Gunner get my MBA

Money can't buy loyalty

2006-08-10T14:38:00.000+08:00

What a relief it is to hear that in this day and age, not all footballers are motivated by money. I'm referring to none other than the fantabulous Cesc Fabregas, who came out and pledged his loyalty to Arsenal and Wenger for trusting him at such a young age. He basically said he's not interested in a big money move to Real Madrid. Contrast that to a few others who've made headlines recently, most notably Jose "homesick" Reyes and Cashley Cole (or Mr Tweedy). Reyes's case is very confusing in that he seems certain to leave(according to the Spanish press), but he and Wenger has come out with denials. If he ends up staying, then I'm fine with it as long as his heart is really there. Either way, we shouldn't keep him if he's not happy, and I'd rather see someone else who really wants to play for Arsenal brought in.

Cole on the other hand is a different story. He has betrayed the club which supposedly he's supported since he was a kid, and literally spat into the face of the management of the club, which gave him the chance and made him the player he is today. I frankly can't wait to see the back of him, and with Clichy, Flamini and Hoyte, we've got enough there to be ok for this position.

Another shocking example of the money talks attitude of players is William Gallas, having turned down an offer to double his salary to 75,000 pound per week, and ask for 90,000. It's ridiculous money in any case, and now I have reservations of him coming to Arsenal (in any supposed swap deal with Cole).

Well, frankly all this transfer rumours stuff is getting really tidious, and I can't wait for the real football to start. 9 more days to go till the first game, and hopefully we'll be in for a great season.

Finally, I've just realised that after tomorrow, I'll have about 60 days of work left (counting my leave & also holidays) before I finish my work here. Then it's a month or so with the baby before jetting off to France. I'm so slack that I haven't done any preparation work as yet. Gotta start soon.

cheers...

Long, Long Overdue Post

2006-07-18T18:47:00.000+08:00

Finally, I got to sit down and write this post, which I have to admit, has been long overdue. Actually, I was planning to write earlier, but time has flown by these past months at an alarming rate, that I haven't had time to stop and think about my future much. To summarise what has happened, after I received the INSEAD decision, I also received some other good news - i.e. that my wife and I are expecting our first baby. Thus our decision to defer to the January intake and amidst a hectic trip to Japan, we finally received approval for the deferral. Next, work became more hectic, as there were a lot of changes happenning at the office and also new projects beginning around the same time. Once that settled down a bit, my pace actually picked up with the World Cup 2006 starting, meaning many many sleepless nights. Overall, the tournament was great in my books, except for the Final, as I supported France (due to INSEAD connection, and also because of Henry). Finally, had my family back from Australia, so had a lot of catching up and family get togethers.

Now that they've gone back to Perth, life has slowed down a bit, and I am beginning to plan for the next phase of my life. My son (yes, we confirmed it at the last Ultrasound scan!!) hopefully will be joining us sometime in November. I will quit work (officially) either end of October or Mid November, and will have about a month and a half to pack and move, and learn how to be a daddy. I'll probably head over to Fonty either end of December or early January (actually haven't thought about this much as the original plan was that I'll be starting in August), which I hear will be very cold . I will therefore go first alone, and sort out all things including accomodation, before my wife and son will join me sometime mid or end of January.

Just thinking about all this makes my head spin, with so much to do before I go. I should really have a plan and checklist going, but i'm too much of a procrastinator to do so. One thing I do know that I have to sort out is the accomodation, and with the baby around (along with visiting Grandparents and Uncles/Aunty), I think we'll be looking for at least a 2 room appartment/house to stay in whilst there. This means additional cost, and therefore a disruption to my initial budget. I'm thinking of supplementing my original budget with a loan, so that again adds to the checklist.

Another important matter to sort out shortly is to have my Deutsche exams at the Goethe Institute to satisfy my 3rd Language requirements. I studied German for 5 years during high school but right now it's very rusty, so I probably have to take a refresher course before I take the exam. My dilemma is now whether to take the exam before baby comes, or after (where I presume I'll have more time to study - but i've been told to expect a lot of sleepless nights). Right now I'm trying to push for end of October exam.

One thing I find very fitting and amusing is that the change in my life, is occurring simultaneously with the change at Arsenal Football Club. They too will be moving to a new home (first game is this Saturday), and hopefully exciting times await all of us. I already plan to share stories with my little boy about watching the legendary "Dennis Bergkamp" (who is retiring and having his testimonial match this weekend), and hope success will continue into the new era in the brand spankingly new Emirates Stadium.

Oh yeah, and a return to the red and white jerseys will be very welcome in my books. I promise to update again soon. Cheers.

We're going to Paris!!! (times two)

2006-04-30T15:24:00.000+08:00

Well, as the title suggests, I'm over the moon right now. In this case, there're two things to be excited about.

Firstly as I've said before, the Gunners are going places, and they confirmed it by qualifying for the big Cohuna of Cup finals, i.e. the European Champions League final. The game will be played in Paris, on the 17th of May, and I have a strong feeling that this will be Arsenal's year. In a way, I'm relieved that we got through to the final, after seeing the limp display in Spain last Tuesday night. I guess it's because so much was on the line, that our players (who've switched between the sublime to the ridiculous from game to game) had a bout of nervousness. In the end, I'm glad that it was Lehmann who won the tie for us with his superb penalty save in the 89th minute, and if there was a need for an experienced member of the team to stand up and be counted, then I'm glad it's our German No.1.

So on we move to the final, and to make it even better, we'll be up against Barca, with Ronny and his band of merry attackers who'll be looking to make life miserable for us Arsenal fans. I know that he's officially the world's best, but I see this as the perfect stage for Henry to lay to rest any comparison between the take on the mantle of the world's best player. I also feel that this tie suits us, as we play better when we're underdogs and are written off by critics. We struggled against Villareal when they predicted that we're favourites, so I think that there can't be a better team to cement our underdog status as Barcelona. The way they ripped apart Chelsea and Milan was beautiful to watch at times. Yet.. my prediction is 2-1 to the Arsenal with Henry and Fabregas (ex-Barca youth player) to be the heroes of the night.

Secondly, I've just confirmed that I'll be attending INSEAD. Only that it's not going to be this year but next year. Yupps.. i've got a deferral to the January intake. That's why I've been silent all this while, as I didn't want to say too much before I received confirmation that they allowed my request. INSEAD, like most business schools do not usually give out deferrals, and in this case, they made it clear to me that mine was a special case which given the circumstances would be better for both parties if I started later. I'll elaborate on the reasons later, but some of you readers already know why.

Though I had originally planned to start my MBA this year, and i'll be envious of fellow bloggers who start their program come September, I guess it won't be so bad as INSEAD's one year program means that I'll graduate earlier quickly anyways. Also there's the added possibility of a summer internship and furthermore, I get a bit more time to do a proper handover at work. Not trying to blow my own horn but I know that it will be hard for me to find a replacement and hand over all the work in 3-4 months.

oh well.... I guess I've got enough to think about these next few weeks... till then.

