It is amazing that one would have thought that accountants and auditors gets it after SOX but it seems only small and mid sized firm thinks it matters… Was there no mechanism to deal with large firms anywhere they are?? I think so but why is it that SOX deals with SEC clients only, BIG4 are now scheming the govt with PRIVATE CLIENT SERVICES where a would be SEC bound is chopped into private so as to avoid SOX.. IS THE GOVT LISTENING!!!

Am not sure if anyone agrees with me that Arthur Andersen implosion will likely re-occur with some others!!! It is my view that certain BIG4 will fold soon!!! I say that with authority of what I know in one particular BIG4 firm in Prince George out of Canada which is not your ideal BIG4 and is more like mom and paps shop of servitude (slavery) here this, no control, no professionalism, threats to employees, file throwing at employees, employees not allowed to go on vacation, employee not allowed to take time off for study, one client with tax credit slips of $800,000 with investment of $50,000 and the juice is unbalanced balance sheet by a $25million company – oh no problem, one client was made to pay extra $30,000 in tax – no problem. Oh there are loads more. Watchout for the next episode.  Are you fedup yet that is a BIG4 in Prince George, Canada.

Rudyard Kipling, cuyo poema ‘Mandalay’ fue cantado por Sinatra en 1958, dijo que Birmania es ‘una tierra del todo distinta a cualquier otra conocida’.

Mandalay es la segunda mayor ciudad de Birmania con una población de casi un millón de habitantes. Fue la última capital del reino birmano antes de la colonización británica.

Mandalay una ciudad polvorienta, repleta de bicicletas y puestos de comida callejeros.

Se construyó en 1857, en torno a la colina que domina la ciudad, cuya cumbre ofrece una espléndida panorámica de 360 grados: el espectacular río Irrawaddy al oeste, la ciudad al sur, los arrozales al norte y las colinas del país shan -etnia dominante en la montañosa parte oriental de Birmania, fronteriza con China y Tailandia- al este.

Se puede subir en taxi, pero es mejor a pie, aunque hay que hacerlo descalzo. Se pueden visitar santuarios de Buda o nats -espíritus animistas incorporados al budismo-, charlar con algún monje u observar la práctica del chinlon, una mezcla de fútbol y voleibol con pelota de mimbre.

Tras esta visita, obligada y recomendable en la puesta de sol, Mandalay genera en el visitante una cierta desorientación. ¿Por dónde empezar?

La ciudad es el corazón comercial, religioso y cultural del centro y norte de Birmania.

El descomunal palacio real ocupa lo que debería ser el centro- y un incesante traqueteo de vehículos destartalados, no invita a callejear.

Se puede regatear con un conductor de trishaw -especie de bicicleta con sidecar- para visitar las pagodas al sur de la colina: Sandamani Paya, Kyauktawgyi Paya, con un buda de ocho metros tallado de una pieza en mármol, o Kuthodaw Paya, conocida como ‘el libro más grande del mundo’ al albergar en 729 losas de mármol las escrituras sagradas del budismo.

Al suroeste, la Mahamuni Paya es uno de los santuarios más visitados de Birmania. Y cuando uno se canse de pagodas -sucede antes o después- conviene tomarse la tarde para pedir un té con dulces, acudir al mercado de Zaigyo o probar la excelente Myanmar Beer.

Para visitar las afueras también habrá que regatear: Se puede optar por un blue taxi -minúsculas camionetas Mazda de los años 50- o un white taxi, robustos y algo más cómodos -todo es relativo- Toyota.

Los mayores atractivos de Mandalay están en las antiguas capitales birmanas situadas a a pocos kilómetros: Amarapura, Sagaing, Inwa y Mingún.

Es obligada la visita al precioso puente de U Bein en Amarapura, el puente de teca más largo del mundo (1,2 kilómetros), que ofrece su puesta de sol entre escolares que regresan a casa, monjes budistas con túnica azafrán y pescadores.

