30 March, 2008 - Time alone

Staying Happy on the Job -> from the Pastor's pen

"The Lord will send a blessing on...everything you put your hand to" ...Deuteronomy 28:8

Almost after three months have passed since the start of the year and I'm wondering how each of you are doing. How has work been? Are you happy and fulfilled? Or are you overwhelmed, stressed out and wanting a change?

In whatever you are doing, it is important to be happy on the job. But this happiness I'm talking about is not solely dependent on external circumstances. It is about your perspective.

Let me share some tips that i have found useful...
1) See work as God's gift
"When God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work - this is a gift of God" ...Ecclesiastes 5:19

2) Recognise God as your true employer
"Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does..." ...Ephesians 6:7-8

3) Persue work compatible with your gifts
"...if anyone servs, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised..." 1 Peter 4-11

4) Never stop learning on the job)
"Let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance" ...Proverbs 1:5

5) Welcome correction and make criticism work for you
"He who ignores discipline comes to poverty and shame, but whoever heeds correction is honoured." ...Proverbs 13:18

6) Stay Christ conscious throughout the day
"You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is steadfast because he trusts in You" ...Isaiah 26:3

Let Jesus be your partner at work and stay blessed today!
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It was raining heavily after church service this afternoon so i called a cab and went shopping at Tampines. Tampines Mall and Century Square have changed so much..gosh, there are now more interesting shops around. Best part is the toilet in Century Square. There is a sofa right in front of a full length mirror. And there were two rows of vanity table tops completed with hair sprays and tissue papers! Gosh am i impressed...

Bought two pairs of shoes from Charles & Keith, a compact powder from Laneige, a gold colour tissue pouch and did a manicure heehee to pamper my hands from all the housework done yesterday. My hands actually felt so dry today...from the housework arrrggghhhh After all the shopping, i was hungry...went to Sakae Sushi and ate my favourite tuna mayo sushi all by myself :) anyway, after manicure, can't shop much hohoho Jfk picked my up from Tampines and we bought ice milk tea with pearl(starch balls) back for my two darling brothers.

For once, i wish i am a sixteen year old shopping in Tampines today..i told Jervis about my wish and kena suan tsk tsk

Me: Oh Jervis, i wish i was a sixteen year old,skinny teenager again cos Tampines is a shopping paradise for kids
Jervis: Well, what you mean by "again", you were once sixteen but you were never skinny hahaha
Me: i haaaaaaate you hmmph

29 March, 2008 - Spring Cleaning day

John 8:32
Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.

Ecclesiastes 7:14
When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider: God has made the one as well as the other. Therefore, a man cannot discover anything about his future.

Spend the whole afternoon doing housework today :) the toilet is sparkling clean. But i broke my nails and i think i will need lotsa moisturiser for my hands now.

Went to Johor Bahru to clean monster and have supper with Chee Wee. There was a jam, though not to bad, and it was 2am by the time we got home.

Tired but happy.

28 March, 2008 - Charles's wedding

I am so glad i can still fit into the velvet LBD that i bought so many years ago haha errrmm not that i have managed to become slimmer, maybe the dress expanded? hmmm Anyway, it's a Friday and it felt strange not to dress down. Good hair day today, good skin and good make up. Aiyo i felt pretty when i stepped out of my house this morning. (pardon my narcissism keke)

Went for breakfast with CP and Jasmin and regretted it the moment we got to Bedok..half the time, i was so worried my hair will smell bad after we left the hawker center..anyway i sprinkled lotsa cologne on my hair after that hee VAIN with a capital V.

Didn't get to go to 3M today and it was kinda disappointing. Stella messaged that she had prepared so much food and i felt so apologetic about it cos none of us could go...too bad i had to turn down her offer to go alone since all the PMs are having FAE meeting..which means Edwin is stuck in the meeting. So sad awwwwwww...Went out for lunch with all the FAEs guys and marketing team. Time for making small talk and more small talk :)

Left work at 6.30 and took a cab to Holiday Inn. JFK told me to be there by 7.30pm but when i got there, everyone was still in "preparing" mode only lo chey. To think i ran in heels. Jfk is the MC for the evening and i was the audience while they practiced. During dinner, Jfk drunk too much and started talking loudly...and i turned down the offer for red wine :( cos i figured i will have to drive. I had to stop the car at the road shoulder to let him puke arrgghhh

Charles's wife is so pretty...Bless this couple

27 March, 2008 - Sad, happy & restless day

There was an annoucement from our VP this morning..our HR manager has passed away suddenly in HK while on business trip. So sad and so shocking...the whole company kept a minute of silence on her passing. I cannot imagine how is her family going to take this bad patch..

We had lunch at old airport road this afternoon and i met Maggie. Forgot she is pregnant and went to tap on her shoulder and made her jumped while she was buying pan cakes heehee oops

Kinda distracted from work this afternoon cos a train of thoughts ran through my head. Felt like having iced cold beer to freshen up..

Received a call from someone whom i least expect to call :) he called me at my desk phone at 7pm to find out if i am doing alrite. There must be a lapse in my memory cos his name does not register momentarily. I am a lucky gal, this call reminded me of why it is essential to do my best, work hard and do so without grudgingly heehee i am really thankful. We did not get a chance to work together for long but i think we would have the chemistry to work together..both of us feel that building relationships is important but in a sincere way and he told me over the phone that he likes me cos i am cheerful hahaha cheerily doing my work without grumbling. Do not know how he sees me as such but i am thankful of his comments heehee

The whole evening, i got restless again. Steady does it, counted to ten and resume to clearing emails...some of which were from last week. Frustration is when you see dumb people write dumb emails asking dumb questions making you feel like dumping those emails into the "thrash" thingy. Dumb is when you send emails to others without even making an effort to digest the contents and make sense of it all, forward the problem to another person and expect the problem solved the next day. (i am pissed while i am writing this..and frustrated) If everyone makes an effort to do their best..or at least a lil' bit of best, everything would be easier. Or rather, if people are less selfish and think less for themselves. BUT to be selfish is human nature.

Tomorrow, there is a chance that i get to go 3M and i am so excited about it :) Here is chance to learn more about their products and to meet this customer who buys 3M products lalalalalalala

25 March, 2008 - Submissive

Cell time and as usual, it's share share share. Jaena asked me why i joined CCSS...after i read a verse. My reply was crap...like "because i want to lo, really have nothing much to share." Think my cell leader was shocked and stared at me..cos everyone has something to share,something that happened in their life, EXCEPT me. I am really not comfortable about doing this..i just don't wish to share hmmm so there..NOTHING to share. Period.

Rebellious heart and being individualistic again...seriously speaking, is it so wrong?

Today i learnt all about being submissive in cell. I need to learn how to be obedient.

Contrary to popular thinking, submission is not for wimps. Anyone can rebel, but it takes a mature person to submit. Submission does not make you smaller, but bigger. It shows maturity of character. Through your attitude and act of submission, you honour and please God.

If that's the case, i think i am gonna have to say this prayer everyday.

Let's pray:
Dear God,
I ask You to check my heart for any critical, resentful or rebellious attitude. I do not want to follow the example of the devil, who rebelled against You. I want to follow the example of Jesus, who submitted Himself to You. I commit myself to follow His example.

Father, I know that submission homours and pleases You. Give me the strength of character to obey You and co-operate with Your human channels of authority.

