Coral

This is Coral, one of four white Bengal tigers at the Houston Downtown Aquarium. Cool, eh? Yeah, went to the Aquarium in Houston and what did I find? Tigers... go figure. Anyway, more on this later, when I update on my shenanigans in Houston, at the Rodeo, the ice hockey, the bars & clubs, Galveston, Nasa, maxing out my credit card, the bookstores... ;-)

Meantime, more pix at My Photo linx... at the sidebar on the right. Go check 'em out. Me, I'm heading back to Europe...

Well, I'm back in Europe...
I'm feeling lazy to do a proper update though. Houston was pleasant. Weather was nice and warm compared to Europe until the cold winds from the North came blasting south, dropping the temperatures to the low teens in celcius. In fact, Amsterdam was warmer when I arrived than Houston was when I left.

Anyway, to keep things short... This is actually my second time here. First time on business though. The previous time wasn’t exactly a pleasure trip either. Houston is where MD Anderson, among the top advanced medical centres for cancer treatment and research, is located. But that was almost a lifetime ago.

So... I got to Houston, went to the rodeo, found Nasa Space Center boring, drove to Galveston and saw the muddy beaches there before having gumbo & seafood, saw the Houston Aeros reach the Calder Cup playoffs despite losing to San Antonio in OT, went to the Downtown Aquarium and found Tigers there, got to know the streets of Houston real well in the Hyundai rental, almost maxed out my credit card shopping at the Galleria, hung out too much at the America's bar and spent way too much time at Barnes & Noble, all because the hotel was within walking distance. There... I think that pretty much covers Houston.

Now, Den Haag & Amsterdam this week is a story for another day... safe to say... too much fun, not enough time and no intention to go home anytime soon... if I can help it... but I doubt it. Will likely crash back into reality sooner than I really want.

No more goofing off

I’m a lazy bum… or at least that’s what I’ve been for the past couple of years. I was going through some personal issues and basically lost motivation to be a leader and manager cos I felt it just was too much hassle and stress amidst all the stuff I was going through then. Besides, heck, for the same pay I could do what I’m doing now and not worry abt management responsibilities or having a need to show leadership qualities. Why take on the additional responsibility simply to be a “leader” with the added stress rite? Good deal no? Well, I thought so…

Unfortunately, my bosses and company doesn’t think so… cos of some crap called current expected potential or in their lingo cep. I was assessed to with a high cep many years back and during a recent re-assessment, that was re-affirmed. Now their ass is on the line to ensure that I develop accordingly. Crap. Why can’t they just give me something simple to do and leave me the hell alone to goof off? *sigh* something to do with responsibility commensurate with my job and salary group. Blasted HR conspiracy and cockamamie ideas, if u asked me.

Now I gotta step up, go for courses, start talking to a mentor again, start coaching again, meet folks in the industry and go do all that added responsibility stuff all over again. No more goofing off… damn.

Cambodia?!

Hey! You didn’t wait for me… fine, fine... I was out of town... still...
I’ve been meaning to head out to Cambodia and visit the ancient temples, Angkor Wat and whatnots. I guess I better plan something soon before everyone I know has been there. Anyways, check out Liz’s pix… hehehe… sorry Liz… didn’t ask for permission… Canberra’s too far for you to reach out and smack me anyways… =p

Check out the pix here.

Different week, different continent

Aight… so after a week of freezing my ass off, I’m in another continent this week. At least this time it’s mid to high 20 deg Celsius. Heckuva a change from the 2 degrees before wind chill and snow. Good thing about it this time is that I’m approaching this flying West over the Atlantic instead. Last few times I was in the US, I’d fly East over the Pacific. Coming out to Houston would have taken something like 20+hours travel time. Very, very painful!

Texas Oil companies never change. Well... sort of… they grow with the times, but the culture remains I think. I’m a 2nd generation oil company employee. In fact I spent something like a year of my infant life in Texas… actually if you ask my parents, I was umm… made in Texas? Well, you know what I mean. Anyway, this ain’t exactly homecoming for me, but having grown up around Texan expatriates back in the various places my dad was located, it struck me that some of the mannerisms of the folks here mirrored my dad’s. I was in a meeting when this dude leans back on his chair, entwines his fingers and rests them on his chest and continues speaking. Dang, boy! That’s what me dad does when he’s sitting in his chair and about to go on a tirade about something or other. Uncanny how external influences shape a person’s life. My life though (the not so depressing side…) I think is shaped the OZ way. Too flipping laid back, eh, mate?

I came over with one of my bosses to attend some future architectural thingamajig. The sort that kinda shapes the way the organization will head for the next couple of years. I used to be involved in these kind of activities some years back and it was sort of a re-awakening for me, especially when familiar faces ask where I’ve been hiding myself for the last 3 or so years. It’s good to be amongst the smart minds of the enterprise again… although I do want to emphasise these guys are more upstream folks than IT. EP rules people, stop denying it.

Anyway, it’s great having global connections. One of our global circuit providers got wind that I’m in town and invited me along to the Houston Rodeo. Unfortunately it clashes with a farewell party for the boss. Well, farewell only for the local folks cos he’s just relocating to Europe, no big deal… so it’s a no-brainer rite? yuh-huh… It’s the rodeo, baby! Errr… Yeehaaawww… (stop thinking brokeback, ok…)

So it’s not too bad then that I’m missing this year’s Malaysian leg of Formula 1. It’ll be the first one I actually miss since they started racing at Sepang. At least I get to see another sporting spectacle. Being Texans and cowboys in general.. the Rodeo is a special occasion for the folks here.

