恭喜，你的申請已經通過了

English version

    「嗨，老闆，要麻煩你幫個忙。」我傳訊息給老闆。
    「嗨，你好啊...（以下省略三千字）」老闆回覆。
    去年申請公寓的時候，不想麻煩老闆，申請表上沒寫他的電話號碼。結果，多拖了好幾天，仲介打電話來指名要和我老闆談。
    今年不能浪費時間，我必須盡快搞定新公寓。問過老闆的許可，填完冗長的申請表，附上一堆文件，終於可以按下按鈕寄出。
    中午去看完公寓回來，花了一個多小時寫申請表都沒休息。去上個廁所回來，就看見有未接來電和語音留言。
    「哈囉，我是Sean，剛剛錯過你的來電，」預防萬一申請表漏了什麼，我趕快回電。
    「恭喜，你的申請已經通過了...」電話另一端的仲介說。
    我想太多了。新冠病毒對出租市場打擊太大，我的申請秒過了。

Congratulations, your application has been approved

    "Hi Adam, I have a favor to ask you again." I messaged my boss.
    "Hi Sean, how's going? blah blah blah..." my boss replied.
    I did not want to bother my boss when I applied for an apartment last year, so I listed company representive number instead of his phone number on the application form. It ended up a long delay. The property agent called me and insisted on talking to my boss.
    No time to waste this year. I had to secure a new apartment asap. I asked my boss to be my referee, filled out the lengthy application form, attached tons of documents, and finally clicked the button to send email.
    I had not taken a break for a couple of hours since I came back from an open house inspection during lunch time. I had to take a leak. When I came back to my desk, I noticed that I had a missed call and a voice mail from a unknown number.
    "Hello, this is Sean. I got a missed call for you," I called back in case that something wrong with my application.
    "Congratulations, your application has been approved..." said the property agent.
    Well, I was worried too much. The impact of coronavirus on rental market is so bad that my application just got approved instantly.

抱歉，我們錯過你了

English version

        「逼！」對講機鈴聲響起。
        我遲疑了零點幾秒，衝到門口拿起對講機，按下開門鍵的同時回答：「你好。」
        「Sean？」對方問道。
        「是的，馬上來。」立刻衝出門口。
        預計今天會有一個包裹送到家，但是沒有預料到真的會送到家。
        因為不想從店裡扛著沈甸甸的鑄鐵鍋回家，前天上網訂購了一個。結帳流程順利，也有電子郵件通知即時的運送狀況。但是看到貨品是澳洲郵局配送，心裡不免一沉。
        收過各式各樣的配送到家的包裹，大到等身高的划船機都有，就是沒有收過澳洲郵局配送的。即使最近因為武漢肺炎，24小時都在家，只要是塞不進郵箱的，永遠都是收到一張「抱歉，我們錯過你了」的郵件招領的卡片。澳洲郵局每次都宣稱他們「嘗試配送」卻無人在家，但是我從來沒聽到他們「嘗試按門鈴」。
        當我看到配送員遞過來包裹時，內心雀躍不已。可是，伸手接過包裹後，心裡一陣狐疑。太輕了，不像是鑄鐵鍋。
        打開包裹真是驚喜，是朋友從凱恩斯寄來的禮物。
        「叮！」幾分鐘後，打開電子郵件通知，不出所料，「抱歉，我們錯過你了...」

    照片是朋友從凱恩斯寄來的禮物

Sorry We Missed You

    "Bzzz!" the intercom buzzed.
    I was astonished for a few milliseconds, rushed to the door, picked up the intercom, pushed the unlock button while answering, "Hello?"
    "Sean?" he asked.
    "Yes, coming." I rushed out the door.
    I had been expecting a parcel delivery today but I did not expect the parcel would be delivered.
    I ordered a cast iron skillet online because I did not want to carry the heavy skillet myself from the store. The checkout process was simple, and the website kept me up-to-dated with tracking information. But I was worried when I saw the parcel would be delivered by Australia Post.
    I had received many parcels from small chargers up to a rowing machine delivered to my door. However, I had never received any parcels delivered by Australia Post when the item cannot be tucked into mailbox. Even I had been home for 24 hours 7 days during this pandemic, I just got a Sorry We Missed You card in mailbox. Australia Post always claimed they "attempted to deliver", but I had never heard they "attempted to buzz" the intercom.
    I was excited to see the delivery guy handing over the parcel. I was puzzled when I took the parcel. It was too light for a cast iron skillet.
    I was surprised when I opened the package. It's a gift my friends sent me. I thought they would send to a parcel locker.
    "Ding!" I was not surprised after a few minutes later when I received a notification email, "Sorry We Missed You..."

