=)

Quote of the day that made Siti a happy man:

"Ok la you are very handsome!" Jennifer Tan, one my my IE partner.

Hahaha she's right btw. =)

Mm.. Well, although I think she's right, but I doubt that she thinks so.. We were walking back home from class today, she was saying about how my brother and I look so alike, and I told her to be honest to say how handsome my brother and I are.. And so she did!

"Well it's a sad day, and I'm gonna make you happy ya." Jen Tan

It actually did.

Isn't it magnanimous. Thanks Jen~!

Ever since I reached Ames 3 years ago, I always felt fortunate to have a bunch of friends to hang out with and my sister taking care of me . I always felt warm. I have a bunch of great-hearted friends, we take care of each other, throw snow, throw strawberry juice, "consume", travel, celebrate festivals, supper, breakfast, and a lot more together. How to get homesick like this.

Some of us even take things and get things done to another level. We volunteer to spread our love and passionate of consideration to more Malaysians here. We organize trips, host events, raise funds, gain reputation, and a lot more.

We do this in order to achieve a common goal. I always emphasize on this ultimate goal, which is to have fun and be happy. At first I learn how to have fun. Then I often show others how to have fun. My alien-smart TA once said,"the only way to succeed in your academic is to find a way to have fun out of it." I think it's true.

This is what we practice since my first semester here. I can see that many many of my friends here are like this too. Jen is definitely one of them. We spread cheesecake on each other's face. We vacumn each other's balls. We comment on each other's stupidness.

We put a smile on each other's face.

We put money into each other's pocket.

This is what we do. You thought me that.

"Do you know what is friendship?"

You know. I know. HE knows.

