Goodbye 2011

The last day of 2011 is a Saturday, 31 Dec.

I didn't wake up for a morning run, but then again, I slept pretty late last night doing pretty much nothing either. I had planned to cook something today but plans are shelved to Sunday.

Probably I will make a simple dessert instead.

I had a fun time yesterday at lunch with colleagues reminiscing the year with all our mishaps and travels. It's great to feel that bond and friendship with a bunch of folks whom I spend almost a third of my time with each day. I guess I enjoy and treasure the camaraderie we've established over the years. I've also made some new amazing friends this year and I do feel grateful for these blessings.

Regrets, I may have a few but not something I should dwell on. There are questions I wished I had asked earlier and things I should probably not have done but living out the experience and consequences being part of that are what builds character. And for highlights, I do have some and they've pretty much made the year more bearable.

So my last post for the year is to hope that 2012 will be a greater year for everyone. And come all rain and shine, we'd live it through with greater smiles. Happy New Year.

Becoming me

It's that time of the year again when one starts to reflect on the year that has passed and the one that's about to come and start drawing resolutions that never quite seem to get accomplished. At least that's how it is usually for me. Guess my forte is in planning and not exactly in execution.

I don't think I made any specific resolutions this year but I did put out a list of 'long term' ones.

Family
"I will make effort to plan for a family trip at least once a year and cook one healthy meal once a week."

Friends
"I will make time to catch up and connect with my friends at least once a month."

Finances
"I will stay focused on working towards financial independence by saving $xxxx/mth." 

Fitness
"I will care for my body so that I can continue to feel the pleasure of being fit and fully alive as I grow older. Thus, I need to continue with my exercise and watch what I eat."

Career
"I'll find a job or activity that feeds my soul and uses my talents to help others."

Looking at them now, I think I've managed to do some of them. There are a few I'd need to work harder at but at least it's not just NATO.

Next year, there are some plans on the family and fitness front on what I'd want to do such as aiming for a trip to Europe and completing a full marathon amongst others. As for finances, friends and career, I can only hope I'd be able to have the good fortune and opportunity to do what I hope to do, and that more good things will come my way in the year of the dragon.

Happy 2012, everyone.

Girl, Domesticated. Kitchen Affairs: Episode #2

I did it again. After a long 'hiatus' after my first kitchen affair, I'm back.

Inspired by a dish I ate when in US on a road trip, I googled and experimented the receipe and will try my best to replicate it. Tom Yam pasta.

Last attempt was a few weeks back which got the thumbs up from the folks at home, and today, I will try it yet again to feed my fellow runners.

Hope it'd turn out well and they'd like it.

Calling for the inner chef in me, don't be shy today and come out and play...

When we're done with our job...

slogan for the field marketers to use to promote ourselves to field sales.

When we're done with our job, you'll be all sold out.

Day 13 of more to lose

Seems like plan is working. 3kg loss in 3 weeks.

Hope the trend and determination continues.

3 more kg to go...

Day 2 of more to lose

Still hungry.... but I think I found a way to... er... distract myself. Arrange for lunch hour conference calls. Yesterday, I had near back to back calls from 10am all the way to 2pm. Not much chance to eat.

Did a quick weigh-in at night when I got back home and it seems like I did lose some weight already in just 2 days' time.

Guess eating way minimally and not sleeping well has some effect.

Day 1 of more to lose

So hungry!!! It's a torture to see a spread and yet one can't eat them all like how I'd use to - no holds barred.

It's sad but true. I'm going to become one of those who barely eats and nitpick on their food from now on. I hate it!

But this is a doctor's advice I can't exactly ignore. To lose weight.

The only consolation was the fun social event tonight to hang out with the girls. It was good to catch up and hopefully all the laughing made me feel more full.

Let's see how tomorrow will go.

The importance of being RASCI....

I didn't realize how important one of the trainings I had attended in Juniper some years ago, would and could actually help me not only in my work but its applicability to many other situations outside of work.