I commit myself to support my spiritual leaders by praying for them and supporting them. When I do not agree with their ideas or actions, I will maintain a right attitude and bring up my doubts and questions in an appropriate manner.

Thank You that You have my best interests at heart. As I have a humble and submissve heart, I will become more like Jesus, and my life will bring even greater pleasure to You. Amen!

Right Job? http://web.tickle.com/tests/rightjob

Germaine, the right jobs for you would allow you to be Creative and Analytical

You're a visionary in many people's eyes — able to think outside the box and to come up with your own solutions. You're creative not necessarily in the artistic sense, but because you can expand your mind to do things differently from others.

It might take a while for colleagues to recognize and reward you for your entrepreneurial spirit and abilities. That could be because they envy you, or because they find your ideas slightly rebellious — willing to go against the current.

All in all, you make it hard for people to pigeon hole you. That is why you, more than others, need a job that allows you to play to your strengths, break out of the mold, and truly excel.
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Your Career Personality Type
We've already discussed your Right Job and your Wrong Job, but you still might be wondering, more specifically, how we found them. While you were taking the test, we determined your scores on six different personality dimensions. No one dimension is any better or worse than the others, but each one is quite distinct and offers insights into your unique combination of attributes, outlooks, and sensibilities.

Your Right Job is what fell out of the equation when we looked at a couple different aspects of your career personality — more specifically, your primary and secondary personality types. Your Wrong Job is what fell out of the inverse equation, what resulted from your lowest scores on the personality dimensions. But for now, let's focus on your Right Job that was determined by your career personality.

Based on the way you answered the test questions, your primary personality type is Creative, while your secondary personality type is Analytical.

Knowing your type is important for a number of reasons: it will help bring to light aspects of your personality you hadn't thought about before, it will raise issues about matching your personality to a career that you might not have previously considered.

Here's an explanation of what that code and what your primary and secondary personalities mean.

Primary Classification -Creative-
As a Creative type, your ability to look at the world with a fresh perspective keeps life interesting for you and those around you. Instead of following the trends, you want to set them yourself. Establishing a routine is not your goal; you would rather go with the flow and see where your mood takes you that day. You love seeking new experiences and sensations. Your sensitive nature is often turned inward, but your passionate nature also means that you are prone to be impulsive at times.

Secondary Classification -Analytical-
As an Analytical type, your inquisitive nature helps you enjoy the complexities of life. You understand that sometimes there are no clear right and wrong answers, and that's okay with you because you tolerate gray areas better than most. In fact, pondering potential outcomes can sometimes be more interesting than coming up with the definitive solution for you. You march to your own drum and enjoy being in charge more than working and compromising with others. Nothing escapes your keen observational skills, and thinking is your idea of fun.
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Ideal Jobs
Architect
Graphic artist
Film editor
Creative Writer
Interior designer
Commercial artist
Musician

Why These Jobs Work For You
You are the person for a job that involves thinking outside the box. You are innovative and intellectual. You don't like paying attention to administrative details, though you pay attention to details when necessary for aesthetic or practical reasons. Organizing and filing do not appeal to you. Your skills are in the art of expression, and you have the ability to convey the message to the intended audience effectively.

Research has shown that people whose personalities are well-suited to their job environments are happier and more successful. Remember, your Right Jobs were selected because they are good matches for your career personality — they would allow you to exercise the qualities mentioned above. They are not based on the skills you already have, or would need to perform those jobs. Those are things you can learn along the way.

That said, here's a description of the Right Job that is the best statistical match to your career personality. If you don't like the sound of it, you can do a bit more research on the runner-up jobs that match your personality almost as well.

As an architect, you would plan and design structures. Most likely, you'd focus on buildings and their immediate surroundings. In particular, architects plan a building's layout — everything from the look of the building itself to where the rooms, the elevators, the stairs, the doors, and the windows should go. You'd do all this while taking the engineering demands into account — the demands necessary to keep the structure stable and safe. Architects also have to do all this while designing a structure that meets the wishes of the client.

Architects are often responsible for choosing the building materials and equipment within a given budget and timeline. That means you'd oversee every aspect of the project, including supervising workers, preparing contracts, and representing the clients' needs to contractors. Architects typically possess high aptitudes for mathematics, spatial reasoning, and creativity. They have skills and interests in both big ideas and small details. Obtaining a four-year degree and passing the Architectural Registration Examination (administered by the Board of Architecture) are prerequisites to becoming an architect. The exam consists of nine parts and takes four days to complete.

Although the work environment of an architect is the best fit for your career personality, that is not to say you won't be happy in another job. In fact, there are plenty of careers that could use your personality's strengths. Architect was the highest statistical match for your personality characteristics. Look to the right for some other jobs that scored high and would be a great fit for you.

In addition to discovering what career best fits you, Tickle has provided some information about how to best fit your career goals with your lifestyle needs. After all, your career can take on many forms, and it is important to know what best works for you.

Why These Jobs Fit Within Your Lifestyle
You enjoy being comfortable in life. You don't need to live in extravagance, but you do like to indulge in a few luxuries. Whether you own a nice home, have an expensive hobby, or take lavish vacations, you are proud that your hard work can support the lifestyle you want.

Having a stable, and relatively prestigious, job is a priority for you. Your career identity is important to you, and you want to feel proud when telling others what you do for a living.

Be careful that you spend within your means. In your later years, retiring comfortably and paying off debts should be your priorities. Because having a rewarding career is important to you, be on the lookout for career advancement opportunities.

You may have already landed your dream job. Congratulations! But most people are still waiting to find the best job for their career personality.

Remember that wherever you are in your career — even if you're already in the job you want to keep for the rest of your life, you can't always control when or how the nature of your job might change, or how the goals of your company might evolve. But you can control the kinds of jobs you look for. That's why it's just as important to know your Wrong Job, as it is to know your Right Job.

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Wrong Job
Germaine, if you want to avoid your wrong Job, don't be an:
Electrician
Why shouldn't you be an electrician? Remember it's not all about the skills you have or don't have. The Right Job for you is the job that suits your personality best. For true job satisfaction, your job environment needs to match your personality. Even if you like the idea of what an electrician does or are good at it yourself, there are still reasons this is the Wrong Job for you.

Beyond the daily tasks of an electrician — testing circuitry, installing and repairing wiring and electrical fixtures — electricians need to truly enjoy working with their hands. In fact, they also need to take pride in seeing the tangible results of their finished work if they are to enjoy their career at all, since so much of their work revolves around testing and retesting new or damaged electrical lines. Many electricians are also on-call and at the mercy of their beepers. That can make scheduling the rest of your life difficult. These are just some of the reasons you wouldn't find life as an electrician very satisfying — why it's the Wrong Job for you.

