Relatively free-er during this week. My colleagues were so bored to the extent that they started cleaning their phones and monitor screens yesterday during work. lol.

Some saleslady pissed me off last Saturday. Shall not elaborate. But I guess even after my complaint she will still stay there ba. So I made a wasted call.

Went to watch ajco concert last Fri. Its nice to see some peeps from my batch once again. We were also cheering. I liked the SYF song they were playing! but I can imagine how much effort they put into the song ba. And after the concert, they showed some presentation on ajco. The good old times just came back once again.

Sometimes I guess I am just a substitute friend in the eyes of someone. She has never asked me out before, and we usually see each other during big gatherings, but she calls me when there is some event that no one wants to go with her. Doesn't she think she is going overboard?

I think I spent almost half a day interviewing all my candidates today.

The 3 of them were men, and they belonged to the 3 races of singapore. lol.

A has graduated from the university for 2 years already. He is currently working with the CPF. He was like the many others who joins the public sector after holding a degree. Before entering the work force, the REAL cruel working society, he envisioned himself to be in the banking sector. In fact, he had hoped his course of study would land him a job in such an industry. That was his dream since young- to be in the banking industry. When all his friends told him that it is never possible to get a job in an industry you want, he said "I know" He felt that he KNOWS that's the case, but he never feels the sadness until the cold truth hits him-that it really is not possible to get a job in the industry you want.

When i mentioned some opinions I feel about an unnamed sector, he agreed that some were true. No matter how much change you propose to the plans, things will still follow a pattern. Much as they say that job can really let you make a difference to the society or to the company, the truth is not always the case right? The saddest fact is that people are joining this sector because they want to study. Normally, jobs in that sector lets you have the benefit of normal working hours, unlike some other sectors where you have to slog like hell. So, people take up the time outside work to study, which increases their own personal worth. Then, they happily leave the job to take up a higher paying job elsewhere. I was so shocked when I heard this.

In his current job, A gets to see members of the public who gets frustrated or cry because they didnt manage to get what they want. Some colleagues were so devastated and sad because they feel that they couldnt help those people. Some other colleagues were numb to this and just rejected those people outright when they came begging. I guess that's the difference between one who has entered the job hoping to serve and truly help someone out, and one who has realized the sad fact and just rejects people outright without feeling anything. sad huh?

So now, although A still dreams of being in the banking sector from time to time, he realizes that its time to be practical, and enter another job where good money waits, irregardless of the industry. He tells me that one may think that the job and the environment is important, while money is secondary, but when you compare yourself to other colleagues and find that you're not as fairly paid as compared to them, you get very sad, and you start questioning your own worth. Eventually, money rules isn't it? Haiz.

B has been working in a super tough environment for 3 years. He has to be on tenterhooks all day long as the containers at the port, which he is controlling can fall anytime on some worker and crush the poor fella to death. 1 container can have a size almost as big as a football field. 1 night, while he was keeping watch, a gigantic container dropped and crushed someone to death. The guy operating the container could only see the top of the container but not the bottom, where the guy was talking on his handphone. Some miscommunication happened and so the operator didnt know someone was under the container. Furthermore, that industry is not good to be in because its not air-conditioned and its dangerous. Yet that industry is instrumental for Singapore's growth, and people still like to work in there because of the good money.

C is also in a similar industry with B. He has held managerial and supervisory positions for many years. He claims that he is a fast learner, and he attributes every success to 1 word-opportunity. He told me that a person can be as talented as he can be, or hold all the experience in the world, but he will never ever succeed if no one gives him an opportunity to shine. His manager in a company he was in many years ago did just that, and he is grateful for that. The manager let him pick up skills where no one would have ever given. From the experience and skills gained, and through sheer hard work, he got to where he was today. He also told me something cliche, that failure is the root of success, and you will never know that you've experienced success unless you have tasted failure. Which is true, in a sense. He had picked up many skills on his own, and when he was a manager, he had given a job to a guy who had irrelevant experience in the field the company was in. Eventually, the guy was still working happily in his position when C left. C said he had merely given the guy an opportunity, because he had believed the guy would shine, with his attitude. And so I wonder whether my boss has done the same thing to me as well. Yes, I guess he has done that to a certain extent. Exactly how many bosses are willing to give their workers a chance just to prove their worth, and will the worker really grab hold of the chance? I don't know.

