Vanessa Lee

This next tribute is for Vanessa KW Lee.

Perhaps it would be fitting to start off with a quote from a friend (who I shall not name) who had this to say about Vanessa Lee:

"Whenever I think of Vlee, she reminds me of a supermodel. I wish I could look like her. Almost every guy, at some stage, liked Vanessa Lee."

That quote alone has the potential to deceive, for it might lead the reader into thinking that Vanessa Lee is only known for her looks---- or that there is nothing else remarkable about her (not that the quoter intended that). To the contrary, that couldn't be farther from the truth.

Having known her since 2009, I can vouch for Vanessa's warm personality and her ability to mingle with any crowd and any personality type. Vanessa has a gift for being able to interact with people and, in my view, that in itself is a testament to her friendly character and her genuine heart to get to know her friends and acquaintances better. Conversation flows naturally and almost effortlessly for V - indeed I find that she is always interested in what you have to say and she makes a distinct effort to show that she's been listening. I could certainly take a leaf out of her book in this department as my 'people skills' could use some improvement. These great social skills will certainly put her in good stead in all aspects of her life, be it at work or with friends.

Although not so much a character trait, Vanessa also has a unique laugh. One of the first things I notice about people is their laughs, and at uni, I could always tell without looking whenever Vanessa Lee was in the vicinity (yes, in a good way Vanessa -- no it's not a silly laugh, you've asked me before LOL). Perhaps that is another factor that endears herself to her friends and her many suitors.

Vanessa is also a very intelligent woman. I've had the pleasure of being in at least...2 or 3 (?) of her groups at uni. I recall being in her Marketing and Mergers and Acquisitions groups, where she always did more than her fair share of the work, and was a gun at presentations (individual or group). In particular, I have this vivid memory of her 'aceing' her M&A* presentation, leaps and bounds ahead of the rest of us. I'd take it as a given that she will do well at whatever she wants to do with her career, not because anything is handed to her on a plate, but because she puts in the effort and deserves it. Respect.

In line with this theme of being an all-rounder, Vanessa is also very fashionable...certainly in the aesthetic sense but also in the sense of being fashionably late. When you give her a time for say a party or a social meetup, you should always be sure to convert the time into 'Vanessa Lee Time', which could be anywhere between 20 minutes to 1.5+ hours in addition to the time originally supplied. Of course, I'm sure she doesn't do it to make people upset - but strangely enough, it does somehow fit her well. There could be some truth to the thought that the more popular guests arrive late (I always arrive too early, as a good example....)

I was going to insert one final jape on the number of (hidden and open) suitors Vanessa had, but I thought she might get annoyed at me if I did that. (Well..that sort of was one.)

Instead, I just want to say thank you to her for even considering me a friend, and I her.

If I am not mistaken, this Friday is Vanessa's birthday. I used to not celebrate birthdays but I've come to the conclusion in recent years that every year (and indeed, every day) is to be cherished. So in my view, the celebration should start at least a week before and go on past the date.

Happy Birthday Vanessa.

Andre Lim

*An earlier version of this post incorrectly said Valuations.

Early bird or late arriver?

By assigning a score out of 10, where a score of 0 means you 'Strongly Disagree' and a score of 10 means you 'Strongly Agree', how much do you agree with the below quote?

"Better to be too early than a little bit late."

I'm an 8.

Andre Lim

Desmond Tan

As with Nick Onie, someone introduced me to Desmond before uni started. I am thankful for Desmond's friendship over the years so here is my tribute to him!! :)

The first thing that automatically comes to mind when the name 'Desmond Tan' is mentioned is his exceptional ability with the piano. So much so that his musical prowess is often just taken as a matter of common knowledge. However, in my view, to take this fact as granted would be a major discredit to the hard work and practice that Desmond has put in over the years. An extraordinary sense of discipline would have been required to practice those drills and pieces on a daily basis, especially while juggling dreaded university exams and part-time work.  It would, therefore, not come as a surprise to anyone that the fruits of his labour manifested in the form of him making the 2011 ABC Symphony Australia Young Performers Awards** (Keyboard Final) in tandem with my school friend, Nicholas Young. Although Desmond might play this achievement down, the fact that he made it that far is an amazing achievement, especially considering his other academic, work and family commitments at the time.

