I’ve come across shy and timid ppl at work and while out socialising. I don’t hate them, I just rather not deal with them if I can help it. Why? Because it drives me crazy with frustration. I was a shy boy growing up so I know how difficult and debilitating it is. It’s a personal trait that may take time to grow out of.

But I believe in an upper limit of 18 years or maybe 21 years. That is the age where most of us would have gone through school and university, met different ppl and had different experiences such that you should have climbed out of your shell. If you haven’t then you are going to have difficulty functioning in society with the other adults. Maybe that’s why a lot of the shy types do all their socialising online where they don’t have to deal with ppl face to face.

I got a question though: how then do timid ppl get past job interviews and against all expectations get jobs? The average person can become a nervous wreck when they have to go through an interview, so how do the timids survive it against all odds?

At least when out socialising, I can turn my attention to other ppl if the timid person won’t open up no matter how hard I tried. But there’s no avoiding them at work if you are unlucky enough to be saddled with one. Two of my biggest pet peeves regarding timid co-workers:

1. If I ask you a question about something that you may or may not know, just answer me truthfully. I’m not gonna eat you up if you said “no”. Not all of us are geniuses - you may even know things that I don’t. Which brings me to …
2. If you know a better way of doing something, speak up. Don’t let me go through the motions only to fail at the end and then say, “Actually, you could have done it this way … ” Then why didn’t you say so from the start!?

I try to lead by example, by being not afraid to show my weaknesses and by admiting my mistakes. I also compliment ppl when they give me a good idea. Truthfully I think that’s all I can and am willing to do. The rest is really up to you. Get out of that damn shell. Otherwise I might just pour some salt into it one day. Just saying.

Australian War Memorial, Kings Park, Perth

Today is ANZAC Day, the day where Australia and New Zealand commemorate and honour the bravery and sacrifice of those who have served and/or fallen during times of war. In Australia, the day would start with dawn services around the country, usually held at various war memorials. They would then be followed by marches in the capital cities, involving past and present members of the Australian Defense Force. A large number of Australians would also make the pilgrimage to Gallipoli in Turkey to pay their respects to those who fought and died there during World War 1.

They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning
We will remember them.
Lest we forget.

War is most unpleasant. Lest we forget those who made the ultimate sacrifice by doing what they believed to be their most patriotic duty. Lest we forget that human kind are the most brutal animals on the planet.

Lest we forget those who survive the horrors of war only to disintegrate when they try to fit back into normal society - mentally and physically scarred. For how can we expect a human being to not be affected by killing and maiming their fellow man, when in normal society it is illegal to to hurt and murder?

Lest we forget that war is still happening today and soldiers are still dying on a daily basis, for much less noble causes than years past some might argue.

On this day if you live comfortably not in a warzone, spare a thought for those who are less fortunate than you are and for the countless men and women in the armed services fighting all across this planet.

Reserve your hate and vitriol for war itself, and not for the soldiers.

Added 8:14PM - Dominic Knight’s excellent write-up.

Added 26th April 8:57AM - On ANZAC Day eve, Triple J’s Hack program interviewed a Vietnam War vet and his daughter about how the war affected not only himself but also his family, and how they coped. A really fascinating and personal insight. (mp3 file, 11.8MB)

Technorati Tags: Australia, ANZAC Day, war

Australia has just got its first casualty in Iraq.

Private Jacob (Jake) Bruce Kovco was one of Australia’s most highly trained and respected snipers.

The 25-year-old father of two was today named as Australia’s first fatal casualty in the Iraq conflict - dying from an accidental shot to the head while cleaning a 9mm Browning automatic pistol on Friday afternoon.

More at Dead digger was elite sniper - National - smh.com.au.

Here’s my questions though: how come a gun is loaded whilst it is being cleaned? Wouldn’t it be safer if it wasn’t? And is this a nicer way to spin the story than using the dreaded “suicide” word? No disrespect to Private Kovco’s family but how could a highly trained sniper make a mistake like that?