No muy lejos están Inwa y Sagaing. Para acceder a Inwa, después de dejar el taxi hay que tomar una barcaza, y luego contratar una calesa para moverse por la isla.

La mayor parte de sus construcciones están invadidas por la vegetación, y los campesinos cultivan arroz en tierras que durante 400 años eran parte del palacio real.

El monasterio Bagaya Kyaung está hecho enteramente de teca, sujeto sobre centenares de enormes pilares, y en su interior conviven ardillas y monjes dando clase a los niños.

Al otro lado del río está la colina de Sagaing, lugar sagrado donde viven unos 6.000 monjes budistas. Es un relajante laberinto de escaleras salpicadas de cementerios, stupas y templos, con vistas al Irrawaddy.

Volviendo a Mandalay, desde el atareado puerto fluvial salen cada día barcos a Mingún, cuyas gigantescas construcciones quedan empañadas por la insistencia de los vendedores de souvenirs.

Se puede encontrar, además de una campana de 90 toneladas, los restos de lo que iba a ser la mayor pagoda del mundo, con 150 metros de alto y semiderruida por un terremoto.

La escapada, de medio día, merece la pena por el trayecto en barco por el Irrawaddy. De igual modo, la mejor forma de salir de Mandalay es río abajo hasta Nyaung U.

Es la puerta de la explanada de los templos de Bagán, que impresionó a Marco Polo y aún eriza el vello del viajero más curtido.

Hay distintas opciones, desde los cruceros rápidos para turistas hasta los barcos locales. Éstos suponen 15 horas de viaje con paradas en las que se comercia toda mercancía imaginable mientras el barco es abordado por despiadados vendedores de samusas, sandías y chucherías.

A la cuarta hora uno se arrepiente de su decisión, pero ya el tiempo dirá qué vivencias se olvidan y cuáles perduran.

Vía Cinco Días

View Larger Map

Lo que los viajeros llaman las big four, los cuatro destinos indispensables en Birmania son Yangon, Bagan, Lago Inle y Mandalay.

Yangon o Yangôn, (hasta 1989 Rangún) fue capital de Birmania hasta 2005. Es una ciudad de más de cuatro millones de habitantes en las orillas del río Yangon.

La ciudad es el centro económico de Birmania. La mayoría de las importaciones y exportaciones pasan por Rangún, sobre todo a través del río Yangon que se une con el río Irawadi, el principal del país.

Todos los vuelos internacionales aterrizan en el Aeropuerto Internacional de Rangún, que está localizado a unos 19 kilómetros del municipio de Rangún.

En Yagon es interesante ver:

• Shwedagon: complejo religioso en el que destaca la pagoda Shwedagon
• Pagoda Sule: de forma octogonal y con cúpula dorada.
• Catedral de Santa María: catedral católica construida en 1895.
• Pagoda Chaukhtatgyi: en cuyo interior se encuentra una imagen gigante de Buda.
• Pagoda Ngahtatgyi: situada en el interior del monasterio Ashay Tawya Kyaung contiene otra colosal estatua de Buda conocida como el Buda de los cinco pisos.
• Pagoda Botahtaung: reconstruida por completo al final de la Segunda Guerra Mundial.

Recuerdo el viaje que hice en 2005 a Vietnam.

El avión de Air France en el que volábamos tenía una televisión donde un GPS te posicionaba qué países estabas sobrevolando en cada momento.

Pasamos por encima de Afghanistán, Pakistán, India, Bangladesh, …, y de repente vi aparecer en el mapa un país cuyo nombre nunca había oído: Myanmar.

Jo y parecía grande.

Al cabo de un par de días en Saigón busqué en internet algo sobre ese “nuevo” país y descubrí que era el que yo había estudiado en el colegio como Birmania.

A partir de ahí ha mejorado bastante mis conocimientos sobre geografía asiática pero los asiáticos tienen un no-se-qué con el cambio de nombres que no hace sencillo estar al día.

