The Chronicles of S

Time to Say GoodBye to LJ

Fri, 14 Dec 2007 01:35:21 GMT

I'm moving over to blogger at http://deobserver.blogspot.com. My reasons are as listed in the first post over there. Also I need a change. If I've added you as a friend, you'll still see the occasional "friend only" post here.

Thanks for being such wonderful readers. I'll still be following your blogs (hehe..is that a threat?) and posting in my favourite communities.

ROI on relationships

Wed, 12 Dec 2007 23:35:45 GMT

"I’m a little nervous when we apply financial terms when we’re talking about relationships." -- Kat Wilder on Return on Investment in Relationships

Mr. "Sex Me Up" wanted to know why I am still "open to other offers" so to speak when I can just utilise the "back up spouse". It's not so simple of course. There are the mental hurdles to cross (conjuring up carnal thoughts about a long time platonic friend for one) and "due diligence" to be done.

Personally I don't get why people are so jittery about it. Is it so wrong to hedge against loneliness and the cynicism that seems to come with the territory of a single 30-something (male and female)? Using financial terms to describe another situation doesn't mean one is mercenary. Any more than guilt charges of being a "fixer upper" makes me a renovator. But hey, I'm only a bimbo, so using analogies I understand to explain something perplexing like dating and relationships makes perfect sense to me.

Are You Scared Yet?

Wed, 12 Dec 2007 09:18:06 GMT

Wed, 12 Dec 2007 01:26:38 GMT

Interesting post on hunting for a CEO by Bram Cohen of Bittorent fame.

"Unrelatedly, if there was any candidate who literally stood me up five times and then removed themselves from the search as if the job was theirs for the taking, I'd like to let them know that I'd already knocked them off my internal list of potential candidates after stand-up #3, because that was a strong enough hint to make me not care how godlike some people view them. Really, the nerve of some people."

Well, even for a head hunted C-level executive, that's pretty bad behaviour. No matter what your status is, common courtesy should always be extended to everybody.

Tue, 11 Dec 2007 14:33:40 GMT

君子怀刑，小子怀惠。君子和而不同，小认同而不和。

Hypothetical Questions

Tue, 11 Dec 2007 12:23:41 GMT

I wish my mother wouldn't ask troubling hypothetical questions. How would I know how I'd behave in a given scenario? I could die before her, so the caregiving in her old age mightn't fall upon me.

Doctors: The Consummate Business People

Tue, 11 Dec 2007 10:41:33 GMT

My grandmother was warded overnight in an "A" (first class) ward because all the "B" wards were full. My family didn't want to put her in an A ward just for overnight observation because of the extra "premium" on billing.

The Bill:
Medication - $150
"Nasal Test" - $80
"Emergency Call" to the doctor - $250
Consultation (5 minutes) - $300
(This might seem cheap to American readers, but it's not over here.)

I think my mother wants me to a marry a doctor, dentist or lawyer because we've been screwed by ridiculous consultation fees. What's not to like about $300 for a 5 minute client reassurance job after all?

Not only that, they wanted to bill for the medication my grandmother had brought in. They had simply recorded what medication she was taking and made it a billable item. When my mother confronted them with the bill, they denied any mistakes at first until she insisted on looking at the records. They then backpedalled and claimed it was just an "oversight".

They also double billed for the medication. How did that happen? The doctor wanted to hold a "discussion" in the office so my mother dutifully went. He told her that my grandmother had been playing fast and loose with her medication dosage and hadn't been monitoring her blood pressure. He suggested that my mother pick up the medication from the nurse outside right away. My mother requested for the prescription so she could buy it outside where it was probably sold for cheaper. He then told her a story (lots of melodrama here, very salesman like) about how a patient of his had not gotten his medication right away (from the doctor) and consequently died from a stroke and how his family members lived to regret it. And what a sad story that was, all because they didn't listen to the sagely doctor. Being the good daughter she was, my mother didn't want to have my grandmother's death weighing in on her conscience. So she obediently picked up the pricey medication and paid for it. Only to be slapped with the same bill item by the hospital the next day. Again, an "oversight" on their part because the accounts people don't coordinate payments with doctors. But it is hospital policy that patients must buy medication from the hospital for "best patient care".