If practiced correctly, it can really help people in getting clarity on what they need to do and become a lot more effective in their various roles.

R = Responsible - owns the problem / project

Responsible - these people are the “doers” of the work. They must complete the task or objective or make the decision. Several people can be jointly responsible.

This is the person, or group, who is responsible for performing a task. Bear in mind the old adage that when nobody is responsible for getting something done then nothing gets done. Also, a similar situation can occur when too many people are potentially responsible with little to no coordination and oversight to ensure that the task is completed. Another issue to consider is when a person has lots of “R’s”. Are they doing too much?

A = to whom "R" is Accountable - who must sign off (Approve) on work before it is effective

Accountable - this person is the “owner” of the work. He or she must sign off or approve when the task, objective or decision is complete. This person must make sure that responsibilities are assigned in the matrix for all related activities. There is only one person accountable, which means that “the buck stops there.”

This is the person who is held accountable for the task being complete. In some cases, risks can be managed by segregating the responsible and accountable roles. In general, one person should be accountable for a task being performed. At the same time, if a person is accountable for most of the steps in a procedure, one must consider if there is a segregation of duties issue wherein the person(s) control an excessive amount of the procedure.

( S = can be Supportive ) - can provide resources or can play a supporting role in implementation

Some groups add this in as a fifth responsibility. “S” identifies a person or group who provide resources for a task to be completed. When charts include this category, they are referred to as “RASCI charts” but otherwise are identical to RACI charts.

C = to be Consulted - has information and/or capability necessary to complete the work

Consulted - these are the people who need to give input before the work can be done and signed-off on. These people are “in the loop” and active participants.

These are the people communicated with prior to a task being performed. Essentially, their input is sought after and factored in prior to action taking place. As the number of parties consulted with increases, the speed with which action can be taken decreases. Conversely, too few and improper decisions may be made

I = to be Informed - must be notified of results, but need not be consulted

Informed - these people need to be kept “in the picture.” They need updates on progress or decision, but they do not need to be formally consulted, nor do they contribute directly to the task or decision.

These are the parties who are notified about a task after it has been performed. If the correct parties aren’t informed in some situations, then incidents can arise from groups wondering what changed. At the same time, if there are lots of people being informed, is it necessary?

 

Balance eating

Group 1: The carbs - your body's source of energy
Eat
5 to 7 servings, of which 2 to 3 servings should come from wholegrain products
What's in a serving?
- 2 slices of bread (60g)
- half a bowl of rice (100g)
- half bowl of beehoon (100g)
- 1 large potato (180g)

Group 2: Meat and alternatives - food containing protein
Eat
2 to 3 servings, of which half a serving should come from high-calcium products such as milk and cheese
What's in a serving?
- 1 palm-sized fish, lean meat or skinless poultry (90g)
- 2 small blocks soft beancurd (170g)
- 2 glasses milk (500 ml)
- 2 slices of cheese (40g)

Groups 3 and 4: Fruit and vegetables
Eat
2 servings each. Tip: Don't just stick to your greens. Go for a variety of coloured fruit and vegetables which research has found to be beneficial to health.
What's in a serving?
- 1 small apple, orange, pear or mango (130g)
- 1 wedge pineapple, papaya or watermelon (130g)
- 10 grapes or longans (50g)
- 1 glass pure fruit juice (250ml)
- ¾ mug cooked leafy or non-leafy vegetables (100g)
- 150g raw leafy vegetables

Tips on eating well from TTSH principal dietitian Lim Ai Vee

- Eat regularly. Skipping meals can lead to overeating at the next mealtime.
- Focus on your food. Chew slowly to allow your body to recognise when it is full and thus minimise overeating.
- Snack healthily.
- Beware of drinks containing excessive sugar. Keep alcohol intake at a moderate level.
- When eating out, choose foods from outlets that participate in HPB's Healthier Hawker Food programme or dishes with the Healthier Choice logo.

I'm not bad. Just misunderstood.

