Pay day Break Down

Most of my readers here had know that i have started working in Capella other than Ritz. Offering at $7/hour compared to Ritz $6.50/hour. However issue is meal break are being deducted from our 'voucher'. So how to compare which hotel is offering a better deal in monetary terms?

Did a small calculation of both hotel. Ritz pretty straight forward, $6.50 multiply by no. of hours worked. However for the Capella, its quite a headache. Asked the coordinator regarding how the meal breaks are being deducted? The answer is 1 meal per shift. So how many hours are there in a shift? Also would the start work time affect the deduction of meal?

E.g.
A shift of 6hours.
Start work at 9am, End at 3pm. No of break: 1 (Lunch)
Start work at 11am, End at 5pm No of break: 0

Working Hour Chart

Click to enlarge

Decided to come out with a chart, stating all Start Work Timing and and All Working Hours. Correspond to them is the End Work Timing. So based on all the start work timing and end work timing, one by one, I review and see how many meal break will i land into.

Non Highlighted: No break
Light Blue: 1 Break
Darker Blue: 2 Break
Purple: 3 Break

Comparison Table

Click to enlarge

Using the data from the Chart, i came out with Table to compare the rates. From both of them, there is a pattern on the No. of breaks.

6-8hours: 0-1 Break
9-15hours: 1-2 Breaks (Not possible for 0 break)
16-19hours: 2-3 Breaks (Not possible for breaks, lesser than 2)
20< hours: 3 Breaks (Not possible for breaks, lesser than 3)

Min, Max Column: As we know there is possibility for different No. of break for a given working hour. So I came up with the Max/Min possible difference you will have when comparing the 2 rates.
%(max) column: The possibility of you getting the max amount

So whats the findings?

1. Add up min and max (absolute value), you will get $3.50 (Amt for Break). Except for 8th and 15th hour
2. For 8th and 15th hour, you will have both min/max higher (Both earn more)
3. If you work 1 hours after them, you will suffer $2.50 lesser (Another break comes)
4. You need 5 hours to break even the 'loss'
   

My Chart & Table isn't really complete. Forget the existence of half an hour, which is commonly experienced while working. Also my calculation did not included the meals being forgo/excuse by mangers. E.g. Forgo meals during rush hours.


Conclusion:
Above are just figures i crunched out because I'm bored. But still, working at different places shouldn't judge by their pay rates. There are more in finding a nice place to work.


Since When We Overpay and Under Deliver
C Cube

Digital Fortress Cracked Open!

Digital Fortress

Started reading Dan Brown's book which made him famous, the Da Vinci Code (not really due to the interesting plot, but rather his criticism faced by Christian communities. Anyway i find his other books better)

Order of his books i read: Da Vinci Code (2003), Angle and Demon (2000), Deception Point (2001) and lastly the Digital Fortress (1998).

Find that his story plot is always spanned within 1 day. Characters always running around or busy with a certain event, which he describe in great detail (to me). Unlike Robin Cook's novel which span across weeks or month. Best, Matthew Reilly which can have flashbacks of event decades ago or "One year after event"...

Just when i thought i finish his series of novels, then announced of his new novel, Lost Symbol. Again involved the same novel character from Da Vinci Code and Angle & Demon, Robert Langdon.. Publishing on 15 Sept 2009! My brother said he will be keen to read his next book (in fact, he finished reading Dan Brown Series earlier than me...)

Expecting it to be first published in Hard Cover, I will have to wait a few more months for its paperback to be published before i can lay my hands on them..


Currently reading, Dear Mr Buffett. What An Investor Learn 1269 Miles From Wall Street. A present from Wilson for my birthday. OH GOSH! The book is quite technical and at corporate level!! Debating about treating employee's stock option as an expense and hedge funds (read till here currently). Mentioning alot of powerhouse in Financial Sector, while i don't even know who are our national athletes, in the sports, which i had enthusiastically participated for half a decade.

Totally out of my range, can't even grasp what they talking. Now just taking their debate, word for word. But don't worry Wilson, for you i will finish the book even if i don't what the shit they are talking about.. I prefer Economic Books (*hint)



F*** who pulled out my bookmark AGAIN!!
C Cube

Know-Your-Expense: Month of June and July

Yes again to bored you guys with my boring break down of my own expense. Really bored for this whole week, totally no work at all!! haha!.

Managed to sort out my expenses for both June and July, and make comparison with April and May. But it doesn't reflect the my expense behavior as a whole, as I'm currently enjoying my 4 months long holiday. Will try to continue for another few months to see the difference between expense behavior over holiday and schooling.



Added in "Average" for all the entities (in red), using it more like a benchmark against the particular entity. "Average" will tell me how much i could allocate aside for future planning.

MISC:
Seems that when you are busy doing NOTHING, we tend to spend money on more miscellaneous stuffs. However noticed the spike in July and June, could be contribute by my visit to treat my leg injury. Was thinking of visit the Chinese physiotherapist once a month, especially during intense training period.

Meals:
Amazingly i set a new record of lowest amount spent on meal, $60.90, thanks to zero consumption for breakfast! Most probably this figure is achieved due to the increase in working days i have.. A 12-16 hours shift = 3 meals avoided.

An increase for "Dinner" could be explained in the followings

1. More Work = More Cash = Pamper my stomach
   
2. Sick of economic rice after 2 months (especially June)
3. Working Shifts mainly in Morning and Afternoon, explained why Breakfast and Lunch dropped
   

Transport:
Same explanation: Travel to work..

Bills:
Mainly Insurance Policies, decided to cut one of the term plan which i deem as overvalue for my current lifestyle.

