accident, I shall proceed to lock him up in the cage where he will be eternally miserable until I decide to let him out to crap and piss. Of course if he does piss inside his cage, he will only suffer from the smell. Imagine trying to sleep on your piss... (dunno how I used to do it as a kid.. shucks... )

Anyhow life is great, and I have a happy life! So enjoy life and kill porings! See y'all!

A blog by Kalamari the Bad-Tempered

Tis been many weeks and countless days since I last wrote a proper entry here. I have been busy... too busy... I have been stressed... too stressed... I have been losing my temper... way too much...

The past few weeks was a kaleidoscope of emotions, ranging from the estatic to the downright down! At times I just feel like beating up everyone in sight, but at times, I just can't stop smiling... I must be going insane.

And to make matters worse... the poor soul who has to bear the brunt of my insanity is my poor dog. Yes, everytime I had a particularly depressing and disappointing day at the office, my poor dog will definitely get a scolding that is out of this earth!

It will always start with my coming home from the office and finding that my poor bored-to-death-dog has been up to something to amuse himself. And he will always greet me with pure ignorance and the simple joy of seeing his master arrive home.

And thanks to my inability to control my temper... I will grab him and proceed to beat the crap out of him for either chewing the garden, chewing the clothes peg tupperware, chewing the broom, chewing numerous other unidentified objects or all of the above. I usually snap after seeing the chewed up garden as it contains sentimental value.

I feel sorry for taking out all my frustrations out on him. I really do... Being an inquisitive puppy, all he wants is to entertain himself when he's bored. And seeing that no one is at home most of the time, he has nothing to do except to play with whatever he can find!

And it doesn't help that I beat him up all the time because dogs have short term memory and he probably doesn't know why I'm beating him up because he doesn't remember or realise what he has done wrong! And he's too young to even know right from wrong!!! So in conclusion, all this 'training' and beating up does nothing for him except to make him a bitter and unhappy puppy.

Yes, I know I'm wrong, and I am going to remedy it. Today, will officially be my last blog entry as I won't be in this world anymore. Good bye to all. If anyone wants to have my puppy, please contact Dan. If no one wants to take him, then I shall take him with me. At least I'll have someone to chew on my slippers in heck!

See ya people... it's been nice knowing y'all!