Reflecting 2014 Events...

As usual, time flies without me realizing that 2014 is coming to an end in a few days time. Though I have always reminded myself not to lost track of time during busy schedule, I have did it again! :(  Well...I guess I can only look forward to a better year ahead then.

 

Honestly, 2014 has been a pretty exciting year for me. On the personal level, we got engaged, booked our banquet, went for pre-wedding photoshoot in Taipei, went through Marriage Preparation and finally collected our HDB keys on 4 Dec! Though I think our relationship has become more routine and less time spent together, I am glad that we have come so far and gearing up to the exciting 2015 where our wedding will be taking place!

 

On the career level, I must say its definitely a rewarding year with many "First times" in my working life so far which include completed rebranding for the company, did a large launch event at Suntec for the new facility, attended several regional events etc. The exciting part is to have the opportunities to travel to few countries i.e. Hawaii in USA, Tokyo in Japan, JKT in Indonesia, BKK in Thailand, Cebu in The Philippines, KL in Malaysia etc. Among them, many were my first trip to these cities. I must say though there is not much leisure time, they are certainly eye openers to me. Another milestone is also to organize an overseas event together with partners, though its quite tedious but the sense of satisfaction is there. Lastly, my team has finally gotten a new member in Nov! I am very very grateful for this headcount as it really helps to lighten my workload and at least someone to help out when I am travelling or busy with other tasks.

 

For the family, mum's condition has stabilized after her surgery in Nov last year. Glad that she is leading a normal life now and enjoying the companion of the 2 lovely grand-daughters. Yeah...2nd niece Valerie Ng has arrived on 3 Jul 2014, same birthday as her elder sister, super coincidental as it was totally unplanned for my sis. Theresa has grown up so much that I missed the time when she was a baby then. Now that she can communicate with us more fluently, it creates more fun and joy to the family too. I am certainly a happy Yiyi for the 2 cuties in our family, love them to the bits! This year Sis and Wil also got promoted at work plus arrival of Valerie, so really triple happiness in the family!

 

This year has really been a "quiet" year for friends coz I am simply too busy and tired to organize gatherings with the gangs. Missed some gatherings as I feel uncomfortable meeting the groups who are all mummies already...feel abit out of place and lack of topic to share indeed. Well..I guess this is part and parcel of going into different phase in life at my own pace. No regrets for settling down late as I have gain some though lose some. After all, I have finally graduated with a Distinction for my MBA in Nov this year.  Looking back, the path has not been easy but still find it quite unbelievable that I made it! It is probably one of my most honorable day to receive the certification at the convocation with the presence of Mum, sis, MP and of course the 2 nieces. Happy that both MQ and Joyce has got engaged with their Mrs and Mr Right respective. Next year would be a joyous year for the 3 of us to get married...Looking forward to their weddings but very sad that I will miss MQ's wedding since I will be on biz trip.

 

I guess there should be another post to round up my feelings for the year before 2014 ends. Shall end my quick reflection for now..Need to work tomorrow....but there again it is a Christmas week! :)

19 Secrets of Couples Who Stay Together Forever

Came across these good pointers on FB and think they serve as good reminder for me so decided to blog for easy reference next time. :)

 

19 Secrets of Couples Who Stay Together Forever

Be on time. Don't fight when you travel. And just love each other unconditionally.

By Amy Odell & Lori Fradkin

 

1. Never underestimate the value of asking your partner how his day went. Niceties don't become any less nice just because they become routine. At the end of the day, even if you felt like no one cared about anything you did, at least you know your partner will not only care but want to know details.

 

2. Some fights are just fights. They don't have to be deal breakers. You can be madly in love with a person and still be mad at that person. Fights don't have to spell The End. Couples that stay together choose the relationship over the conflict.

 

3. Accept that relationships come with obligations. You might not want to do everything your partner wants you to do with him — work events, seeing a band he likes, even errands — but you also know it makes him happy to have you by his side, which makes doing those things totally worth it.

