Day 1 Wednesday & Thursday - Flight to Europe

I chose to work half day because my flight is at 23:25. This way I will have more leave time.

But, as things turn out, I should have just take whole day off because I find myself rushing to do things that needs to be done before the trip. My mom is taking me to the airport again. In the car she is pushing the idea of me running a 7-Eleven shop. As she said I would make more money. Be that as it may, I don't think I wants to just yet.

I also ran into an old collage friend. He was working at the information desk. We catch up a bit and then I went to find the toilet with cleaning hose. However, the area were closed off, as nature called, I have to start using paper earlier than I thought.

When I eventually arrive at the gate, I noticed that there was a downpour. Luckily, the plane took off ok without any problem.

As the flight progress, it was getting really cold in the cabin. Despite wearing my thick long sleeves shirt and have the iarplane blanket it still didn´t help much. It was also quite dry in the plane as well.


Eventually the plane arrived at Schipol airport. Before landing, they show a video of how to transfer the flight without boarding pass. It shows that there is a self-transfer machine where you type in your e-ticket number and the machine will print out your boarding pass. I walked into one not long after got off the plane. I type in my number but it did not work, the print out say that I need to contact the airline staff for assistance. It took me quite a while to get direction and walked to the said airline station.


I showed my print out at the station and the staff said I need to take a queue card and wait for my queue. I did and ended up waiting for about half an hour before it was my queue. Good thing that I have three hours transit time. After I finally got my boarding pass, I then went through the immigration. The immigration officer asked what I will be doing in Prague, and I answered. Then he asked to see my hotel booking and I showed it to him. Then I went through without a hitch. I felt pretty fatigue by the time I get to my gate. I have to wait for almost two hours before boarding time. I noticed a sport bar near by that sell apply pie. And then I noticed on the other end of the terminal there is a snack booth that also have the same apple pie. I ended up buying one. It was... not quite what I thought it would be but it was still edible and I am not going waste 3 euros snack just because it did not tasted the best :P

The ride to Prague was not very smooth but quite alright. I noticed a very cute guy in the waiting area of the gate. Then I found out that he sitting in the same row as I did :D. He was getting some shuteye most of the flight though and I need the same as well. It was not a long flight so they only serve a sandwich. It got a bit thrilling for me after we landed and I was waiting for my suitcase. They seems to be taking their sweet time unloading the cargo. I was getting nervous wondering if my suitcase was in my plane or not. However, my suitcase finally loading into the belt, I breath a sigh of relieve and headed out into the airport.

I had to ask for the location of ATM machines as it turns out they are all in the far side of the terminal. And then I went to buy my 5 days ticket and then look for the bus stop. It took me a while to locate the stop itself and then I am off from the airport. It took about 15 minutes, just like it said in the guidebook, to get to the metro station. It was a bit awkward getting into the station because there was no escalator. Once I got into the train, lo and behold, it was that cute guy from the gate again :D Though we only just nod at each other for the recognition. I got off at the Muzeum station. As it turns out, I came up from the station and greet by the sight of big statue. I actually came up at Wenceles Square! It was quite impressive indeed, although I have no time, hands, or energy to take out camera to take the photos.

I took out my hotel google map print out to get the location. It was not that hard to find, only that it is actually quite a bit uphill. Not to mention that it was oddly hot that day, almost Bangkok hot. I was panting by the time I reach the area where the hotel suppose to be. Turns out they did not use the name ´Majestic Hotel´on their sign but Best Western. Luckily I noticed the name in the print out and finally went in. I got check-in right away at around 13:00, local time, and got the room on the first floor. Not that I mind, since I am not planning to do sightseeing from my room anyway. I also got a corner room with a small view into the center courtyard, it was lovely :) The room itself is very beautiful, though rather small.

I quickly took a shower and start exploring around the block. But fatigue set in soon after so I went back to my hotel and take a nap. I set my alarm at 18:00 so I will still have time to see the city later. After I woke up, still groggy, but I forced myself to get up and start sightseeing by walking into the historical area.

All the street and the road are cobble stones, just like what I read in wikitravel. The sneakers work fine, so it was not a problem. I decided to check out one of the gay place in Prague, as it was evening soon. And then I went to bed.