The nasal test? They stuck a cotton bud in my grandmother's nose and took a swab while she was sleeping. Without her consent. Nor the family's. They didn't tell us about it beforehand. When questioned about it, they said it was a germ test because she'd been admitted to another hospital before. Does that mean people who walk in from outside do not have germs?

Remember, every time you receive a bill, go through every single line item. They might just make you pay for their "oversight" and their "policies". Especially if you are at a private hospital like Mount A.

Efficient Market Hypothesis: Statistical Evidence

Tue, 11 Dec 2007 01:38:40 GMT

A finance professor and a student are walking down a busy sidewalk. Along the way, the professor is discussing efficient markets with his student, who is staring down in studious thought. The student catches a glimpse of a $20 bill on the sidewalk, and he stops to pick it up. After pocketing the bill, the student runs to catch up with the professor. The excited student asks the professor if he had seen the bill, and the professor, without skipping a beat, quips "My dear student, have you not been listening to any part of the efficient markets that I've been talking about? Yes, I saw the $20, but I knew that my eyes must have been deceiving me. Efficient markets theory dictates that it couldn't possibly have been there, since someone else would have already picked it up."

Mon, 10 Dec 2007 14:35:36 GMT

My grandmother has been having heart problems lately. She was warded on Saturday night, placed under observation and released this morning. She felt sick again this evening and she's been admitted to a private hospital (public hospitals are only good for emergencies). They can't operate on her because of her other medical condition and she doesn't want to undergo surgery in any case. She doesn't look as healthy as before. And I know she's really very sick, contrary to what she says, when she's lying on the hospital bed fretting about me being too skinny (all my life, I've been too fat to her). I'm supposed to pay her a visit, but I don't know what to say or do.

"Has the nurse been good to you? Do you need a drink?"

What do you say to a person you have never really had a conversation with? To be sure, she's talked to me before, but it's always been a one sided affair. All I could do was hold her hand the last time. She's the last of my grandparents. Am I being cold and unfeeling?

Mon, 10 Dec 2007 10:18:27 GMT

For some reason, this really tickled me.

Tips for Providing Good Service

Mon, 10 Dec 2007 05:05:49 GMT

Good write up on providing good service, regardless of industry.

Old Flames

Mon, 10 Dec 2007 02:33:56 GMT

It's a bit weird when an ex-boyfriend whom you haven't spoken to for the past 7-8 years suddenly looks you up out of the blue. And after all those intervening years, you wonder what you saw in him to begin with.

Heralding the Age of Community Driven Content Providers

Sun, 09 Dec 2007 13:16:49 GMT

I'm just marvelling at the ingenuity of some online companies such as Schmap Guides or Threadless. So now the concept is spreading from books (the whole Chicken Soup for the Soul series) to other items as well.

I suppose it's not entirely new. Linux, and other open source systems have been around for a while, they're all community driven, and have spawned several companies like RedHat and Platform Computing.

** I don't work for any of the companies listed.

Writer's Block: Public Transit Nightmare

Sun, 09 Dec 2007 12:51:41 GMT

What has been your worst experience on public transit?

Submitted By insomniac_krys

View 500 Answers

Sydney's Shitty Rail....er...City Rail has never been a particularly pleasant experience. Scheduled trains were always being cancelled or arrived late/early. If you had to take a train from a minor station, you might have to wait up to an hour in those situations for the next train to arrive. The worst experience I've ever had was during peak hour and there were some "technical difficulties" along the rail after I boarded the train, which resulted in me being stuck between 2 stations with no escape route. That lasted for almost 2 hours which made me hungry and cranky. I got off at the subsequent (minor) station just to avoid being trapped again, which was just as well because the trains were piling up and moving very slowly. Thank God for boyfriends with cars.

It's All the Same Shit!

Sun, 09 Dec 2007 12:31:25 GMT

Would you pay for a status symbol or something showy even if a cheaper alternative which provides the same functionality exists?