Additionally, I feel that this aspect of his life mirrors his character well in that he is a studious and persevering individual. For example, I seem to always recall him starting - and even nearly completing - our university assignments well before any of us had even started them LOL.

It is 2016 now. Although I'm aware that it may well be the case that Desmond no longer practises the piano as much as he would like to (given the transition into full-time work), I feel that this aspect of his life should be acknowledged and recognised. To attain such a high standard in musical performance is certainly not an achievement to be taken lightly and speaks volumes of his character and dedication.

Given what I've said above, perhaps it should come as no surprise then that Desmond is one of the harshest critics of pop music. And certainly there's nothing wrong with (and in fact, good on him for) demanding higher standards from the music industry LOL. However, notwithstanding the above, I hold deep, deep reservations regarding his interest in that Icelandic artist Björk LOL. In fairness, I suppose it is always good to look for something different... and to try new things, a concept just as applicable to music genres as it is to life in general.

My other strong impression of Desmond is that he is a loyal friend and family member. He holds a genuine concern for his friends and is willing to hear them out. I have a distinct memory of him helping me out during a tough, dark time in October 2013 for which I am still thankful for. I also recall that he is a dutiful son to his parents, and is very respectful towards elders. Even if the going is tough, that will not put him down from performing his duties to his family and friends.

At the time of writing, it's been about 2+ years since I properly met up with Desmond. In many respects that is largely my fault, but that does not mean I think of him as any less a friend.

Thanks for everything over the years, and I look forward to our next eventual catch up Dezman Tan.

Andre Lim


** I only found out somewhat recently that these Awards have been cancelled!! What a real shame - as I understand it, the Awards had been ongoing from about the 1940's up until 2015. Despite my lack of musical training, I thoroughly enjoyed listening to Desmond and Nick Young performing at the 2011 Awards and I think it is a real loss of an opportunity to aspiring classical musicians in Australia.

Diana Liu (劉家慧)

I first met Diana in my first year of uni, although to be honest, I cannot recall the exact circumstances surrounding our first meeting.

(Sadly, my earliest memory of our friendship was me deciding to crash her Micro Economics tutorial on one occasion.*)

In many respects, Diana is something of a 'queen of courtesy and manners'. Not only is her politeness apparent in her conversation as well as her body language, but you'd also be rather hard pressed to hear her say anything negative about her friends. To the contrary, Diana almost always has positive things to say about people, which demonstrates her kind and caring nature. If I'm not mistaken, Diana is no stranger to etiquette classes on table manners and courtesy which shows you just how far she goes!!

Perhaps this personality trait may explain why she is such an avid fan of figure** skating, one of the more gentle sports where athletes grace the ice with charm and flair. Of course, in this discipline, athletes compete ferociously to the best of their ability (as in any other sport) but that ferocity only manifests in the performance itself: there is no place for, and indeed, it would be disrespectful to demonstrate, hostility or aggression against one's fellow contestants while on the field. When put that way it is easy to see why Diana would fancy such a sport.

Her courtesy may also explain why - and she is likely to deny this claim - she has had her fair share of popularity with the opposite gender. Not that she deliberately seeks such attention. And not that I would know first-hand either as our relationship has been purely platonic...but perhaps I shall not embarrass her further...

I should also state for the record that Diana is a hard-worker and very conscientious of the work she performs. She is resourceful and I get the impression that she is always happy to learn new things at work, and to continue building on her professional strengths. I am confident that she has all the attributes required to be a successful lawyer.

