Detour

It was a good 21 months with the CS department, as a "Seller". I'm glad and thankful to have received so many great work opportunities, to allow myself to be exposed to these interesting events etc, while interacting with people of different cultural and intellectual backgrounds.

I am finally returning back to where I initially applied for, at the Logistics department as a "Buyer". I hope I last longer here. It has indeed been a bumpy ride thus far in ESEA. I shan't give up as yet, shall see what else God has in store for me in this company.

Much has happened especially since the start of 2012 till present day. It could be written into a Taiwanese soap drama if ever possible. HA! It's that dramatic ok.

5 people from our department have left in a span of 4 months. Staff morale is at a all-time low. Several more from the other depts, have also left. It's obvious that something is not right, not normal, not to be ignored. The top guys just dun get it, they are the root of the mass resignations today.

Arghh! The frustrations and the sadness have been so overwhelming, I just dunno how to express those thoughts anymore. We are getting numb as the months fly by. I really wish 2012 can quickly end, in a blink of an eye. I think I had enough.

Sighs. Ohwells, life still has to go on, be it you feeling happy or upset over certain issues in your life currently.

As for me, I need to overcome that familiar sense of dread that is always crashing in every Sunday night. A hectic work week and never-ending workload awaits me yet again.

"Today has enough troubles on its own, let tomorrow worry for itself."

Goodnight~

Flying in ESEA

Hey people, not sure if anyone still bothers to read my blog due to the lack of updates. God has been faithful to me all these months while I am busy craving my new career path here in ESEA.

It is gonna be my 5th month working there and I can safely say that, I really enjoyed working here although there are alot of shit to clear (especially from those expat colleagues). People who know what I majored in during university, knew that my aim was to enter the aviation industry as it was obviously booming in SG. Indeed patience has paid off in the right ways.

Thanks to Apple (not the brand), she introduced an opening to me for the position of Temp Buyer (which means not a permanent position). Since I had few months of relevant working experience as a Buyer back in CEI hell, I thought why not give it another shot since it is all about purchasing right! I had 2 months of experience with the purchasing dept and well, I can say that it is definitely much better than staying in CEI hell.

By the grace of God and his awesome favour upon me, DVP asked me to transfer to CS dept to replace a colleague (who was around for the same period as me). Apparently she resigned bcos the shit was too much and annoyed her quite badly. Sighs. She was a good worker and colleague, but blame our counterparts for being such lazy pigs! HA!

So I was somehow promoted to her position, and hallelujah, I was finally given a permanent position for all the job-searching effort I have put in for the past 2 years (since I graduated from uni w/o a proper job)!

Next week marks the 3rd month that I'm in this new position and DVP gave me the opportunity to travel to Jakarta for a short business trip to handover some stuff. I am really excited for what is gonna happen in the future, and I really hope that I can handle the many challenges ahead. I know its gonna be more shit but well, nothing is impossible for God to handle right!

Thankfully, I have managed to win over my assistant's heart and vice versa; although I initially detested her nagging. Zzz! What irony life brings sometimes. HAHA! She say she will handle the shit together with me, so we shall see how things go next year as well. 2011 is so gonna be another eventful year ahead, with more crazy tweets and mood swings!

So now I'm gonna start thinking what clothes to pack into the suitcase, where to shop in the hotel vicinity and what liquor to buy when I'm back at Changi Airport DFS next Saturday! LOL!

December is gonna be a great month ahead~ the business trip, my birthday and all the celebrations planned, my pro-rated bonus (for the 1st time) and more $$ in my pockets. Best of all, the office will be quieter bcos of Chrismas holidays and 2010 will soon be over. Whoots!

3 Months Worth of Events In!

Hooray!

Left that horrid job at C.E.I early this month. I am moving on to a similar one at EuroC from next month onwards. YAY! God answered my prayers so quickly =)

Much has happened this year. No amount of entries can fill you guys in on all the events that have happened thus far. Well, I'll try to recall now and compile to a list (not in chronological order though).

• Cleone receiving her call from God, to go to Tunisia.
• Resigned from wretched C.E.I.
• Found job again at EuroC.
• Angelina & Jesper came back from Perth to SG, then flew off to Sweden after ROM.
• Madeline & Ying Xi turned 24, Thalia 3, Nicholas & Jocelyn 19, Olivia 20, Ee Ling & Thiam Siong 21!
• Just came back from Genting, and going to Indonesia next month. Ha!
• Discovered I got some road rage issues =X
• Met Cher Hao's maternal side, for the first time. So 热闹, unlike my family.
• Checked out Marina Bay Sands.
• UMA BBQ Housewarming party.
• IGNITE corporate services @ SIS. Video duties were *zzzzz*!
• Met up with P1 classmates, the usual 3 of us is sufficient. Kuanyi & Cherlyn never fails to perk my day up.

