the death of concession

You know when your days masquerading as a student whilst wearing a suit is numbered. Today marks the official day that my concession card has ended. No more enjoying the luxury of half priced train, bus and reduced movie tickets. I'll have to start forking over $8 for a return ticket to the City. I guess its all relative baby - cause I'm rolling in the real world now, earning a full time salary. But yeah, losing my concession "status" sucks.

You also know when your days posing as a student is numbered when you receive your graduation pack telling you when your gonna get yours: May Day - May 9th ,10.30am.
The glorified ceremony that shows that you - student 01066911 - is going to get his 10 seconds of fame of strolling across the podium and shaking hands with some ancient academic, packed with his two allocated fans in the audience. I guess I should be looking forward to the moment - it represents the culmination of five years at uni.

* Random point: Free Schappelle Corby! I don't think any sane person would bring 4 kilo's of mary jane INTO Indonesia.

On the lighter side

I've been reading a lot lately about Andrew Bogut and his potential number one status in the next NBA draft. I haven't seen that much of him, but they have been hyping him hardcore especially his agent who compares him to Yao Ming. It would be cool to see an Aussie go number one and it would suck for him to go to the Atlanta Hawks.

In other nba news, who's gonna be Rookie of the Year? You've got people divided between Ben Jordan (Gordon) and Emeka Okafor. Ben's the sparkplug-clutch-supersub with 23 fourth quarter's with double digits. Then you've got Mr Double Double, Okafor who's the focal point for a pretty crappy Bobcats team. My prediction?

*Emeka Okafor wins Rookie of the Year.
*Ben Gordon wins Sixth Man of the Year.

What does everyone else think Okafor or Ben?

Any Given Sunday

You would think that this long weekend being the first real break that I have gotten in a while, I'd be all excited and active. A break from the monotony of Monday-Friday, 9-5. Four days of pure unadultered bliss. No work. More sleep.

However, I don't think that I've accomplished that much this long weekend. But that's ok. Mind and body sometimes needs to chill out. Relax from the daily grind. Been watching a lotta dvd's, staying glued to my comp over a phoenix v seattle game i downloaded, going to Dawen's house, having fun at a bbq @ Cabrita.

But personally, I don't feel that I really appreciated what this weekend was about. Being a Christian this was the most important weekend in the Christian calendar. Jesus, the son of God, the bringer of hope, died on Good Friday. God sacrificied his only child, so that we could have eternal life. For the wages of sin, the blood of Christ was shed. And then on Sunday, he rose again from the dead. This weekend was meant to commerate and all that. But I wasn't feelin' that. Perhaps it was due to a lack of a local church service on Friday to attend and then followed by going to Chinese service where I didn't even understand the language (hate that).

In my heart, I feel kinda empty that I didn't really get to participate in a Church service commerating the life, death and resurrection of God's son. Or maybe its because its a ritual that I feel I missed out on. Lately though, I feel that my faith has been wavering. Its like a given that I'm praying at every meal, that I turn to God in times of trouble, that I go to my local Church every Sunday. And where's my contribution to the Gospel? Have I assisted in spreading the word of God? My efforts? Zilch. Nada. Nothing. I can't even get motivated to go to service myself. It's like I kinda lost that fire, that passion since I came back.

But this weekend? It's gone by like a flash - sleepin', bbq's, Dawen, ballin, and mo' sleepin.

And that's the problem. This Sunday felt like Any Given Sunday. But it shouldn't have.

Peace Out,

DJ HO.

You know you don't belong when....

Is it wrong to go into an expensive store such as the LV store in the Rocks, flick through the catologue and say in a semi loud voice: "this is EXPENSIVE!" in front of the shop assistant?

I mean c'mon who's gonna pay $1534 for a LV backpack which I bought for $16 in Beijing? Who the freak buys a handbag which could easily feed a family for a month? In case your wondering, the backpack was not for me, and no contray to popular belief I was not trying to match it with my suit.

