December

Time flies...

It is almost two years since... Nothing changed much. 

It was supposed to snow today, head aches. 

By the end of the year, normally, I feel very exhausted and out of energy. You look back, you summarize, so many things to achieve,  disappointment with gained achievements, things you could do much better than you did...

It is ok.

Was dreaming of Venice 2 days ago, such a nice feeling.

Add-on, part II

I've looked what they have there in Kazakhstani add- on regarding VAT forms (for the record, according to local legal requirements we have 9 forms, besides general one). 

So far what I've seen is just 2 forms: for outgoing and incoming payments, haven't seen general VAT form yet, 'calculation totals' function doesn't seem working properly, but we'll see..

So you do all the prerequisites to make all things work the way they should to: 

- do all the configurations for master data of vendors/customers;

- define tax codes, with their assignments to G/L accounts (t-code FXTP, or directly in FS00);

- then you must create additional number ranges for both- incomings and outgoings (special t-codes for KZ add-on);
- activate KZREGINV product for partner 'KZ', after you've done this step all the invoices will be stored in FIKZD_REGINV_IN and  FIKZD_REGINV_OUT tables respectively via se16).

And I think that's it, post the invoice, and run RPFIKZ_REGINV program via se38, or find the report in FI-AR and FI-AP user menu trees (in reporting section I guess).

Ah, one more thing, assign the authorization F_KZ_REGIN object to your user so that you will be allowed to run mentioned program. Use PFCG transaction, I created new role, assigned just one object, and that's about it. 

What else...

Still haven't figured the way how it is possible to activate tax -related fields in FI-AA master data, they have only two developments (for transport and property taxes), and to run these developments you need to activate mentioned fields on master data level.. Since I had no time on troubleshooting to SAP about the issue, actually I did tried to reach the person accountable for KZ add-on from SAP, but response was like 3 weeks after I wrote support message. 

So middle of December, we're about to start localization project, which will be mainly about adapting add-on solutions. Besides, there will be couple of additional, out of add-on, developments ,related to Fixed Assets, namely, Corporate Income Tax form.

About add- ons and etc.

Have started testing first release of Kazakhstani add- on.
Last time I worked with add-on, but Russian one, was years and years ago, that was my first ever full- lifecycle implementation experience, for financial institution, we were the first ones to implement SAP for financial intermediaries in Kazakhstan. If I am not wrong, it was 2004 or 2005, when the project started.
So speaking of add- ons, my first experience wasn't quite productive, at the end of the day, they've decided not to use Russian add -on, cause that one was very raw, no one knew exactly how to work with it, and most important, we didn't know how to adapt it to local legal requirements.
And then I did, as I always do, actually- I just go to ABAP department and tell them 'I want this to be this way' and that's it :) Everybody were happy, no one really did care, how the system works, just show the output, that convince everybody- regular accountants, people accountable for financial statements, auditors, managers, executives and etc.
But today situation is changing, in a good way, I would say.
So they've released first version of add- on accustomed according to Kazakhstani legal requirements. What I've seen so far, is Financial ,let's say, pre- customization stuff.
Surely, using that add- on will significantly reduce the amount of time you normally spend on configurations. But from my point of view, it is way too raw still.
For instances, where am I supposed to activate country specific fields for fixed assets. Surely will have to troubleshoot next week. Activating tab layout for tax time- dependent fields is not working. Most of the tables are referring to tables and views from Russian add- on, that would be just great, if SAP people could at least mention this link in their help files. Check this when you're trying to do basic configurations for transport tax. It took me 1.5 days to do all the configurations and filling all the tables out, just to make transport tax report work. If I would do it, the way I used to, i.e. by using ABAP coding, it would take me a week, or five days in best case scenario, just to develop two forms for transport tax- current payments and final declaration. So results are quite impressive, I would say. And it will ,definitely, change the whole concept of implementing SAP solutions. But let's see how it is going to be.. I am a bit skeptical still, I really want my skepticism to be ruined, so fingers crossed. Property tax configurations are pretty similar- go through all of the tables related to taxation- districts, regions, OKATO codes, assign OKATO codes to districst, define tax rates, and MAIN thing- ACTIVATE country- specific fields, which is an issue.
Next I need to test VAT invoice print form.
To activate the Kazakhstani add -on, go to IMG SPRO and pick the 'Activate business extension' and there you have it, enjoy! :)

Concerto # 3

Once they've asked Horowitz 'could you please tell us how to become a great pianist as yourself?', and he responded, probably jokingly, the following way 'you need to be both- gay and Jew'. 

I can listen Horowitz's performance of Sergei Rachmaninov's piano concerto #3 for hours, it is inspirational... It is spectacular, unbelievable, fantastically structured concerto  in such a brilliant implementation. That particular concerto makes pianists lose their minds, that's how complicated the structure of concerto is.