Sometimes it is hard to not pass judgment on people and I always will try to empathize - putting myself in their shoes, trying to see things from their point of view.

However, if time and time again, the behaviour repeats and becomes a habit, and nothing changes, how else can you make yourself understand the person any more or better other then to just accept that so and so is as such?

How much patience and chances should you give before you finally accept the 'misunderstanding' is after all a reality.

Dim Sum @ Taste Paradise

Recently, I've been asked where's a good place to have a nice dim sum. I do have my own personal list but I must say, Taste Paradise is definitely getting a new high ranking position as of today.

We tried all the usual suspects from har gaw, cheong fun, carrot cake etc etc.

But this glutinous rice in lotus leaf is definitely top notch. I'm not an expert on glutinous rice but I do think it's even better than the one I had in Tim Ho Wan in Hong Kong which was awarded a one-Michelin star recently.

Everything was really good - tasty and done very well with 'delicate handy work' and most importantly, the price was not too bad for the food and ambience you're paying for.

Very classy utensils

Don't you love the china...

Fried carrot cake with XO sauce

Char Siew pastry buns

Prawn dumpling with chives

Steamed bun with the yellow custard sauce oozing out

Cheong fun with scallop fillings

Budding food photographer

Some of my recent attempts at making others drool over food pictures. Taken during a recent trip to Hong Kong, I've submitted them for a contest at this site in Facebook. Hope I win something or at least have some admirers to these pictures... .

Glutinous rice with chicken from Tim Ho Wan, Yau Ma Tei in Hong Kong

Black sesame bean curd sago soup, from Aunty Sweet in Tin Hau, Hong Kong

Strawberry crepe from UCC Coffee Shop in Harbour City, Hong Kong

Girl, Domesticated. Kitchen Affairs: Episode #1

My first attempt to make poached eggs and I'm pleasantly surprised and proud to say, it's a success.

Next to work on is probably presentation.... but after a good morning's workout, all I want to do is fill my hungry stomach. Bon Appetit!

Ingredients to make poached eggs

The result: A perfectly poached egg

The way I like it - with a runny yellow center

Factors determining stock price

JNPR

Routers:
1) Juniper's market share in Edge Routers

Network Switches:
2) Juniper's market share in Bottom Layer Network Switches

Network Services:
3) Services Revenue (as % of product revenue)

Network Security & Other:
4) Network Security
5) Network Security Gross Profit Margin

NTAP

Storage Hardware:
1) Storage Hardware Pricing (per Gigabyte)
2) Storage Hardware Market Share (of Gigabytes)
3) Total storage market (Gigabyes)
4) External storage as % of total storage
5) Storage hardware gross margin

Software Maintenance:
6) NTAP storage software maintenance revenue as a % of storage software license revenue

Software Licenses:
7) NTAP storage software license revenue as a % of NTAP storage hardware revenue

Support & Consulting Services:
8) Services revenue as a % of hardware revenue

Which are you?

Whether you are a creative type or have a brain for analytics and business, there are multiple options to offer you with world-class teams to grow your career. If messaging is your passion, take a look at Marketing Communications, Corporate Relations, and PR Departments. If growing the business is more of your forte, check out Strategy Market Development, Analyst Relations, World Wide Channel Marketing or Outbound Marketing opportunities.

My long-range soul resolutions

Family
"I will make effort to plan for a family trip at least once a year and cook one healthy meal once a week."

Friends
"I will make time to catch up and connect with my friends at least once a month."

Finances
"I will stay focused on working towards financial independence by saving $xxxx/mth." 

Fitness
"I will care for my body so that I can continue to feel the pleasure of being fit and fully alive as I grow older. Thus, I need to continue with my exercise and watch what I eat."

Career
"I'll find a job or activity that feeds my soul and uses my talents to help others."

做个好人

八、诚恳道歉

七、大度宽容

六、诙谐幽默

五、真诚赞美

四、同频共振

三、心存感激

二、乐于助人 

一、尊重别人