Let me hear you say "3 peat"

Watched the Sydney Kings last nite produce a piece history by winning the third championship. I wasn't overly excited as game 3 was a total blowout. In the second quarter it was when we blew Wollongong away. After CJ Bruton's scored a breakaway layup, and landed into the photographer's laps, he stole the inbounds pass and scored again - this was what started the barrage of points. Man, I've never seen a team so hot - Jason Smith was on fiyya by blowing up for 38 points with 6 3-pointers. Even the centre Mark Sanford joined in with the 3 point action by burying a couple of 3's - that's when you know its all over baby.

All I can say is its great to see the Kings doing so well. Back in the day when I followed the kings in primary school, we were ranting on about Dwayne McClain, Ken McClary and then later in high school we were repping Leon Trimmingham and Isaac "Ice" Burton. Still have memories of Mark Dalton coming to my school to run some practice drills and some kid asking him to fake a dwyane McClain signature.

All my life

Congratulations to Kevin & Souda on their engagement. Love is a 10 letter word - c.o.m.i.t.t.m.e.n.t and they have shown that by publicly stating their intentions to get married. I always thought there might have been some sparks when they were both working for Ho Ho's Gifts. I actually do know some people my age who are engaged and married but yeah, can't see myself doing anything like that at the moment (sorry Dawen :P). In today's day and age, it seems people are waiting til they a bit older - say 26-27 years old to tie the knot. It's prolly a combination of a couple of factors - people being more career focused these days, women being more independent, people wanting to achieve a few more things, the costs of marriage, and people just simply not wanting to get married yet.

Telling it like it is

There's a part of me that forgets why I studied law in the first place. There's also a significant part of me that thinks "do I even want to be a lawyer?."

Studying law seemed like a good choice when I finished high school coz I was really feelin' Legal Studies. But after 5 years of slaving away at uni learning stuff like "the happy life" in remedies, how to write up a will (you saw my effort a while back :P), about 187 (murda) and manslaughter in criminal law I think why did I do all this for.

There's an really arrogant/ambitious part of me that says that says that its not worth being a lawyer if i'm not in a big ass firm like Mallesons. But the thing is that's not why I chose to do law in the first place. I loved it coz we were learning about society and its history - back in high school it was about learning about the common man, about industrial relations - workers rights, why they should be protected, minimum wage, compensation for injuries and all that. And then we learnt about women's rights - voting, right to equal pay for equal work, the glass wall and the glass ceiling. That was the bomb back then.

But now its like I've lost that drive to be a lawyer - maybe it'll never suit me. Maybe I just liked studying it coz it crossed such a wide spectrum of stuff - religion, community views, politics, and I was interested in all dat. What's the glory in being a commercial lawyer? That's not what motivated me to study in the first place. It was about helping people, fighting for their rights, about injustice.

Now that I'm working in tax for one of the Big 4 firms, peeps ask me frequently "why? You studied law. Thought you'd be a lawyer". I can't say its what I envisioned but its a good start to my career. I don't want to bore you too much but if you wanna work in this area let me know and I'll drop the 411. But in short, you need to have studied either accounting or law or perfect if studied both. You'll struggle a bit without law when the stuff gets technical - if hit me when we have meetings where we go through the latest cases, law amendments or if you have to apply tax laws to a client't situations. From my last recollection, of the 24 noobies that are in tax, all but 3 have studied law.

That's all for now folks,

Elmer Fudd aka DJ Ho.

R.E.S.P.E.T

I think two important qualities for people to have are respect for other people and to be humble. People that have neither of these qualities I personally don't have a lot of respect for. I know that sounds a bit hypocritical/circular but that's just how i feel.

I really really can't feel people if they aren't humble. No matter how good you are, what credentials you have, how popular or what your position is at work or whatever, its vital in life to be able to keep some kind of perspective and not forget where you are from and what it took for you to get there. Speaking personally, I'll admit that I probably have looked down on someone or boasted about how good I was at something in the past - and i prolly still do on occassion.

Take for example Sonny Bill Williams or Lebron James, two spectacular sporting stars who are at the apex of their respective sports. They essentially have the world at their feet. Yet I still get this perception of them from what i've read or seen on tv that they are still very down to earth and don't feed off this ego that they could easily have.

I particulary really don't like it when people boast about how good their job are. It's not as if to say that my job is superior, it just some people seem very up themselves, and you feel like giving them a bitch slap or in Trevor's words "a reality check".