Lo que en el colegio estudiaste como Saigón ahora es Ho Chi Minh City, Pekín ha pasado a llamarse Beijing, Bombay hace unos años que se llama Mumbai, …

Descubrí que en Birmania, la junta militar decretó en 1989 que el país volviese al nombre que mantuvo desde su fundación, Myanmar.

Birmania (Burma) fue el nombre con el que los británicos denominaron a esta provincia del entonces Raj británico (que comprendía desde el actual Pakistán hasta toda Birmania.

Además decretaron el cambio de nombre de varias ciudades, incluyendo la que fue su capital hasta 2005, que pasó de llamarse Rangún a Yangon.

Entre los birmanos hoy se escuchan ambas denominaciones.

Los más fieles al regimen prefieren, incluso, hablar de la Unión de Myanmar, mientras que la oposición al régimen militar, para negarle legitimidad a las medidas de este gobierno prefieren seguir llamándola Birmania.

Además en el pasado este país se denominó también: Unión Birmana, República Socialista de la Unión Birmana o incluso Pyidaungsu Myanmar Naingngandaw.

Menos mal que no lo han dejado difícil del todo, …

Para entrar en Birmania hace falta solicitar previamente un visado. En España no hay embajada así que lo habitual es solicitarlo por mensajería a la embajada birmana en Berlín.

El visado turístico cuesta 25€.

Si eres periodista, fotógrafo, educador social, …, evita poner esa profesión en tu visado y elige cualquier otra. Sino es difícil que te concedan tu visado.

Al gobierno militar no le gustan los viajeros “que meten sus narices en lo que no interesa” (en lo que no les interesa a ellos, claro).

La diferencia horaria entre la hora peninsular española y Myanmar es de cinco horas y media más en Myanmar en horario de invierno y cuatro horas y media en horario de verano (en Myanmar no hay cambio de hora).

Es decir, en invierno, a las doce de la mañana hora peninsular española, en Birmania son las cinco y media de la tarde.

En Bangkok, que es donde aterrizaré antes de ir a Birmania la diferencia es de seis horas más en invierno y cinco horas en verano.

El clima es tropical con tres estaciones marcadas:

• invierno, de noviembre a febrero, es fresco y seco
• verano, entre marzo y mayo, es húmedo y caluroso
• y la estación del monzón, entre mayo y octubre, es muy lluviosa.

La moneda de Myanmar es el kyat (MMK).

En Birmania no hay cajeros automáticos, así que hay que llevar metálico y preferentemente dólares, por que los cambian mejor que los euros.

El problema es que el cambio oficial que marca el gobierno es irreal y has de recurrir a cambiar en el mercado negro (hoteles, comercios, …) para no perder dinero.

Mientras que en un banco te pueden dar menos de 500 kyat por dolar, en el mercado negro te pagarán, a día de hoy, casi 1.100 kyats.

Puedes ver el cambio actualizado en el diario The Irrawaddy News Magazine.

El billete por el que mejor cambio te darán es el de 100$ y debes tener cuidado de:

• que los billetes no tengan la más mínima arruga, pintada, …, por que no te los cogerán
• que no sean de la serie CB (siglas que anteceden a la numeración del billete) dado que ha habido falsificaciones en esa serie y tampoco los quieren
• contar bien el dinero que te dan, no te la líen dándote de menos.

Calcula bien el dinero que te va quedando y al final convierte lo que te haya sobrado a dólares o a euros, por que los kyats que saques de Birmania no los podrás cambiar.

Think about it. Its not like asking 4 girls out to the highschool prom and then saying no to 3. In this situation you kept your choices open and there was no lying involved, just a lot of asking, fantasizing and hand lotion. On the other hand, if you wrote customized poems for each girl, bought flowers/chocolates, and stood outside each girls house playing a song on your banjo, how awkward would it be when it came time to accept only one?

