The top-tier domestic leagues across Europe are about to kick-off season 2008/2009. Needless to say, I'm very excited, as would all football afficionados. Now, the leagues will all kick-off next month, in August.
Ligue 1 in France will be the first to start, on the second weekend. Then a week after that, the German Bundesliga, Belgian Jupiler League & English Premier League will kick-off. The Dutch Eredivisie, Italian Serie A & Spanish La Liga will kick-off around the last weekend in August. Then, there is also the preliminary qualifying matches in the UEFA Champions League. The teams that that survive the preliminary stages will join the other teams in the group stage of the Champions League. The Champions League group stage will start in September.
Of course, there's various other domestic leagues in Europe which will also kick-off next month. And I can go on & on discussing the prospects of various teams in the various leagues for the upcoming season. If I do that, I'll be blogging right through tonight & continue beyond that! I can't do that, because I got to work! So, I'll leave it here by saying, bring on season 2008/2009. So much football to follow, which is good. Always good :)
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
I resigned!
The waters appear calm, as a group of animals drink by the river bank. Then suddenly, out of nowhere, a crocodile's head pops out of the water. The crocodile grabs the neck of one of the drinking animals, gripping it & dragging it into the river.
Got the picture? Yeah? Well, my resignation today was as sudden as that crocodile attack. It would appear sudden to my colleagues, anyway (it certainly was to my boss). But not so to me - because last week, I had already accepted a job offer with another organisation (a global/multi-national accounting & business advisory firm). So the wheels were already in motion, & I started this week knowing (& planning) that I would be handing in my resignation notice today. And I did so, much to the dismay & disappointment of my boss. The resignation took him by surprise - he appeared shocked & claimed that he never expected this to happen (presumably, he was oblivious on the days that I turned up to work more well-dressed than usual - for job interviews). Uh huh, after the relatively calm waters of the past few working days, bang, my resignation notice this morning (just before 11am) did seem like a crocodile ambush attack out of nowhere.
And while still in shock & feeling rattled, my boss proceeded to grill me with lots & lots of questions, to probe into the reasons behind my resignation. He obviously didn't like my decision (he said he was struggling to understand it), & he obviously felt there was more to it than I told him face-to-face. And with the boss going about it the way he did, & with his office doors closed, it certainly felt like a police station interrogation. But I remained steady & calm, as I did expect my boss to come out firing with questions. Finally, the interrogation was over, after it was clear that I would not revoke my decision to resign. Then I left my boss' office. And well, no, I didn't do the Michael Jackson moonwalk on my way out, & I didn't offer my boss any high-fives, either. Neither of these would have gone down well (plus I might have looked so silly if I attempted the moonwalk).......
Once out of the boss' office, I informed my closest 2 colleague/teammates (Tammy & Wei) about my resignation. Barely a few minutes after that, Tammy was called by my boss to his office (with the doors closed). Then Tammy came out & then it was Wei's turn (again, with the doors closed). My boss had questioned them both, as to whether they knew I was going to resign., & assessing if both were happy at work as he didn't want any further staff departures. Maybe he was also trying to "fish" around to find out if there was anything I told Tammy & Wei that I didn't tell him. I went out to lunch with both of them, & we recapped the day's events & had some good laughs. My colleagues found it "amusing" that they haven't seen boss so stressed & worried in a long time. Yeah, we did poked some fun at our boss, but we didn't say anything too mean about him.
Even after we came back from lunch, my boss was still at it. He popped by my workstation & asked: "Just wondering, with that email u got yesterday from the client, did it push u to the edge?". My response: "No, I made my decision well before yesterday, & it had nothing to do with that email. Having said that, I'm pleased to know I'll never have to deal with clients like that again".
And then later, Tammy came out of a meeting/discussion in the boss' office & told me: "You know, we were just talking about work. Then when we come to talk about Greg, he asked me: 'Do u think he resigned because of Greg?' " (Greg is the team manager, whom I pulled an office prank on a couple of months ago. He is on another vacation & will come back next week - he'll be shocked that I resigned).
Sheeeeesh. What an eventful Wednesday this turned out to be! I knew my boss would be unhappy, but I didn't expect him to go about things the way he did (interrogating Tammy & Wei etc, because of a decision I made). Tammy & Wei said it is because he regarded me so highly that he went about it like that. But goodness gracious, I didn't think he'd value me that much. I mean, in a way, it's nice to be thought of like that by my boss. But I feel like telling him: just get over it, cop it & move on. Hopefully, he will get over it quickly. Otherwise, between now & my last day at work, it's going to be a bumpy ride......
Got the picture? Yeah? Well, my resignation today was as sudden as that crocodile attack. It would appear sudden to my colleagues, anyway (it certainly was to my boss). But not so to me - because last week, I had already accepted a job offer with another organisation (a global/multi-national accounting & business advisory firm). So the wheels were already in motion, & I started this week knowing (& planning) that I would be handing in my resignation notice today. And I did so, much to the dismay & disappointment of my boss. The resignation took him by surprise - he appeared shocked & claimed that he never expected this to happen (presumably, he was oblivious on the days that I turned up to work more well-dressed than usual - for job interviews). Uh huh, after the relatively calm waters of the past few working days, bang, my resignation notice this morning (just before 11am) did seem like a crocodile ambush attack out of nowhere.
And while still in shock & feeling rattled, my boss proceeded to grill me with lots & lots of questions, to probe into the reasons behind my resignation. He obviously didn't like my decision (he said he was struggling to understand it), & he obviously felt there was more to it than I told him face-to-face. And with the boss going about it the way he did, & with his office doors closed, it certainly felt like a police station interrogation. But I remained steady & calm, as I did expect my boss to come out firing with questions. Finally, the interrogation was over, after it was clear that I would not revoke my decision to resign. Then I left my boss' office. And well, no, I didn't do the Michael Jackson moonwalk on my way out, & I didn't offer my boss any high-fives, either. Neither of these would have gone down well (plus I might have looked so silly if I attempted the moonwalk).......
Once out of the boss' office, I informed my closest 2 colleague/teammates (Tammy & Wei) about my resignation. Barely a few minutes after that, Tammy was called by my boss to his office (with the doors closed). Then Tammy came out & then it was Wei's turn (again, with the doors closed). My boss had questioned them both, as to whether they knew I was going to resign., & assessing if both were happy at work as he didn't want any further staff departures. Maybe he was also trying to "fish" around to find out if there was anything I told Tammy & Wei that I didn't tell him. I went out to lunch with both of them, & we recapped the day's events & had some good laughs. My colleagues found it "amusing" that they haven't seen boss so stressed & worried in a long time. Yeah, we did poked some fun at our boss, but we didn't say anything too mean about him.
Even after we came back from lunch, my boss was still at it. He popped by my workstation & asked: "Just wondering, with that email u got yesterday from the client, did it push u to the edge?". My response: "No, I made my decision well before yesterday, & it had nothing to do with that email. Having said that, I'm pleased to know I'll never have to deal with clients like that again".
And then later, Tammy came out of a meeting/discussion in the boss' office & told me: "You know, we were just talking about work. Then when we come to talk about Greg, he asked me: 'Do u think he resigned because of Greg?' " (Greg is the team manager, whom I pulled an office prank on a couple of months ago. He is on another vacation & will come back next week - he'll be shocked that I resigned).
Sheeeeesh. What an eventful Wednesday this turned out to be! I knew my boss would be unhappy, but I didn't expect him to go about things the way he did (interrogating Tammy & Wei etc, because of a decision I made). Tammy & Wei said it is because he regarded me so highly that he went about it like that. But goodness gracious, I didn't think he'd value me that much. I mean, in a way, it's nice to be thought of like that by my boss. But I feel like telling him: just get over it, cop it & move on. Hopefully, he will get over it quickly. Otherwise, between now & my last day at work, it's going to be a bumpy ride......
Monday, July 28, 2008
It's so cold!
Ok, to post on something totally "random" or "mundane", let's talk about this cold cold winter.
I do wonder if it's just me, but the weather is verrrryyy cold, here in Brisbane. It's winter right now. And to me, it feels like this winter is one of the coldest, possibly the coldest winter I've experienced in Brisbane. I mean, the winds are so so chilly. And we are only talking about Brisbane. I mean, if Brisbane is already this cold, then imagine how "bad" it must be in Sydney & Melbourne.
I can't seem to do anything without feeling the chill. Move the quilt a bit, cold. Stick my toes out of the quit, cold - which makes it so hard to get out of bed to get ready for work. Get off my chair after turning off my PC, cold. And don't get started with coming out of the shower....duh.....who wouldn't feel it????
Anyway, I wonder what the other Brisbane residents out there think of the weather. One of the coldest winters around? Is it just me or do u feel the same way??
Not that I'm complaining or see the cold weather as a bad thing. It's good, actually (especially for sleeping in during weekends). Hope it means that we will have another relatively mild summer at the end of this year. The last summer was the coolest over the last few years. Hopefully, the trend will continue.....
