Happy Lunar New Year
It's the eve of Chinese New Year, and I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone to have a smashing great Lunar New Year! Watch what you eat and don't use this holiday to give yourself any reason to eat till you drop! I am reminding myself not to eat too much too.
Anyway, enjoy these holidays and hopefully, everyone will be happy and rich this new year!
Labels: Chinese New Year
Late Again?
Sometimes I really do wonder if I am really an uptight person, who leaves no room for any compromising. Do I really always leave you in a situation such that if you can’t meet ‘my’ expectation, I would sulk for the rest of the day?
I admit I am rather particular about certain issues, especially about time commitment. I really do get irritated when I am supposed to wait for more than 15 minutes, especially when I am all by myself. I really feel that this is a waste of time, and this time could be better spent on doing other things, instead of waiting.
Maybe I just have to get used to when people do not meet the agreed time. I just have to be sure I do meet these time schedules as well. The best way for me to not let time wasted unnecessarily is probably equipped myself with my own entertainment, be it a book, magazine or even my PSP.
Time issues aside, I really have to wonder if I do expect a lot from my friends.
Only them and time will tell.
Labels: reflections
1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and 5...
It was quite an eventful week. Though the stuff I have been doing during work last week wasn't really in my job scope, it was an experience too. Probably, these were part of the job that were not described or put out clearly. Nevertheless, the experiences were pleasant.
On Monday and Tuesday, I was still doing environmental monitoring to look out for any sea mammals that were affected by the blast. So far, no dolphins nor turtles were affected by the blast, but I did see a couple of dead fishes and one very hyper fish which jumped high out of the water and almost onto the boat I'm on. Throughout this period of monitoring, I wasn't alone. I was with a co-worker from another environmental company who was actually the person doing the monitoring. The whole process of monitoring was actually very boring, because usually there wasn't anything much to see. But having another person on boat (besides the boat driver) made the job a whole lot of difference. Maybe my co-worker cum observer have a lot of things to talk about, and there are also a lot of things to learn from her, not just about work, but about the life in general. We chatted on issues from the mysteries in the world, stage productions, movies, the simple things in life, and many other things. We also shared the different perspectives of things in life, that we each might not have thought before. It was really a pleasant experience, and that's why I always said that most of the times, it's the people you work with that makes the work less boring.
I had to skip the monitoring because I had to attend a first aid course, from Wednesday to Friday. Yes, another stuff that has no relations to my job. But because I was appointed the office first aider and since I do not have prior first aid training, I had to sign up for the course.
Well, though it proved to be of no direct connection to my work, it was proven useful to simple daily life. The 3-days course covered topics from cuts, CPR, bandages, choking, and so on. I have also got to talk to my fellow classmates and somehow, I felt that my ability to interact with different kind of people. It was indeed a fulfilling lesson in first aid as well as in life.
Next week, I will be back to the office environment. Hopefully, there are new discoveries I have not had the chance to discover before. And I have also realised I have not worn my office wear for more than a week already.
Labels: life, work
Oops I Did It Again
1 Bourbon Coke
1 Flaming Lamborghini
3/4 jug of Long Island Tea...
And...
I'm down... again.
The next morning, 1000 tonnes on the head and the guilt.
Yet, it didn't flush away the sorrow.
A Simple Life
I was on boat again today. If you go out far enough beyond the Singapore shores, such that your vision doesn't include sights of buildings, refineries, or vessels, though this is a bit difficult, you feel rather free and peaceful. No honking of the horns, no discussions in the meeting rooms, no busy footsteps of the ever rushing human race, no busy chattering of computer keyboards. It's just the cool calm sounds of the waves. That was what I realised when I went out to sea in the morning. Although I still can see vessels arounds, it doesn't really matter. It still felt really good. Then you see the boatman, manuveuring the boat in the sea, and when opportunities allowed, he slowly took out his packet of kopi-o he prepared from home, untied the packet, took a sip, before controlling the boat again. He looked at the clock which was hung in front of the boat, and he felt something amiss. He took it down, adjusted the time slightly, gave a look, adjusted the clock again, and when he was satisfied, he hanged it back. Task done. No complicated data entry nor calculations. Just a simple job.
As we progress with the advancement of technology and paces of our lives accelerated so fast that we can't even breathe, we forgot that the simple things of life. If we are able to see things simply, and just achieve what we want, and not to live the expectations of the others, maybe the number of stressed up lives will decrease. Human relationships may also be less complicated if things are much simpler. We just need to live simply.
Having said that, it's rather difficult to slow down our pace as we live in a really busy society. But what is more important is that we do not forget to take a step back once in a while, slow down whenever we can, and just live a moment of simplicity.
Labels: life
Starting Anew?
It’s already the 5th day of the New Year and I should feel excited, fresh, all ready to strive for 2009. But I am feeling all but that. I seriously need to clear my mind, and should think what I want to achieve for 2009, and not feel useless and complain about my current situation.
First, I need to have better communication with my colleagues. One reason why I enjoyed working at the previous company is because I can relate very well with the people whom I worked with, even though the work can be really monotonous. We can joke, laugh, feel pissed, and gossip among ourselves. That spiced up the boring working environment quite a bit. However, at my current company, I feel cold and lonely. Gone were the days where I was able to laugh, joke and tease like no one’s business. Maybe the current working environment is more appropriate as it is after all, a place of serious business. Anyway, I feel that I just don’t ‘click’ with the people around.