From C, I also know alot of technical terms about that industry, like 3rd party logistics, point of sale, etc. That industry is everywhere around the world, can you imagine? If you have the specific skills, you can go so many places and do so many things. Interesting. For example, you can set up a warehouse or distribution centre from nothing. hmmmm.

Anyway these are just 3 random stories that I heard today. It really made me ponder over some thoughts that I had. Also made me see what the world out there is really like. And i really appreciate that they are willing to share their life experiences with a small young girl like me.

May is indeed, the month of 大餐s

This week of big meals started on Thursday, when Hong Kiat treated me to a jap meal in Kotobuki. Initially, I think he had wanted to visit pariss international but I stopped him. Muahahahaha. Luckily, my auntie mind took over and I decided it was too expensive to dine there. Furthermore, I didnt know he was going to treat me that time.


The restaurant was actually recommended by dear xiao qian, and Guan had ate in it before. I decided to visit that restaurant due to its not-so-bad reviews. I would say the food is not too cheap, but its not too expensive either =P the service was really good, the restaurant was really clean, and best of all, their food rocks! Love their rice especially. They dont have buffet but the dishes are enough to fill one up. Should have brought my clique there instead of Nihonmura. Haiz.


Had another big meal yesterday, this time, it was to celebrate yilin's belated birthday. we went to Manhatten fish market. the portions were generous! and I felt that it was better than Fish & Co. and the restaurant seemed to be a favourite hangout for teenagers like us, coz the whole restaurant is full of them.


Met up with the XPYs before that! Havent seen them for quite sometime I guess. I would say it was a walking marathon yesterday, coz we walked from Cityhall to The Concourse, then to Bugis. After our lunch, we had walked to Raffles hotel to wait for the shuttle bus to Concourse.


Took a few pictures along the way.

The drawing was made by this famous artist, Julian Beever. I'm sure many of you have actually seen his chalk drawings in those forwarded emails. Anyway he was/is in Singapore and he drew this for the Arts Festival (I think) You can view it outside Raffles City Shopping Centre. To think I have been working in the vicinity and yet I dont know about this!

The picture above is also a "artpiece" for the Arts Festival. They used recycled materials? to do a garden up. Quite creative I must say.

And the XPYs took a picture amongst all the flowers (Dear dawn was late to meet us, so she wasnt in the picture. -_-)

We waited at the busstop for awhile and the shuttle bus didnt appear. we started guessing whether all the small vans we saw were actually the shuttle bus. but anyway, we then decided to enter the hotel to ask the staff there. Surprisingly, their attitude towards us were so polite! This was in stark contrast to the bloody crew I faced a few years ago, when Weilin and I decided to enter their hotel to walk a round. The guy happily rejected our entry, using Weilin's sandals as an excuse. Hello I saw other caucasians wearing slippers k.

We realized (with horror) that we have been waiting in vain for the bus, coz it doesn't operate on weekends :( to save some money, we decided to walk to The Concourse, and the road savvy simwan led the way :)

Passed by the area where they had the DHL hot air balloon. I had always noticed the balloon from afar from the place I worked. First time I got to see it at such a near distance. :)

Before we reached The Concourse, we passed by the Gateway. Unique building. Sw was telling us about the Singaporeans being superstitious about the shape of the building and so on. She actually heard that during the HR lecture. How come I didn't hear that last last sem? Maybe coz I haven been listening well. KEKE.

Went shopping with Dawn after Becca and Sw left. I really must hand it to her for visiting every single shop that sells ladies clothing. I'm too lazy to shop for clothes. wahahahaha.

i'm seriously drained :(

Firstly, happy mothers' day!

my mum hates it when we give her something. wells, i noe what exactly she wants from me and my kor. however, sad to say, we couldnt fulfill her wishes most of the time. :(

i would not know what to do if she is not by my side! she is the best advisor for all my problems and woes! and its nice to have someone listening to all your grumbles at home after a tiring day at work.

she is the sort who keeps everything to herself. although she doesnt show her love for us affectionately or something, her little gestures can still show how much she loves us. it really touches me whenever she sacrifices something for the sake of my well being. haiz.