Japan Photos

2006-04-28T15:44:00.000+08:00

Some photos from Japan (as requested)

Could this be a real Geisha (or Maiko)? Taken in Kyoto upon our arrival, near the Ryokan we stayed in.

Beautiful Sakura at Maruyama park on a rainy day in Kyoto.

Sakura blooming with A-Bomb dome in background - Hiroshima

bamboo forrest at Arashiyama (Kyoto)

Friday night crowd at Shibuya

Tsukiji fish market, 6.00 a.m. wholesale auction of Tuna.

Back from Japan

2006-04-13T16:53:00.000+08:00

Actually was meaning to post earlier, and I actually typed up a short post whilst in Japan but unfortunately all the controls of the web browser was in Japanese, and hence I had to navigate through the blogger website from memory. When I finally when to save the post, I must have deleted it and sure enough everything was lost. Bad luck I guess. Actually, I was posting to say what a surprise it is to be nominated for the best of bloggers, for the MBA applicant blogs. I didn't expect it as I felt my blog was too general to be thought of an MBA blog, and also the fact that I rant on and on about Arsenal every so often. Anyways, I am honoured to be thought of in the same league as some of you established bloggers.

Secondly wanted to let you all know that the Japan trip was great. I had a great time, and experienced both the historical and modern Japan. Sakura was in full bloom (in Kyoto), and though it was chilly, you could definitely feel the freshness of springtime (something which I miss, living in tropical Malaysia). Highlights, would have to be the seeing the Cherry blossoms in the beautiful surroundings in Kyoto, waking up at 5 am to go to the fish market and have toro sashimi at 7am, and meeting Jon bon Jovi at the Park Hyatt New York bar (the bar which Bill Murray spent most of his time in "Lost in Translation").

Overall my wife and I had a great time with our japanese hosts, as well as four friends form Australia which we met up with there. I would definitely want to go back there as there is much more to see, and the food has been great but I think I would need to give my wallet a lot more time to recover from the trip.

From Baku to Kyoto

2006-03-30T13:38:00.000+08:00

Enough about football... as promised here are some pictures from Baku - Azerbaijan, where I just came back from a trip. For those who don't know, Azerbaijan was part of the old USSR, and now an independent state. It's located on the Caspian Sea and is brodered with Russia, Georgia, Armenia and Iran. It's part of the Caucasus. Anyways, it was freezing cold when I got there (it's supposed to be Spring too!)

Above is a picture of the Caspian Sea and you can see all the oil rigs (or whatever you call them). The country is rich in oil, and you can actually see these rigs all over the place - even near the airport.

A scene from the Pedestrian mall. In front of the big tall building in the background is a McDonalds, so I guess it is part of the "developed" world now.

A small picture of the camp site where I stayed. The vehicles are all for sale as the project is finishing, so those of you looking for a deal on a used Hilux pickup, head over to Mugan camp in Azerbaijan.

I won't post any more pictures as it's taken ages to upload these. I'm also going to Japan for a holiday with my wife and some friends. It's been a long time since I was last there (I think more than 20 years - except for a brief stop at Narita airport 8 years ago). It will be very exciting, and I hope I can post some pictures of the Sakura blooming when I get back. Will be flying to Osaka, then on to Kyoto, Hiroshima and finally a few more nights in Tokyo. It will be a whirlwind trip but made all the sweeter due to the good news that has come these past weeks.

I'll update on the trip when I get back. Till then my friends, Sayonara!

Absolutely Fab-ulous!!!

2006-03-29T13:36:00.000+08:00

CESC FABREGAS!!! What a wonderkid. What a magnificent player. Last night, the decision to let Vieira leave us was fully justfied, with a performance which belied the kid's age. He was omnipresent, starting our counterattacks, and getting on the end of good throughballs to finish with aplomb. At 18, he is probably already one of the best midfielders in Europe. I shudder to think how good he will be when he turns 20 (which is incidentally the age which Vieira join Arsenal). If we get 9 more years out of this wonderful midfield maestro I think that the future at the new Emirates stadium will be very bright.

This is turning out to be a good year, but I would not want to presume anything until the return leg is done in Turin next week. If all goes well, this will be the Gunner's most successful season in Europe, and the prospect of playing Inter or Villareal in the Semi's definitely seem mouthwatering. The fact that we limited the best team in Italy, to a few pot shots at goal from long range showed the marked improvement in the team over the last few months. From a team in turmoil, to one which has kept 7 straight clean sheets in Europe. It was by no means a one man show though. A brief rundown on the performances as follows:

Jens Lehmann - dealt with what he had to do comfortably and wasn't really troubled except for one chip by Camorenese which went wide.
Kolo Toure - the rock of the defence and probably the second best performance in an Arsenal shirt. He led the young backline superbly, and often came up with important tackles to deny Trezeguet & Ibrahamovic a sniff at goal
Philip Senderos - the young Swiss centre half played well, and dealt with most that came his way. a solid game.
Emanuel Eboue - rampaged down the right wing countless of times and put in a few good crosses. Dealt with Mutu comfortably but sometimes too over-eager and did get caught out of position.
Mathieu Flamini - makeshift leftback performed admirably. Joined in the attack and hardly put a foot wrong. Showed us that we don't have to worry if Cole does leave as long as we have him and Clichy around.
Gilberto Silva - protected the back four well, and strengthened his claim against Emerson of Juve for the Brazilian team.
Alexander Hleb - a quiet game for his standards but played a superb pass to release Cesc for the second goal.
Robert Pires - he was determined to run the show and he did it really well, tackling hard and joining with the attack from the center. Winning the ball off Vieira to set up Cesc (via Henry) for the first goal was the best moment of the match.
Cesc Fabregas - simply superb. Good vision and awareness. Tackled hard. Scored 1 and set up Henry for the second. Man of the Match.
Jose Reyes - full of tricks, and caused Zebina plenty of problems. Sublime move to nutmeg Vieira and cause a reckless tackle which caused Vieira to be out for the return leg.
Thierry Henry - A good game as a captain, and his usual self at finishing. Left defenders for dead a few times, and highlighted against one of the best backlines in the world that he is definitely the best attacker in the world.

The sleepless night last night was well worth it. I can't wait to watch the return match in Turin. Till then - buona notte a tutti a Torino

It has finally sunk in

2006-03-27T23:49:00.000+08:00

Whew.......It's been a whirlwind past few weeks, and I have to admit that the last weekend was a lazy resting session which was very very welcome. I got back from a week of travelling and had time to reflect on what has happened this past two weeks. I've finally logged into the INSEAD accepted students net domain thingy and gone through all the preliminaries. I also had to arrange for the funds to be ready for the deposit which is due on the 7th (they don't give you much time do they?.. not that I'm thinking otherwise but it does take time to organise these international transfers). I've also looked at the third language requirement in their language policy and I just realized that the standard required for the exit language is a basic level, so I don't think I need to do much more than brush up on my german. Now I can happily say that the 5 years of studying German in High School has finally paid off.

