30 Jan 2007

I saw my ex-sec sch classmate on the train this morning. I didn't go forward to greet her. She glanced at me and went back to talking to her boyfriend, whom I find familiar. Maybe he was my sec sch mate...

I think I was just too shy to go forward and say "hi". Whatsmore, we have not contacted each for years!

Would u go up and say "hi" to a 'long-lost' friend, someone whom u have not contacted for years? Well, i'm really the shy type.


First time all of us went out for lunch together! and it's really a long one...

We went to Samy's Curry Restaurant at Dempsey Road, near Cluny Road, near Botanical Gardens, the outskirts of Orchard, where there are some old terraces and bungalows there...it's not really a restaurant, but more like a kopitiam, but they have a big air-con room where there are a few tables inside. But the South Indian food is really good. We had fried chicken (the red colour type), chicken masala (the curry one), fried fish, fish 'cutlet' (it's actually like the round potato, but it's fish meat - stingray somemore), curry mutton and the hot, spicy mutton (which is dark brown, almost black, but very hot!), yellow rice, white rice, crackers and lime juice.

Hungry?! But I'm feeling so full! We had quite a variety of food even though there were only 4 of us. But some were in small servings.

Whatsmore, we went to Swensens (at Suntec of course) for ice-cream! It's a treat from AC, the gentleman, again. He's really one gentleman. He waited for all of us, ladies to go in and out of the lift by holding the lift door, and opened and closed the door when we were all inside the cab...


It's my first class, start of the new semester. The classroom's so far from SIM! And it's so inconvenient. I was late, even though i took a cab, but there were many latecomers. I wondered how I should go to class every Tuesday. It's quite a big class so it could be quite embarrassing if I'm late.

The tutor's achieved a PhD! It's the highest qualification achievement among those of the lecturers I know.

Dr Er Jwee Ping - Program Director of Asian Risk Management Institute. Adjunct faculty with the NUS Business School and SMU. Bachelor of Accountancy (1st Class Honours) from NUS, MA(Applied Economics) and PhD(Risk Management and Insurance) from Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania (from the ARiMI website).

wowowowow....I have come across big shots...maybe through handshakes, in magazines, papers, books...but never this close - cuz he's going to be my tutor for a month plus.

30 Jan 2007 - isn't a special day..but a day worth remembering.

SS' bdae

We celebrated SS' bdae 5 days earlier. Hers falls on Sunday. First time we had a small celebration in office. SS was called in by PF to his room about work, and while she was standing at his desk to find some documents/ information, we brought in a chocolate cake from Angie's The Choice and a bottle of non-alcoholic champagne grape juice which tasted so nice! We sang her a birthday song...that's sweet rite? But it's something which u have seen on TV, except that the lights were not switched off..haha..SS was sooo surprised! She wasn't in a good mood since Monday in the first place...and guess what. We gave her a professional fondue set, that was bought by AC, as usual....the super-good-taste man with high standards, but not exactly leading a high standard of living. The fondue set could do a chocolate fondue of course, and even cheese, oil/ meat and wine. Oh my God, have u ever heard of that? WINE FONDUE?!

Anyway, the funny thing's that SS prefers a handbag to this..(falling off the chair), one of the suggestions that RM and I made in the first place, but AC's suggestion of the fondue set for her household precedes over our suggestions on girly stuff..and it turned out to be otherwise...well, well, well..so women's instinct is really more accurate than men's thoughtfulness..

work work work...

i dunno..i'm confused..

sometimes i feel like i wanna quit any moment..

sometimes i feel that it's not too bad, at the most i'll struggle for less than a year till mid-Dec.

but sometimes i'm dragging myself to work..i dread going to work..

sometimes i think, 'hey, this job isn't too stressful..in fact, it's not really stressed at all...i'm just assisting the accountant to prepare the financial statements, make payments, project cashflows and so on...there isn't even any deadlines! and the job's rather simple...

but sometimes, upon realising that this is just not my passion, i would feel sick of the job again..

i have that awful feeling, because when i compare this job with my previous two jobs, there are more cons than pros..

i'm not able to speak Chinese at all in office.

my English 'rusted' after not speaking proper English for a rather long time.

i have to do tasks that should not be done by executives. it's a 'bao-ga-liao' job actually. But who doesn't have to do that in this office? it's a very small office, with only 5 of us...of course the Group is BIG. but over here, everyone's doing more than what their work scopes require..even our Director has to oversee the design and renovation of the BIG BOSS' house in Singapore.

this is a hard post to write.. i am pondering if i should even post this up.

because sometimes i'm kinda ok with this job..

but sometimes i feel i wanna give up soon, with mixed feelings of disappointment, sadness...

would u like a 'bao-ga-liao' job doing things which an executive shouldn't be doing, but it's without 'deadline stress', or a job doing the specific things based on your specific talent with certain pressure and tight deadlines?

sometimes there has got to be a balance.

sometimes when u r too stressed and busy, u would wish for some light work.

sometimes when u r too free and doing too much admin work, u would wish for something more constructive, professional and important...and of course, u get the credit of your hard work and efforts..

but over here..............

sometimes, i feel that i dun deserve it.

Tashi Delek!

I'm sooo happy to know the Lamas and Ani Tashi from the retreat! And after visiting all of you, I managed to know even more Lamas and the Abbot, Ven. Khenpo..so honoured.

How I wish I can be with you all together everyday! I can imagine life without attachments, aversions, stress, jealousy, pride, greed, comparisons, troubles,WORK etc etc etc...almost like Pureland..haha..

And you all will make an effort to give me calls and sms, giving me greetings, asking me how I am and what I'm doing...so heart-warming!

Lama Ngawang, I know that you are leaving to Nepal..all the best and I hope I'll see you soon!

The 100 Million Recitation Retreat 2006

Led by His Eminence (H.E.) Tritsab Rinpoche and Rabsang Rinpoche, first time without H.E. Drubwang Rinpoche, I was indeed rather disappointed. I am missing a year to see Drubwang Rinpoche...for he only comes every year to lead the retreat from 24-31 Dec...

But still, we managed to hit the target of reciting a 100 million Manis, and even exceeded it!! Woohoo!!~~~ I'm so proud. Nobody would have the capability to recite a 100 million Manis on his/her own, perhaps in his/her life...a friend said if one recites 7,000 Manis everyday, he/she will recite 100 million Manis in 40 years' time...oh my god..but Drubwang Rinpoche has recited 12 times of 100 million Manis on his own, that is, without anyone's help! and still counting... I'm amazed...very amazed...it's so awesome!!

Participating in this annual massive retreat needs self-discipline and motivation throughout the 8 days..having to take vegetarian food, no alcohol, no jewellery (but I still couldn't take off DD's rings ..haha...attachment..) 2006 was my third year running, first time not able to apply for leave though..couldn't attended all the sessions. My wish is to be able to attend all the sessions with my family's full support and understanding..which is very important..

I feel so blessed to be able to attend this retreat even though there are many obstacles, more than what most people experienced..and what's more 'valuable' is that I managed to know some Lamas during this retreat..Lama Yeshi, Lama Ngawang, the female Ani Tashi and so on...

DD, thks for introducing me to the human path to Pureland. KMS, thanks for organising such aspirational and beneficial events!