I know its way too far ahead to think about this topic, but someone brought it up the other day and it really got me thinking. How awkward will that conversation be? I guess its good to prep ourselves for the real world and all that bullshit, but really? I mean, we just spent weeks schmoozing and sucking up to all these people, letting them know how much we want to work for the firm, and then we turn around and say no?

I guess its part of the business and a reality that they understand. That being said, what if they were to turn around and say “But in the interview, you made it clear you wanted to work here. Were you lying?”. Then what?

At one of the events a manager was telling me a story he heard. A student called up one of the mid-sized firms and rejected their offer because he wanted to accept the Big 4 offer. Apparently, and again, I am not sure how true this story is, the recruiters of the mid-sized firm got upset. They said they had spent a lot of resources and mostly because so much interest was shown by the candidate. Either way, it did not make a difference to the candidate’s choice. Yeah, sure it is unprofessional on the firm’s side to act like a two year old kid that broke their toy, but isn’t it unprofessional on our part to lie in the faces of all these recruiters?

IwanttobeaCA’s new blogger Emievil wrote a post regarding what it is like working at the Big 4 which as always, got me thinking.

So I posted a new topic in the forums to get some insight. One of our members LYCG who has made some G’d up contributions on the forums already had this to say, which truly is beautifully said.

Agree with this 100%, and it is my second reason for not offering my availability to help with recruiting events this year (the first reason being the UFE). I cannot stand in front of wide-eyed students and lie through my teeth about work life balance and people looking out for you. I suspect recruiters go through a training of sorts where they are instructed on what they can and cannot say to potential candidates, and I’m not ready to sacrifice my integrity just to be able to add “helped out with recruiting” to my next performance review. I believe recruiting should be left to those who love the firm for what it truly is and does.

The post you quoted is true. You work incredibly long hours and then you are told to work on weekends. You’re told to postpone your flight home from an out-of-country client and finish up the file because the rest of the team worked too slowly but they can’t stay on the engagement any longer because they have vacations booked. You’re told to show up at the client after a full day of SOA training even though you’re not booked on the client that day, and you’ll show up because you don’t want the manager to give you a negative review. There is absolutely no sympathy because hey, everyone goes through this. Suffering (for lack of a better word) has become a rite of passage rather than a problem that needs to be fixed.

A piece of advice given to me by one of my mentors (who amazingly does not work at the same firm as I do) is “absorb, but don’t accept.” Learn and understand everything about the firm – what they tell you, and what really goes on. You need to be prepared so that you don’t feel defeated when you discover the truth behind what they tell you during recruiting. Don’t expect the firm to hand you things on a silver platter and don’t leave it up to them to make you feel happy at the firm. If you read my post in the Introductions section, you’ll see that my internal motivation is what drives me to not only survive in a Big 4 firm, but to succeed in it. You need to find your own opportunities to draw recognition to your work, you need to find the people who can facilitate your development, and you need to look out for your own health and work life balance – don’t wait for the firm to do this for you. Think of it not as “what can this firm do for me?” but rather as “what can I get for myself at this firm?” (Although this does not include stealing supplies).

(I really should include a disclaimer with my posts – I don’t want to discourage you guys from joining a Big 4, ha ha. I honestly believe, however, that the Big 4 are some of the best places to gain a variety of practical business experience – the only caveat being that you need to find those opportunities yourself)

I really like the way he said it and the discussion continues here.

I don’t think the point is to shoot down the concept of working at the Big 4, rather it is to prepare people who are going in. I mean can you imagine? You worked hard, fought for it and finally got your “dream job” at the Big 4 only to find out it is nothing like what you expected.

Hallo liebe Leser,

nachdem Wolff Fuss Sky verlassen hat und nun für Sat.1 und Liga Total kommentiert stellte sich die Frage, wer für ihn die Premier League Topspiele kommentieren würde.

An diesem Wochenende findet bereits mit dem Spiel Manchester United – Arsenal London das erste Big4 Duell der neuen Saison statt. Für mich sehr überraschend wird Roland Evers dieses Spiel kommentieren.

