Sunday, February 27, 2005
1:38 PM
Work is quite enjoyable. Finally, we are going to start on our 'real work' on Tue. Every meeting with JC will bring us 2 steps back and this really is getting on our nerves. We got the database, the software to be used and the room more or less ready. Really looking forward to embark on this project full-swing.
What I don't like is being "Paris Ambassador", having to sit in front of Paris and making sure the children are not hurt... They should just hire a full-time security guard there.
These few days returning home quite late so was not able to eat at home. Feels so unhealthy. Then now, a Sunday, I feel so lethargic and is still not eating home-cooked food. Well... Supposed to go Bt Timah Hill with Tze and company today. But showers expected according to the weather forecast. Arh... I live so near BT hill... Now the weather is super sunny! Such a waste that the outing was cancelled...
1:38 PM
Sunday Lethargy
This week mostly spent time marking English papers. Some of their English standards quite outrageous, which made us wonder how they got into their schools and whether they lived up to the schools' reputations. Well, quite mean of us. Not like my English standards are very high. Haha...
Work is quite enjoyable. Finally, we are going to start on our 'real work' on Tue. Every meeting with JC will bring us 2 steps back and this really is getting on our nerves. We got the database, the software to be used and the room more or less ready. Really looking forward to embark on this project full-swing.
What I don't like is being "Paris Ambassador", having to sit in front of Paris and making sure the children are not hurt... They should just hire a full-time security guard there.
These few days returning home quite late so was not able to eat at home. Feels so unhealthy. Then now, a Sunday, I feel so lethargic and is still not eating home-cooked food. Well... Supposed to go Bt Timah Hill with Tze and company today. But showers expected according to the weather forecast. Arh... I live so near BT hill... Now the weather is super sunny! Such a waste that the outing was cancelled...
Sunday, February 20, 2005
11:19 PM
Description:
11:19 PM
960
Description:
- Air-conditioned, Bendy SMRT Bus
- Passes Little India
- Direct from Bt Panjang to Bugis
Passengers:
- Ranging from children to elderly
- Half Chinese, half Indians
Typical experience on the bus:
- Middle-aged to elderly Chinese crowding to the edge of the bus-stop when they see the bus approaching.
- Middle-aged to elderly Chinese passengers shoving and elbowing you in order to get on the bus.
- Middle-aged to elderly Chinese passengers shoving and elbowing you in order to get a seat on the bus.
- Elderly passengers coughing as if they have TB. By the way, they always forget to cover their mouths. Saliva falls all over the place, but they dun care.
- Elderly ladies peeling dead skin from their palms, hands and cuticles of nails.
- Elderly men removing their feet from their slippers and start to scratch/scrub their soles with their hands.
- Men of various ages scratching their heads and rubbing the oil or dandruff from their scalp on the glass window of the bus.
- Middle-aged to elderly passengers hanging their barang barang on the seat in front of them using S-shaped hooks.
- Passengers of various ages picking their nose, ears and face, and then flicking the dirt 1m radius from them. Some of the dirt gets stuck on the metal poles and seats. Some passengers are pro to the extent of using tools designed to aid in their excavation process.
- Middle-aged women clipping their nails and cuticles.
- Ji Ko Peks (of all ages) ogling at girls who are from 14 to 30 years old. They scan their bodies from top to toe and spend majority of the time staring at their chests. The journey is usually 40 minutes from Bt Panjang to Bugis, so that’s great “entertainment” for the Ji Ko Peks.
- The bus is always packed to the door steps, but the rear is always relatively empty.
Saturday, February 19, 2005
11:48 PM
11:48 PM
Cough Cough
haveyouevercoughedlikeyouhavenevercoughedbeforecoughtillyour
throatturnshoarseasifyourlungsaregoingtoburstanytimeletalonefeel
foodandliquidflowinguptheoesphagustoyourpharynxandtastesour
juicesatthebackofyourthroathelpmesavemeican'tsleepican'tlieinthe
positioniwantduntellmei'vegotTBorchroniccoughnonono
Thursday, February 17, 2005
11:18 PM
11:18 PM
Fun + Work
Today started off grading the English assignments from JC's class... Quite fun... He has this unorthodox take on education of youngsters, compared to most teachers. So, the marking has to be pretty lenient... N we have to be super caring and meticulous and provide kind and constructive comments, which is good la... Trains me to be more tactful rather than too straight to the point (or worse still, sarcastic)...