That's all I can recall for now. More events coming up for this next half of 2010, especially 5% downpayment for flat is almost due =/

Haha! Too many pics but no time to upload and arrange them prettily for you guys to view, so well just go to my Facebook account lah. Goodnight :D

VFC Wedding of the Year - Melvin & Doreen (:

YES! The photos of UMA and ADA are uploaded onto Facebook already. Go check them out now!

VFC Wedding of the Year - Melvin & Doreen (: - 27.03.10

Get Me Outta C.E.I. HELL!

I had initially blogged an entry on how I was coping with my current job, but technology can be annoying at times - I was unable to save or publish the entry. Dun blame me for lack of updates. Haha!

Anyway its been a month plus since I last blogged about not being jobless already. Well, I'm contemplating of being jobless once again. I have prepared my resignation letter and am starting to re-update my resume to send out to prospective employers again. The whole tiresome job-hunting process will commence very soon.

As some of you already know, this current job I'm in is quite crappy. The workload is crazy, more than any human can bear. OT is unpaid, given that we are of "executive position" - seriously, I rather be a non-executive then. OT is much more worth it then. On average I worked about 13h daily, but as of last week I did 70h of gut slogging. MOM orders that employees working more than 44h of normal hours, are required to be paid OT. Sadly this local company is so sad case that they only offer taxi reimbursement after 3h of OT.

Why was I so foolish to take this job up? I have seriously underestimated this single-lined job scope, I wanna bang my head on the wall now. No dental benefits, just when my wisdom tooth is killing me now. Medical benefits are capped at S$380 yearly, and given only when you are a confirmed staff. 14 days of MC and annual leave each, but when on probation it is UNPAID!

It has been barely 2 months but seriously, white flag is at half mast already. I'm dying from fatigue, stress, hair loss, nightmares, a very messy office desk and tons of emails ding-dong everyday. Broke down twice in office toilet, bcos I felt so ridiculous working here. Sighs.

Public holidays are a must-have in this job, bcos once you take leave on any working day, you cannot catch up with your work already. It is that crazy! I'm intending to leave after Labour Day holiday so I can encash a free holiday-in-lieu =)

Oh yes, you wanted to know the job and scope? Dun be fooled by this one-liner:

"Buyer : Source, negotiate and buy electronic components - to support customers' production line". I know it sounds that simple and straight-forward. Well indeed it is, but the amount of paperwork and shit you gotta do just to justify that buy = HOMICIDE!

I have fallen sick after slogging my guts nonstop for the past 5 weeks (including tutoring) and it is time I need the rest. Had to forgo church today, simply bcos I was too weak and was suffering from a throbbing headache. Why am I torturing myself like this, for a meagre pay? Must be for the CPF and my future 3-room flat at Punggol Walk, I reckon.

Well I do feel slightly better, and managed to switch on my beloved Macbook after neglecting it for 2 months. Got to know some job lobangs and I'm all revved up for better job opportunities. Just dunno which industry to choose, or should I stick to my initial interest in aviation? It seems so difficult to get a job there, despite my efforts. Sighs. I'm baffled and confused.

God, give me wisdom to choose the right job now. I dun wanna be exploited for cheap labour any longer!

I hate C** inhumane working culture, some of the people there, the rigid system and lousy technology, the 80s office setting and the care-less attitudes of our bosses when we are unhappy in our jobs and resign. They dun bother to hold you back and ask why. The turnover rate there is increasing, especially ever since I came in. Ha! I bring "bad luck" to the bosses there =p

What the heck am I talking? I'm the blessed one - all of them can just suck thumb and continue to be life-less! I need a LIFE! Goodbye!

Jobless No More!

Yes, I found a job already. Just within a span of two weeks: from re-doing the resume to emailing it over to the call for interview to the actual job interview to the call for job offer to the call for signing of employment letter.