Eigentlich sollte Michael Born der Ersatz für Wolff Fuss in der Premier League sein, aber das Topspiel kommentiert er dennoch nicht. Born kommentiert am Sonntag das Spiel FC Portsmouth – Manchester City.

Für einen tut es mir aber sehr leid. In der letzten Saison hatte Marco Hagemann einige Big4 Einsätze, da einige Spiele am gleichen Tag stattgefunden hatten. Nun ist Fuss weg und man setzt ihm mit Evers den nächsten vor die Flinte. Hagemann sagte mir vor einiger Zeit, dass er sehr gerne die Topspiele kommentieren würde. Nun sieht es leider nicht so aus.

Man wird sehen, ob Evers nun der Stammkommentator wird, oder ob sich die drei vielleicht sogar abwechseln werden.

Aber eines muss man feststellen… Roland Evers ist auch kein schlechter

Geschrieben von Florian Hellmuth

Bildquelle: Kickwelt

In the past I have talked about the fact that spending one-on-one time with recruiters is what most of us have wet dreams about on a regular basis. You know you have done it. Most likely on the bus, or while driving – you imagine how it would feel to find some alone time and getting “mentally intimate” with a recruiter. Its the perfect situation, but as always, there a variety of people who’s purpose in life seems to be messing up the recruiting experience for others.

I talked about asking ridiculous and irrelevant questions that would put Larry King himself to sleep, but I have witnessed another douchebaggery move of epic proportions that I need to talk about. It is the ultimate c***-block move that occurs at these events and probably requires individuals to go through a grueling study period before passing the Uniform Douchbag Evaluation (UDE) – because honestly, there is no other explanation.

Once in a while you will be at events when all the stars are aligned and a solar and lunar eclipse is taking place at the same time, causing you to be lucky beyond a simple mind’s belief. There are multiple recruiters available for one-on-one encounters. Yeah I know, just the thought of this magnificent moment has probably caused you to look for a change of pants. Trust me, when it does happen, it really is that good. However, successful DAs (Douchebag Accountants) or DPAs (Douchebag & Potential Accountants) – depending on which country you live in, have a knack for showing up to such events.

Here I am getting some one-on-one time with a recruiter. I throw out various topics and finally he hooks onto one and I start reeling him in. There I am, making my move worthy of the highlight reel, getting ready and making him ready for some intense verbal action. Enter Douchebag. “HEY! Its great seeing you again!! How was your trip to the cottage?”. @$%# you. No seriously, #%@$ you. Fine, you know this guy from before, you have talked to him, done your goddam homework and are ready to make a second impression. But wait, let me get this right. You were so excited and hard thinking about this guy that you could not simply approach any of the other THREE recruiters that were available for some one-on-one time? You just simply HAD to walk into the middle of my conversation? You could not wait a few more minutes for me to have my conversation and make my exit. Now you’ve just made the whole situation super awkward. Not only did you cut off the recruiter mid-sentence while we were conversing, but you entirely changed course. Now there are three of us standing there looking at each other. You had the guts to walk in and ask about the cottage, but lack the mental capability to carry on the conversation after the recruiter says “It was fun”. Realizing you have no clue how to keep it going, you look at me like I am supposed to know. So to avoid embarrassing myself, I have to come up with a follow up question regarding a subject I had no clue about in the first place. Then I have to cut it short, hand my business card and make an awkward exit while cursing you for the rest of the event.

Do not tell me that you would not have the chance again and do not tell me that you did not see the other recruiters – because they were right there! Trust me, if I noticed your amazingly ridiculous move of c***-blocking my attempt, so did the recruiter. F U.

Hi!

This is my first post…pretty excited. I’m in the same shoes as many of you are, will be or have been in. Dreaming of making it to the top of the corporate ladder, I thought the best way to get there was by getting my CA designation. What better way to get it than working at the Big4 – renowned for their training as well as perks =P.

