The First DFM!

A trip to Borders saw me getting $82.85 worth of books:

• Sparks of Genius: The 13 Thinking Tools of the World’s Most Creative People
• I Know What You’re Thinking: Using the four codes of reading people to improve your life
• Mighty Brain Teasers published by Mensa The High IQ Society

Don’t need me to spell it out for you to know where I’m steering towards. =P

Before Borders, Ah Yun accompanied me for ice-cream at Takashimaya food court! It was Ben & Jerry’s day, but we missed the 7pm promotion time. We had Venezia ice-cream instead, on Ah Yun’s recommendation. She had three flavors – tiramisu, Belgium chocolate and black-forest; I had a simple yogurt one. But I like it! It has been ages since an ice-cream indulgence till I had forgotten the enjoyment of scoping up that ice ball, licking it off the small spoon and feeling it trickle chillingly down the throat. Tks Ah Yun for the suggestion. =)

Somehow someone knows

While crusing on ECP back home, the following songs played in sequence (it was in shuffle mood) on my mp3 player:

• The Game of Love - Santana featuring Michelle Branch
• Eye in the Sky - Alan Parsons Project
• It ain't over till it's over - Lenny Kravitz

The sequenced playing was beyond coincidence; there was an unspoken significance to me, for specifically these three favourite pieces hold their individual special meaning to me. My heart seemed to have froze with each subsequent play. I was no longer disheartened. How wonders work their ways, magical.

Bingo!

Just when I was pondering about the future direction, I came across this article in Today papers which mentioned how one lady went for a satisfying job even though it pays less. She works at YES – Youth Employment (Singapore) which helps provide career advice and services. Not much time tonight to go through all the career and personality tests, but managed to try a few and was pleasantly surprised to rediscover myself. Try out their website: http://www.yes.org.sg/

Just one of the tests I tried:

Career Inventory Test Results Extroversion 36% Emotional Stability 53% Orderliness 56% Altruism 63% Inquisitiveness 56% You are a Guide, possible professions include - career counselor, psychologist, educational consultant, special education teacher, librarian, artist, playwright, novelist/poet, editor/art director, information-graphics, designer, HRM manager, merchandise planner, environmental lawyer, marketer, job analyst, mental health counselor, dietitian/nutritionist, research, educational consultant, architects, interpreter/translator.

Take Free Career Test
personality tests by similarminds.com

Well, hope to dig out more gold from their portal!

Yeah, tomorrow is DFM!

Some rethinking needed

On a happy note to start this new week, feeling refreshed and looking forward to the newly-assigned DFM - Day For Myself!

For the past week I've been thinking of where I should be heading towards. Clearly the current work has not provided me with the kind of satisfaction I'm craving for, with many pieces of hands-on work done by our consultants. I'd like to be involved and doing some of the "dirt work", enough for me to gain some domain expertise and knowledge. Thus, this inspiration to rethink what I want to achieve out of my career. But should we be tied to various factors:
- Pay;
- Time needed for another switch;
- Flexi-hours;
- Amount of time on the job;
- Passion and interest?

Tough question to be answered, but which needs to be tackled soon.

Poor WW had to handle an incident and as a result, stayed over in office on Friday night and went home only at 4 plus pm the day after. Similarly, those folks in our IT department had to stay very late (I don't know if they stayed overnight as well) and had to go 36 hours without sleep on the same day to handle a system outage. Having a fire-fighting job is damn tough and requires more than just wits and spontanity. It needs perseverence, determination and such resolve to go beyond oneself to tackle problems and have that clear mind even when going without sleep for hours. I wonder how companies reward such hard work, and if the rewards commensurated.

So, I know what I want

You scored as Philosophy. You should be a Philosophy major! Like the Philosopher, you are contemplative and you enjoy thinking about the purpose for humanity's existence.

Philosophy		100%
Psychology		83%
Sociology		83%
Mathematics		75%
Linguistics		75%
English		75%
Engineering		75%
Anthropology		75%
Biology		67%
Journalism		58%
Art		42%
Theater		42%
Chemistry		33%
Dance		25%

What is your Perfect Major? (PLEASE RATE ME!!<3)
created with QuizFarm.com

I'm still interested in taking a part-time degree in Psychology. Any recommendations on a good course, anyone?

Drop your Expectations

Coz it may just dash your chances of getting that something you want!

Like how the Be Delicious slipped from my fingers coz I was expecting myself to get it. Shoots! How could someone come up with anything more ingenious than my friendship band? And I thought I could sell the prize off for say $500.

And the disappointment when I saw my boss’ name in the slide, while waiting in high anticipation of seeing my own. Haha, kidding la. I was secretly hoping that I’m not the winner for that $2500 prize money, otherwise I would most probably faint with embarrassment.

But it’s true. If you really want something that badly, do not wish so hard for it. Chunk it at the back of your mind, think of all other things and don’t ever harbour the thought of winning or obtaining it. Then only will you get the surprise. And miraculously, the chances of you getting that thing will be higher. Call it Fate.

Hmm is it the balance equation again?

Oops. Almost half a Golden Promfret steamed, one hard-boiled egg and lots of mushrooms with rice make my tummy feel full and bloated. Feel so extremely full now! Will I grow fat?

Paranoid me attributes the recent gain in weight to the private bus to work, which “robs away” my chance of standing throughout the journey to work. But it is compensated by the 10 minutes walk from MAS building to my office every morning. How come? Or is it the multi-grain or walnut bread loaf bought at Cedele and merrily gobbled away at my desk everyday since two weeks ago?