    The photo is the gift from my friends in Cairns

時間管理

English version

    珍妮說：「下一個議題，開會時花太多時間在預估工作的時程。」
    大衛建議：「不要花時間在討論技術細節，專注在任務需求和驗收標準。」
    老闆否決 ：「可是不知道技術細節怎麼能準確預估時程...（以下省略三千字）」
    又來了，每次老闆堅持自己的意見時，會議就變得冗長。越是想要說服他，會議就越長。超痛恨浪費時間在這種會議上。
    不過，自從在家工作之後就沒那麼在意了。虛擬會議的好處就是，可以控制別人聽得到什麼。大部分時間，我都是關靜音做自己的事情。
    雖然可以在冗長會議中，改善時間管理做別的事情，不是所有的事情都適合在會議中進行。首先，隨時會被點到而中斷手上的事情。所以，需要連貫性時間進行的事情就不適合。其次，要分心聽別人說話。所以，要做的事情最好是不用大腦的。
    今天終於找到冗長會議中，改善時間管理可以做的事情：包水餃。會議開始30分鐘以來，我已經包了快50顆水餃。早知道應該多準備點材料，還有30分鐘的會要開啊！
    照片是今日工作成果

Time Management

    "Next issue, lengthy amount of time spent on estimating tasks in the meeting," said Jenny.
    "Don't talk about technical details, just focus on requirements and expected results," David suggested.
    "But how can we get an accurate estimate without knowing the technical details..." boss Adam overruled.
    Well, here it comes again. The meeting becomes lengthy when boss disagrees someone's suggestion and insist his opinions. The more we attempt to persuade him, the longer the meeting will be. I hate lengthy amount of time wasted on meetings.
    But it is not so frustrated since working from home. The beauty of a virtual meeting is, I can control what to be heard. Most times I keep the microphones muted and mind my own business.
    Although I can work on a side job while the lengthy meeting is going on forever, not many side jobs are suitable. First of all, I may be cued anytime, so my side job may be interrupted. This rules out all tasks required continuity. Secondly, I still need to devote my attentions to the meeting, so my side job had better to be a brainless repetition.
    Today I finally figure out the best side job for the ultimate time management in the meeting - wrapping dumplings. I have produced almost 50 dumplings since the meeting started 30 minutes ago. I regret that I did not prepare more dumplings for the next 30 minutes.
    The photo is the only productivity I made today.

在家工作

English version

        老闆一進入電話會議就問：「早安，你好嗎？」
        我不假思索地回答：「非常好，你呢？」
        老闆有點遲疑地說：「哈，在這種封城的時候，不能說非常好...」

        全澳洲幾乎處於封城的狀態，在家工作已經第三週了。每天早上的電話會議，大家會先抱怨個十分鐘，待在家有多無聊。我沒辦法參與，因為沒什麼好抱怨的。我是認真地說「非常好」。

        一直以來，想要找可以在家上班的工作。現在終於如願以償可以在家工作（現在大家都可以，雖然別人不愛）。看來我是最不受這個「保持社交距離」政策影響的人。別人只是當作對軟體工程師的玩笑，對我來說是真實上演。本來就很少外出，日常生活沒有太大改變，只是不能去游泳和外食。

        不過，和別人一樣，我也有感受到生活上的一些改變。因為武漢肺炎全球大流行，對未來的不確定性以外，更多的感受是缺乏目標。需要找到新目標，在這個全世界都暫停的時候，還有追求的動力。

        在家工作的好處多多，例如下圖，可以邊開會邊煮飯，只要記得關靜音再切菜就好。

Work From Home

    "Good morning Sean, how are you doing?" my boss said when he dialled in the daily conference meeting.
    "Pretty good. How are you?" I instantly replied without thinking.
    "Ha... Well, I won't say pretty good in the lockdown situation..." he mumbled.
    This is the third week that we have been working from home and having daily meeting via audio conference while the whole Australia halts in a lockdown status due to coronavirus. Every morning all team members are whining for 10 minutes how boring to stay at home, but I have nothing to complain. I said "pretty good" and I meant it.
    Work from home is one of the most things I want. Finally I got what I have been longing for (so did everyone else although they did not want it). I realized that I don't have much reasons for going out. I am least impacted by the so-call social distancing measures. It is a meme joke for programmers on the Internet but it is true for me. My daily routines are not much changed. The only things changed are I cannot go swimming nor dinning out.
    I do feel changes like everyone does. Not just because the uncertainty for this coronavirus pandemic but lack of motivation. Need to find my next goal, something I desire so much that I would put efforts in, while the whole world halts.
    The photo is one of the benefits to work from home. I can cook during a conference call. Just need to mute the microphone before chopping.