On a separate front, a lot of things have also happened at work. In a way, I've also started thinking of life away from my current job and by the time I leave, I'll have been on the job for more than 4 years. I'm not one for being sentimental, but it would definitely be a sad parting, as I felt that we've gone through so much together as an organisation, and I myself have learnt things which I never imagined I'd learn so early on in my career. Oh well, I guess life goes on, and there is always a possibility of me returning in the future so I shouldn't really get too bogged down. In any case, I will always reserve a special place for all my colleagues who've stuck with us through thick and thin.

But, as they say the show must go on, and I am truly excited with moving to a new country and experiencing a new culture. Furthermore, it'd be great to get back to student life after 6 years of working, and have proper holidays (albeit short ones), where I can travel around Europe with my wife. And I think what I'm most excited with is making new friends, especially with people from all over the world and from all walks of life. I know that in Malaysia, we are a melting pot of cultures, and probably the same can be said of Australia, but from the stories i've heard, the INSEAD experience will be something else. I also look forward to being reunited with some friends who've moved to London (I'm sure they'll be keen to visit us at beautiful Fontainebleau - *hint* guys).

ok then.. I'll write more when I get the time to catch up. Thanks again to all of you for your well wishes, and to answer the question on the last comment - I would definitely try and go for the Wharton exchange. despite the ding, I really have no hard feelings..... really guys! :)

Fonty here I come!!!

2006-03-24T10:17:00.000+08:00

It's official guys... I'm in at INSEAD. I Actually received the email last Friday but didn't get it till late friday as it was sent to my Gmail address. It was nervewrecking as Gmail has this format where you see the first few words of the email. When I saw in my Inbox the mail from my INSEAD interview coordinator, and the words "INSEAD MBA Final decision - Dear Mr S, on behalf of" my pulse started racing. It was a week early and I certainly didn't expect it to come so soon. Once I saw the word "congratulate" I was over the moon. Had to hold back shouting out an emphatic "YES!".

I guess it took a while for it to register in my head that I could be going to one of the top (if not the best) European Schools really soon, that I would have to pack up my life and start a new fresh challenge in a foreign country (I don't treat Australia as foreign as I've pretty much grew up there). I'm sorry for not posting earlier as I mentioned in my last post about letting you guys know soon, but I just got back from a gruelling trip to Azerbaijan. In a way, I had plenty of time to reflect on this during the past week (I've been travelling since 5 am Sunday and only just got back to KL this morning) and the more I think about it, the more excited I get. In any case, there are a lot of other things to consider and write about. Also I would probably want to write something on my trip to Azerbaijan and perhaps throw in a picture or two.

anyways.. this weekend will be one to celebrate.

cheers!!!

Insead Interview No. 2

2006-03-17T17:01:00.000+08:00

This has been long overdue, but I can honestly say that things have been very hectic at work (and also with life in general) that I haven't managed to blog for almost a month. In any case I have a lot of catching up to do but first and foremost I owe fellow blog readers an update on my second INSEAD interview.

Like I said earlier, I was a bit more nervous for this interview as I haven't spoken to the interviewer before but only to his secretary. It became worse when she (the secretary) called to postpone the 11.30 monday morning interview (at 9.30am - which screwed up my plans for the day) and I had no choice but to accept a 4.30pm slot the next day (which was the 28th February - hence the last day to conduct the interview). Luckily for me I managed to finish all my work early and get to the meeting point on time.

The interviewer came down (about 15 mins late) to his office reception area and suggested that we go to a coffee shop at a nearby mall. As it was an order/pay first system, I faced a conundrum whether to offer to pay. I knew that for sure he would pick up the tab (it's only coffee and he's a high ranking executive) but I wasn't sure whether I should at least make the offer (or whether that would seem too over-eager), so in my hesitation he promptly paid which left me no option but to offer a sheepish "thanks".

We then moved to a crowded sitting area and it made me a bit uncomfortable initially. However like the first interview, our discussion went well. It was almost like a casual chat but more detailed as he had not read my essays (my first interviewer specifically asked for them). It started off with questions about my career so far, and where I see it headed. He seemed to want to find out more detail on my work ("describe how your typical work day is like" and "how have you progressed in terms of work over the past few years" or something along those lines). I guess he wanted confirmation that what I put down on my resume was true and not just some fabrication. One tough question he asked which I didn't expect was "how do you make money in your business?". I think I gave a fairly good answer which he seemed satisfied with.

He then went on to Why INSEAD type questions and also "Why Now" but thankfully the first interview prepared me for these and I think I gave out genuine reasons based on my personal circumstances. He mainly agreed that I had made the right choice and that my reasons were well based. He then asked about which other schools I'd apply to so I told him about the Harvard & Wharton dings (which I know was a bit risky - as I had applied to them first, but I had to show him that right now INSEAD was my number one choice). I Also told him that I initially had doubts about a 1 year program but upon further research and speaking to alumni I found out that INSEAD's program just crammed it all within a year and you don't miss out on much. In the end I think we finished off in a good note with him giving an account of his experiences in INSEAD. He graduated in 97 so his experiences were not too recent but nevertheless it again cemented my belief that the school is right for me.

Overall, it was a bit more formal than the first Interview (which was more like a casual chat about my life and also my goals). However it still had a very casual feel which I really liked, and it was over within an hour. I think I did an ok job connecting with both interviewers. Perhaps the first one was easier as we got along better being in a similar age group. I also left both interviews thinking that INSEAD graduates quite "cool" MBA grads. I really hope to be able to join their ranks. Decisions are due next Friday so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Finally - for those who caught the Arsenal v Real Madrid match last week, I'm sure you'd all agree with me when I say that it was a smashing game, probably the best 0-0 game ever. What I took from the game was the bright future of our team (which I've been harping on about for a while now), and I really can't wait to see the Gunners take on mighty Juve in the Quarters. Things are looking good this year, and hopefully it's a start of many good things to come.

INSEAD Interview No. 1

2006-02-22T18:33:00.000+08:00

Monday evening I had my first interview with INSEAD. The alum who conducted it was a graduate in 2003 and is a Malaysian. Overall, I think the interview went well. It was very casual, and I felt a bit overdressed with a tie on... he must have taken his off as work had finished (normally I don't wear ties unless there's a meeting with a client).

The questions mainly centered on "Why MBA?", "Why Now?" & "Why INSEAD". I felt that I ended telling much of my life story while answering the first two questions. The third one was quite tough as I had to justify why INSEAD would be the logical choice for me. In the end, I think I did a fairly reasonable job. We had it at a cafeteria and when it closed, we moved outside to continue at a table near a garden. I managed to get a lot of info on the actual program and it reinforced further that INSEAD would be a great school in which to study at.

Next interview is on Monday so I will probably give more detail and perhaps compare the two interviews later. This one sounds more intimidating. I haven't spoken to the person but only his secretary, whereas the first interviewer was quite friendly even on the phone. I just hope I'll get through it comfortably without too many problems.