My personal story is somewhat complicated so I will not get into it for now. What you need to know is that I am somewhere in Canada – where exactly? That will remain a mis-sto-ree. ooohhh.

I am doing this with the hope of letting you all know what it is like, what I think works and what I think does not. Keep in mind, I am not a professional. I am just a regular guy trying to take over the world – no biggie.

Also, follow me on twitter! @big4bound for live feeds from various recruiting events.

Let’s get it started in here!

P.S – take my posts with a grain of salt – especially if I sound “mad” – its all in the name of humor.

All things considered, I’m a young senior. For some engagements I have seniors above me. On one of my major engagements, I have 4 seniors above me, which makes me a small fry in the team.

Sometimes, it’s good to be a small fry.

• Means somebody else is dealing with all the crap that comes his/her way, thereby sheltering all the remaining seniors.
• Means somebody else will have to be screamed at by the manager or the partner.
• Means somebody else will have to spend waking nights at the goddamn office…probably alone.

Being alone in the office means you’re a slave of the famous Hoteling system. To those who’re unfamiliar with this system, it is basically a concept of sharing and saving office space. As a big 4 employee, you don’t get a desk in your office, unless you’re a manager or a partner. Instead, you call the “hotel administrator” and tell them you’re gonna be in office on a particular day and the dude will check the computer and allot you a table for the day. You don’t get to choose.

The system is apparently supposed to save costs and reduce staff (why I haven’t seen a proportionate and compensating increase in pay I don’t know). And guess where it all started - apparently in the Chicago offices of Ernst & Young – why am I not surprised? Big 4 lead the way in enslaving the corporate world.

Anyway, for every “innovative” cost-cutting measure, there is an even more innovative way of getting around it. In my office at least, disgruntled seniors do not like to check into the “hotel”. It’s lame and you don’t get the place you want. You also have to keep moving from table to table or worse, from floor to floor.

The most prime piece of real-estate inside the firm for the seniors are those overlooking the river. There are not many of those, simply because the building is built at a pathetic angle and of course, the partners have already occupied the clear views. The first years and second years are ignorant of these slots so too bad for them.

The seniors love to jostle for these prime spots. Some have resorted to leaving their laptops overnight at the same spot and spilling coffee nearby for a “dramatic effect” to make it appear ultra dirty, thereby making others disgusted enough to steer away. Some come in ULTRA-early (also the same losers who go to the corporate gym in the morning to hog the 2 miserable treadmills available for the firm employees) to book their desks. My senior takes the cake. One day, he sat down on the seat next to the window overlooking the river. Thereafter, he proceeded to take out his sleeping bag and stretch it over the chair. Then came out the baby photos and the pillow…and the lamp…and the fan…and probably half his apartment. You would think he had been chased out of this apartment by his wife or something.

Anyway, that’s not the most shocking thing.

My partner, whose office is near that coveted spot, came over to my senior and said,

BN, I’m glad you’re taking a proactive approach to getting things done around here. You’re exemplifying efficiency at its best! Keep up the good work!

Right. Bloodsuckers. I rest my case.

Continúo presto con mi análisis de todas las candidatas de las que disfrutaremos (para bien y para mal) en apenas dos meses en Moscú. Y llega el turno de Alemania, sin ninguna duda el único país del Big 4 que se ha tomado las cosas realmente en serio en esto de Eurovisión, y paradójicamente el que peor suerte ha corrido de los cuatro. Quizá por eso en este país no se ha notado tanto la mejora que sí que hemos notado en otros países del Big 4 y de Occidente en general. Pero aun así, yo lo dejo bien claro desde el principio, Alemania es uno de mis grandes favoritos personales este año.

