Preparing For A Brand New Year

I am really pleased with myself. My pre-2007 long weekend was very well spent on a 'major project' that was completed without a hitch - the spring cleaning of my bedroom!

I had scouted around the new Ikea in Tampines and finally found what I was looking for...a really tall one-door wardrobe that can fit perfectly next to my existing set of wardrobes and still be hidden nicely just behind the door. The only grouse I have is that the colours of the new wardrobe does not match with that of the old!

Other stuff I got at the same Ikea included 14 vcd pouches (I did not bang on needing so many the first time so I had to get some more on my second trip), a wooden box with two drawers (on my second trip) and a large porcelain drinking glass (it looked like a glass but is made in porcelain).

With all that, I organized my boxes and boxes of vcds by actor/movies/albums into the pouches and other canvas containers. Alot of cd boxes and old cds were discarded, freeing up space in the vcd player compartment for a more esthetic appeal.

Free but useful gifts from shopping or colleagues/friends are put away in a large, white cardboard box with other travelling stuff like pouches, toiletry containers, multi-country plugs, etc.

All winter wear, recently dry cleaned or washed, from my Dec trip to Europe are all neatly stacked away in two piles on my top most shelf in my old set of wardrobes.

Very old bags but in good condition were given away and made space for my two all new LV bags.

The new wardrobe is for my backup bedroom sofa covers, quilt covers, pillow cases, memorabilia from my various trips, worn but still fairly clean clothes, more bags (including plastic or paper bags) and lots of hangers.

More space were also created when I cleared out old bills, credit card and bank statements, and other documents.

I believe I have thrown away more paper and plastic than I had in the whole of 2006!

With the old clutter all swept out, now I will have space for all things new and, presumably, good!

Here's to the brand new 2007!!! For me, you, Singapore and the whole, wide world!!!

Adieu Adieu

I believe I have left behind me an abundance of goodwill.

I really appreciate what my head of department and director have done for me. It was them who approved my transfer to a new team/role two years ago and it was them who lent their moral support during the difficult period of estrangement with my manager. And to think, I am leaving them after all they have done and after collecting my big, fat bonus. So I decided to buy them each a gift. In return, they decided to give me a lunch treat.

I was teary when I gave my head of department a pair of gift wrapped cuff links. I believe he was surprised and touched by my gesture. The director appeared quite happy with his new shirt (a gift shared between three of my colleagues and myself), too. My bosses' boss also got a 2002 red wine from France. Not sure if he was glad or not. He did not turn up for the farewell lunch.

Besides the big shots, my nice colleagues who pooled and bought me a Coach key change pouch also each received a glitterly and elegant (at least I think so) hair clip from me. The male colleague got a Sins chocolate cookies, for being so helpful to me the whole time, despite the fact that he is someone who does not mince with words and can be quite hurtful at times. The manager and her pet got the hair clips, too, as they bought me Christmas gifts. Besides, the manager also gave me a farewell treat (on the company) and a diamond pendant (also on the company).

As for the rest of the people, I gave away more Sins chocolates, shared light hearted conversations and, exchanged warm handshakes and holiday cheers all round.

I have no regrets now. Besides, there is no looking back. The future looks bright and cheery henceforth.

Farewell

She bought me a bouquet of flowers...it was really unexpected! A colleague, who knew about the gift, asked jokingly, if I was moved to tears? I just smiled, little did she know that tears really welled up in my eyes.

She told her pet that she was going for a meeting and would like to bid her a happy new year, in case she comes back late and her pet has left for the day. Hmmm...she totally ignored me, the one who is leaving for good. I must say I was really mad at her inconsiderate behaviour and decided to exclude her in my farewell note to everyone. No chocolates were left at her table either. And she will not be expecting me to be in touch. Period.

Professionalism

After much thinking long and hard, I finally mustered up enough decisiveness to put my intent to resign on email to my superiors. I wasn't expecting much resistance from my immediate superior, but I was definitely not expecting her to say, Why did you write your resignation letter like that? The only answer that I could think of was, You mean it's not like that? How should I write it then?

She appeared to have got her priorities a little, teenie, weenie bit mixed up. The issue here is not quite why I wrote the letter in the way I did (which I thought was perfectly fine), as it is, why did I resign? And, obviously, she was not interested to ask me to stay. After the surprised query from her, she turned back to her reading of the morning newspapers. That was that, I did not hear a single squeak from her there after. Or, so I thought.

But I was wrong. I was to hear alot more from her. Not words, but actions (which speak louder than words?!). She had forwarded my email to another team's manager. How did I know? That manager had left the email exposed in his computer for all to see while he rushed off to a meeting. Later, I was to find out that they have both headed off to a meeting room to discuss my resignation?! How this other manager figure in this whole scheme of MY things? I'm still trying very, very hard to figure out. The very private & confidential letter was intended for my immediate superiors only, no more no less. How much unprofessionalism can one take in a day at the office!

