Jesse - a review

"Jesse" by Corin Gills

I read this online story in one sitting. Therefore I didn't get to bed till close to 7 in the morning!

I enjoyed reading it because there is a Christian element behind it (very God honouring!) and I was able to relate to it because most of the story was set around a summer bible camp. Having been a major Serps INTERS (and Seniors when it was still running back in our day) camp goer during highschool and now leading these camps, also sparked my interest to start reading the story.

In summary it is about a young adult Christian girl who was raped four months prior to leading the summer camp and being challenged by making the brave choice to carry the baby throughout the story. She faces trials that come with the responsibilities of pregnancy (which meant giving up things she had planned for her life before), having to make a decision whether to give up the baby for adoption or to keep her/him once he/she was born despite knowing she may not be financially stable and would be a single mother, and at the same time being a head cabin leader amongst of her Christian peers.

There are some questionable approaches (how realistic it would be if it was a true story) the author took to how the story played out with the conclusion, however I won't reveal it here to ruin the story.

It is recommended if you would like to see how a Christian continues to pursue God even when life seems to be turning against you..."Where was God to protect me at the time I was ________" (insert a major trial you faced some time in your life or are facing now).

Has Bono Got It Right?

I've heard about Harrison Olang being one of those really awesome speakers that captivates the audience and he's also funny too! I'm looking forward to this event this Tuesday night at Rivo church. If you're in Perth you're interested to hear him speak about Freedom for Africa..the World you're more than welcome to come.

Getting The Work Boots Dirty

Alot has happened in the past month and a half since I last posted.

Quick updates about work:

1. My first site visit ever occurred end(ish) of June. The road trip involved Michael Smith and Yi, (both have left SGA since then). I didn't have the right PPE (Personal Protection Equipment) at the time but we were driving along public roads so no one 'important' was in sight to tell us off.

Image 1.1: Posing in a drain so that the size of the culvert behind me could be roughly measured.


Image 1.2: One of the major drains along the southern section of the alignment Yi had to measure to calculate her catchment areas and model whatever she was doing.


Image 1.3: The work I've been in the past 3 months has been designing drainage incase no one has caught the drift in the images. So here's an image of a pretty small box culvert in which sediment has been building up over the years.


Image 1.4: We saw many of these along the way and visited the beach on the way back.

I discovered that lunch can be claimed when you go on site visits. The lunch stop prior to the beach was at Ravenswood.

2. Since then it's been back at the office with people leaving (Yi and Michael) and doing the drainage design on lot 21.3 Paganoni Road upgrade. It was a good experience as it wasn't too complex of a road and I learnt how to design pipe networks and also going through the experience of writing up the 30% design report. Last week the squad check submission has been returned and I've had to re-adjust parts of the design as we are having problems with one of the low points on the road where it's very close to the GWL (ground water level).

Permeability Testing images

Image left: The infiltrometer test
Image centre: The chainage we were at the time for that very time, which is at the very southern part of the entire alignment. I was close to Bunbury!
Image right: The outer ring is to keep the ground on the outside of the centre ring saturated so that the inner ring is infiltrating directly downwards and the measure of water flow is kept within the area of the inner ring. I don't think I explained myself very well...

I have also been working on a more complex part of the freeway which came to a halt. This occurred when I was sent down on-site again to assist technicians from Western Geotechnics to the locations where we wanted testing to be done to determine the permeability of the ground. It was a lot more scarier as I was on my own and had to lead the way and contact the foremens' onsite and ask for permission to get onto the alignment etc. Even better I got to drive the Prado and the LV and for a whole weekend had the LV at home since I was heading down south the next day.

Other bonuses: Received the last of my PPE which is a pair of steel cap boots!

Now it's back at the office working on the drainage on the freeway as I have been given the indicator of the urgency of a design to come through having recently sat in a meeting with John (Northern Manager), Graeme (Northern Senior Team leader), Tim Tucak (Senior Drainage Eng) and Raymond (Senior Drainage Eng who's leaving in 2 days) I am a bit freaked out because I feel I am slow and do not know how to work out the problematic areas.

A Glimpse of Heaven

I recently borrowed a DVD full of Christian songs off my brother to add to the small collection I have. I scanned through them quite quickly to place some on my ipod. Today on the way to work I listened to some of the songs during the bus trip and for a moment I saw a glimpse of what heaven would be like.