Tal y como adelanto en el titular, los germanos este año son los más sexys del festival, tanto la canción, Miss Kiss Kiss Bang, que no puede ser más sensual y provocativa en música y letra, aunque tenga ese toque tan retro que a mí no me suele gustar pero que con esta canción me ha engatusado completamente; como con el grupo, Alex swings, Oscar sings, con el cantante nacido en Estados Unidos Oscar Loya, que para mí es el guapetón de la noche (no, incluso ante el noruego para mí es que no hay color). Además, el tema más alegre y sugerente no puede ser: una mezcla entre swing, musical de Broadway y pop actual -no es la primera vez que los alemanes nos ofrecen algo por el estilo-. A mí simplemente me encanta, es de esas canciones que me da el subidón de alegría cada vez que la escucho, aunque con ese punto también picarillo que tiene la canción especialmente en esas frases tan curiosas y sin significado (¿o tal vez sí?) y con ese pedazo de cantante. ¿Qué más puedo pedir? Es por ello, que yo a los germanos este año les doy nada más y nada menos que un 9 y los coloco en el segundo puesto de los 42 países, sólo por detrás de España.

Si hablamos de posibilidades reales ahí sí que ya me pongo más triste. Aunque no ha tenido demasiada mala suerte en el sorteo del orden de actuación (actuará en 17º lugar), no veo este estilo de canción triunfando en Eurovisión, ni aun con la posible ayuda de los jurados (que tampoco veo clara). Eso unido a lo difícil que parece que es para Alemania captar votos del resto de Europa hace que me resulte totalmente imposible verla ganadora, ni siquiera en un top 10, aunque para mí lo estaría sin ninguna duda y merecidamente. Desgraciadamente, creo que quedarán en una zona media baja, más o menos igual que su puesto de actuación, pero por lo menos nos quedará haber disfrutado de una canción fresca, alegre, sexy y de calidad, y la mejora con respecto a otros años seguirá siendo notable. Lo siento chicos, habrá que esperar al menos otro año más para que Eurovisión vuelva a Alemania…Mientras tanto, disfrutad con este temazo.

Workshop KPMG la targul de joburi de la Sala Palatului. In sala 60-70 de persoane, majoritatea studenti, unii habar n-aveau ce cautau acolo.

Incepe prezentarea, un filmulet proiectat, niste copii: “Hi, I’m Mutamba and I’m five. Hi, I’m Xao Zing and I’m five. Hi, I’m Lisa and I’m five. Hi, I’m Peter and I’m…four!”. O parte din sala rade fals.

Daca eram in locul directorului de resurse umane, opream seminarul, ii dadeam afara pe restul si ii pastram doar pe cei care au ras. Ei erau tipul de care multinationalele au nevoie. Genul care gandesc putin dar muncesc mult, genul care nu pun intrebari, genul care spun una dar gandesc alta, sclavul de pe plantatie perfect.

Si acum vine partea misto, vine tipul tanar, junior accountant-ul angajat de aproape de 2 ani, cu care trebuia noi sa empatizam. Vorbeste de cate oportunitati i-a oferit lui firma, cati prieteni si-a facut, prieteni NU colegi, repetat de mai multe ori, ce kkt iti mai trebuie ba si viata personala, n-ai destui prieteni la servici?

Intrebari din public, bla, bla, ce nu i-a placut, i-a placut tot, normal, doar ca el sta in Militari si trebuia sa mearga in Baneasa, in rest totul e perfect. Cand credeam ca totul se transforma intr-un mare rahat cineva pune intrebarea magica: -Mai ai timp si pentru viata personala?

Incearca sa evite:  -Intr-adevar sunt perioade in care trebuie sa muncesti mai mult, dar satisfactiile sunt pe masura! Si vine weekend-ul care este al meu!

Ce e ba al tau, cine dreaq a vazut weekend-uri libere in BIG4? Si cat timp liber ai tu, daca te trezesti la 5 ca sa ajungi la 7-8 in Baneasa, stai cel putin 12 ore la servici, si iti mai ia cel putin 3 ore sa ajungi in Militari prin traficul din Bucuresti?