I do wonder if it's just me, but the weather is verrrryyy cold, here in Brisbane. It's winter right now. And to me, it feels like this winter is one of the coldest, possibly the coldest winter I've experienced in Brisbane. I mean, the winds are so so chilly. And we are only talking about Brisbane. I mean, if Brisbane is already this cold, then imagine how "bad" it must be in Sydney & Melbourne.
I can't seem to do anything without feeling the chill. Move the quilt a bit, cold. Stick my toes out of the quit, cold - which makes it so hard to get out of bed to get ready for work. Get off my chair after turning off my PC, cold. And don't get started with coming out of the shower....duh.....who wouldn't feel it????
Anyway, I wonder what the other Brisbane residents out there think of the weather. One of the coldest winters around? Is it just me or do u feel the same way??
Not that I'm complaining or see the cold weather as a bad thing. It's good, actually (especially for sleeping in during weekends). Hope it means that we will have another relatively mild summer at the end of this year. The last summer was the coolest over the last few years. Hopefully, the trend will continue.....
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Joke - The lie detector
LIE DETECTOR!
John was a salesman's delight when it came to any kind of unusual gimmick. His wife Marsha had long ago given up trying to get him to change.
One day John came home with another one of his unusual purchases. It was a robot that John claimed was actually a lie detector.
It was about 5:30 that afternoon when Tommy, their 11 year old son, returned home from school.
Tommy was over 2 hours late.
"Where have you been? Why are you over 2 hours late getting home?" asked John.
"Several of us went to the library to work on an extra credit project," said Tommy.
The robot then walked around the table and slapped Tommy, knocking him completely out of his chair.
"Son," said John, "this robot is a lie detector, now tell us where you really were after school."
"We went to Bobby's house and watched a movie." said Tommy.
"What did you watch?" asked Marsha.
"The Ten Commandments." answered Tommy.
The robot went around to Tommy and once again slapped him, knocking him off his chair once more.
With his lip quivering, Tommy got up, sat down and said, "I am sorry I lied. We really watched a tape called Sex Queen."
"I am ashamed of you, son," said John. "When I was your age, I never lied to my parents."
The robot then walked around to John and delivered a whack that nearly knocked him out of his chair.
Marsha doubled over in laughter, almost in tears and said, "Boy, did you ever ask for that one! You can't be too mad with Tommy. After all, he is your son!"
With that the robot immediately walked around to Marsha and knocked her out of her chair.
John was a salesman's delight when it came to any kind of unusual gimmick. His wife Marsha had long ago given up trying to get him to change.
One day John came home with another one of his unusual purchases. It was a robot that John claimed was actually a lie detector.
It was about 5:30 that afternoon when Tommy, their 11 year old son, returned home from school.
Tommy was over 2 hours late.
"Where have you been? Why are you over 2 hours late getting home?" asked John.
"Several of us went to the library to work on an extra credit project," said Tommy.
The robot then walked around the table and slapped Tommy, knocking him completely out of his chair.
"Son," said John, "this robot is a lie detector, now tell us where you really were after school."
"We went to Bobby's house and watched a movie." said Tommy.
"What did you watch?" asked Marsha.
"The Ten Commandments." answered Tommy.
The robot went around to Tommy and once again slapped him, knocking him off his chair once more.
With his lip quivering, Tommy got up, sat down and said, "I am sorry I lied. We really watched a tape called Sex Queen."
"I am ashamed of you, son," said John. "When I was your age, I never lied to my parents."
The robot then walked around to John and delivered a whack that nearly knocked him out of his chair.
Marsha doubled over in laughter, almost in tears and said, "Boy, did you ever ask for that one! You can't be too mad with Tommy. After all, he is your son!"
With that the robot immediately walked around to Marsha and knocked her out of her chair.
Joke - Little Johnnie
I got this joke recently at work. So, yeah, I am just a messenger, lest anyone thinks I am anti-Rudd. Far from it - I voted for Labor at the federal election last November. So there......
****************************
Australian PM Kevin Rudd was visiting a primary school and he visited one of the classes. They were in the middle of a discussion related to words and their meanings. The teacher asked Kevin if he would like to lead discussion on the word 'tragedy'.
So Kevin (the saviour of 'working families') asked the class for an example of a 'tragedy'.
A little boy stood up and offered: "If my best friend, who lives on a farm, is playing in the field & a tractor runs over him and kills him, that would be a tragedy."
"No", said Kevin, "that would be an accident."
A little girl raised her hand: "If a school bus carrying 50 children drove over a cliff, killing everyone inside, that would be a tragedy."
"I'm afraid not", explained Kevin, "that's what we would call great loss."
The room went silent. No other children volunteered. Kevin searched the room. "Isn't there someone here who can give me an example of a tragedy?"
Finally, at the back of the room, little Johnny raised his hand...
In a quiet voice he said: "If a plane carrying you and Julia Gillard was struck by a 'friendly fire' missile & blown to smithereens, that would be a tragedy."
"Fantastic!" exclaimed Kevin. "That's right. And can you tell me why that would be tragedy?"
"Well," says little Johnny, "it has to be a tragedy, because it certainly wouldn't be a great loss and it probably wouldn't be an accident either!"
****************************
Australian PM Kevin Rudd was visiting a primary school and he visited one of the classes. They were in the middle of a discussion related to words and their meanings. The teacher asked Kevin if he would like to lead discussion on the word 'tragedy'.
So Kevin (the saviour of 'working families') asked the class for an example of a 'tragedy'.
A little boy stood up and offered: "If my best friend, who lives on a farm, is playing in the field & a tractor runs over him and kills him, that would be a tragedy."
"No", said Kevin, "that would be an accident."
A little girl raised her hand: "If a school bus carrying 50 children drove over a cliff, killing everyone inside, that would be a tragedy."
"I'm afraid not", explained Kevin, "that's what we would call great loss."
The room went silent. No other children volunteered. Kevin searched the room. "Isn't there someone here who can give me an example of a tragedy?"
Finally, at the back of the room, little Johnny raised his hand...
In a quiet voice he said: "If a plane carrying you and Julia Gillard was struck by a 'friendly fire' missile & blown to smithereens, that would be a tragedy."
"Fantastic!" exclaimed Kevin. "That's right. And can you tell me why that would be tragedy?"
"Well," says little Johnny, "it has to be a tragedy, because it certainly wouldn't be a great loss and it probably wouldn't be an accident either!"
Thursday, July 17, 2008
FC Barcelona - the players in & out
OK, with Spain winning the Euro 2008, Spanish football supporters must be buzzing in anticipation of the upcoming new season in the Spanish league. With Spain having shown that they are indeed Europe's best side, the feel-good factor must be at unprecedented high levels amongst Spanish fans. So they must be really excited with what the upcoming season unfolds with their respective football clubs.In that regard, my club FC Barcelona are in a rebuilding phase. They will start the new season with a new coach at the helm, former player Josep Guardiola. Some players have left, while new signings have arrived. Here's the list of the main player departures from the club:
Ronaldinho (attacking midfielder/forward) - to AC Milan
Deco (central midfielder) - to Chelsea FC
Giovanni dos Santos (attacking midfielder) - to Tottenham Hotspur
Thuram (central defender) - retired
Zambrotta (right/left back) - to AC Milan
There might be a couple of other departures, but the above are the main ones.
The biggest name is undoubtedly Ronaldinho. I'm a bit sad to see him leave, but not devastated, as he hasn't been able to reproduce the form of 2-3 years ago. Now had Ronaldinho left Barcelona 2-3 years ago, then I would have been feeling really down. But leaving now doesn't hurt quite as much. The young Argentinian sensation, Lionel Messi, will now be seen as the club's new leader (as the club's best footballer, rather than as captain).
Deco is also a big name. He did well for Portugal at Euro 2008. But while Barcelona will miss his ability & experience in midfield, the feeling is probably that he is not indispensable.
As for the young Mexican, Giovanni dos Santos, now this one I'm very unhappy about! He is the player on that list that I'm most upset at seeing leave. Honestly, I'm even more sad with dos Santos' departure than Ronaldinho's departure. Because dos Santos is very young, very talented & I feel has so much to offer Barcelona. I just can't understand how the club can let him leave just like that. Sheesh. Now he's gone to London club Tottenham, whom my friend Damian Ong supports - Damo must be undoubtedly be pretty happy with the signing. (I haven't yet had a chance to give Damo some "choice words" with his club "pinching" dos Santos).
As for Thuram & Zambrotta, well, I'm not that bothered with their departure. Appreciate their service to the club, but it's time to move on.