I got my own table and PC in the Project Room. I volunteered to be the "Labelling Manager" and "Stationery Coordinator" cuz I like to use to Casio Labelling Machine... Muahaha... Sheila will be the "Plants Welfare Manager"(crap names we gave ourselves)... Our room is supposed to be like the model room, so we have to keep the tables cleared of "debris" at all times and keep it as clean as possible. JC is going to shift his office to the room right beside ours... Dunno y he's so so concerned about this project... Haha... This project is relli like the priority over other things.
Had a teachers' meeting with MSRU, and later JC had a meeting with us again, in the Project Room. After the meeting, Sheila and I met him in his room about the grading of the papers. Crapped a bit oso... Actually I tink he's very nice to us. I suppose he'll assert his authority more on the more experienced and mature staff, but he's super kind to us interns. He realised it was 2045 already, and he had not finished talking about the assignment we had to mark. But he shooed us home and gave us $50 for dinner and taxi fare. No matter how we turn down his generous offer, he refused to take back the money. Well... it's like that. Big bosses are like that... No point turning him down too... He said that we deserve it as we have contributed so much to The Learning Lab... Well... Quite paiseh...
Later, me n Sheila ate as Fiestamamas as scheduled. Quite a rushed dinner cuz last order was at 2100. Think work can be fun too! Hehe...
I got my own table and PC in the Project Room. I volunteered to be the "Labelling Manager" and "Stationery Coordinator" cuz I like to use to Casio Labelling Machine... Muahaha... Sheila will be the "Plants Welfare Manager"(crap names we gave ourselves)... Our room is supposed to be like the model room, so we have to keep the tables cleared of "debris" at all times and keep it as clean as possible. JC is going to shift his office to the room right beside ours... Dunno y he's so so concerned about this project... Haha... This project is relli like the priority over other things.
Had a teachers' meeting with MSRU, and later JC had a meeting with us again, in the Project Room. After the meeting, Sheila and I met him in his room about the grading of the papers. Crapped a bit oso... Actually I tink he's very nice to us. I suppose he'll assert his authority more on the more experienced and mature staff, but he's super kind to us interns. He realised it was 2045 already, and he had not finished talking about the assignment we had to mark. But he shooed us home and gave us $50 for dinner and taxi fare. No matter how we turn down his generous offer, he refused to take back the money. Well... it's like that. Big bosses are like that... No point turning him down too... He said that we deserve it as we have contributed so much to The Learning Lab... Well... Quite paiseh...
Later, me n Sheila ate as Fiestamamas as scheduled. Quite a rushed dinner cuz last order was at 2100. Think work can be fun too! Hehe...
Friday, February 11, 2005
11:46 PM
Had lunch with Emily, Qinghan and Vanessa. Super crappy today. Ate at Subway. Then Qinghan they all were saying that they always see JC eating at Subway everyday. Obviously I din believe that he'll eat at Subway everyday. Surely he'll get sick of it no matter how "healthy" the food is there... Then we saw him walking into Subway and acheli i tink he's a nice person. He does have the airs of a director and is pretty demanding when it comes to work. But he's a kind and friendly person I feel. And he acheli bought each of a us a brownie, which was so sweet of him. I wonder if he feels lonely to be alone everyday. We saw that he was reading about soccer. Wonder if he read that cuz there's a need to read abt everything and anything or becuz he's relli interested in soccer news?
Wanted to enter "Paris" to take a look at how "futuristic" or "sophisticated" the design is over there. The door is totally white and is sliding. There are sets of 3 small TVs juz like the other classrooms, featuring Mr Bean cartoon. We went in to Paris3 for meeting with JC today. When I stepped in, I juz couldn't believe my eyes. It's so so futuristic! Juz like walking in a scene in Matrix or Gettaca. One step in the linkway from the sliding door to the classroom is dimly lit. The walls are glossy and there is a TV. There are mirrors here and there to make it seem like a maze. Then u walk further in and the classrooms look bare. They are clean white and the lights are hidden behind the frosted glass. It's juz like one of the labs on TV.
Anyway, juz changed my off days to Sun and Mon. Juz got a stationery set too. So in total I have got 4 highlighters: blu, green, purple and yellow, 3 pens: blue, green and black, 2 correction tapes, a scissors, a big UHU Stic, a mechanical pencil, 2 post-it pads, etc. Dunno to say whether this place is well-equipped or wasteful. Hmm... At HSBC we had to label using post-its with scotchtapes. Here, we use the CASIO Labelling machine. So neat and pro (and of cuz pretty wasteful). Of cuz we have to wear suit if we gonna step out of the office to meet students and parents.
