Wednesday, August 31, 2005

It is really the migration criteria that needs to be worked on?

Was reading an article sent by Rhian bout PR issues on THe Age (newspaper)... and with both my cousin telling bout road show n recruitment the last two days prior to reading the article... I needed to blog... hahahaha...

The article in summary mentions that there are a whole lot of jobless IT graduates and migrants in aus and working as taxi drivers etc... And they are thinking of reassessing their skilled migration criteria... The industy needs experienced IT personnels and not just fresh grad with little experiences.

1st i would like to say.. if every company just want experience employees, that is great... people that are over 35 or 40 can still be in great demand.. which is good! There was a case where people stop employing mature people and want younger talents...

2nd... here we have a case of need of expertise... but if no company is willing to train these fresh grads and just employ experienced employees... these fresh grads will nv get the type of relevant experiences... and in the long run! You would create your own lack of expertise in your society!!! COZ greedy corporate cultures just want profit margin but dun spend a bit of $$$ to train talents in the 1st place... talents who can help increase their profit margin with the $$ they spend on these young talents...

3rd, if they are worried after they train these youngster, they might leave them for another better job... make them sign a bond to start off with...

4thly... does the government really think its the point criteria system or should they really look into their country's courporate culture! Maybe they should pass a law/legislation/policy/regulation whatever it is done to really solve the root of the problem...

In conclusion... companies should think bout putting aside a sum of $$$ for employees training... not just for new fresh grads... but existing employees... so instead of employing someone new and start the long learning curve, you could utilise internal resources and turn them into the expert u need...

Or maybe i'm just being an idealist...

Sunday, August 21, 2005

Our Crazy semester 2 nights out~

Staggering out of bed at 6am by the noises of poor richie puking from bad mix of white and red + bad red wine. Have only slept at 2.30. Stagger back to bed till 1.30pm today. And then woke up stagger out of my room to find that richie has brought monster to work! Yay! Nice peaceful n quiet... ahh... relax...

Yes... 2 weeks after the 1st cousemate bonding night out at traders' bar... Rhian and I receive another email from Alex & Jonathan inviting us for drinks again... Rhian started checking out melbourne pubs and showed me a few... I particularly wanted to check out "The Trust" at the old Port Authority Building as I saw it on a magazine once... So nice and posh... And look so classic during the day... thou at night its a totally different ambience I found out. Rhian suggested it to everyone as Moo's sister is an architecture student and wants to see nice architecture buildings. So we went...

There was a wedding reception at the restaurant area and part of the place was close off. We took at least 5 two-seater couches and 2 personal couches to fit 12 of us. We were there at 8.45pm, the early ones... and soon everyone started to arrive. HOwever, Moo + sis did not come when the clock struck 10 and it was getting rather boring as there were not many people there and we all decided to head to "transport" @ federation square. Along the way, Ryan left (Chris other housemate) and at Transport, Yai left telling us he did not tell his GF he is going out!!! Dodgy! Hahaha... and Moo + sister (Meow) arrived... Don't ask me why... Quote from Yai - "THai people have nicknames of animals but never use Dog... i dunno why..." And by the way Moo in thai means "Pig" and Meow is like cat meow~

80's music! Wow... a night of fond memories of wooo wooo wooo girls just wanna have funnnn~~~ Ooo Ooo Ooo Oo an eternal flameeeeeeee~~~ you spin me right round baby right round like a record baby right round round round~ sweeeeeeetttttt child of minnnneeeee~~~ and summer of sixty nineeee~~~ And below is the photo at transport with richie taking the photo for us~ and below that is our very 1st night of gathering...


2nd night out w fellow coursemates - 20/08/2005 Posted by Picasa

1st row: Chris, Meow, Moo & Jonathan
2nd row: Moi~~~, Diane & Ian (Diane's BF)
3rd row: Rhian & Alex (Dutch)


1st night out with fellow coursemates~ Posted by Picasa

People who attended are: Richie, Moi~, Diane, Rhian (at the back), Chris, Alex (thai) popping up in front, Moo, Alex (Dutch) & Jonathan.

Thursday, August 18, 2005

Pics explaination~

As in my previous blog... really long ago... when i move into my current place... april requested photos... n i only recently started playing ard with the software, here is the preview... Just testing the software and the photo view in blog.

The pic with 4 different photos: The 3 rainbow pics taken on the same rainy day... and the botanical garden view on a sort of sunny day...

The pic with 2 photos: taken same rainy day with quite a stunning effect... (i know the photo quality is crap)

the pictures on the right with a tall building are the views from my bedroom & the sea is on the right and can only be seen if u stand at the left of the window...

i dun have a digital so all u can rely on is a pathetic mobile camera... so i only have the restricted view of the shrine with rainbow & therefore i took a really crap photo of the botanical garden left of the shrine on a sunny day and put it in... to the left of the botanical garden, the MCG can be seen but its hard getting a picture for it from my small mobile camera, so i decided not to include it. By the way view of the shrine, botanical garden & MCG is seen from the living rm... & richard's room... in fact richard's room have my view as well as everything else... =D But i'm happy with my floor to ceiling window with restricted view. Thou my feet gets pretty cold during winter from sitting in front of it - my table face the window.

