Starting this year, and with the advent of Facebook where I usually post my updates, I believe my posts here at WordPress will become (more) limited. Furthermore, I will also try tumblr (thus, will try to avoid multiple posting — unless it would be automatically linked — that my posts will also be posted or linked from tumblr to WordPress and vice versa).
Thanks WordPress!
I am having my coffee break while posting this blog.
As usual, a busy day. I am reviewing accumulated invoices from service contractors that needs to be paid (ranging from hotel accommodation to personal effects shipment). Yesterday, I had a meeting with our Finance Department regarding the expenditure tracking, budget allocation and operational forecast. The other day I was in our office in Jeddah to perform my usual job obligation coinciding the dismantling of my workstation there and disassembling of my desktop. I am not sure if I will still be required to report for work in Jeddah – at the new interim office location.
Yet I am supposed to be spending my annual leave since Saturday, but have no choice but to work. I just wish my employer will consider carrying over my vacation credits for 2009 to add up with 2010 – otherwise it will automatically puff like bubbles unused come year-end. I still have 28 days vacation credits for 2009.
An office fly helping me with my files.
I am a bit uncomfortable with my current work location, I was allocated a cubicle on the central warehouse, I can’t understand the logic because I have no business and no interaction required from me at the warehouse. The absence of a photocopier and scanner at my workplace requires me to visit other office (located on another building) just to photocopy/scan a document – to which is routine for me as part of my job.
I feel like I am on a meat freezer, it is terribly cold here. The thermostat is malfunctioning dipping automatically to 5 degrees centigrade, thereby producing a room temperature of 18 degrees centigrade.
Line-up of dead mosquitoes, yet some escaped.
I have regular flies and mosquito visitors here. If I am on the mood I simply allow them to fly and roam around. But today I was annoyed with the mosquitoes constantly buzzing on my ears and some piercing on my skin. I massacred more than a dozen today.
Oooppss… coffee break is over, have to go back to work.
Several months ago, I came across an article about “The AccoLade” – supposedly the first all-female rock band named (or at least the first to appear on media with The New York Times interview). In this part of the world, rock bands are not common.
Inspired, I was attempted to create a YouTube video for their first single “Pinocchio“. Meantime, after few days I received messages and emails from someone claiming to be a ‘close friend’ of the rock group (though I have a hunch, the person could be one of the band members themselves), to remove the photo of the group that I included on the video. Though I got the photo circulated from the internet (scanned copy of their faces as published by The New York Times). Nonetheless, I heeded to their request to cover their faces on the video.
A week later, I received an email from this ‘close friend’ of the group with the attachment of their second single “Destiny”. Thanks to the Eid Holodays, I have had got time to create this ‘fan video’ for their second single:
I hope I can watch them perform live.
On November 25, at around 5:45 AM we were awakened by (rain) water dripping from a cracked ceiling at the master’s bedroom (located at the upper floor), at first we thought it is simply the collected moist from the central air conditioning system. Then flashes of dry lightning caught our attention at the window. It turned out that it is raining (rain falls here usually only once a year) and it is raining heavier than usual.
The drippings continued, we needed a pail to catch the water. We roamed to inspect the house and found that Sophie’s bedroom (also at the upper floor) is flooding due to a clogged drain at her veranda. I got busy redirecting the flood water to the bathroom – if not it will spread fast and drip to the ground floor. I needed another pail to catch
I am not aware that the ground floor is also flooding coming from the outside – as the roadways had also collected rain water. Below is a video taken outside our residence.
It is quite interesting to note that in Saudi Arabia (rain)water drainage system is not common and not being installed, thus even at this community flooding will naturally be always excepted after heavy downpour.
I found out later that Jeddah was devastated by the flood brought by this rain which claimed more than a hundred lives.
Images collected from the internet (Jeddah):
Main road that looks like a river
Vehicles of different makes and models piled up.
Huge hole on a street (comparable to a scene from a disaster movie)
Preview of the hundreds (even thousands) of vehicles caught by the flood.
I was on leave from November 1 to 4 coinciding the birthday of Sophie who turns 4 on November 3. She shared her cake at school on Tuesday and held a mini-party on Thursday wherein we were visited by our friends from Jeddah.
Sharing Chocolate Cake with Classmates at School
On Thursday, while punching a hole on the plastic bottle cover, I got a nasty cut on my pointer finger, so deep I can feel the sharp knife hit the bone. With the this accident, I was not able to prepare other dishes (and handicapped preparing other dishes). Nonetheless, I think the mini-party went well specially our guests brought with them cakes (cassava cake and cheese cake) and embotido. We served spaghetti, ‘kaldereta’, fried chicken, ‘lumpiang shanghai’, hotdog on sticks, muffins, fruit salad and ice cream.
Sophie with her guests
We are glad to receive many guests (and gifts for Sophie 
) despite the fact that this is supposed to be a simple gathering. We never even send ‘invitation cards’, yet thankful the guest arrived.
Sophie with the blue bear, one of the gifts she considers her favorite.
We have one happy girl who turns four.
Good News: My piano arrived yesterday (October 15) ahead in time from their given schedule supposedly still on Sunday, October 18
Bad News: (I waited 83 days before the piano arrived)… The piano was delivered damaged and can not be used 
Damaged piano keys...
Broken hammer...