It's a permanent one. As a buyer or purchaser, at some manufacturing company in Ang Mo Kio area. Starting on 15th March, with another guy. At least I'm not a noob alone :D

The job interview was quite an obstacle, which I overcame with God's favour and my last-minute preparation the night b4. Haha! It lasted for 1.5 hours, I was brain-dead by 10am bcos I woke up at 5am (scared late and quite kiasu).

The HR manager bombarded me nonstop with all sorts of challenging and tricky questions, I thought I was never gonna leave the room alive. The Purchasing manager came in next and "invited" me to ask him intelligent job-related questions. I was shag out by then and asked those simple and almost-brainless ones, I knew I was gonna be eliminated. I guess it was my desperate willingness and availability in this CMI challenging job position, that gotten me the chance to be offered this job.

I went for the pre-employment medical checkups and X-ray, which I know I'm super duper healthy. Haha! Cant wait for work to start, although I'll definitely miss sleeping in till late afternoon already. Hahaha!

I thank God that He answered my prayers and din let me go thru the hassle of more traumatising job interviews. I thank Cher Hao and everyone else for their continuous words of encouragement, various forms of help and support and prayers, to push me to keep looking for a job despite my low morale and defeated mindset.

For those who are still jobless, treat this rest period as a time for you to mature mentally and to do things that you have been neglecting. Continue to trust in God and do try again despite failures. No pain no gain!

"Are You Still Looking For A Job?"

That question sounds familiar to all job seekers eh. I've heard it a billion times since I graduated last year. So sick and tired of replying it over and over again. Thank you very much.

Anyway on a lighter note.....

=) Just secured 2 job interviews next Monday. One at AMK, the another at job agency at Raffles Place. Two very different job scopes but better than none. So far just to work = SIAN!

Just missed 1 phone call from R**C, just bcos I went to take my lunch from the kitchen. Sighs. Called back their HR department, but all of them very busy eating snake* (aka slacking) for the past 30 minutes. Win already lor.

I need more interviews to widen my options b4 I select any!

God, thank you for answering my prayers. This year is gonna be a more fruitful year, let me not be fussy or pathetic anymore. I hate being in the rat race, but for the sake of my future in SG, I got no choice ): AMEN!

UMA's (Super) ADA!

WOW! Sis and I made some interesting discoveries about UMA's wife-to-be (aka ADA). She is one amazing smart woman!

Excuse the looks and you'll be surprised by her capabilities - in shaping our country (financially)! Hint: A key personnel in affecting our filing of e-taxes every April. Haha!

Indeed, 人不可貌相*! (Never judge the book by its cover)

She's the wo-MAN!

No wonder they can afford to stay in D* area, after getting married next month. So atas* (high class), but dunno whether got guest room for us if we pop over someday hor.

Speaking of which, almost the entire video crew is on for "wedding video duty" on their special day, both the actual ceremony and wedding dinner. Zzzz! Worse still, high chance of VVVIPs coming as wedding guests too, bcos of ADA! So stressed, we cannot screw up at all that day else UMA will confirm nag at us, FOREVER!

Yes, she's that good. AND, she doesn't speak in our usual lazy Singlish accent, but a very prim-and-proper grammatical-correct local accent. Power Pack! Only thing is that, she gotta start learning to speak our lingo else she'll forever be quiet at the dinner table with us around. LOL!

As you can read from this entry, I'm so in awe of her brains now, not the beauty side yet though. Heehee!

*p/s: Due to the high sensitivity of ADA's work scope, it is very inconvenient to disclose any juicy information here. HAHAHA! Hence the ***** =)

5 "Truly Julia" Facts

1. I dun feel good receiving treats from people younger than me. Just dun feel right. Almost the same feeling as guys 吃软饭.
2. I got an in-borne tummy since I was a toddler. Pics have proven that sad fact. It is due to the curvature of my lower backbone, curving inwards hence pushing my tummy area outwards. Haha! Like that also can, you say? Ya I'm just as baffled by my weird body structure sometimes too. Therefore I can never be a model bcos they dun have tummies in the first place!
3. I got the same palm size as Bing Sheng, our net's BFG! Now you can really say,"没有人能逃出我的手掌心了"! -evil laughter- Wahahahaha!
4. I got a not-so-proud legacy of wearing all sorts of spectacles sizes, in my lifetime. Hence a massive fashion disaster!
5. I like to collect interesting shopping bags; be it bcos of e bag's design or shops rarely shopped at.

Would love to put some pics in but well as usual, I'm just plain lazy.

Tiger CNY - HUAT AH!