Cheerz

Pics as requested

The 3 rainbow pictures are taken on the same day. Botanical garden view on a sort of sunny day... Posted by Picasa
gloomy day beauty: Posted by Picasa

Wednesday, August 17, 2005

When does work ends & your life starts...

These few days there seems to be the constant brought up of this topic - "Australians are lazy..." It started with a friend's lecturer commenting on that statement and what she felt during that time. And Richard brought it up again when he saw a hair salon open till 11pm on a tuesday and reminded himself not to stereotype everyone as not ALL Aussies are lazy...

First, i gotta say... yes i did see my fair share of lazy aussie working attitudes but I have 1st hand encounter really really extremely hardworking Australians. Which brings me to remember this tutorial I had last semester doing this subject call e-business technology. (and yes, my life revolves around uni now... the only life i have & the only life i know! Or at least currently... quite enjoying it thou) Anywayz, we have discussions during these tutorials and there was this time where we got carried away with the boundaries of technologies and someone came up with this idea that possibly, the technology and security can be extended so far to working from home, and one does not require to go to the office! And then the lecturer ask the golden question: "So when does the work ends & your private life begins..." And i've realise a couple lecturers have similar comments this semester and it seems to be a social issue not just in the IT industry nowadays.

This then brings me back to the comment about lazy australians... To me, its really about the social & cultural difference. Some people can comment that aussie close their shops by 5.30 or 6 and in asian countries they are so hardworking as to open till 11pm! However, there are so many children in those countries that hardly gets to spend time with their parents or even have a proper loving family environment. Yes, a lot need to income to support the family... I'm not refering to that thou... Its that Australians do have a CHOICE. The Choice of whether to work their arse off till day turns to night n night to day or they choose to work and put in their best effort at work and then go home and enjoy a great family life with their kids. Yes, standards of living could be higher in aus, and pay margins could possibly be higher & they can afford to... so at least they make use of the opportunity to spend time with family or have a life instead of taking it for granted. It comes down to what a person values more and what they are willing to trade off with.

A lot of people are so engrossed in making money that they lose track of those around them. Yes we need a shelther over our head... yes we want this, we want that... Maybe its time for people to take 1 minute of their busy schedule to think what is it they really want, and what is it that is really important in their life. What they want to remember having done in their life and look back feeling they have made full use of the time they have been given in this life time. Should money be running their lifes for them or they could try to make money work for them. Or its as simple as they are willing to trade off with lesser money but a quality life with the people who are the closest and care for them the most.

Sometimes you can find the poorest people, having the most simple needs, being contented and easier to make happy. And the rich and affluent never finding self peace and happiness. The poor having a stronger family bond and the rich fighting over their child's custody not out of love for the kid but who should be entitled the rights.

Such irony... Yet u see it everyday, everywhere... in every country... every works of life... We cant influence a drastic change in the whole society but we as individual can make a DIFFERENCE as long as one of us understand the logic and practice it... Ultimately, we really should all try to aim to be happy in life...

Smile and you will feel happier already.

God bless y'all~
ZoN

Saturday, August 13, 2005

For those of u who thinks u r depress or the whole world hates u

A friend show me this online journal of this guy who is her gf's sis's friend (or bf, we dun know). Quite a sad fellow who, to me, i think dwells in self pity...


This is his site - http://www.xanga.com/home.aspx?user=alyxinaus

And my comment to him is... or to anyone who feels depress or thinks the whole world hates u... hope i can present u these words and may u find peace & strength...

My comment:
Why dun u say how many days u actually were not sad or depress...

ANOREXIA is not when u don't want to eat... but a mental sickness (need the help of a psychiatrist to actually get well) where by a person thinks they look crap or keep thinking they need to lose weight or need to eat less and stop eating right or properly, and therefore becoming skin n bones and still think they are not eating right or not skinny enough.

THIS WORLD HATES U SO MUCH... why are u so affected? in life not everyone will like u... but there will be the few who actually LOVES u... These few people may be your parents, these people may not be your parents, they could be friends or relatives, but there are definitely the few who cares... So STOP taking them FOR GRANTED & Live for those who loves u & STOP complaining.

DRINKING is to enjoy... if u r taking it to rid you of your problems, that is childish. Maybe u will grow up someday...

Let me leave u with a few tips that hopefully u will learn and LIVE a FULFILLING LIFE and instead of making everyone around u pity u, u can actually make people around you HAPPY! DEPRESSION IS CONTAGIOUS. Depress People make everyone else around them depress. Happy people make everyone else ard them happy.

TIPS:
(2 quotes i learn from my cousin)

1. "Do not trouble TROUBLES, unless TROUBLES troubled you."
meaning don't worry unless the problem is already in your face. So be happy and life your life to the fullest so people around u will be happy n u in turn can be happy. And have a good influence towards others and they might start to like you more - IF you think e whole world hates u.