Right then, let's look at the players that Barcelona have signed so far:
Aleksandr Hleb (attacking midfielder) - from Arsenal
Gerard Pique (centre back, right back) - from Manchester Utd
Daniel Alves (right back) - from Sevilla FC
Seydou Keita (central defensive midfielder) - from Sevilla FC
Martin Caceres (central defender) - from Villarreal FC
So, Barcelona's signings have come from the top clubs in Spain & England. I'm particularly happy with the signing of young Pique, who now returns after leaving Barcelona as a 17 year old in 2004. I feel neutral with the other signings - not unhappy, but not excessively excited either. In a way, it's good that they are looking to strengthen the defence with Daniel Alves & Caceres (plus of course, Pique). Daniel Alves should prove to be good for the right back slot, but I haven't seen much of Caceres to be able to judge properly. As for the 2 midfielders (Hleb & Keita), I think they could prove useful, but I'm not entirely sure if they can actually lift Barcelona to another next level. That, plus the fact that Giovanni dos Santos' departure still leaves me disgruntled, makes me think that the club should get at least 1 more attacking midfielder, preferably one that can occupy the left side of midfield. Why not try to get one of Angel Di Maria or Damian Escudero? Both are young Argentinian attacking midfielders, & both can play on the left side.
And perhaps Barcelona could also have thought of trying to sign Ever Banega, another Argentinian midfielder, from fellow Spanish club Valencia FC. Banega is a central midfielder, more so than Di Maria & Escudero. Barcelona might also need to sign 1 forward. That's because the Cameroon striker, Samuel Eto'o, may leave or he might end up staying at the club. Likewise, Thierry Henry, with his status at the club being far from certain. But so far, I don't think Barcelona have signed any forwards. I know Spanish teenage sensation Bojan Krkic (Serbian father, hence the surname) will play a more prominent role this season, but it wouldn't hurt to sign another forward.
The 2008/2009 La Liga season starts on 30/8/08. I hope the squad (new signings) will settle well to the new coach. They are going through a transition phase, & the squad may take time to gel. But even allowing for that, still it would be good if they put in a strong challenge on all fronts - Spanish league, Spanish Cup & UEFA Champions League. What are their chances of winning some of those honours? I'd say they got a fairly good chance of winning something. It's hard to say whether they have a better chance of winning the Spanish league or UEFA Champions League. Conquering Europe would be nice. But perhaps the aim/priority should be to recapture the Spanish league, & try to go as far as possible in the Champions League & the Spanish Cup. I might revise my expectations as the season progresses....
Hola Barca!
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Family friends here
Our family friends, the Wang family, are here in Brisbane. They came to attend Mark's graduation at UQ next week. The brigade included Mark's eldest brother Paul & his American wife Britt-Marie, both of whom came up from Canberra where they had been based (apparently, they will both return to the US next month). Mark's parents, Luke & Eunice all flew in from Malaysia. The only Wang family member missing is James, who is not able to come.
We had them over for dinner a few nights ago. It's great to see them all again. All of them (except Britt-Marie & James) were here last year for Val & Andrew's wedding. I was happy to be able to meet Britt-Marie for the first time (already added her as Facebook friend long time ago, but haven't actually met her until now). She's friendly, nice & godly.
The Wangs will be do their own touristy thing - they hired a car & will be driving around various places in Queensland, & possibly NSW (I dunno what exactly their itinerary is). They are so adventurous. But it's always great to catch up with them. We will do so again at the end of the year, in Malaysia. Yay!! Ohhh yeah, & of course, congratulations, Mark, on finishing your university studies!
We had them over for dinner a few nights ago. It's great to see them all again. All of them (except Britt-Marie & James) were here last year for Val & Andrew's wedding. I was happy to be able to meet Britt-Marie for the first time (already added her as Facebook friend long time ago, but haven't actually met her until now). She's friendly, nice & godly.
The Wangs will be do their own touristy thing - they hired a car & will be driving around various places in Queensland, & possibly NSW (I dunno what exactly their itinerary is). They are so adventurous. But it's always great to catch up with them. We will do so again at the end of the year, in Malaysia. Yay!! Ohhh yeah, & of course, congratulations, Mark, on finishing your university studies!
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Staff review was better than expected
My annual performance & salary review went fairly well. Fairly well, but not excessively well. Nevertheless, it was better than I had expected, for I had walked into the meeting room, with low expectations. I deliberately set low expectations to minimise any potential disappointments. In the event, on the whole, things turned out better than I thought possible.
My boss/director & manager were both present. We talked about how the past year went by, especially my performance during that time. The boss & manager were both complimentary towards my work, by my commitment & dedication, by how well I seem to get along with everyone. Both were pleased by my contribution to the firm. My boss also talked about my future role within the firm - he said he sees me as a key member & quickly touched on how my role will evolve. It was nice to get all those compliments, but I do wonder if they (especially the boss) are saying those things (including the spiel on how my role will evolve) just to get me to want to stay at the firm. Anyhow, I'm not sure if my role will really evolve the way my boss talked about, & even if it does, I think it'll be a long time before it happens. I can't wait for that long....
I narrowly missed out on the annual bonus, but I wasn't surprised by that, because I had a feeling I would miss the annual billing target. I wasn't able to meet that target thanks to the tardiness of some of my clients - they don't respond to information requests quickly enough, so that meant I couldn't complete their work as quickly as I would like, & that meant I couldn't bill them by the billing target cut-off date, so at the end I was just under the billing target. However, I got an unexpectedly high increase to my base salary. The size of the pay rise took me completely by surprise, & I did my best not to look shocked. I was told the pay rise was done in consultation with the other directors, taking into account my performance & overall contribution to the firm. My director did say that he can't guarantee similar pay rises in future. Fair enough, I completely understand that.....
Well, it's nice to be rewarded that way, & it's nice that all my hard work was recognised. However, the work-related issues that I raised were played down or "brushed aside". The issues mainly relate to the client tardiness & certain type of work I've not enjoyed but have been compelled to do for those tardy clients. It's as if the issues I raised were not significant enough to warrant further attention. Anyway, I guess I'll be pretty justified if I were to look elsewhere for something that will give me more satisfaction & opportunity to progress my career....
Overall, I'd say my review went pretty well. I left the room trying my best to put a straight face, so my team mates will not be able to tell what I felt about my review. It didn't work. Wei & Murray could tell, from my behaviour during the rest of the day, that I had a good review. They guessed that I did get a pay rise & that I was happy with the scale of the pay rise. I tried my best to play things down, but wasn't convincing - I wasn't a good enough actor...hehehe....
Anyway, I just want to say I'm thankful to God that the review went reasonably well & thankful for the unexpectedly good pay rise. I hope I will be able to use the money wisely for His Kingdom, & I hope that God will ensure I am humble by reminding me that all good things come from Him.
My boss/director & manager were both present. We talked about how the past year went by, especially my performance during that time. The boss & manager were both complimentary towards my work, by my commitment & dedication, by how well I seem to get along with everyone. Both were pleased by my contribution to the firm. My boss also talked about my future role within the firm - he said he sees me as a key member & quickly touched on how my role will evolve. It was nice to get all those compliments, but I do wonder if they (especially the boss) are saying those things (including the spiel on how my role will evolve) just to get me to want to stay at the firm. Anyhow, I'm not sure if my role will really evolve the way my boss talked about, & even if it does, I think it'll be a long time before it happens. I can't wait for that long....
I narrowly missed out on the annual bonus, but I wasn't surprised by that, because I had a feeling I would miss the annual billing target. I wasn't able to meet that target thanks to the tardiness of some of my clients - they don't respond to information requests quickly enough, so that meant I couldn't complete their work as quickly as I would like, & that meant I couldn't bill them by the billing target cut-off date, so at the end I was just under the billing target. However, I got an unexpectedly high increase to my base salary. The size of the pay rise took me completely by surprise, & I did my best not to look shocked. I was told the pay rise was done in consultation with the other directors, taking into account my performance & overall contribution to the firm. My director did say that he can't guarantee similar pay rises in future. Fair enough, I completely understand that.....
Well, it's nice to be rewarded that way, & it's nice that all my hard work was recognised. However, the work-related issues that I raised were played down or "brushed aside". The issues mainly relate to the client tardiness & certain type of work I've not enjoyed but have been compelled to do for those tardy clients. It's as if the issues I raised were not significant enough to warrant further attention. Anyway, I guess I'll be pretty justified if I were to look elsewhere for something that will give me more satisfaction & opportunity to progress my career....
Overall, I'd say my review went pretty well. I left the room trying my best to put a straight face, so my team mates will not be able to tell what I felt about my review. It didn't work. Wei & Murray could tell, from my behaviour during the rest of the day, that I had a good review. They guessed that I did get a pay rise & that I was happy with the scale of the pay rise. I tried my best to play things down, but wasn't convincing - I wasn't a good enough actor...hehehe....
Anyway, I just want to say I'm thankful to God that the review went reasonably well & thankful for the unexpectedly good pay rise. I hope I will be able to use the money wisely for His Kingdom, & I hope that God will ensure I am humble by reminding me that all good things come from Him.
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Annual staff review
It's that time of the year again - the annual staff & performance review. That will happen tomorrow. I've completed my appraisal form & will raise a number of issues that I have with work. I will do my best to be diplomatic.
As for the pay rise, well, hmmmmm.....I would like my annual pay to be doubled. Or insert "1" at the start of my current annual pay packet. Or insert an extra "0" at the end of it. Or just up my pay packet by $35,000 plus superannuation. Hahaha.....