Galacticoed

2006-02-22T17:54:00.000+08:00

Things are looking up. It's amazing how 90 minutes of football (or 80 on my part as I missed the first 10, snoozing twice) can change peoples perception so drastically. Just last week, when the Gunners lost to Liverpool people were saying that Arsenal were "shit", "past it" and "on the way down". Yet after this morning's game, people are singing the praises again. Even though the job is only half done, we can't help but look optimistically at the second leg tie after the Gunners wonderfully dispatched a team of Galacticos. In fact, it was mainly due to the brilliance of the mother of all Galacticos (yes Monsieur Henry himself), that we ended up winning, but the manner in which we won gave us a lot of hope for the future. The fact that only three of the outfield players were older than 24 spoke volumes about the performance. Even Flamini filling in at Left back did a good enough job on Beckham and Cicinho to ensure that nervous moments were kept to a minimum. Now I know that this season's hopes rest on Champions League success but for me if we can get past Real Madrid (which is a strong possibility now), then we can definitely dream of going all the way. In fact, I would say getting past the Quarter Finals would be a good enough reason to celebrate, providing we qualify for the Champs League next year. With the crop of youngsters getting exposed to more playing time, I think there's lots of cause for optimism for next season. I know I've mentioned it before but I don't know any other team in the League (or in the world) that has as much attacking talent potential as Arsenal does now. Just think about it. Henry is at his prime (and is hands down the best forward in the world!!). Reyes and Van Persie are still in their early twenties and both have proven that they've got the class (only now they need to turn it on more often). Adebayor is an enigma of sorts, and looks to be as useful as Kanu in his prime. He too is only 21 (or 22). Then there's Walcott (enough's been said about him) and Lupoli (who's been banging in goals for fun in the reserve's league) who are both still teenagers. I'm not even mentioning Aliadiere who's out on loan, and it's enough for me to think that the future at the Emirates stadium will be rosy indeed. Or should I say the future will be "Red & White".

I've actually got updates on my MBA story but I'll put it in another post. I just hope nothing will happen in next couple of days which will wipe this stupid smirk off my face!!!

MAS Travel Fair

2006-02-17T20:01:00.000+08:00

It's back again... the annual MAS Travel Fair. This year it come's with a twist, as you can actually buy the tickets online. It's only the first day, but I've already got my tickets. Been dying for a holiday as the past weeks have been stressful. My wife and I will be going somewhere in April. I'll elaborate more as the time draws closer.

Nonetheless, this year the rates are not great. In fact, I think the rates are not much cheaper than last years normal rates. MAS have upped their rates due to increasing costs, but it's the customers like us who'll suffer.

Oh well... I guess we've got to start getting used to this what with the high oil price not appearing to come down anytime soon.

two interviews

2006-02-10T19:04:00.000+08:00

Just a quick post to all MBA students/applicants... I was wondering whether any of you have been asked to do two interviews for your application. I just got told my interviewer has left Malaysia and was given two other interviewer names. Upon checking, it was confirmed that I was expected to have interviews with both. I'd appreciate any feedback from anyone who has experienced this. I find it odd, and wonder whether it says anything about my candidacy (perhaps my application was too abnormal that they need perspectives from two sources to ascertain whether I'm actually real). Should I be worried? or perhaps relaxed?

tagged by SgHama

2006-02-07T14:10:00.000+08:00

Yes... it's true, I've been tagged by SgHama.. so here goes..

Four jobs I've had in my life:

1 outdoor roofing apprentice
2 drinks maker at a juice bar
3 research analyst
4 business development manager

Four movies I can watch over and over:

1 Shawshank Redemption
2 Lord of the Rings trilogy
3 Oceans Eleven
4 The Usual Suspects

Four places I have lived:

1 Kuala Lumpur
2 Perth, Australia
3 London
4 (don't think I've ever lived anywhere else)

Four TV shows I love to watch:

1 Monk
2 Scrubs
3 American Idol (the auditions)
4 Everybody Loves Raymond

Four places I have been on vacation:

1 Venice, Italy
2 Whistler, Canada
3 Siem Reap, Cambodia
4 Pebble Beach, USA

Four of my favorite dishes:

1 Steak (medium rare)
2 Sashimi
3 Nasi Lemak (with Sambal Sotong)
4 Cozy's Chicken Chop

Four websites I visit daily:

1 soccernet
2 Arsenal.com
3 GMail
4 The Star Online

Four places I would rather be right now:

1 At home with my wife
2 Perth, Australia
3 Whistler
4 Pangkor Laut Resort

Four bloggers I am tagging:

1 Nadio
2 Riz
3 Shahriman
4 Franky4MBA

blog problems

2006-02-03T12:13:00.000+08:00

I have a problem with my blog as the information on the sidebar seems to have gone to the bottom of the screen. Now I tried to change the template and the preview showed that the screen was back to normal. Now that I make the change, it's all gone kooky again.

I would appreciate any help from all fellow bloggers out there.

a nice relaxing break... so it seems

2006-02-02T20:06:00.000+08:00

It's been a hectic first month of the year so far, with obscene amounts of work squeezed in between holidays. Added the fact that my family was back from Australia made the days zoom past and now it's February already! Nevertheless, I had a nice 5 day break for Chinese New Year from last Saturday to Wednesday, and it gave me time to catch up on some rest, some play and also some work.

The wife actually left for Perth on Tuesday morning so that left me with Tuesday and Wednesday alone, and what did I do to celebrate my new (albeit shortlived) bachelorhood status? ...of course I went to the office. Actually after slacking off over the weekend, Tuesday was quite a busy long day as I went to office early morning (after the airport) and then squeezed in a gym workout during lunch. Next I played futsal from 6 to 8 and straight after went for dinner with my brothers and cousins at a nice japanese restaurant. To top it off we went bowling till midnight. I got 177 for my second game (which is my second highest game score ever!) in which I had 5 strikes so I have to say that I'm pretty proud of myself.

Today (Wednesday) I woke up and could hardly walk. Hence I didn't go out the whole day but spent most of it working from home, blogging and finally squeezed in the movie "Flight Plan" somewhere in there. I have to admit it's been a hectic two days.

Also as I promised before, here are some sample pictures from my India trip.

IIM in Ahmedabad

some yummy Gujarati food.

the wife looking great in a saree (she's on the right)

chaotic market place outside the Jama Masjid in Old Delhi

AND FINALLY - THE MAGNIFICENT TAJ MAHAL (through my own eyes - or camera lens at least...)

update (2/2/06) - I couldn't post this last night so am doing it just before I leave the office. There's no one else at the office so I better leave before the creepy ghosts get here...

A lifeline?

2006-01-27T17:45:00.000+08:00

whew.... today I received an interview invite from INSEAD. After the two earlier dings, at least this gave my self-belief a new lease of life. Even though it's a long way to go, and I know that nothing can be certain, this has shown me that I'm "there or thereabouts" in terms of qualifications to enter into MBA. It's also made me excited again to submit my other MBA applications.

