*Probation

I passed my probation @ westnet heheee (luckily gettin nice review) which means its time for a short holiday!!!!! heuehue

And my team leader starts offering me the training & exam for windows certification an well the answer is definitely yes since I really want to get one hehe (I chose the MCITP: Database Administrator) but let's see how it goes then hehehe

 *Melb Holiday

 Am I dreaming?...NOT!! yayy after like 2 yrs in indo and 6 months in perth now i'll be back to my beloved Melbourne!!! hauhauah super excited here

i never thought I would be able to go back to melb u know...kinda sentimental 4 me coz back then I was kinda 'forced' to go back to indo (couldn't find any work) but now I got job in perth, pr, (and who knows melb is next) and somehow I am able to back it is really like a dream come true for me...I hope for all gud things in melb then..

 

* Freakin speed cam

Shitty afternoon today...While everyone's faster than me I am the one who got *zapped by speed cam on the Free way...damn...

but i kinda feel that the car in front of me is the one who actually got zapped but who knows...hopefuly I can 'dodge-the-bullet' bcoz usually according to what ppl sez..if there are 2 cars caught on the photograph they wont fine you (and it happens that I was driving really close with the car in front of me hehe...and I am wearing a Ray-Ban which means they could not identify me (*fingers crossed!!)

 

*a car

last saturday.... a lightning-quick decision was made....in just about 1 hour I decided to buy a car (and of course thanks to my dad's 'now or never' advice)....if I am left by myself i could actually took 6 months before even considering to buy one

and today I found myself having a brand nu Toyota Camry Altise on the garage (well that means we now have 2 cars (my bro uses a mazda 3)..its an automatic and well...feels quite 'fat' in terms of width and length (I used to drive a Toyota vios back in indo)...

well and sumhow nowadays my parents kinda treat me like an adult..talking about the future, investing etc..(and getting that nona haha) .mann I do feel like an adult now...I think about a year or two before it never crossed my mind bout buying a car/house using my own strength like this.

but anyway my decision on this is also made based on my past experiences...its true...there are times when decisions must be made even without considering every possibilities, and also that sometimes it is not worth it to wait for sumthing perfect because if you keep doing that (based on my past experience) you will end up getting nothing.

 

* work

and oh yeah...as DBA in westnet one of the job desc is to actually be on 'stand by' mode for a week (this is rostered between other DBA's including the db manager and db team leader)..it is overtime-paid but...say...if in the middle of the night sumthing goes wrong with a database.. I could be called and if could not VPN to the server...might need to come to the office at central park or even the data center in osborne park....moreover..afterhours maintenance usually happens late at nights....yup so there goes another reason to buy a car....my job requires that facility heheh

well looks like things are looking up at work at the moment (hopefully I'll past that probation in august), given more access and tasks are flooding like crazy >_<...well overall everything is not so bad I'll try my best!!!!

 

*friends at work 

and well since i am soo drawn to my work i forgot to socialize at work...I have had friends at westnet but thats when we met at the induction and since they are tech supports...we re on different departments

I have met some indonesians (about 5 including me in westnet's level 6 if i am not wrong) even though one of them is indo-german ...and they are also on different departments (most of them are on billing and software dev team)...

 Responding to this i am thinking of joining the social club's events more (i'm a member but never joined any of the activity yet)..so i am going to try this thu's simpson the movie watch-together event...hopefully too I'll get to know more people  at my workplace ehehh wish me luck...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

changes form he last 3 months (thx to sista rakun aka ferna for reminding me to blog huhu)

1st thing

...I've just changed my job hehehe I am now working for westnet (www.westnet.com.au) as a SQL DBA (Database Admin) ....well I actually never planned this change at all ..and planning to stay with stial for at least 6 months but here is what happened:

Westnet suddenly called me around may'07 (I thought I applied for the position in feb) haha and asked me if I am still interested on the position (I did an interview with them previously but didn't score th job)

...so i think..hey it won't hurt at all to just try (my initial objective is actually to test myself n my capabilities) and suddenly I found myself offered for the job (after 2 stages of interview + meeting with the manager) and they need me to confirm by the next day as they will need me by June'07.....

well and just after 1 hour of thinking of that call ..I spoke to my manager @ Stial (encouraged by Tommy via msn..thanks tom) that I'll be moving to Westnet and thankfully it is possible for me to leave at such a short 2-week-notice (phew!!)

well so here I am..now working for Westnet ...lovely location..it's at Perth's Central Park Building (at CBD and the tallest building in Perth >_< oo yeahh hehe but my department is at 6th floor though )

 

Well tomorrow (Monday) will be my 5th day...what I like about westnet is the way they treat new employees...throughout induction process...friendly young and vibrant team members and cool manager...+ free fruit all day ..what not to love?

but the one that makes me really happy is that I am not pressured (at all) ...the manager says 'keep it cool ..no rush...everything will be at your own pace'

so I have just started with minor lil tasks and learning stuff here n there.... He said as I gain more knowledge on the company's db system then I'll be given more important tasks!! ...yeah spot on!! I'm sold mate..

yay so happy coz previously at stial...the early days of employment is soo stressful coz they just threw me into this ongoing projects and pressured me to do things ..very overwhelming

but anyway I'll have to see what it'll be the following weeks then...Wish me for my survival guys..

 

2nd thing...

..well I am starting to know the streets a bit more hhauhua (I know public transports back then but not the roads) and hopefully will encourage to use the car more often ...(and mom said another car will be bought too uhuhu gud gud It'll be easier for us to share more than one car wat)

 

3rd thing..

