Just Another Year of Working Age

19 September 2014

Yesterday was the date when I finally served my company for exactly 2 years. Not so senior although I am now have 3 engineers stepped in after me (and the boss still calls me with other’s name). Not so junior when I entitled for the yearly bonus (ahaa!). Being 2 years serving for All Eights (M) S.B, I would say, it wasn’t easy.

‘Sales Engineer’ was my first job after graduation. 70% sales and 30% marketing, they said. I didn’t see why was the title is ‘sales engineer’. As a job beggar, I can’t be choosy and gave a try. It only last for few months before I finally assigned as a Business Executive at another local company. But still, I feel empty. No passion, no motivation, no teamwork. Bad seniority practice, bullies, and suffers. It was unhealthy. It’s a long pain story of my career gateway.

My career background was not related to something technical and beyond the engineer’s hands on jobs. I played a lot with tenders, prices and I don’t like it. I decided to revise my resume and cover letter to distract a bit my career line. I can’t let my first 3 years’ experience haunting my future career. Applying for an engineer position was like a gamble. I ‘bet’ myself in silence while sending the job application emails. And hey, 19 September 2012 is my official date as an engineer.

I started to enjoy my job since my first day. I wasn’t familiar with screw drivers, spanners and all. Day by day, I dare myself for new things. While everyone set a quarterly target, I had my daily target. Although I was a bit struggle but I think the efforts were worth. Sometimes I feel like a doctor when I made the instrument alive again- but I never hang my multimeter point cable on my neck as doctors do for stethoscope, wherever they go. My company is generous, really. Every of us got chances for overseas training and we can easily focus to what we were assigned to.

AEM Engineering Department-September 2014

We work individually but we perform as a team. Race, seniority, age were never seen as different in us. More important is sometimes I don’t feel like going to work but meeting my siblings. Professionalism and ethics ties us together and I always hope it last forever- Eight of us made us the real All Eights. Big thanks to you guys.

Ramadhan The Holy Month

Ramadhan is here.

Some people associate it with 'Madrasah' (school?)- Madrasah Ramadhan. If Ramadhan can be described as madrasah, I don't wanna graduate. Here is the place I can find the soul enrichment.

People post good things on Facebook.

Gathering for iftar.

Dishes exchange.

Solat Tarawih (I prefer to call it 'Qiam Ramadhan')

Mosque renovation.

Not to forget, this is the economic month for people especially who stays in Klang-Valley. You can live without spending money for food through the month. All surau and mosques providing iftar (and some sahur) everyday. When I was a student, I and my friends let the month ended without a single visit to the Bazar Ramadhan.

People won't change entirely but the offline activities are improved, at least. Daily activities a bit change but still, I do sports as usual, travel for work, and do heavy things. Physically, not so much different. It seems you only skip your lunch. Logically, people who never try to fast may think they will be easily exhaust. Reality, we get our physiology rest and restart.

I don't know how does Ramadhan differentiated itself with the rest of the months. I don't know what made the changes. The mood is soft. I feel the calmness. Special.

The Stolen Time

*Scrolling down the screen*

Facebook is used to be entertaining. Now, it is tiring.

My interests changed. Instead of keep telling people the activities I had, I updating myself with news, and some relevant stuff. The news-feed updated rapidly- every millisecond? Facebook is somehow faster than other official news webs. Gossips and stories undifferentiated. Quarrels and discussions mixed up entirely. I need a ‘filter’ inside my head.

Enough!

Just be sure its not dominant. Don't being used and don't let it steal your precious time.

Training Tours- Austria

2014 has been good to me. Well, it’s not yet over-another half way to go. But things just go fine. Alhamdulillah.

It leads to the next challenge when the company needs me to contribute more.

On the 1st week of June, I attended another autoimmune training. It was at Salzburg, Austria. The training and outside activities were equally fun. Only on my first day of training I had a little problem to get familiar with the instrument. It happened to be my first time playing around with the instrument and it was my first time I saw the instrument operated with software. It’s okay, I can get it easily.

