Just another one of those days...

Sigh... its another one of THOSE days... thats right.. u know what im talking bout... one of THOSE days...

those days when u feel ur alone in the world: when ud probably appreciate a foe's mis-directed attention just as much as a friend's well-directed intentions... possibly even more... when u know everyone's so preoccupied with their own world to care about ur own... not their fault.. everyone's got a life to live and improve... but yet u keep wondering how everyone else manages to stay so happy... even though it may be just on the surface...

and all of a sudden u come to the realization that u dont know what ur doing in life: why you're doing what you're currently doing.. why you arent doing something else in life... its not that youre not suited to it... its just that you keep wondering isnt it about damn time you moved on to better things?? things that u see ex-colleagues and former classmates have achieved about what seems like decades ago.. but u just cant seem to be in sight of... and then you wonder... what am i lacking??

and then you wonder why you are here: why this place, of all places... was it a mistake coming here? to a place where you've never seen anyone so materialistic in your entire life... where ppl judge you on your expensive tastes, as opposed to what you think, what you say, and what you do... where on the most intimate level people are just as unaccepting of you as you could never imagine... for reasons unbeknownst to you...

and you come to the conclusion that maybe.. just maybe.. you dont belong here.. you dont fit in: and you consider options that help you leave... no, youre not running away like a coward... you just want to move on to greener pastures.. but what if the fields there are just as barren as they are now? what if its worse?

and then you look inwards again: maybe its just better to be a bastard like everyone else you meet.. and not give 2 hoots about anyone else around you... sure, you'll make enemies along the way... but atleast you'll be in peace with yourself... saying atleast u had some fun... but then another glance inwards says the exact opposite.. you're not that kind of person... you're better than those you observe... maybe not in every way.. but definitely in some way... and that same inward glance tells you to keep going... that maybe the path you're on isnt as bad as it looks.. sure, it may not seem like the Yellow Brick Road... but still... atleast its not the plank.. so you tell yourself it'll get better... you tell yourself to keep going...


and not to give up...


and to keep the good in... and keep the wrong out... no matter how 'attractive' the 'wrong' options may seem...


so what if youre alone?? if you are, people obviously subconsciously believe you can do better than them... wouldnt wanna prove em wrong on that, now wud we?


and sometimes... just writing it out helps...


and also, that sometimes.. just Sometimes...



It's OK to be a bastard to others...every once-in-a-while... it purges the devil within...


but dont let it kill the person inside...

Welcome back to School!!!

Well, so thats the story of how I got to Switzerland... the next issue: what now???

Some basic info about my MBA programme:
- its 1 year long
- it comes pre-loaded with a high proportion of Finance.. (Oh Joy!!!)
- it requires an internship period from June to August at any company in Switzerland or abroad
- there are just 34 students!!!!

Here's what I confirmed within a few days of my arrival here: Switzerland is BLOODY EXPENSIVE!!!! The only folks in my programme not freaked out by the money value of things are the Americans and the Europeans.. n that covers about 90% of my class demographics.. not counting the 10 indians and myself...

The courses arent bad at all, though.. Having never being formally educated in business, I'm actually learning quite alot... here's a breakdown of what I think of some of my courses so far.. if any of my MBA classmates read this, they might agree... if they dont, well, who gives a shit, its MY blog!! My stage!!! My thoughts!!! (Okkayyy, gettin a bit carried away here...):

- Finance 1 (Accounting & Controlling): Seemed like all this course required was SHIT LOADS of reading!! and alotta falling asleep in class... until we got the project.. now THAT was a bit better.. i guess i've always been the kind of person who learns more by doing rather than sitting and listening.. so this project involved analyzing financial reports, doing some really basic calculations.. and finally, analyzing why so-and-so move boosted up the stock price of the company by x percent... Yup.. Interesting, eh??

- International Management: I actually found this subject really easy to understand... equipped with TONNES of examples of companies expanding overseas n the kind of problems they faced... was kinda good overall.. except for the fact that the professor couldnt control discussions when students started asking questions.. and that really helped considering we have some classmates who just DONT KNOW WHEN TO STOP!!!

- Finance 2: Stocks!!! Futures!!! Options!!! Lotsa Math!!! what else can I possibly add about this subject, except for it provided the platform for my first argument with a classmate here.. officially uncovered the Bitch of the Millenium among our classmates.. yes, yes, she got to me in an even worse way than 'She-who-irritates-me-greatly'...

- Strategic Management: This is a module that involved almost NO teaching!!! Instead, we had to work on case studies for EVERY class, and present discuss them ourselves... was good in some ways.. intolerable in others...