Andre me Mandy Mira Didi and Andrew are starting a new band (the current name is new / nu message but lets see bout that one later)..the genre is more on soul rnb acid (the likes of Brand new heavies etc) haha gud news for me as guitarist..just need to do that wah-thing and leave the bassist(andrew) and Mandy (pianist) to drive the song...can do lahh ehuheu

I have also have been musically involved on church things (helping out if they have events) and found this really gud drummer..named meidy..wow she may look fragile but plays like a man (no no she does not have muscle!)..i mean probably the best girl-drummer I ever saw...looks cool also (she looks like Japanese or Hongkong..esp fashion wise)...I have lots of respect to her somehow hehehe ...well looking forward for gigging w/ her again

 

4th thing..

Mom and sis (youngest) is planning to come here this June (24th) and I am quite shocked coz mom is planning to stay around 3yrs (?!??!!?) Dad said it;s for our PR but hey 3years is like...3 years!!! ahha...o well I expect good home-made meals after this june then heuheue.

 

5th thing

mmm what else....fuk..I am 25 now (seperempat abad!!!!)...gotta have a gud girlfriend (even my parents are worrying bout me being single now) aaarghhh...what can u expect when 80% of your time is for work, and those tiny 20% used for music..

 

 

oh fukkkk my godd i'm soo happy huahuahuauha

I actually scored a jobbbbbb hauhauahuuhaa

 it a Database Developer & Admin position ad STIAL pty ltd (a software developer company)...

 huauha o well just feel like to jot down this very moment....come to think its been exactly a month since I am in perth and started the job hunt...(I came on 19th of jan...and now is 19th of feb)

Just wanna say thanks to god for giving this chance to me  

and now wish me luck to survive the probation period..
 

and one thing is that yesterday's exactly the chinese nu year (GONG XI FAT CHAI everyone) its the year of the pig..(i saw the prediction that this will be a lucky year...and it's true!!!!!) heheh

yesss...I am now back in perth...summer is fukin hot man!!! winter is wayyy better..and that frozen coke at macca's (McD) is really amazing...aussie day was also gud...watching fireworks w/ friends while eating 3 large pizzas... heheh

well..I am now a full time job-hunter....everyday looking at computer screen... applying for jobs...wat a life

...before... back when I am doing job hunting in melbourne i kinda dunno what I am looking for and applying for random jobs like crazy...(I did score that waiter job at asian grocery though..heuehu how pathetic but those are nice memories!! )

but this time is different

this time I only applied for the job that I want and that are relevant to my degrees such as, system analyst, Database designs and development..or OLAP/BI development...with a few basic IT helpdesk/support on the way (generalist ones)..it's important to be always be on track on your career path....if you lose track it'll be hard to go back u know..
 

so far i have scored 2 interviews...

1st one is IT support..not gud....that guy is looking for a networking guy (not me man.. sorry) and in the end he offers an unpaid work experience...(which is declined by me heheh hey.. $$$ IS important...well just coz of the money..its just dumb to do that...to be USED like that)...

2nd one is a 'database developer' position at westnet (quite big company in WA) which i really2 hoped to score....

but sadly the interview was harder than I thought (well I did prepare)...I was given a sudden test and must answer all of them orally....can u imagine...having urself to answer difficult questions under that kind of pressure ?...and there are 3 interviewers asking different questions...I did manage to answer some general questions but some questions are too detailed and specific that I may need me to delve back to my old lecture notes...which is 2 years ago and already forgotten  

 hauhau sorry...I should not be making excuses...maybe I AM not gud enough huehue...

o well what's done is done..well thankfully i believe on the following quote:

'what doesn't kill you will only make you stronger'

 lessons learned:

1. Now I know that with my degrees (B of IT and  M of IS) and 2 yrs experience in Indo  as an IS spv....I can actually score an interview for a job that I really wanted....on quite large WA company (in CBD!!)...which means that I am not pursuing sumthing impossible....

 2. Now I know that oz standards for IT interviews....aside from being able to sell out ur skills (well which I did well on this part)...it is important to be ready to demonstrate what u're talking about on the interview session (such as the sudden test thing)

 the action points:

1. so I decided to do some re-learning process ,,,been reading ebooks on SQL server 2000 and 2005 db and analysis serv(cubes), db designs, and DW (OLAP)

2. Well since I dunno when I'll get the dream job and as the living standards in oz sure is higher than indo (my $$ brought from indo is decreasing a lot faster)
...maybe I'll do a bit of casual part time at places near my home like mc d leach hwy or sumthing like that...o well just to survive (try not to ask $$ from my parents anymore)...I am hoping to get that overnight shifts so that I could concentrate job searching and interviews  during the day. ~ well that's the plan then!!

 and anyway I finally got that DOPOD 838pro on 3 (thx to rama for holding it for me...only 2 left on 3 store in perth u know..it's almost sold out...it's no longer being displayed on the 3 stores!)...

i got it on 29 cap (i dont do gossips on the phone haha...better meet up) + phone is 36 per month...not bad at all since in indo it's 8.2 mio ...nice huh its like having this low interest loan...way to go...because its in oz. I dun have to worry about it to be stolen again (my stolen HP RW6828...bad memories mann)..the dopod is veryyy usefull...listen to music...see pictures..videos (qualifying Ipod video)..unlimited email pack...office apps...games...custom apps..blue tooth..IrDa..wi fi...gprs...even 3g...wow i got everything in my palm..!!
 

 o well...I have talked too much......I feel relieved... putting my worries into words..I usually think blogging is not as useful...but when writing it...it does makes me re-think and conceptualize my decisions...thanks tabulas haha