At the time of writing I understand Diana is going through a difficult time. My thoughts and prayers are with you, if that even counts for anything, but I know you are a very strong person and you will find what you are looking for :)

Over the years I have found Diana to be open-minded and keen to talk about most topics under the sun. We have had our share of controversial topics where we disagree with each other's opinion but that doesn't stop us from expressing our thoughts freely and we respect each other's viewpoints on life. I think this is a very valuable and healthy exercise for anyone to engage in. Life is too short to engage in petty quarrels :)

I should note that, at this stage of this post, I suddenly and very randomly recall the various past-midnight video game encounters Diana and I have shared. But perhaps that is a story for another time. Video games are not something you would immediately associate with Diana, to be sure.

Finally, I'd like to close with this: Thank you for being a good friend to me Diana. I'm sure our mutual friends can also vouch for you too.

Andre Lim



* This was very uncharacteristic of me. So long as the course permitted me to, I would do everything in my power to skip classes. But I suppose this was first year after all.

** An earlier version of this post said ice skating which is incorrect.

Eng Ee Lim

This is a tribute to my father, Eng Ee Lim.

So often it's the case that much is left unsaid about our parents.

It's probably a combination of fear, embarrassment or sometimes it's just us being narrow-minded and refusing to acknowledge (or even forgetting about) their positive attributes.

However I feel that it should be stated for the record that I owe a lot to my father.

The first thing that I admire about dad is his discipline, duty and commitment to the family. He will not whinge, complain or make a fuss about doing something that is necessary even if it's something mundane or very unpleasant. He will do it with his head down and sleeves rolled up so to speak: not because he wants to, but because he must. And that almost always means that he will keep his burdens to himself because he doesn't want his family to be burdened as well (as many of our fathers do).

This sometimes means that my dad will consciously choose to sacrifice his own pleasure and livelihood, which is usually not a good thing. He will perhaps choose to eat simpler things or lead a simpler lifestyle so that his children can enjoy something better. Many, if not most, fathers do this. While on one hand I do believe that you should always take care of yourself too, on the other I find that my dad has proven himself to be quite resilient in the above sense. You would have had to catch him on an extraordinarily bad day if you saw him complaining about something he had to do.

While not exactly on point, to give you an idea of his resilience and his character, my dad is capable of driving from Sydney to Melbourne (8-9 hours' drive) without taking a break or stopping!!! That's just crazy.

If I could have even one-tenth of my dad's resilience, perseverance, duty and discipline, I think I would consider that a fine achievement in itself.

I only realised this recently but my dad is also a great entertainer. If we have a guest over, be it a new acquaintance or familiar friend, dad will make a more than solid effort to connect and engage in conversation with that person (of course, assuming he has the time and there aren't too many people to talk to). He always seems genuinely interested to find out more about them, be it by way of questions or just conversational topics. I find that he actually does this quite well and he is very strong in that department. He will always try to find a point of connection. This, of course, requires him to be a general 'all-rounder' in terms of 'world knowledge'. Again, another leaf I need to take out of his book.

http://www.hawthornfc.com.au/news/2014-10-30/2014-review-cyril-rioli

My dad loves his sport and will happily share a conversation on most sport topics. He, of course, goes for Hawthorn. He takes a casual interest in Arsenal because I 'go for them', and in that sense, I am grateful for the interest he takes in my interests. On that note, he generally wants to know what his children have been up to and likes asking many questions.

One of the better 'lectures' (not really a lecture) from dad can be summarised in this quote (paraphrased):

"Andre, remember that when someone is generous to us, chooses to help us and spend time with us or gives us many good things, we cannot be selfish. It cannot be a one-way street. We must give back."

I pause here to note that, while I have said many good things about my dad, I of course acknowledge that no one is perfect, including myself and my father. We all have shortcomings and downfalls.

In the end, I think we ought to remind ourselves that our parents were children once too: when they suddenly became parents they didn't really have anyone to teach them what they should be doing. Sure, no one is perfect but we should learn to embrace our parents' positive sides.

