Tough Decision

I am facing three options in my career:

1) Stay in Hong Kong (same company), return to frontline commercial banking job, salary increase: 17%. Timing: March 2007. Familiar role but sales target is going to be tough to reach. Limited Prospect.

2) Go to China (same company), also frontline commercial banking job, but in Beijing, salary increase: 17% plus China allowance plus free housing in Beijing; Timing: March 2007. Uncertainty exists in terms of customers type and management role (with local PRC subordinates). Prospect unknown but connections in Beijing and exposure in the PRC considered useful.

3) Quit current job and join a US hedge fund in an asset management role; stay in Hong Kong with some travelling, salary increase: >60%. Timing: End of Nov or Early Dec latest. Bonus for 2006 and options in hand would be compensated by a joining fee. I am unfamiliar with this hedge fund, despite that it is a large one. Considered high risk in terms of job security. Totally new exposure.

Considerations:

a) I am not a person who like to change job; I have been with my current company since I graudated (12 years already). My CV hasn't been updated since then.

b) I like to have more exposure in different countries

c) My baby is due in January 2007

d) Job stability is important to me, but that could be compensated by a premium in salary.

e) I don't want too much pressure but some challenges are OK for me.

f) This one is common to all people: I love salary increase!

g) I hope to have some leisure time for myself.

If you were me, how would you choose?

Hong Kong Arts Festival 2007

I have bought tickets for 7 performances:

ExxonMobil Vision: Zhu Lin & Colleen Lee Cello & Piano Duo; 17 March, 8:00pm, Concert Hall, HK City Hall

Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra - Mahler's Symphony No 7; 7 March, 8:00pm, Concert Hall, HK Cultural Centre

Leipzig Ballet - The Great Mass; 10 March, 7:30pm, Grand Theatre, HK Cultural Centre

Shu Ning Presentation Unit - And Then There's You; 16 March, 8:00pm, Lyric Theatre, HK Academy for Performing Arts

Standard Chartered Classic: Welsh National Opera - La boheme; 19 March, 7:30pm, Grand Theatre, HK Cultural Centre

Yuri Simonov and the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra; 28 February, 8:00pm, Concert Hall, HK Cultural Centre

Yuri Simonov and the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra; 1 March, 8:00pm, Concert Hall, HK Cultural Centre

黃子華棟篤笑之兒童不宜

LKSAR, Marvelous, 不主動、不抗拒、不負責, 老/爆, 巴西好潮濕, 現實版《驅魔人》, etc.

Really Marvelous!

Vadim Repin

Got this 10-CD set from HMV Japan. For the price I paid (JPY3,892), this is a real bargain. I have just finished the first CD, which comprises some show-off/encore pieces. Repin's sound is a little different from Vengerov, although both of them handled this kind of pieces with relative ease. Repin has a softer sound, less spark than Vengerov, but he has much more rubato and his playing gives you an elegant feel. Both are fantastic violinists. If you can find this set anywhere, buy it. You won't regret. Amazon has a much higher price, though - USD67.

A baby born healthy is a miracle...

...because so many things can happen in those 40 weeks. Every parent should be grateful if their children were born healthy.

Secretary's Resume

SECRETARY 'S RESUME

Deer Sir,

I waunt to apply for the secritary job what I saw in the paper. I can Type real quik wit one finggar and do sum a counting.

I think I am good on the phone and no I am a pepole person, Pepole really seam to respond to me belly well.

I'm lookin for a Jobb as a secritary but it musent be to complicaited.

I no my spelling is not to good but find that I Offen can get a job thru my persinalety. My salerery is open so we can discus wat you want to pay me and wat you think that I am werth,

I can start imeditely. Thank you in advanse fore yore anser. .

hopifuly Yore best aplicant so farr.

Sinseerly,

Peggy May Starlings

PS : Because my resimay is a bit short - below is a pickture of me taken at my last jobb.



Employer's reply:......

Dear Peggy,

It's OK honey, we've got spell check..... Welcome onboard!!!

More Application Letters

All the statements quoted here were written by male applicants.

