Well at least it is a good variation from going in to the office and sit there from 9 to 5, getting fatter as the clock is ticking. It reminds me that although we are nerds, being a structural engineer requires a certain level of athleticism and is actually a good workout by itself.
This first post is to tell a story of my tagging along to a heritage investigation of a church building, which actually happened before Christmas holiday. When I ask the senior engineer "Oh what will I do there?" he merely said, "Your job is to hold the ladder so I won't fall down." Turned out that they didn't have a decent ladder to reach that high ceiling. So my colleague took me to see the base of the building, to see the pier and pad footings, ventilation, floor joists, floor beams etc... with words of caution "After a while you'll be friends with spiders." With the first step towards the base of the building, I feel the uncomfortable strain of half-cramp on my thigh. Painful reminder of ditching exercise!!!
The base of the building was an intriguing place full of rubbles, unused timbers, spider webs and goodness knows what other aspects of the wildlife. I actually have to thank the darkness because I can't see any roaches or mouse.
I practiced my crawling skills (actually more like squatting and stepping forward). We hobbled in the darkness, armed with torches, digital camera, clipboard and notepad.
He emerged dirty, smelly and quite happy because the base of the building is structurally sound. I emerged dirty, smelly, physically tired and with the throbbing dull pain of a confident head bump (with the sneakily short door frame).
Then we climbed a ladder to look up the ceiling, another test on my non-existent athleticism. The ladder is a scary and wobbly place to be on. Totally unstable. So it was with all my might that I gripped the edges of the ceiling opening for my life, forgetting about those dusty and dirty surfaces that cling all over my hand.
We're supposed to look at deflections and leaf litter, also to investigate our boss' suspicion of spreading roof on his earlier visit. When my colleague asked my to go up first to make any observation I made a useful one: "Lots of tennis balls up here!"
So ok, the investigation was pretty cool and a good success, although not so much on my part. I certainly learnt a lot and looked forward to go to another one. Another moral story is to be a more athletic person so that I can move in seemingly impossible spaces with agility and grace, and stop being such a girl.
Selamat!!
Friday, January 22, 2010
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
work
Hello. Let me tell you a little about my work as an engineer intern in a structural company somewhere in corporate Sydney:
1. Engineers must bring calculators to work. I didn't bring it my first day and I feel really handicapped. And lost. Armed only with the sucky Windows Accessories calculator, I couldn't do much.
2. I do like buildings. Serious. It's not like I don't like the work. I think buildings is the path I want to pursue. However the word architect keeps coming to my mind.
3. I start dreaming of what I would be if I am not to be an engineer. This is dangerous territory.
4. Thank God, thank God, they don't make me do stuff like photocopying and printing and scanning. I hope I am not a burden to the company seriously.
5. In contrary to what other profession is like, I do need the skills I learn in uni, which makes me feel I'm really rusty. Furthermore, those aforementioned uni skills are not, not, not enough in the real world.
6. I will fight back tears of happiness on the day I return to the fake world - UNI! Days that start late and finish early, 4-day week (or even less if I'm lucky), hanging out with friends during break.
Hmm, can I devise a plan where I can just go to uni my entire life? As student, not staff. Well staff like teaching casual is ok, good money. As lecturer? Um, let me think about that. As long as not cleaning lady. Can I study in uni until I retire?
1. Engineers must bring calculators to work. I didn't bring it my first day and I feel really handicapped. And lost. Armed only with the sucky Windows Accessories calculator, I couldn't do much.
2. I do like buildings. Serious. It's not like I don't like the work. I think buildings is the path I want to pursue. However the word architect keeps coming to my mind.
3. I start dreaming of what I would be if I am not to be an engineer. This is dangerous territory.
4. Thank God, thank God, they don't make me do stuff like photocopying and printing and scanning. I hope I am not a burden to the company seriously.
5. In contrary to what other profession is like, I do need the skills I learn in uni, which makes me feel I'm really rusty. Furthermore, those aforementioned uni skills are not, not, not enough in the real world.
6. I will fight back tears of happiness on the day I return to the fake world - UNI! Days that start late and finish early, 4-day week (or even less if I'm lucky), hanging out with friends during break.