 

4. But be honest about which events you feel strongly that your partner attend. Not everything can be a must. He knows to tell you that it's really important you attend Passover seder every year but will live if you decline an invite to his friend's Super Bowl party. You're both fair about it.

 

5. Little surprise purchases go a long way. Does your partner love mint chocolate chip ice cream? Picking some up while you're at the store shows you were thinking of him even while going about your boring everyday chores like restocking the milk.

 

6. Don't force group or double dates when all couples aren't friends. You don't have to share the same friends. It's OK to still go out one-on-one with your girlfriends, even if you all have significant others. The guys don't have to be friends just because you are, and not every conversation is a group conversation anyway.

 

6. Kiss hello before doing anything else when you get home. Kiss good-bye when you leave. It's always just the sweetest if he has to go to work extra-early but stops by to kiss you quickly while trying not to wake you. Or when he walks you to the door when you head out. And an immediate kiss when you reunite at the end of the day means you care about each other above all else.

 

7. Sometimes you have to say no to invitations so you can spend time with each other. Just because your calendar is blank one night doesn't mean you have to agree to plans if someone asks. Life gets weirdly busy as you get older. It's nice to use that free time to just be together.

 

8. Treat his family like yours. They love to know you think of them as family. And your partner will love to see you treat them like your own family. Call or text from time to time. Hang out with them when your significant other isn't around.

 

9. More "I love you"s are better than fewer. Three words that just never get old. You're seriously not going to say it too much.

 

10. Be sympathetic when your significant other is sick. Maybe it means canceling dinner plans and picking up soup. Maybe it means running to the drugstore for more cough drops. Don't complain. No one gets sick on purpose, and if the situation were reversed, you know he'd take care of you.

 

11. Take on more of the errands/household chores when the other one is swamped at work. No, you don't want to do laundry, but you do it to make your partner's life easier. And by checking things off your mutual to-do list, you'll be more likely to do things you actually enjoy together when his schedule frees up. Plus, you'll have a crazed period at some point too, and it all evens out in the end.

 

12. Don't make jokes at each other's expense. Be respectful and think about what he'd want you to share with a group. He's your partner, not your punch line.

 

13. Be on time. So many meaningless fights can be avoided by being on time. Start your eyeliner 20 minutes earlier than you think you need to. Chances are either you or your partner, or someone in the party you're meeting, is sensitive about punctuality, so be there when you say you will so you don't avoid anyone the wrong way and seem rude.

 

14. If someone talks shit about your S.O., defend him. Even if you're generally too polite to correct people or call them out on rudeness, sometimes you have to make an exception. After all, you're supposed to be each other's biggest supporters.

 

15. Keep each other informed of your individual plans. You're going to grab a drink with a friend after work? Great, have fun. But let him know where you're going to be so (1) he doesn't worry and (2) he knows you won't be around if he wants to make his own plans. It's not a matter of asking permission — it's a matter of being courteous because you always want to rest easy knowing your S.O. is alive and well and not in trouble.

 

16. Respond to each other's texts, calls, etc. No screening when it comes to your significant other. If he needs to get in touch for whatever reason, that should be a priority.

 

17. Choose not to fight when you travel. The luxury hotel you booked turned out to be not so luxury at all. Or he forgot to pack your toiletry kit like he said he would. You can get cranky and be That Couple having it out at the airport, or you can realize you'll have a good story or inside joke in the future.

 

18. Be spontaneous. Make a dinner reservation for just the two of you at the last minute. Or just wander into your favorite restaurant and eat at the bar. Have random morning sex. Surprise him with concert tickets. Keeping things unexpected makes being with the person you love even more fun.

 

19. Love each other unconditionally. Sometimes it really is just that simple.

Challenging 2014

2014 thus far has been pretty challenging. First half of the year juggling with my dissertation and worked on the rebranding campaign, thankfully survived! Followed by organizing the major launch event within 2 months plus, plus overseas trade events. In the midst of madness at work, also planned for wedding, including booking of banquet venue and bridal package without much research. Frankly, when I looked back now, I wonder how I did it! Haha...amazing year indeed!