24 March, 2008 - Good Byes are never easy but sometimes it's only temporary

First, i would like to start this entry by thanking my PM for coming back to the office after the afternoon meeting in Jurong West...and listen to crap things of NY and Jessie...and hearing me "backstab" Jessie. I think you could have just went home straight cos you're not feeling well...get well soon so that you can savour the nuts cocktail :)

Hey Rubes, i saw this in your blog and i just have to say i truly understand how you feel. Sorry to hear about your work spouse...ex-work spouse :p but you're a strong gal, you'll be fine. Maybe your next work spouse will be just as good..if not better ya. I guess it's the same everywhere...people leaves because of management, sometimes people leaves because of horrible colleagues. But hey, your company is still a good place :) imagine having the belly dancing teacher teaching at your company. I mean like wow, you have facilities for these stuff...and i thought where i am is good cos there is a small gym hahaha

In my first year here, people started leaving...batch by batch and i am not used to it. Come April, i am gonna be here for a year. Fast and nice. I have not gotten used to saying "wish you all the best" stuff, especially people whom are close to you. It hurts like you can feel a pinch in your heart..but i guess that's part and parcel of life hmmm

Anyway, let's meet up soon and catch up...over wine of cos :)

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"Emotionally Drained
I felt so emotionally drained today. Alone supporting the team is alrighty (I am grateful that a colleague logged in from M'sia to answer some queries) but what made me so tired was the sad scenario when I had to host my work spouse (ex-work spouse really). It was a totally different feeling and I am just extremely sad and affected. It doesn't help when I know that he is also putting on a front with basically "I don't care because I am forcing myself not to care!" attitude and it's very sad. I am still trying to cope with the lost of a dear colleague and to see him being treated well "escorted" around the premises and not being able to talk freely about work and to be mindful that I cannot tell him work-related things is extremely taxing. I was almost close to tears. I would cope much better if he had just given 24 hours and leave us in the lurch (at least I can curse and swear!) just like my ex-colleague who is now with a compeititor (we still keep in regular contact).

This reminds me of my working days in Melbourne. It was nice for the first year and suddenly people started to leave. Not because of the colleagues (everyone is really nice and friendly - we even bake cakes and celebrate everyone's birthday) but because of managment. Politics basically drove people to leave. Not just people but some really great people who are competent in their jobs. Perhaps it's always the case. Things are rosy for the first year when you join a new company cos you are a newbie....."
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What you wrote striked a chord with how i am feeling now my dear sista keke

Work Spouse

I first know of the the term "work spouse" in an article published in The Straits Times in 2006. I finally found the article in the store room. Then i shall dedicate this article to my ex-work spouse cum food buddy, who is happily persuing his degree cert now :)

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A work spouse is a co-worker (usually of the opposite sex) with whom one shares a special relationship, having bonds similar to those of a marriage; such as, special confidences, loyalties, shared jokes and experiences, and an unusual degree of honesty or openness. The work spouse is a potentially key relationship when one's actual spouse or boy/girlfriend is not able to understand the nuances of the workplace. While it is not unusual for the relationship to contain elements of flirtation, this relationship can be threatened rather than enhanced if it sex is involved.

In one 2006 survey, 32 percent of workers said they had an "office husband" or "office wife." A CNN Money article characterizes the relationship as having the "immediate intimacy [of marriage] without the sex or commitment and cites a report suggesting that such relationships "may not only make you happier with your job but may even improve your chances for promotions and raises."

One source characterizes the relationships as "platonic, very close, opposite-sex couplings, with no romantic strings attached." The phrase is, however, sometimes used for same-sex relationships.

With so many of the quality hours of a day spent at work, having someone there who has an intuitive understanding of the pressures, personalities, interactions, and underlying narratives of the workplace society can add safety and comfort to what can otherwise be an alienating environment. This new social relationship is unique to the social milieu of the late 20th and early 21st century.

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Published: Sunday, April 9, 2006
Having a ‘work spouse’ can be beneficial
By MARJO JOHNE, Toronto Globe and Mail
It’s been almost 20 years since the day they first met, but Krista Hiddema and Stuart Ducoffe say they’re closer than ever.

They spend most of their waking hours together. They travel frequently side by side. And even when they’re apart, they manage to hook up by phone.

“We are so connected to one another,” Hiddema, a human resource specialist who works alongside Ducoffe, an employment lawyer, at e2r Solutions, the HR consulting arm of the Toronto law firm Woolgar VanWiechen Ketcheson Ducoffe LLP. “We know each other so well I can often predict what he is going to say.”

Another love connection at work?

Whoa, says Hiddema and Ducoffe. While they may be spending countless hours together and are so close they often communicate without speaking, there is nothing romantic about their relationship, they say.

They’re simply office mates who also happen to be soul mates.

Or, to use a term that has come into vogue, Hiddema and Ducoffe are office spouses – corporate couples bound by mutual respect, common interests and that particular chemistry of friendship.

“I often joke that Stuart is my daytime husband,” says Hiddema, who got married two-and-a-half years ago to her actual husband. Ducoffe is now engaged.

“But while I would admit that I had girlfriends who said, ‘Why aren’t you dating Stuart’ and Stuart had friends asking him the same thing about me, we were always just such good friends.”

Hiddema and Ducoffe aren’t the only ones enjoying such close friendships at work with colleagues of the opposite sex. Recent studies show many people are saying “I do” to an office spouse.

In a survey last January by Vault Inc., a New York career research firm, 32 percent of employees acknowledged having an office spouse.

Men and women have long enjoyed friendships at work, experts say. But as more women have climbed the corporate ladder, male and female employees increasingly are working as peers.

There is, for example, the dinner party slip of the tongue by national security adviser Condoleeza Rice, who inadvertently referred to her boss, President Bush, as “my husb . . .” Some observers interpreted that verbal stumble as a sign that she saw Bush as her office spouse.

Throw these men and women into an environment where they’re told to work as a tightly knit team and forced to spend long hours together, and it isn’t surprising that many develop strong personal bonds, says Julian Barling, associate dean and professor of organizational behavior and psychology at the Queens School of Business.

“People today are spending more time at work in physical surroundings that make it more likely that romantic or deep-seated, non-romantic relationships will develop,” he says. “You put people in cubicles together and you expect them to work closely together, so what do you expect?”

David Irvine, a human dynamics expert and author, dislikes the term “office spouse” – as does Professor Barling, who says it has negative connotations, though he believes the close friendship at the core of such a relationship is generally beneficial for work place partners and their employers.

Research from the Gallup Organization supports this belief. Between 2002 and 2004, Gallup interviewed 4.5 million employees across the United States and found that about 30 percent had a best friend in the office.

Of this group, close to 60 percent said they felt engaged on the job. By comparison, nearly 65 percent of employees without an office best buddy said they were disengaged.

Scott Richer, marketing manager for Delta Hotels, a subsidiary of Fairmont Hotels & Resorts Inc., says having a best friend at work has made him a better employee.

Two years ago, he formed an affinity with Mary Pattison, Delta’s director of marketing. “It lends for a very cohesive environment for us and brings value to our performance. I feel like I’m playing with a teammate who always knows where I’m going to be on the ice.”

Pattison says that having a close male friend at work has helped hone her business skills. She believes men and women generally have different approaches to business, so she pays close attention to how Richer handles certain work situations.

Being a male-female tag team also comes in handy when dealing with clients and suppliers, she says.

“Sometimes we run into situations where we meet with someone who is just naturally more comfortable having a conversation with someone of the same gender, and we’re fine with that.”

But what office spouses should worry about, says human resource experts, is how their thick-as-thieves relationship might affect work place dynamics.

“Don’t be seen as a clique,” warns Stephanie Milliken, president of Milliken HR Consulting in Vancouver. “Be careful about being so close that you start to exclude others.”

And what about the people at home – the husbands, wives, boyfriends or girlfriends?