The Eve of My Trip

I am almost finish preparing for my trip. I guess it is a mistake that I choose to take half-day off from my work instead of a full day.

I was rushing to do this and that and right now the last thing I need to pack are my chargers and extension cord.

My mom called so that's my ride. I won't do half day off like this again... It's too much hassle.

Pre-Vacation Mishaps

Although I am looking forward for my vacation, things happens that make me feel quite upset.

It is 95% certain that I will be flying solo in Prague. Both my friends could not make it after all. The German who live in London could not afford it. He already struggling to make ends meet as it is so I can't blame him. Although it is entirely his fault that I even go to Prague in the first place :pp

The second guy, a German who live in Berlin, said his company sent him to Bremen office on July 23-24, so he could not make it. Since my time in Prague is from July 23-29, it is quite true. What I don't understand about him is that he only ask his company for day off on Monday July 13. Despite the fact that we have been planning this for months. This is especially bad for me since I initially planned to cancel my hotel booking in favor of cheaper hostel. Although there are still time to cancel, the cheap hostel no longer have the cheap room. Also, all the other places that I have checked no longer have the cheap price that I got from months ago. So I guess I will just have to enjoy the hotel alone :pp

And then the sneakers that I ordered would not arrive before my trip. It is partially my fault for ordering it almost too late. I have look for some cheap alternatives today. I found a couple of shoes that I am interested in. But tomorrow I will look at MBK malls as well.

The plastic top of my USB MicroSD reader broke a while ago, before I wrote this post. So I will definitely have to visit Pantip Plaza to look, no just for another MicroSD card but also for the USB reader replacement.

I still need to finish packing, getting my hair cut and more packing...

So little time, so much to do...

The New Day Has Pass

I survive the first day in my head office, barely.

My new boss informed me of my new tasks, his expectation of me, and when I will visit the other offices. I must say I am overwhelm by all the new things that I have been informed of (been ordered). However, I was slightly excited that he will sent me to do couple of Microsoft certified courses. I think that will do me good, especially for my future. Although they are just XP support and Applications on XP support courses, at least after that I can really say that I am official a certified support technician :P

The morning hours doesn't help that's for sure. I was half awake in the morning and getting sleepy in the afternoon. I hope that I will be able to adjust as time goes by... It certainly doesn't help my mood. I was able to be cheerful when greet by other people but I am not feeling as happy, relax, and comfortable as I was in my old office.

I will either have to adjust or else....

Quivering Mood

On the eve of my last day at work, I find myself quivering inside.

I will definitely be sad. But I must remind myself that I will be visiting once a week. It is a fairly big deal for me. I know that this is not something very serious. I am still working for the same organization, I will return to my current office at least once a week.

Unlike some of my friends who is worst predicament of unemployment or struggling to get by. As I wrote many times before, I still feels upset. Although not at the soul shaking level that I had before.

It will over soon... Then it will be the adjustment period to the new office and so on... Although I wish this did not happen. I deserve to enjoy my trip to Prague and Amsterdam without thinking about the move...

The Move is Coming

So it finally going to happen. This Tuesday will be my last working day at my current office.

It will be quite sad for me. But the consolation is that I will visit it every Friday. I maybe a blessing in disguise... Since my current boss will also leave to take another position in Europe in August. And the new boss, I heard, that he had a row with the head of Thai staff years ago. So it might be a good thing that I get to move. The work dynamic will change along with the new boss. This will goes both ways, both in the new and current office.

I decided to let the other guy get the Fri-Sat weekend this time and then we can alternate every three months. Since I will be on 2 weeks vacation soon.

In order to keep my mood up, I will just have to concentrate on the new Harry Potter movie. Which will be release in Bangkok on this week. I will go watch it on Monday, which should have less people by then. And then later that week I will began my trip to Europe. I start packing a bit already.

250 to 1000 :)

It was more than a year ago since I last replace my harddisk. IT was ComMart show time so I went to buy it there.