The training center located around half of an hour from the Salzburg Airport- Grödig. It is a perfect location for relaxation and rest. Here and there were just lush meadows and fabled vistas. Since my first day, I was fascinated by the ice on top of the hills, waiting for the right time to hike on it. It must be beautiful. Furthermore, I never touch the 'ice' from skies. It must be different with ice inside my fridge since we call it snow.

Amble around the hotel and found no shops. Nice scenery made me smile all the way.

My wish granted. I was at the top of Untersberg hill.

It’s summer. The days longer than nights. I spent my every day in Grödig and my nights at Salzburg. I had to. No shops or malls available in walking distance from my hotel. I need some stuff to munch and different kinda sight-seeing. Apparently, it was a good plan. My after-training schedule was just awesome. I tried everything I wished. I made a good friend of a Greek guy who was also the participant. The other guy from Romania came along with his family so, he spent his time entirely with them.

Finally, on my last day-come along on a lovely ride to the top of the Untersberg mountain in a spacious cabin of the cable car. During the ride, I had a magnificent views of the Rossiten Valley and the surrounding mountains. I hiked to the mountain climbers memorial. From the summit, I able to see the beautiful Salzburg Lake District as well as the ice-capped mountains. Not to forget the Hochalm restaurant and the Zeppezauer house close to the summit.

Arhhh.. I can't do much because I 'forgot' that I was in high-alpine country and that I should therefore have proper clothing and shoes. But it's okay.

Experienced engineers. Thanks for being so kind and easy-going.

Living in Malaysia is a blessed, but here in Austria we can see not only the people are the ‘living thing’. But the natures are alive. Hills and mountains were colonized symbiotically by human. The activities were organized without any harm. From the top of the hills, I can see the greens cover the lands. The windy air touched me cordially. Every sights amazed me. Malaysia and Europe (Austria? Grödig? whatever!) they are beyond compare. Or incomparable. Talked about the foods, lifestyle, politics.. Ahh~.. the feelings mixed. 

I wish I have a magic broom.

Mr. Spiros, a unique Greek guy. He has no Facebook account :P

Salzburg- Old buildings across the street attracted foreigners to kill their time here.

As the training ends, my life ahead seems imaginable. I was here to deal with future responsibilities. Not to forget the team needs me more and more. 

I wasn't came to here, but I was sent to here.

Going Places: Pantai Klebang

Hometown, Melaka. Late evening.

"What to try? Where to go?" These questions stuck in my head all the way to my hometown. Every time. This is not a vacation so, I just let it be without any answers. More important is, I spent some time with Kak Ngah, Kak Teh and whoever happened to be there. Random visit.

My weekend schedule was not so organized. But I won't let the evening ended just like that. Around 1730, I dressed up casually. Brought along my wife and Yusra to Pantai Klebang. I and my wife were entertained by Yusra when she sung few kid's songs, I supposed. Some of them sound unfamiliar, but its okay. After 35 minutes, we reached Pantai Klebang. Here some captions of that day.

Horse-drawn carriage. Just give a try when you come with your family.

Yusra and the kite runners.

Arenero huh?

RM5.00 and you can lazing about on this furry thing.

Love fishing? Got few spots here.

This is tempting. But I don't even asked the ticket price. Sorry. By the way, as you can see, there's few lines of food stalls just behind the ticket station. You won't be starving here.

We killed the time anyway. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. 1845, we moved back home.

Refurbish Project

We have around 4 units of Elisa machine located in our work-space which are going to be demolished. Sometimes I called it 'cannibalize' when all engineers took all the useful and working parts to be reused. We have the procedures, and the decision for cannibalize the instruments is always after the declaration of BER (beyond economical repair). Usually, all the BER instruments have bad history. Whether the engineers unable to troubleshoot the problem, or the frequent breakdown of instrument or the instruments are not worth to be repaired.