Jokes aside, anything can happen. I won't be that surprised if I don't get much of a pay rise. That would give me extra ammunition or an excuse to look for a position elsewhere. Although to be absolutely honest, I have more issues with work rather than just the pay. So if I were to look elsewhere, the main reason(s) would not necessarily relate to pay. Anyway, like I said, I will try to be diplomatic. But a couple of team members think that I'm the type to openly voice any issues or concerns, based on a couple of times they have seen me speaking to my boss with more than a hint of anger & frustration over the work-related issues I have been experiencing. One team member even consider me to be pretty direct & "in your face". But hey, by being open & telling it as it is, no one can accuse me of sucking up for favours, & at least people know where I stand. Anyway, hopefully tomorrow's annual review goes well, & I hope that those couple of "episodes" I had with my boss don't come back to bite me ;)
As for the pay rise, well, hmmmmm.....I would like my annual pay to be doubled. Or insert "1" at the start of my current annual pay packet. Or insert an extra "0" at the end of it. Or just up my pay packet by $35,000 plus superannuation. Hahaha.....
Jokes aside, anything can happen. I won't be that surprised if I don't get much of a pay rise. That would give me extra ammunition or an excuse to look for a position elsewhere. Although to be absolutely honest, I have more issues with work rather than just the pay. So if I were to look elsewhere, the main reason(s) would not necessarily relate to pay. Anyway, like I said, I will try to be diplomatic. But a couple of team members think that I'm the type to openly voice any issues or concerns, based on a couple of times they have seen me speaking to my boss with more than a hint of anger & frustration over the work-related issues I have been experiencing. One team member even consider me to be pretty direct & "in your face". But hey, by being open & telling it as it is, no one can accuse me of sucking up for favours, & at least people know where I stand. Anyway, hopefully tomorrow's annual review goes well, & I hope that those couple of "episodes" I had with my boss don't come back to bite me ;)
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Euro 2008 review
Overall, I thought Euro 2008 was a reasonably good tournament. Some good goals, lots of enterprising team play. It was a tournament where midfielders & forwards shone. The midfielders who have shone include Spain's Xavi & David Silva, Sneijder of the Netherlands, Russia's Arshavin, Croatia's playmaker Modric, Turkey's young Arda, Germany's Michael Ballack & Deco of Portugal. The forwards who caught the eye include Germany's Podolski,Spain's David Villa & Russia's Pavlyuchenko. (have I missed anyone?)However, the defending in the tournament has not been that great. For me, the tournament did not produce any outstanding defenders. At the 2006 World Cup, Italy's Fabio Cannavaro was the stand-out defender. Euro 2008? Nobody. I don't think there's any defender at the moment who is at the same level as Cannavaro 2 years ago.
Ok, I've already posted about the teams that contested the Euro final, Spain & Germany. Here are my thoughts of the other 14 teams:
Russia:
This is surely the best Russian side since the break-up of the Soviet Union. Russia did extremely well to reach the Euro semis, considering the heavy defeat in the opening group match against Spain. In their next 2 group matches, Russia improved & showed what they can do when they get the basics right. Their tournament highlight was surely their superb quarter-final performance showing which eliminated the highly fancied Dutch outfit. The Spaniards again proved too strong in the semi-final, where Russia simply could not repeat their quarter-final showing & succumbed to second-half strikes. Still, the Russians can be proud of their Euro campaign. Much credit should go to Dutch coach Guus Hiddink for his wonderful work with the Russian players. With him continuing at the helm, expect Russia to be a force in the 2010 World Cup qualifying campaign.
Turkey:
Like Russia, Turkey had a memorable campaign. Few would have backed them to progress after their opening loss to Portugal. Yet the Turks would show "never say die" in their subsequent matches, to beat the Swiss (from 1 goal behind) & the Czechs (from 2 goals behind) to get past the group stage. Then, they eliminated Croatia on penalty shoot-out in a remarkable quarter-final. The game was goalless until the last 2 minutes of extra-time, Croatia scored with 1 minute of extra-time left, only for Turkey to incredibly equalise in the very last minute of extra-time to make it 1-1 to take the match to penalties. But by the time they played Germany in the semis, Turkey's squad had been ravaged by injuries & suspensions. So Turkey could not stage another comeback win, but they lost with honour. Sure, the Turks may have had some luck in the tournament. But considering their hard work & injury list, they earned their fortune, & Turkey's talent & ability cannot be questioned.
Netherlands:
Many thought the Dutch would go all the way, especially after sweeping aside all their group rivals. And it's not just that they won all 3 group matches, it's the stylish & devastating manner of those victory that led many to predict the Netherlands as winners. Yes, they seemed unstoppable. But it all came unstuck in the quarter-final, where the Dutch were well-beaten by Russia. It was probably a combination of a few things that led to the Dutch demise: a "bad day in the office" (the Dutch didn't or couldn't reproduce their group stage performances), the insider knowledge of the Dutch team by Russia's Dutch coach Hiddink, & the ability, fitness & motivation of the Russian side. The relatively premature exit was probably not what coach Van Basten had hoped for, as he leaves the Netherlands coaching job to coach Ajax Amsterdam. Nevertheless, Van Basten leaves the Dutch team in a good shape, & it is hoped that Dutch fans would find the tournament satisfactory overall.
Portugal:
Like the Dutch, Portugal would feel they exit the tournament too early. It's such a shame, given their impressive form in the first 2 games. But coach Scolari made wholesale changes for the final group game against the already eliminated Swiss. That was probably a bad move - Portugal not only lost that match, they also lost much of the momentum gathered from the first 2 games. They never really recovered thereafter, & came unstuck in the quarter-final against Germany. That in itself is no disgrace, especially considering that Germany produced their best performance in the tournament against Portugal. But I get the feeling that many Portuguese fans would feel that their team could have achieved much more. The loss against the Germans showed that Portugal's defence was not as strong as previously thought. And once again, Cristiano Ronaldo appeared to have "gone missing" just when his country needed him to step up. Such a shame....
Croatia:
Croatia are probably one of the unluckiest team in the tournament. They won all 3 group games, generally showing impressive form & some splendid passing football. Then in the quarter-final against Turkey, they opened the scoring near the end of the second-half of extra time. You would have thought that would be it, but the Turks managed to equalise just before extra-time finished! So off it went to the penalty shoot-out. Given the circumstances, it was understandable that the Croatians lost the shootout - they would not have been in a state to take the penalties after the shock of conceding that "later than late" equaliser. Narrowly missing out on the semi-final should not take anything away from the good work of the Croatian coach (Slaven Bilic) & the footballers. Their midfield in particular is very talented & creative, especially the playmaker Luka Modric. Croatia are a side well worth keeping an eye on.
Italy:
Italy had a disappointing tournament. They did show some flashes of decent football, but only in patches - nowhere near enough for world champions. The Italians never really got going after being demolished 3-0 in their opening game against the Netherlands. They recovered enough in their next 2 group games against Romania & France to get to the quarter-final, although that was because the Romanians & the French in particular were even less inspiring. They were ousted by Spain in the quarter-final via the penalty shoot-out, though in truth Spain should have won the tie without the shootout. Italy would not have deserved to have gone any further. They missed Cannavaro in defense. The midfield was ok, even if lacking creativity at times. But their forwards misfired badly, especially the normally dangerous Luca Toni. As expected, the coach Donadoni has already been sacked - failure to reach the semi-final is not tolerable, even if their Spanish conquerors would prove to be the eventual tournament winners.
Czech Republic:
The Czechs had a mixed campaign, perhaps a little disappointing. They started well enough, with a fortunate win over the Swiss co-hosts. Then they were well beaten by Portugal. In the last group game against Turkey, they let slip a 2 goal lead to lose 3-2, & that featured a goalkeeper blunder by Petr Cech that gifted the Turks the equaliser. Cruel & unlucky, perhaps. But the truth is the current Czech Republic side are not as good as the one that reached the Euro 2004 semi-final. Indeed, the Czechs appear to be in decline since 2004 - they didn't get past the group stage in the 2006 World Cup, & the same has happened at Euro 2008. Perhaps it's time to bid farewell to some of the veterans, & bring in the star players from the Czech youth team that reached last year's World Youth Cup final.
Romania:
Quite simply, Romania was uninspiring. True, they didn't really disgrace themselves. True, they achieved honourable draws against France & Italy. And true, they didn't finish last in the Group of Death. But the Romanians were overly cautious in all their group matches, even in the must-win final game against the Dutch (which they ended up losing). Consequently, they paid the price for their excessive negativity. They can look back with regret on the last-minute penalty miss by Mutu against the Italians. But they really have no one to blame but themselves for not taking a more adventurous approach. Romania may no longer be blessed with the playmaking genius of the great Gheorghe Hagi, but still they definitely have enough talent to have warranted more positive displays than what we saw at Euro 2008.