Heaven's air will be filled with songs and choruses and choirs praising God. It'd be like walking down a superior architecturally designed chamber into a huge concert hall consumed with songs of praise and your heavenly skin will sense there is something magical in the air. The awe you are filled with will never cease, the excitement you will never tire of. It'd be like combining the sensation during Christmas season when choirs group in shopping malls, the city streets filled with talented musicians and a cultural festival celebrating harmony. However in heaven it will be a thousand times better and perfect.


Holy, Holy, Holy

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
Early in the morning our song shall rise to thee.
Holy, holy, holy! Merciful and mighty,
God in three persons, blessed Trinity!

Holy, holy, holy! All the saints adore thee,
casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea;
cherubim and seraphim falling down before thee,
which wert, and art, and evermore shalt be.

Holy, holy, holy! Though the darkness hide thee,
though the eye of sinful man thy glory may not see,
only thou art holy; there is none beside thee,
perfect in power, in love and purity.

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
All thy works shall praise thy name, in earth and sky and sea.
Holy, holy, holy! Merciful and mighty,
God in three persons, blessed Trinity.

-Reginald Heber

A Call From Sydney

I got a missed call today when I came back from and outside (in Cambridge foodcourt) lunch break with Jim, Raymond, Dian and Seoul (?spelling). It was a Sydney number, returned the call saying "Hi I received a miss call from this number. My name is Jun Jet". The response from the receiving end "Who do you think it is". The volume was relatively low on my mobile and after cranking it up I realise it was Sundar! It was cool talking to him again. He's a good man. He was giving me tips about how to get more out of my work experience and who to talk to in the Alliance. Two guys in particular in the Environmental Team. I'm currently under the Civil Design Team. I think next week I will need to go out of "comfort" zone within the office walls and venture to their space.

GHD "Wild Wild West" Ball

The Yellow Table

Left-Right: Top row; Laurence (?spelling, Rick's friend), ---- (Rick? Dian?'s friend), Sundar (GHD, SGA Geotechinal), me.
Front row; Dian (GHD, SGA Geotechnical), Rick (Main Roads, Accounts), Jim (GHD, SGA Geotechnical), Raymond (GHD, SGA Drainage), Molly (Raymond's wife).

The quarter of a million dollar ball (as to what I heard) or $300/head, was held nearly 2 weeks ago, 9 June 2007, was one of it's kind. Last year's theme was a circus, and they literally had a mini circus set up with an act sometime during the ball. This year they had 2 live horses and a Cowboys vs. Indians skit, a production of GHD. Around the tables were props set up, and games such as a bucking bull, shooting at cans, Jail, Cemetary, Tee-pees, Gun House etc. It was a treat.

At the end of the ball I recognised a guy that Sat in the same Induction as me and then headed directly to GHD's regional Bunbury office the following day. I had forgotten his name but now I remember, Mark Sadowski. Originally from South Africa but previously working in Yemen.

The ball ended very soon then so we didn't a chance to chat much. I caught up with some of the crew at the Shed (Sook, Mon, Jacqui, Chung, Iara and Danny, and Danny's friends who were visiting Perth). It was another great night out. The cowboy hat I managed to get at the ball was a big hit with the crowd. I can't remember the last time I had so much fun with a hat?

Other occurances since then.

Mark was actually up in Perth for the week to deal with some clients for one of the jobs he was working on. We got in contact via email and caught up for a meal (at Uncle Billys, haha) after I finished work on Monday. I had no other time to meet him. It was a bit strange but I think he appreciated the gesture that I recognised him and acknowledged him at the ball too. One thing he said to me when we were walking back from dinner was he felt that we clicked. I would have felt very uncomfortable if it wasn't for the fact that he's engaged. But he continued saying that we meet different people during our lives for a reason and we are meant to learn something from them. Whether it be big or small. The first thing that came to my mind then was was I meant to tell him about Christ?

Sundar, in the photo was the guy I stalked first week at work to find the best route when walking from Glendalough train station. Since then we've become friends. He's left (last day was last Friday) the Alliance now and back in Sydney. The night before his departure, Dian, Sundar and I headed for drinks then dinner after work. We had snowcrab (half pepper chilli, half salted egg)! It was so good. Sundar paid which was very generous of him. Then we headed for one more drink at the Raffles on Canning Hwy by the river. Sundar was impressed that such a place existed in Perth and if he had known earlier he would have come more often prior to his departure. The final goodbye was lunch during work on Friday when most of the Geotechnical guys headed out to some pub/food place near the office. I went along too and met a few more Geotech guys and managed to place a name to a face and what they did in the office.

