After one friend sent an email telling me that, my UK friend also nicely pointed out, "it's the same as Singapore, my dear. Don't forget that Singapore was a British colony, everything copy from the British :)"
I am sooooo embarassed; but well, now I have to find other excuse like..maybe train is "greener"? ;p
What the heck. I may still drive if the cost works out to be better..at least I can drive and select songs on my Ipod now.
The Mojito Life - RUM for the soul, A sprig of fresh MINT for newness, A dash of sour LIME that puckles up your face, & Sweet SUGAR to keep Life going.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Cats
I should have read"Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats" first before I went to watch Cats. I think I would have enjoyed the musical better rather than trying to understand the accent.
Anyway, was quite let down by Grizabella's "Memory"; I prefer Rum Tum Tugger's routine better.
Anyway, was quite let down by Grizabella's "Memory"; I prefer Rum Tum Tugger's routine better.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
London!
I was sicky today..so skipped training. Told myself that I had to ABSOLUTELY try to sleep early tonight. And my cut off time has to be like..soon after I finish this! (ya right..I am so not fulfilling my new year resolution)
Since I was sicky, I thought the most benign thing to do, is to start searching for info for the london trip.Looking at the limited days I may have in London, I decided to poll people on what to do in the city itself, beside doing some trawling on the net. And my list is still expanding.
Friend was thinking of exploring the countryside, and proposed stratford-upon-avon. I was a bit sceptical to go to the Shakespearean town which has become so touristy. But I should be quite enthralled to see the typical English rolling fields..anything but drive! Since UK is left-hand drive, I am not sure if I can drive and see scenary both at the same time, with the same sense of intuitive driving like what I do everyday now.
And just happened that Brandon Wong was on Channel U, doing this show called 优游天下 or something like that (flaunting his er..fakebritishwannabeaccent..but I still think the show is good cos it showed all the off-beaten tracks-destinations. I like!), and he was at Cotswolds. And I found this (oh the joy of the ingterneck).
With the promise of B&B, english tea, and an alluring English landscape (and the home of Harry Potter!) Cotswold suddenly sounds exciting.
But let me focus on the London-to-dos first..
Since I was sicky, I thought the most benign thing to do, is to start searching for info for the london trip.Looking at the limited days I may have in London, I decided to poll people on what to do in the city itself, beside doing some trawling on the net. And my list is still expanding.
Friend was thinking of exploring the countryside, and proposed stratford-upon-avon. I was a bit sceptical to go to the Shakespearean town which has become so touristy. But I should be quite enthralled to see the typical English rolling fields..anything but drive! Since UK is left-hand drive, I am not sure if I can drive and see scenary both at the same time, with the same sense of intuitive driving like what I do everyday now.
And just happened that Brandon Wong was on Channel U, doing this show called 优游天下 or something like that (flaunting his er..fakebritishwannabeaccent..but I still think the show is good cos it showed all the off-beaten tracks-destinations. I like!), and he was at Cotswolds. And I found this (oh the joy of the ingterneck).
With the promise of B&B, english tea, and an alluring English landscape (and the home of Harry Potter!) Cotswold suddenly sounds exciting.
But let me focus on the London-to-dos first..
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Office culture
I was googling for some pointers for a work group discussion tomorrow, on the kind of culture for fostering good working relationship . Having been away for the last 2 weeks also meant that I had skipped my share of work twice (damn paiseh).
Anyway I realise : there are a lot of info out there on leadership, followship, but there are just so limited stuff on how to treat each other at a peer level.
how to manage a team (it's from a manager's perspective)...
how to build a positive work place (no..not looking at bringing in potted plants) ...
e.q. in the office (nah..I am not looking at surveys done....)
But I'm just simply looking for some pointers on how colleagues treat each other rightly (and not renegade to be the fork-tongued evil backstabbing kind).
Or maybe it just draw down to individual? If you respect individual's space and rights, you would probably accord the same to your fellow colleague.
Just imagine presenting that thought to the work group tomorrow. Dread....
Anyway I realise : there are a lot of info out there on leadership, followship, but there are just so limited stuff on how to treat each other at a peer level.
how to manage a team (it's from a manager's perspective)...
how to build a positive work place (no..not looking at bringing in potted plants) ...
e.q. in the office (nah..I am not looking at surveys done....)
But I'm just simply looking for some pointers on how colleagues treat each other rightly (and not renegade to be the fork-tongued evil backstabbing kind).
Or maybe it just draw down to individual? If you respect individual's space and rights, you would probably accord the same to your fellow colleague.