Many respondents to the Vault surveys said their significant others had no problems with their close office relationships. That is certainly the case for Hiddema’s husband, who isn’t at all threatened by her relationship with Ducoffe. And Ducoffe says his fiancee is just as comfortable with Hiddema.

Richer and Pattison have introduced their significant others at home to their significant others at the office.

“The four of us have met each other, had dinner together and we all like each other,” Richer says. And their spouses also probably appreciate the fact that they don’t have to listen to work stories at the end of the day, he adds.

23 March, 2008 - Birthday/Food weekend

Steamboat lunch at our place today..to celebrate Karine's birthday.

Had lunch at Pizza Hut yesterday afternoon in Causeway point to celebrate Jfk's bithday with his family...followed by dinner in a restaurant in Ang Mo Kio to celebrate Jfk's mum's birthday...

Birthdays and Food = Fat :(

Karaoke cum drinks cum peanuts cum games

Haven't been to a karaoke for awhile hmmm maybe should ask Joanne to organise one with the soon to be defunct AC guys heehee :)

我真的受伤了


最进


你的倒影

Web test

Heehee i took a fun quiz today and i found out that i am sweet :)

You are Sweet!
Beloved by everyone, especially younger children, you are the epitome of sweetness. You can brighten up almost every situation with a few heartfelt words and a smile. People of all other flavors feel the benefit of your presence, and thus your company is highly regarded. You fit in almost anywhere and your kindness and warmth can lighten up even the moodiest people. You are good at covering up other people’s weak spots with your strong personality and you make friends very easily.

Ok maybe i should really consider switching industry. I should dabble in sales & marketing in the hospitality and service industry. Jessica said i am friendly and bubbly..plus i supposed i look cute..at the age of 32, i can still pass off as 23 ahem, that's by no means an easy feat :D muahahaha

Daryl, the general opinion of me is friendliness. I supposed this is one of my stongest point too...and you are right ;)

21 March, 2008 - Good Friday Holiday

It's a friday and we don't need to go to work, this feels good.

Got to mum's place at 2.30pm and lazed around. Auntie Eugenia was already there. We went to picked Uncle Charlie at 3.30pm and the five of us drove to Adams road for the Easter play :) Very glad that Jfk is going...to hear God's message for him. 3 March, 2008 - Shocked

Today's message is very clear. God loves us in spite of and despite of our sins. We are not worthless in His eyes and He loves us no matter how much sins we have. He sent His only son to die on the cross for us, so that we may have eternal life. This alone speaks volume of His love for us.

Like what Daryl always tell me that "it is done, God has forgiven you" whenever i tell him i am not a perfect person and i have sins and i carry bondages.

After the service, Jessica asked Jfk what were his thoughts on today's play. He liked it and i am glad he did not find it too "typical Christian play". Jessica asked him what was holding him back from accepting God. His reply was "i feel that i am not worthy". I should have been more sensitive to pick up this vibe...i knew that he once prayed for God's help and i know that he believes God exist but whenever i asked him to attend service with me, it's a resounding NO... even though he will send me to church.

During the service, i noticed that he closed his eyes and with head bowed, praying together with the pastor. So this was the message that God wants to tell Jfk. That He loves him regardless of his "imperfections", inspite of and despite of sins.

You don't have to come home now, but His door will always be open for you...and His angels are always around to keep you safe.

Uncle Charlie, Aunt Eugenia, mum, Jfk and me went for dinner at Geylang East :) When we got to mum's place, it was already 9pm...and Jervis is going Zouk later in the night. Nowadays youngster go cheong late at night liao lo...wah lau i also miss Zouk.

20 March, 2008 - Jfk's Bdae :)

Today is Jfk's birthday and we had pasta for dinner. Have already informed Bahgay and Duncan to reach Bahgay's place at 9pm and surprise Jfk with a cake. Wah i had to tell a white lie to Jfk on how come i need to go to their place. I bluffed him saying that i needed to get the baby car seat from Pinky to give to Salvation army hahaha

Reached Bahgay's place at 9+pm and he walked out from the kitchen with the chocolate cake from Awfully chocolate with ONE candle, singing the bdae song hahaha so comical :p Xavier is one huge baby, i carried him around the house and he is so heavy, my arms were aching after awhile. If this is my baby, i think i will lose weight fast hmmm

Left his place at 11+pm and went to a pub at Katong. This is no ordinary pub. It is a pub with girls! You know the kind that you buy enough drinks to keep the girls entertained type of pub. Oh sorry, i mean the kind that girls keep you entertained. Anyway, i suggested this place cos i didn't know...after about an hour in the pub, two gals came up to our table and introduced themeselves. Our table consist of Bahgay, Duncan, Jfk and me. One gal rubba rubba with Jfk and i think kena his LJ, the other gal was rallying around Duncan. (sorry Vivian...Duncan was a gentleman, he tried to move away, he is a great guy hee) Bahgay was....well...left alone heehee and he was feeling sore about it :D and i was seated between Jfk and Bahgay absorbing the whole scene ^_^ This proved one thing...if Bahgay sat alone at any table, he will not get hit upon hahahahahahaha evil me. The gal with Jfk asked me if i was his girlfriend tsk tsk Jfk said he was so uncomfortable with the girl (really meh?) cos i was there and she was too close for comfort.

By the time we got home, it was 2am..i am sleepy. Wow...Jfk is now officially thirty two heehee

19 March, 2008 - Dramatic Day

Mood is PISSED and upset today.

It's so trivial to talk about work but when one spend more than 8 hours a day in the office, one cannot help becoming self-absorbed.

I have a shipment from supplier that was being rejected by our guys in warehouse. Rejected because the date in our system shows May 21, so there is absolutely no reason for us to receive the shipment being sent today. After checking everything i could lay my hands on, the conclusion was not to receive the shipment. So the poor delivery guy from supplier has to send the goods back. NY called and insisted that we did an expedite for the goods so we had no right to reject the shipment. Told her nicely i can't get help this time because we are talking about 200kpcs of connectors. Jessie snatched the phone over, "HAR-LOW-ed" me in a rude tone and shouted/threatened over the phone the following few points:-
1) you people did the pull-in now HOW COME reject
2) your company is a big problem, it's a messy one
3) i will transfer all your businesses to my other disty, let you all die
4) no need to apply special price for the enquiry that i sent you yesterday, i won't give your company the business anymore, i will give it to another disty
5)you know how much trouble NY face?
6) i will charge your company the delivery charges!!
7) i will write to your upper management and put Natarajan, Charles in the copy

* of cos, everything was spoken in stuttering "broken English" which irked me alot

When i tried to explain the situation to her, she said "我现在不想跟你讲这样多" and slammed the phone. Fwah fuck lo, damn bloody rude.

I was so shocked that i stun-ed for a moment. Then i did the unimaginable, i called her boss to complain. I mean it's unimaginable cos i don't "backstab" others but this is too much. As i was yakking to him, i feel tears in my eyes..tears of frustrations and anger. He must have detected my strange tone and he spoke so gently. Fwah, so tears and "sai nai-ing" works heehee

We had lunch at Jack's place this afternoon to celebrate Jasmine's birthday. Only Chinyiang, Catherine, Aising, Amy, Andrew, Joyce, Jasmine, Sarah and me went. Sean had dentist hmmm so sad he couldn't make it..cannot share my frustrations with him..going to explode man..