Quite a lot of staff movements are occuring.

Life in general is quite full at the moment.

Weekend Oddities

This weekend has been full of small incidents.

I'll mention the oddities.

I was woken up on Saturday night (technically Sunday morning) at 3.30am by a phone call. It's Jiz asking for a ride from Fremantle because of the long taxi line. Unfortunately for me at that time I was actually asleep. I went to pick him and his friend up anyway. It was a bit of a chuckle because the whole way home they would not stop baggin' each other out. The main retorts coming from his friend was the fact Jiz woke me up at 3.30am. By the time I got home, in the cold I examined the gifts Jiz gathered between his phone call and me arriving to Fremantle, I cracked up when I saw the "flowers" was a plant where he actually pulled out the entire small shrub which included its roots. Not wanting to dump it, I did a poor attempt of sticking it into the ground amongst other plants at the front of the house. Mum picked up on it today. His other gifts was a kids toy from a HJ's meal and "Norkfolk St" street sign. Currently it's hiding under my bed and I am contemplating whether to contact the Fremantle council to return it and mention that I "found it lying in the streets" of Freo, or a suburb close by. However I got a text from Jiz today saying thanks, to enjoy the road sign and to catch up after he returns from his work related trip to Melbourne. I wouldn't know what his reaction may be to discover I may have been faithful to the public service.

Tonight after church, I had a chat with one of the year 9 girl's mum. She ended up telling me a lot about her life stuff and ended up tearing. I felt odd/helpless as she left so abruptly to go home. She had to have a chat with her daughter because she wasn't doing so well at school etc. But that incident caught me off balance because I had no tissue to offer and didn't have time to decide if she needed a squeeze on the shoulder or a hug (which would have been awkward for me naturally as I'm a non-huggy type).

As for my spiritual walk, I feel so slow. I need to train harder and more diligently, pray and seek his spirit more so that it can stir mine.

Tribute to those studying for current exams

I realise that I take forever to post something new (and thinking I've recently post) because usually the post sits as a draft for weeks and I keep editing the same thing.

Moving onto a topic of a worthy website for good images is http://creative.gettyimages.com. I was looking for images related to the keyword "textbook" and check out what I stumbled across.

Doesn't this just remind you of an American TV sequel based on the lives of these friends, centered around a highschool or college?

Speaking of education, the image on the right reminds of me what everyone is probably feeling like during this exam period.

I wonder how I'll be taking it this time next year when I'm back at uni.

The Simple Things

• Someone dinging the bus to stop when it is approaching the main city busport. (Cheers to the ignorant bus passengers)

• Two nights after a girls night out, you cacked yourself so hard when they told you of hilarious but probably embarrassing (if sober) things you did and you don't know whether to feel; guilty because you had a bit too much (1 Corinthians 3:17b) or to conclude it as one of those memorable (?) nights out. (Cheers to Sook, Jenny, Monica, Carol who reminded me of those moments Julia and Jacqui to be part of the group that night, and Jacqui for hosting pre-drinks at her place)

• Reading a book within a month when only read during bus trips to work (Cheers to morning peak hour traffic to extend the bus trip duration)

• Catching up with a friend over a post midnight supper to talk of interesting life prospects (Cheers Try!)

• Internet Banking

• Opportunity to meet freely with friends in particular Christians to study God's word and not be persecuted. (Thanks Lord)

• Free events that finishes with food

2 years 8 months

Perth Hyatt Regency, Lower Lobby, Joes Oriental Diner

I thought I'd finally add some pictures to my postings. I don't usually (at all) have a digital camera with me (as I don't own one) however I managed to find the only picture I own of me in my uniform when I use to work at the Hyatt in Joes, Lower Lobby. Someone must have used my camera phone the one time I had my mobile in the restaurant after work. I think it was Bec. I know there are other photos of me that exist because we've had customers that take pictures with us when they are staying in house. They must either really like our service or perhaps that it's like having Singapore Airlines look alike uniforms in the restaurant.

So there has never been a single word (perhaps one) about Hyatt since I started my blog. Why? Because officially a week after I commenced blogging was my last shift at the Hyatt. To be exact 28th April, Saturday night. 2 days before I commenced work with GHD. A lot of significant changes took place since I commenced work with GHD. Since I started blogging.