Hmm, can I devise a plan where I can just go to uni my entire life? As student, not staff. Well staff like teaching casual is ok, good money. As lecturer? Um, let me think about that. As long as not cleaning lady. Can I study in uni until I retire?
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
new year resolution
I'm sitting on my computer, my throat is sore, and I'm about to get sick. I think I "got wind" (masuk angin? I never know the English word for this. Basically it's when lots of wind blows to you and you get flu-like sickness). But my heart is burning with hope.
It's been about 3 years since I made resolutions, and while a part of me wonders, why would you need certain dates just to start on something good in your life. But then again, why not, especially if one likes to call off things (like me)?
Another decade has passed, the years where I grew from 14 to 24. So much change has happened. I move cities and make new friends. Zits grew and some refuse to go. I go to uni, I learn that PMS is real and not just a concept or an excuse for girls to be cranky. So here a list of resolutions which I wish to fulfill for the year and for as long as I can keep it. Hopefully I will feel more resolute in doing them.
1. Think positive and feel good.
It seems damn hard at times. Even if I'm starting to lose me ideal one by one, doesn't mean that life loses its beauty.
2. Revitalize my social life and be more friendly and open.
ah, this shy and awkward girl by default will try.
3. Be a more creative person.
sometimes i miss being the year 8 kid who doodled every history lesson. I need to scribble more on paper. Play the piano. Write blog posts. More crazy ideas in my last design studio in architecture. The right brain is yearning for revolution.
4. Blog. Again.
Hooray! The think tank will stir again! I don't know how tasty it will turn out, as I tentatively walk baby steps back to the blogosphere. In the past I was an avid blogger who likes to complain about the weather. Lots of things happen in life and writing it actually brings more merit than I thought it would be. It is awesome brain practice, it is therapeutic at times, and it gives a sense of satisfaction (like farting).
5. Follow my dreams.
actually this is related to 3. Further architecture studies? Design courses? I don't know yet, I am hopeful.
6. Stop touching my face to scratch acne.
Actually I was pretty much safe from teenage zits, apart from random spots here and there. But now I am somewhat tormented with adult acne!! Argh! I realise this has to do more with the bad habit of touching it, which has to stop.
7. More exercise and more reading the bible.
I know, this shouldn't be in number 7. But I've had them in the past 3 years. It is important. It is always there :)
Lets stop here and welcome the new year with new spirit!
It's been about 3 years since I made resolutions, and while a part of me wonders, why would you need certain dates just to start on something good in your life. But then again, why not, especially if one likes to call off things (like me)?
Another decade has passed, the years where I grew from 14 to 24. So much change has happened. I move cities and make new friends. Zits grew and some refuse to go. I go to uni, I learn that PMS is real and not just a concept or an excuse for girls to be cranky. So here a list of resolutions which I wish to fulfill for the year and for as long as I can keep it. Hopefully I will feel more resolute in doing them.
1. Think positive and feel good.
It seems damn hard at times. Even if I'm starting to lose me ideal one by one, doesn't mean that life loses its beauty.
2. Revitalize my social life and be more friendly and open.
ah, this shy and awkward girl by default will try.
3. Be a more creative person.
sometimes i miss being the year 8 kid who doodled every history lesson. I need to scribble more on paper. Play the piano. Write blog posts. More crazy ideas in my last design studio in architecture. The right brain is yearning for revolution.
4. Blog. Again.
Hooray! The think tank will stir again! I don't know how tasty it will turn out, as I tentatively walk baby steps back to the blogosphere. In the past I was an avid blogger who likes to complain about the weather. Lots of things happen in life and writing it actually brings more merit than I thought it would be. It is awesome brain practice, it is therapeutic at times, and it gives a sense of satisfaction (like farting).
5. Follow my dreams.
actually this is related to 3. Further architecture studies? Design courses? I don't know yet, I am hopeful.
6. Stop touching my face to scratch acne.
Actually I was pretty much safe from teenage zits, apart from random spots here and there. But now I am somewhat tormented with adult acne!! Argh! I realise this has to do more with the bad habit of touching it, which has to stop.
