Category: Diary

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Diary From the Attic

Saving Willie

Today, I have finished five SIRs.  Hooray!  Some of the reversal ones are just for a laugh.  Mohamed has been very quiet and unfriendly these few days.  People say that he is afraid of losing his jobs because of all the new people coming in.  I mean, he has known so much that he will not be replaced anyway.  Poor guy.

In the meanwhile, I get really closed to Michel, Mr. VP and Willie.  Felt very good today as I have sent one long message trying to protect Willie from being bullied by Noubi.  Aurore agreed with me and that is the most important thing.

Got the U2 album tonight.  What a long waiting.

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Diary From the Attic

From 4 to 4

Slept at 4 am and got up at 4 pm.  What a life!  I think I am getting very obsessed with my new short story.  I planned to go WH Smiths today but never managed to get up.  What a waste.

Had a big dinner at TGI Friday’s.  Nothing else.  Out.

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Diary From the Attic

Zero SIR is a Dream

Yesterday was Friday and I have totally forgotten that. I even asked Willie do French people say to each other “Bon Weekend” even on Thursday.

Stayed kind of quite late in the office and had a good chat with Aurore regarding on the project matters.  Man, I feel good when the number of SIR is approaching zero.  I am free!  I am free!

Saturday morning, always the same.  Actually planned to wake up early to do some shopping for my coming trip next weekend but I failed to do so.  I ended up doing shopping starting from 4 pm, which was definitely not enough as all the shops close at 7 pm.  But I managed to get my sport gear and some nice casual wears.  Got to say shopping without looking very much at the price tags made me feel good.  Just charge in.

And composed a letter for JP.  Most probably that will put an end to our relationship.  I don’t know what I am doing at all but I guess that is for our own good.  Right devoted myself in writing a short story.

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Diary From the Attic

No Luck with Girls

Sometimes I wonder whether I shall carry on with my relationship with JP.  Now, I really can’t see what the future like.  Maybe it’s time for me to call it off (rather than a divorce later on).  I have been so faithful when I am in Paris and she does not give me a sense of security at all.  Never once I threaten to leave her.  I have been a passive lover for too long. Far too long.  Maybe I am fated to be one loner.

Had an argument with Aurore.  Really shouldn’t have done that.  I am sure I have hurt her feeling.  I tried to make it up during the lunch time but the damage has been done.  What happen to me nowadays.  I pissed everybody off all of a sudden.  Self control, okay?

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Diary From the Attic

Out with My Clients

Communicating with Willie gets more and more difficult.  I know he is a very cheerful person but I can feel that he was very frustrating today.  And me too!  I mean I have to explain the same thing several times and he still couldn’t get it.  He insisted in solving the problem himself (and the problem was so easily resolved).  I guess each person has his own pride and I just have to respect that.  I feel really sorry for him and still trying to figure out a solution.

Spent most of the day trying to help others and no one helped me at all.  But slowly I worked.  That is okay as I think I still have some extra time (I hope).

And unexpectedly, I had a dinner with Aurore, Nicolas and Larrent.  Kind of a very strange combination as Aurore and Larrent is rumored to be very closed to each other.  Nicolas was driving and man, driving in Paris and no joke.

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Diary From the Attic

The Eccentric Me

Today I was totally eccentric.  Although my odd behavior seemed to amaze my clients a great deal, I was not happy at all.  Just had a phone call with my girlfriend and it was a total disaster.  She told me that we had nothing to talk about and so on.  She even encouraged me to go and find myself an one-night-stand.  How should I feel?

Finally managed to call up Sam. That guy was married last Sunday!  And their honeymoon will be from next Thursday.  I am really happy for them.  I envy them in great deal.  Sam told me that he will be back on March 10 and start work at Esso from March 14.

Sigh …

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Diary From the Attic

An Unexpected Dinner Invitation

It was Monday morning and I was so glad that I was back to work.  At least there was someone I could talk to.  Miracle happened and I woke up at 6:30 am.  And I couldn’t go back to sleep.  Therefore I replied a few emails to my friends and sister and went to work at 8:30 am.  Anyway, I had a very important status report to write (to all the SocGen big bosses this time).  And I promised to give Nicholas and Willie a SIR to work with.  Spent the whole afternoon doing the BG transaction advice SIR and probably will spend the next two days doing the BG reversal advice.  It’s so boring, but that’s work.