But again, we should be happy with ourselves. At most I’ll eat more fish porridge for lunch!

---

Just now I got the chance to relive the old days when we cared so much less and did things without so much consideration. I was cycling in the heavy rain from Tampines central to home, feeling the rain beat on my face, shielding it from my eyes using my hands, and at one point it even felt like in a shower.

Needing not to mind if my clothes will be completely drenched, whether I will catch a cold. One of the few times when heavy rain is fully embraced, just like that jog in the rain while making my round at Bedok Reservoir, and that time even further ago outside our loyal DHS, running from the school gate to the bus stop some 800m away.

Sometimes, not caring makes one feel so liberated.

Photo Diary II

Happy holidays! Shiok! We spent a meaningful day out under the sun and greenery, merrily connecting with the nature at Botanic Garden.

A candid shot taken while WW was still walking. It ain't a butterfly!
In front of Eco Lake, nearer Bukit Timah Road.
Eeks! Gives me goosebumps!
Scenic right? Captured by the "artistic" Wong Zhen.
Relaxing, mentally-liberating walk in the park. Nice!

The UPS and DOWNS of Life

You must agree that with every upside of life, there is the downside of it to come. The same applies the other way, things can't get worse anymore if they've hit the rock bottom.

A little disappointed for not winning any prize for the essay write-up, as being the usual Perfectionist Me, I was slightly hoping to get some extra money to spend. No la, just kidding, prize money wasn't the motivation. After all, I'm just a 小 A. Can't fight with VP.

Also, after working two years, there isn't any recognition, making me think either I'm not good enough or that you have to loud and exhibitionist for people to recognise you. What's the point of fighting so hard? Again, that escapism mentality is creeping in.

Tennis was no good either, my forehand stroke is still like a child's. It can be quite frustrating, knowing you're always in the beginner's phase and need the coach to give specific steps on executing that one simple move.

I think this world is just so cruel; you fight hard for your own survival and no one is going to care about you if you don't scream loud enough. Which is so unlike my character. I wonder if anyone is ever spurred on with the idea of working your whole life away, slogging hard and jostling elbows in the corporate or working world. Either you or I have to perish.

Couples should NEVER quarrel in front of their children

The devastating effects, not only on small children but on grown-up ones as well, are unimaginable. It makes one’s high-spirited feelings plummet, exacerbate the lousy mood one may already has, and brings everything downhill. To little kids, there is emotional impact and may lead to high instability.

That is why, as a parent, you should never ever quarrel with your partner in front of the kids.

I stepped in home after a tiring and long day going through unsmooth events in the day, to listen to them complain and speak in hash tones. Papa complained about Mama cooking too much rice and having to throw it away; Mama blamed Papa for being inconsistent in his intake and expectations. But can’t they communicate better in gentle tones? Do you have to shout like that?

So pissed off. My bro had to add fuel to the flames by being sarcastic, digging in at me and wanted me to remove the bones in his fish. Unable to hold back the irritability and anger, I whacked him with my shoe bag, then the plastic water bottle. Mama couldn’t stand her darling boy being hit, and shouted at me. Another shout huh. I got mad and slammed the bottle hard on the floor.

It has been a while since I got this mad. Sometimes I just wish to be on my own. Living in my small apartment, doing my own things, leading my solitary life. Forgo the work, the responsibilities, the commitment, the need to be in the line.

Lying idly on the satin-comforter-laid bed, head on the equally-satin-colored pillow. Golden yellowish light from the lofty lamp embracing the otherwise dark room. Jazzy Bossa Nova pieces amplifying through Altec Lansing.

Oooohh

Fully maximising my leave day

By swimming 16 laps and doing some shopping!

Mid-morning Wong Tian and I set off to Tampines swimming complex, which has reopened since last Friday after what seemed like ages long of renovations. The new designs are not bad; we both particularly enjoy playing under the mushroom structure at the baby pool that sprays water down like waterfall. And we went on the long curving slide, one similar to the ones in theme parks or in Downtown East. Both times I tried, and got stuck near the end of the slide. Wong Tian was laughing away at me, but aiya can’t blame me for being light-weight.

So it was a good 16-lappie swim, though we could have done more but we couldn’t ignore our growling stomachs. So hungry! So off we went to a coffeeshop for the standard breakfast set (for Wong Tian) and teh (for Wong Zhen). Amazing TP can have 2 whopping huge half-boiled eggs at one go, quite something huh. Mousy me ate away the corners of her kaya toast bread. =P

After lunch at home, I had that instinct to run away from the imminent (thunder) rain. Ain’t like this wet weather! Hence I hopped on the bus and headed to Marina Square for shopping. I haven’t had the chance to fully explore that shopping haven after its major renovations, though had walked around parts of it before. At the end of two hours, I got a pair of black covered heeled shoes and two knit tops from Bysi. Super hard to get nice working tops these days that I had to compromise the quality. Don’t think these tops can last more than half a year.

Conclusion: Marina Square does not quite live up to its mark and is not as fantastic as it first seems. When it comes to shoes though, the choices are quite aplenty. Can try Gripz or Ink for sweeter designs. There was this pair of pink pumps with a cat outline on its front cover, very cute, which I almost wanted to buy.

There goes my day on leave, happily and satisfactorily spent! More leave days for me please!