Being entertained over here is a whole different level. Back home, entertainment involved maybe fine dining and drinks after. Here, we get invited to their corporate suite at the event where we’re wined and dined while we’re being entertained by the rodeo. But it’s interesting for me to note that during the hour and a half of the rodeo, the stadium was about half-full and that it only really filled up something like about a half hour before Hillary Duff (errr.. woohoo?) came on as the night’s star entertainment… go figure… But amazing… the 65000 capacity stadium was packed.

It's the wrong side... & it's Napoleon's fault!

OK, perhaps Madrid or Cologne plans were a little ambitious with the amount of partying I’d been getting myself into over the week. But driving around in Rotterdam after a very, very heavy night of clubbing at Scheveningen last night probably ranks up there as one of the things not to repeat.

Why? Well, I promised to hang out with ole Rex as well as drive his diesel “grey with a tinge of sunset” 407. Getting up to meet him at the lobby of my hotel was tough enough. To top it off, it snowed… definitely a challenge considering these folks drive on the wrong side of the road… and it’s all Napoleon’s fault.

Apparently folks used to travel on the left side of the road up until the French revolution when the aristocrats moved over to the right to blend with the peasants. When Napoleon conquered most of Europe, this spread the right-side of travel. Being typical of the English-French enmity, British Commonwealth countries followed Britain by sticking to driving on the other side. Wanna know more?

Anyway, since I’m heading out to the US and basically need a car to get around, for the next couple of weeks, I’m gonna be driving on the wrong side of the road! Mixed bag of nerves about that...

Den Haag dude, not Amsterdam.

Everytime I come to the Netherlands, it’s usually to Den Haag (The Hague) and it’s not exactly the sin city like Amsterdam is. Usually the comments I’d get would be… dude, that place is boring… make sure you hit Amsterdam and party. Well, the last time I was over this side of the world, I hadn’t exactly made that many friends from here yet or have friends around my age group, so I’d tend to agree. This time though, having worked for an Anglo-Dutch company for more than half a dozen years now, I’ve built a fair circle of friends. Friends that are pretty social and outgoing.

So it was pretty much socializing and partying every evening around Den Haag this time. My conclusion? This is one place I could spend a lot of time in... time to revisit that job posting site. It’s not exactly sin city, but it’s got its share of excitement and happening spots with a fair number of interesting action and scenery. ;)

So, despite the cold… (which wasn’t too bad since I got to errr… dress up in cool looking winter coats) every night was full of ummm… socializing. The evenings were spent either at Greek restaurants like Knossos or at bars like The Fiddler or at Plein XIX and the weekend at café or clubs like the Havana Café & Tahiticlub. Pretty good clubbing scene too with happening & very friendly Dutch, Irish, Romanian and exotic Eurasians. I definitely like! =)

Mussels in Brussels

Flying to the Netherlands on my company’s priority carrier KLM is boring. I prefer to fly the local national carrier although the space and seats are smaller. Of course the main reason is I get to socialize with attendants that are more to my liking.

Anyway, after a boring, uneventful flight, got in to sub-freezing temperatures with ice on the ground. Met up with my local friendly (Spiky) and immediately shot off to Brussels. We didn’t take the Intl. express though so it ended up being a boring 2hr train ride. Damn, this has been a weekend of extensive traveling! At least we got there in time for lunch… so lotsa nice Belgian beers, mussels au vin blanc and yummy chocolat.

Anyway, back to why I’m really here in the Netherlands… besides freeze my ass off, that is. According to my boss, I’m expected to spend some time and work out of the NL & US offices as well as meet with key business contacts. It’s a nice change though to be visiting for no other purpose than to work out of the office and to be able to meet the people face-to-face. Usually inter-continental trips involved massive amounts of meetings, weeklong conferences or long and full-day workshops. For the next couple of weeks though, it's business as usual, just out of the NL & US offices...

And of course to meet up with friends and party! Brussels & NL this week, next up… Madrid. Speaking of friends... met a colleague of Indonesch-Chinesch-Buitenland descent... I like! ;-) (smile when you read this Graduate!)

On a side note, the 78th Academy Awards handed out the Best Picture award to Crash. If some of you remember, I brought this movie up some months back in my postings on Crash & Crash and unfinished projects when I first came across it. Back then I thought it was an awesome movie. I guess the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences agreed with me and I'm glad they did. I mean seriously, I would have been pretty upset if a movie about 2 sexually confused cowboys won the Best Picture as everyone was expecting. (gives new meaning to "yeehaawww", doesn't it? *ouch* - mental note to self... bite my lip and keep an open mind when visiting the rodeo...)

Leaving on a jet plane

Good company & great wine… had another ACN event last nite and as usual flyboy’s invite extends to Oldman and me. Not that I’m complaining though, cos Drawstring came along… & damn, in boots too. And Oldman agrees with me that last nite, Drawstring was definitely nicer than the previous evening. Yummm… =)

These days, the fellas prefer to mellow out and just chill quietly, but I didn’t feel like being in that phase for now, so Drawstring & I was gonna catch up with the Footballer. Turns out he was keeping someone company though so that plan went down the drain. Interesting though, cos it looks like the significant other’s circle of friends is still off-limits… or perhaps chose to stay off-limits.*shrug* Being Jools’ bash, can’t say I’m surprised. Some things won't change, but stupidity will reach gigantic proportions before reality ever gets a hold… if ever. Pity. Anyway… history... SUMO.

Bad timing has always been a bane to me and it’s playing its tune in my life once again. (ok, cue Leaving on a Jet plane…)

All my bags are packed & I’m ready to go…
I'm starting to have fun but now I’ve got to go…
…
I’m leaving on a jet plane and will be weeks before I’m back again…
*sigh* what a time to go.

So it’s up to Oldman to fend off the hounds from Drawstring… especially Flyboy. *hahahaha*