Besides a tribute to my mum, this is also a blog entry on bday celebrations. LOL.

The first one was in March (I think) when weilin and I celebrated Meiling's belated birthday.

Next up was xpy becca's celebration! it wasnt really a bday celebration but more like a ruaners' outing. anyway, the xpys managed to get becca this super hilarious book about this girl called sana.

Ruaners at Marina Square.

Weilin's bday celebration was on the day of her bday itself. i was able to spend my day with her as it was after my exams :p she had wanted a sushi buffet treat and so off we went to Sakura sushi.

I got my receipt for our meal from this counter upon entering the restaurant. when i went up the escalator, 1 of my 2 receipts dropped. as i was wearing a skirt my wound from my fall during jogging still hurt when i bent my knee, i didnt pick up the receipt. furthermore, the receipt jus disappeared in the escalator!

so u can imagine how shocked i was when this guy from the counter returned the receipt to me when i was grabbing the food from the buffet area :S

the sushi we ate.sharksfin soup of weilin's (its definitely fake, don't worry)

weilin and i near the restaurant signboard.

the whole meal was quite affordable i guess. food standard was average ba, but it has variety. somemore the restaurant's not that crowded on a sunday afternoon. (:

some of the other food we ate (the actual amount is actually so much more than this, muahahaha!)

The last one was yesterday. we went to nihonmura in revenue house. the food there was affordable, but the service was well, not too good. the crew didnt seem to like to clear our tables till we asked them to do so. and I had to order my ebi fry 3 times before it came :(

received a cushion from the dearies. it was really nice. if i could, i would really pack it into my luaggage. keke.

Happy Birthday to Joseph and Kah Kiong!

AJCO clinched a gold for SYF ytd. although i was glad that the gold was maintained, i guess simwan was right when she found it saddening that quite a number of other schools got the gold as well. well, what can i say? for something as subjective as competitions, you can easily determine who's the best and who's the worst but there will always be debates on who should be the second and third best isnt it?

Something sad happened to me ytd during work. i was lamenting how lousy i am, to be incapable of doing even a simple task. but later, some stuff happened which made me rethink. anyway i have come to a conclusion that i shall fight for something that is rightfully mine, even if it meant falling out with the other party. since she has started this whole finger pointing game, i shall just continue with it. i guess she left me with no choice. its not the sum of money that matters, but just to get back at something. i guess other people has become so commercialized that they're practically slaves of money or what, but i'm glad i have not reached that stage yet.

Life seems to be back in a cycle. study then work. work then study.

the cases are getting harder and harder to close. the salaries are getting lower and lower. the clients are getting more and more fierce. the candidates are getting more and more niao.

i seriously doubt it when some people said that the employment market is getting rosy. so what if guidelines are put in place to stop discrimination in the workplace? it doesnt matter. because at the end of the day, the company's answer matters. nothing will ever stop them from discriminating against a particular group of people, or a particular nationality. its just all for show, for goodness sake.

does a good economy mean that you can ask for a much higher salary than what you've been getting? does a good economy mean that you can lower your salary, as you expect the whole sea of workers to be at your feet begging you for jobs? Wake up, people. that is never going to happen. and its always the agents who are stuck in the middle.

I also encountered a most ironic thing today. a high flying sales manager talked to me just now. i guess listening is a very important skill in her trade. however, before even listening to what i have to offer, she started babbling about all kinds of things that happened and what she's asking for in a job, when what she wants can be offered by the company. i kept wondering how she could work if she doesnt even let the poor person at the other end of the line speak her mind.

and its not only her whom I am facing this situation. the sad fact is, nobody bothers to listen to the agents. they are all anxious to hang up on us once we start talking. if that's the case, why bother contacting us at all? "i am too busy to reply" is such a lousy excuse. are you THAT busy to listen to a poor agent talk for even a minute? we are busy too, and we have to put up with all these crap of yours.

anyway, tomorrow is syf day! i hope the current syf batch will help us fulfill what we have been trying to achieve all these years. i would still say i missed my days there, and sad to say, such days cannot be replicated somewhere or sometime anymore. we have all moved on.

and happy belated birthday weilin!