Though its already July now but I am still busy with upcoming activities for the rest of the year. I really wonder when is my break really coming? If its the bridal shot period in end Sep, I think my battery won't last me that long looking at the situation now. Recently, I have been feeling tired and unable to focus, last week had sudden heart palpitations and tight chest. I was thinking was it due to stress at work? Last few nights, I have been waking up in the middle of the night suddenly thinking of what has not been done at work. Its definitely not a good sign, I guess I need to manage this better so that it will not affect my health. Strongly believe that nothing is more important than a pink health. Need to maintain healthy and kick myself to do some exercise!

Good news this year include arrival of my second cutie niece Valerie Ng, 3.11kg on 3 July 2014, same birthday as her sister Theresa. Amazing arrangement by coincidence as both babies were born naturally. I guess we will be having big birthday party for the 2 girls from next year onwards. :) Glad to see that Theresa is handling well for the new addition to the family and mum is coping well being the confinement lady for sis this time. The least I can do is to help sis to get things she need and visit them on weekends to see my mum, sis and two nieces. :D Tiring but definitely help me get out of work mode.

Another good news to share is I have finally completed my MBA in July 2014, delighted to know that I have attained it with distinction as I was in fact quite worried that my dissertation didn't meet the mark to get a good grade. Grateful that all is over and next is to wait for my convocation in Nov this year! Wheee~~~ Maybe should consider taking a family portrait again since there are 2 new additions to the family and I hope to take couple graduation photo with MP. Without his encouragement and help, I would not have completed my dissertation too. The journey has been tough but definitely rewarding. Though I know getting a MBA will not get me anywhere in the job I am doing,  I still didn't regret going through that and paying 30k for a MBA. After all..I have ticked an item off my bucket list now.  Next life milestone will my wedding in June 2015, bring it on!

A Miraculous Experience

Been a good 3 months since I last blogged...I must say it was really a miraculous period since then. Honestly... it didn't feel so long to me as everyday to me was just mad rushing work, go home and sleep. Didn't have much time to think what I want to do or spend time with my loved ones. Quite sad eh...half of 2014 has passed without me realizing.

 

Well....I'm definitely glad that the major milestone at work is over, completed the launch for the new building and re-branding finally! Though the journey was so roller coaster and faced so much pressure, I must say I have felt the long-lost sense of satisfaction from this event. Thinking back, there were so many uncertainties, last minute decisions, arguments, pressure and comments from everyone else...I'm truly glad that I have survived through all these and become stronger! Given the 2-men crew to run the whole show, I must say it's already very commendable to have reached our target number of guests and impressed everyone. Kudos to my boss and me! :P  In the midst of madness preparation, we have also been to KL, JKT and HK to run exhibitions. Truly amazing how we did it but we REALLY accomplished it! :)  Frankly...it's really an "incredible" and memorable  experience with everything cramping together! Phew....still feel that stress when I think back now.

 

Amidst the madness period, there are good thing to share too. Haha...someone has finally proposed to me on 19 April 2014 at Batam! Ehh...nothing romantic so nothing much really share the experience here. But as he claimed, its at least an "overseas" proposal! All right..it just a boat ride away! :P Anyway, we have also booked our banquet venue soon after and planned for our wedding shoot in Sep this year. Well..I guess the few key things are done, left the customary stuff to clear nearer to the wedding date June 2015. If you ask me if I am excited? Not yet...abit far to get excited a year before the event right? Just have to make sure that I get to lose some weight to look the best! Haha...maybe to pace myself better at work, be more balance and look prettier for the once-a-lifetime event? Nah...preparing myself mentally for a new life ahead probably is more important bah! 

 

Next big thing is the arrival of my second niece, Ruixuan! She is almost 3kg now and ready to arrive anytime from now till the next 2 weeks. Looking forward to another cutie pie though Theresa is already one precious gem who never fail to cheer everyone up. Thankful for the blessed baby girls from sis who have brought so much joy to the family. Thanks sis and William! :D

 

Time to catch up with my beauty sleep...serious sleep deficiency and severe body ache from the madness schedule. Really need a break terribly! Question is when?!!

