krisalis

I’ve wasted far too much time this afternoon generating bizarro cool pictures with this.

Here are a few of my favourite creations:

If nothing else, these should at least ensure that my computers desktop isn’t boring for the next few weeks.

Is it just me, or does anyone else think that John Edwards looks rather like John Ritter?

It sounds great….

Of course, now I’ll need to figure out how to actually use all this functionality. Eek!

After having worked in Asia for 6 years, I found this article ‘Why Asian Firms Aren’t Most Admired’ ringing a little too true in a few too many places.

…bullying leadership style. IT, finances and management decisions were a black box. There was vagueness in accountability (so blame could be pushed away but credit grabbed) and the succession chain was based on old-boy networks, not ability.

Well, I’ve definitely seen that in action.

Sometimes, face cannot be saved. Resources are spent based on how they will benefit the bottom line, not as a means of bestowing favours. Problems in a project are not a source of shame; they are to be learnt from and fixed. Questioning authority is good. Protecting your rice bowl is not a valid principle for action.

The whole ‘face’ thing is a hard one. Or at least it has been for me. Questioning authority is meant to be good. But, oh boy, it can land you in trouble. Even in mild mannered, forward looking Singapore. Or should that be especially in mild mannered, forward looking Singapore?

But then again, all the challenges of doing business in Singapore seem pale into comparison next to China. Just ask Andrea.

Funny flash animation about the end of the world as we know it.

I watched this thing four times in a row. Who knew that death by nuclear weapons could be so amusing?

Actually, it’s not so much the animation that is so frickin’ hi-larious as the voices and bizzaro accents.

For group bike rides, we invariably seem to pick a local coffee houses as our rendezvous point.

The coffee shop has become the focal point of the riding experience. We strive to get there early, not so that we’ll be ‘wheels down’ on time, but rather so that there is enough time to scoff a cappucino before scrambling onto our bikes. The lure of the latte is what gets us up a final tough hill.

After the ride, a group of sweaty women line up for their fix, clearing a path either with fragrance of our collective physical exertion, or our endorphin induced incessant chatter.

One by one, we rattle off orders in fluent caffeinenese”

‘triple shot extra hot venti skinny double equal‘

‘single shot expresso half inch soy‘

‘decaf funky latte‘

and my own order, so bare and simple that i often have to repeat it to the barrista who is so used to hearing an odyssey that they don’t even start listening until the customer is at least a couple of syllables in.

‘americano‘

The good news for us coffee guzzling cyclists is that consuming caffeine is apparently good for us.

‘Cyclists who ingested caffeine before a ride pedaled longer than their non-caffeinated counterparts….caffeine encourages the body to burn fat instead of glycogen’.

Yet it is more than just the java that I enjoy. Somehow, the coffeehouse has become what the pub used to be for me – a place to hang out, have a drink, read the paper, have a snack, catch up with friends, get to know new aquaintances.

Just as it was once always a good time to go to the pub; (10am? No problem! Bloody mary. 11am? But of course. Lager tops!) so now there is no such thing as a bad time to go for coffee. Even late at night, afraid of consuming excessive caffeine, I’ll enthusiastically order a decaf cap and sup the night away.

Hours of juvenile entertainment ahoy: find amusing places close to you in the UK.

Near my old flat in Edinburgh (postcode EH9):

Bottom Burn 11.3 miles Fanny Burn 26.2 miles Fanny Hill 26.5 miles Turdees 28.3 miles Bitch Craig 28.7 miles Fatlips Castle 29.8 miles Dickland 32.1 miles Rotten Bottom 36.6 miles Spunkie 52.2 miles Assloss 54.1 miles

And near my Nan’s house (postcode NN9):

Titty Ho 2.9 miles Shingay 26.9 miles Willey 29.6 miles Shaftenhoe End 35.0 miles Claggy Cott 35.1 miles Bishops Itchington 35.3 miles Bummers Hill 38.3 miles Nasty 38.4 miles Six Mile Bottom 39.8 miles Butthole Lane 42.0 miles

Next time I go to visit my Nan, I’m going to hunt down Titty Ho and take a few photos.

In search of further amusement? Try out postcodes like L1, WV3 or LS16.

I MADE IT TO THE WEEKEND!

AND THEN I WENT SHOPPING TO CELEBRATE.

AND I WENT SWIMMING.

AND I ATE CHOCOLATE.

AND I’M FEELING rather tired now. ZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

I’m working too hard at the moment. The past week in particular has been insane. I even ended up working on Sunday. Gah. I’m tired and reaching the end of my tether. Just got to make it through this week…

Hitting these penguins cheered me up a little…until I realised I’d wasted at least 15 minutes gleefully clicking away, and was no closer to completing my presentation material ( Time is a terrible thing to waste.

Will someone please come and be me for a few days? I need a break.