Few happier things since my last 2nd post, im not goin to nyc.. infact.. I just came back from charlotte training last week, the trip was pretty alright. Learning abt the compnay culture and introduction to senior mgmt, not forgetting networkng sessions.

Will be goin for commencement, Jay Chou and wont be missing yuanru's bday (yay!!!). Quite happy. Gotta plan for something interesting, hopefully it will be worth it.

Might be going to start on my braces this or next month.. hopefully i can really slim down when i know i can't eat as much as i want to.. :( so many ppl say i fat le.

lookin forward to Jay's concert!!

In the last 4 yrs, i think i've matured so much that I started learning to pay attention to more people and appreciate the smaller things I've come to know off.

When i was in sec and poly, i didnt care much abt the ppl i met in school.. probably i was ignorant with abit of attitude problem and heck care attitude. I got angry easily, especially when ppl i love gets bullied. I have this angsty attitude and i didnt seemed to care about ppl esp acquaintances and ppl that r just hi-bye to me. Come to think of it, those were one of the periods where we make friends that would usually last a lifetime. Probably the main reason i could think of, was that i was going through a tough time at home and didnt know how not to be angry with things happening ard me. Gradually i've learnt to let go of the unhappy things and look more on the bright side. I think i've been rather optimistic. Lucky to have met ppl like d6, the netballers where i still keep in contact, my poly gang and ppl who puts in effort to be my friend after my younger days.

In uni, i didnt have an IS clique unlike everyone else in my IS school. I just dun click with most of them, so i most definitely think i got off to a wrong start in my first 2 years. I was doubtful and apprehensive towards most ppl, which is probably y i didnt have very close IS uni friends now. But luckily in year 3 and 4, i started not to care so much abt what ppl do, and care more abt wat i can do. I think this sparked the little change. started caring and showing interest in ppl whom i'd like to be friends with for a lifetime. Nice pple like maoyuan, edwin, jialing, e S1CS gang - sharon, june, etc etc. And of coz my biz school clique. Biz ppl are nice to hang out with. They really know how to enjoy and have fun.. I can say that coz I secretly wanted to be a biz student when I applied for 5MU but 4 yrs later I think i'm better off in IS. I do feel lucky to have met some of the nicest ppl in uni, like clarence, xuehui, dave, june, & mitch. Each of the gatherings with them are really like family gatherings. We do family kinda activities like steamboat, bbq, clubbing, drinking at one another's place, and they absolutely love mahjong (although i always do not turn up).

b4 my dear junnie left for japan, she wrote me a letter and it made me tear. I didnt realise that there is this positive energy that could encourage her and might be handy in helping her get thru tough times. Perhaps she was aware of wat happened to me from pri school to my uni days, and that added marks to my motivating story. Thanks for the letter junnie, it means alot alot to me. Really hope u're doing well in Japan now.

Of coz, there are also disappointing times where u felt that u have put in effort and the recieving party is not exactly reciprocating. It takes a few tries to finally give up and let go of such pple. I'm gonna leave it to fate to work out the rest for me, for those that I've really given a chance and felt that it was time wasted. They appear are highly selective in terms of friends and I sincerely do wish them all the best despite the things that they have done. Guess they were not worth the effort all along.

Recently I've discovered the power of taking a genuine and sincere interest in people. When I'm engaged in that mode, its easy to talk abt what i really feel and get the message across. I've also recently just finish reading the l4st lecture by R. P4usch.. and two of my fav lessons in the book talks about brick walls and anger.

1. brick walls are there for a reason, for u to show how badly u want something.
2. If u're angry with a person, it means u havent been patient enuf for them to show their kind side.

With these wise words, its a test of my patience. It brings my understanding of people i meet to a new level. Hope i will have the courage and patience to tear down brick walls that are extreme and out to make ur life difficult. Together with my new found attitude of sincerity, I hope i can overcome the more difficulties, and hopefully survive better in the corporate world.

Of all the ppl i've met, I really cherish each and everyone of them. Esp friends who really go an extra mile to help me out/ doing special things for me, or even just spending time hearing me rant. Entering a new phase in life, I hope to meet really nice friends at work too.

okay, bedtime.

Labels: lessons, life

One of my best-est friends since pri school flew off to japan late last month for her new job. Really admire her courage and strength for always being so independent. Hope she excels well in it!