Ok, so Chinese New Year (CNY) is approaching real soon and the year of the Tiger is roaring in very quickly.

English New Year just passed in January and now Chinese. Next you know is Malay New Year (aka Hari Raya Puasa) and Indian New Year (aka Deepavali) and then my birthday and Christmas again. Wah lao! Ok, I'm getting way too far off now.

Anyway, I'm getting into the mood although I din get any new sets of clothes this year. Figured that I've gotten too many in the year of the Ox, hence rolling over to Tiger. Money no enough too, time to save more and get more somehow.

24 years of age in 10 months time; increasing numbers surely are scary when it doesn't refer to your bank account.

Time got some real wings, flies so fast that even the Concorde is in no state to fly alongside with time! LOL!

I haven't start spring cleaning and I really dun intend to, bcos I gotta settle that wretched resume and cover letter of mine first. Maybe the steamboat dinner with my buddies should change to Cher Hao's house instead hor. HAHAHA!

I got tons of pics in my camera that haven't been uploaded since last October. Haha! I'm just too lazy to really bother about them lah. I feel like getting a new Macbook now. Sian!

This red-white "hubby" of mine, is so young yet throws all sorts of tantrums at me already. High maintenance and low satisfaction from "him". Boo!

Actually I dunno what am I blogging now, so well, back to my resume writing. Zzz!

Falling Apart!

I dunno what's wrong with me or my belongings nowadays! So many things just randomly starts falling apart!

1. Mac MagSafe adaptor connection - cannot charge battery
2. Mac battery =( - cannot charge forever, after fixing stupid adaptor
3. Mac Mighty Wireless Mouse - cannot scroll downwards!
4. Everlast watch - cloth strap - fall apart from the watch face
5. Addias watch - rubber strap - almost a good goner
6. Tuition kids - idiotic
7. Fat irritating Ah-Fat! - always delaying my pay >:(
8. Random pimples on my face every few days! ARGHH!

Forget it, I dun wanna think anymore liao. So demoralising lah!

I seriously need a proper job and more savings. Just not enough, sadly!

Youth(s) Growing Up

Yups, I'm officially out of the youth ministry. I'm old enough to join the young adults, finally. Haha! Like I told my net yesterday, my calling for this season has come to an end, and I await my new calling!

I thank Jaena, Shereen and Gladys for planning my small farewell lunch gathering last Sunday. It was a simple meal at Tampines Mall PastaMania, but I did enjoy the fellowship, food and testimonials shared.

I thank my (now former) net group for bearing with me, for being with me and supporting me thru all those events and activities. I thank God for expanding the net group, it is truly not my credit but His! From 4 bored and demoralised youths to 16 regular youth members (still including myself!). 4 times the growth in a span of 1.5 years is really no easy feat, but with God, nothing is impossible! Woohoo!

Cleone, they are all yours now! You can do it! Dun be intimidated by the numbers, but instead rise them up to be our future generation's leaders! Dun forget my advice and look for me if you need any help ya =)

I thank every other R5 youth net leaders for bearing with me in any small ways; I may be horrible at times but no hard feelings ya. I apologise if you still hold any grudge against me.

I thank Gladys and Amos for being such anointed leaders for R5 and I'm really blessed to be under their leadership. They are ever so encouraging and loving and caring to us leaders, despite our tendency to play truant for church meetings. LOL!

Last but not least, I gotta say I thank Grace for being our acting YM for late 2008 to 2009. It hasn't been an easy task handling us independent fellas of R5, but she still did it. I have had my clashes with her since 2008, but God really helped me overcome my flaws and the grudges I once had against her too. Haha! All is forgiven and cleared.

God is great, and His love endures forever! Nothing is impossible with Him!

I thought I was gonna die when I was asked to lead Siglap Sec Campus Outreach back in 2008. Somehow, I did it with the help of Karina and the fellow Siglapians =) Amanda, Wei Si, Wei Gin, Jeremiah and Timothy, Jarel, Zi Heng, Thaddeus and myself. We had successful outreach events and were glad to see one salvation: Khaliun! YAY!

Now, can one of you people restart the outreach events please! Haha!

I remembered when I first came back to VFC back in 2007, I went to Amos' net group. It felt weird to be under the leadership of someone physically younger than you, but God humbled me and I was able to blend in and be a part of the group. I've learnt alot under the guidance of Amos and I really respect him alot. I dare say that he is far more spiritually mature and older than me. He is a good chap, except for the long-winded sharings lah. LOL!