Quote of the Day

Sun, 09 Dec 2007 08:02:52 GMT

"Those who desire the milk should not seat themselves on a stool in the middle of a field in hopes that a cow would back up to them." -- Unknown Farmer

Santa Baby

Sun, 09 Dec 2007 05:59:28 GMT

Discovered a song through Messing with Sam’s Santa Claus:

Santa baby, slip a sable under the tree,
For me.
been an awful good girl,
Santa baby, so hurry down the chimney tonight.

Santa baby, a 54 convertible too,
Light blue.
I'll wait up for you dear,
Santa baby, so hurry down the chimney tonight.

Think of all the fun I've missed,
Think of all the fellas that I haven't kissed,
Next year I could be just as good,
If you'll check off my Christmas list,

Santa baby, I wanna yacht,
And really that's not a lot,
Been an angel all year,
Santa baby, so hurry down the chimney tonight.

Santa honey, there's one thing I really do need,
The deed
To a platinum mine,
Santa honey, so hurry down the chimney tonight.

Santa cutie, and fill my stocking with a duplex,
And checks.
Sign your 'X' on the line,
Santa cutie, and hurry down the chimney tonight.

Come and trim my Christmas tree,
With some decorations bought at Tiffany's,
I really do believe in you,
Let's see if you believe in me,

Santa baby, forgot to mention one little thing,
A ring.
I don't mean on the phone,
Santa baby, so hurry down the chimney tonight,
Hurry down the chimney tonight,
Hurry, tonight.

It made me think of "A" and Mr "Women Are Gold Diggers". Maybe I should send them a Christmas card with that song.

"Season's greetings! Thought of you when I found this song. Hope you'll play it when you're feeling all lonely in bed! XOXOXO"

Dealmaking or Just Dealing With People

Sat, 08 Dec 2007 10:29:22 GMT

From Going Private:

"Think PAST the numbers. The purchase price is just one part of the story."
"No. Tell me, what is the motivation of the seller here?" "Did you read about his family?"

From Emotion comes Motivation

You can read the whole story at the original blog. It just serves to underscore that no matter what trade you are in, business is all about dealing with people. It is one of the easiest things to neglect as well as the most fatal.

Till the Cow Comes Home

Sat, 08 Dec 2007 06:51:59 GMT

I met another guy, again through a social network site. The schools I attended weren't listed but he hazarded a very close guess based on my responses to his questions and my answers to some profile questions. His answer was rather interesting when I made him tell me how he deduced my background.

He was quite fun to talk to on the phone, so I accepted his invitation to lunch. On hindsight, I should have picked up on certain things in our initial conversation and asked more questions even before meeting up. On the phone, he'd said that he wanted a serious relationship and was looking to "settle down" and didn't want to "play any games", so wanted to be upfront about things. That was fine with me.

We met for lunch. The conversation over lunch was a tad surreal. He mentioned that single women in their 30s were quite distinct from those in their 20s. They were less excited about getting married, usually quite (financially) independent, seemed quite cynical/jaded and were more open to casual encounters (f***buddies). He then started to talk about his sexual experience, the women he's met (and had sex with) and asked me about my sexual proclivities. I refused to go into that line of conversation. I explained that it's one of those taboo subjects only to be discussed with close friends I'm very comfortable with. He tried to press me into it. I got annoyed and was more than happy to leave by then.

Before we parted ways, I did ask what he was looking for in a wife, just out of curiosity. He clearly hadn't thought through what he wanted. Although he did bring up a requirement (nothing to do with sex) which made it clear to me that we weren't suited at all.

He is a Singaporean Chinese male in his 30s. Are Asian men really that different from counterparts elsewhere?

One thing I learned from this: never make sexual innuendos (on a profile), even in jest. Some men might just take it the wrong way.

Morning Cycle

Sat, 08 Dec 2007 03:56:48 GMT

Just had a long shower after a relatively long ride which started around 8am. Definitely could be a lot fitter than that. I think I might have bumped in to that cycle group. I think one of them was wearing a club jersey. They were cycling a lot faster than I was. I can see why "M", the guy in charge of new club members, said that I would need a pure road bike that's lighter and faster than my model. Strong sports cyclist? Uhhh.....I'm getting a little nervous at that idea. I don't think I'm anywhere near being a sports cyclist. My back and butt are just aching now.