I end up going on Saturday. Arriving at the show I felt a little light headed, I guess because I haven't eat yet. So I went to the food court area to eat. It is my policy not to shop with empty stomach. I feels that I would be more objective on my full stomach :)

I eventually bought the 1TB harddisk, an external box and power cable, all from different shops. All to replace the 250GB one. Then I went to check the Adidas sales like usual. I do like some of shirt but nothing really caught my interest.

After I got home, set everything up for transfer, and fire up the computer, something wasn't right. I heard buzzing sound coming from the computer case. It took me a while to figured out which fan made the sound. I eventually figured out that it came from the power supply. I was not happy with this. Since a new one usually cost about a couple of thousand baht for a reliable one.

It keep buzzing the first night and I have to turn off the computer after unable to fall asleep due to the noise. I decided that if it still buzzing by Monday, I will take it to an IT mall to buy a one power supply. Luckily the buzzing stop, I guess the fan was finally spinning in the right way.

It was the right decision that I went to buy the harddisk on Saturday. This allow me to fully enjoy my 4 days off this week. I really need these time off.

The Date Got Set

My boss told me today that my moved day have been agreed. So this means I will start working in the head office on July 15.

The news did not feels as threathen as it was a few weeks back. I feels that I have been warming up to the move, eventhough I do not want it to happen. At least I will be there for a week and then it will be my Europe vacation :D

The new Harry Potter movie will also be release on July 16th. I am looking forward to that as well. I am also looking forward to this weekend. I am still deciding whether I should go to the IT fair on Sat after work or on Sunday to buy the new harddisk. Both have their own pros so I am still considering it.

The Delayed Inevitable

It has been finalized. My move will be postponed for a couple weeks in lieu of new computers being deployed. The idea is for me to monitor if the new computers will have any problem or not.

This news made me happy. As this also help me finalized my weekend plan to go to ComMart fair. So I will probably buy the 1TB disk, since the price has come down to about 3,200 baht. Which is significantly lower than the 1.5TB one at 5,050 baht. I am slightly worried whether my power supply can handle all these large size harddisks. If it doesn't then it will be a trip to one of the IT mall to buy new power supply. Luckily I have taken leave day next week which will make me have four days off :DDDD. I certainly need that.

The Actual Move

Due to some circumstances, I think my move will be push for a few more days. This is not my doing, since I have finish on my parts, but the IT manager. Not that I mind nor complaining :pp

But it is still inevitable. I would like to know the definite soon though. Since the ComMart fair will be held again from July 2-5. I need to know when will my weekend be. So I will have time to go to that fair and buy new harddisk along with the external box so I can transfer my data after the switch. That way I only have to open my case once and be done with it.

I know that I am just whining now but I need an outlet to whine otherwise I would have gone crazy.

I also went to see Transformer 2 today. It was an ok movie. I sensed some flaws here and there but it was not too glaring. The 'Bay Bang' was numerous and sometimes, in my opinion, excessive. The camera sway too much or move too fast sometimes and focusing on the expensive special effects of the robots. Overall it was worth the money. Next will be Harry Potter 6 :D

No Raise, No How!!

The director of my office sent email to all Thai staff yesterday evening, to inform us that there will be 0% raise in our salary this year...

He cited several reasons but the gist of it are the economic recession, budget cut, and negative inflation. The email ended with a promise to look into providing some alternative package instead. All of which make the salary raise less justifiable, not counting the morale boost issue. Although I still think that even 1% raise would boost the morale of the staff, even if just slightly.

So now it makes me wants that promotion even more, although not by much. It certainly lower my already low mood about my own work situation, reading the force moving to head office. This surely is a sucky situation.

There will be a big meeting next week at the head office between the Thai staff association and the upper management. Hopefully something good would come out of that.

I am still trying to maintain positive thoughts about the move...
a) My new weekend would be Fri-Sat, which I preferred than Sun-Mon.
b) The places to eat in that area has a lot more varieties, it is close to MBK.

It's not a lot but enough for me to concentrate on.

The Harden Soul

Today my soon to be boss had, again, voiced his frustration on the lateness of my progress on work here and, again, said that he wants to me start working at the head office on first of July.

This times, however, the fact did not shocked me as much as it did before. I guess the repetition dull its effectiveness. It may sound strange but my emotion felt harden by this statement. I suppose I have come to terms with it, slightly, on some level.