This is finally my last free week before i start working the 14th june.. nothing much special is being planned. Except that i wanna go for the pixar exhibition at science centre before starting work.

Feeling pretty excited abt work actually, got news that i'm going be in new york city for a 4 weeks training. Due to this training, I will be missing many other things that I was rather concerned about..

1. Commencement - after 4 hard yrs of studying, I'm going to miss my own graduation ceremony. no picture wit me n my family, and my friends :((((((
2. J4y Ch0u concert - I tried for 1.5 hours when they released the tix and i managed to get 2, so many ppl couldnt get their tix u know. Now i have to give them up coz I'm just not going to be in SG :((
3. BKK - was supposed to go on 1st july, but i'm giving up this trip also due to the early start date of my employment.... not exactly due to the training in nyc.
4. yuanru's bday - she really up the bar for my bday last yr.. think i need to find some ideas to make it up to her this yr, also as part of making up for her bday last yr..

I hope i can manage my work well, have many new friends and meet wonderful ppl who can guide me thru the longest phase of my next life. Will be working hard to achieve the dreams that me and baby has thot abt. Ganbatte to all my friends who is starting work soon/has started work! :)

Labels: life, work

After my exams on the first day of the exam week, I was practically relaxing and enjoying myself until the fling event, - where all of us officially celebrated our after exams party on april 20th. Damn i had a great time, ktv-ing with vodka in the afternoon, dinner at bk and more drinks, wine and laughter at a gsr before heading to supper club.

clar, karen, dave, xue hui, me



love this bunch of ppl + mitch.

Immediately after i reached home that very nite, I was supposed to leave home for phuket with my sec school friends. Hahahah I didnt pack at all and was lying on the floor until 5am when i decide to start packing. But i only forgot to bring toothpaste.. damn i puked twice when i was abt to leave the house.. freaking alcohol. I hate it.

Phuket was fun.. love the sea and the sand but not the sun. So hot i had to keep bathing. I realised i didnt bring enuf clothes to change for a 3 day 2 nite trip..



the trip ppl in the hotel getting ready to go out for massage.



i dun like the fishes.. they bite



cute little hermit crab we saw on the beach



me n jamie at the place where leonardo filmed the famous movie.

i'm tired now. will post part 2 when i'm feeling better.

Labels: holidays, party

After all these years i've realised i still love to read. This time, i'm more focused and have a clear sense what kinda of books i know i would not mind spending time reading. Economics, life and self improvement books!

This is the list of books that i want to get for myself this year. In order of preference!

1. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
2. Mr Nicholas Nassim Taleb’s “Black Swan”
3. The Tipping Point
4. Rules of Work
5. SuperFreakonomics: Global Cooling, Patriotic Prostitutes, and Why Suicide Bombers Should Buy Life Insurance by Steven D. Levitt, Stephen J. Dubner
6. Who Moved My Cheese? : An Amazing Way to Deal with Change in Your Work and in Your Life … Spencer Johnson
7. Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell
8. Have a Little Faith: A True Story by Mitch Albom
9. The Last lecture
10. In Search of Excellence
11. Only the Paranoid Survive
12. COFFEE HOUSE WISDOM
13. Rich Dad Poor Dad

Baby bought me a book to start it off. - How to win friends and influence people by dale carnegie. It caught my eye, becoz it has over 75 yrs of publishing history and i really wanna know for myself how good and true this book is.

I'm pacing myself to read it. Testing out the principles that the book is teaching. So far i find it to be very true!

Hope to get a new book really soon!

I have been missing for too long!! hhaha. almost forgot abt this blog.

Nevertheless, im back to talk abt my eventful 2009, and the start of an exciting 2010!

in 2009, major events and other stuff that i am glad abt:
- went for a business study mission to the middle east. enjoyed myself very much! s4udi ar4bia, b4hrain, q4tar, 4bu dh4bi and dub4i.
- went for a reputable bank for interview, and i got offered! almost like a dream come true.
- 10 yrs anniversary with baby! didnt celebrate, but im super glad to have spent the last ten yrs of my life with him. 10 fantastic years. Yes im still madly in love with him believe it not!! :)
- injured my feet big time. felt that the toe is crooked now..
- completed my duties for my cca!
- made so many more new friends!
- am closer to a few more great friends, who really spiced up my life and made me feel loved :)
- started reading again! courtesy of baby, who bought me a book i liked :))
- sorted out my thinking, in terms of treating ppl and behaviour. i want to be nice and not rude or offensive..