Another recent development is I have just gotten a new Toshiba Satellite notebook computer. Compared to my old dinosaur Dell Inspiron (which used to crash daily just to piss me off), this is certainly much much better. I have a slightly bigger screen (15" v 14") but overall its the same size (but thinner). It's also lighter meaning less burden on my shoulders. The screen is super clear, it has DVD/R & also built in Wi-fi. Nothing too spectacular but for me it's like driving a Porsche compared to driving an old Nissan Cefiro. No offence intended to any Nissan owners but that's what I'm driving now and I can confidently say that it's no Porsche.

Finally.... Gong Xi, Gong Xi! for all those celebrating the Chinese New Year. May the year of the dog be a good year for all of us.

cheers.

the messiah

2006-01-21T10:08:00.000+08:00

It was confirmed late last night (Malaysian time) that Arsenal has completed the signing of the most exciting football talent since Wayne Rooney first burst into the scene. On the surface, this boy seems to have the gifts to take Arsenal into the next level. I think by next season a strike force featuring Henry, Van Persie, Walcott, Adebayor (yet to see him play) and Lupoli (I consider Reyes a winger as he plays better out wide) will undoubtedly be the most exciting attacking force ever seen in the history of the Premiership. Granted that all the above (with exception of Henry) are still very very young, and it shudders me to think how good our team will be in 3 years time.

Now that we have the attack sorted out, we must focus on midfield (where our biggest problems lie this season). Reyes when on form is superb but his flashes of brilliance come too far apart to be convincing that he can take on the left wing position permanently. Pires & Ljungberg are nearing their used by dates and hence won't be around for much longer (a couple of years max). Hleb has shown some nice touches but so far the end product (i.e. killer pass or goal) has been sparse.

In center midfield Fabregas has shown the vision and composure to remind me of a young Pep Guardiola but he still seems a bit lightweight. Gilberto is also not young and his form this season is pretty poor (probably due to being in and out of the team through injury). Flamini also shows a lot of industry and seems to be running on Energizer batteries, but for all his hard work, I dont see him having the class to be more than a bit part player at Arsenal. That brings me down to Diaby (also dubbed the new Vieira). It was a breath of fresh air to hear that he snubbed Chelsea to come to Arsenal. Now perhaps, him and Cesc can form the future dream midfield partnership for Arsenal. He certainly seems to fit the Vieira mold, i.e. tall, lanky, hardworking, strong tackling, plus reports have said that this guy has the finishing skills which Paddy sometimes lacked.

Defence is ok for now with Sol having successfully guided the raw talent of Toure, and if the same can be done for Senderos, then the Center half position can be safe for the next 5 years or so. Left back sees Clichy backing up Cole very well (too bad for us they were both injured leaving us with the other French "C" defender). Right back Lauren is a hard worker who quietly goes about doing his job efficiently, and Eboue looks a capable successor. Don't forget we have Hoyte waiting on the wings and it looks like if we have all of them fit, then defence should be sorted. I have to admit that at times this season, our defence has been let down by the poor cover received from midfield. Lets hope that Diaby can add more badly needed steel to the side.

Finally, our problem position (since Seaman retired) seems to be Lehmann's in the short term. Though he is ok, to me he has a mental problem and I would like to see a younger goalkeeper be groomed to take over (sorry but Almunia, Taylor, Shaaban & Stack dont cut the mustard). Perhaps Cassilas can join us to complete my dream team for Arsenal heading to the impressive Emirates Stadium.

well.. we can dream, can't we?

Strike Two

2006-01-20T16:05:00.000+08:00

18th of January has come and gone, and as expected, I received the DING from Harvard. I guess I saw that one coming, having not receiving an interview invite by December, and also after the Wharton result. Oh well, I guess I have to move on to other options. Right now, I'm still delaying the Columbia application as I haven't had the time to sit down to focus on the essays. Will do so perhaps during the Chinese New Year holidays. Also LBS is due in mid February so I'll have to get that application done soon too.

Actually, I'm sort of dragging my feet with these as things are moving so quickly at work. There is even a possibility of me postponing my MBA aspiration. (Perhaps a change in the blog name may become necessary). Right now, we(together with my management team) have successfully turned around our company, and after some old heads left, there were doubts whether management could continue getting jobs in the future. In fact the last couple of months were particularly stressful as we went up against a new competitor (made up of many ex-employees). I am proud to say that despite everything, we managed to win a major project, and my frequent trips to Singapore these past months(and riding on the crowded MRT) was worth the effort. Actually, some of our key people even resigned late last year as they believed the "stories" about our company not getting any more work, but we somehow managed to convince them to stay. It gave me the greatest satisfaction to see their relieved faces when we learnt that our competitor (who had been recruiting aggressively from our technicians base) began firing the technicians they hired only 2 months back, after receiving news yesterday that they lost the job.

Anyway, enough about work and back to my future plans, the INSEAD option looks promising as I can be finished with school within a year. Also LBS's option of 15 months appeals to me too. Perhaps I'm jumping the gun here, but I wonder if INSEAD will consider deferring me to January intake (if by chance I'm accepted). Those who have experience in this "deferral business" please give my your feedback ok.

Finally, I can happily say that things are starting to look up in 2006. Firstly the news about the contract we won means it's the first major contract won where I was the main driver involved in bidding from the start to the finish. Secondly, Arsenal are back to our best thrashing a woeful Middlesborough team 7-0, Thierry Henry has stated that he will stay at Arsenal, and we have bought 2 exciting young players (one of whom is dubbed the new Vieira).

And that's not counting the news on Theo Walcott signing (which is expected to be completed today), which sees the most expensive and exciting 16 year old come to Arsenal (and snub Cheslki), and provides us with someone who can perhaps take over the baton from Henry when he eventually retires.

2006.... you gotta love it!

Delhi belly

2006-01-04T12:36:00.000+08:00

Just returned from a nice holiday in India and overall we had a fairly good time. As the title suggests - I fell ill to the famous delhi belly which reputedly strikes 30% to 70% of travellers to India (according to Lonely Planet - i still don't get the wide range as 30% is very different from 70%).

On the other hand, the first half of the trip was in Gujarat, so we mainly had vegetarian food. Being vegetarian for 4 days was kinda cool, though it did leave me craving for a nice juicy steak towards the end of the trip. I wasn't able to enjoy much of the nice Moghul food in Delhi and Agra as my stomach never completely recovered.

New Year's eve was spent in Agra and it was very nice to see the Taj Mahal. I have to admit it was one of the most impressive sights I have ever seen, and the "wow factor" was certainly up there alongside the Colosseum & the Angkor Wat temple. The weather ranged from mild in Surat (Gujarat) to cold in Delhi, and other than the heavy fog, I had no complaints.

I also realized one thing during the trip, which was that India was a shopper's paradise for women, but for men, it was a bit boring. I only bought a (nice) cashmere sweater out of necessity to keep myself warm. My missus on the other hand .... let me just say that i'm glad she was quite good at bargaining/haggling prices with vendors.