Don't forget these two talented engineers from Elisa team, Celestine and Robaain. 

Coincidentally, my Elisa team has minimized the service calls from customers. Thus, we have plenty of time to look on those 'lying' machines. We spent our time to study a bit on their history and work on it. We calibrated all the movable parts, voltages and gains were adjusted to desired values, plotter and arms alignment, faulty parts replacement, and all. Only then, we hand over the instruments to Application Specialist for evaluation. Its not easy, but somehow its fun.

We managed to repair 2 of them early of this year and those units were sent to our customers. They are working fine. Can you imagine how I feel? 

One after another.

Another instrument in queue at our work space.

Now, we are working on another unit. This time is quite challenging. I am waiting for the new parts shipment from our principle. No rush. Ready for another roll out.

Effective. Efficient. Productive.

This is just another refurbish project.

Mothers Are Strong.

2012.

The life-changing event memory of the year was having a little angel. We named her Yusra which brings a good and beautiful meaning.

The day that she was born, she couldn't do much at all… and often used to cry. Over the years, she grew and grew. So many events I missed when her first teeth grows I was in Bangkok, my beloved wife sent me a picture of her grinning showing her teeth. Always, when I came back from outstations, I thought Yusra was full of surprises. Day by day, she never stops to learn new things. The next lines shall explain what has encouraged her.

Yusra Faruqi

This post is actually dedicating my wife who spent her full commitments to raise her up. I couldn't do as much as her, definitely. The year was somehow been unkind and I wish for a better to roll in the coming one. It was the first 2 years when we struggle to ‘survive’. It's funny how I'm still able to recall the year past in whole. It was a long story but as what I can see today, we survived and thanks to her. Really!

My wife and Yusra.

I’m not always at home. Traveling is part of my job. When the season comes, my schedule cramps. My wife will take over everything when I’m away and Yusra is always our priority. We care about Yusra equally but the different between us- she is expert. She knows the dos and don’ts more than me. Let me see, I have a list of job that I never/seldom do but she does:

1. brush Yusra's tooth
2. baking
3. cooking
4. drying clothes
5. buy Yusra's clothes
6. monitoring Yusra's diet
7. reciting chapters from Quran to Yusra
8. study on kid's development
9. striving to loose weight.

and more and more... I figured out a thing. My wife is the reason why we are living happily.

I hereby admit that women are weak.
BUT mothers are strong.

Here is where I Spent 1/3 of My Daily Life

I love my job.

But somehow, its funny when it can make me occupied until it pushes me to let certain things past. Its okay since I have no followers waiting for my posts. Nothing tempting here. My posts were just dry.

As usual, this is another boring story of my job. I worked hard from the past few months to ensure everything is going fine in 2014. No prolonged issues, no unsettled issues, and no more headache. I would say, I did it. For sure, all these came with the helps of my team. Special thanks I dedicate to my ELISA team when we finally reduced the breakdown and downtime of our instruments dramatically through the months. Keep it up guys!

Always, challenges make our life colorful. Without challenges, we just sit and do nothing. In contrary, we need practices from time to time to sharpen our technical skills. To be a good engineer, understanding the instrument is always not enough. Strong in theory would be its compliment. More important is always the experience.

Attending a service call in Sarawak ;)

Not all issues can be settled by theories. An experienced engineer may take an hour to figure out a problem rather than a day by a rookie. It only can possibly done when we involved in industry. It explained me better why do some companies acquired experienced personal for particular posts.

My table is the tidiest. Because I was the one who do the caption ;)
Can find it?

This year, we received a lot of new products. Everyone is seems waiting for their turns to take part in the overseas training. This is one of the reasons why we love this company and this job. We lived in a harmony and healthy environment. I hope to give more in serving. Just keep pray for goods. Here is where I spent 1/3 of my daily life.

Ciao!