Yaesu Piano from Japan
Now we have a 230 kgs. junk on our house. I had reported this damage already to both CWW Cargo Express and Four Winds Saudi Arabia Ltd. and is waiting for their action.
I am very frustrated.
Last June we decided to purchase a Kawai piano (second hand upright piano from Japan) and have Rinojo enroll on a ‘crash course’ piano lesson for a twice a week session on a music studio, and then he would continue to practice at home. It is interesting thought that we were told by the piano teacher that Rinojo is the best student she ever had. The teacher said that usually for his age (five years old) it is normal that her students can complete five pages of music sheets on the first session (that is – students with prior experience in playing piano). The teacher continued that it brings ‘chills’ to her that with the first session with Rinojo, they were able to complete up to 26 pages of music sheets. It was observed that Rinojo is more inclined to play with his ears though he can also read notes.
Meantime, not yet completing his piano lesson sessions we need to ship the piano that we purchased to Jeddah together with the other personal effects. The piano was shipped via sea cargo as with its weight it exceeded with my entitlement for air cargo. The shipping agent in Jeddah is “Four Winds Saudi Arabia Ltd.“, which is the official contractor of the University for personal effects and customs brokerage.
The piano was picked-up from our house on July 24 by “CWW Cargo Express” and until now – October 12 – it has not been delivered to us yet. Very frustrating.
Initially I was told by the cargo company that it will arrive in Jeddah on 20 August, to which I waited with excitement. August 20 came but when I followed up I was told that it should had been September 20 – which was confirmed by their shipping agent in Manila that the cargo was still at Jebel Ali in UAE.
September 20 came and every time I follow-up, I will be told that “this is not yet that, and that is not yet this”. One week more it will be October 20 and I hope the piano will be delivered before that date, and definitely I hope it will not reach November anymore.
I am just hoping I will receive the piano in one piece as it was sent from Manila three months ago, so that Rinojo can continue to practice and explore with his interest playing the piano.
Since last week I was officially transferred to the “Maintenance and Utilities Department” but currently reporting as well still with “Transition Management Department”. The arrangement coinciding the month of October is that – I need to report in IOB Jeddah 2 days a week (with the remaining 3 days in Thuwal) for the first two weeks, thereafter 1 day a week in IOB Jeddah (and 4 days a week in Thuwal) for the next two weeks. Starting November 1, I will be reporting permanently in Thuwal as our office in Jeddah will be completely vacated. I was assigned to report to the Logistics Manager with our designated office on one of the University warehouses.
Interestingly the computer that was issued to us in Thuwal is an iMac, admittedly this is the first time I will use its operating system as well as its keyboard (’since birth’ I am accustomed to a PC with Microsoft OS).
We had just officially moved from Al-Khair to our permanent accommodation in Thuwal. Yesterday I was in Al-Khair to monitor the packing and transport of our personal effects. My appointment is 1:00PM but the shippers arrived past 2:30 (which enabled me to take several short naps on the sofa in Al-Khair). After conducting the inventory and documentation formalities, the personal effects were loaded at the shipper’s truck (Fourwinds) headed to Thuwal.
Meantime as for the change oil for my car posted earlier on this blog, also yesterday I went to KIA Service Center in Auto Mall – Malek Road early morning only to be told that they do not do change oil until it reaches 5,000 kms. I am bit confused about this (though I am not an expert on car engines and maintenance), as it is my understanding that cars on a ‘break-in’ period must undergo change oil on the first 500 kms or 1,000 kms, in order to remove any residue in the engine during the break-in period (I think I also heard my sales agent about this required maintenance). I do not intend to argue with the mechanic thus I just leave the place and headed to work. I called my sales agent a few hours later only to be told that indeed maintenance will be performed in 5,000 kms.
A bit bothered, in the afternoon (after I shipped my personal effects) I decided to visit again their KIA Service Center, this time in Madina Road (Heraa) but was also told by their mechanic that change oil will be performed only within 5,000 kms. Concerned about my engine, I inquired if I can purchase instead the oil filter so I can have the change oil done in other maintenance shops. However I was discouraged from doing so as if I will do this and something happen to the car, the maintenance warranty might be voided. I understand their point and therefore at time point of time I trust their system.
So there it is, I will have my car’s change oil within 5,000 kms.
It is my first day of work since the long holidays (Eid Holidays). My car’s odometer told me that I traveled 90.7 kms from our garage in Thuwal up to the parking lot in our office in Jeddah (thus will travel another 90.7 kms returning home after work).
Sun is up, it is past seven in the morning, but it is a foggy day today...
Instead of driving this distance everyday, I am to request a shuttle service (Thuwal-Jeddah-Thuwal), but since my car is due for its change-oil for its 1,000 km ‘break-in’ schedule, I decided to bring my car. I got my car only last 09 September and for the period 2 weeks it has reached the 1,000 km reading (currently it is already reading at 1,385 km), thus it is past its due for the scheduled change-oil.
My arrangement (together with some of my colleagues) is kinda different – we are already accommodated in Thuwal but needs to work in Jeddah – as compared to the normal arrangement wherein staffs (still) accommodated in Jeddah reporting in Thuwal.
Notice the cars on the opposite lane with lights on...
Anyhow, hopefully this temporary arrangement will end within several days or couple of weeks or sooner – until our work assignment is finally transferred to our permanent organization in Thuwal.