France:
The French were very disappointing, to put it mildly. In fact, probably the biggest letdown of the tournament. Not just because of their results (they failed to win a single match). But also because of the way they played. France were simply abject. First, a goalless draw against Romania, where more was expected of France. Then shockingly, they were massacred 4-1 by the Dutch. They then lost to Italy in their last match to complete a miserable campaign. The coach Domenech should get most of the blame. He made questionable squad selections (no Mexes, no Flamini were just some of the blunders) & employed tactics which did not made effective use of the squad he picked. Quite simply, Domenech is not the man to coach France. The fact that Zidane no longer plays is no excuse, for France is blessed with more than enough talented players to have done far better than they did. The problem was the coach - he left out some of those talents for the tournament, & made such sparing use of the ones that he did pick. What a terrible waste.
Sweden:
The failure of Sweden to reach the knockout stages is not surprising. Their squad is full of players past their best. They simply have to rejuvenate their squad with younger faces. To be fair, Sweden started the tournament well enough with a 2-0 win against the defending champions Greece. But that has to be tempered with the realisation that the Greeks were woeful. Spain & Russia would prove far superior in the next 2 group matches, & so the Swedes head home early. Part of the problem lies in the fact that Sweden seem to over-rely on their talented forwards, Ibrahimovic & the ageless Henrik Larsson. But they were hampered by overcautious tactics employed by the coach Lagerback. And their midfield was not good enough to support the forwards adequately, although that be partly due to those overcautious tactics. Yes, Sweden lost to 2 teams who went far (in Spain's case, all the way). But that should not obscure the fact that the squad needs to start afresh. And badly, too.
Greece:
Played 3, lost 3, only 1 goal scored. That is Greece's record at Euro 2008; a stark contrast to their surprise triumph at Euro 2004. This is probably the worst attempt at defending a title by a defending champion at an international tournament. The Greeks adopted the same unadventurous, defensive, "grab a goal & defend to death" approach as they did 4 years ago. This time round, the results were very different, because the element of surprise (which worked 4 years ago) is gone. Their group opponents all knew what to expect. Not many people believed Greece would get past the group stage this time. It's almost as if Greece were greatly subdued by the low expectations. Given their uninspiring play, few neutrals would have been saddened by their early flight back to Athens. Despite that, German coach Otto Rehhagel will remain in charge. He will have to introduce new ideas & make a fresh start.
Poland:
Once again, Poland crashed out in the group stage of an international tournament, just as they did in the last 2 World Cups. Stage fright? Maybe. This was their first appearance at the European championships. And it wasn't a tournament to remember for the Polish fans. The Poles just couldn't reproduce the form they showed in the Euro qualifying series. They were tame in all 3 group matches, & for many periods, were outplayed by their opponents. Poland suffered losses against Germany & Croatia. Sandwiched between those matches was a draw against Austria in a match that Poland should have lost, but could have won but for a late Austrian penalty. Poland's displays were often pedestrian & they never really tested their opponents or pose much of a threat. Perhaps Poland have not improved sufficiently under the Dutch coach Leo Beenhakker. He has stepped down, & whoever takes over will have a lot of work to do.
Austria:
No expectations, no disappointments. Actually, in Austria's case, expectations from their fans were very low. So the expected failure of the Austrian team to reach the knockout stages would not have surprised many, & the Austrian fans would not have been too disappointed. Not that they should, given the commitment, spirit & hard work of Austria's footballers. Like Poland, Austria lost the matches against Croatia & Germany, but Austria provided sterner resistance than the Poles offered. Against Croatia, Austria conceded an early goal, but rallied strongly to ensure that no further goals were conceded, though they couldn't get an equaliser. The Austrians should really have beaten Poland, but were denied by bad misses & Poland's goalkeeper, & so needed a late penalty to get a draw. That left them heading into the last game needing to beat big cousins Germany to advance to the knockout stages. But the Germans proved too strong. While Austria lacked the quality to trouble the top sides, they were certainly not as bad as many had expected. They really need to find at least 1 top quality forward, & sooner rather than later.
Switzerland:
Like fellow co-hosts Austria, Switzerland crashed out during the group stages. However, more was expected from Switzerland, given their reasonable showing at the 2006 World Cup. The truth is, the Swiss were unlucky at Euro 2008. They suffered a blow then their captain & forward Alex Frei was injured in the first half of the tournament's opening match against Czech Republic. Frei would be ruled out of the tournament, & everything went downhill. The Swiss ended up losing to the Czechs, somewhat unluckily as they were generally the better side in the match. They were also unfortunate to lose the next match, against Turkey, after having gone a goal up & having chances to extend their lead. That made Switzerland the first team to be eliminated from the tournament. Their win against Portugal in the last group match proved academic to both sides (Portugal had already qualified by then). But at least it was a good way to farewell the outgoing coach Kobi Kuhn.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Euro 2008 - Spain are European champions!
Spain won Euro 2008, beating Germany 1-0 in the final in Vienna on Monday morning (Brisbane time). Fernando Torres, arguably Europe's best forward, scored the goal via Xavi's pass & outpaced Philip Lahm before slotting the ball into the net. This allowed the Spaniards to win their first trophy in 44 years.The win was fully deserved. In fact, Spain, after overcoming a nervour opening 10 minutes, could have scored more goals as they controlled most of the rest of the match. Germany was comprehensively outplayed & outclassed by the technically superior Spaniards. Spain's midfield, in particular, was dominant & showed much more creativity than their German counterparts. This allowed Spain to display their classy, passing, attacking football, making Germany look ordinary in the process.
To be fair, Germany did play very well in their quarter-final win against Portugal. However, the Germans never again scaled those heights. They only managed to squeak narrowly past an injury-ravaged Turkish side in the semi-final. Turkey exposed Germany's fallibility, & Spain did the rest in the final. That Germany only lost by a single goal said as much for their fighting spirit as for Spain's lack of luck at scoring more goals.
But back to the Spanish. They have been the best & most stylish side at the tournament, not losing a single game & are thoroughly deserving European champions. Their triumph is a huge achievement, given their reputation for underachievement heading into the tournament. Spain's success is a triumph for attacking football. Many, including myself, would have enjoyed watching them. Viva Espana!
Spain's players celebrate their victory in Euro 2008 final
Iker Casillas lifts the trophy, signalling Spain as the best team in Europe!
And the richly deserved celebrations continue
Spanish fans in Madrid in party mode, awaiting the arrival of their beloved footballers
The Spain squad arrive in open-top bus, parading the Henri Delaunay trophy
The Spanish air force pay colourful tribute to the European championsSource of photos: various
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Euro 2008 final - coming up!
Time flies. After weeks of Euro 2008 football action, now we are down to just 1 more match. The big one, the final, will be on tomorrow morning (Brisbane time). The final will feature the team I predicted will win the tournament before it started (Germany) up against the team I want to see win the tournament (Spain). I predicted that the final would be Germany v Italy. Well, only one half of that prediction came true. The Italians are not in the final because Spain knocked them out in the quarter-finals. So it is the Spaniards up against the Germans.I am so looking forward to it, hoping for a Spanish victory. Most of my friends want to see Spain win. But even if Spain were to lose, I can at least say they've managed to reach the final. SBS will show the final live, & I will watch it, of course.
SBS had limited rights to the Euro 2008 matches. Setanta Sports are the ones who show all Euro 2008 matches live in full. But I don't have Setanta Sports, so I have to settle with whatever SBS managed to show. SBS showed only a few live games plus hourly evening highlights of every game which I tape & watch in my time. I'm ok with that, I guess - if I watched every game live, I would be a zombie with even less health than what health I currently have (& it's not very much!).....
Anyway, the final is coming up. Hola Espana! Hopefully, it will be a good game. I will blog on my reflections of the final & of the tournament as a whole. Watch this space.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
New suburb in Dubai
I'm not sure how real these are. Maybe they are, maybe they're not. But anyway, they look nice...
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Ever wondered why?
Why doesn't Tarzan have a beard?
Why do we press harder on a remote control when we know the batteries are flat?
Why do banks charge a fee on 'insufficient funds' when they know there is not enough?
Why do Kamikaze pilots wear helmets?
Why does someone believe you when you say there are four billion stars, but check when you say the paint is wet?
Whose idea was it to put an 'S' in the word 'lisp'?
What is the speed of darkness?
Why is it that people say they 'slept like a baby' when babies wake up every two hours?
Are there specially reserved parking spaces for 'normal' people at the Special Olympics?
If the temperature is zero outside today and it's going to be twice as cold tomorrow, how cold will it be?
Do married people live longer than single ones or does it only seem longer?
How is it that we put man on the moon before we figured out it would be a good idea to put wheels on luggage?
Why do people pay to go up tall buildings and then put money in binoculars to look at things on the ground?
Did you ever stop and wonder..... Who was the first person to look at a cow and say, 'I think I'll squeeze these pink dangly things here, and drink whatever comes out?'
Why do toasters always have a setting so high that could burn the toast to a horrible crisp, which no decent human being would eat?
Why is there a light in the fridge and not in the freezer?