Went to NUH to visit KW this evening but he was sent to do some scan when i got there so i never got to meet him...instead, found his aged parents sitting on the sofa discussing something in Cantonese. Apparently, KW will be transferred to another ward and for tonight, he would be in the high dependance ward after the scan. There were eight baskets of flowers/fruits in the ward and his dad wants to call KW's wife to come collect them. So i had to call all the numbers which he gave me but non were correct. In the end, called Tuck Meng for KW's house phone number but he didn't have it. Wah lau...and my mobile phone's battery was going flat...finally, his dad took out a piece of paper from his wallet and i managed to get hold of KW's wife. She asked me to help her to arrange with the nurses cos "my father-in-law is very lor suo" haha Ok anyway, to cut the story short, i spent about 30 minutes co-ordinating the flowers/fruits basket with KW's wife and his sister. Both the wife and sister are so snappy at the poor father. Now i see where he get his "suay kuan" from. KW is not exactly the type of supplier i like but there is just this lil' voice that said "go visit today" and that's how i found myself in NUH...to help arrange for the safety of the flowers/fruits basket, his wallet, mobile phone, slippers and help his parents?? Left the ward at around 7.40pm and called Tuck Meng to tell him everything's settled. And he asked what happened in the afternoon. Haa, tears work well ya :p (my dearest bak bak sistas..i didn't mean to use tears heehee can't help it...sorry i didn't do what Samantha would have done) Good that he asked cos i "complained" more to him subtlely lalalalalalala

Jfk picked me up and we went Yishun for dinner..phew...i was famished by the time we got there :(

For every bitchy person that one meets, there will always be other angels around :)
Amanda msn-ed me the moment that stupid woman slammed the phone down on me. Asked me to cool down and gave me space to cursed and swear at that crass idiot. Andrew, Amy and Chinyiang who were in my "lorong" tried to cheer me up. Sean, best hee, messaged me during lunch: "Listen...God's calling. Germaine dun b irritated by some idiotic person. There are more meaningful things for you than wasting ur energy on it." Gee thank God for friends :D

My favourite songs at the moment

Stop & Stare (so apt..like how i am feeling now)

Steady hands, just take the wheel...
And every glance is killing me
Time to make one last appeal... for the life I lead

Stop and stare
I think I'm moving but I go nowhere
Yeah I know that everyone gets scared
But I've become what I can't be, oh
Stop and stare
You start to wonder why you're 'here' not there
And you'd give anything to get what's fair
But fair ain't what you really need
Oh, can u see what I see

They're tryin to come back, all my senses push
Un-tie the weight bags, I never thought I could...
Steady feet, don't fail me now

Gonna run till you can't walk
But something pulls my focus out
And I'm standing down...

Stop and stare
I think I'm moving but I go nowhere
Yeah I know that everyone gets scared
But I've become what I can't be, oh
Stop and stare
You start to wonder why you're here not there
And you'd give anything to get what's fair
But fair ain't what you really need
Oh, you don't need

What u need, what u need...

Stop and stare
I think I'm moving but I go nowhere
Yeah I know that everyone gets scared
But I've become what I can't be
Oh, do u see what I see...


Bleeding Love by Leona Lewis

Closed off from love
I didn’t need the pain
Once or twice was enough
And it was all in vain
Time starts to pass
Before you know it you’re frozen

But something happened
For the very first time with you
My heart melts into the ground
Found something true
And everyone’s looking round
Thinking I’m going crazy

But I don’t care what they say
I’m in love with you
They try to pull me away
But they don’t know the truth
My heart’s crippled by the vein
That I keep on closing
You cut me open and I

Keep bleeding
Keep, keep bleeding love
I keep bleeding
I keep, keep bleeding love
Keep bleeding
Keep, keep bleeding love
You cut me open

Trying hard not to hear
But they talk so loud
Their piercing sounds fill my ears
Try to fill me with doubt
Yet I know that the goal
Is to keep me from falling

But nothing’s greater
Than the rush that comes with your embrace
And in this world of loneliness
I see your face
Yet everyone around me
Thinks that I’m going crazy, maybe, maybe

But I don’t care what they say

I’m in love with you
They try to pull me away
But they don’t know the truth
My heart’s crippled by the vein
That I keep on closing
You cut me open and I....

Keep bleeding
Keep, keep bleeding love
I keep bleeding
I keep, keep bleeding love
Keep bleeding
Keep, keep bleeding love
You cut me open

And it’s draining all of me
Oh they find it hard to believe
I’ll be wearing these scars
For everyone to see

I don’t care what they say
I’m in love with you
They try to pull me away
But they don’t know the truth
My heart’s crippled by the vein
That I keep on closing
You cut me open and I....

Keep bleeding
Keep, keep bleeding love
I keep bleeding
I keep, keep bleeding love
Keep bleeding
Keep, keep bleeding love
You cut me open and I....

Keep bleeding
Keep, keep bleeding love
I keep bleeding
I keep, keep bleeding love
Keep bleeding
Keep, keep bleeding love
You cut me open and I
Keep bleeding
Keep, keep bleeding love

18 March, 2008 - Egg Puddings

I woke up at 8am this morning..fwah darn rush lo, in the end took a cab to work and that cost me twenty bucks!! Can you imagine the rate of inflation and cab fare hikes?? Twenty bucks lei! Cost like 10 bucks more than pre-cab-hikes days...I put the three egg puddings into the microwave to heat up but weren't hot fast enough...bo bian la, bring to office to heat them. One for Sean, one for Fenn and one for Sarah :) i hate egg puddings..i hate egg yorks so i ate the almond paste last night instead heehee I am so blessed, auntie helped me to heat them up while i pour coffee lalalalalalala

Five quality issues, one down, left four damn. Shipment rejects..why? System date not updated. Why? Dunno. Spend half an hour listening to complaints and boss leaves on the dot again. 被Tyco sales洗脑. No more team meetings to feedback "any problems that you may have?" Lucky great bunch of colleagues. BRIGHT SIDE :)

Nothing much happened today except that aunties has problems pronouncing "Bourns" haha

Jenny: Eh germaine ah, 你可以quote我那个Bronze吗？
Me: har? 我们没有carry Bronze的lei
Jenny: 有啦，那个sarah的
Me: Bourns la!
muahahahahaha hmmm
Amy: Come jenny, how to pronounce "Bourns"?
Me: BRONZE yeah hahahahaha

We is EVIL ;)

TCSS with Eileen, Nazri and Shirley at pantry heehee polish up my hokkien. So long never hala hala liao so must brush up my skills again. Or i will fall into the bad habbit of being oblivious to my surroundings and staying connected via emails only. Antenna short like sh*t.

I saw Suran today and i remembered that i owe him lunch...for the bakgwa that i begged him to send. Maybe i should just get him some goodies goodies hmmm Geylang Serai would do the trick keke

**********************************************************************************
Let's continue the story of the young lady here :) 14 March, 2008 - Marketing Lunch
The lady boss, Mdm C, was an insecure woman because a few years before the young lady, Keri, joined her company, her team of employees all quit on her. Wow...but Mdm C told Keri that they quit because they were jealous of her success. The young lady, gullible and naive, believed her.