Wanted to post some pictures online, but haven't gotten around to doing so yet. maybe over the weekend.

till then... adios!

Math Problems

2005-12-20T18:00:00.000+08:00

An interestingly funny piece I found on the web or from another blog a few months ago, and I was reminded of it over the weekend. Not that I'm hinting anything about women (or about my wife), but last Saturday I met up with a friend who's still single and perhaps this equation applies to him.. hehe.. just kidding mate (you know who you are).

On a more serious note, I've decided that I will not be able to submit the LBS application before Round 2 deadline of 6th January as I'll be away overseas from the 24th till 2nd and I don't think I can get the essays ready by then. However, since it's a 4 round thing, I'll apply by round 3 (in Feb) and hopefully the stronger application I put in (with extra month work), will still get through the so called lottery round (though most schools only have 3 rounds so in effect round 3 is the last round - not so with LBS). More positively, I'll get the Columbia applications done sometime in January. I'm targeting somewhere around the 15th so that I can get a result before mid April.

One other thing I did think about was "what would happen if I don't get into any of the programs?". I'm thinking I will probably reapply next year again, and after adding INSEAD to my list, I'm beginning to consider the January intake for INSEAD and also the 15 month accelerated program for Columbia/LBS. If it does happen (i.e. i start early 2007), then i will still finish it around the same time as with a full 2 year MBA program starting in September 2006. Perhaps an even better option for me as it will give me more time to get a proper replacement in to take over my job at work. I'd appreciate any feedback from all of you readers who have done research on these options. I still hope to see the light at the end of the tunnel!!

(for those wondering, I won't talk about Arsenal in the near future as I don't want to be depressed during the holiday season!)

Get Real

2005-12-17T02:18:00.000+08:00

Things are definitely heating up now on the football front. Firstly, as my title suggests, Arsenal are drawn with the Galacticos for the next round of the Champions League. The thought of Henry and the gang up against Zidane, Ronaldo, Raul, Beckham & Robinho is enough to make me salivate in anticipation. The only good thing to come from this is that we really get to know how good we actually are by playing one of the best clubs (albeit in a bit of turmoil) in the world. I'm actually quite confident as we usually do well against teams that play open attacking football. The problems arise when we play teams that have a "close down, intimidate, tackle hard, and don't let Arsenal play first" mentality (especially boring old Chelsea!). Often the result is that we get frustrated and unless we get an early goal, will end up self destructing.

Now, the worst thing is that the two legged cup tie will only be played in February and March. In the mean time, the Premier league continues with the Gunners returning to Highbury after two disastrous away games against nonother than Sourinho's blue brigade. Now this is a must win for us (even though it won't matter much for the league as we are miles behind now), but it is essential for morale that we don't lose and at least put up a good showing. A sound thrashing (though very unlikely) would be a perfect ending to an otherwise lackluster (calendar) year for the Gunners.

As you all can tell by this post, not much is happening in the MBA front so that's why I'm rambling on about football. However, I would like to end on an optimistic note in that I have a feeling that next year will be a good year for me. To make it interesting, my goals for next year are as follows:

i) Get into an MBA program at a school which I'll be happy at.
ii) Get the company continuing to grow and consolidate on the solid year we had in 2005.
iii) Arsenal to finish the season with a bang by winning the UEFA Champions league (though out of my control - I still believe deep down that if I pray hard enough this will happen:))
iv) Become a dad (or at least be in the process of becoming a dad)
v) lose at least 5kg.

Now that i've laid bare my thoughts, I hope that by this time next year, it doesn't come back and bite me in the ass. I'll be really happy with any 3 out of the 5. anything more will be a bonus. Actually, one of them itself will make me so happy that even if the others don't happen, I wont have a care in the world. I'll let you all guess which one it is.

Finally, on a separate note, met up with a friend who's recovering from Leukemia tonight. She is really doing well, and seeing the courage that she had going through the difficult experiences was really inspiring. I know that I can't take my health for granted, and I'm now determined to lead a healthier more balanced life, meaning exercising more often and eating better. Here's to leaner, healthier, happier and more prosperous student/gooner/dad in 2006.

Merry Christmas to All!

Away day woe!

2005-12-11T12:34:00.000+08:00

Gunners have lost again. Away from home, the team looks very vulnerable, and again I sensed the worst when Gilberto got sent off. Sure enough, we lost to Newcastle and not even half way through the season, we've lost same number of games as last year. It's really shaping up to be a bad year for the Gunners. And again it's a case of December blues, which always turns out to be the worst month for us. With Chelsea game coming up next - I can't believe I'm saying this but I have no confidence for us to get a result against Old Mour's team.

Things are also getting really depressing on a few other fronts. Firstly I got dinged from Wharton without even an interview. The worst thing for me was that I had built up high hopes of getting into Wharton after going to all their admissions events and meeting up with a few of the Admissions committee. After spending much time scouring the S2S boards for ideas and tips, I felt that my application was solid. I guess I just don't fit into the mould, as my work background was very "different" from most applicants. Perhaps there were too many questions. Now I don't want to fall into the same trap to build up hope on the other schools, though deep down I know that to get into INSEAD, LBS or Columbia would still be a dream come true. Instead of being optimistic, I'm taking the conservative route and expecting the worst (i.e. dings from all) and having to postpone this MBA dream of mine. At least if/when I do get accepted, it will be a very good surprise.

As the year draws to a close, I'm hoping 2006 will turn out to be better year for me. Not only on the MBA front, on the footballing front the Gunners will be moving to a new stadium. Also on the personal front, I am really hoping for a nice "surprise" sometime soon. I won't elaborate here but I'll explain more as the time comes.

I would like to send my warmest season's greetings to all (10 or so?) readers of this blog. May the coming holiday season be filled with happiness, and may the coming year bring better luck and good fortune to you all.

Cheers!!

INSEAD application is in

2005-12-08T14:41:00.000+08:00

I've been meaning to write earlier but have either been too busy with the INSEAD application or too depressed because the Gunners lost (Again!) over the weekend. I should have expected it going into the game that the Trotters would make us work, and once Henry hit the post the second time, I realized that it wasn't going to be Arsenal's night.. or season.

As hard as it is to say it, I've got to admit that Arsenal's poor away form (in the league) is probably due to the loss of Vieira. I mean, when even Gilberto gets muscled out of the ball (i.e. pic), we have to expect the worst from the rest of the lightweight midfield. I only hope that Fabregas will continue to get tougher(and grow another 6 inches?) to be more like the powerful Vieira in the future. Oh well.. hopefully the new Arsenal is better suited to the European game and can bring home the Champions League trophy.