Stiam cu ce se mananca BIG4-ul, dar cand l-am vazut pe tipul asta…totul a parut foarte trist. Era imbracat la costum, dar se vedea ca nu se simte bine, gesturile erau studiate pentru a parea cat mai business. Un student pierdut in lagarele corporatiste…

Si ce kkt faci cu 1000Euro pe luna daca n-ai timp sa-i cheltuiesti?

Courtesy of Channel 4

Found this via Twitter today. It shows Stephanie Imbeau’s Shelter: umbrellas all over the Channel 4’s massive steel Big 4. Imbeau recently won C4’s Big 4 competition.

I still hate Twitter, but I have to admit I am coming round to it’s networking benefits. I sourced the pic from a Monitter feed, essentially a Twitter RSS feed.

In other C4-related news, Danny Boyle arrived at the C4 building in the last hour to round of applause which apparently filled the halls and balconies at Horseferry Road. Reports say he had his Oscar with him. Again sourced from Monitter.

Also tonight, watch out for the beginning of one of the TV events of year (genuinely), as 70s drama/noir Red Riding begins tonight at 9pm on C4. Tune in.

I am back from my 3day retreat. 940 singles attended this event. Imagine, my presence was just a mere .10% of the entire population in Chateau Royale this 3 day weekend. Yet, I believe God has purposely placed me there under specific program that He alone has created for me.

How should I begin another amazing and wonderful story that the lover of my soul stitched just for me? How should I present the lessons and realizations I got from all these? How should I give glory to the magnificent God that orchestrated all these?

Squeezing all the answers to those three questions in one single blog entry is simply an injustice to the truth. But I will try anyway. Bear with me. Read with me as I write. Rejoice with me as I express the cheerfulness in my heart. Pray with me as I hope that the fire will keep burning.

Just a few days before this much awaited retreat, my Lord broke me again with that jealousy-betrayal incident I felt in my heart. Though I came to terms with myself and with my Lord before the actual retreat, that left an emptiness in my heart. I was like a mobile phone screaming to be plugged and recharged. I was feeling sick physically, catching the tonsillitis and colds virus and having an hour and a half worth of sleep the night before the big day, my temperature was high and my head was spinning when I dragged myself out of the bed that Saturday morning.

I was a walking zombie when I arrived at St. Francis Square. To think that we had a grueling schedule for the first day! But you what? I felt my spirit being recharged the moment I stepped on the main lobby of Chateau Royale and it went full bar when we sang the first praise and worship song for the retreat. “It’s All about You.” That set it for me. My entire being shifted its focus to the lover of my soul. My somewhat empty heart started to be filled with Jesus.

And the rest… as they say, is history. I am now home. With a smile in my heart. With wisdom in my mind. With the holy spirit in my soul.

I just pray, O Lord! That this fire does not fade.

I really wish I can impart all the things I learned during this weekend. But right now, I just want to share the excerpts from my prayer journal during my quiet times in the retreat (so you can help me pray these things)…

“Father God, thank you for this opportunity to spend time with you! Thank you that through this retreat we are reminded of how small we are compared to your magnificence, your faithfulness, your mercy and your love. Lord, how I wish that I can always experience this every single day: the closeness to you. To be surrounded with fellow believers… To just wake up with a happy heart and say “Good Morning Lord!”… To fellowship with a group through breakout sessions and talk about our experiences and how you are working in each of our lives… and to sing! Lord, you know how cheerful my heart is every time I sing for you. Thank you that through this retreat and with the praise and worship team we can just offer our voices to you and exalt you…”

“I praise you, Lord Jesus for all that you have done. I pray Lord that the fire burning in me will last a lifetime Lord! And not just until this retreat. Please help me start another new life with you…”

“Lord, this retreat is just about to end and though I almost don’t want to leave because I know I will once again face the worldliness of the world… I am ready. Equipped with my take-aways and the assurance of your loving-kindness  and your magnificence, I know I can face the hindrances that lies ahead knowing that with you by my side, nothing is impossible. I claim victory over all future difficulties…”