Mdm C: Don't be so close to the colleauges here, i know that they are jealous of you.
Keri: oh! why is that so?
Mdm C: You will have a chance to travel and i want to groom you to start marketing department Keri: wah...but why do you think they won't like me
Mdm C: Because you will travel and i like you

Everyone in the company pretty much left Keri alone. She ate alone during lunch and no one wanted to talk to her. But because she is sincere, she won them over effortlessly. Keri worked real hard..she did everything from sales, marketing, customer service and engineering. She thought she found a good boss, someone to admire and learn from. Once, she stayed in the office til wee hours to come up with the company profile and presentation slides just so that her manager could give a decent presentation in USA. All she wanted was a good boss.

One day, Mdm C told Keri to print another name card bearing the company of a sister trading company. She wanted Keri to go to a competitor's factory in Guangxi on the pretext of a buyer to "steal" more information. This does not sound right to Keri but she went ahead with the plans...for exposure and experience. But by now, Keri has in one way or other discovered Mdm C's horrible sides.

To be continued.......

17 March, 2008 - 任性 and crappy

This is a short working week and thinking about Friday makes me smile :)

I fought against eating pain killer today and went to work feeling grouchy. Anyway, there were so many emails today and everything seems to be urgent and everyone wants their issues solved first. So pissed at the word "urgent". I think it's so damn overused here..so much so that i doubt if it's really urgent. As i am working on my emails, i let my mind wonder off. We work hard for ourselves, yup, but suddenly for once today, i see no reason why am i working so hard for. Wilson, Daryl and Edwin..three persons who could have/would have/does make a difference...whom i chose to do my best for..poof gone and going. Met up with a supplier this afternoon and he wants to help me find a lobang cos he thinks i will do better with a supplier company haha drive-yes, sales-ok, people orientated-extremely...so? Wonder why he offered to do that but hmmm God will open doors if it is the correct door since he 自己送上门 by offering to look out for me when i never say i wana change job. Because of his kindness, i remembered why i must always do my best. It's call building a reputation :) Shite but i like 3M.

Hey Daryl, Sarah msn-ed me today to tell me that you told her to leave office by 7pm everyday...
S: KH asked me to leave work at 7pm everyday.
S: And you must help me do that.
Me: Orrh, how to help?
S: Remind me la
i will nag at her tomorrow :)

CRAPPY thoughts are running through my head today. 任性 and crappy. Period.

Last Friday, we were talking about the poly student sent to our company to do his attachment. He likes to dash around in the office, sits on the floor to do filing and is labelled a weirdo. He was knocked down by a car this afternoon while dashing across the road near our office. I was told he was lying on the roadside with blood on his head and he could only blink his eyes. CP went to up the ambulance with him to the hospital..and updated us when he was back in he office. Lucky for the boy, he sustained injuries but he is out of danger now..phew

In everyone's eyes, he is a weirdo cos he does not conform to how a "normal person" should behaves. But perhaps in his eyes, we are weirdos. It's really wrong to judge.

This, too, will pass.......

15 March, 2008 - Purple Nostalgia

I did not go for community work today because we had to help JT shift house. Their matrimonial house will be sold end of March so he has to move all his stuff back to his parents' place. It felt strange to be standing in this house today. The last time i stepped foot here was like almost three or four CNYs ago...when their marriage has already soured but at least both of them were still staying together. AK shifted back to her mum place about three years ago and both never looked back since...signed the separation papers, both moved on with their lives with their own special someone. Divorce papers were signed this year. Irreconcilable differences and infidelity...both equally painful. It is a chore to be in a tumultuous relationship. There is plenty of hurt, lies, tears and whatever other emotions that let your heart feels pain. Perhaps both of them should never have got back together when they broke up a year or two before the marriage. Getting back together for old times sake is a big mistake. JT was devastated when they broke up and he tried all ways to win AK back. After a year of trying, they patched back but i supposed what's not meant to be will never be.

JT is a sentimental guy. I noticed that the house still carries traces of AK...the purple curtains were still hanging by the window, the little lamp in front of where their bed used to be was purple, the clothes basket was purple, the cloth covering the walk-in wardrobe was purple, the peach hand lotion from Marks & Spencers was still in the toilet.......AK's favourite colour is purple. Most touching of all was the wedding cake from Merchant Court that i found in the now empty fridge. The corsage was still on top of the cake box. Many years ago, after their wedding dinner, Jfk and me spent the night with the bride and bridegroom in the wedding room. The four of us squeezed onto the king size bed. The next morning, we had breakfast at the hotel's restaurant. We helped to carry the cake back to their house. Now, the sight of this same cake sitting alone in the fridge made me felt like crying. Both of them are hot headed, hot tempered and fiery. Both had so much love between them. 有爱才会有恨...深爱才会感到痛苦 :(

While JT, Jfk and KK were moving the luggages downstairs, i had to wait alone in the living room. Sitting alone there drained me of my emotions too. The memories of all the good & bad times flooded my mind. This was the living room that the five of us sat, discussing on what wedding songs to play for their first and second march-in. Should JT skate in, carry AK in, or do it the church wedding way. Then i could imagine the nights when AK sat alone in this same living room waiting for JT to come home. JT is in sales and he has to entertain almost every night. AK would wait, with fear, for him to come home because she knew he would be driving under the influence of alcohol. Then they would fight often because of this, plus other issues i guess. Perhaps loneliness also drove AK to the comforts of safer arms. Some marriages are just headed for doom...when there is a lack of communication, when there is no more 忍让 and 忍耐, when there is lots of built up angst and frustrations, when expectations began to differs and the gap widens, when love becomes lesser and anger is the prevalent emotion. Unlike in the olden days, once married, one got to stay married. Regardless of whatever reasons..one stick by each other "til death do us part".

The enchanting purple wall


The wedding cake in the fridge...


I was in charged of wrapping up all the glass/ceramic items with newspapers and packing his clothes into the luggage. By the time we were done, it was already 1pm. We made two trips moving everything to Yishun and had our brunch at 2pm+. At JT's parents' place, i caught a glimpse of a HK movie on TV about some housewives learning belly dancing. They were dancing with hip scarf and I MISS BELLY DANCING arggghhh Next week i shall scour through the internet for classes that suits my schedule.

After all the moving, i followed Jfk back to his office. While he was working, i went to get a facial. Both of us went for foot massage after that..to ease the muscle ache. Lucky i took a pain killer this morning..otherwise i couldn't have manage with all the heavy stuff.

Life goes on. Whatever goes down will always come up and everything happens for a reason. I am a firm believer in this...except that now, i also learnt to let God, trust God.