Unexpectedly, Michel invited me to have a dinner with his wife.  Initially, we were talking about Chinese Food and I told him that I can never find a good Chinese restaurant in Paris.  And he told me that there were quite a few good ones near where he lived.

So I said, okay I would come with you if you don’t mind.  By the time we arrived at the train station near his place, his wife was already waiting in the car.  And they drove me to their place and had aperitif (whisky for me).  And we drove down to a Chinese restaurant.  That waiter didn’t speak Cantonese at all.  What a disappointment.  The food was good and we chatted quite a fair bit.  Michel was a good translator (as his wife, Mirela, doesn’t speak English at all).  We talked a bit about Romania as well (where they are from).  They planned to take me out one weekend.  How nice! (And they played Mylene Farmer in the car, just perfect)

One of the happiest night in Paris.

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Diary From the Attic

Yet Another Sunday in Paris

Oh, it was Sunday.  Big deal. Nothing really interesting happened during weekend.  Went to a park near to my hotel (a hill).  Went down to TGI Friday’s and had a very nice meal.

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Diary Everyday News From the Attic

Galileo Probe and Jupiter’s Moons

Woke up at 2 pm.  Actually planned to wake up at 7:30 am to watch “The Rock” again but couldn’t get up.  Had a lazy shower and ordered a light snack room service.  Felt good at that time.

The best thing that could happen to me on a Saturday Afternoon was that when I opened my email box, ten messages were waiting for me.  I had some good feedback for my story on McDonald’s.  Sam had quitted the firm.  What a pity.

Surfed the Net for a while looking for “Feminism” staffs.  Kind of interesting and of course, the Galileo Probe Image of Jupiter.  Awesome. Here are the extract from CNN news.

Over the past seven months, Galileo has explored each of Jupiter’s four largest moons.  According to its findings, Io and Europa are made of rock, while Ganymede and Callisto are icy — 60 percent rock and 40 percent ice.

But as scientists understand better what’s inside these moons, Ganymede looks more like Io.  They both have iron cores.

So while on the surface Io and Ganymede are very different objects, their interiors are quite similar.

Ganymede, three-quarter the size of Mars at 3,269 miles across, has ridges, icy grooves and craters that hint at an Earthlike crust that pulls apart and fills in with flowing rock.

Watched the film, “One Fine Day”.  I laughed all the way.  Pity that nobody (esp. my girlfriend) as that would have been a very nice film to watch with your partner.

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Diary From the Attic

5 Hotel Staff Greeted Me Goodnight

Today was Friday and I felt like working on Saturday.  I was so tired and I promised myself to sleep early today.  I am so proud of my typing as I am now getting used to the French Keyboard and it is so pleasant so use.  My observation is that everything is mindset.  And as you are used to it, you will feel very comfortable with it.  Don’t you agree?

Everybody was so tired today.  But in general the mood was good.  I was especially in a jolly mood (not thinking about weekend helped).  I cracked a lot of happy moments today, don’t know why.

One of the topic from Nick was the difference with the French and English women.  And we talked a bit about the definition of romance.

Michel’s 5 SIR has been finished.  What a tough week with all the reversals.  But he was happy and I was happy.  As for Willie, he was really very hard to talk to but I tried to be very patience.  But I think I have failed badly.  Really feel guilty.  Got to do better next week.

Somehow, me and Michel found that the New Sophie (still don’t know her name) is kind of more pleasant and approachable as compare to Sophie.  And the new guy Laurant as well.  But according to Aurore the other night, the Function Team always like that.  When they first joined, they are fine and after a few months, well …

Went all the way to see my “relative” again in order to get the bank address.  Although I hate to go all the way to Saint Mande, I always feel good after seeing them. Somewhere, someone is proud of me as they have seen me “grow”.

First, a group of black guys walked into the train talking to me in French, I just smiled.  Second a musician walked in and sang “Let It Be”.  When I walked out of the station, I saw Sophie’s Boss.  Then I walked into the Hotel, 5 staff greeted me goodnight.  What a night!