Why do people point to their wrist when asking for the time, but don't point to their bum when they ask where the bathroom is?
Why does your Obstetrician, Gynaecologist leave the room when you get undressed if they are going to look up there anyway?
Why does Goofy stand erect while Pluto remains on all fours? They're both dogs !
If quizzes are quizzical, what are tests?
If corn oil is made from corn, and vegetable oil is made from vegetables, then what is baby oil made from?
If electricity comes from electrons, does morality come from morons?
Why do the Alphabet song and Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star have the same tune? Stop singing and read on.......
Do illiterate people get the full effect of Alphabet Soup?
Did you ever notice that when you blow in a dog's face, he gets mad at you, but when you take him on a car ride, he sticks his head out the window?
Does pushing the elevator button more than once make it arrive faster?
Why do we press harder on a remote control when we know the batteries are flat?
Why do banks charge a fee on 'insufficient funds' when they know there is not enough?
Why do Kamikaze pilots wear helmets?
Why does someone believe you when you say there are four billion stars, but check when you say the paint is wet?
Whose idea was it to put an 'S' in the word 'lisp'?
What is the speed of darkness?
Why is it that people say they 'slept like a baby' when babies wake up every two hours?
Are there specially reserved parking spaces for 'normal' people at the Special Olympics?
If the temperature is zero outside today and it's going to be twice as cold tomorrow, how cold will it be?
Do married people live longer than single ones or does it only seem longer?
How is it that we put man on the moon before we figured out it would be a good idea to put wheels on luggage?
Why do people pay to go up tall buildings and then put money in binoculars to look at things on the ground?
Did you ever stop and wonder..... Who was the first person to look at a cow and say, 'I think I'll squeeze these pink dangly things here, and drink whatever comes out?'
Why do toasters always have a setting so high that could burn the toast to a horrible crisp, which no decent human being would eat?
Why is there a light in the fridge and not in the freezer?
Why do people point to their wrist when asking for the time, but don't point to their bum when they ask where the bathroom is?
Why does your Obstetrician, Gynaecologist leave the room when you get undressed if they are going to look up there anyway?
Why does Goofy stand erect while Pluto remains on all fours? They're both dogs !
If quizzes are quizzical, what are tests?
If corn oil is made from corn, and vegetable oil is made from vegetables, then what is baby oil made from?
If electricity comes from electrons, does morality come from morons?
Why do the Alphabet song and Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star have the same tune? Stop singing and read on.......
Do illiterate people get the full effect of Alphabet Soup?
Did you ever notice that when you blow in a dog's face, he gets mad at you, but when you take him on a car ride, he sticks his head out the window?
Does pushing the elevator button more than once make it arrive faster?
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Radio talk: Citizenship in heaven
Once again, on the way to church this morning, I managed to catch the Sunday morning talk by guest speaker Andrew Hambilton on FM 96.5. Summary is below (I had the benefit of hearing the talk a second time on the internet); any mistakes/ambiguities are mine.
The talk is about heavenly citizenship & what is it like to be part of God’s kingdom. Andrew had gone along to his friend’s Australian citizenship ceremony a few months ago. As he reflected on the ceremony, Andrew realised how he takes his own citizenship for granted. For him, he is citizen by birth, but for his friend Dean, it was a matter of a transfer of allegiance/loyalty from his country of birth to his newly adopted country. Andrew talked about how having citizenship mean celebrating the unique values of the nation, actively live those values, demonstrate them & share with others.
Andrew then moved from talking about earthly citizenship to heavenly citizenship. He said just as there are some values which make us uniquely Australian, there are also some values which are heaven’s values, i.e. values which characterize citizens of heaven. He implores his listeners to consider what these heavenly values are & make a commitment to them – that is, a commitment to actively live by those values & demonstrate them to others. Those who become Christian become a citizen of heaven. They become adopted to God’s Kingdom. They transfer their allegiances/loyalties to that Kingdom, & embrace that Kingdom’s values. That should mean Christians should think & act in a different way. Jesus’ words in the gospel of Mark invite people to become citizens of God’s heavenly Kingdom, & enjoy the benefits of that citizenship now (Mark 1:14). The gospel of Mark does talk about what the Kingdom is like – it is different from earthly kingdom. Citizens of heavenly kingdom should think, act, speak & behave in a way that reflects the values of heaven.
Andrew then outlined 3 qualities/characteristics of a citizen of heaven. First characteristic is passion. Heavenly citizens are passionate. Passionate about God, about people, & about life. Jesus said in Mark 12:30: Love the Lord your God with all your heart & with all your soul & with all your mind & with all your strength. Jesus also said love your neighbours as yourself. All your heart, all your mind, all your strength – that is passion. Be passionate about God, & passionate about others, including ourselves. Jesus calls us to be truly passionate about God, because we believers are ruled by ruled by a God who is passionate about us.
Second characteristic is generosity. Heaven’s citizens are generous with their time, talents & treasures/belongings. Mark 12 has the story of a widow who gave a few coins to her church offering. It wasn’t much, but she gave everything she had. Jesus recognized this over others who apparently gave more than the widow, but what they gave was only a fraction of their wealth. We can at times be stingy with what we have. But being a heavenly citizen involves changing our thinking, & recognise that everything we have really belongs to God. He made everything, so He owns everything (see Psalm 24:1). Be generous with what we have.
Third characteristic is being wise investors. Heavenly citizens invest their life into something that lasts & leave a legacy. They value what God has done for them, & try to please God by investing their life. In Mark 15, we read that Jesus gave His life so that we can live & have a great future. The gift of Jesus’ life is a valuable gift & that requires appropriate response from us. Gifts that we value, we cherish & handle it wisely – the way we do this reflects the value we place on the gift & also the giver. So it is with God’s gift – how we use our life shows how much we cherish or value God’s gift. Heavenly citizens value that particular gift, & invest their lives in a way that show their appreciation of the gift.
Andrew said that earthly citizenship test often involves testing how much people know about their new country. Heavenly citizenship test is different – it has a lot more to do with who you know, rather than how much you know. Andrew referred to Revelation 21:27 – only those whose names appear in the Lamb’s Book of Life can be citizens of heaven. It is entirely up to us whether we choose to become a citizen of heaven. Will we choose God’s invitation to heavenly citizenship? If we do, then being a heavenly citizen has great privileges, much much better than the privilege of being citizen of any earthly nation. One such privilege is freedom. Freedom from all the things that enslave us & hold us back (fear, trouble, drugs, pressures of life, etc). We find freedom in Christ. Another privilege is forgiveness. Because of forgiveness, there is no longer a need to be ashamed of all the bad things which happened in the past. Another privilege of heavenly citizens is a future. Where we go in the future (heaven or hell) depends on who we give our allegiance to now. If our allegiance is with God & His Kingdom, then we will have a great & secure future.
Andrew implored listeners to embrace the gift of heavenly citizenship & commit to live out its values, to demonstrate them & share them with others. He encouraged us to be passionate, be generous & invest our lives wisely – so that when others look at us, they will know that we are citizens of heaven.
Reflection:
Hmmmm......let's run through the 3 characteristics.
Generosity - I think I'm ok with that. I do what I can to help people out, in terms of giving of my resources, time, etc.
Passion - yeah well, certain things I'm pretty passionate about. I wish I could honestly say I have passion about my faith. Sad, but it's true, I lack the zest that other Christians have about God, the Bible, etc. I hope God can help me out in that regard.
Wise investor - well, based on the description above, I can't say I qualify as one. I'm not very good at spending my time wisely, on the things that matter in eternity.
Thus, my score is 1 out of 3. Thank goodness God doesn't impose exam scores on His people. And thank God for His Son, that we believers have our citizenship in heaven.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
My first time
Received from my colleague today:
******************************
It was my first time ever
And I'll never forget
I'd do it again
Without a single regret.
The sky was dark
The moon was high
We were all alone
Just she and I.
Her hair was soft
Her eyes were blue
I knew just what
She wanted to do.
Her skin so soft
Her legs so fine
I ran my fingers
Down her spine.
I didn't know how
But I tried my best
I started by placing
My hands on her breast.
I remember my fear
My fast beating heart
But slowly she spread
Her legs apart.
And when I did it
I felt no shame
All at once
The white stuff came.
At last it's finished
It's all over now
My first time ever
At milking a cow.
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Euro 2008 - knockout stage preview
My forecast for the Euro knockout stages:Quarter-finals
Quarter-final: Portugal v Croatia
Portugal's squad look stronger & more experienced than Croatia's, so I would expect them to win the tie. It would be dangerous to underestimate the Croatians, especially when they have quality in their ranks. Croatia are much better than they were at the 2006 World Cup - had the current side played at that World Cup, Croatia would have got past the group stage. Their midfield, in particular, is creative, with such players as Modric & Kranjcar. However, the Portuguese have creative players, too: Deco, Quaresma, Simao, Nani & you-know-who (Cristiano Ronaldo, of course). By the knockout stages, Croatia will really feel the absence of Eduardo. Portugal might not have a truly outstanding out-and-out striker, but that should not matter in this tie given the way they attack in numbers, especially with their good use of the wings. Portugal's stronger defence will tip the tie in their balance: Croatia midfielders & forwards will give Portugal some difficult moments, but it is harder to see Croatia's defence coping with Portugal's attacking stars.