and off to 2010!
- my last semester in SMU!
- i got another dream job offer.. but it came late and landed me in a difficult position.. nevertheless its still a happy problem. with that, i really hope all my frens get their dream job soon!
- sorted out my timetable and got into groups with my biz school frens for the first time! hahah quite exciting har.
- felt motivated to work vvvvv hard this semester... though it wont push me up to the next band, but it will be my last lap in this rat race, and most projects are nice pple i know.

and so.. my resolutions are..
1. read alot more books
2. start saving
3. work hard wherever whenever
4. meet up with frens whom i've not seen for a long time
5. lose weight!! i put on 2-8kgs in 2009!! i need to shed those pounds!! :(
6. erm. start driving lessons and pass my advanced! i passed basic theory after the third try.. i know! i m v lousy!

my biggest wish for the whole year would be to have better health, wealth, and love for me and everyone ard me.. esp baby :)

i m starting to dislike blogspot. might consider a switch to w0rdpr3ss if i'm free...

Internship started this week, so far very good! - i'm still in honeymoon period, no work so far, coz my boss havent decide wat job to assign me. But it will not be mundane task, more of a individual project that i can accomplish in 10 weeks or so.

but anyhows, I love the culture! there is a batch of analysts that got hired in 07, another batch in 08, and all of them are like a big cohesive family that always hang out tgt, lunch, movies etc.

buddies are assigned to each intern, and the buddy would be from your same school. My buddy was from SMU, and he is a super nice guy, really checking on me everyday to see how i was doing. gave me lotsa tips on how to approach my boss, my colleagues and so on.

the is this internal msn thingy, that you can chat with colleagues in the same office or across the region. very cool, its really like msn is official. So we interns have a dedicated chat room and we chat with seniors/ bosses and all thru this 'msn'.

One of the seniors told he, he enjoyed working there because, the world is his friends. So many diverse background and nationality, and also a clique of analysts hired at the same time lets the seniors bond really well. All of them are super friendly, and very nice pple to talk to, always ready to help us out.

Every Wed is also their jogging day. They will be goin to Mt F4ber, K3ppel etc. I will be joining some of them to jog next week - hee. gotta train for my Sundown ya. hahhhah.

Things move very quickly in this organisation and i'm certainly enjoyign my time, having the mentality of a sponge always absorbing more and more information. I might be working on sharepoint soon, and i cant wait to get started!

My buddy asked abt my grades today and i told him its so bad, he wouldnt wanna know. haha.

i love my job.

Exams are over, grades are out. Last sem i was happy about my grades.

But this term i screwed up all my grades, it was my worse gpa in the whole of smu thus far.

I failed one of my finals (mayb i failed 3, i don't know man), but other components for this module were okay, and it still managed to emerge as the best grade i got for this term.

Two other subjects i liked, i didnt fare well, not that good, but was still my average.

And lastly, the one i spent the most time on, my most hated subject - i scored a freaking C-

TMD, i've neva gotten a C, or C+ before. Let alone a C-

Is it karma? I know i've said grades doesnt matter that much but when u get a C- for the first time, i think i finally understood how my peers felt when they got similar results. I was fcuking shock and I honestly didnt understand why. If i manage to get a C, it was still alright. But C-? I'm feeling more of angst rather than sad. I think i still havent found the right formula to ace school.

Studies aside, i've been focusing on getting my work done. From now to august, i've got alot of work to be done. Internship in one week's time, tuition and also work at a company i've set up with a few peers. Things are still at the initial stage and there isnt alot to say now, mayb after i've gotten the first project than i could talk more.

Hai.

last week was recess, and i was waiting for two happy news. 1st was regarding internship, 2nd was regarding the biz study mission to dubai.

and this week. i received two great news on wed! i was selected for both of it! hm.. i think i ought to be happy. but then sometimes when things get well for u in school, there will be other areas of life that will kinda pull u down...

anyways i had fun goin to n+u's clubhouse(?) on wed nite. drinks were damn cheap. sat was quite fun too.. finished my bottle of chivas in two hours courtesy of my club gang during cheryl's party. luckily i didn't turn merlion like our mr welfare director. lol.

im doing reports now.. this shld be quite a busy week coz i have two presentations in two weeks time that i have not even started discussing. zz. shiongz.