Your prolly reading this and thinking this sounds like something your mum would say to you, so i'll leave you with some more authoritative words.

As Ali G says, "R.E.S.P.E.T - respekt!".


Job applications - what you really want to say

I was helping out a certain "friend" do a job application for a certain "bank". Let's just say that the whole application was driving me insane. Its standard to ask something along the lines of "why are you applying for Company X and what qualities would you bring to the role".

This is what i really wanted to put:

" I don't really care about your company, its just that your big and I want a decent job when i graduate uni. You make a lot of money by ripping good honest hardworking people off including myself, and I'm sure you could give a portion of those profits to me. I'm actually sending out as many job applications that I am eligible for and your company happens to be on my list. You can't be stupid enough to think that your the only company that i am applying for. In fact, I applying to everyone of your competitors with the same BS.

What values would I bring? I could lie and say communcation skills, teamwork, motivation and some other junk. I'm prolly not that different to eveyone else that's applying for this job. I figure that if you give me the job, train me, pay me, and give me good experience, i'll prolly leave in two years to go somewhere else for more pay or better opportunities.

In conclusion, I am the right person for this job".


On this basis, would you hire me?

CAN YOU SAY DYNASTY?

We be Rolan all over you: Rolan Roberts gives the rims a workout.

*Will the Sydney Kings three-peat? I predict a Kings victory in 5. Btw is anyone excited about the Kings potentially winning the next title and becoming a dynasty? The Kings should be the hottest ticket in town, yet no one really cares - perhaps a reflection of how popular Aussie basketball is as a spectator sport.

* Fashion Question: Is it cool to wear a backpack with a suit? Also, does anyone know how to do a tie properly (i.e. windsor knot style)? Additionally, I think its time to upgrade my leather shoes. I'm still rocking my hush puppies that I bought for the Year 12 formal - which was like 6 years ago.

*Million Dollar BABEE: Nice movie, excellent performance by Hillary Swank, Clint Eastwood plays a crusty old bugger. Love Morgan Freeman as an actor. Expected a boxing movie, got more than that with a twist halfway through the movie. Funny thing is I felt like watching it, found it on torrent reactor, downloaded it and watched it five hours later on my comp.

* Rookies taking it to the sophs: Also downloaded the rookie v sophomore 2005 game. Was so insane. Compared to other years, it was pretty competitive with the rooks winning the first half. The Sophs, led by team impact players - Lebron, Melo, and Bosh took it up a notch and killed the Rookies. Highlights - Josh Smith throwing down and attempting crazy alleyoops.

The Celtics have the future - players like Al Jefferson and Tony Allen, i was impressed with. I can't believe how confident the rookies were. Best pure shooter in da game? Kyle Korver who drilled 7 of 9 threes - he was on fiyyya. Loved it how the Baby Bulls represented - Ben Gordon what a pocket rocket, busting loose from his defender with his behind the back dribble and then unleashed a teardrop from the sky over Bosh. And Luol Deng - the future franchise player.


Stay in Skool

After bumping into Catherine in the city who has just started PLT (practical legal training) I came to the following conclusions.

What i will miss from uni:
- Mayank stealing muffins and orange juice from the Saturday morning classes
- Waking up every day at 7am, going to my 9am classes, sleeping at 2pm, then studying til 2am in the morning.
- Spending all of my days in those computer lab rooms in the law faculty.
- meeting up every saturday with my powerhouse study group - Kyle, Mayank and yours truly. We must have been pound for pound (or correctly brain for brain) the best group out there last semester.
- Mayank telling the class that "Alan Jones is the voice of the people" and then getting absolutely hammered by the class.
- playing basketball after class against FOBS.

What i won't miss from uni:
- exams and assessments
- Azize being highly unco-operative on the discussion board

I think most of all the biggest thing I will miss is the people that I used to see everyday. Everyone that did PLT got pretty close cause it was the same 60 people that was in all your classes. I still see them around the city, but it ain't the same - everyone's working, in a rush to go somewhere. My last semester was like my hardest working but also my most enjoyable times at uni.