Horowitz was born in a Jewish family, family of musicians. During the WWII his family was captured in concentration camp, but he moved to the US. Leaving his father's house, he got the following parental advice 'you need to keep playing Tchaikovskiy's Concerto #1, this one will make you famous'. And he was playing it first when he got to Europe, in France... He was playing it so that masses were getting crazy, they were ruining and crashing concerto hall, that's how excited people were because of what they've experienced. A real master, that could lead masses with the piano play. 

Then he moved to the US, and after the WWII he was trying to get his sister out of the post- war USSR, but they didn't allow him to do this. That's how he lost all of his family.

As far as I know, in the US he married a daughter of great Italian composer Toscanini. Later his wife was telling journalists, that couldn't get any interview of maestro, she was saying 'you need to wait for him, as I did, for almost 15 years'. 

After a long silence, for quite a while he wasn't giving concerts in the US, because of what was happening in the USSR to his family members, he gave the first concert in 70's. He was treated for severe depression, for many years... Talented people, really blessed with talent, they can see how tragical this life is. 

One of my colleagues bf (he worked in La Scala for quite a while) was telling me, that today there's a new school of really talented piano performers- chinese school of pianists. I've never heard about Lang Lang before that conversation, and I was very interested to see if this one is true.He is quite technical, but it is not about passion, or deep understanding of Rachmaninov's sould when playing one of his concertos, it is about doing show from what he is doing. Classical music can not be popular, it can not be intellectually affordable for masses... I am not trying to be arrogant in my thoughts, but this is true... When I was in Italy, I was surprised that local people don't go to opera theatres, they just don't value what they're having in there. It is not that you were born in the homecountry of opera and you so very got used with it, so now you just don't give a dime about it. This is different, this is... something about your inner hunger for something really beautiful and real. Real... Have you ever felt empty so that you were crazy about getting something to fulfill the emptiness? If yes, then you probably know the 'hunger' for real music..

So if you want to listen really great performance of Rachmaninov's concertos, listen to the author's performances, or Horowitz's, cause ,once again, he is a great pianist.Or book a tickets to the nearest concert of Denis Matsuev, this guy is also great, so called 'piano demolisher' from Syberia :) 

I would like to write about my passion to Beethoven's music, but I will do it a bit later... 

That's about it for now.

I never liked things most of the people like. Say for instance, there's that super awesome movie coming on the screens next month, and that's it- people are getting crazy and obsessed with reading books (reading is always good intention, but reading everything they offer you to read, these junk readings... I don't even know which one is worst for the brain), waiting for first releases, watching exciting trailers...

It is not the cinema thing... Now I am thinking why am I so skeptical about cinema art itself? Vladimir Il'ich Lenin was saying that 'cinema is the art for masses'. Couldn't agree more. 

So it is not the movie thing, it is 'people intellectually eating everything they offer today' thing. I was always wondering, what do people find in all these super 'thougtful' quotes from Paolo Cohelio (not sure if I wrote the name correctly, but I don't think what he is doing is worth my time on googling his name), Garcia Markez, Dan Browns, if we talk about russians, Daria Doncovas, Boris Akunin and many many others... Actually ,Akunin is quite readible cause of the language he was trying to copy from old- old- ooold Russian classics.

Cohelio must be responsible for what he is doing with minds of nowaday's femine readers :) Quoting this stupidness must be prosecuted by the law. I mean seriously, this is way too much, how come someone says obvious, silly things, and others start quoting him, as if THIS is the truth in its last instance :)))

Junk reading is something you read lying on the beach, and the next very day you forget it, it shouldn't be memorized, and ...dear Lord, it shouldn't be spread across people!!!! 

Ok so... what I wanted to say is that I've read one of the books that ,I think, will be one of the bestselling books this year. Oh well, yes, I've became a victim of marketing and advertising. During my Italian vacation, in Milano, I've seen the tram with adv of Dan Brown's book on it, which is called Inferno. To tell you the truth, it is such a thoughtful marketing trick :) Cause first thing that comes into your mind is Dante Alighieri's 'The Divine Comedy'. And then I went to local Feltrinelly and bought the book. Very easily readable, easy forgettable junk reading, and leaving taste of little disappointment after you're done, cause book didn't overcome your expectations... I never read non of his books, I figured he wrote about 10 or even more, and that each single book is like bestseller or something like that... So that was my first ever Dan Brown experience.

What I liked about it -is Florence, of course. By all means, I totally share author's love towards this absolutely astonishingly beautiful citta. Hall of five hundred, Ponte Vecchio, towers, Art galleries, super unrealistic adventures in this marvelous city. All of the memories, good ones, were taken on the surface from the deep down inside of my memory storage :) Then there was a little bit of Venice and Istanbul, but they were mentioned so very briefly, so you don't even have time to remember what was Robert Langdon doing there :) 

This book is such a speculation, it is that particular book's second name actually 'SPECULATION on readers' feelings' :) 

What I wanted to say is that... don't read everything, be picky, don't watch everything they show you, be picky, listen to something that is really beautiful, not just popular, otherwise you might end up by being just another brick of this huge and unending wall of global informational consumerism. 

ps: Gianny Radari was writing for children by the way, not for super mature adults...