Learn to Let Go

Translation:
Sometimes, we feel tired because we fail to let go of things in life.
Actually, learn to let go can attain happiness.

Feeling tired in a current situation...really hope to run away from all these madness rush everyday. Everyone works but how come my work is forever so demanding? I think I need a break from the always rushing lifestyle...

1st Quarter Checked

1st Quarter of 2014 has just passed like a wind, perhaps I am too busy with so many things! Just cleared my leave for this FY to work on my dissertation. Amazingly...I have spent SIX FULL days to get the first draft ready, left some checks and touch up for submission. Frankly quite impressed by my super speed to get this done, should have done this long ago to get this out of my mind totally. :) Not totally satisfied with this piece of work but I just need to pass it and move on with life so don't really bother about grades anymore! Haha...Last time was thinking maybe can get a job that pays higher and can manage a team after graduation, I guess it's really quite a dream at this point! Anyway, I have already changed a job before I graduated from my MBA, no incentive to get a distinction for my dissertation now.

 

At the same time, feel quite shitty spending my leaves rushing dissertation and not away for holidays! Haiz...this will be the last time for such sacrifice! Goodness...life should be simpler than this! :(

 

Happened to come across this article which I think quite interesting for sharing:

 

18 Signs You're With the Man You Should Marry

 

He's your biggest fan (arguably next to your mom).

 

1. He always brags about you. If you get a promotion at work or even just win concert tickets he can't resist telling everyone you hang out with before you even think to mention it. Because he's your biggest fan (arguably next to your mom).

 

2. He makes sacrifices for you — and you're happy to do the same for him. He'll move cities to live with you if you get a new job or finish grad school. You're happy to make the next move for one of his opportunities. 

 

3. He shares the same values as you. You know you both want kids and expect to split the childcare equally. Or maybe you know you both want kids and he wants to take extended paternity leave. Maybe you've also agreed that you should each get 45 minutes to yourself to go to the gym every day or you plan to buy a home and move to the suburbs in five years. You know you're on the same page with things that matter most to you because you've discussed them.

 

4. Even after years together he still does little chivalrous things for you. Like open doors for you or carry you to your doorstep when your feet hurt after wearing high heels all day and you just can't bear to walk one more block.

 

5. He doesn't try to change you. He knows you're messier than him, that you always need a pet cat, and can't cook to save your life, and all of that is all right by him.

 

6. When you think about marrying him, the best part isn't the wedding, it's the idea of spending your lives together. The wedding is fun, but you really can't wait for the two weeks right after when you'll get uninterrupted honeymoon time.

 

7. You survived a long-distance relationship. It was hard and scary, but you love each other so much that you were able to make the necessary sacrifices to make it through with a singular goal in mind: living in the same place and being together when it was all over.

 

8. "I miss you" isn't just a sweet thing you say. It's a reality. Even if it hasn't been that long (like, two hours) since you saw each other.

 

9. You don’t like having a roommate and love having your own space, but you’d still prefer to live with him. You look forward to the end of the day, not because you’ll be done with work but because you’ll get to see him again. 

 

10. He’s your go-to person whenever you have a story to share, about work, about friends, about anything. You used to tell your parents and friends about all these things, but now you don’t call them quite as much as you used to. They don’t mind because they see how happy you are.

 

11. You feel comfortable planning things six months — or a year — in the future. You’re not worried you’ll have to cancel plane tickets or say you won’t be needing a plus-one after all. You feel that confident in your relationship.

 

12. You can cry in front of him without feeling embarrassed. He knows when to worry and when you’re just caught up in a scene of a movie. 

 

13. When your friends complain about their significant others or the guys they’ve gone out with, you get kind of quiet because you don’t have much to contribute. You don’t want to brag, but you just don't have to deal with any of that nonsense because your significant other is great to you.