"As a graduated student in XXX University in 2006, Major in Mathematic, I took course like Accounting, Calculus, ..... They gave me enough basic knowledge and analytical skill to fulfill any difficult task." (Friend's comment: Life would be easy if a few Accounting, Calculus, etc. courses can make one fulfill (handle?) "any difficult task". A "graduated student" .... [sigh]). (Andy's comment: It is pathetic that he can't even spell his major correctly.)

"Special Skills ... Fluent in oral and written Cantonese, Mandarin and English" (Friend's comment: Wow, I am impressed!) (Andy's comment: I start to think that to be fluent in oral and written English, Cantonese and Mandarin is really a special skill.)

"Other - enjoy working as a team and independent" (Friend's comment: I presume his brain and his hands can work as a team or work independently. In this case, his hands work independently - without referring the writing to the brain).

"I am looking forward to using these experience to provide perfection service for the company." (Friend's comment: I don't know what to say with this).

Friend's overall comment: "In general, I have to say, female applicants are more impressive and they know how to write a letter. I begin to worry about the future of male human beings."

Aren't you worried about the future of males?

單身大長今

Did I post this before? Excellent article written by Hung Siu Lam in the HKEJ. I miss his writings. Hope he will write again soon.

也許前世註定，小弟自暑期工開始，不論上司或客戶，多是單身揚眉女子，善解人意、面慈心險、凶悍夜叉、姣屍燉篤、小器八卦、燕瘦環肥 ... 或集以上大成之變險大師，統統領教過。日子有功，綜合觀察，得出下列十大特徵，和一個怪論 : 如果香港女士盡皆 "單身大長今"，香港經濟危矣。

1. Age group - 由 Late 20s 起。30 歲前，工作 + 考試就是她們生活的全部，此外 grant loan 未還清，何來消費力 ? 所以 "單身大長今" 的 "起步" 年齡，以 late 20s 較合適。

2. 一至三人之下，五至萬人之上。個體戶、自僱戶比例不多。幾乎全部有碩士學位及至少一個專業資格。

3. 最重要的一項 - 月入 - 反而難以評估，因為各 "長今" 的收入差距都很大，而且涉及私隱。唯一肯定的，是她們平均月薪，起碼比同齡男性工作人口多最少 3 成。

4. 都精打細算，強調物有所值。因此，雖然香港的交通費貴，但她們擁有私家車的比例很低，因養車更不化算。平日上班，除上班服裝和道具較講究，其他衣食住行都盡量慳儉，除非可出公數。

5. 有投資 / 機股票、衍生工具、基金、保險等。成績很極端，通常從事財經金融業的 "長今"，由於本身工作繁重，無暇研究，加上以前學過太多有關理論，實戰成績平平。相反，從事與金融財經無關的 "長今"，不時交上 "盲拳打死師父" 的好運。各位 "理財顧問"，接收到這訊息嗎 ?

"長今" 們大都慣在海外 / 內地工幹，留港時間小於一半，是名符其實的國際人。故過半 "長今" 都是租屋住，但在內地如青島、上海、杭州、順德等自置複式別墅者卻大不乏人。當 CEPA 進展到第四、五階段，只會令更多 "長今" 長駐內地，對本地消費毫無幫助。

6. 下班後，她們對食，會講究些，但對香港食肆普遍水準每況愈下，頗有微言，寧願假日早機去上海吃頓風味菜再夜機返。相信 "飲食男女" 路線不變，依舊賺錢；但本地食肆，包括私房菜，不精益求精，未再給大幅加租也會被淘汰。

7. 工作外的時間安排，工餘應培養甚麼興趣、學甚麼、去那裡旅行等，必事先計劃，像一個個 project 般管理。

8. 愛 D-I-Y，工餘自購材料煮食 ( 雖然不時買食材比在外用膳還貴 ) 、焗蛋糕、自製家居飾物。視學習為興趣，健身、打拳、瑜珈、甜品、玄學、外語、潛水、wakeboarding 、品酒等是較熱門項目。揀學習科目主要視乎時間安排和興趣，不一定趕潮流。例如學外語，現在仍吹韓風時， "長今" 會報德文班。