Just imagine presenting that thought to the work group tomorrow. Dread....
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Conviction & Drive
I had 2 impromtu visitors in the office today. Amidst the mess of all the stuff on my table - documents from 2 work trips, files to type out report, 2 laptops (1 due to return but the IT guy not around), goodies supposed to be in the pantry (but then another colleague forgot to bring his share, so decided to wait another day so that can leave the stuff as a set)..ok.you get the picture..we manage to hang around for a quick cup of coffee + 2 teh ci-s.
As usual, ex-colleagues first question was to ask how was things at the new place. Somehow or another, we drifted back to the reason why I had moved on. Push factors aside, there was also the big question of what I wanted to do, if I had stayed. I could have moved on to the next most logical and plausible position, which may have involved putting in more after work hours and weekends. Which didn't interest me. But at the expense of throwing away very tangible benefit. Like 1/3 of my original leave quantum.
"Yeah..a lot right? But I donno..I think maybe as you grow older,you tend to value your personal time more" I quipped.
Then again, I worked late and reached home only about 9pm. It seemed like I would have been in the same circumstances if I had stayed at my old workplace, I thought as I was driving home.
But it felt different. I was tossing the thought around in my mind, and I could only conclude that I no longer find meaning in my old job. It could have been a life long career, it could have been fulfilling serving the larger good. But I had lost conviction, seeing some of the things happening around me, to me. And I hate to do things that I don't believe in, going through the motions, finishing the work, but no satisfaction.
That will be the reason why, when I could sacrifice weekends and late nights for jobs of much lower stations, but yet when I was supposed to be in a key department, I hated leaving the office later than if I had to.
For now, I think I savour the little personal time slots that I have ;)
As usual, ex-colleagues first question was to ask how was things at the new place. Somehow or another, we drifted back to the reason why I had moved on. Push factors aside, there was also the big question of what I wanted to do, if I had stayed. I could have moved on to the next most logical and plausible position, which may have involved putting in more after work hours and weekends. Which didn't interest me. But at the expense of throwing away very tangible benefit. Like 1/3 of my original leave quantum.
"Yeah..a lot right? But I donno..I think maybe as you grow older,you tend to value your personal time more" I quipped.
Then again, I worked late and reached home only about 9pm. It seemed like I would have been in the same circumstances if I had stayed at my old workplace, I thought as I was driving home.
But it felt different. I was tossing the thought around in my mind, and I could only conclude that I no longer find meaning in my old job. It could have been a life long career, it could have been fulfilling serving the larger good. But I had lost conviction, seeing some of the things happening around me, to me. And I hate to do things that I don't believe in, going through the motions, finishing the work, but no satisfaction.
That will be the reason why, when I could sacrifice weekends and late nights for jobs of much lower stations, but yet when I was supposed to be in a key department, I hated leaving the office later than if I had to.
For now, I think I savour the little personal time slots that I have ;)
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
HOME!
Catching 6 flights in 8 days wasn't so fun. After a while all the scenaries, locations and incidents seemed so mixed up that one place didnt come across so much different than the other, and recounting them becomes confusing :/
I always thought I cant live through not checking my gmail and FB. But I did, though not for the lack of connectivity;I attempted once. But with the lag, I think I rather spend that precious 30 mins to sleep instead.
It's comforting to see my FB page again. Ya, I kick myself for being the FB-addict-loser that I am.
If only don't have to go work tomorrow.
I always thought I cant live through not checking my gmail and FB. But I did, though not for the lack of connectivity;I attempted once. But with the lag, I think I rather spend that precious 30 mins to sleep instead.
It's comforting to see my FB page again. Ya, I kick myself for being the FB-addict-loser that I am.
If only don't have to go work tomorrow.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
周日记
Was holed up at home for the whole of today. I skipped my usual Sunday routine of car-washing, cos decided that the back wasn't cooperative enough to carry 2 pails of water down to the car. So poor Aidan, this was the first time that I deliberately not wash him (the other time being I was still in Bintan over the weekend till Monday). So he would have to tahan 2 weeks' worth of grime until I wash him next Sunday (the probability of that happening is yet to be known, depending on how I survive this week)
And then, Murphy's Law has again exemplified itself. It hadn't rain today, vs the many times when I washed the car, followed by torrential downpour within the next few hours =.="
Whatever.
When I finally put myself to packing, I was packing in the work clothes and then I realised I may need something warmer. And being the lazy dresser I was, my wool top and tutlenecks were in black. And my work suit is black. Which means I may just end up looking like a dominatrix if I ever do that combi.