Starhub Bill, forget to cancel of the sports channels after TDF

Leisure:
Seems like i had quite a few gatherings for July, Birthdays


Thanks for reading my 'cents'less breakdown. Will most probably review this on end of Sept again.


Money Cents (Sense)
C Cube

Asics Kayano 15

Previous Shoe: Mizuno Inspire 4
Current Shoe: Asics GEL-Kayano 15

Got my Mizuno on 18th OCt 2008, either i changed my shoe too early or i run alot. Anyway my plan for my Mizuno will be for track work while Asics will be more for long distance.

Mizuno wave run registration is opened, freaking $45 (early bird $38 after 15% discount)! More expensive than Standard Chartered ($42) and AHM ($30). Therefore decided to pass this 16km running event, and forgo the 30% off Mizuno footwear.

Did my maths:
$112 after 30% of $160 Mizuno shoe (based on how much i paid for the Inspire 4)
$38 after 15% of $45 race fee
$150 in total which is $10 less than initial price. Although we get a Mizuno goodie bag and 16km training run

What if i offer someone who signed up and don't intend to use the discount voucher? How much should i offer?

30% discount would translate to $50 voucher (Actual is $48). For every increment of $10 offered for the voucher with be a deduction of 6% off your 30% voucher.
e.g.
$20 offered, paid $132 for shoe (in total), enjoy only 15% off (approx)


So finally after doing all these maths, my conclusion is not to pay anything more than $20 for the voucher and provided that someone is willing to let it go at $20 or not to use the voucher. But i think the odds are low.

Coincidentally, i saw this posting in Togoparts. This guy posted this Kayano shoe going for $100, claiming that he only used it for a walk and find that its too small for him.

Few considerations why i still decided to go with this '2nd' hand shoe, with the risk that he might be lying.

1. Its the latest model which is up in market a few weeks ago.
2. If he did used it for a few runs, it will be pretty obvious for me to see the wear on it
   
3. If it looks brand new, but sign of trying it. No issue, $100 is still a 50% discount of a 200+++ shoe!
   
4. I have no psychological issue with 2nd hand shoes.. I wear socks
   

So overall I'm pleased with the new shoe, except the gel colour. It matches Wilson's tri suit colour, but doesn't match any of my ideal sports apparel.
Only issue i might face is the sizing, it might not be as roomy as my Mizuno.


Motivated to run!
C Cube

Desaru Long Distance Triathlon 2009: Post Trip Experience

Been 3 years since i revisit this place in Malaysia. Totally forgotten the environment over there. As usual stayed at Golden Beach the same Resort we stayed the previous time, old and ragged but nearest to race site (foot steps away).

We set off at 11am on Fri, took a 45mins ferry ride to Desaru with additional $8 2-way ticket for our bike. Upon reaching Desaru Ferry Terminal, we took another 20mins bus ride to the resort area. The terminal is like out of no where.. nothing around its 20km radius, only means of transport from there is a pre-arranged bus trip.

Room is not in the best condition but at least there is strong air-con to cool us down from the hot weather outside. Nice view from the Balcony facing the sea, can see the horizon without any ships in sight.

RACE DAY
Pre Race and Swim

Race starts a 9am in the morning, which gives us ample time to have our complimentary breakfast and a short nap. However, it also translate to later expected finishing time and longer exposure under the scorching hot sun!

Picture 1: One of the nice shot taken by our cheer leading girls. They liked the shadow casted by the morning sunlight

Picture 2: Body marking at the reception area of the resort. That's why we chose Golden Beach, while other resort is 3km away!

Picture 3: Standard picture to take before race. Bike pose in not-so-shag state

Picture 4: Few minutes before flag off timing. Another standard picture to take. Still fair looking, without tan lines

Swim is 2 loops of 950m (supposedly) but turned out to be more like 1.5km. Didn't really put in much effort for the swim, so exit the swim the last among all my friends

Transition 1 and Bike

Picture 2: Nice shot taken by the girls again. Focus on me while blurred the background using a point and shoot camera. I guess is a Taiko shoot...

Bike is 3 loops of 30km, pretty straight forward. Lots of hills but also down hill. Felt that i did pretty good for the bike, average speed of 29+km/hr for the whole journey. There is a hill which many did more than 40km/hr while riding down but less than 15km/hr when making their way up!

Caught up with Wilson at the 2nd lap! He had a 4min gap in front of me, was so happy till i found out he got stomach problem~ First of be overtaken by me was Ivan when coming back from the 2nd loop.

Kinda like geometry of my carbon bike. But suspecting that it could be causing me to have tightness in ITB before the run

Transition 2 and Run Walk

Was so amazed by how many shoots and angle the girls had took for us during T2. Maybe all of us are shagged from the 3hrs ride, movement seems to be retarded.

Made a mistake of unstrapping my feet 3km before the line. So tired trying to pedal by just stepping on the shoe.

My running form was good when i started running! Small steps but fast turnover. This ideal scenario is short-life. Lasted me for only 7km, after which my ITB injury relapse and made me walked 10km!!! Took me 1hr 15mins to finish my first 10km while another close to 2hrs for last 10km..

Finishing Line

Finally crossed the finishing line for the sake of the finishing medal. If not i would have DNF 2hrs earlier. Always like picture of me crossing the finishing line which the banners above our head. Pretty nice shoot no matter how you take it.

Pretty disappointed that the juniors never supported us all the way, after knowing that Wilson and I are handicapped! Maybe should knock this idea into them in the future: No support, NO PICTURES! Seriously, how many people complete a long distance race just to tell themselves that they completed it and saved the boasting moments to themselves only. Grace maybe.. but not me. haha!

A great race to mark my year, one memorable triathlon will do. Thanked the girls who make the effort to take pictures of us throughout the trip!


Recuperating
C Cube