Company Annual Dinner 2007

 Last friday nite, we had our company annual dinner at the kowloon bay exhibition center.  We had around 1500 people there that nite.  Just like last year, we had a ton of fun making fools of ourselves.   The thing that was different this year was that I WON A PRIZE!!!!  Whenever there's a draw, i NEVER win anything.  This time, i was the ONLY person at my table winning something.  Doesn't that signal a change of luck?  Anyway, i won an addidas watch.  It's strange cuz i've been trying to shop for a proper watch recently.  My existing one is a G-cool watch that my brother-in-law gave me and it doesn't quite match my atire at work.  Well now, I don't need to go shop for one, perfect!!

I uploaded a bunch of pictures from that nite to Facebook, and it generated quite a bit of traffic!  Some of those pics were hilarious....i.e. a series of snapshots of some guy spilling wine on another guy's shirt.....some guy trying to K me....argh.  The interesting thing was, none of us remembered any of these things happening until we saw the pictures the morning after.  Funny what alcohol can do to you.....

ulumu: get ur butt on faceboook!

Shanghai is way too big

Shanghai is way TOO big and has TOO many people.  Last wednesday, Crystal and I stopped by Shanghai for a few hours between our bus trip from ZhangJiaGang and our flight to Shenzhen.  Traffic was horrible.  We went to Cheng Huang Miao (城皇庙) to get some dumplings but never really got there.  It was worse than being in Mongkok Hong Kong.  By the time we finished our lunch, we were very tight on time.  Originally, we planned on taking the subway to the Magnetic Levitation Train station to take the train directly to Pudong Airport.  But since i don't know when the train is scheduled to depart and the fact that our plane leaves in 50 minutes, i elected to take the cab to the airport.  That was a mistake.  The cab ride was LONG and expensive.  On the way there, we watched the MagLev train passed by us at 400 km/hr.  Sigh..........Ended up making the flight tho.....only cuz it was delayed. :P

CNY at Crystal's hometown was fun, but very tiring.  We went visiting ppl's and all we did was eat eat and more eating.  I had no less than 10 crabs in the course of 3 days and countless bottles of red wine.  These mainland Chinese drink alcohol like I drink my coke back in my engsci days.  Horrible! hehe...  I also tried her uncle's new car.  It was a stick-shift and I haven't driven one in 10 years.  I was surprised it all came back to me.........after choking the car twice......only.

Next monday, i finally get to move into our new office.  Only another senior engineer and I will be in the office for the next month or so and i get a back seat.......so it's going to be very very convenient. :D  Too bad i'm gonna leave.....

在张家港过年

Crystal and I came back to her old home to spend New Years.  We spent the entire day today on the road (and air).  So tired.  We got up at 7am to catch the airport shuttle bus to Shenzhen airport.  It costs 20 renminbei and only took 35 minutes to get to the airport.  The airport is divided into A terminal and B terminal.  We went to B terminal today because we were flying Shenzhen airline.  We flew a new B737-300, a fat but cute little plane.  We got to Shanghai around noon, and then we on to catch the bus to Zhang Jia Gang.  By the time we got there, it was around 5:30pm.  Zhang Jia Gang is a relatively rich town, the streets are well-maintained and the crime-rate is rather low.  A good place to live after retirement. 

............there are quite a few barber shops with neon pink light bulbs here.....hehehe..

Crystal's best friend 张云 is getting married next tuesday and we're going to attend her wedding.  I've never been to a real mainland Chinese wedding so i don't know what to expect.  Since i don't understand what they say (they speak a local dialect) and they think i'm a foreigner, it should be easy, i won't have to worry too much about customs.  I'll just eat my heart out and drink whenever they propose a toast.  Should be fun.

Pleasant surprise

 Yesterday after work, I went to Wan Chai to pick up my grad photos from this 'supposedly' professional photographer's studio.  This place was on Lockhart road called Gaylord Commercial building (don't let the name fool you).  I walked thru the main doors and there were 20 (literally) girls in their late teens or early 20s standing there, waiting for the elevator.  And these girls were actually 'OK'.  The elevator came and I had no choice but to cram inside this small elevator with 10 other girls.  I was suppose to go to the 3rd floor, but i pressed '20' instead.    Anyway, i got my photos and took the elevator back down.  This time, there were only an old couple in the elevator.  But once the elevator hit ground floor and the doors opened, there it was!  At least another 20 or so, young girls, a few of them in mini skirts and long hair, waiting to get in the elevator.  (And not a single guy) ????Makes me wonder.  I had a bad day earlier in the morning and to see this by surprise, totally lifted my spirit for the day.  Totally made my day!   I wonder what was in that building that attracted so many of these girls. Model agency?

Anyway, here's one of the pictures i picked up at the studio.  Professional?

Do I need to lose some weight???

Taxi driver vs.......x2

Last friday, I was totally exhausted from dealing with my customer and their bullshit all day.  For dinner that nite, I spoiled myself by having a nice juicy steak with my best friend (also my flat-mate) and his gf at Outbacks.  Hmmm.... so far, i haven't met a steak i didn't like..even tho the one i had on friday wasn't the best one i've tasted.....anyway, my flat-mate and I went home at around 11.  I popped a dvd into the player and was trying to get my mind off the work i have yet to finish next monday.  Out of nowhere, my flatmate calls out:  "YO, come here! Check this out....."  I go over to his room to find him kneeling on his bed with his head stuck out the window, watching something downstairs.  I pop my head out the window beside him and saw a taxi driver (probably in his 50s) getting his ass kicked by two younger guys.  One of them was holding the taxi driver down while the other guy was trying to land some punches.  The fight only lasted 20 seconds before one of the younger guys started getting afraid he might really hurt the driver and started backing away.  The next 20 minutes was very typical of HK ppl, they started swearing at each other and telling each other that they're calling more people to come ("dap ma") but none of them actually did.  Eventually, after 20 minutes of swearing and yelling, the police finally came and took them aside to question them for another 45 minutes.  

Anyway, just an interesting nite for me and maybe my flatmate too.  I rarely get to watch a real fight just by popping my head out the window.  It was almost like having box seats at the game.  ........anyway, thought I'd share it with you.