Month: June 2020

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Ted’s Photography 4

The Destination: Known.

The Journey: Unknown.

Sometimes you need to block all the noises that distract you and just follow your nose – the intuition – the inner radar.

A week ago I came back to Manly Dam to finish unfinished business – finding the waterfall. Forget about the Google Maps app, this adventure was all about trusting own instincts. Did I have fear of getting lost? You bet, but part of me, the silly stubborn side of me kept going without a slightest pause.

It was Christmas Day 2016 when I last ventured into this site with my dog Jamie. This time I was on my own with his ashes – my kindred spirit for life. With a bit perseverance, I voluntarily let my faint memories lead the way. And? There it was! The waterfall. Time for a photo opportunity… Ted Tsai

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Ted’s Photography 3

Interestingly, what was thought to be a mistake, it turned out to be a pleasant surprise. This is one of hidden gems I recovered by accident or after making a “wrong” turn. I guess a road less travelled has its payoff too… Ted Tsai

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Ted’s Photography 2

Who says you can’t have fun when you are on your own? I like the fact that I can jump into my car and go for a drive whenever possible, without having to make a prior arrangement with anyone or conform to their tight schedule.

It’s been several years since I went exploring Manly Dam last time. Around a week ago I came to this area for bush walking and to have some downtime with myself. Of course, I wasn’t entirely alone. I also carried Jamie’s ashes with me.

I often find inspiration for my creativity when I go out and about. Occasionally I do a bit people-watching. Most of the time I prefer some peace and quiet and just immerse myself in nature and try to live in the moment. I guess I can call it my way of meditation.

Before I knew it, it was time to wrap up the day. The sunset was truly beautiful. Luckily, I was quick enough to capture the tinniest moment before it went hiding behind the clouds on the horizon… Ted Tsai

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That’s What Mothers Do

Just you and me! Mother-Son time.

That day I called my mum and asked her out for a walk. She said OK straight away, even without knowing where I was going to take her to. She doesn’t mind if I give her a moment notice. That’s what mothers do…

When we got there, she mentioned I’ve lost some weight since Jamie’s (my dog) passing. I could tell she was a bit teary behind the sunglasses. To get out of it, I quickly suggested that we take some photos.

Then, a typical perfectionist, a hard-to-please son, I was quite critical of my mum’s photography skills and trying to offer my “expert” advice, but judging by the results, it was totally unnecessary. I must say she did an excellent job…

Again, that’s what mothers do… No further narrative is required.

Ted

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Ted’s Photography 1

The companionship of this senior couple is heartwarming and the tree symbolises it – tall, strong and majestic. It can stand alone in all weather conditions. I just had to capture this moment… Ted Tsai

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Ted’s Quote 44

In a dog’s eyes…

There is only one race, it’s called Human Race.

There is only one colour, it’s called True Colour.

Dogs aren’t just man’s best friend, they are also our best teacher… Ted Tsai

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Bad Behaviour Will Not Be Tolerated

2020, let’s face it, the world is a mess.

Haven’t we seen enough of job loss, economic downturn, social instability and political unrest? It doesn’t just stop there. Encompassing everyday struggles and personal issues, no wonder people are stressed out.

When I walk down to the shops in my local area, there’s a strange vibe in the air. The atmosphere is markedly different now. While governments are gradually easing restrictions, returning to normal is still some distance away. These days people are wary and guarded everywhere they go. Hand sanitisers, social distancing and hygiene practice have become the new norm.

We’re all trying to remain sane and safe in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. Sure, we’re only human, we can only take so much. We get anxious about the future, our job, our bank account and our health. Some have started to show abnormal reaction or over-reaction overtly or behind closed doors, it’s understandable. But under no circumstances, bad behaviour can be excused.

Why have I just said that?

Friday night. Done with my grocery shopping. As I was returning a shopping trolley to the trolley station near the entrance to the supermarket, all of sudden a guy from behind, pushed a trolley hard against my legs. It was a deliberate act, he did it on purpose. In no way it was an accident. The force was so big that it caused my left ankle to bruise immediately. I was screaming in pain.

Who the hell? I looked back. There he was – That idiot, a middle aged male with a grin on his face, showing zero remorse, giving no apology, acting like as if nothing had happened then walked off.

I was carrying 4 bags of grocery in my arms, feeling tired and hungry. I just wanted to go home. I had a decision to make – Either count myself unlucky, ignore him and leave or deal with it.

One witness who came forward was kind enough to ask if I’m OK. I said, I’m alright, fortunately, it’s not bleeding but it’s bruising. With his encouragement, I decided to pursue the matter further. I wasn’t going to let that idiot get away with it just like that.