14 March, 2008 - Marketing lunch :)

Almost everyone from Marketing had lunch together at Pizza Hut in Siglap today. Oh I-Jiuin, Ling Chun, Weng Seng, Desmond, Willie, Vera and Joyce from Sales joined us as well. From Marketing, there were Anthea, Heidi, Alice, Andrew, Chin Yiang, Amy, Catherine, Aising, Sean, Fenn, Jasmine, Sarah and me. The occasion was TOTO hahaha we won a small amount and we are using the winnings for the lunch. I wish Edwin, Edward, Rick, Shirley, Alicia and HB were here..then it would means the whole of marketing team. It feels good to belong to such a big marketing team heehee

Been a long time since everyone so unitedly leave their computer and go out for lunch together. Team spirit :) I wish i had a camera...so that i can capture the moment hmmm I sat next to Sean and saw him ate 3 slizes of pizza,1 beef lasagne, half a mushroom pasta, garlic bread and some warm chocolate cake fwah he sure can eat lo, make a very good food buddy :p

In the office, there are issues to be resolved, problems to be solved, processes to be corrected, budgets to be met, difficult people to deal with etc etc etc...part and parcel of work. But the people here are really nice, at least no politics...at least no unmanageable politics.
**********************************************************************************

Once upon a time in kaki bukit, there was a small company. A young lady, full of hope, full of passion started work in a manufacturing company. This was a small company, but she thought it was a good company because there was a good manager. The manager was very good at PR. She told the young lady,"you have to learn how to slap a person on the right side of the face and then kiss the person's face on the left side." The young lady was amazed by this sentence..and wondered how could you possibly do that? Over the years, the young lady realised that in order to do that, a certain degree of hypocrisy is required. The manager was very good at promising the sky and dishing out praises to all her staff. Everyone felt special after her wonderful speech. But she was also a very cunning lady, using the boss's name as "upper management" to be the bad guy in order to get things done her way. And sow discord among her staff by using fear so that no one will "gang up" against her by quitting all together.

To be continued.......

zucchero - space reserved for you

Wonderful Life


I like this song, reminds one that life is wonderful and amazingly beautiful. Happiness is within reach if it depends on our attitude and state of mind. I pray that there will be less jaded thoughts, more happiness...less vicious cycles, MORE LOVE.


cheb mami zucchero (cosi celeste)

13 February, 2008 - Kindness begets kindness

姨妈came today so it's double pain day which also means pain killer day. Should really cut down on cold drinks sigh...The only way that menses will stop is when one gets pregnant or after menopause. A friend once told me that 没有生过孩子的女人，不算是完整的女人。

Had lunch with Vincent for the first time, took Fenn's car for the first time, drank ginger tea for the first time :) Kindness begets kindness :) Fenn and me stood by a pair of aunties to finished their food so that we can "take over" their table at the food court while Sean and Vincent go buy their food. Aunties asked both of us to go buy our food too while they help us "chop" seats heehee

Ecclesiastes 9:10
Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.

11 March, 2008 - Cell

It's a rainy day, such a lovely weather to sleep. I have been feeling restless since 4pm..thinking if i should conjur up some excuse and pon-tang cell. But emails were aplenty today and i busied myself... cell was forgotten. Daryl, you are not going to feel proud of me if i share this. By 8pm, i was still thinking should i or should i not go. Anyway, i went la..cos i had this nagging feeling that i should go.

Got there just on time and we are going to distribute the flyers for the Easter play next Friday and Saturday...by knocking on doors gosh!

9pm - Twelve of us gathered around to pray (i noticed that i am the only one with pedicured feet and make up...maybe it's a sin to be vain? I noticed these cos i was peeping at the other feet and all heads bowed heehee)

9.20pm - Set off to the next block of flats to knock on doors in trios

I felt kinda silly strutting around in heels, carrying a stack of flyers and feeling hot and flustered...We're lucky that most of the people are rather friendly..hesistant and defensive initially but still alright. Except for one family. I knocked on the wooden door and i saw a shadow moving towards the window and then sounds of locking the door. Wah lau i think this family must have like three or four locks lo..seow meh, we are not "dai yi long" la tsk tsk

Then we came to a house..which obviously was a believer in Buddhism.

Leader: Ok Germaine, you try this house
Me: Har! This one is buddhist lei, see got urn hanging up the ceiling
Leader: Neirmind, just try lo, give them the flyer only ma
Me: (Then you dunno how to try yourself meh?) Ok lo

Knock knock...no one answer the door :) haa heng.. We walked away and just a few steps away from the house, the door opened *pengz*

lanlan lo, walked over and tell the popo in smattering hokkien to invite her to watch a play..don't dare say play from Church, just tell her it's free, come next Friday or Saturday, thanks and bye.. Then leader chip in and tell her "ah ma, we are from church, come and watch the play if you can make it". Popo say "wa eh lei bai bo eng bo eng" hahaha

I learnt three things today.
1) Most men watch TV without wearing their shirts at home(so i saw quite a number of bare chests tonight

2) About 70% or more of HDB dwellers watch Channel 8's 9pm drama serial

3) I like peering into the lives of others ( maybe i should really consider taking up psychiatry and psychology)

I am still not comfortable praying with so many people, speaking in tongues and having to share share share. But i am trying to..though i still find it rather superficial. Praying like that seems superfluous to me BUT i will try. Somehow i feel like i am a misfit here cos everyone is soooo "holy holy" and i think i still have one foot on the dark side hmmm

Made a new friend, Polly, tonight. She attends the same service time slot as me on Sunday...and she sit alone, just like me. We exchanged numbers to meet up this Sunday :)

Ahem, i look too youthful. Leader thought that i am twenty three, i told her it's the opposite..it's thirty two. Suddenly, i wish i IS twenty three :(

Hatch day

August 21, 1976

Lucky Color: Amber
Personality Strengths: Focus, Creativity
Personality Weakness(es): Impatience
Successful Career Path: Aeropace
Sense of Humor Style: Sarcastic
Adjectives to Describe You: impulsive, daring

Description:
You are a complete paradox as a person - innocent, yet experienced; fragile, yet strong on the inside; normal, yet unique; creative, yet organized; optimistic, yet realistic! Certainly a very interesting person - you possess several qualities that people often thought were mutually exclusive.

Random Thoughts

如果人间充满希望，那我的快乐，成功之路几时才会找得到。。

If one can be happy by living a simple life, then how simple is simple?

Edwin's thoughts:-
"Life of a food stall owner. He/She gets busy during breakfast hour, lunch hour and dinner hour. After all these three meals of the day, he/she can rest and relax. Which means after all the mad rush of getting the food ready and serving all their customers, they get to rest in between the next meal time. Which also means chances of a burnt-out is slim..or close to zero. So they can go on doing the same old job/routine seven days a week and for many years because they are living a rather balanced life."

I wonder if this means getting out of the rat race. Most of us are in jobs that are nothing close to being our dream jobs. A job is just a tool to get earn the money to maintain and improve the quality of our life. Ironically, in the persuit of such quality (level of quality differs with each individual), we get sucked into the rat race. Then what's the rat race? The economy and the kind of society that mankind have created? Anyway, Pastor said be an eagle not a rat :) Eagles bid their time and when they catches the right wind, they soar high and above all. The rat just scurries around, reacting to its environment and circumstances.

Anyway, whatever job one is in, i supposed doing our best can justify why we are in that job. 要对得起自己 :) For a start, money can buy material comforts and that can make one happy no matter how temporary that is. *shallow* hahaha

9 March, 2008 - Confessions of a guilty housecat

Went to Huay's place for lunch on Saturday and then went to meet Elysia in Orchard to shop (yeah) for cosmetics. She has ran out of her powder foundation and we are on the shopping spree to get more eye shadows, lip gloss, eye liner, mascara and whatever else that can enhance our face to make it look good :) Jfk and Aunt Eugenia were bored..Oh before meeting Elysia, i also went to a sinseh at Geylang. Zeh mo PAINFUL lo..see she small size small size her "gu lak chut ka liao" and she pressed on my shoulder so hard like nobody's business man! I was already wincing in pain...but alas..she showed NO MERCY. Seeing me winced seemed to make her pressed harder while mumbling,"i will set your spine back to the correct position. See see, feel no pain now." Wondered how can Sean tahan and tell me "you feel damn high". High my foot ^_^'

Got home at 10pm and was too tired to do housework haha excuses...i really hate doing housework :(

Confessions of a "strictly follow the ways of a good Christian" wannabe...i overslept and missed church service on Sunday.. how dreadful! Ok, i am sure i would be forgiven for this..Moving forward (two words that everyone seems to use in Arrow), i will buy one more alarm clock.