They'r gonna convert the conference room to our project room. So we gonna have the room to ourselves! Cool! We gonna have our 1 laptop each, printers and other equipment to ourselves. The view there is superb too! Haha... Really looking forward to embarking on this project.
11:46 PM
The Learning Lab
Today is my 2nd day at this workplace. Continued to zap test papers and place them in folders, label them and file them.
Had lunch with Emily, Qinghan and Vanessa. Super crappy today. Ate at Subway. Then Qinghan they all were saying that they always see JC eating at Subway everyday. Obviously I din believe that he'll eat at Subway everyday. Surely he'll get sick of it no matter how "healthy" the food is there... Then we saw him walking into Subway and acheli i tink he's a nice person. He does have the airs of a director and is pretty demanding when it comes to work. But he's a kind and friendly person I feel. And he acheli bought each of a us a brownie, which was so sweet of him. I wonder if he feels lonely to be alone everyday. We saw that he was reading about soccer. Wonder if he read that cuz there's a need to read abt everything and anything or becuz he's relli interested in soccer news?
Wanted to enter "Paris" to take a look at how "futuristic" or "sophisticated" the design is over there. The door is totally white and is sliding. There are sets of 3 small TVs juz like the other classrooms, featuring Mr Bean cartoon. We went in to Paris3 for meeting with JC today. When I stepped in, I juz couldn't believe my eyes. It's so so futuristic! Juz like walking in a scene in Matrix or Gettaca. One step in the linkway from the sliding door to the classroom is dimly lit. The walls are glossy and there is a TV. There are mirrors here and there to make it seem like a maze. Then u walk further in and the classrooms look bare. They are clean white and the lights are hidden behind the frosted glass. It's juz like one of the labs on TV.
Anyway, juz changed my off days to Sun and Mon. Juz got a stationery set too. So in total I have got 4 highlighters: blu, green, purple and yellow, 3 pens: blue, green and black, 2 correction tapes, a scissors, a big UHU Stic, a mechanical pencil, 2 post-it pads, etc. Dunno to say whether this place is well-equipped or wasteful. Hmm... At HSBC we had to label using post-its with scotchtapes. Here, we use the CASIO Labelling machine. So neat and pro (and of cuz pretty wasteful). Of cuz we have to wear suit if we gonna step out of the office to meet students and parents.
They'r gonna convert the conference room to our project room. So we gonna have the room to ourselves! Cool! We gonna have our 1 laptop each, printers and other equipment to ourselves. The view there is superb too! Haha... Really looking forward to embarking on this project.
Thursday, February 10, 2005
1:04 AM
1:04 AM
Happy Lunar New Year!
Well, went to my ah ma's house on Wed. Only collected like $40. Lowest so far cuz Ah Gu juz passed away a few days b4 new year in Bangkok. This time the news din come to me as too saddening or tragic. Not that I'm heartless. I'm not so emotionally attached to him, but it's not that. I haven't seen him in a long while. This time he died in a foreign place. We can't even hold a proper funeral for him, juz like for his mum, who's my aunt. He has to be cremated in a foreign place and brought back. It's so surreal. Someone that I knew juz vanished *like that... He has a son, very young. And I feel sad for him, cuz when he grows old, he wun be able to see his grandma and father.
The mood at my ah ma's house is so different this year. No mahjong table opened this year. Usually it's Ah Gu and his family who are the enthusiasts. For 2 years, I din see the "enthusiasts" at the mahjong table.
No matter wad bad luck that befalls on them, life still has to go on for them. I wish them happiness, and that they'll look upon these as part of their life journey and continue to live their lives well. It's impossible to erase the bad memories, but life is as beautiful as one wants it to be...
Happy Lunar New Year to all...
The mood at my ah ma's house is so different this year. No mahjong table opened this year. Usually it's Ah Gu and his family who are the enthusiasts. For 2 years, I din see the "enthusiasts" at the mahjong table.
No matter wad bad luck that befalls on them, life still has to go on for them. I wish them happiness, and that they'll look upon these as part of their life journey and continue to live their lives well. It's impossible to erase the bad memories, but life is as beautiful as one wants it to be...
Happy Lunar New Year to all...
Tuesday, February 08, 2005
10:58 PM
Was wondering why Christine told me I'll be working closely with the director and that it will be challenging. Realised I was roped in cuz of this SUPER IMPT project which has been sitting in the office waiting for a year or more. The director views this project as THE project of the year and will take about half a year. So, the core of the project team is made up of 2 older staff, Clint and Jasmine, plus 2 interns, Sheila and I. So, by right I should be flattered cuz I was specially interviewed by the director for this IMPT project.