While I am feeling stress and upset about my situation, I do not have a lot of people to complain about it to. My online friends who goes online often are not really good to talk with on this issue. Especially when one of them has been unemployed for months now. I know that my situation is not bad in comparison to other possibilities.

I must keep my head on straight and my mood in check. I hope that I will be able to come to terms with it once the move happens. I do have several leave days left after allocate them for my trip. I will start using it them once I moved.

A Tearful Remedy

I have been feeling down for the pass several days. I would usually feels a little better if I gets to cry.

There was a time when I was really upset about something and I feels better after I got to really cry in cinema watching 'Nang Nak'.

So today I decided to watch some videos that I have that would make me cry, I was successful. Then I also got to cry a bit over Oprah's show about puppies mills. And again over something on TV which I forgot.

In total, I cried or shed tears three times since afternoon. I think I now feels slightly better after relieve some tension with crying.

I also buy some Euro money today, finally, as well as complete my sneakers order. That also help too, I think. I do understand how people find spending money feels quite therapeutic. I suppose it gave you a sense of control and power to be able to buy whatever you desire.

I like shopping for groceries, especially when my mom still haven't moved out. I will call her and ask what she would like me to buy and add a few of my own into the list. All of which will be cooked by her later. Nowadays though, I just buy various fruit juice to mix with my protein shakes. Occasional shower gels and shampoo and that's about it...

Anyway, I really needs to go to bed now... This week could be my last week at my current office. I better tries to savior the moment. Although I will be visiting again at least once a week...

Soul Shaker

My soon to be boss that is... Today he gripe about how slow the progress of prepping the new set of computers has been and that I should have been moved already.

This is not good for my morale at all. I feels like I have borderline depression since last week or so. It manifest as the feelings of not wanting to go to work. The sinking feeling and bad mood of having to go to work. I guess it felt like I have been betrayed by the office.

I know that my own boss had tried to keep me but it was beyond his control. I suppose my resentment has been directed to the establishment. Lately I have to reminded myself that I need to have a job, this is a good place to work, and if I wants to return to this branch office, I better remain part of the organization. I am also torn between using my leave day to rest my nerve or coming to work here since it is likely I will be moved very soon. I suppose I can use it soon after I move.

It seems very likely that I will start working in the HQ on first of July. My boss told me in our weekly meeting that his boss said so but he added that it was not what they agreed on. He said he will just let it simmer and see how it goes.

Also, my current boss' contract is coming to an end. So he will leave the office in a couple of months to take a position in another country. Hopefully the next boss will wants to have an IT personal, that he will have enough pull to open the position so I can move back :P It was a really long shot but one can hope. Not that I would pinned all my hopes and dreams on that hypothetical scenario. I do have to concentrate on learning the skills that I needs for the promotion. I can't just let myself feels too down to learn all that. The prospect of getting promotion is, for now, far more realistic than being moved back here.

No matter what happen, I will still be back here once a week anyway.

Harddisk Blues

After a little more than a year since the last time I buy new harddisk, I have manage to almost filled it. Although I did not feels like it's been that long, good thing that I did blog about it so I know when I bought it last year.

The price of 1TB (TB=Terrabyte which means 1,000 GB :d) harddisk became more attractive but I would love to buy the 1.5 TB one instead. However, the 1TB one is still about 1,300 baht cheaper than the 1.5TB one. The price which I do not wants to pay just yet. But it became harder and harder to make space for my downloads, especially in this series heavy season. The Closer and So You Think You Can Dance are running weekly now. Soon Leverage will began it's second season in July and then Dexter's fourth season in September :O.

I could not possibly housed all those files with my current 14GB space left on my biggest harddisk. Despite my wish that I wants to hold off buying new harddisk until the price of 1.5TB one reduce to about 4,000 baht. I don't think that I can wait that long.

My Funny Man is Going Home And That Sinking Feeling.

I spend today with my friend 'Funny Man'. He told me that he is going home to New Zealand in two months time and ending his four years of traveling around the world. The news shocked me quite a bit. It makes me feels like I lost a friend.