 

14. He’s close with your family, and he’s made sure you’ve gotten to know his. He’ll call your dad or your grandma without any hesitation. It just makes sense that you’d go to his nephew’s birthday party, even if he's not there.

 

15. He cares about your friends. If one of them is having a bad day, he suggests you go spend time with her or invite her to join the two of you for dinner. If he hasn’t heard someone’s name in a while, he asks how she’s doing. 

 

16. He lets you vent. Sometimes when something frustrates you, you just need to go over it again and again. He doesn’t get annoyed at this, and he dismisses your apologies. The only thing that bothers him about the situation is that you’re upset and he wishes you weren’t.

 

17. He tells you, out of the blue, that you look hot. And it’s on the day you didn’t dry your hair or put on makeup or even change out of your T-shirt and sweatpants.

 

18. You can do things like travel together without fighting all the time. We've all seen (or been) that tragic couple fighting over where to get lunch at the airport so badly that one of them devolves into tears and puts her shades on indoors and lies across three seats in the terminal. You can do tedious things with your S.O. without all this fighting.

 

Gearing up to clear my backlog and "cheong" for the next quarter! Jia you oh!

"DESSERTS" Start of 2014

2014 has started in an interesting way for me! Wondering why "Desserts" in the title? Haha...coz it's really a "Stressful" start of the new year (Ans: Stressed is spelled backward of Desserts). Been having so many things to juggle till I feel the hit and health facing some problem. Been not able to sleep well for weeks and on the verge of falling sick when I know I cannot afford to be sick coz of work commitment. Gonna get myself well and back on track asap!

 

I don't think this is the most stressful period of my life but I really felt the impact, perhaps really due to age bah. Recently been feeling very restless and unable to focus due to too many things in my head. Probably that's why I can never get to sleep well at night. Sighh... While I can tell myself thousands time to keep my cool and take thing as it comes. It's easier to say than done, I am probably expecting too much from my little brain. My boss been saying I am negative about things which really upset me a lot. Truly, I am just trying to set the expectations right after clarifications of the issues discussed. I guess knowing more info and implications always bring more concerns and hesitations. Sometimes I think I am really a very lousy employee...sucky feeling! Many bosses always think the simplest form of things, not knowing that one statement or one task could involve many steps and thinking. Arghh...I must admit I am not a person with great patience when it come to such paperwork and in fact I hate doing admin work. However, I will still do what is needed to get things done. My objective is clear, get things done in the shortest time I can, that's provided I have the resources and support! :( Feeling terrible and helpless....just hope things will move smoothly in the next 2 months, will do my best.

 

In mid Jan, I have been to my first biz trip and to a country of fantasy - Honolulu (Hawaii)! Whee....exciting place indeed but unfortunately not much time to explore the place since its a biz trip to a conference. It was really an eye opener for me personally. Coming from a conference organizer background, the conference I went was totally different from what I did in the past! I guess the industry is really small enough to have such annual gathering at Hawaii! Haha...at least I don't see the same people attending the conference I organize even though the theme were the same. Well...the consolation was I managed to extend a couple of days at Tokyo, a city which I have been yearning to go all the while. At first was quite concern of the cold weather but turned out to be manageable, still the coldest temperature I have experienced so far. There are definitely a lot more to explore in Japan, will want to visit Japan again and explore other places including skiing in Hokkaido! :)

 

Today is the 10th day of Lunar New Year. This year's CNY was simple but it coincided with mum's birthday on the 2nd Feb where we had a small celebration at home with sushi, kfc, pizza and yusheng. Simple but this year feel exceptionally grateful that Mum is well and smiling on her 60th birthday. Mama...May you will recover well and live till ripe old age. I hope to see her smiling and joking with us on her many birthdays ahead... Though the process we went through was not easy in the past few months, I am glad Mum has braved through the surgery and radiotherapy. She is really the bravest woman I have met...of cse also stubborn coz still insist to do so much cleaning at home when she is still recovering. Really wondered if I have inherited Mum's stubbornness in me. Haha...:)

 

Hoping to complete my dissertation in the next 2 months in order to graduate from my mba in July, unfortunately coincide with the major milestones at work. Nvm..will just "cheong" and get it over and done with. There goes my beauty sleep on weekends and time after work, must discipline not to work too late too. At the back of my mind, I know I maybe able to collect key of my new home soon. Excited but yet worried coz we are still at ground zero in terms of wed prep. Gosh....why must everything happen in 2014?!! Bless me please....*Ultimate tired!* 

1st Jan 2014 - New Year Resolutions?