Pretty impressed, as well as taken aback by the (overly) professional outlook of this place... Anyway the kids are from pretty privileged backgrounds, like ministers and celebrities' children... They pay a lot for the enrichment lessons too...
Starting off with pretty menial and simple tasks. But then, they promised the job will get more and more interesting. Well, hopefully... =)
10:58 PM
First Day of My 3rd Job
Haha... tink I muz be the most "mobile" person ard, having changed so many jobs. Ok... Today started work at The Learning Lab. Interesting place, as in seriously, cuz their operations is so extremely different from other organisations. For example, the classrooms are named after cities of the world for a "global outlook". So there's like London1, Geneva1, Boston1, Paris1 and so on and so forth. Pretty cute... Then there's heavy usage of initials. Even for names. So my initial will be THF. That'll be my login name on the network and for labelling my stuff, even when being mentioned in files, docs and minutes.
Was wondering why Christine told me I'll be working closely with the director and that it will be challenging. Realised I was roped in cuz of this SUPER IMPT project which has been sitting in the office waiting for a year or more. The director views this project as THE project of the year and will take about half a year. So, the core of the project team is made up of 2 older staff, Clint and Jasmine, plus 2 interns, Sheila and I. So, by right I should be flattered cuz I was specially interviewed by the director for this IMPT project.
Pretty impressed, as well as taken aback by the (overly) professional outlook of this place... Anyway the kids are from pretty privileged backgrounds, like ministers and celebrities' children... They pay a lot for the enrichment lessons too...
Starting off with pretty menial and simple tasks. But then, they promised the job will get more and more interesting. Well, hopefully... =)
Saturday, February 05, 2005
11:15 PM
Today still had to go office for OT. The mood today seems diff. Ken seems especially caring today. Haha... Saw the softer side of Ken as I got to noe him. I relli din expect them to give me anything cuz I've only joined for a mth. Sort of like last to come, first to leave. But was so touched when they wrote a card for me. There was this present which was handcrafted in Germany. Looks expensive and intricate. Then I realised from my fren that it is relli expensive and that this present comes from a particular colleague, not a shared present. Pretty disturbed by that. The most I could do is to pretend I do not noe that, since he din want me to noe and keep the present though I'd very much like to return the present to him. It's too expensive a gift for me to accept manz.
I guess leaving is difficult. I gotta start all over again at the new workplace, trying to mingle ard with colleagues, adapting to the new envt and learn the ropes.
To my colleagues, whom I treat as frens as well, juz wanna say that I'm relli glad to have known u all. U've made my working life in HSBC fun and crappy and lame. And thanx for the new nickname fenfen²... will miss u all...
The Learning Lab, Vanessa, Qinghan, here I come!
cHiObUs!
11:15 PM
Leaving...
Yesterday was the last day I was going to have lunch with Shuping, Winifred, Huifang & Huilin. Really felt quite sad that I gotta leave soon, though it was my choice to leave. Went back to office and chatted with Huifang since I dun have much work to do at that time. Then went on to talk to Winston, who is an adult n whom I can click with pretty well... really glad to have been acquainted with him and crap and chat with him all this while in HSBC. It's not like I've gone thru thick and thin with them or have spend a lot of time with them. But when it comes to leaving, I'll think of these frens that I'd spent my lonely times with. When I talked to them, tears just welled in my eyes. Before Huifang left the office for the day, we hugged, and she warned me not to cry...
Today still had to go office for OT. The mood today seems diff. Ken seems especially caring today. Haha... Saw the softer side of Ken as I got to noe him. I relli din expect them to give me anything cuz I've only joined for a mth. Sort of like last to come, first to leave. But was so touched when they wrote a card for me. There was this present which was handcrafted in Germany. Looks expensive and intricate. Then I realised from my fren that it is relli expensive and that this present comes from a particular colleague, not a shared present. Pretty disturbed by that. The most I could do is to pretend I do not noe that, since he din want me to noe and keep the present though I'd very much like to return the present to him. It's too expensive a gift for me to accept manz.
I guess leaving is difficult. I gotta start all over again at the new workplace, trying to mingle ard with colleagues, adapting to the new envt and learn the ropes.
To my colleagues, whom I treat as frens as well, juz wanna say that I'm relli glad to have known u all. U've made my working life in HSBC fun and crappy and lame. And thanx for the new nickname fenfen²... will miss u all...
The Learning Lab, Vanessa, Qinghan, here I come!
cHiObUs!