And just when you thought things could not get any worse, the other team manager, after finding out that some colleagues may have chanced upon that email, approached his subordinate directly behind him and asked if she knew of my resignation. Wow, that's a really smart move! So even if she doesn't already know, she definitely knows now!

Now, slowly but surely, the whole world knows I'm leaving, even as my head of department is asking me to reconsider my options. There's no turning back now - it's no loss to me. Period.

Calm Before The Storm!?

I feel a nice, reassuring sense of calm and peace as I sit in front of my computer, doing anything but work. The same kind of feeling as when I am about to go on holiday. When the last minute work at the office is done and there is not a single care in this world except the anticipation of a fun and relaxing break.

I am at this state of equilibrium again as I sit out the lull period at the office, in the transition to join a new establishment and exit the old. The much treasured and rare period in time when the current anxieties at work can be laid to rest and the future worries have yet to knock at the door.

Aaahhh...what blissssss...if only life can be so stress-free all the time!

Wheel Of Fortune

As you take stock of the past year of events, you also wonder, in great anticipation, what the new year will bring. Well, I went and picked a card...and, what do you know, I'm the Wheel of Fotune!

You are The Wheel of Fortune

Good fortune and happiness but sometimes a species of
intoxication with success

The Wheel of Fortune is all about big things, luck, change, fortune. Almost always good fortune. You are lucky in all things that you do and happy with the things that come to you. Be careful that success does not go to your head however. Sometimes luck can change.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.

Year End

Is it too early to take stock of the year? Well, it's the tail end of Nov and, for all you know, before you can shout out 'Merry Christmas!', the New Year would be here!

Alright, here it is....2006 is a good year for me. Certainly a year of many 'first time'!

First time...

1. Car owner

2. On 2 short trips (Malacca & Kota Tinggi) in a row to Malaysia

3. New hobby - beading

4. New experiences in atypical sports - archery and wakeboarding

5. Making some $$$ at the stock market

6. 3G mobile phone owner

7. To Europe (this Dec!)

8. Headhunted (unsolicited!)

So here's a toast *waving an imaginery red wine filled glass* to an even better and more exciting 2007!!!

Bad Service

It's not Fate and I'm not jinxed like I thought I was in Fate II. It's the service that screwed up. And it's not a very small sum that I have to part with and still have to suffer the bad service!

Fate II

I thought maybe the particular restaurant is jinxed. Now, perhaps, I am the jinxed one.

It happened again. We were just not meant to meet. Or, I am not meant to meet.

On the appointed Sunday, I was in the locality half an hour early. It took me a short while before I located the restaurant. I entered it and checked my reservation. The manager, a sour faced looking ang moh, informed me that there was no reservation made and, in any case, the place is not opened for drinks in the afternoon.

I am flabbergasted. There must be some mistake...big mistake! But there was nothing I can do here. I left the place and, instead, drove to the 'jinxed' restaurant. Maybe there was really a mistake and the appointment was actually meant to be there. I was wrong. It was also not suppose to be there.

Well, Monday...that will be the day of enlightenment.

Well, Monday came. Apparently, the restaurant did not record the reservation.

As I said, maybe it's just me.

Murphy's Law

"Ok, your stock is sold. For the second lot, I would advise you, you can decide against it later if you choose to, to withdraw from the queue. The latest is that the company's quarterly results will be out soon and the stock will rise to $8.00 on the announcement," my remisier informed me over the phone.

Obviously I took the advice and withdrew. But my heart ached on this piece of news. Why is it that, when I buy, the price would nosedive and, when I sell, the price would skyrocket? I dislike Murphy. His law is at work again.

However, I can console myself that I have made at least 20% on the first kill. I am now waiting to make at least 50% on the second. Although, this will not be enough to be my first pot of gold, it will certainly be my best bet yet!

A Productive Day

My niece and I were the most productive members of the family yesterday.

Both my brother and his wife took the day off. They went cycling along the beach in East Coast, enjoying the sea breeze, while their poor daughter is slogging away at her exams in school. As for my parents, they are retirees anyway, while my younger brother has been bumping around for a while now. Just kidding lah, the boy is doing his undergraduate studies.

And boy, was I productive! During lunch, I visited the National Library at Bugis for the first time and managed to locate a couple of fasinating books on beads jewellery making. Followed by the Sistic outlet at Parco Bugis Junction, for tickets to My Fair Lady. It was not an easy task coordinating the time and budget of three people plus ensuring that the seats I select have no blocked views and do not require the assistance of binoculars. After which, I bought snacks, my daily afternoon fix of tea, withdraw money and top up my cashcard and ezylink card, all in the same breath.

And at home, I even caught up with some presentation slides from office. I am certainly pleased with myself that day. It's not everyday that I can muster up such levels of energy and concentration power, you know.

Can anyone tell me how to be highly energized and focused each and everyday? I have just started on Royal Jelly and Brand's Chicken Essence on a daily basis. I'll let you know in a month's time!