Went to eat Sakae sushi with mum and Jervis in Simei, mum ate only toufu and miso soup. Jervis and me wah...ate like twelve plates of dishes between the two of us. Er i think he ate more than me la...but he excercises and i don't...and i am getting fat he is getting fit arghhhh!!! Next stop, NTUC. (Night Time U Come brothel -> courtesy of Dim Sum Dollies) Bought chicken breast meat, potatoes, carrots and onions. I am making curry for dinner heh heh

The pain in my back was so freaking pain today. Took Jervoise's powerful pain killer and went to take an afternoon nap...willing the pain away.

Curry was good heehee my dad suan-ed me.."eat more curry ah, very difficult then can eat something cooked by ah girl" tsk tsk

After dinner, dad, mum, Jervoise, Jfk and me went to Geylang East for foot reflexology. 20 bucks for 40 minutes of foot massage or 30 bucks for an hour of foot massage plus 10 minutes of back massage thrown in. I wanted the back massage but Jervoise said the last time he had neck and backache, he went to get his back massaged...and kena slipped disc. I decided i should not risk it, so got the 40 minutes foot massage instead heehee

6 March, 2008

I received a letter from Achieva today...IR8A. And i put the letter side by side with the one from Arrow and thought to myself wow, bought over by Arrow. Imagine being colleagues again haha would be fun to see them again but i don't really look forward to seeing someone actually...

A pity Jeremy has left...otherwise, we would be working together and i am sure we will work well together given our chemistry.

4 March, 2008 - Cupcakes from CMC confectionary

This is a good one from the internet...while i was surfing :)

"Girls are like phones. We love to be held, talked to, but if you press the wrong button you'll be disconnected!"

"Men are motivated and empowered...when they feel needed"

Good one muahahahahaha

We had lunch at a coffeeshop in Katong. A plate of chicken, a plate of duck/char siew/shao rou and a bowl of wanton heehee so much food between Edwin, Sean, Sarah and me.. shiok ^_^

The star of the day....CUPCAKES from Chin Mei Chen confectionary :D ....supposedly serves very nice cupcakes according to Alex. Anyway, we bought the cherry cupcake, chocolate cupcake, almond cupcake, plain cupcake and custard tards. Such an old looking shop and non eye catching cupcakes BUT looks can be deceiving, the cupcakes are very nice! zeh mo delicious lo *grin* The lady forgot to pack the plain cupcake for us and we are one cupcake short hmmm i have been thinking about the cupcakes and wondering just how good is good :)

Let's sing the cupcake song lalalalala thank you for bringing us to buy cupcakes and custard tarts *grinz*

3 March, 2008 - Shocked

This morning, Edward walked up to me and asked if anyone from Achieva has called me. Arrow has bought over Achieva! Wah thought it was just a rumour but wah! Anyway, it feels so strange haha..almost about a year ago, i just shook everyone's hands in there to say bye hmmm

God works in funny ways, i received a sms from Jessica to bring Jfk to church on Easter day. She said God has a message for him. I asked her if it was a general casual remark or she meant that God has a message specifically for Jfk. She text back that she was praying and asking God to give her a name of someone who was in need of prayer and Jfk came to her mind. Strange because Jessica does not know Jfk at all. I am so touched that i felt my eyes watery..

I told Jfk about it later in the evening and he said what i said gave him the creeps. Nevertheless, he agreed to go to church with me :) cos God has a message for him.

2 March, 2008 - Pedicure day

Got myself to church on time this morning :) There was a guest speaker from the States today and he talked about meaning of life.

Apparently, there are 6 billion people in the world and 75% of us are searching for a purpose in life. We are all caught in a cycle of survival, living from pay checks to pay checks, changing from jobs to jobs, going into relationships after relationships...all these just to look for the meaning in life.

- Success is not a satisfier, it's a platform for recognition and reputation.
- We will never change what we are willing to tolerate.
- Stay focussed

He wants us to remember this:-
What you make happen for others, God will make happen for you.

Ephesians 6: 8
'...because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free.

Proverbs 25: 28
Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self control.

A video clip of all the mission trips made last year was shown today. The more i looked at what these volunteers are doing in all these mission trips, the more i am convinced that should be my calling. To reach out and serve and make something of my life. I need a sign and please God, show me your way..and i will follow again.

Jervoise picked me up after service and we had lunch at Paya Lebar Singpost :)
It was raining when we got home and Jervoise went to pick Jervis from tuition..i took Jervoise's "very powerful" pain killer and went to sleep..cos it made me groggy..

When i woke up, the three of us went to Parkway heehee Both of them went for foot reflexology and i went to get a pedicure. Wah this time i chose a bright shade of red and painted gold flowers on both my toes. I love this pedicure lady's work of art.

Dad bought lotsa food from a zi cha stall and we sat together for dinner at the new dinning table. I feel so happy to be home...wish i was staying here again...

We should all contribute back to society and earth..all of us has a purpose in life..and we are all searching. Contentment is as opposed to change...i think

1 March, 2008 - Bak bak sistas day out.......after so long

Woke up at 10am today, got myself ready to go Yishun to pay respect to Jfk's grandmother..death anniversary. Anyway, didn't go in the end. Washed the clothes and get ready to have lunch with Yan and Rubes.

Yan picked me at 2.15pm, went Bugis to meet Rubes for 小笼包 :) at Nanxiang restaurant, which Rubes said is very famous in Shanghai.

Had red wine at Grapevine in Upper Serangoon Road. The wine sucks but at least the ambience was good..after our red wine and chat, we had Teochew porridge haha such food indulgence on a Saturday night :)

Jervoise and Jervis jio me for a midnight movie but i am tired and sleepy from the red wine...shucks. Got home at 10plus and watch my dvd "Home Song Stories"... Joan Chen is such a great actress. I fell asleep thinking about what happened in the show haha cheong sums never look so appealing hee

29 February, 2008 - "Leap Year" day

Got my first increment today :)

Drinks at Mel's place in Siglap with Edwin, Sean, Alex and his wife, Siew Lin. Beer taste good when you are with your favourite pair :)

Chatted with Edwin on what i think is life issues. Interesting :) found another JK haha..except that this one is more mature and stable (please invite me to your wedding ROM la, to celebrate your joy ma)

Edwin sent Sean and me home. We chatted til wee hours...

Setbacks..one either become bitter or grow from it. Though either choice will make one a stronger person. If bitterness sets in, then there will always be a baggage to carry..emotional baggage

I realised that in such a big company, sometimes one just have to be aggressive and loud enough to get noticed. So does that mean that one has to attend company gatherings for a purpose? I still honestly feel that building relationships is important but it has to be sincere and genuine, otherwise, it's meaningless and just being hypocritical.

Good bosses. Sometimes it's so important to have a boss who protects his/her charges. At least for now, everyone here is so nice which equals to nice environment.

Thank you for sharing so much tonight, thank you for not hiding behind a mask.