I remembered being under Simon's leadership too, he was another anointed man of God. Again, I've learnt tons from this dude, and he is another brother I respect in church too. Haha!

Oh yes, dearest Karina! She taught me almost everything I needed to know about running a net group. I was just like Cleone when I first started out, a greenhorn and nervous when asked to lead the group. Haha! She is super anointed woman of God, super in tune in God's Word, ever so caring and pastoral to me, encouraging me with long smses, playing Twister together and being a genuine friend to me. Ah, I love her!

Under my ministry for the past 3 years, I've encountered all sorts of youths with all sorts of patterns. Growing up, that's what I say. I really respect my parents and the parents that have those funny-patterns kids. It is seriously not easy to handle those weird random youth issues nowadays, very different from our parents and my era. Yes, I'm that old!

I've reached out and minister to so many youths but few has really impacted my life, that stirred up emotions of all sorts and lessons to learn in life. Disappointment is ranked top on my list, next is anger and disgust, followed by sadness and grief. Lessons learnt: Maturity (mental and spiritual), family love (parents and siblings), discipline and upbringing (parents), loving yourself and the courage to face harsh life.

I wish I can put some names out, but I guess it's not very wise hor. Ha! Ok, initials will do, for my own future reference. YR, MA, KM, ATS.

I thank Cher Hao, for standing by me during the lows in my ministry. How it affects my mood and emotions, it can be quite troublesome. He offered me good spiritual advice, to improve on myself as a leader and as a member. He gave me new perspectives that I never saw; just like Proverbs 12:15 says,"The ways of a fool always seems right to him, but the wise man always listen to advice." (NIV). He let me see the blind spots in my life and ministry, thank God for such divine wisdom!

Well, some advice to those net leaders who have yet to retire from youth ministry: always care for your members - both active and passive ones. They are very important in God's sight. Follow up and look into their welfare. Encourage them. Be a (reachable) friend and show pastoral love to their spiritual needs. Love them like how you do to your blood siblings. Yes, some really deserve to get beaten up but still, patience! Hahaha! Rebuke in love, yet firm on the teachings.

As for me, like my name in Latin says, I'm forever YOUTHFUL! I never bluff, you go check Internet or those baby names' books lah! LOL! I'll never ever be old at heart, although the age is terrible!

Let's welcome my new season now =) YA, here I come!

Wretched Macbook Battery

SHIT!! My stupid laptop battery is not working now! WHY?!!?!?!?! I can't charge it up with my adaptor, for the past 12 hours, at all! Arghhh!

I gotta find that stupid $310 receipt now, for my last 1 month warranty from the previous repairs now! Sobs!

So sad lah, never earn much money now, no warranty left to cover the wretched gadget and now spoilt again! WTH! I hate you, stupid mac! Protect you so well and this is how you repay me back!

-throws the super white macbook at the wall-

ROAR!

That time was the adaptor connection part got problem, now is the battery, next is what?! The bloody adaptor meh?! Why must you (the beloved mac) do this to me (your beloved master)?

(十万个) 为什么？！？！

-turtle and friends dancing in the background-

My question not answered yet so I'm still not that happy! HUMPH!

皇太子的初恋

Pardon me for not updating regularly. Just that I'm quite busy trying to watch this old kdrama currently: 皇太子的初恋. LOL!

*p/s: Daniel, if you got time after your internship, catch this drama online lah. The main actress is worth the watching, big pretty face and eyes too. Haha!

(left to right) 成宥利 金南镇 车太铉

成宥利 looks like Yi Xiong sia! Hahahaha!

VS.

Best if Yi Xiong is smiling, it'll look more alike.

Ok I'm super bo liao, and I din ask him for permission to misuse his pic from FB. LOL! As for my backdated pics and Mei's polaroid birthday pics of mine, wait abit more ok? Today is my 1st time switching on my Mac after a long hiatus. Hee!

Easy Contentment = Bliss

I realised how easily satisfied little children can get. They like to spread their joy and declare to everyone that its their birthday today. They'll talk excitedly about the little gifts given out to the whole class, the usual birthday song and simply spending time with the family.

*(Happy 6th birthday to you, Alycia! God bless your little pure heart and sing unto the Lord always!)

As we grow up, we desire for more and become more difficult to satisfy. Humans are the walking contradiction. A childlike heart is better than a grown-up's brain.