Back in 2004, shortly before I started my freelance journey, I was at the lowest point of my life (and I bet it was!) I had to throw in the white towel for what I was doing at that moment, and decided to “get a job”.

I saw the hiring ad in the classified, a 2-month contract position for a webmaster, To me, it was already a gazillion times better than working in 7-11 (I’ll tell you this other story in another seating.) So I sent in my resume.

A lady contacted me not long after, invited me for a chat. So I attended. From the interview, I got to know the position was coming from an MNC, it was to relieve the existing webmaster who would soon go for her maternity leave.

Prior to this, I already had 3 years of experience in web design and project management, so the interview wasn’t of any challenge for me; until towards the end, when the lady told me that although she would submit in the recommendation, she had the feeling that the chances would be slim, mainly because I had only O-Level. Think of that as a girl telling you that you are such a nice guy and you are so funny, but you are just not her type. It was how I felt at that moment. With that I guessed I had to keep my 7-11 job for a while more.

Three weeks later, the same lady called to inform me that the recommendation went through, but before I should start to celebrate, I had to go through some tests in order to prove to them that I could handle the job. Included in the tests was to carry out some Photoshop tasks, such as to colorize some black and white passport photos and to add frames around them. Also, the webmaster whom I was going to relieve, had called me over the phone and gave me five technical questions. In which I answered only four. For the last question, I told her that it was hard for me to explain it over the phone, and it would be better if I could show her how to get the answer. To think of it, all five questions were rather trivia, the way I answered the last question was to simply throw in a drama. But I guess she was impressed.

So, I got the job. Now, the more interesting part of the story follows…

By taking over the role, I was able to go through emails in webmaster’s inbox, including past discussions on other candidates who have tried to apply for the same position. All of them were at least degree holders, couple of them were PhD. And apparently, they were put through the same Photoshop test as I was (not sure about the phone interview though). It was rather obvious that none of them knew how to use Photoshop. Especially the one who had literally added rainbow spectrum to the photos.

Then I read the email discussions between the webmaster who was already in labor, and the agent who was working on the recruitment.

Agent: … so how? Do you want to consider the “O-level guy”?

Webmaster: … I don’t know leh, he seems to know a lot of stuff based on the (technical) questions I asked him, but this is MNC, is he able to deal with corporate people?

It was that moment onwards I had completely lost my respect for the webmaster.

First week on the job, I solved a small problem that had been dragged on for six months as no one had a clue on what was wrong, also mainly because none had bothered to dwell further, including the IT Director in Detroit. A javascript snippet used for pulling stock price from US website was referring to the wrong directory. I removed the dot-dot-forward-slash and the regional website was able to display latest company stock price again.

Two months later, the webmaster was facing some post-birth complications, so the company asked me to stay for another two months. I continued to solve more problems for them.

Another two months later, the company asked if I could just stay on as they wished to have me replacing the former webmaster. So I signed on for another six-month contract. Then another, then another… then they offered to transfer me over to their new regional HQ in Shanghai, which I had declined as I had decided to build my own company.

From a two-month contract, I ended up serving the MNC for over two years. Was I capable for the job? You tell me.

Oh by the way, the MNC I’m writing about here, is General Motors. Yes, the one who makes Chevrolet, Buick, Hummer and several more.

I’m just in the mood for blogging.

I dropped by the neighborhood police post in Bukit Batok to update the address on my ID (yea I moved to Bukit Batok).

While the officer was processing my request, an uncle walked in to report his bicycle got stolen. The officer asked how did it happen. That uncle said he left his bicycle in front of his mother’s house, unlock, while picking up dinner, for “just” half an hour.

Then the officer asked if he has any receipt. Uncle said no, he bought the bike long time already. Then the officer asked if he can describe the model of the bike. Uncle gave him a blank look. Then the officer asked him to wait as he was halfway attending my request.

Then a young lady walked in to report her stolen backpack, that has a laptop, and two books that were borrowed from the library. Obviously a standard response, the officer asked how did it happen. The lady said she left it on the table in McDonald’s, then walked to the counter to order her dinner. When she came back later, the bag was gone. Again, the officer ask if she has the receipt. She said: should be. The officer told her to wait her turn.

Then my ID is fixed, and I managed to walk out from the police post without bursting into hysterical laugher.

What an interesting encounter of inDUHviduals.

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I am now happily engaged (to Monica Wong), employed (by Dean Loh & Associates), and am in the midst of building up my next Internet business (codenamed: TanTab). That means I have very little (if not no) time for blogging. If you missed me, you can follow me on my Twitter.

“If it’s true that looks and personality do not come together, gosh I must say you are so damn gorgeous!”

WordPress has just released the funky iPhone app that let’s iPhone users blog from, well, iPhone. So here I am testing it and all I have to say: sweet!

Monica got me two passes to F1 practice sessions tomorrow. So I’m going to be there and I might just attempt to deliver some live report using this. So stay tuned!

As I was messing around with the Guitarist application I installed in my iPhone, out of inspiration I came up with this tune. It says pretty about my life, and how I would like the finishing line to be. Let me know if you like it.

Live It Good (活得精彩)

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I finally got the iPhone 3G last Sunday (Aug 24).

I remember more than a year ago, when Apple told the world that they were going to come up with the revolutional iPhone, I told everyone I already have my name on it. Then I patiently waited for it to come to Singapore. Then I saw more and more people going for the hacked version of the iPhone as they didn’t think it was coming to Singapore any sooner. I continued to wait. Then Apple announced to the world that they were coming up with the better iPhone 3G. I continued to wait as they said it would arrive in Singapore “later this year”. Came Aug 22, it finally arrived!

I’m excited not because I finally got the iPhone 3G. I’m excited because I had actually waited for it patiently for 18 months. And I didn’t take the shortcut by getting the hacked version as I refused to. So I said I was going to have my name on the iPhone, and today I have it on my desk.

Now, I say I’m going to have my name on the Audi.

In view of the uprising petrol price; not that I care as I don’t drive, but I have to pay surcharge when I take taxi, and it certainly doesn’t make a lot of economy sense if I take taxi to lunch and dinner, or to run some errands nearby, so I thought I should still get a bike (after having two of those being stolen.)

Good thing is the bike is so light, I don’t mind carry it one flight of staircases up to keep in the office. Now on, midnight supper is just a paddle away!

I received the invitation from Citibank to participate in the 20 Hour Movie Marathon Challenge organized by them in conjunction with their 20th Anniversary celebration. The challenge was held at The Shaw Cinema (Lido) over last weekend.

150 contestants were selected to take part, but only some 50 over showed up, guess everyone else had something better to do. But to me, I took it as a very interesting way to spend the weekend, since I enjoy watching movies, and staying up for more than 20 hours has been something I do almost regularly, plus, the winner who survived through it gets to fly to Hollywood and stay for free for 4 nights. Given all the good reasons to be in it, who would say no?

The challenge began on 12 noon on Saturday. Read rest of story…