Enough about football...I have to admit that I was really rushing to submit the INSEAD applications, mainly due to last minute changes in the last two essays. I thought everything was going fine up until the night before the due date when I read the essays and realized that they didn't really answer the questions. To cut a long story short, I finally completed the everything and pressed submit at midnight last night. After uploading the photo (a nice one I must admit :P), and making online payment which was painfully slow probably due to many last minute idiots like me, I was able to go to bed at 2 am. On the plus side - the video tour of the INSEAD campuses was nice and it kept me occupied in between pressing the reload button on the payment page.

Anyways, it's another one down and next will be LBS and Columbia. I notice that there are many INSEAD & LBS student bloggers nowadays so I do hope to be able to join their ranks next year.

Back from India & Wharton no more

2005-11-30T18:12:00.000+08:00

Finally got the chance to reflect on the latest developments in my life. The pace has been so hectic since my last post. A lot has happened since then, basically the summary is as follows: Interesting business trip to India, got rejected by Wharton, decided to apply to a few more schools, friend gave birth to a beautiful baby, and throw in a hectic schedule at work submitting 3 tenders.

Now the India trip - as expected I had a relatively enjoyable experience in a new country and seeing a totally different culture, but I have to admit the traffic there really puts KL's so called traffic jams to shame. Mumbai was very very busy and Pune was a bit cooler and nicer. One thing... the food was delish. The picture above is of a busy Mumbai street and the other is of my company's office in Pune. A slight contrast to Reliance's supercomplex (with their architecturally astounding buildings and manicured lawns) which I managed to visit in Navi Mumbai. To see the people there (especially the poor living in the slums area) and the lives they lead kinda makes me realise that we have it so good here in Malaysia.

I have to admit my experiences in India did soften the blow of getting the ding from Wharton. Now that that's done (I really expected to at least be interviewed!), I guess I have no choice but to move on. After returning home, I went to an MBA tour event in KL, and though the turnout was quite disappointing (from the schools), I did manage to get some good discussions with the Darden admissions lady and also had a long chat with an INSEAD alumni. I'm glad I attended though as I walked away feeling that I would fit in well at INSEAD. Wharton was there too but I didn't go and say hi, though maybe I should have as I may end up reapplying next year if I don't get into any of the other schools.

3rd event - a good friend just delivered a beautiful baby girl by the name of Sarah. Worst thing for me is the pressure I got from her friends and family, i.e. "When's your turn?" Oh well, I guess it'll have to wait till after the MBA........ or maybe even during :)

Going to Bangkok for work again tomorrow. Not too excited as I've been there a few times this year already but looking forward to some nice Thai food. All this travelling really plays havoc on my health as I end up eating too much and forgo any exercise for the week.

INSEAD apps are due Dec 7 so I doubt I'll be posting before then. Wish me luck again guys!! cheers..

India Trip

2005-11-15T11:20:00.000+08:00

Tomorrow I'm going to India for the first time. It's exciting, though I'll be going for work and thus won't have much time for sightseeing. Unfortunately, I'm not going to Delhi so won't be able to visit the Taj Mahal at Agra. Oh well.. guess I'll have to make another trip there to catch this magnificent sight.

This trip will keep me occupied enough to not be worried about my interview invites. It's still at the back of my mind though as the Wharton deadline is looming. Being the eternal optimist, I still think I have a good chance. I'll update soon on the outcome and also on my trip with more pictures upon my return. (I just discovered how to add pics to the blog)

Oh yeah one more thing - the past weekend has seen no Premier League action so I won't be bitching about some boring rich London team... to the relief of the few readers of my blog!!! :)

Gunners record stays

2005-11-07T13:43:00.000+08:00

And what did I say?

Chelsea has lost in the league and for now the Gunner's legendary unbeaten record is safe again. Not that I really expected Chelsea to beat the record as they were due to play at Highbury before they could reach it, but at least it's out of the way now and the Gunners can now focus on our own game. A win with the game in hand cuts Chelsea's lead to 8 points, and open's the title race up. Too bad there's a break next weekend for Internationals. Just when Chelski was stumbling.

On a more personal note - this past week of holidays in Malaysia has been hectic yet enjoyable. I spent Eid celebrations away from my family for first time in a while, and it was kind of sad, but at the same time I also had lots of good food and quality time with the "in-laws". Also stuffed myself silly having 5 meals on Thursday and Friday (and this after going 1 month with just 1 meal a day!!). Oh well - at least the fasting is done for this year.

Still no news on the interview invites yet. I'm starting to get nervous. Perhaps it's time to take out the essays again and start changing them to suit the other school's application. My ego will take a severe beating if I don't get invited to any interviews. Please pray for me! cheers to all the good wishes so far...

Chelsea Lost

2005-10-27T17:35:00.000+08:00

Chelsea lost! Chelsea lost! Chelsea lost! yippeeeee...

May this be the start of the fall.

At least this will cheer me up from the nervous wait for interview invites. I know it's early days yet but didn't Wharton start handing out invites on the 2oth? everyday it gets closer to the 17th November deadline (i don't know what it is for HBS) but checking your mail every 5 minutes sure isn't healthy eh?

Wharton done

2005-10-17T14:26:00.000+08:00

whew!! after submitting my application to Wharton & Harvard last week, I felt like a huge load has been taken off me. The last 4 months has been busy with GMAT and then essays, so to finally get it out of the way was a major relief. Like other fellow bloggers, I've been struck with the same disease, which is to try and write as little as possible. I think it has even carried through to my work, with my emails all cut down to one or two liners!!

well, now that it's over, I can go back to being my old "long winded" self again. Right now, I can rest for a couple of weeks but then I'll start worrying about interview invites, and may also start doing some second round applications just for safety. Though I'm happy with both applications so far, the odds are of course not in my favour so it may be wise for me to have some backup plans. It's just that I don't want to waste money unecessarily on other applications if I don't have to.

On another front, despite being relatively relaxing, this weekend was also emotional. We said goodbye to a friend who is returning to her home country . It's kind of sad to think that after a year of sharing lots of experiences together, we don't know when we will meet again. oh yeah, and another thing, the gunners lost again. I am absolutely "p&$#@% off with how the team are playing and so i will not talk about them any more for now...... hmmm.. not until Titi is back at least..

Harvard R1 Deadline

2005-10-10T12:16:00.000+08:00

Facing the Harvard R1 deadline tomorrow, I thought I'd be panicking by now. Fortunately for me (also very unlike me) I've finished all the essays. Now it's only a matter of last minute read through for all the essays (to make sure spelling and grammar are all correct after numerous chopping and changing) and then uploading them. Then my app is ready to be submitted. Then it's on to the same for Wharton and after that I can relax for a while. Or maybe not... as i'll be counting the days to waiting for interview invites. If I don't hear anything by November, then it'll be starting the whole process again for 3 more schools for round 2. geez... i really hope i do get into one of H/W, if not for wanting to avoid writing another bloody essay about myself.

Overall, I'm quite happy with my essays (most have undergone at least 5 revisions) and these last months of natural disasters have made me realise the minute significance of this MBA process. I mean.. just look at the big picture. At least I live in a comfortable place with all necessities available and all family are safe. hmm.. yet i can't help thinking that in any case, two dings from these schools would put me straight into depression.

fingers crossed!!