PLT Class of Spring 2004: I MISS ALL Y'ALL!.


a dj ho production

"I was a fiend before I became a teen
I melted microphone instead of cones of ice cream
Music orientated so when hip hop was originated
Fitted like pieces of puzzles complicated
'Cause I grabbed the mic and try to say " Yes y'all!"
They tried to take it and say that I'm too small
Cool 'Cause I don't get upset
I kick a hole in the speaker pull the plug then I jet
Back to the lab ...without a mic to grab "

When I first heard about Eric B & Rakim, it was like there were hip hop icons and i knew i had to get their music. After listening to their greatest hits collection for the 100th time, i'm still amazed by their lyrical delivery, execution, and slick production. Rakim's voice is just awesome and his rhymes aren't about the typical gangster-i'm gonna bust a cap in your ass-while surrounded by hoochie mama's and nice cars. It's intellectual rhyming, old skool style, with witty punchlines. I still rate the song "Guess who's back" as one of my all time favourite rap songs.Eric B and Rakim - hip hop's greatest duo?

I'll leave you with one of my favourite lyrics:

"I came in the door i said it before
I never let the mic magnatize me no more
But it's biting me fighting me inviting me to rhyme
I can't hold it back
I'm looking for the line
Taking off my coat clearing my throat
My rhyme will be kicking it until I hit my last note"

a dj ho production

Vincis Cateris

New photographic evidence has verified that man can fly, well at least for brief periods. Here is a new species of human known as Vincis Carteris captured here in full flight. Built for aerodynamics, he stands at 6'6 and weighs 230 pounds, perfect for launching himself into the stratosphere at dynamic speeds. With pogo like legs he electrifies and amazes other lesser mortals (check the dude with the laptop at the bottom of the screen with his jaw dropping).

I want to give a big ups to Ken for giving a copy of the all-star game and the dunk contest. I haven't watched one in a while and it was extremely enjoyable. I've got two copies now, having downloaded a high quality version as well, so if want a copy, holla!.


DJ Ho's Randoms

* I love my rnb and i'm really feeling the alicia keys song "if i ain't got you" remix. It's the bomb and i can really connect with the words as it reminds me of what love really is about. The Mario song "Let me love you" is also off the hook.

* It just seems that I'm bumping into everyone at Martin Place from Hoi, Fergo - who i was staring at a while b4 i shouted out "Fergo"!, Mano - who works at the same building as me, and Anvij who was looking fly.

* Does anyone realise that the Sydney Kings are in the finals? if you want to go, and i would love to, let me know - holla!

Peace out, DJ HO

a dj ho production

Who am I?

Normally i'm a quite, easy going guy in general. Where i work, it could be considered a tad more conservative and i'm prolly a bit more reserved and stiff coz i'm pretty new and don't want to say the wrong thing/step on anyone's toes.

funny thing is, i came late to a training session in the morning the other day and was hoping to slide quitely into the boardroom. But one of the managers says out loud: "it's the Ho-star! he's finally here!". And i was like in a mumbling tiny voice :"hi". "Hey Matty, you haven't done your tie up, wake up late or something?". At a loss for words i manage to say "woke up late, mumble mumble". feel slightly embarrassed.

Moral of the story: It seems that you can't escape attention when your the ho-star.

In my opinion, my communication skills are alright, its just when the whole room is looking at me. reading hoi's blog the other day, i was feeling his nervousness about speaking in front of people. i think i've improved heaps but in general social situations i feel like that's an area that i can get better at.

What i also find kinda funny is that i really force myself to speak when i'm in interviews - a situation that you have to speak. Like i've got my game face on. It's kinda fake though, like your trying to prove that your outgoing, have personality, are a great communicator etc.

Other situations where i feel comfortable is in the classroom. I'm one of those people that actually answers half the questions in class and asks them as well. Am i a nerd?! I'd like to think not its just that i've just got no fear in those kinda of situations as opposed to others. I guess it depends on your comfort levels.

I wouldn't say that i am loud, prolly the other end of the specturm. Depending on who i'm with, i'm generally not that open with people that i don't really know well - until i guess your in my "inner sactum". There are just some people that you are really clicky with and feel comfortable talking to them and it takes time to know the "Ho-star". I'm the type of person that prolly doesn't want to be the centre of attention, as in i'm not too comfortable with the spotlight bearing down on me. I could never be the franchise player of an NBA team for example (but then again, it could be the skills that i am lacking! Think Vince Carter, Rasheed Wallace, or maybe not). The type of person i want to be is laidback, cool, in the background pulling the strings, with all the connections and know how.