Although, in truth, we will still keep in touch so we will still be friend. Except that it will be quite a while before I see him in person again.

I also help him located the washing hose so he can buy one for his apartment back in Wellington. He really love it as the way to clean up after the deed was done. I hope he will be able to install it easily back home.

I am going to miss him. He is very funny, fun to hang out with and fun to talk with. He did invited me to visit him in his hometown and that I can stay at his place. I think I will take him up on that in a couple of years time.

Lately I have been plagued by the 'Don't Want to Go to Work' feelings. Which I think, was triggered because of my soon to be boss. He reminded me over the phone, when we were discussing other issues, that he wants me to start working at the HQ next month.

My heart and mood sank when he said that. While I knew that this is inevitable, it still hitting me harder than I though it would. I guess I am mentally not still want this to happen. I did not expect the sinking feeling to occurred. It seems that I was put this out of my mind until it hit me again.

When I tell my current boss of this, he said that it wasn't the IT manager's decision to make but rather the higher level manager. So we will see when will that happen. But we both agreed that it would not be for our best interests to prolong this more than it should.

I suppose it will be ok once the move happen since then I will accept that it actually happen and not just looming around the corner, making me worried like this.

I know that I am lucky that I still have a job, a decent paying one in fact. One that it allows me both financially and enough free time to start traveling. Yet my feeling is not in the best of mood to appreciate that. I will tough it out and see what happens.

Weather Foiled Plan

I decided to pay up and spend a bit of money to buy a snack from the coffee shop near my office to get their WEP code for their WiFi. Lo and behold it works!! I could open my WebGUI page on my Nokia 5800 :D

I tested it a bit and found that WebGUI page works nicely on my phone and everything works, albeit, slower than on actual computer :D

Too bad that by the time the TV show I wants to download, The Closer, became available online, there was a power cut at my home :ppp There was a brief heavy rain just when I walk back to office from my lunch break. And by the time I found that the show is available for download, I could not open my WebGUI page anymore. I thought that there could be a power cut at my home due to the heavy rain and my younger bro confirmed it. Bugger...

So now I have to wait until I got home and do it manually anyway :pp I suppose I will try this again on Friday for So You Think You Dance Season 5.

Experimenting With Remote BitTorrent

After realizing that many of the TV shows I want to see is being shown again in US summer season.

Since I sometimes would not be home when the shows would be uploaded to the BitTorrent, I would like to know how to remotely add the one I wants to download when I am not home. I figured I could use my phone to access internet and did what I wants from it.

I use utorrent as my BitTorrent client. It has WebGUI function which allow you to remotely access your client through internet with an addon and a bit of know-how. It was pretty easy actually. Here is the instruction I use to do it.

http://lifehacker.com/software/hack-attack/remote-control-your-torrents-with-utorrents-webui-260393.php

I also learn how to create domain name since my ISP will disconnect my connection every 24 hours, thus, shifting my IP address.

It was all pretty simple and easy really. The difficult part is to find a free WiFi spot that I can use near my office. There is one WiFi spot but you have ot pay to get their WEP code.

I am looking forward to test this and see if I can work it when I am on my trip as well :)

The Museum Run, The 2nd Times

About a week ago I went to see "Night at The Museum 2: Escape From The Smithsonian", it was quite a fun movie but not totally.

It was still a very fun notion to have the *reviving* scenario taking place in the biggest Museum of all, the Smithsonian. The art showroom sequence looks fantastic while the air and space looks surreal (er, more than usual). The villains were practically stereotyped in their personalities which feels a bit flat at times.

Overall, it is a fun movie, but I do not appreciate the fact that it was more than 30 minutes before the movie begin after I enter the theater. Although I like to watch the trailers, the ads were too much for my taste. The fact that I had not eat anything substantial before the cinema that day worsen the matter even more.

All in all, I think it is no wondered why people do not go to cinema much anymore.

Chapped Ass Hot Sauce

When I saw this one, I thought of Torn :)


Chapped Ass Hot Sauce by `ursulav on deviantART

It is Ursula Vernon's latest piece, of which she lamented how it looks homoerotic relatively by accident :P But then we are all homos here so...

I think Torn would love this and get a good chuckle ;)