- Business Law: currently going thru this module right now... infact, i should be researching stuff for our group project, but instead here I am writing entertaining material for you!! :) the classes are absolutely boring!!! the lecturer speaks in a way that reminds me of Jim Carrey in Ace Ventura, and there's barely any teaching.. he just comes in and starts discussing examples.. n he's SHIT scary.. approaches students like he's approaching a witness on a stand.. well, he IS a lawyer, after all..

Aside from the subjects, there's been loads of other stuff going on, which I think i'll write about later (i should get on the research for now):

- Change of apartment..
- the finding of 'Bastard of the year'... I think he should TOTALLY get together with 'Bitch of the Year' and outdo the Hitlers!!!
- Booooooorrrriiinnnnggggg Christmas vacations
- How fragile egos can be in an MBA programme
- searching for internships/jobs..
- and Loads More...

so stay tuned, Folks!!!

July to August

First up.. what happened in July and where'd I disappear to in August?

Well, some of you remember that aside from finally keep myself seriously preoccupied with work, I was applying to business schools around the globe. To be completely honest, I was pretty much out of options for attending business school in 2007 as most application deadlines had run out.

I'd sat for the GMAT test (thats what I visited Shanghai in June for), but since then had changed my mind and decided to join the business full-time.

Then, on the 10th of July, came the email....

the University of St. Gallen invited me to send an application for their 1-year MBA program. Deadline: 15th July.

My first reaction: Burst out laughing at the thought of going to Switzerland to study... no way did I wanna put that burden on my parents.. Just the tuition itself was about Rm. 150,000, so you can understand my concern.

A couple of evenings later I casually mentioned it over dinner to dad, just as a joke. Apparently he didnt take it as humorously as I did, since he sincerely told me to get my butt online and apply ASAP.

So what did i do?? Thats right.. I was up till 3 or 4am filling out the application just a couple of hours before the deadline..

Anyways, so in a couple of days I get an email saying they'd like to set-up an appointment for a telephone interview.. and a few more fine days later, on the way home from the gym 1 evening, I get a call from the admissions dude askin me if I'm free to talk now... great!! this is an interview for an MBA programme, I haven't prepared anything at all, I'm not even in the proper environment.. so naturally what do i say???: Sure!!

45 minutes later, the call's over, and I felt it went pretty well... but the thought looming in my head was 'Why the heck should I make my family afford this???'.. so my crooked brain decides: hey, if these guys with supposedly 'high' requirements are accepting me, then y not look at some university better than it, but cheaper and ranking among the Top 100... so I find EADA in Barcelona, Spain, and decide to apply for their MBA programme instead...

Long story short, they refused me admission to the MBA programme, but decided to offer me admission to their International Business masters programme instead.. So i go: COOL!!! I'm headin to Barcelona!!! Spanish Chicks all around!!!

Or thats what I thought, neways...

Dad came home a night later, and I updated him on the situation.. so he spoke to a personal friend of his, who has alot more expertise in this stuff than the 2 of us combined... n then sits me down, and asks me why did i not wanna attend the Swiss uni.. simple reason: the Money!! plus i didnt really wanna trust an upcoming program, so i wasnt sure about it... after some research, we find out the uni's really well ranked, but its just their MBA programme thats new and unknown... Dad pretty much figures out the reason I'm more interested in Spain:

Dad: You just want to go to Barcelona to watch Ronaldinho play!!
Me: No Dad!!! Honest... (I really didnt... up to that point until dad mentioned it..)
Dad: Then why not choose the Swiss uni??
Me: Because it just sounds fishy the way they're aggressively recruiting me... I'm not THAT good!!
Dad: Look, lets consider the Swiss uni.. after all, the guy said you have chances to get a loan!!
Me: Ok.. let's see (I hope I dont get the loan.. I hope I dont get the loan!!!

1 day later: I get a call from the admissions officer at the Swiss uni: We're offering u 50% loan...

Me: Oh Crap!!!
Dad: All Right!!! Look, its definitely a viable option now!!

another 2 days later: I get an email from the Swiss uni: We're offering u 100% loan...

Dad: Thats settled then!!! You're going to Switzerland!! Trust me, its a good uni, and the MBA programme will be too!!!
Me: I'll Never Get to see Ronaldinho Playyy!!!! :(

So neways, within another day or 2 we're talking visa requirements with the uni, and it turns out I have to return to Paki-land to arrange for my Swiss visa...

A week later, I'm back in Paki-land.. on the 14th of Aug (Independence Day), amid bombing threats... within a few days I've applied for my visa.. unfortunately, around this time my grandmother (May she Rest in Peace) took to being ill, and I was among the ones taking turns keeping watch at the hospital...

Mom shows up on the 27th... unfortunately, it was due to Grandma's condition... on the 29th, amid growing fears regarding Grandma's condition, I cut my Birthday Pizza (instead of cake), and a few hours later boarded the flight to Karachi, where I would catch the Emirates flight to Zurich via Dubai.. (First time in my life I got to celebrate my birthday in 3 different countries simulteneously!!!)

