On Wednesday, I lugged my travel suitcase into the world’s “finest” airport early in the morning for my trip to Penang and I was surprised to see huge hoards of people queuing at the counters. Many of them carried only a laptop (I guess they were returning for the day). I felt like I was in a train station, eking to embark on the usual boring train ride. But somehow, this was a little different. I was enthralled bout the idea that I would be transported somewhere into a different environment and WORK.
What I love most is to read newspapers on the plane. Heck the droning sounds of the plane taking off. This activity is just pure joy. I mean at home, I hardly have a good read. And even if time permits, I’ll allow myself a quick browse, which subsequently, I would end up cracking my head with the daily Sudokus. Yes. Sudoku. I enjoy solving them although I used to think these puzzles were quite lame and a waste of time. I still think it’s a waste of time but I guess it’s the pleasure and satisfaction one gains from getting it right that really matters. On the plane, there are no outside distractions: no phone calls, no SMS, no bugging work emails. Just myself and my newspapers. I can give my utmost attention scrutinizing every word, every picture, every advertisement. One finds so much delight that I found my neighbour sitting beside me reading the newspapers OUT LOUD (hmmm…I guess he was from China and he was practicing his English).
Having the local newspapers at hand with a cup of coffee for breakfast is an enjoyment. There is no other way but to know a country or city better by interacting with the people or by reading their local newspapers. Well, for the one that I was reading for the past few days called the New Straits Times, the contents were mainly local politics (of which one was focusing on religious rights). By venturing into the colour supplements, one can imagine the lifestyle of the locals: what they like to eat, how they spend their money, what ticks the people. There is something about this that I feel privileged, almost illicit, like scouting through a person’s diary.
Newspapers and having a cup of coffee to start the day were nice. But subsequently, I’m back to the whole routine of having more work to be done. If there is a skill that I have learnt being a consultant, it’s the skill to remain calm even when I am flustered and worried all inside. Managing the client is a key. By showing your weakness is like admitting defeat and a total faux pas. I guess this is what many politicians may feel. Admitting to the fact that attacking Iraq may be a complete blunder and how the whole Iraq situation is mismanaged would be a disaster. How can the world’s most powerful person go all dog-eyed and seek for pardon? This is similar to the Shin-Corp scandal where it’s hard for the government-owned company to admit taking the wrong move. The Bangkok Post wrote: “What is most problematic in the Temasek-Shin Corp deal is a foreign government-owned company buying up assets, deemed as tainted by the Thai public, that are owned by the family of Thailand's most powerful person who is actively in the highest political office. As such, it is not a routine business transaction. The buyer is not an ordinary individual but ultimately a foreign government. The seller is not an ordinary corporate entity but ultimately a business domain of its prime minister. This is a deal where the buyer should have been mindful of the integrity of the product being offered. Few with respectable moral and ethical standards would want to come into ownership of a tarnished product, no matter how good a bargain it may seem.”
Oh well, enough about my ramblings. My eyes can carry bags so heavy now that they can win the weight lifting Olympics.
What I love most is to read newspapers on the plane. Heck the droning sounds of the plane taking off. This activity is just pure joy. I mean at home, I hardly have a good read. And even if time permits, I’ll allow myself a quick browse, which subsequently, I would end up cracking my head with the daily Sudokus. Yes. Sudoku. I enjoy solving them although I used to think these puzzles were quite lame and a waste of time. I still think it’s a waste of time but I guess it’s the pleasure and satisfaction one gains from getting it right that really matters. On the plane, there are no outside distractions: no phone calls, no SMS, no bugging work emails. Just myself and my newspapers. I can give my utmost attention scrutinizing every word, every picture, every advertisement. One finds so much delight that I found my neighbour sitting beside me reading the newspapers OUT LOUD (hmmm…I guess he was from China and he was practicing his English).
Having the local newspapers at hand with a cup of coffee for breakfast is an enjoyment. There is no other way but to know a country or city better by interacting with the people or by reading their local newspapers. Well, for the one that I was reading for the past few days called the New Straits Times, the contents were mainly local politics (of which one was focusing on religious rights). By venturing into the colour supplements, one can imagine the lifestyle of the locals: what they like to eat, how they spend their money, what ticks the people. There is something about this that I feel privileged, almost illicit, like scouting through a person’s diary.
Newspapers and having a cup of coffee to start the day were nice. But subsequently, I’m back to the whole routine of having more work to be done. If there is a skill that I have learnt being a consultant, it’s the skill to remain calm even when I am flustered and worried all inside. Managing the client is a key. By showing your weakness is like admitting defeat and a total faux pas. I guess this is what many politicians may feel. Admitting to the fact that attacking Iraq may be a complete blunder and how the whole Iraq situation is mismanaged would be a disaster. How can the world’s most powerful person go all dog-eyed and seek for pardon? This is similar to the Shin-Corp scandal where it’s hard for the government-owned company to admit taking the wrong move. The Bangkok Post wrote: “What is most problematic in the Temasek-Shin Corp deal is a foreign government-owned company buying up assets, deemed as tainted by the Thai public, that are owned by the family of Thailand's most powerful person who is actively in the highest political office. As such, it is not a routine business transaction. The buyer is not an ordinary individual but ultimately a foreign government. The seller is not an ordinary corporate entity but ultimately a business domain of its prime minister. This is a deal where the buyer should have been mindful of the integrity of the product being offered. Few with respectable moral and ethical standards would want to come into ownership of a tarnished product, no matter how good a bargain it may seem.”
Oh well, enough about my ramblings. My eyes can carry bags so heavy now that they can win the weight lifting Olympics.
No comments:
Post a Comment