I am feeling all these probably because I have nothing much to do these few days. The projects I have done are finished, halted or handed to another colleague. To some, it’s a good thing after all to be able to take a break and not do anything. It may be good if this lasts for a couple of days, but it can get on your nerves when this carries on for a few weeks. The work I have been doing are all ad hoc and not related to my area of expertise.
Regarding the issue of being able to ‘click’ with my colleagues, I think I just have to step out of my comfort zone and start to communicate, be it work on non-work related stuff, more often. I really need to pick up a skill or two from Merv. He always seems to be able to click with his colleagues and the people around him.
Well, stepping out of the comfort zone and being pro-active will be one of my resolutions for 2009. But, how am I going to carry that out more specifically? I guess I just have to smile more, greet more and be more of myself.
Moody issues aside, it was quite a filled weekend for me. Last Friday, I met up with Derek to celebrate his birthday, together with Oops. Too bad Charmy couldn’t make it, but we indeed had a great time with the Mac’s Mega Challenge and the desserts at the Japanese restaurant at PS (can’t remember exactly the name). As usual, funny poses were struck, photos were taken and posted on facebook.
Saturday was really a busy day for me as I had to attend 2 weddings, one of which was my cousin’s and the other was Jason’s, my ex-colleague from ERM. Since I need to ‘open wedding car door’ for cousin, I need to reach his house at 6am. That is absolutely early, but I did get an angbow for good luck. Haha! Then by noon, I had to rush to Jason’s wedding lunch at Marina Mandarin. It was also a pleasant meet up with some of the ex colleagues from ERM. After lunch which ended at around 3.15pm. I went home to wash up and freshen up for the evening dinner banquet. I was supposed to help out as the reception for my cousin’s wedding banquet, thus I was there early. The whole dinner ended rather late, and by the time I reached home, I was totally bushed.
The two weddings I have attended on Saturday were quite different. The one at marina mandarin was grand and more western oriented, English love songs played over the sound system throughout the lunch. Whereas for my cousin’s wedding, it was Chinese oriented, where Chinese pop ballads were broadcasted, and there was even a mini karaoke session. The latter was something I haven’t seen at a wedding before.
Sunday was less busy, as I went for dinner with my friend at Tampines Sakae Teppanyaki. It was not bad, but not fantastic. Then we went to catch Ponyo at the Cliff by the Sea. It was actually quite good. It’s directed by Hayao Miyazaki, who also directed Japanese anime like My Neighbour Tontoro, Spirited Away and Howl’s Moving Castle. I enjoyed the magical, child-like and innocent feeling created in the movie. The drawings were much simpler and ‘cleaner’ as compared to Spirited Away, more similar to Totoro. It was also different from recent cartoons, and the pace was slower and yet the message was portrayed loud and clear. And the music is composed by Joe Hisaishi, who also writes the music for Totoro, Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, and Tae Wang Sa Shin Gi (The Story of the First King's Four Gods, the drama series acted by Bae Yong Joon). I really recommend this if you haven’t had the chance to catch it.
This seems to be a really long blog, because I wrote this over a few hours, while doing other things as well. Anyway, my other resolution is whenever I want to sigh or say ‘haiz’, I will replace it with ‘haha’. So the next time if you catch me on MSN sighing on ‘haiz-ing’ away, remind me to change it to ‘haha’. This is one way to make me a more positive person!
Labels: emotions, feelings, friends, life, movie
2009 New Year Resolutions?
I think one of the new year resolutions that everyone should consider and make is to look back at the previous year's resolutions and make sure that most, if not all, of the resolutions have been fulfilled. I was looking through some of my friends' blogs and reading their resolutions for 2009. Then, I thought about mine. Nothing really struck me, but it is important to have something I want to achieve so that I will improve. I will think about that tomorrow (hopefully) as being in front of the television doesn't help to clear my mind to think about this carefully.
December has been a month of many gatherings, house parties, shopping and unsettled emotions. Christmas happens to be in the month of December, and that explains the shopping and all. The parties include the one at JJ's house with my NUS Chem Engin class, CN4A. And there was also the christmas chalet and BBQ at Pasir Ris PA Holiday Resort with my primary school gang. The last party was at Cheryl's house with my dear friends from Resonance. All these are captured in the photos in Facebook.
New year's eve was spent quite peacefully, with lunch with Siandy and dinner with Merv. The new year has a healthy start for me, as I went for a run in the morning.
After working for these few months, I really need to think if this engineering job suits me. Some of the people around told me that I should work for a longer period to really understand the nature of the job. Then again, I think, is it the company? The company is actually rather welfare already. Maybe it's the cold environment. I really need to think about this carefully.
Although I haven't really considered what I want to achieve for 2009, but I do know that I need to be more patient, have more determination, and not let the people affect the person I already am or change my personality. I need to be more assertive, and yet be more considerate. And most importantly, I need to have more self confidence.
Now, the issue is how I am going to achieve all that. I need clearer descriptions and directions.
Meanwhile, just let me watch my TV.
Happy New Year!
Labels: 5 man gang, Christmas, CN4A, emotions, friends, gatherings, new year, party, Resonance, work