Winner: Portugal
Quarter-final: Germany v Switzerland
Germany will be too strong for the Swiss. Even with home advantage, I cannot see Switzerland beating the Germans. What I can see, however, is Switzerland making this a close & hard-fought match. The Swiss suffered a heavy 4-0 home defeat to Germany in a friendly a few months ago. I expect the match to be a lot closer this time. Switzerland's defence will have to be on their guard against Germany's dangerous forwards Podolski, Gomez & Klose. However valiantly they play, I think Germany will still eventually penetrate the Swiss defence. Also significant is the fact that the Swiss attack look considerably less dangerous compared to the Germans. While some see Germany's defence as far from rock solid, the question remains as to whether the Swiss forwards are good enough to take advantage. I have my doubts, & would expect Germany to advance to the semi-finals.
Winner: Germany
Quarter-final: France v Russia
Russia arguably have their best squad for many years, & the level of Russian football is on the rise. However, when one compares the squads of Russia & France, the French have better players. More importantly, France have much greater tournament experience than the Russians, given France's overall success in tournaments over the last 10 years. The experience factor looks to be the most glaring difference between the squads, & it will probably decide the tie in France's favour. The French appear to have too many options & match winners for the Russians to cope with. While Russia's attacking players can pose the French some problems, they do not possess the tightest defence in Europe, & I cannot see them keeping the likes of Ribery, Benzema, Henry & Anelka at bay. The French defence may be ageing, but they will more than make up for the lack of pace with their experience & excellent positioning sense. Russia will lose this match, but not be disgraced.
Winner: France
Quarter-final: Spain v Italy
Sadly, I see Spain suffering stage fright in the quarter-final & make another premature tournament exit. Both sides met in a friendly match a few months ago, & the Spaniards won 1-0. But that was a friendly. When it comes to a tournament knockout stage, put your money on the Italians. With Donadoni as coach, Italy might be adventurous & not conform to the old defensive catennacio stereotype. But in this all-Mediterranean tie, one would expect Spain to be the more adventurous, the more entertaining & the more attack-minded side. Because that is how Spain always play. I suspect, however, that the Italians have more experience than the Spaniards, & they will have the know-how & ability to cope with Spain's attacks. They will look to hit Spain on the counter-attack, & I can see them pinch a goal here or there to frustrate the Spaniards. Spain may not be inferior when it comes to talent & quality of players, but when it comes to mental strength, the Italians clearly have the edge. And, that, I think, will decide the tie.
Winner: Italy
Semi-finals
And look at the semi-final cast: Portugal, Germany, France & Italy. It's the same 4 teams that qualified for the semi-finals of the 2006 World Cup. Interesting....
Only difference is that this time, we cannot have a France v Italy final, because these teams are on the same side of the draw, & according to my predictions, will play each other in the semi-finals. The other semi-final will be a replay of the third place play-off at the last World Cup. Both Euro semi-final ties will be very close, & I can definitely see at least 1 match going to extra-time, & perhaps penalty shoot-out.
Semi-final: Portugal v Germany
Some might say Cristiano Ronaldo will decide this tie & take Portugal to their second consecutive Euro final. True, this stage is perfect for Ronaldo to really cement his place among the greatest footballers on the planet today. And no one will be really surprised if he does just that. But one thing must be considered: fatigue. By now, Ronaldo might be suffering from fatigue & tiredness after a long-season with his club. No one doubts his fitness level, but footballers are not robots which can go on & on & on. Then again, Portugal is not just about Ronaldo, & they have other players who can decide matches too. But I think in the semis, Portugal will meet their match. Germany can certainly match the Portuguese in defence & midfield. Though Ronaldo is better than any German player, that doesn't mean the Germans will not find a way to minimise his threat & keep him quiet. It has been done before at club level (Milan in 2007 Champions League semi-final ties). There is no reason why the Germans can't come up with a system or game plan to restrict Ronaldo. Where the tie might be decided is in attack, where the Germans have better strikers than Portugal. There might not be many goals in this match, but I can see the Germans scoring more than they concede. Just one more than the opponent will be enough.
Winner: Germany (possibly after extra-time)
Semi-final: France v Italy
By now, France & Italy should be sick of the sight of each other. They traded blows at various international tournaments, most notably the Euro 2000 final (which France won on golden-goal), & 2006 World Cup final (which Italy won on penalties). Then, both sides met again during the qualifying series for Euro 2008. If that's not enough, the draw for the Euro 2008 tournament itself brought both teams together again in Group C. And now, they meet again in the semi-finals!! Almost every match contested by both sides are close affairs. No reason then to expect anything different - in fact, I will be surprised if this semi produces a winner after 90 minutes. This match has extra-time written over it. Both teams are very, very evenly matched - both so strong in every department. Both sides won't like losing to each other, as they don't seem to have much love for each other. So, how to pick a winner? You can almost decide on tossing a coin. It will probably go down to who has the greater desire on the day. France will want revenge for the last World Cup final (Zidane's head butt & all). But if anything, it might be Italy who will have the greater desire for their own revenge. They were so so close to winning Euro 2000 yet ended up losing - up by a goal in the Euro 2000 final & had chances to put the final beyond France, only for the French to equalise in the last minute of regular time, & grabbed the golden goal in extra-time to take the trophy. That heart-breaking loss will still stick in Italian memories, & so arguably they will be the ones who come into this tie with greater motivation. So with both sides so equally balanced, I think Italy will edge it on the back of the desire to make up for Euro 2000.
Winner: Italy (probably after extra-time)
Final
Final: Germany v Italy
And so the final sees a clash between Europe's 2 most successful sides, Germany & Italy. This is a rematch of the 2006 World Cup semi-final, won by Italy after they scored 2 goals in the last 2 minutes of extra-time, just as that match looked set for penalty shoot-out. So this time, it is Germany who has the desire for revenge. Now, not every team that looks to avenge past results succeed in getting the revenge. And I'm sure the Germans will not let the revenge factor get to their heads. The coach will simply get them to focus on football. Furthermore, Germany's players have been pumped up at the prospect of winning the Euro since their World Cup semi-final exit. Historically, when Germany sniff the chance of victory, they rarely let it slip.
Italy's incentive is to add the Euro to their World Cup title. Individually, the Italians have more flair & are probably better than the Germans, but not by such a margin that the Germans cannot make up on. And in any case, having better players doesn't always guarantee victory, as proved by Greece's Euro 2004 triumph. Football is a team game, & since the 2006 World Cup, it is Germany who arguably look more impressive & stronger as a team. Another factor in Germany's favour is the coach - Joachim Low is more experienced & considered tactically more astute than his Italian counterpart. The Italians can point to having a good record against the Germans - remarkably, Italy have never lost to Germany in major international tournaments. On the other hand, the Germans can say that "records" are meant to be broken, that statistics are meant to be changed, & therefore might argue that it's about time they put one over Italy.
Another possible relevant factor is Luca Toni. The Italian striker plays for German champions Bayern Munich, & had a marvellous goal-blazing season with them. He should be first-choice for Italy, & will play unless suspended or injured. With a number of Bayern players in the German squad, the Germans will have insider knowledge of Toni's strengths & weaknesses. So they will know how to counter his strengths & exploit his weaknesses. Both sides have strong squads, with each side have enough weaponry to hurt the other. Look closer, & one might note that Germany might have quicker flank players (the full-backs & wide midfielders) than the Italians, & their pace might stretch the Cannavaro-less Italian defence.
The final will be very close. With so many factors to consider, I tip the Germans to narrowly win it.
Winner: Germany
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Euro 2008 - Group D preview
Group D: Greece, Russia, Spain, Sweden If Cristiano Ronaldo is regarded as Europe’s best player, then Spain have arguably Europe’s most talented squad. And if football is played on paper, then I think Spain will win the tournament. In the group, Spain will encounter familiar foes. They had Russia & Greece in the same group at Euro 2004 (where ominously, Spain flopped). They had Sweden in the same Euro 2008 qualifying group, losing 2-0 in Stockholm but comprehensively outclassing the Scandinavians 3-0 in Madrid.
Spain are surely football’s biggest underachievers. The club sides are very successful, but at national team level, their only trophy is Euro 1964. For whatever reason, their achievements at international tournaments never reflect their true level of talent & potential. After starting the Euro qualifiers poorly, they got their act together & qualified in style. Spain seem to be a popular choice to win the tournament, with many football fans (myself included) admiring their passing, possession game with lots of intricate build-up. Playing such an expansive, attacking game require players with high level of technical sophistication, & Spain have them in abundance. So much so that big name forward Raul has been excluded from the squad. At least Spain don’t have to worry about trying to accommodate his particular strengths into the side. Spain’s main attacker will be Fernando Torres, arguably Europe’s best centre forward. Either David Villa or Dani Guiza should play alongside him. Midfield is probably Spain’s best department, where they can call on Cesc Fabregas, Xavi, Iniesta, Xabi Alonso, Ruben de la Red & Santi Cazorla. These players ooze creativity, & this is possibly Europe’s best midfield. Defensively, Puyol may lack pace, but Sergio Ramos (who can play centre back or right back) doesn’t. Casillas is one of the world’s best goalkeepers. Backup keeper Reina is also highly regarded. However, their mad, controversial coach, Luis Aragones, might be a liability, especially if he makes questionable decisions at crucial times.