Rene Rivkin Style.

For work i had to complete some independence/conflict of interest course. So what did i do when i got home?

Registered for the ASX share market trading game and started buying shares in most of the clients that i work with or are my firm's clients.

Can you say insider trading?

Randoms.

* All star game downloads! Check out this website! You can download NBA games, including the 2005 All Star Weekend. I'm not sure if it works as i am currently d/l it. Its a "bit torrent" - some kind of downloading software term. Another useful site for downloads

* Go the Street Smarts! just watched three episodes of the Apprentice 3. So rooting for the underdogs, even though i'm prolly one of the book smarts. To be successful in business, i think it's important to have a combo of street smarts and book smarts.

*Midnight Yum Cha at East Ocean, Chinatown. Hmmm. Interesting concept but none of those moving carts. You have to order from the menu, not a large variety and it comes hot but its prolly premade and steamed up. Full of non-chinese people. On at 10pm-2am.

Peace out, DJ HO.

Sometimes you don't feel like writing in sentences and just wanna jot down some random points:
* Webjay is awesome. It allows you to listen to a playlist of mp3z that someone has uploaded onto the net. It's supposed to be perfectly legal, because the songs are from "legit" sources, linking songs from various websites - not being a central server. I don't know the real deal, but i'm feeling these playlists which you can just listen through windows media with the click of a button. Big ups to obi for these compliations. Click here for more .

* Speaking of which, I haven't been to Church in a long time, apart from the odd visits to my local Church, night service at Tsimtsashui HK and at Hurstville last Sunday. I actually do want to go, its just that my motivation dies out come Sunday. Maybe i'll go to to the Burwood 5pm service.

* I'm not down with KGV on Sundays, especially after i took a 1hour and 10 minute ride to get there and felt totally sick on the bus. Maybe its a combination of the stale air/enclosed airspace on a bus ride from my house to Sydenham and the lack of ventilation at the KGV. Give me the open air Blakehurst outdoor courts anyday - keepin' it real.

* Feelin everybody's pain who's doing the Chartered Accounting program (e.g Dawen, Romani). I know its tough, and its a struggle having to give up your weekends, going to class during the week, juggling work and study. Be joining the everyday struggle in July. (In best Bruce Lee voice) I'll be a "Master of Tax with no fixed income". 8.30am training sessions are starting to wear me out.

* Went with some colleagues to Sky Phoenix, this funky-yumcha-i'm surrounded by bankers and lawyers resturant in Pitt St. Nice. Funny thing - all the waitresses speak good english coz no customers speaks chinese. There's even a "dragon lady", this owner woman who walks around recommending dishes, helping the "gwei-lo's" order. Bit pricey. Reminds me of Gum Fook in Market City but less Asians more business people.

*Someone help my bro find a job! Not the breakdancing one, the one that's in 4th year uni. He's hit a point where he's been looking for ages and can't find jack. He wants something part time officey - like one of those paralegal gigs at a lawfirm or anything half decent. Previous experience? Used to be a "sandwich artist" at Subway (if that counts for anything) and worked at barrister's office for a while. If anyone knows of any job opportunities, let me know!

* On a kind of related note, graduate recruitment season is starting up. I remember that time sorta - careers fairs, information sessions, writing cover letters and resumes, going to interviews. It brings back memories - nervousness, excitement, pain, staying up late at night pushing apps through, waiting for "the call" to tell you that "we want you". For everyone that's gonna go through that, it's gonna be tough but have faith and believe in yourself.

* Been thinking lately, wouldn't it be cool to be a lawyer? Or rather wouldn't it better to aspire to do the following: own a healthy fastfood franchise, dabble in some property developments, be a blog consultant (ideas to improve blogs), and have a production business in China.

* Discovered this blog the other day - Thoughts from a boy in Seattle. Interesting.

* And lastly, to a good friend of mine, our prayers are with you. Hope everything turns out ok.

Peace out,

DJ Ho