Wtf were those posts for man?

~~~ It's our anniversary ~~~

Thank you for baking me the cake at such a busy day! For all the support and love and care and so much more from you, I wanna say happy anniversary dear and I love you dear!

My darling aka my Wai Sek Mau~

Woo so nice. It tasted great too!

Brownie Ms Wai made on Sunday. Topped with B&J's super fudge chunk equals to heaven ah!

Will be skipping class all day tomorrow to travel for an on-site interview at Whirlpool Amana. Hope all turns out smooth la~

What now, TARP?

Just another bad news for international students looking for jobs in this season of recession..

The Troubled Assets Relief Program aka TARP, is currently the largest component of the U.S. government's measure to address subprime mortgage crisis. Example (recently) famous companies under the program are AIG, Bank of America, Citigroup, GM, Chrysler and so on..

Early this week the U.S. Senate has approved several rules on hiring H-1B,
(H1-B: non-immigrant VISA to be able to work in the US)

The rules are as follow:

1. If your company has been laying off people, you can't hire H-1B.
2. Can't outsource H1-B.
3. Initiate to hire Americans.
4. Simple, no TARP money if don't follow these rules.

Very straight forward rules. Basically, just don't consider international students, ignore their applications, put aside their resumes. Sad case.

I'm not sure how these rules came across their minds during this time of the season. Are companies that are hiring, taking advantage of H1-B dudes lately? Or maybe, vice versa? There are many approach to attend recession, and many other actions to be considered too but why la attack international talents?

It makes sense. Malaysia's unemployment rate is approx 3.5%, and I'm seeking a job in a country of 7.6% unemployment rate. TARP's action hopes to recover U.S. current economy, while making an effort to create as many job openings as possibler for locals. How about your citizens looking for jobs in other countries? Has TARP made any effort collecting local talents currently overseas?

It's getting harder to secure a job in the U.S. for people like me now. Like I say, just another bad news.

Craving for a delicious curry laksa filled with big prawns, juicy tou pok, and curry chicken. Craving for something I want, cause I know it's good. But it seems to be very rare over here now. I'm gonna go find it.

Zhng my Blog

Added a new cool feature: blog list!

It has rss feeds to all my favorite blogs I always read. Still under renovation though. Been checking it regularly with my bloglines.com, hope it syncs with my feeds, so I don't miss out new posts! This will replace the current feature blog links, subsequently bloglines.com. And then No Shit. will be my main source of daily supplement!

Trying out a few google gadget too, but so far most of it does not work here, I wonder why.

I just hope blog list works, and hope it is reliable. Yoiz!

Speed of time

My weekend =)

Started on Friday, I had classes till 5pm, rehearsal for lion dance Ames tour till 7pm, drove to Des Moines to attend Keny's CNY steamboat party, back at Ames at 2am. Tired and Zzz..

Sat started at 9.30am. Started our Ames tour at 10-ish. Went to East Hyvee, Thai Kitchen, West Hyvee, New China, Jungs, May House, New China again, and Madarin. Ended at about 5.30pm. Then a few of us went to buy food for steamboat at night. 7pm, reached home and managed to take a righteous half an hour nap . Steamboat was gooood laaa.. big fan of steamboat here yo~! Then I brought all fish ball sotong ball tofu in my stomach together gether go dance party haha. Too much dancing I think I burned a lot of calories.

Sunday was all about finalizing my project proposal, prepared my proposal presentation, how to determine datum reference, hanging out in black basement again, McD chicken nuggets, very itchy soar throat. 

It's Monday at 1.35am, I felt that my weekend was kinda nice and smooth. Despite the soar throat and lack of sleep, it wasn't as bad as what I expected to be. Perhaps well planned is the word. It's surprising that it's already Monday. Spped of time in Ames is really fast. It's always the case. Well at least, it was well spent. 

13 weeks to a new speed of time.

Happy Chinese New Year!

Gong Hei Fatt Choi!

San Tai Gin Hong!

Long Ma Zhing Xan!

Happy New Year!

Wish everybody happy chinese new year! 

Patriotism

How patriotic are you?

Do you love your country?

You can love your parents and at the same time hate your country.

Are you proud to say that you're a Malaysian?

How much do you know about Malaysia?

I love my parents and I can say that I'm not so patriotic.

I don't mind telling you why, it might save your life.

But do you know the patriotic side of you?

Perhaps, do you know which part of you has the highest patriotism?

I know mine.

I can show you, it might save your life too.

Ong Lai Steam Fish Head

Madam Kuan Nasi Bojari

Coconut Juice!

Ah Yat Siu Mai

Wantan Mee

Siu Yok

Soo Kee Sang Har Mee

Jln Ipoh Loh Mai Gai

Bor Bor Cha Cha

MY STOMACH

is the most patriotic part of me~ =)

2009: Graduation and Career

Happy New Year 2009 to all my love ones: my family, relatives, brothers, friends and people I know. I wish all of you a healthy, happy and progressive year! 

I've been looking forward to this year ever since I understand the word 'career' and how important it is to me. This year is special as I can't see or tell (yet) what am I by the end of the year. Haha I'm not deforming or turning into something else la, but what will I be known as, after being known as a student for 15 years. 15 years omg. I am graduating this coming May!

So the next move will be to start a career somewhere in the U.S.. Looking at the recession condition currently in the U.S., the challenge of getting a good job is hard. I'll of course take the challenge, as it can only make me stronger, regardless of the result. In this case, I'll plan for some solid alternatives too, but I hope I won't need to use it. To all those who are graduating this coming May and are looking forward to start a career, good luck and all the best!

Some resolutions for 2009:

1. Stay happy and healthy

I love to see my love ones happy and healthy, hence I should do the same to myself too. I'll reduce activities, events, conversations or anything that will make me less healthy or less happy. In some cases, happy stuff are unhealthy, vice versa. Those will depend on the reason behind it.. 

2. Blog more

So that people who care about me from different parts of the world can see what I'm up to.

3. Gain Weight

Although I still don't know how, but I'll try my best for more regular meals and more in between meals. More muscles too.

4. Stay cute

With my new hairstyle.

Good ah~

Happy New Year!

Jobless

Just had an intense week for me and students here at ISU. Dead week is memang no joke. Slept a lot lesser this week, as compared to the usual me.. I can sleep 10 minutes after dinner until morning.. haha..

Some numbers to blog this time: job cuts.

Sorted by days in this week only, here are some of the latest announcements from several huge companies.

Monday
Dow Chemical: 5000 jobs cut, 20 plants to be closed
Anheuser-Busch InBev: 1400 positions cut
3M: 1800 cuts


Tuesday
Sony + Danaher Corp. + Wyndham Worldwide + Principal Financial Group + National Football League = 14,400 jobs cut

Wednesday
Office Depot: 2200 jobs cut
Rio Tinto: 14,000 jobs cut worldwide
SKF: 2,500 jobs cut worldwide

Thursday
Bacnk of America: 35,000 wow

Friday
CEM: 500 jobs cut (20% of the staff liao)
FCS: 1,100 jobs cut worldwide (12% of the staff liao)

That's a total of 81,500 jobs cut, this week alone.

2 million jobs this year, so far, has been slashed.

I can imagine employers at their cubicle now, working extra hard in hoping to keep their jobs, at the same time searching for an alternative.

I heard that Honda team is retreating from the F1 championship next year. That means driver Jenson Button and Rudens Barrichello lost their jobs too. If every team faces the same situation too, gam F1 mai dong goh sui loorrrr... =(

Indeed, recession has affected and will affect everybody. On my side, I couldn't sell my sister's car. Entertainment is lesser (F1 for example). Less shopping deals. Might need to pay more tax sooon. Jobless.

Recession in the US has gone very deep. Still going deeper. When will it peak?

Is the government currently doing the right move? I don't think so. I hope Chrysler know what are they doing now.

Who is benefiting at this moment?

Where do I stand as a graduating engineer at this situation?

Hehe.. I guess there's nothing I can do for now.. at least for the next 4 weeks, coz I'll be flying back home liaoz! yay

All the best to my friends taking finals next week!

It's work hard time.

Focus!

This week is the (so call) dead week.

And I can't focus on my studies.

Had four classes today, couldn't concentrate on all four of them. No complete notes today~

I'M TOO VERY EXCITED TO GO BACK HOME!

In less than 10 days, I can meet my family and Sandy girl and my lovely friends oh I'm so looking forward~

I bought Chrismas pressies and souveniers d. Started packing luggage liao.

I really really really need to stay focus on my finals right now.

So difficcult dam!

Urgh~