A European Force?

2005-09-29T12:26:00.000+08:00

Away win at last.. Yesterday we beat those kids from Amsterdam and now hopefully the Gunners will be a force in Europe. Last night stayed up to watch the Pool Chelski game and though it was interesting i fell asleep during half time. Lucky i did so as the game ended 0-0.

As I finish my MBA essays (for H & W), one thought suddenly struck me (and sent shivers down my spine) I don't know whether there will be live coverage of Premier League games in the US. Now don't ask me why but I never thought about this, as I've always had access to live games in Malaysia and Australia. I really hope there is some kind of coverage as I can't imagine not getting my regular fix on football (the real football, not the kind of sport where they throw the ball around and wear padding) . Anyways, I first have to get into B-school so I shouldn't count my chickens yet. At least the essays are done (except for a few changes to be done once i get feedback from trusted sources), and recos are on the way. Now I can just sit back, relax and just hope that there won't be any technical glitches whilst uploading the rest of the application. Can't wait to all this is over to find out whether I will get called for interview. I am also hoping that I wont have to apply to second round at other schools.. hehehe..sometimes i'm told that i'm way too optimistic and bordering on being foolish.

cheers.

Update on applications

2005-09-15T19:21:00.000+08:00

oh well - 1 out of 2 aint that bad. But to lose to Boro after 8 wins the last 9 times we played them was a huge letdown. Not to mention winning by the skin of our teeth against the supposed whipping boys of the Champions League FC Thun. Next game - Everton, with both teams desperately in need of a win. when oh when is Henry back, as we are clearly short of ideas without our "talisman" on the pitch.

On the application front, i'm done with all the essays except for the ethics one. It is so hard to think of what to write in this essay but I can't postpone doing it any longer. My goal is to finish it by Saturday and then start going over all the other essays again (which means i'll end up re-writing most of them. At the moment, i am also thinking of hedging my bets and applying to LBS in 1st round. Some have told me that i'll be a shoo-in there (being international and relatively high GMAT) but if that's the case then i would prefer to apply 2nd round only if i don't already get admitted to Wharton. at least can save on some $$$; oh decisions, decisions.

I'm back

2005-09-08T17:19:00.000+08:00

almost a month since my last post. i've got to admit these essays are harder than expected. I've pretty much done the Wharton ones and about half way through Harvards. Need to pass to my recommenders by end of the week so they can begin on their recommendations. Also have to juggle work (which is busy as ever), and can't forget my social life right? I have to keep my sanity otherwise there's no point of doing my MBA. oh yeah this weekend is back to premier league after two weeks break from my beloved Arsenal (this is the part of the season i hate most coz i feel we were just getting excited about the new season and then they go and stick two international games in there)... oh well this week will be good as there's also Champions league. my prediction Gunners to win both games 2-0..

Siem Reap

2005-08-10T11:26:00.000+08:00

Just got back from my holidays to Siem Reap, Cambodia and have to say that it was a really wonderful trip. We stayed at FCC hotel which is a nice boutique hotel in the middle of Siem Reap town. The temples of Angkor Wat were magnificent and what I found really amazing was how these people managed to come up with such grand temples a thousand years ago. My favourite has to be Ta Phrom (i.e. the Angelina Jolie tomb raider temple) as there we see the jungle taking over the temple. Kind of like "nature's revenge" against man.

On the MBA front, I brought my essays but didn't manage to do one bit of writing there. It was kind of hard as we went as a group of 7 friends. Time was spent either sight seeing or chatting (or for my wife - shopping). I guess I have to really put more effort on the essays now that holidays are over. Time is ticking and October 11 is approaching fast.

Finally - this weekend is the start of the FA Premier League season and I am eagerly anticipating to see how the Gunners will do this season. The sale of capt Vieira is sure to put a dent to our capabilities but I trust Mr Wenger's decision making as so far he has hardly put a foot wrong. It's good to see that he has faith with the youngsters (Cesc, Reyes, Flamini, Clichy, Senderos, etc.), and I too look forward to seeing them form the backbone of Arsenal for many years to come.

Journey to my MBA has begun

2005-07-29T09:30:00.000+08:00

Today has been very unproductive, from the 1 hour plus spent commuting to a meeting which lasted 30 minutes and the neverending interruptions from fellow colleagues, I managed to squeeze in some work. Anyways, have got too much on my mind right now, with the foremost being "when will I stop procrastinating and write the bloody essays". Well, the long journey I mentioned earlier actually started December last year when I decided that I wanted an MBA. That started the process of finding out about schools, application process, costs, GMAT (I have to study again??), etc.

After finally getting the go ahead from Dad (who is also my current boss), and from my wife (actually this may have been first) and rest of the family, i've decided to go ahead and start the process. I've pretty much narrowed down the schools I'll be targeting and coming from an International background, one big (and I mean BIG) criteria is the reputation of the school as well as the breadth of the alumni network. Well that pretty much narrowed my top choices to HBS & Wharton... appart from them I'll also be applying to Columbia, Chicago, MIT and LBS. As for backups - I never really thought about it and hope not to have to resort to backups (surely I'll get accepted at one of these schools.... at least i desperately hope so) oh well guess I'll have to deal with it when the time comes.

As for GMAT, after painstakingly studying for 2 months, I took the exam and lo and behold - managed to get my targeted score. I'm proud to say it is within the range of the averages of the schools above. Now that it's out of the way (and after wallowing in the glory of my achievement for 2 weeks) I realised have to get cranking on the rest of the application. Note to self: Gotta start actually writing the ESSAYS as all those notes and bullet points will not miraculously be transformed into something legible when I wake up one morning.

till next time....

Hello world

2005-07-28T07:39:00.000+08:00

Wow! Never thought I'd actually be writing my own blog, after reading so many wonderful ramblings online these past few months. Actually blogging is a new thing for me (being the tech savvy person that I am!) but i thought that since I'm going to embark on a new phase (or "journey") in my life, I might as well jot down a few things so that the significance of all this will not get lost in the whirlwind which is my life. Well as the name suggests, I am planning to get admission to an MBA program for next year (2006). Application process already started in that I'm done with the GMAT (achieved my target score - WOO HOO!), and got to get started on the more difficult part.... writing the essays.

For those who don't know me, here's a quick intro - I was born and bred in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia but left home in my early teens for Perth, Western Australia where I spent 5 years in school/5 years in University at UWA/and 2 years of working (or bumming around). I returned home 3 years ago, ready to take on the world (or KL at least) and now after having finally settled into the hustle and bustle of life in KL, I'm ready for a new challenge. That's the short version of my life story so far but I'll keep filling in the blanks later.

Oh yeah - one more thing, I have to mention that I'm a die hard fan of the Arsenal Gunners ("oooohh...that explains the odd blog name" - i hear in the background) so don't be shocked to hear me rambling on about the team in the coming months.