I respect my dad for all the above reasons and, in that sense, am proud to be his son.

Andre Lim

Mt Victoria Speed Camera

This is probably old news, but apparently Mt Victoria boasts an ingenious Point-to-Point speed camera (PTP camera).

So gone are the days where a car can slow down near a speed camera and and, then later, when out of reach, speed up past the speed limit again.

How the PTP camera works is as follows:

1. Over a stretch of X metres (let's call this stretch point A to B) there will be 2 cameras, one camera at point A and one camera at point B.
2. If the speed limit is Y, the cameras will already know how long it should take you to get from A to B. Say T minutes.
3. However, if you slow down at A, speed up, and then slow down again at B, you will still get a fine if the time it takes you to go from A to B is less than the time it would take a car to get from A to B at the speed limit Y (T minutes).

So for example, say you are driving along the Hume Highway from Cabramatta to Liverpool.

Say the speed limit is 80km/hr for the whole stretch (a bad example as there probably will be traffic lights - but assume there are no traffic lights).

Say that there is a PTP camera at Cabramatta where you start, and a PTP camera at Liverpool where you end.

If it should only take you 5 minutes from Cabramatta to Liverpool at 80km/hr, but you only took 3 minutes to do the stretch, then it doesn't matter whether you slowed down at the PTP cameras - so long as your overall time was less than 5 minutes, you'd be booked.

The logic being of course, that you must have sped up to reach Point B in that period of time.

Apparently tolls use this feature too but probably do not need to use it so often as the highway is usually jammed.

What an interesting, cunning and ingenious idea. It will surely earn extra revenue for the government if implemented all over the shop.

(I overheard this all from a colleague at work.)

Andre Lim

Bob Lin

Bob Lin, my second 'victim' :)

I met Bob at some orientation day lecture for uni.

If I remember correctly, he was sitting towards the back and I must have sat near him or next to him. I'm glad I met him on that day because he has proven himself a good friend :)

The first thing that comes to mind when I think of Bob is his courtesy and respectfulness in one-on-one conversation, particularly when talking about things that have happened to each person ("catch up" time, if you will).

I find that Bob is not quick to judge or assume something about someone, and always genuinely has an interest in what you have to say. He engages in conversation well and is open to lots of ideas and thoughts. Like most of our friends, I think Bob is also very objective and reasonable in the way he analyses things. I also find that he respects your privacy and is somewhat sensitive to your thoughts. Of course, this is not to say that no one else I know does this (LOL), but what I AM saying is that I find that these traits are, at least to my mind, apparent in Bob.

For example, on one occasion I have a vague memory of Bob asking me about something to which I gave a half-hearted ambiguous answer. I suspect it must have been on a topic I didn't want to talk about (I can't recall). Despite my terrible cop-out answer, I noticed that Bob did not press me further and he just cheerfully changed the topic. At the time I remember thinking that was very good of him. He accommodated my desire to have a bit of personal space.

On another occasion, I recall Bob lecturing someone (say, "X") who had been constantly pestering me about a topic I didn't want to talk about. I recall Bob later saying words to the following effect:

"X, you kept asking Andre about this when it was obvious he didn't want to talk about it. I don't think you should have done that, it was disrespectful."

I was surprised by this response, but once again, I thought that was very good of him too. He spoke up on my behalf without me even saying anything.

In conclusion, beneath the jokes and laughter to which you will no doubt encounter with Bob, I feel Bob is an empathetic person underneath.

On a more trivial note, I think it was on Bob's initiative that I learned how to appreciate the Subway Meatball Footlong. It is difficult not to convert to his philosophy when comments such as these are commonplace:

 "Pizza subs are good...except they don't have enough meat in them. You should try the meatball footlong instead, it has more meat."

(This may or may not explain why he is such good friends with Nick Onie.)

Andre Lim