The Gimme a Job Problem

Fri, 07 Dec 2007 23:48:09 GMT

I have to admit that I don't know this person and I could just be sprouting BS but I saw this and couldn't help thinking...shouldn't you already know this even before you accepted the job offer? The problem with taking a job just because it's offered to you, without assessing if you would actually like to work for that company (ie. work culture) means that you're going in with a 50% chance that you might hate it.

Granted, you can't know 100% that it's going to be a very good fit because it depends on 1) how good (reliable) your sources are; 2) if their perspective is coloured by specific incidents that does not translate to certain company culture (black sheep); 3) they're trying to sell you on their company, which boils down to inexperienced recruitment.

And there are cases of serendipity. People who blindly land a job or launch a career and find that it's really "the best thing" that could have happened to them.

Just in case any ex employers are reading this and you've somehow identified me (God forbid!), you guys are awesome. It's not you, it's me. Aahh..Classic. OK, I do mean this though. My ex employers have all been great folks. I also credit one of them with inadvertently steering me on to a different career path (and I mean it in a positive way).

Art and Book Collecting

Fri, 07 Dec 2007 14:01:23 GMT

From the New York Magazine:
Along with Russian oligarchs and Chinese billionaires, “hedge-fund guys” are cited whenever people try to explain the current art-market madness. The most prominent of them is SAC Capital’s Steven Cohen, owner of Damien Hirst’s shark—for which he paid either $8 million or $12 million, depending on whom you believe—and the would-be buyer, at $139 million, of the Picasso through which its owner, Steve Wynn, put his elbow. Whereas hedge-funders keep much of their day job secret, they often prefer high-profile art acquisitions, because they can boost value—that of the particular work and its artist, certainly, and possibly that of other artists in their portfolio. As Amy Cappellazzo of Christie’s pointed out during Art Basel Miami Beach, there’s a “permission-giving” quality to a deal like Citadel’s Ken Griffin’s paying $80 million for a Jasper Johns, almost five times the artist’s auction record. It creates a new context that makes it seem utterly reasonable to pay $8 million for, say, a Basquiat. “The big fear,” says one art consultant who has several hedge-fund clients, “is that if the market turns, they’ll get out of art just as fast as they came in.”

One of the things I want to do some time in the future, is buy art pieces that I like. I just happen to appreciate art, all the more because I'm terrible at it. My philosophy is that hobbies should pay for themselves where possible. So in this context, I would be looking at up and coming artists whose art work is affordable and has upside potential. I would love to identify and buy art I could sell at mad prices later on. I don't profess to know much about the art market even after sitting in an art investment seminar given by a couple of art dealers, but I think attending the next Sotheby's auction might prove instructive.

One of the clients had a collection of bronze "antiques" that he paid more than $50K for. No certificate of authenticity, and there were signs of mould everywhere. Did he get an art valuer to verify? No. He just bought the whole collection from a ship captain directly. I'm just amazed there are people who'd make purchases like that. Don't get me wrong, I'm not opposed to crazy buyers who are willing to fork out a lot of money, but it's just pretty amazing to me. They might be genuine antiques that were sold for a song but I have some doubts about that.

On another note, I read that a first edition, autographed copy of the first Harry Potter book was sold for ₤ 19K just recently. Pretty good gain considering the original book probably retailed for under ₤ 20. I wish I could sell off my books for that much money. I think that might make me a bit happier about spending so much money on books.

What is Leadership?

Fri, 07 Dec 2007 10:17:18 GMT

"The art of getting someone else to do something that you want done because he wants to do it." -- Dwight Eisenhower.

Something Amusing For A Friday Evening

Fri, 07 Dec 2007 10:15:57 GMT

London Tube Spoofs and the Aussie version.

More Blogrolling

Fri, 07 Dec 2007 08:09:59 GMT

Seed inspiration:

1. Going Private - American. Damned fun read.
2. Carried Interest - Sounds Australian.
3. Informational Arbitrage - American. Some interesting entries.

I wonder if there are some Asia-centric ones around. A few Asian ones I have seen were mostly rehashes of articles in the local papers. Either that or they were technical analysis logs.