Today is the first day of 2014, the excitement to start a new year is long gone. To me, it is probably just a change of calendar and a PH to sleep in. Haha..boring indeed coz no one celebrate such occasions with me for longest time. Perhaps because as I grow older, I also don't see the attraction to go to parties and squeeze with people out there. Instead, I spent my NYE watching countdown concerts at the comfort at home. *Boring~~~*

 

Looking back, 2013 was not exactly a good year for me despite all Chinese horoscopes shared that it was supposed to be the best year for me...*Perspire* Anyway, I think at the end of the day, what makes one's life different is what we do to make it different. This year, the most impactful incident was that my mum got diagnosed with cancer and went thru a major ops to remove her womb. Come to think of it, the period was tough plus I was unable to be with her during the ops due to a pre-booked holiday with a group of friends. Thankfully, mum's ops went well and she is willing to go through 5 weeks of intensive radiotherapy daily to lower the recurrence of her condition. These 5 weeks, mum has been such a strong woman that she went to NCC daily on her own and go through the treatment faithfully. Kudos to Mum! :) Though there are side effects of the treatment, mum has been taking it well and not complaining too much. I guess that's where I inherited the strong character after mum. Mum has always been the pillar in our family since Dad's demise, truly hope mum can live till ripe old age healthily and see her grandchildren grow up.   

 

Another key event is the career switch back to marketing, though it has always been something I want to do, I start to wonder if I am up for it. Recently months, I have been feeling discouraged coz I feel that I am not good enough to deliver what I need to given that I am the only marketing person in the organization. I must admit that there are definitely a lot more for me to learn for marketing but I am not sure if this is the right environment for me to learn...I have always do my best in every task assigned to me coz I have some expectations of the quality of work I deliver. Somewhat, I start to feel that I don't have what it takes to be a good marketer. I tried to understand what went wrong so that I can improve  the situation. I think because this is my first job where I don't have a team to work together. Probably I am too used to have a team to throw in ideas, share the work load and have fun running events together. Nevertheless, I guess this is a good training ground for me to be more independent, pay more attention to details and think more strategically. Jia you, Stareo!

 

On the personal side, I have delayed my dissertation submission as I lost the momentum to carry on. Very disappointed with myself for the lack of discipline but I will definitely finish it. Frankly, a dissertation is really not as simple as it seems to be, there are really alot of thinking and research work. Time consuming for sure plus the topic is really not something I am familiar with. Haizz...feel very helpess at times, every time I open the document, I will stare at it for hours but only complete a small portion. Haizz....Don't know what's wrong with me?! Really have to bite the bullet and finish this stupid dissertation!

 

Haha...sounds like it has really be a lousy year for me so far. To be fair, I have finally visited a western country, Australia, in Oct for 10 days with Christine, Damien and MP. It has always been my wish to go beyond the usual Asia countries and I am totally in love with the scenaries and fresh air in Australia. Hope I will visit it again to explore other states. Lastly, my roomie is finally back for good from USA, happy that she has found a job in SG and a bf whom I think can take care of her.

 

Despite a not-so-good 2013, I still hope 2014 will be a better year with good health, plentiful opportunities and more time for family. Decided not to set any new year resolution since it has never been realized all these year. This does not mean that I will be aimless this year, just hope to be happier and travel to more countries. Sound simple but not easy. Live, Love, Laugh. :)

 

Ended my first day of 2014 with mum at home, starting a new year of challenges at work tomorrow. Embrace and fight on, Stareo!