And so, after nearly bashing a kid's head in during my 10 hr layover at Karachi airport, I was on my way to Zurich!!!

Up Next: It Begins...

I'm Back!!!

So!!! What have i been up to for the past.... 5 months or so???

And why have i decided to update my blog NOW, of all times?? when ive had countless opportunities to do so previously and loads of stories to share with all my readers (a.k.a. the select few)...

Well, I shall answer the 2nd question first... I know ive had holidays when ive had nothin to do but laze around.. late nights when im just re-watching old movies.. but the best time is obviously during a Hideously boring class... I'm sure you would all agree :)

Annyyywayyy... here's what's coming up in the next few posts (no more delays this time!! this is a Hideously boring and LOOOONG class!!! so i'll finish it all off today..):

i) What happened in July?
ii) Where'd I disappear to in August?
iii) September onwards: What the HECK am I doing in this part of the world??
iv) Job/Internship searches.. they never end, do they?? Sigh...
So... lemme crack my fingers, bitch-slap myself awake, and finish off the remnants of my iced tea... and lets get Cracking!!!

Now That's some spooky shit,...

Ok, I realize I haven't written in a while... n heck, most of the ppl who read this blog I keep in touch with anyways...

anyways, its the end of the 1st semester (of my MBA programme, for those of you i Haven't kept updated).. n during my week off, we're attending a short series of job-hunting seminars to help us search for an internship and, subsequently, a job :)

anyway, since tonight was an early night, a bunch of us decided to get together and use the massive projector n screen in the main auditorium as our personal cinema... just watched 'Disturbia' and before goin home, we thought of freakin out a buddy by watchin some bits of '1408'...

gettin to the scary parts in a bit.. SHIT Scare movie, folks!!!

I'm out for now... Will update soon on what I've been up to since July (or whenever the last time I blogged was).

Cheers, peeps!!!

Where are they now???

yea yea...

I know i havent blogged in a while..

keep yer pants on!!! i'll get back to u guys in a bit...

Cheers!

I’M TAGGED, THEREFORE…

Rules:
Repeat subject header “I’M TAGGED, THEREFORE…”
Copy + paste these rules in your entry.
Complete these 15 totally useless statements & questions.
Mention who you were tagged by, followed by 8 people who you’ll be tagging.

WARNING!
Fail to do so and you’ll be cursed eternally with a 3-holed nose and a low-cost flat.

Here’s another tag game. Blame it on Kotak!

If I was an opposite gender, what would my party clothes be like? Slutty!!! (thou women who give off an intellectual look turn me on like there's NO tomorrow!!! but thats another story for another time..)

At 10am this morning, I was… err.. checking up on a courier shipment to Korea, i think.. either that, or checkin my email...

At 10pm tonight, I will be… deciding between stuffin myself silly, actually gettin some work done, or headin to the bar for some companionship

Who should be the next Malaysian Prime Minister? anyone but Badawi... there, i said it...

If my spouse told me to do without sex for a year, I would… bathe in a tub of ice??? drug her??? i dunno.. i seem equally capable of either :P

If I was a piece of a car, I would be the… Insignia on the hood...

If I was told one day that I would have to give up either 1) anything chocolate OR 2) ever seeing the beach again, for the rest of my life, which one will I give up?
hmm.. i guess it'd be chocolate... thou i grew up next to a beach but never took enough advantage of it..

Singapore is good for… its Education, maybe?? never been there yet...

If I could only say 3 words before I die, what would those last words be? I did it!!!

Who would I like to be left on a deserted island with? The Jessica trifecta maybe (Biel, Alba, Simpson)... oh wait... maybe not simpson... (it aint about the Sex, ppl!!! Honest!!)

Die by drowning or by fire? Fire.. I'm gonna burn in Hell neways.. so mite as well start getting used to it now... (not to mention i already live in a friggin Microwave of a country...)

What one single thing would you buy with your last RM9.95? hmmm.. cheap toy gun and a bus ticket to the nearest bank, i think... simple, but effective...

If I opened a night club, what would I call it? err.. off the top of my head... Casa Diablo???

Don’t cheat: what’s “bulbous”? ehh?? another word for big?pulpy? i think ur lookin for Webster on that one...

I think my ass is… Totally Grab-able :P

And now I will tag:

Salameander
El Diablo
Munaks
Micyuki
Jasmine
Bodicea
Andrew
(this last spot open... lemme know if u wanna be tagged :D )

Gold-(dis)membered...

You say im Sittin on a friggin Gold Mine, free to dig into it as deep as I possibly can and extract as much gold as I can manage...

I merely point out the staggering number of deaths among mine workers...