Russia qualified for the tournament at England’s expense. With legendary Dutch coach Guus Hiddink at the helm, expect the Russians to be a well-drilled, disciplined outfit with flashes of flair. In truth, Russia underachieves – since the breakup of the USSR, they have not done as well as expected in international tournaments. Could it be that the collapse of communism has caused the footballers to be more lax? We can only speculate. But I believe this can be the best Russian team for a long time. Not just because of Hiddink. But also because Russian football is experiencing a boom. The clubs are bankrolled by wealthy investrors/owners, attracting an influx of foreign players & coaches into the league, & their influence has improved the level of Russian footballers. One of Russia’ best footballers is attacking midfielder Andrei Arshavin, so instrumental in helping Zenit St Petersburg win the UEFA Cup. He will be suspended for the first 2 matches after a red card in Russia’s last qualifier. His return in the third group match could tip the scales in Russia’s favour. Other key players include midfielders Bystrov & Zyranov, forward Pavlyuchenko & young keeper Akinfeev. I am not sure about Russia’s defence, but I believe Hiddink’s motivational & tactical acumen will help Russia advance to the next round.
Greece winning Euro 2004 was simply sensational & completely unexpected. To this day, I still find it hard to believe that they won it! Much credit for that triumph should go to the German coach Otto Rehhagel; the trophy must have done wonders to his reputation. He is still in charge of the Greeks, & this should benefit them in terms of continuity & stability. Many of the victorious side in 2004 are still around, so it may appear to be a case of “same old, same old”. The winning goalscorer in the Euro 2004 final, Haristeas, is still there, as is Limberopoulos. But Greece now have other forwards to choose from: Gekas, Sapligidis, Samaras & Amanatidis. So perhaps Greece are a bit stronger than they were in 2004. Basinas & Karagounis, the warriors of Euro 2004, will continue patrolling the midfield, as is Giannakopoulos. The tough, uncompromising defence should feature the likes of Dellas, Seitaridis, Goumas & Antzas. With the triumph in 2004, comes expectation of success. Greece can qualify to the next stage, but I don’t think they will. OK, the same thing was said before Euro 2004. But crucially this time, Greece will not have the element of surprise. Their group opponents now know what to expect, & will be eager to send the European champions packing.
Sweden are the only Nordic country to qualify for the tournament. Coach Lagerback is still around, so the old stereotypes of Nordic sides (indeed, Northern European sides) still hold true for the Swedes: disciplined, organized, hard-running & tenacious. Indeed, Lagerback has often been criticized for being unnecessarily too defensive. Critics may have a point, as Sweden do possess forwards of real quality. Zlatan Ibrahimovic is extremely talented, perhaps the best forward in the Nordic countries. But he is temperamental & has not scored for Sweden in a dozen internationals. The legendary Henrik Larsson, remarkably, will be there. He came out of international retirement at age 36. This will be his sixth international tournament, & he has scored in every tournament he participated in. Who would bet against him continuing that run? Other forward options include former “goldenboy” Johan Elmander, Markus Rosenberg, & Marcus Allback. Midfield should feature Kallstrom, Linderoth, Ljungberg, & Sebastian Larsson. The tough Olof Mellberg should lead the defensive line, & Andreas Isaksson should be first-choice goalkeeper. Sweden will be very difficult to break down, & a quarter-final place is not beyond them. However, even if Sweden reach that stage, it will be hard to see them progress any further as the squad does not seem to have as much depth as a number of other teams in the tournament.
Prediction:
1 – Spain
2 – Russia
3 – Sweden
4 - Greece
Euro 2008 - Group C preview
Group C: France, Italy, Netherlands, Romania Every major international tournament has a group of death. For Euro 2008, this is it. Just look at the group cast – 3 heavyweights who are among the tournament favourites, plus Romania. All 4 teams are having a reunion, as France & Italy were in the same Euro qualifying group; likewise the Netherlands & Romania. And of course, France v Italy will be a World Cup final rematch. Each team in this group has a case for finishing in the top 2.
World champions Italy are usually thereabouts in international tournaments. If they win Euro 2008, they will be only the third nation in history to hold the World Cup & the European championship simultaneously. Their squad is well balanced, with top quality in every position, & will be one of the most experienced squads to the tournament. Italian footballers show a very high level of professionalism, & are better than anyone else at dealing with adverse situations. They started the Euro qualifiers slowly, but put in a good string of results to qualify. However, the Azzurri’s Euro hopes have taken a huge blow, with the captain & key defender Fabio Cannavaro recently ruled out of the tournament due to an injury sustained from a training accident. Cannavaro is simply irreplaceable, & losing such a key defender (perhaps the world’s best) at such a crucial moment is sure to disrupt their preparations & perhaps provide a little encouragement to their rivals. With Cannavaro absent, the Italians will place much hope on the form & fitness of the other key players: goalkeeper Buffon, midfielders Pirlo, Camoranesi & Gattuso, and forward Luca Toni, who had such a blistering form with Bayern Munich. Italy will combine toughness with traditional Mediterranean flair. They will be very, very difficult to beat.
France are the only other European team besides Germany to have won the European Championship more than once. Like Italy, they are fancied to go a long way. France will bring a younger generation of players. They include highly-rated forward Karim Benzema, midfielders Abou Diaby & Lassana Diarra, & diminutive playmaker Samir Nasri (dubbed “the new Zidane”). With these talents, France don’t have to rely that much on the “old master” Thierry Henry. Personally, I hope Nasri will get some playing time, but he will probably start on the bench. Franck Ribery will be the first choice playmaker, & will be even more important for France since Zidane is now gone. Question mark hang on the French defence, especially central defence. So far, France’s new talent brigade are concentrated in midfield & attack. But not in central defence – where are the emerging young French central defenders to take over from the ageing Thuram & Gallas? Only Mexes (26 years old) can be considered young). Then, there is the eccentric coach Domenech. He initially omitted in-form midfielder Flamini, only to place him on standby when Vieira picked up an injury. Flamini will only come in if Vieira is ruled out. Another surprise by Domenech is selecting forward Gomis, on the basis of his 2-goal debut for France in a recent friendly. But overall, France look strong.
The Netherlands, like the French, will bring a squad younger than the Italians. They are reknowned for the “total football” philosophy popularized by the 1974 Dutch team. Consequently, they are always expected to produce entertaining, attacking football. Whether the current Dutch side can live up to “total football” is debatable. Many doubt they will, as the Netherlands are considered more results-oriented under coach Marco Van Basten. Van Basten reportedly wants to change the Dutch tendency of entertaining but underachieving. He is keen to win the tournament, to add to the Euro 1988 title he helped the Dutch win as a player 20 years ago (only trophy won by Holland so far). While the current Dutch side might not be as cavalier as past Holland sides, no one will expect them to be play cautiously, either. That’s simply not the Dutch way of playing, not when they have attacking talent like Robben, Sneijder, Van der Vaart, Huntelaar, Van Persie & Van Nistelrooy. However, their defensive capacity can be questioned – they no longer have a defender like Koeman & Stam, nor a holding midfielder like Davids. I think that is where the Dutch challenge will fall down. Interestingly, there is not much of the squabbles which have famously plagued the Dutch at past international tournaments.
Romania impressed in the Euro qualifiers, finishing ahead of the Dutch. So the tough draw must have left them feeling hard done by. This is the first tournament for the Eastern Europeans since Euro 2000; they missed the last 2 World Cups & Euro 2004. The Romanians of course no longer have the legendary midfielder Gheorghe Hagi, & the likes of Ilie Dumitrescu & Florin Raducioiu, all stars of the 1990s. Romania are reportedly a tougher outfit these days. But they still have talented players. Most notable is forward Adrian Mutu, who can also play as attacking midfielder. Mutu is Romania’s best footballer, & has matured rapidly from his old “bad boy” days, such that he is now Romania’s vice-captain. When on song, he can help Romania cause some damage, especially when his probable strike partner will be pacy Ciprian Marica. Other forward options are Marius Niculae & Daniel Niculae (not related). Christian Chivu, centre back at club level, will probably operate as defensive midfielder, giving the other midfielders freedom to attack. They have a strong defensive line, too, with Goian & Tamas playing in the middle. Technically good & well balanced they are, but missing out on international tournament experience for 8 years might put Romania at a disadvantage compared to their rivals.
Prediction:
1 – France
2 – Italy
3 – Netherlands
4 - Romania
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