horizontal rain......

Auckland rain is not heavy so far, watz irritating are the strong winds....... light rain becomes horizontal rain!

comes back to the point y pple here dun bother to carry umbrella.

where's the engineering?

been working for 1+ mth already, from the little projects so far, can tell civil engineering is not well-regarded here or quality engineering is not expected........

1. in 2 minor projects, clients refuse to grant CE site visits (abt $500 per visit due to airfare) for some design modification works

2. given equipment info are usually not complete and providers (even fellow colleagues) dun bother to show the equipment location on structures and its supporting points.

3. making assumptions to unknown design parameters without justification eg. assuming material grade of existing structures having no cals or dwgs

4. marginally adequate members (remember 0.95?) r usually regarded as still ok.

wow..........

wat the......

Saw this in a gallery at the ulu pasar malam. The poorly-plastered-looking painting on the wall originally cost $995, now discounted at $495........

hey, with all slabs & walls at construction sites, they will cost a bomb then!

Company Xmas Function

Last Sat was company's xmas function at some recreation park (simply a day pasar malam with a cafe). Was so ulu with no directional signs, almost can't find it.......

Great place for kids to run around barefooted n ride ponies.

Of course there must b santa claus coming in style........

Every kid can't wait to know wat they got!

Asian taste everywhere.....

And of course there're lots of asian cuisine around..... this is something hot from a Si Chuan eatery......

This laksa from a Malaysian eatery is the most authentic I can find cuz it makes my nose run wet non-stop...... shiok!

A is for Asian, not Auckland

forgot to mention a glaring observation....... if u r brought to Auckland unaware, u might not realise it's an ang moh place cuz so many asians around! At most times, I c more than 50% r asians on the streets! % of immigrants is highest in Auckland and many students in Auckland University are asians......

naturally there r lots of asian shops, this Japanese shop sells each item at NZ$3.....

Donations?

A colleague is leaving so a farewell card was circulated all round. Other than a farewell gift from the company, there's a bag for donations??! some really gave their loose change!

Google Street View

now NZ Google got photo views of its streets, it's like having 360 degrees view while standing on the street: http://maps.google.co.nz/help/maps/streetview/

well, some argued it invades privacy as most houses r without fences n near to streets, potential burglars will find this service useful!

I rather NZ improve its public transport n bus stops than to create 2D graphics of streets

peaceful?

nothing substantial or meaty for me to do in office usually so writing blog to pass time.......... however office firewall blocks all blogs, gmail, facebook etc so can only post blogs when back in apartment.

while I'm more idle here, some SG frens n ex-colleagues r rushing like mad in work n at home as usual. I dun really feel more fortunate here cuz too peaceful for me liao, no ass to kick or scold! i wonder if too peaceful life would retard my mind slowly, then I become more n more stupid??!

anyway there seems no smell of retrenchment even though HQ office have lesser jobs to feed hundreds there, compared to my small office in Auckland. I'm not worried if ganna retrenched cuz I know got big cushion to fall back in SG.......

early bird

The departing schedule of the public bus to my office is 6.45am, 6.55am, 8.15am......

watz up?? 8.15am is too late for me so have to take the 6.55am one which reach office at 7.30am n I'll be one of the early birds there....... well, at least can look forward to knock off at 4.30pm....... still a long wait especially I usually have nothing substantial to do in office.