9. 更愛旅遊，一來嫌香港太逼、空氣太差，二來更年輕時所有假期都 "割讓" 給 exam leaves。經常投訴旅行社負責設計行程的朋友始終不明白她們的需要，故 9 成會自己安排行程。像王貽興和嘉琳走訪全球博物館，或如黃麗梅及熾哥到肯雅摘新鮮腰果，對她們來說，已屬很 "大路" 的旅程。

10. 間中會有衝動性消費的。例如，只為買某樽廿元某雜貨鋪自家品牌醬汁，花七十多塊錢乘計程車來回某街市，但不會刻意趕潮流，跟足雜誌推介頻換手機、PDA、Blackberry、遊戲機 / 碟、Ipod、波鞋、ape T 恤 ... 小部分有收集嗜好，由軍曹、 Blythe / Mimi 公仔到水晶都有。另，坊間有一誤解，以為 "長今" 皆愛流連酒吧喪浦、或私竇 clubbing、或於咖啡店、電影節裡風花雪月。其實，更多 "長今" 愛於夜閑人靜處，在閏房中的微黃檯燈前閒讀 ( 小部分可能是寫 blog )，不時輕托香腮望窗沉思。

試問若所有女仕都是這類挑通眼眉的精明消費者，香港重有運行嗎 ?

Application Letters

One of my friends sent me some excerpts of application letters. They are super-funny:

"I am writing with a full confidence to apply for offering my service." (Friend's comment: I don't see such offering here....)

"I was graduated from University of XXX which is a high reputation university ranked within top 3 in XXXX" (Friend's comment: Don't worry, the college is not in the UK)

"I was deeply trained to have a very strong analytical and numerical sense...." (Friend's comment: But the applicant does not make any sense - that is the problem).

"I am confident to face and handle this challenging job." (Friend's comment: Lets face the reality not the job.)


I am really impressed by the phrase "I was deeply trained" - I think the applicant was a female! :P

Bryn Terfel - Recital

I am really interested in this concert. Terfel is a really famous Baritone - arguably the best.

BRYN TERFEL
MICHAEL POLLOCK - PIANO
RECITAL PROGRAMME FOR FAR EAST TOUR 13 NOVEMBER 2006

Programme

HANDEL Si tra i ceppi e le ritorte (Berenice)

Frondi tenere e belle…..(Serse)
Ombra mai fu

R.V.WIILLAMS Silent Noon
Roadside Fire

QUILTER Go, lovely rose (Op.24, no.3)
Weep you no more, sad fountains (Op.12, no 1)
O Mistress Mine (Op.6, no 2)
Now sleeps the crimson petal (Op.3, no 2)
Fair house of joy (Op. 12, no 7)

TRAD Danny Boy

TRAD Ar hyd y nos

MURRAY I’ll walk beside you


Interval


MOZART Manner Suchen stets zu naschen (K. 433/ 416c)
Io ti lascio, oh cara, addio (K.Anh. 245)

DEBUSSY Nuits d'etoiles

DUPARC L’Invitation au Voyage
Serenade

FAURE Le Secret (op. 23 no. 3)
Automne (op. 18 no. 3)

IRELAND Sea Fever
Bells of San Marie

VARIOUS Selection of favourite songs and operatic arias

Bruckner 6

Commentators have been saying that this is the most difficult Bruckner to understand. I can hardly find anything about good version of this symphony. I have got versions of Celibidache, Klemperer, Karajan, Tintner, Barenboim, Haitink, Solti, Jochum (both DG and EMI), Wand, Chailly, and Masur. My ears tell me that Celi's and Klemperer's versions are the best. Any other comments?

Mandarin Cafe Causette

Went there on Saturday. Nothing was the same as before - the cups, the teapots, the service, the high tea set, the ambience, the seats... Being a nostalgic person (and aging), I of course prefer the old Mandarin Cafe located at the ground floor. And I am not alone - two ladies sitting next to us were "complaining" to the captain about the food. I couldn't agree more.

男人之虎

Bad music, unclear theme, scattered and unrelated scenes, too many foul language, ...Without Tsim Shui Man, the show would have been a complete disaster. I really don't understand why it can sustain over 100 performances. Very disappointing.