And that coupled with the fact that I cant find my Oz travel adaptor, and the excuse that I probably need to walk off the stiff back, beckoned the gatherer in me and saw me driving to Vivo to have a quick spree, with a quick sms to the 宅男to have dinner together.
Again, Murphy's Law was at work again. I always thought knitted turtlenecks were the staple at Zara. Instead I found two shirt dresses. Zilt on what was my target. And I shouldn't have watched "Confession of A Shopaholic", cos I ended up asking myself in the dressing room, "Do I really need this? Do I really need this? Do I really need this???".
I just hoped that I hadn't freaked out the shopper in the next changing cubicle.
And of course, I didn't. I would if I have wardrobe the size of a garage. And damn the movie too. For making me so rational - shopping rationally can be so drab sometimes!
So I ended up buying a international travel adaptor (rational choice..since I am tired of trying to search for the specific pieces whenever I need. My irrational shopping demon is not appeased!!!), and rushed off for dinner, with the sms to 宅男 in advance, "Don't order too much!"
Dinner with 宅男was always a fill-till-tummy-explode affair. This friend always have tendencies to over-order, since his mantra was always to make the full out of his weekend, include gluttony indulgence =.="
But this time, the culprit was me as I was eyeing the satay stall and asked... "Ay..you want to eat satay?" Looking at my gluttony eyes, this friend was only too happy to oblige and so we had 10 satays, on top of one big bowl of soup, one big bowl of braised sea cucumber, 3 prawn rolls, and a bowl of white rice each :D
Hohoho~My irrational shopping demon was appeased!!!!Albeit in a different manner.
I am still very full!! And the back still aching. I wonder if I can survive sitting for 7 hours straight :/
And then, Murphy's Law has again exemplified itself. It hadn't rain today, vs the many times when I washed the car, followed by torrential downpour within the next few hours =.="
Whatever.
When I finally put myself to packing, I was packing in the work clothes and then I realised I may need something warmer. And being the lazy dresser I was, my wool top and tutlenecks were in black. And my work suit is black. Which means I may just end up looking like a dominatrix if I ever do that combi.
And that coupled with the fact that I cant find my Oz travel adaptor, and the excuse that I probably need to walk off the stiff back, beckoned the gatherer in me and saw me driving to Vivo to have a quick spree, with a quick sms to the 宅男to have dinner together.
Again, Murphy's Law was at work again. I always thought knitted turtlenecks were the staple at Zara. Instead I found two shirt dresses. Zilt on what was my target. And I shouldn't have watched "Confession of A Shopaholic", cos I ended up asking myself in the dressing room, "Do I really need this? Do I really need this? Do I really need this???".
I just hoped that I hadn't freaked out the shopper in the next changing cubicle.
And of course, I didn't. I would if I have wardrobe the size of a garage. And damn the movie too. For making me so rational - shopping rationally can be so drab sometimes!
So I ended up buying a international travel adaptor (rational choice..since I am tired of trying to search for the specific pieces whenever I need. My irrational shopping demon is not appeased!!!), and rushed off for dinner, with the sms to 宅男 in advance, "Don't order too much!"
Dinner with 宅男was always a fill-till-tummy-explode affair. This friend always have tendencies to over-order, since his mantra was always to make the full out of his weekend, include gluttony indulgence =.="
But this time, the culprit was me as I was eyeing the satay stall and asked... "Ay..you want to eat satay?" Looking at my gluttony eyes, this friend was only too happy to oblige and so we had 10 satays, on top of one big bowl of soup, one big bowl of braised sea cucumber, 3 prawn rolls, and a bowl of white rice each :D
Hohoho~My irrational shopping demon was appeased!!!!Albeit in a different manner.
I am still very full!! And the back still aching. I wonder if I can survive sitting for 7 hours straight :/
为了什么....
忍着痛，还睡不着觉。
挺不直腰， 后几天一拐一拐的去上班。
使不出力，还一脚步一脚步的，跟时间赛跑，就为了在七十分钟内，给自己一个交待。
交待为什么还那么执著。
傻，以为别人也跟你一样执著。
没意思了。
挺不直腰， 后几天一拐一拐的去上班。
使不出力，还一脚步一脚步的，跟时间赛跑，就为了在七十分钟内，给自己一个交待。
交待为什么还那么执著。
傻，以为别人也跟你一样执著。
没意思了。
Sunday, April 5, 2009
I finally found this song!
I was wondering what the title was, all I can remember was one line in the song ..and that was it.