2. " SELF PITY is like digging your OWN grave & ASKING PEOPLE to cover it FOR YOU. "
meaning, what you are saying and acting is really very much SELF PITY... so stop self pity and do something about it... Dont expect people to do it for you when u dun help yourself. IF you think depression is a problem ask for help. There must be a helping hand aroung once you acknowledge that you have a problem, wants to solve it and ultimately be happy! If you think u r not trying to get people to so call "cover your grave for you." Think twice... coz if its not that case, then why are u so much in self pity... what is the point of pitying yourself for having such a sad day when u dun do anything to make it a better day. There is nothing as such of "dun have a choice" if that is wat u r thinking. You have a choice to react in any ways wat life throws at u each day. Meaning YOU choose to either be SAD or HAPPY. To accept things or whine/complain about things and let it affect you and ruin your chance of even having a good life.

GOD BLESS YOU and May you take the active role in your life & live it to the fullest.

Cheers.
A person who came across your journal.

My so call LIFE now~ A declared GEEK!

Hello all.... n yes i've been complain to that my blog is very rusty... so here's the new stuff~

For once in my uni life, i really looked forward to sem 2 2005 b4 it even started! That is how much studying an MBIT has turn me into being married to books, assignments, journal Databases (DB), and my computer. Thou i m thinking of divorcing assignment & journal DB after i grad... but have this hunch that i might still be married when i'm blessed with a job after i grad~ hmm... what have i gotten myself into!!!

Hated VBA when i was doing BIS development last semester (sem1 2005) coz i did not know wat it is, what to do, how to write it or understand the language n there is not standard for us to learn b4 being able to improvise! n so ya! i hate it... BUT! this semester! Taking Decision Support System(DSS) was amazing the best decision ever... hahaha... its quite fun and i found the tutorial manual amazingly useful in teaching me how the basic VBA works and am really like it and the subject!

Ok i sound like a geek... but wat the heck... this is who i am to prove that i can make it in the studies arena... so be it! I'm a declared GEEK! I'm given a 2nd chance to make things right, i'm not gonna screw it up... Yes doing a Master is moi's 2nd chance! AND IT QuAliFIES ME FOR PR!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *beams*

On the contrary... the endless amount of research essays i had to write last semester (due to take 3 non exam subjects) puts me off doing any written, analytical, research focus related assignments! which is I'm SO SLACK when doing the 1st DSS assignment (dued already & handed it in on time) and this next System Design assignment. I'm so SLACK... Motivation, Concentration, FOcus.... PLEaSE COME back! PLease come HOME!

OK.... psycho! see that's me... all i can ever talk about now is my studies... What a FREAK! Haahhahahaha...

OK... FUN NOTE...
This semester has turned out quite fun really... jonathan and alex(dutch) invited Rhian (my classmate from UK) and myself for drinks last saturday. THey wanted to get to know clasmates better as we have already been course mates for 1 yr! n Rhian & I & Chris (my classmate from SG)have been stuck together for 1 yr! Doing group work together... almost taking very other subject together... being classified as "trouble" * (the 3 musketters) by Maurice (lecturer)... anyway u get the picture... and so yeah... we then invited a few other coursemates and went out for drinks!

Wooooo did we have fun! @ this place called the Trader's bar where prices of drinks goes up and down like stock markets and real low prices when market crash by bartenders! HHAAhahahaha...

Only thing is... in our next advance DB class... which both Jon and Alex are also in... they left the tut early and we stayed on to wait for our lecturer to come back with your tut work... which took really long (the story bout this lecturer will be another story of its own!!!) we had a phone call from ThEm - alex n jon! They went to cookie bar and ask if we want to have drinks!!!!! what have we unleashed! oopz...


1st i moved into Dorcas street, which is where Rhian already lived on... so we started walking to school n enjoying each other being neighbours! Next Ching ee and Karen n Ching siang moved over too!!! One big happy family going on here @ Dorcas... hahahhha.... On the other hand we wanted chris to move over too... but he got away with a cheaper rent deal of only $250 a month!!!! (lucky bastard!!! oopz... da language... sorry) with 2 other coursemates... oh well... happy for him... Coz with that extra money from save rent... we went out shopping for him... heehhehe... wat a lucky guy with 2 girls being his fashion advisor! Following him ard... pulling out clothes for him to try... choosing the outfit that looks good on him... heeeee... and he bought a new pair of camper that is on SALE too!!!! Very smart looking now~ Not that u were not smart looking b4 chris... just smarter... You WERE more casual looking... ;D

Havent really had any Max brenner or Koko black yet... but have this feeling that it is going to start soon... as we finally need to start on group assignments... and guess what! every other group assignment we have are in groups of 3... and guess wat... yes! its the 3 of us again... awww... we r inseparable! *thickskin*

Ok.... from having nothing to write for blog... till having crap on so much... its time to bid ya all farewell for now~ and head to my bed that has been calling for me~ =D

Ciaoz babes n dudes~
although wondering how many actually reads my blog (raise eyebrows)