I listened to the acoustic recording of the quake captured from the deep ocean with goose bumps all over my body. I suppose I could imagine the terror induced had I come face to face with such force of nature. The 2011 Japanese earthquake had lasted for 2 minutes. That has triggered a series of aftershocks, a tsunami, a potential nuclear meltdown, and an impact to the global economy. For the past one week, I have been glued to the news from the Internet feeling deeply saddened. That puzzled me a bit because I do not usually feel that attached to the disasters worldwide. Maybe deep inside, I admire the Japanese people and culture more than I think I do.
This week has been a crazy week. My mother in Hong Kong was hospitalized for a minor operation and how I wish I was there with her. One colleague of mine’s grandfather has passed away and I said to her, “Go home and spend time with your family. Don’t worry about that minute of meeting”. I suppose falling back into routines helps one to return to normalcy. And normalcy helps one to momentarily forget the pain. I did not have the heart to grant her that wish. There were two major deliverables this week and in the mist of all these chaos, one of my colleagues has lost his sanity – figuratively speaking – because he thinks that he will be asked to leave the company soon. So I said to him, “Keep your head down and continue to be productive”. I suppose different people handles stress in a different way. Constantly having to deal with his momentary lapse of sanity seems to have worn me out a bit. And hence, summing all up, it has been a shockingly depressing and incredibly busy week.
I have a different approach when it comes to work, compares to some of the colleagues around me. I believe that knowledge and experience should be shared. Because together, we can do so much more. Don’t you worry that one day your job will be taken away from you, some have asked in the past. I would be in deep trouble if my job is hanging onto what I know today. In contrary, I would be happy if more and more people can do what I am doing. That way, I can move onto other things in life and create new knowledge, create new experience. I think there is enough food to share around (again, figuratively). Even when the time is bad, deep inside, we are hunters. We will be able to find something else to eat, somewhere, somehow.
Last Sunday I took Cynthia to the IT Show. I would imagine that must have been a terrifying experience for her. The gigantic exhibition hall was filled with people. Mostly men talking in some geek languages, ogling at products that meant nothing to her. I am a seasoned IT Show visitor. IT Show is not a time and place for shopping. When I visit an IT Show, I know exactly what I want to get. At the exhibition, I checked where the Creative’s booth was located and under my supreme leadership, we zoomed straight into the location that mattered: Creative’s cashier. I took a look at the pamphlet. Yes, the World of Warcraft headset was on sales. Big discount. So I ordered three headsets there and then. The man who manned the cashier was surprised at my efficiency and determination. I went in as fast as I went out. Cynthia was shocked.
Today is unlike the previous days, my working day has ended with a sunny blue sky. Finger crossed, I am hoping for a better week next week. My world and the world I am living in.