Busy schedule going forward

Monday: Tennis from 10:00pm to 11:00pm (on-going)

Tuesday: pre-natal talk from 7:30pm to 9:30pm (5 more weeks to go)

Thursday: Talk from 7:30pm to 9:30pm (9 more weeks to go)

Friday: Fellowship from 8:00pm to 10:00pm (on-going)

It leaves only Wed if I want to do anything at all - happy hours with colleagues, re-union with friends, a relaxing evening with some music that I long to listen to but have no time, etc.

Chinese Names

Trying to think of a name for my baby. Already have some ideas for the English name, but still struggling to think of a Chinese name. Still got a few months left...

Hi-Fi

My Hi-Fi is rather simple:

Integrated Amp: McIntosh MA6500 (really want to trade it in and replace it by another one).

CDP: Meridian G08 (good value for money, got it at HKD28,000)

Speaker: Dynaudio Contour S1.4 (best buy - really good in its range)

I don't have a strong intention to upgrade any of my system. Financial reason is one, but I am not a perfectionist as far as sound quality is concerned. As long as it is good enough, I am OK. I am still using a 25-inch traditional Toshiba TV at home, a straight forward Sony DVD player, and a sharp VHS recorder!

Building Up of Character

After a talk last night, we discussed about today's youngsters. In my view, parents are reminded to pay attention to their kids, understand their kids, listen to their kids. These are all fine. But parents are rarely told how to build up the character of their kids. We have seen kids who know how to express themselves, but without self-control, emotion takes over and dictates the way they express themselves. Without a proper training in the family, we rarely see kids that have a sense of responsibility.

The building up of character is of utmost importance for today's kids and parents.

Artists And Their Models - Pompidou

Went to see this exhibition at Hong Kong Museum of Art. I went to Pompidou once around 15 years ago - I went to Paris with a friend when I was in Lower Six. So I am very interested to go and see these exhibits again. I went at 6:30pm but there were a lot of people queuing up already. I took the guidance headset, as for these modern arts, you will certainly miss out a lot if nobody explains them to you. Every time I go and see an exhibition like this, I would imagine how the artists painted the pictures or made the sculpture from scratch. It would certainly be a painful experience to start from zero to a finished masterpieces. And they had to persist for months or even years.

Got a small book as a gift from HSBC. And there was a nice reception at the podium level, offering refreshment to HSBC customers. Not bad huh!

Amplifier Fixed!

Hurray! Richcom service team came today. It was a tiny problem (one of the IC's legs was suspected to be loose). I spent $600 though...

Primary School

Somebody has organised a re-union for all my primary schoolmates this Saturday afternoon. It is a memorable event, because it is the 30th anniversary (we were in primary 1 in 1976) for all of us. I hope more schoolmates will attend. It will be good to see so many good old friends.

MTT's Mahler 3

Just bought it in Shun Wo's second hand shop today. I was going to buy a new one, so lucky me (it's a new one - still wrapped!).

I am listening to the final movement now. It seems that MTT took a much slower tempo than others. With the sudden power off of my integrated Amp, I can hardly enjoy the piece in a usual way. Got to find some time to listen to it after my amp is fixed.

CD Shops

Never talked about where I buy CDs:

2nd hand CD shops

- Mongkok Shun Wo Centre (basement and 10/F).

- Wan Chai

- Causeway Bay Centre

New CDs

- Pro-Sound

- A&B (Telford Garden), but it has closed down recently.

- HMV (used to go to TST one, which was so big - the classical section was located at 5/F, with half of the floor being Classical. Now I mostly go to Central, but only bought from them when the CDs are on sale.)

- Shun Cheong (only for historical recordings)

On Line

- Amazon (US, UK)

- Crotchet.co.uk

- CD-wow

- Musicandarts.com

- HMV Japan

Amplifier Problem

My McIntosh Amplifier suddenly goes power off recently (repeatedly after I play the CD). Don't know what the problem is, but it is really frustrated. Anybody knows how it could be fixed?

女王的教室

好感動...阿久津老師...