Last shift at the Hyatt..perhaps (hopefully) in hospitality forever???....
It was a memorable night. I suspected that Puneesh asked me to work that night even if I wasn't rostered (surprisingly not rostered on a Saturday night?!) on so that I'd be working with the Joes girls one last time (the old crew that were left). They were really nice and presented me with a card and gift at the end of that shift. $100 ColesMyer Voucher. I didn't know what to say but thanks in a stupid way because I honestly did not expect anything.

With the voucher I managed to purchase bargain pants from target for $30 for work and used the rest to pay the balance of a $150 boots from Myers I recently got last Thursday night after doing some errand shopping.

I worked for a total of 2 years and 8 months at that hotel since I commenced in August 2004. I've gone through 3 free staff balls, 2 managers, 6 team leaders, and a lot of various team member staff. The ones I will remember are Daniella (Mexican), Michelle (from China), Michelle (Brunei, but studying in Adelaide), Jovy, Bec, Ee, Li-Wei, Jess. And the boys, Aaron and Brian (when I first started work) and when I left, Sukit and Lakmal.


I think the two things I may be most notoriously remembered for are:

• Getting wheel chaired out of the staff ball in 2004
• Smashing the lamp hanging over the large round table (aka B1) with the lazy susan during a busy night and very full restaurant.

This year when I commenced looking for Undergrad Engineering work experience I remember yearning so much to "get out of there". But when I finally got the confirmation from GHD I was to be employed I got that tingling feeling. I had become fond of the place, people and even the work...I was going to miss it.

• Nibbling on left overs over a rubbish bin at the wash up area.
• Hording food from the buffet, when we had specials on at the end of night shifts.
• At one point every Joes staff's surname began with an 'L' before Li-Wei, and (then) Jess got employed.
  
• Getting verbal abuse from the chefs over the food pass (perhaps I may not miss this one, but it was significantly Joes culture).
• Crawling on all fours to reach that last bottle of Cab Sav from bottom wine shelf.
• Chatting with staff about incidents and stories that occurred during shifts I wasn't rostered on.
• Free drinks from Plain St. bar after work even when offered to pay. The privileges of being Joes staff.
• The accumulated TIPS each month from customers.
  

The above are only a few of many many little things I can remember.


Things I won't miss are:

• Getting back my Saturday nights to be free to do what I want and/or able to go to events I'm invited to without significant prior notice.
• I would be getting back my Friday nights however now that's filled up with spending with kids from Youth Group.

Ye good ole' days

Testing http://junjet.nomadlife.org

Will my original template load?

Stepping Outside My Comfort Square

Three were baptised on Sunday night at Rivo. It was nice as I hadn't seen a baptism in awhile now.

Revin was one of the three boys that I knew. Another guy for some reason reminded me of Stuart Goh. But he wasn't Chinese. Perhaps it was the way he spoke.

Michael Lloyd made a significant point at the end of his testimony. He described himself as a shy person and hence would have been a main reason for not getting baptised.However he took the leap to outside his comfort zone standing in front of the church that night. His last statement really sunk in for me. It was something along the lines of "my commitment to God is to step outside my comfort zone".

Very often Christians fall in the trap of norming with this world. We avoid conflict to stay inside what we're comfortable with. Afraid of what people think of us and forgetting what comes first. Pleasing God, not man.

3 Days Dead

Quite a while ago my mum mentioned to me that one day as she was leaving for work in the morning she saw a girl (in her twenty's) sitting on the curb across the street from us and was crying. An elderly (parents age) woman was comforting her and one of the neighbours (Carolyn) went over to see if they needed help and also because she was a nurse.

Today my parents went to a Pizza Fairwell party organised by one of the neighbours on our street. Mum came home much after Dad did, even after I returned home from church. She found out more to the story I mentioned earlier. The incident she encountered weeks/months before links to the story like this.

The girl was crying because she must have found out that a person had been dead in the house across the street for three days. He (she?) was locked inside the room where he was found.

A locksmith had to be called to unlock the locks which were some kind of special lock (even more suspicious to have locks on room doors). Carolyn found out that there was a deceased person from the locksmith and he was quite wary when mentioning this fact.

Incidents such as the ambulance, police, detectives arriving at the house across the street occured.

The above was seen by the neighbour Carolyn.