7. More exercise and more reading the bible.
I know, this shouldn't be in number 7. But I've had them in the past 3 years. It is important. It is always there :)
Lets stop here and welcome the new year with new spirit!
Thursday, November 05, 2009
uh oh
Hi. This is exam period, the most unproductive time and the most intensive internet time of the year. I had the most worrying and rather unpleasant discovery a few minutes ago, when I typed my name (a fully narcissistic act) on Google.
This blog came up first thing.
How come! How come! There's no inkling of that tongue-twisting surname of mine anywhere in this blog I believe! I wanted architecturous to come first, but, instead, the think tank! This blog is quite useless (and full of dreams and empty promises of actually making it more useful... like as an outlet of my sketching abilities! Or to demonstrate of how employable a civil-engineering-in-training I am! Or something else!), and rarely updated.
I see a danger of writing too much information that puts myself in a worse light. Right now, I need to be neutral, neutral, neutral. Or better, I should continue focus on my exams.
This blog came up first thing.
How come! How come! There's no inkling of that tongue-twisting surname of mine anywhere in this blog I believe! I wanted architecturous to come first, but, instead, the think tank! This blog is quite useless (and full of dreams and empty promises of actually making it more useful... like as an outlet of my sketching abilities! Or to demonstrate of how employable a civil-engineering-in-training I am! Or something else!), and rarely updated.
I see a danger of writing too much information that puts myself in a worse light. Right now, I need to be neutral, neutral, neutral. Or better, I should continue focus on my exams.
Wednesday, September 02, 2009
one season later
Of course I said I would write more, and reinvent the blog, and blah blah blah, and then life goes and I never did anything. Winter's over, and I gained two kilos, and it's been quite busy.
I'm quite productive in architecture (well, one has to), but I'm not gonna blab here, I'll try to talk about it more in architecturous. But don't go now, cos of course it's not updated yet.
It's been a great semester. Despite a couple of hiccups, I think 2009 is a good year; my architecture subject's pleasant, I met a massive number of new people, and my room looks heaps better now. Some friends will go soon because they graduated and was released from the clutches of uni, while I still have about a year and a half.
Dot. Dot. Dot.
Life's good, but this think tank's getting boring!
Midsemester break next week, will I do something about it? Nah, probably will be too busy relaxing :p No one reads this anyways (other than me it is).
I'm quite productive in architecture (well, one has to), but I'm not gonna blab here, I'll try to talk about it more in architecturous. But don't go now, cos of course it's not updated yet.
It's been a great semester. Despite a couple of hiccups, I think 2009 is a good year; my architecture subject's pleasant, I met a massive number of new people, and my room looks heaps better now. Some friends will go soon because they graduated and was released from the clutches of uni, while I still have about a year and a half.
Dot. Dot. Dot.
Life's good, but this think tank's getting boring!
Midsemester break next week, will I do something about it? Nah, probably will be too busy relaxing :p No one reads this anyways (other than me it is).
Sunday, July 19, 2009
new semester
Tomorrow's the first day of uni. I'm not ready to go back, holiday's too short!
I realise the blog has been very inactive... I've been wanting to make this a doodle blog, but find scanning pictures a hassle. Help! Or should I get Wacom Tablet. But $$. Oh.
New semester, New beginning (I hope)... Repairing failed new year resolution, tackling architecture subject again... Heheheh...
I realise the blog has been very inactive... I've been wanting to make this a doodle blog, but find scanning pictures a hassle. Help! Or should I get Wacom Tablet. But $$. Oh.
New semester, New beginning (I hope)... Repairing failed new year resolution, tackling architecture subject again... Heheheh...
Saturday, May 02, 2009
saturday
Show off time. I've been staying at home today making this thing, the final project for my drawing course, which is due tomorrow. Good girl right? It's the view the overhead bridge of my train station. Nah, today is nice and cheery, very bright morning sun, not dark like the picture. It's just I have to use sombre mood and desaturated colours because we're copying this Aussie artist's style (he's called Lloyd Rees). I guess I succeeded in making Homebush look European. :p
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