Wednesday, September 30

It's all about the money..

There's a calculator, (thanks to CNNMoney) that calculates for me:

How far will my salary go if I were to work in another city?

What are the cost of living associated with it?

Let's start with I'm earning $50,000 a year in Cedar Rapids, IA.

Cedar Rapids in 2 months time.
If I move to:


Square shaped Penang tower @ Baltimore.

Baltimore, Maryland US no.1 earning state for 2006-2008
Comparable salary: $65,907
Groceries will cost: 18% more
Housing will cost: 105% more
Utilities will cost: 28% more
Transportation will cost: 7% more
Healthcare will cost: 5% more


Sienness @ Stamford, Connecticut.

Stamford, Connecticut
Comparable salary: $80462
Groceries will cost: 29% more
Housing will cost: 181% more
Utilities will cost: 42% more
Transportation will cost: 14% more
Healthcare will cost: 8% more


Golden Gate bridge @ SF.

San Fransisco, California
Comparable salary: $92262
Groceries will cost: 42% more
Housing will cost: 267% more
Utilities will cost: 0% more
Transportation will cost: 15% more
Healthcare will cost: 12% more


Curry laksa, chicken wings, extra crispy orange beef, prawn mee, green tea ice cream etc etc @ Rasa Sayang.

Atlanta, Georgia
Comparable salary: $52250
Groceries will cost: 10% more
Housing will cost: 15% more
Utilities will cost: 10% less
Transportation will cost: 4% more
Healthcare will cost: 4% less


The beautiful Oregan.

Portland, Oregan
Comparable salary: $62931
Groceries will cost: 22% more
Housing will cost: 66% more
Utilities will cost: 4% less
Transportation will cost: 12% more
Healthcare will cost: 0% more


Schneider Electric's recruiting/training center @ Nashville.

Nashville, Tennessee
Comparable salary: $49648
Groceries will cost: 13% more
Housing will cost: 5% less
Utilities will cost: 6% less
Transportation will cost: 3% less
Healthcare will cost: 17% less


Minneapolis is very cold.

Minneapolis, Minnesota
Comparable salary: $60231
Groceries will cost: 32% more
Housing will cost: 56% more
Utilities will cost: 3% more
Transportation will cost: 3% more
Healthcare will cost: 1% less


Dim Sum @ Phoenix, Chicago!

Chicago, Illinois
Comparable salary: $60913
Groceries will cost: 18% more
Housing will cost: 66% more
Utilities will cost: 20% more
Transportation will cost: 12% more
Healthcare will cost: 2% less


Timeless beauty. *hide behind sandy!*

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Comparable salary: $12000
Housing will cost: 100% less
Utilities will cost: 100% less
Transportation will cost: 15% more
Walker & 12 years cost: 255% more
F&B will cost: 86% more

Iowa isn't that bad after all. Considering the $250 monthly rent, $2.38/gallon of super unleaded, and $6.00 Taipei meal.

So should I get Need for Speed Shift?

Thursday, September 10

Be the customer.

This is what everybody will experience and witness. This happens everywhere, in my company, in my department, my ex coop partner, your organization, GM, everywhere. Since I started my job, I can't stress enough how rapid it occured, and how easy all this can come into existence.










To be ideal, for me, is to have what the customer really needed in every process involved. That's perfection if achieved. but perfection is not what we are going for, that's god's business.

However, the direction we're heading is questionable. Is this direction, the direction? Did we commicated well enough? Does he know what he's doing? Does his boss know what he's doing? Am I capable to produce results he wanted? How many thousands of people need to be on the same page this time? So, why are we on this page again?

Many people I've met have the "just do it" attitude. I personally like it when it comes to play, but a big no when it comes to business. If the planning is bad, the engineer is bad. We plan by considering appropriate (instead of a lot) factors, logic, impact, etc. If you're good at that, wow, but are you getting what the customer really needed?

Songness in a short term does not effectively solve a problem/task/situation. Short term fulfillment is a simple trap, when long term goal is not taken into consideration. It is rather easy to accomplish tasks assigned by my boss. Easier to not document it. A lot more easier to talk cock and lie about accomplishment. Even easier to do without thinking.

So I figure out these steps:
1. Identify customer.
2. Is my current action adding value to "what the customer really wanted"?
3. If this is 1st per million, will my last action per million still be able to add value to "what the customer really wanted"?
4. Besides customer and money, were others satisfied?

Plan, with adequate consideration and sufficient understanding, to meet customers' need. Then act.


Monday, September 7

Started d..

The challenge starts this week.

Everyone has to study. For those in Ames, fall session will now begin.

FNM (Fannie Mae) & FRE (Freddie Mac) were gg-ed exactly a year ago. Wall street had one of their worse moments in history, September last year. Now onwards: Impact, more impact, current standing, stimulus no more, projected demand? This week will be eyed closely by every investors in every corner. They will be able to tell a (better) story by the end of this week.

Many things will be introduced this week. The new nano and touch with camera? New figures of unemployed Americans. I'm guessing, oil prices might be more favorable to us.

Career fair is nearing soon. Our previous ISU engineering career fair was like a fortune cookie with a piece of paper that writes "sp9yiuhjn" in it. It was like a defect product that was spotted yet released to the consumers. I don't wanna start commenting on it. Anyway, from an optimistic side of it, I still found a job. To be optimistic, it's challenging. Challenge earlier, challenge them back.

Another fun, fast, challenging week ahead. When is not btw?