Excuse me! I yelled as I was trying to call that idiot out. He noticed I wasn’t giving up, took a look at me and said a few words that I didn’t quite hear exactly but certainly it wasn’t a sorry I was hoping for. By the look of his face and body language, I could tell that he was not apologetic, worse yet, he was still wearing the same grin on his face.

Later, I went to speak to a couple of store staff about this incident. With my persistence, the matter was escalated to the store manager.

As I was explaining to the store manager about the incident, I was at the height of my emotion. I was reasonably calm and polite but very firm in my language. I demanded that idiot to be banned from their store. By then, that idiot was already at one of the self-serve check outs finalising his purchase.

The store manager was one fine gentleman, he exhibited a high degree of empathy towards me, apologised for what had happened, he even apologised on that idiot’s behalf.

I told him that as a store, they’re not responsible for an individual’s erratic behaviour as such but they do have responsibility to ensure safety and security of their shoppers while on the premises. I insisted that idiot should be stopped and spoken to. His wrongdoing, that kind of behaviour will not be accepted in their store and anywhere. The store manager promised he’ll speak with him. For my own safety, I agreed not to be present by his side and just let him deal with that idiot.

The next morning when I woke up, I felt there was still an unfinished business from the night before. So I decided to call the supermarket to find out if that idiot was spoken to. As the store manger was off duty till later in the evening, I ended up speaking with the second in charge – the duty manager. A long story short, he promised that he’ll personally follow up with the store manager, call me and let me know. He’ll also raise a safety issue in their next meeting and discuss about having a signage put up around the store.

Then, around 9:55 PM before the store shut their door at 10 PM, I got a call from the store manager. He assured to me that he did speak with that idiot about the incident. According to the store manager, that idiot had a bad day. He knew what he did was wrong, he was remorseful and apologetic for the harm he’d caused. It will not happen again.

Soon after the call ended, I felt a great sense of relief mixed with gratitude and achievement. Now that idiot took note of my loud-and-clear message: Bad behaviour will not be tolerated. For me, it was time to move on… 

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Ted’s Quote 42

If you can’t change the environment or circumstances you are in, change yourself.

But what if you can’t change yourself or don’t want to?! Well, CAMOUFLAGE yourself… Ted Tsai

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Job, You’ve Got To Be In It To Win It

Thanks to the lockdown, it’s helped slow the spread of the coronavirus in the community. Together, we’ve saved lives. As the curve has flattened in many parts of the world, Australia for example have begun to ease restrictions imposed during the peak of the pandemic. Now those words on every politician’s lips are “It’s time to save the economy!”

We don’t need to be reminded that the unemployment rate is on the rise, it’s right in our faces.

Lat night I heard on the news that Australia has officially entered recession. It didn’t surprise me.

In the past two months, I’ve sent out a few more job applications, roughly about one per week on average, as opposed to one per day when I first started back in January. Not that I’ve become lazier. A scarcity of job openings in the market means job seekers like me are faced with more fierce competition among others.

The job I applied for last week, up till now, there are 249 applicants in total as indicated on LinkedIn. I’ll keep it simple and round it down to 200. So, statistically speaking, if they’re going to take 10 people in the first round, my chances of being shortlisted are super slim – just 5 percent, that’s only 5 people in every 100 applicants. And to make things worse, to be the finalist, the final winner to get the job, the number looks sickeningly skinny, just 0.5 percent. As you can see, I’ve done the math. Odds are against every job seeker out there.

But luckily, job hunting is not like winning the lottery. We don’t need to reply on pure luck alone. The more jobs we apply for, the more we learn how to do better the next time. It’s not rocket science. It’s really no big deal when you think about it. All it takes is practice, practice and practice.

Looking back, the job I landed in March this year, the company decided to take down the ad once the number of applicants had hit 60, regardless the closing date. Of course, in the process I had no idea who I was up against. All I knew was, I got the call, sat for 2 interviews, passed the reference check and the police check. At the end, I ticked all the boxes and took home the one and only trophy. It was a small win. But a win is a win, now I use it as a confidence booster and a benchmark for next job search success.

Of course, time is different now, it’s going to get harder and harder. Job creation just can’t keep up with the pace of unemployment. OK, but that’s nothing new. Since job is never easy to come by anyway, there’s no reason to get worked up about statistics. Let’s be strategic about it instead.

For me, no matter how scarce the jobs are, no matter how scary those figures look like, before I can get my foot in the door, I will always follow one timeless formula: You’ve got to be in it to win it.