Mum said that she did remember seeing an elderly Chinese looking couple coming a few days/weeks(?) later to clear things out from the house. There was also a large rubbish bin to dispose of things (such as a bed?).


How does this effect me?

To my understanding the person that lived across the road was a Chinese looking guy called Tom. I only knew that because early this year when I had to take out the license plates from the yellow Corolla to get them replaced with new ones since the car got yellow stickered, I had a lot of trouble with the tools we had at home with the rear plate. I went across the road to ask for a tool such as a large screwdriver. Anyway we introduced ourselves and that was our first encounter.

Our second encounter was when I came home one afternoon and found a few people in his front yard moving things from car/s to inside the house. I went over to chat to find out who these people were and whether they lived there as well. They informed me that the only person who lived there was Tom and no one else. Tom and I briefly exchanged conversation and I inquired what was with all the computing hardware equipment that was being moved. He mentioned that he use to run a business and if our computers needed fixing he'd be able to do it. Probono. I at the time definitely needed a computer to be fixed and still do! I was planning to call in again a week or so later but only to notice that the house seemed unoccupied or more like there was no sign of life inside.

We have no facts on who exactly is the dead person, but can only speculate as to who they were.


Other opinions to add suspicion.

Mum also mentioned that the roller shutter the house has is only install on the front windows and not the side. Usually roller shutters are installed in all windows. Perhaps to just hide from the street what was really going on inside?

Chinese version of the Mafia?

Overdose?

However all this is speculation and we must respect that it may have just been a case of something "normal".


My feelings:
A bit creeped out because it is so close to home.
Feel a bit odd that I had met this Tom guy however cannot conclude whether it was him.

My immediate thoughts in order:
Was it suicide?
Murder? (inside a locked room, hence staged)
Natural death?...

Beginning of a new lifestyle

Full time work began on 30 April. Employed by GHD (ghd.com.au) as an Undergraduate Engineer. I am not located at their Perth office but in the Southern Gateway Alliance (consist of GHD, Leighton Contractors, WA Limestone and Main Roads WA) project office in Osborne Park. WA's single largest road project, the New Perth to Bunbury Highway (NPBH) is under the design process. Construction, or whatever the term is for them to start earthworks has commenced from what I can gather.

About the office

1. Staff kitchen has bonuses (other than the standard) such as coffee maker machine, sandwich toaster.
2. People are generally friendly and helpful and I've met more than enough amusing personalities.
3. My supervisor Robin Connolly was very helpful the first day showing me around and introducing me to the right people and showed me basic things I'd need to know.
4. I knew one person from a couple of units we did together, Michael Smith.
5. I meet at least one person I haven't met before everyday.
6. Cubicle space is relatively big, generally shared by four people in each corner.

So far so good. I'm not sure what I'll be like in a few weeks from waking up between 6-6:30am everyday to get to work by around 8:15am.

Public transportation enlightenment

Generally leave home at 7:10am to catch a 7:15 bus to Perth Busport then walk 10-15mins to the train station and then catch a train two stops after to Glendalough. After that I catch another bus to IKEA on Scarborough beach road, and walk about 2mins to SGA which is behind/next to IKEA. I spent about 3hours during the weekend engineering this route instead of following exactly what the transperth.wa.gov.au journey planner decided for my destination (duration of 1hour 40-50mins).

By Tuesday I found out that catching the 7:28 bus from home is not worth it as it takes another 15-20mins later to reach the busport due to increased in traffic and I end up arriving 30mins later to work.

By Wednesday I figured that it was faster to walk to the office from Glendalough station.

I decided to walk when I saw someone I recognised from the office and started following them. I ended up catching up to them, pulled out the earphones to my ipod and started conversation "do you work at SGA?". His name in short is Sunda, a Sri Lankan from GHD in Sydney. His role in this project is the geotechnics (engineering) related stuff...I'm using this word because I'm still gathering the correct terminology for all this.

By now the mastered route to work takes only just over an hour from the time I leave home. I also get a bit of exercise done everyday. Only con about it is I have to breath in pollution from the traffic.

Weekends

The weekends are still the same in terms of my sleeping habits. Well it's my first weekend since starting full time work. Today I slept in till around 3-3:30pm. Disgusting isn't it? The only difference now is that I don't have to work Saturday nights! Puneesh called today to let me know about the details of Hyatt's Lower Lobby Team building cruise tomorrow. His first comment "when can I start tonight". That made me laugh.