Anyone of you out there who knows guns, eg. Singaporeans who have gone through NS, please enlighten me.

Got a comment from Thom of Raw Audio about the possibility of me covering some live music events in Perth for them and also Music Fan. They had seen some of my videos on YouTube and figured that I seem suitable for the task.

Woohoo! I’m excited. I did tell Thom that I have no professional experience whatsoever and I do not have the proper equipment. I’ll see what he says about that, and also the scope of the tasks involved.

Having said that, I wouldn’t mind helping out any way that I can because I’d get to broaden my social circle and contacts by meeting bands and ppl in the music industry. More excuses for me to go out too.

Saturday night I went out with Cynthia, Rodney and their friends. I have met Cynthia and Rodney at the Perth bloggers’ meet recently. I was having lunch with them two middle of last week when we got to talking about our weekend activities and what do you know - they like going out pubbing and drinking as well. Woohoo! More “activities partners” in Friendster parlance. Heh.

So last night we went out to The Deen - it was their first time there and I’m glad that all of them found it a cool place to hang out. Hey Mooiness introduce one ok!? Must be up to standard one!

This thing we call “blogging” - I have already met so many ppl virtually and in the flesh via doing it. But I’m still amazed and pleasantly surprised that I get along well with ppl whom I’m meeting for real, the very first time. I guess since we have already sorta sussed out each other through our blogs and the fact that we are who we are on the blog (we keep it real baby!), getting along well in person is a given.

I foresee going out with them more. I’ve already asked them to go for the next MoS gig early June. My life has definitely been enriched by my blogging. Awesome.

Pendulum - Perth drum-n-bass crew who made it big around Australia and in the UK, was in town playing at Metro City.

This was an exchange I had with one of the bartenders there (background: loud drum-n-bass music playing).

Me: Do you have Jagermeister?
Bartender: What?
Me: Jagermeister!
Bartender: Yay … ger …. what???
Me: Never mind! Johnny Walker Black Coke. Two!
Bartender: Ok. But we only have Black label. Is that ok?
Me: That’s what I just said!
Bartender: …
Me: Yeah yeah yeah.
Bartender: *hands me two Johnny Walker and dry*
Me: 0_0″

Wah lau eh. Regardless it was a good night. I would have taken photos and videos if I had my camera. But I didn’t. I failed you. You can download one of their songs from the link above to get an idea of what kind of music it was.

I have been swamped with work the past few days. So much so that I feel that my creativity for writing has depleted. I’m sure you have noticed. Then again, maybe you haven’t. Pamper my ego and say you haven’t lah! Woohoo!

This begs the question: are having an interesting life (therefore blog fodder) and busy career mutually exclusive? Or can you have both? What if your work IS your life which basically implies that if you are busy at work then you must have an interesting life? Of course that depends on whether you love your job or you just treat it as something compulsory for survival in our modern society.

Personally I lie somewhere in between. I don’t love my job (I can’t have sex with it! Or can I??? Hmmm.) but I don’t treat it as perfunctory either. In fact if I ever hit the lottery jackpot (not that I play it, maybe I should) I wouldn’t quit my job right away. I’d still crave for something to fill out my day.

If not work, what can one do?

Life needs to have more meaning than just mere consumption. There’s only so much money one can splurge on material and sensory pleasures before you get bored of it all. Then again, if you are rich beyond belief then maybe you can do volunteer work or donate the money to worthy causes. Maybe that will make one feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Spiritual wealth, yeah that’s it.

Money can’t buy happiness but if you have loads of it, you can forget about the mundane trivialities of life and focus on your inner being and be *really* happy. Though that’s not neccesarily true either: the less wealthy can still be happy and spiritually fulfilled.

Gah! What is my point?! Shite, I’m sorry to dissapoint you but I don’t have one. The above were thoughts that popped in and out of my head amidst working my geeky ass off. I have tried to string them together as coherently as possible. Did I succeed? Pamper my ego and say yes lah! Woohoo!