Thursday, May 24, 2007
Convergence of digital and physical world
Given my geeky Web2.0-crazed background, I can't help but constantly think of ways in which those web2.0 concepts can be applied to a big real estate developer, such as my current workplace. For the past few weeks, the thought of combining the virtual awe of Second Life with a "real" real estate project launch seemed to make more sense every time I think about it. Well, as with all more "new" ideas, someone else have already done it before. An example is the hotel that Starwood was about to build but decided to put up a virtual model on Second Life first (link here). I think that's a really cool idea. I wonder if I can convince some folks within the company to consider using this method as a marketing tool. Justifying the virtual land cost and design cost would be abit difficult. But I have no doubt in my mind that this is the way to go, but I'm still not entirely sure if this is the time. After all there've been plenty of instances for big corporates to venture into Second Life, yet the impact has been less than stellar. Hmm...perhaps I should ask my boss what he thinks of it (possibly at the risk of appearing silly..)...then again, I should "Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish."
Monday, May 21, 2007
time...or lack of...
Work Work Work. Now I'm beginning to realize what people mean when they say "work never ends". I'm certainly learning a lot, but it's all very specific to domain knowledge relevant to my work scope. I hardly could find time to catch up on Digg, likewise for my 200+ blog feeds. I think I need to really put a stop to my working hours (which now could easily occupy all my waking hours) and allocate more time to read, to hang out with my family, to exercise and to spend time on my music.
Thursday, May 03, 2007
Work Life
These days I'm a tired man, literally. I'm one of those who can't really function unless I get at least 8 hours of sleep and for the past month I'd be lucky to get 6-7 hours. Such is the reality of work life in Singapore. Actually, I'm really not in a position to complain; in fact from a logical point of view, I couldn't have landed in a better environment to start my career.
I've got a great boss, who's working for an even more inspiring boss. My colleagues are all genuinely nice folks, and they've been so patient with me as I slowly learn the ropes. The project I'm involved in would certainly come across to most as exciting and full of adventures. Indeed, there're so many aspects regarding the project (such as setting up a JV, negotiating, operations, financial modeling) that I now have the privilege to be exposed to, and really get my hands dirty working on them. Of course I'm fast becoming the "sai kang" boy in the office, but I absolutely agree that all these trainings will be good for me, as my boss keeps telling me that learning the basics is absolutely required to be a good manager. He is really spending efforts to groom me, just as many others in the company have come to given me opportunities to learn because of the management trainee program I'm enrolled in. I feel that I don't deserve their attention, but am very grateful that I have all these support and advice.
But despite all these, I feel that something is amiss. Perhaps it's really too early to tell, because I'm only barely one month into it, but somehow, the kind of passion that had driven to do all the things I've done in the past is somehow missing. This is by no means a result of the environment I'm in (which frankly speaking couldn't have been a better place to learn), but purely my own internal psychological struggle that for some reasons, the sheer drive that used to make me feel invincible and hence have the courage to dream big is not really there. I guess the best possible explanation for all these thoughts is that I haven't found the meaning in my job that I can truly relate to yet. My sense of responsibility towards the tasks "arrowed" to me give me just enough energy to carry them out, but the passion or rather the desire to do something extraordinary is not quite there.
Perhaps it's the pace that we're moving in the project, and the sheer volume of work to execute and info to digest. There's hardly any time to really stop and reflect, let alone be creative with my work. Those who know me would know that I really pride myself as the guy who can always come up with some whacky ideas. To be true, I've come up with a few since I started work but the zealous daydreaming I used to have whenever I come up with a new idea don't really happen anymore.
I think the bottom line is that I really need to manage my time. I guess it's understandable that I'm new and hence quite slow in executions. But I must make sure that I get my fair amount of rest, get sufficient time to keep reading and getting updated on news outside of my work (my 200+ rss feeds!), keep a close watch on my health and spend sufficient and quality time with my family and Tammy.
I also need to be more patient with myself when it comes to coming up with ideas in my work place. After all it's hard to think outside the box when I don't even know the boundary of the box.
Anyways, i'm getting really sleepy...zzzz...more thoughts on work life next time~
I've got a great boss, who's working for an even more inspiring boss. My colleagues are all genuinely nice folks, and they've been so patient with me as I slowly learn the ropes. The project I'm involved in would certainly come across to most as exciting and full of adventures. Indeed, there're so many aspects regarding the project (such as setting up a JV, negotiating, operations, financial modeling) that I now have the privilege to be exposed to, and really get my hands dirty working on them. Of course I'm fast becoming the "sai kang" boy in the office, but I absolutely agree that all these trainings will be good for me, as my boss keeps telling me that learning the basics is absolutely required to be a good manager. He is really spending efforts to groom me, just as many others in the company have come to given me opportunities to learn because of the management trainee program I'm enrolled in. I feel that I don't deserve their attention, but am very grateful that I have all these support and advice.
But despite all these, I feel that something is amiss. Perhaps it's really too early to tell, because I'm only barely one month into it, but somehow, the kind of passion that had driven to do all the things I've done in the past is somehow missing. This is by no means a result of the environment I'm in (which frankly speaking couldn't have been a better place to learn), but purely my own internal psychological struggle that for some reasons, the sheer drive that used to make me feel invincible and hence have the courage to dream big is not really there. I guess the best possible explanation for all these thoughts is that I haven't found the meaning in my job that I can truly relate to yet. My sense of responsibility towards the tasks "arrowed" to me give me just enough energy to carry them out, but the passion or rather the desire to do something extraordinary is not quite there.
Perhaps it's the pace that we're moving in the project, and the sheer volume of work to execute and info to digest. There's hardly any time to really stop and reflect, let alone be creative with my work. Those who know me would know that I really pride myself as the guy who can always come up with some whacky ideas. To be true, I've come up with a few since I started work but the zealous daydreaming I used to have whenever I come up with a new idea don't really happen anymore.
I think the bottom line is that I really need to manage my time. I guess it's understandable that I'm new and hence quite slow in executions. But I must make sure that I get my fair amount of rest, get sufficient time to keep reading and getting updated on news outside of my work (my 200+ rss feeds!), keep a close watch on my health and spend sufficient and quality time with my family and Tammy.
I also need to be more patient with myself when it comes to coming up with ideas in my work place. After all it's hard to think outside the box when I don't even know the boundary of the box.
Anyways, i'm getting really sleepy...zzzz...more thoughts on work life next time~
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
April
...has been real busy! Just a quick post to let the world know I'm still alive. The project I'm currently involved in is moving at lightning speed. While it's been a great learning experience so far, I think I'm not giving myself enough time to sit back and do some thinking. I'm also not reading enough, somehow I don't think I can still keep up with the 200+ blog feeds I subscribe to. Still, reading widely is one of the best way I know to stay creative, so it'd be something that I have to somehow force myself to keep doing. Taking public transport to work actually helps; now I'm reading "Freakanomics", with my weekly dosage of Economist.
On another note, me and Tammy re-watched "Inconvenient Truth", this time with our families. I'm glad that both Patrick and Nick both really dig the theme and have blogged about it respectively here and here. Gonna pass the DVD around my office, hopefully my colleagues will dig it too!
On another note, me and Tammy re-watched "Inconvenient Truth", this time with our families. I'm glad that both Patrick and Nick both really dig the theme and have blogged about it respectively here and here. Gonna pass the DVD around my office, hopefully my colleagues will dig it too!
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