I am going to buy Jason Mraz CD, just for this song already :p
btw I wonder if there is some copyright war going on in youtube..but many videos uploaded had their audio swapped or something. THe sound quality if real bad..
I am going to buy Jason Mraz CD, just for this song already :p
btw I wonder if there is some copyright war going on in youtube..but many videos uploaded had their audio swapped or something. THe sound quality if real bad..
The Meandearing Way
These few days I had a revelation of sort - you go one big circle, and find out that you (i) is back to square one, (ii) see the situation in a different light.
And along the big circle bypass, I see different things, different people, and experience probably very extreme emotions. I am not even sure whether if all these are in "the" plan, or I am supposed to stumble along, and see, well, what I am going see round the corner.
And was it a wasted trip across going down that path?
As Robert Frost as said:
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I–
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
If I hadn't, I wouldn't be what I am today. But I wonder if it is a good or bad thing, given how things have turned out.
I am not sure if I should let the future unfold itself, if by divine intervention I would have no way of changing anything that's going to happen anyway, or proactively try to make something happen, if not, how would anything happen in the first place.
I guess I'll just meander along.
And along the big circle bypass, I see different things, different people, and experience probably very extreme emotions. I am not even sure whether if all these are in "the" plan, or I am supposed to stumble along, and see, well, what I am going see round the corner.
And was it a wasted trip across going down that path?
As Robert Frost as said:
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I–
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
If I hadn't, I wouldn't be what I am today. But I wonder if it is a good or bad thing, given how things have turned out.
I am not sure if I should let the future unfold itself, if by divine intervention I would have no way of changing anything that's going to happen anyway, or proactively try to make something happen, if not, how would anything happen in the first place.
I guess I'll just meander along.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Jakyl & Hyde (1)
That day someone from the office passed a comment to someone else after seeing my FB pic.
"Wah! you should go see her FB pic! Very different from her in the office!" (for the record, it was me in a cap ie, all hair tied back and sans makeup, after a day on the beach in Bintan). For a moment I was quite confused - No mah..I thought I was always like that..anyway the picture was more "me" than anything.
Anyway that moment passed and we moved out to talking about other stuff. Until today, when I was driving home after dinner with an ex-colleague. As usual, my mind started to wonder (but I was still alert behind the wheel!), and drifted back to this exchange. Got so different meh? Then I started to form mental image of myself as "ME in the office" and "ME outside, ie out of offiice".
"Me in the office" -
"Me outside" -
Hmm..yeah. Quite different. I guess if I am a 3rd person I would not be able to link the two different "me"s to the other. That was when I felt like a Jakyl and Hyde - corporate butcher during the weekday, casual dudette during the weekend. I just wish there are more chances for the casual duddette to surface more often.
Actually come to think of it, I am developing a Jakyl and Hyde mentality in more ocassions than once. Prob some other blog entries to release the angsty emos.
"Wah! you should go see her FB pic! Very different from her in the office!" (for the record, it was me in a cap ie, all hair tied back and sans makeup, after a day on the beach in Bintan). For a moment I was quite confused - No mah..I thought I was always like that..anyway the picture was more "me" than anything.
Anyway that moment passed and we moved out to talking about other stuff. Until today, when I was driving home after dinner with an ex-colleague. As usual, my mind started to wonder (but I was still alert behind the wheel!), and drifted back to this exchange. Got so different meh? Then I started to form mental image of myself as "ME in the office" and "ME outside, ie out of offiice".
"Me in the office" -
- clean cut lines (I hate frills),
- solid colours (I dont think I can pull off flowery prints),
- white/black tops mainly (makes matching stuff during groggy early morning hours easier!),
- heels (oh yes),
- makeup (only to cover my dark eye circles mainly - why cant office hour start at 10am??)
"Me outside" -
- t-shirt (with funky prints sometimes),
- shorts or short skirts,
- slippers (yes! I cant describe how good it feels to be in slippers),
- glasses,
- no makeup (just cos I am too lazy. And cos there are already glasses),
- caps (when I cant be bothered to tame my hair. Which gives me a reason to buy nice caps now too :p)
Hmm..yeah. Quite different. I guess if I am a 3rd person I would not be able to link the two different "me"s to the other. That was when I felt like a Jakyl and Hyde - corporate butcher during the weekday, casual dudette during the weekend. I just wish there are more chances for the casual duddette to surface more often.
Actually come to think of it, I am developing a Jakyl and Hyde mentality in more ocassions than once. Prob some other blog entries to release the angsty emos.
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