Once upon in Kyrgyzstan

Weeks earlier I went to the Issyk Lake, which is 80 or even more kilometers away from Almaty. Decision to go there was spontaneous, I wasn't even planning to go there that day. And it was quite nice actually, except it was +15 C in there, when during the day in Almaty it was +30 or so.

So this temperature ,let's say, delta made me feel sick right when I got home that day. Oh well, always plan where to go, what to take with you, what kind of clothes to wear and etc. :))

And then I was ridiculously sick for couple of days, or I think it was one week. There was a day, I lost my voice, I could barely talk, it was painful. Urgh, disaster.

And there's that stupid law, you got sick, or something happens right when it shouldn't happen, no way you want it to happen at that particular important moment of your life. But it always happens, when something important is to come :) Oh well, I need to be less excited about things... :) But good things, happy moments in your life, they are not often, that's why it is difficult to contain... Well still..

Also there was a business trip to Kyrgyzstan, Bishkek. And I was sick. Ridiculously sick. Surprisingly Kyrgyz border was 'clear', guess people are afraid getting plague (there was a plague incident weeks earlier in Kyrgyzstan.. poor boy died, aged 15). So the border was so easy to pass, it took me literally 5 minutes to cross the border. Oh before getting to the border, I was in the car with my colleague, it was 4-th or 5-th hour of our long ride, and then police officer on the road asked us to show our IDs. That's the moment when my colleague realized she left her ID at home :) That was really something :) Of course, you can't cross the border without ID, that's the rule, so she took a taxi back in Almaty. And never came back in Bishkek, cause our manager decided that it's not worth it.
I had a dinner with colleagues right when I arrived in Bishkek, in this 'super famous' and 'super cool' cafe Obama :) Well once you get in Bishkek, you'll see that the place is full of American people, literally, everywhere. I don't know what is happening there, but it is true, and most of locals speak fluent English, and everything is so dynamic. Actually this is my second brief visit in Bishkek.
I guess there's going to be some big event this week, with Presidents of Kazakhstan, Russia and China taking participation on it, in Bishkek. That's why hotels are over- booked, most of the central streets are closed, trafic is so very chaotic (this one is constant in Bishkek, no matter what).
So the next day when I was supposed to have meeting, I took a taxi to get to the client. I had half an hour to get there, and the client is couple of blocks away from my place, so usually it takes 5 minutes maximum to get there. But since their main roads are closed, and I got such a tricky local taxi drived, that realized that I am not local, and probably not even Kyrgyz (we people do look alike, but there are slight differences between us in terms of appearance).. so the taxi driver decided to left me in the middle of no-where saying that 'I need to walk 100 meters' and I am at my destination. I paid 100 soms and that was it. I don't know where I am, I lost time, I had 10 minutes before my meeting. So I run like CRAZY :) And it was steam hot. And I was wearing heels. And I am sick (if you still remember).
It was such a horrible experience. I could barely breath when I entered our meeting room :)) Jeez... But I enjoyed meeting we had, it was very nice, people were nice and ..

Then there was a meeting with project team members.. Which I really would like to skip, cause I already over-wrote (in terms of word count) and I am not very excited about reflecting on that one particular meeting.

So that's about it.

ps: It is Autumn in here, days are becoming cold... I want warmth!

Dostoyevsky

Today I guess pretty much everyone is concerned of what is happening, of what might happen in case Congress of the US decides 'to hit'.

All these frightening images of suffering innocent people, horrifying pictures broadcasted by all of the mass media sources, UK parliament refuses, UN investigators investigating, Russia says this, Obama says that...

It is tough, to judge something that is happening right at this particular moment is tough and quit difficult thing to do. Imagine, you want to see the writing on the coin. To do so you take the coin as close as possible to your eyes level. And then you see the writing, but you can't see the rest of the world. All you see is that small writing. My point is that it is worthless to judge politics, simply because you can't be objective in doing so, so many prejudices, so many emotions, empathies and sympathies.. Wait, time passes, and then see, judge, have your opinion on who was right, and who was wrong.

But nothing is new in these wars in the name of democracy, in the name of liberty, in the name of something surely important from one's view...

Since I mentioned literacy in my first blog post, I'll try to keep this tradition in my second post :)

Fyodor Dostoyevsky was saying about this 'While there is still time, I hasten to protect myself, and so I renounce the higher harmony altogether. It's not worth the tears of that one tortured child who beat itself on the breast with its little fist and prayed in its stinking outhouse, with its unexpiated tears to 'dear, kind God'! It's not worth it, because those tears are unatoned for. They must be atoned for, or there can be no harmony... I don't want harmony. From love for humanity I don't want it.'

'Is harmony worth a child's single tear?', he is asking. It is worth it! It is worth it!!! Might be the answer from the US.

But let's see, they say Congress will start debating tomorrow. Let's see, and try not to judge things while they are happening. Nothing is new, everything is cyclical.